Democrats push to restore flu vaccine mandate for troops amid Air Force base outbreak

Originally published in ABC News.

Written by Steven Beynon

Three Democratic lawmakers introduced an amendment to a must-pass annual defense funding and policy bill that would require the Pentagon to restore mandatory flu vaccinations for service members.

The proposal on Tuesday, from Reps. Joaquin Castro of Texas, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Gil Cisneros of California would reverse Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's April decision to make the annual flu shot voluntary, ending a policy in place since 1945.

The effort comes after ABC News first reported on a flu outbreak that has sickened a total of at least 275 Air Force recruits undergoing basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland since the outbreak started in early June.

Four recruits have been hospitalized, according to Castro and a source with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to talk to the press. One airman has died, though it remains unclear whether the death was directly related to the outbreak, with the specifics still under investigation, according to the Air Force.

Basic trainees live, eat and train in close quarters, while the physical demands of training and chronic sleep deprivation can weaken the immune system.

"A [service member] who is sick cannot fight effectively," Castro, whose district includes Lackland, said at a press conference Tuesday. "The flu vaccine is a simple way to make sure troops are healthy and prepared to carry out their mission."

New recruits are typically not vaccinated until they arrive at basic training, which is their initial introduction to the military.

Less than two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended the military-wide flu vaccine requirement, the services were granted exemptions allowing them to again mandate the shot for large portions of the force, according to an internal document reviewed by ABC News and officials familiar with the situation.

Those exemptions cover basic trainees across the military branches, service members deploying overseas or participating in major training exercises; personnel working in military prisons, healthcare and childcare; and crews responsible for transporting the president aboard Air Force One -- effectively restoring the requirement for a substantial portion of the military.

Until the new mandate requiring the flu vaccine again, 60% of Lackland Air Force trainees were not vaccinated for the flu, according to the two sources.

But with the new exemption, the Air Force has the goal of vaccinating all of the recruits in this recruit class and will vaccinate all new recruits arriving at the base according to one of the sources.

Vaccines have played a significant role in the history of the U.S. military. In a 1776 letter to his wife, John Adams wrote that smallpox was "ten times more terrible" than the British and indigenous forces, arguing that the disease posed a greater threat to the Continental Army than the enemy itself.

He blamed a devastating smallpox outbreak for forcing American troops to abandon their campaign in what is now modern-day Canada. George Washington ordered all of his formations to be vaccinated against smallpox the following year.

That precedent continued to the aftermath of World War I. About 45,000 American service members died from influenza and related pneumonia amid the Spanish flu pandemic during the war -- nearly as many as the roughly 53,000 U.S. combat deaths, according to Pentagon figures. The Army supported the development of a vaccine, which was refined and began to be used widely in 1945.

"For decades, the military required influenza vaccines for new recruits because military doctors understood a very simple fact: when thousands of young Americans live, train, eat, and sleep in close quarters, infectious disease spreads very quickly," Houlahan, an Air Force veteran, told reporters Tuesday.

Keon McDaniel, the Air Force recruit who died, was in his sixth week of basic training when he experienced a medical emergency on June 12, according to the Air Force. Recruits undergo a medical screening before they can enlist, but that process relies largely on medical history and a relatively limited clinical review.

He was transported to Brooke Army Medical Center, where he subsequently passed away. The cause of the medical emergency is currently under investigation, and a comprehensive medical review is being conducted to determine the facts, according to the Air Force.


Rep. Adams Applauds Supreme Court Birthright Citizenship Decision

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12) commented on the Supreme Court’s June 30th decision to uphold the constitutional right to birthright citizenship.

"150 years ago, the 14th Amendment was written into our Constitution to guarantee formerly enslaved Black Americans could never have their citizenship challenged because of their race.

"150 years later, the 14th amendment stands reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, ensuring that everyone born in the United States is an American Citizen.


Rep. Adams Speaks on Bipartisan Housing Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), released a statement regarding the passage of H.R. 6644, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in Congress.

While this transformative housing bill overwhelmingly passed both chambers in Congress with bipartisan support, the administration has previously refused to make it law until the SAVE America Act had been passed.

Speaker Mike Johnson sent the bill to the President yesterday, on June 29. If not signed or vetoed within ten days of it reaching the President’s desk, it will automatically become law, as outlined in the constitution.

“One of the most pressing issues facing North Carolina’s 12th District is the skyrocketing cost of housing in Charlotte,” said Congresswoman Adams. “This bill will help build new housing, lower mortgage rates and rental costs, and prioritize homebuyers and renters over corporate landlords. Having a space to call your own is an integral part of the American dream; and this legislation will make that dream more accessible for my constituents and Americans across the country.”

This historic legislation will:

Remove unnecessary regulatory barriers and streamline environmental reviews to expedite the development of affordable housing.

Strengthen the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investments Partnership Program to provide key funding for affordable housing development.

Authorize disaster recovery housing programs to get money out to disaster-stricken communities faster — a win for western North Carolina.

Place restrictions on large institutional investors by capping the number of single-family homes they may purchase.

“With the passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, new regulations will be enacted to restrict corporations from buying homes,” said Congresswoman Adams. “This issue is important to me, which is why I introduced similar legislation in early 2025.”

Corporate housing ownership is a significant concern for Charlotte. As of 2023, corporations owned roughly 20,000 single-family properties in Charlotte. To combat this, Congresswoman Adams introduced the American Neighborhoods Protection Act to place a limit on corporate homeownership and create a fund to construct new housing.


Aderholt Announces $16.17 Million BUILD Grant for Swayback Bridge Replacement in Marshall County

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) today announced that Marshall County has been awarded a $16.17 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to replace the Swayback Bridge on Hustleville Road. The award is the only BUILD Grant awarded in Alabama this year, making it a significant investment not only for Marshall County but for the entire state.

The project will replace the existing Swayback Bridge and realign approximately 2,000 feet of Hustleville Road. The new bridge will be approximately 1,000 feet long and 40 feet wide and will include widened shoulders, improved roadway geometry, enhanced safety features, and the relocation and upgrade of a water line beneath the bridge deck.

"This is tremendous news for Marshall County and for the thousands of residents, school buses, emergency vehicles, farmers, and businesses that depend on the Swayback Bridge every day," said Congressman Aderholt. "Anyone who has driven this stretch of road understands why this project has been such a priority. Replacing this aging bridge will make travel safer, improve reliability, and strengthen an important transportation corridor for years to come."

Last year, Congressman Aderholt wrote directly to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urging the Department of Transportation to give strong consideration to Marshall County's BUILD Grant application.

"I was proud to advocate for this project and appreciate Secretary Duffy and the Department of Transportation for recognizing its importance," Aderholt continued. "Competitive grants like BUILD are never easy to secure, which makes this award especially meaningful. The fact that Marshall County received Alabama's only BUILD Grant this year speaks to both the strength of this application and the critical need for this investment."

Aderholt also commended the Marshall County Commission and local officials for their leadership in developing the project.

"I want to congratulate the Marshall County Commission and Commission Chairman John Young and everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this application together," Aderholt said. "Their persistence and vision made today's announcement possible. I look forward to seeing construction begin and to the lasting benefits this project will provide for the people of Marshall County."

The BUILD Grant program provides competitive federal funding for nationally and regionally significant transportation projects that improve safety, mobility, and economic opportunity.


Congressman Aderholt Announces Grant Workshop for Non-Profits

This office is located on the backside of the Cullman Dental Arts building up the handicap ramp. It serves Cullman and Winston Counties.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Marshall, DeKalb, and Blount Counties.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Fayette, Lamar, Marion and Walker Counties. It also serves the portion of Tuscaloosa County north of the Black Warrior River, but also down the western side of the county to include the Ralph, Fosters areas.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Colbert and Franklin Counties. It also serves residents of Lauderdale County from roughly Center Star, west to the Mississippi line.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office is located on the backside of the Cullman Dental Arts building up the handicap ramp. It serves Cullman and Winston Counties.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Marshall, DeKalb, and Blount Counties.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Fayette, Lamar, Marion and Walker Counties. It also serves the portion of Tuscaloosa County north of the Black Warrior River, but also down the western side of the county to include the Ralph, Fosters areas.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Colbert and Franklin Counties. It also serves residents of Lauderdale County from roughly Center Star, west to the Mississippi line.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.


Smith: USMCA Renewal Pause Is a Path to Stronger Enforcement

Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03), a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and chair of the Subcommittee on Trade, released the following statement regarding the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Joint Review.

“Since its creation, USMCA has been the gold standard for modern trade agreements, delivering meaningful benefits to the United States and our North American partners. But any agreement is only as strong as its enforcement. Unfortunately, over the past six years, our trading partners have repeatedly failed to fully uphold their commitments. With that in mind, President Trump’s decision not to renew is not a termination—it is an opportunity to strengthen enforcement, so the agreement functions as intended. I look forward to continuing my work with Ambassador Greer to secure the strongest possible deal, level the playing field, and reinforce supply chains for America’s agriculture producers and manufacturers."

BACKGROUND:

Smith has been a leading advocate for strong enforcement of the USMCA agreement—particularly on issues affecting American agriculture, manufacturing, and digital services.

Representing the nation’s largest agriculture-producing district, Smith has emphasized the importance of a strong, enforceable USMCA for America’s farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers. He continues to support strengthening the agreement ahead of its scheduled expiration on July 1, 2036.

In December 2020, after Mexico issued a presidential decree banning imports of U.S. biotech corn for human consumption in violation of its USMCA commitments, Smith pressed the Biden Administration to act. Sending multiple letters to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urging the launch of a formal dispute. In December 2024, following sustained pressure from Smith, a USMCA dispute panel ruled in the United States’ favor, ending Mexico’s ban on U.S.-grown biotech corn.

In March 2022, Smith joined his colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden Administration raising concerns about Mexico’s discrimination towards American energy companies and urging the administration to pursue a formal USMCA dispute settlement.

In December 2023, Smith joined his colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden Administration expressing their disappointment in the administration’s failure to hold Canada accountable for their discrimination against American dairy products. In December 2025, he joined a group of his colleagues urging the Trump Administration to finally address these concerns ahead of the Joint Review.

In September 2024, following several concerning Mexican Constitutional reforms, Smith led a group of his colleagues in sending a letter urging the Biden Administration to work with Mexican officials to ensure that these proposed reforms did not violate the USMCA agreement.

Smith has also raised concerns about Canada’s emerging digital trade barriers. In May 2024, he joined a bipartisan group urging the Biden Administration to address trade implications of Canada’s Online Streaming Act. In July 2025, he and his colleagues called on Canadian officials to rescind discriminatory digital policies ahead of the 2026 Joint Review and urged the Trump Administration to prioritize resolving these barriers in future negotiations.

In May 2026, Smith led a letter with 19 Republican colleagues to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent raising concerns regarding recent actions by Mexico’s Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT) that unfairly target American companies operating in Mexico.

Ahead of the July 2026 Joint Review, Smith led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Mexico City to meet with Mexican officials during the first round of bilateral negotiations.

Most recently, in June 2026, Smith led a bipartisan letter with his Agriculture Trade Caucus co-chairs and 13 colleagues urging the Trump Administration to address Mexico’s non-tariff barriers affecting U.S. grain exports.


Press Releases

Rep. Aguilar Announces Over $66 Million for Head Start Programs in San Bernardino County

The grant will support quality early learning programs for children in the Inland Empire, regardless of financial background

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) announced a $66,447,189 grant award for San Bernardino County’s Head Start Programs to ensure quality early education for children in the Inland Empire and set them up for academic success.

“All children in the Inland Empire deserve accessible, quality early childhood education and the life-changing impacts it can have,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “During my time as a Head Start teacher’s aide, I saw firsthand how building a strong educational foundation from an early age can set children up for success in school and beyond. I’m proud to announce this funding for San Bernardino County to continue educating our youngest minds and helping children and families in our region build brighter futures.”

“San Bernardino County is pleased to accept this federal grant, which represents the annual funding for our Preschool Services Head Start and Early Head Start programs,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe. “These programs serve more than 2,000 children and their families through entry into kindergarten and provide educational, health, and family engagement services. Additionally, Preschool Services works with other county departments and community agencies to help families navigate food and housing insecurity and maximize career opportunities to achieve economic stability.”

The funding comes as part of a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children & Families’ Office of Head Start. The grant will support San Bernardino County’s Head Start Center-Based and Home-Based programs, which provide low-income families with early learning and social services that support childhood development, family well-being and overall health.


Alford, Correa Introduce Bipartisan “Online Accessibility Act” to Expand Access & Protect Small Businesses

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) and Congressman Lou Correa (CA-46) introduced the Online Accessibility Act, bipartisan legislation to modernize the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for the digital age while protecting small businesses from abusive website lawsuits.

The legislation establishes clear, uniform accessibility standards for consumer-facing websites and mobile applications and creates a structured process to ensure issues are fixed—rather than exploited.

“Missouri small businesses want to do the right thing—they want their websites accessible to everyone,” said Congressman Alford. “What they don’t want is to be hit with vague demand letters or forced into costly settlements over technical issues they weren’t given a chance to fix. This bill brings clarity, fairness, and accountability to the system—protecting access for individuals with disabilities while also protecting small businesses from predatory lawsuits.”

The Online Accessibility Act:

Establishes clear federal accessibility standards for websites and mobile applications

Requires notice and an opportunity to fix accessibility issues before legal action

Creates a structured enforcement process through the Department of Justice

Provides flexibility for small businesses working in good faith to comply

Across Missouri and the country, small businesses have faced a growing wave of website accessibility lawsuits—often over minor or unclear violations—with little opportunity to correct issues before legal action is taken.

State-level efforts have also begun to address the issue. According to the Missouri Independent, more than 100 locally owned businesses in Missouri have been targeted by website-related ADA lawsuits, with some forced to pay significant settlements or shut down operations.

Accessibility matters, and it should be the goal, not an afterthought,” Alford continued. “This bill makes sure the focus is on fixing problems and expanding access, not enriching trial lawyers.”'

“Websites need to be accessible to all customers. Small businesses in Southern California work hard to be accessible to all, but for too long there’s been a lack of clarity and guidance for them,” said Congressman Correa. “This bill will increase accessibility while also providing clarity to small businesses and giving them a chance to fix issues before being hit with costly lawsuits.”

The legislation builds on growing bipartisan momentum at both the state and federal level to curb abusive litigation practices while strengthening accessibility protections.

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ICYMI: The Politico article, titled “Trump's second-term windfall: $1.4B in crypto earnings."

The Politico article below, titled “Trump's second-term windfall: $1.4B in crypto earnings,” speaks for itself.

You can access the article by clicking the link here.


Reps. Austin Scott and Sanford Bishop Testify On H.R. 9416 Before House Committee on Natural Resources

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representatives Austin Scott (GA-08) and Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) released the following statement after testifying before the House Committee on Natural Resources regarding H.R. 9416, the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park Redesignation Act:

"In Georgia's 8th Congressional District, and across the state, the Ocmulgee Mounds are a source of deep pride. Just as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone reflect the heritage of their regions, the Ocmulgee River corridor represents one of the most important cultural landscapes in the Southeast. By redesignating the Ocmulgee Mounds as a National Park, we can ensure that this extraordinary history is recognized at the national level and shared with visitors from across the country and around the world. I’m proud of the bipartisan work that has brought us to this point, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to move this legislation all the way to President Trump's desk and establish Georgia's first national park,” said Rep. Scott.

“As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday this Saturday, it is vital that we preserve and protect our ancient history, including the stories of the indigenous peoples who lived here long before July 4, 1776,” said Bishop. “Our bill today represents a small, albeit meaningful, step forward that will strengthen Ocmulgee and ensure that its cultural and religious sites are protected now and into the future.”

Watch Rep. Scott's full testimony here.

Watch Rep. Bishop’s full testimony here.


Rep. Balint Reintroduces Sweeping Legislation to Take on the Affordable Housing Crisis Nationwide

More photos from the announcement event in Burlington can be found here.

Rep. Balint’s remarks at the event can be viewed here.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL) has re-introduced the Community Housing Act, her sweeping legislation to address our nation’s housing crisis. The legislation would invest $500 billion in federal programs, fund the construction of affordable housing, provide new financing to build affordable units, center inclusive zoning and land use, and provide more pathways to homeownership. The ambitious package embraces perpetually affordable housing through community land trusts and would empower nonprofits across the country to help get people into homes that are affordable and stay affordable.

On June 15, Rep. Balint announced the reintroduction of the Community Housing Act at an event in Burlington. She was joined by local Vermont housing advocates at the event. Rep. Balint also introduced and led this legislation in the 118th Congress.

“Today, I’m proud to have reintroduced my Community Housing Act,” said Rep. Balint. “Confronting our affordable housing crisis is one of my top priorities in Congress because it’s a top priority for Vermonters. This sweeping legislation is about creative solutions, major investments, and concrete actions that we can take to address this crisis and make a real difference in people’s lives. I’m grateful for all the partners who’ve played a role in making this legislation a reality and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get shovels in the ground, increase the supply of housing, and lower costs for folks across the country. Let’s get this bill done.”

According to the Vermont Housing Needs Assessment, half of all Vermont renters are cost-burdened, and one in four pay more than 50% of their income on housing costs. Vermont also has a rental vacancy rate of 3%, which is one of the lowest in the country. In Chittenden County, it’sbeen estimated to be just 1%. Additionally, Vermont has the second-highest homelessness rate per capita in the country: 51 per 10,000 people. In 2021, 32% of Vermont renters had the income needed to buy a median-priced home, but by 2023, that rate had fallen to 6%. Lastly, per 2022 data, about 20,000 homes across Vermont have signs of housing quality concerns.

To address these issues, the Community Housing Act would:

Increase the supply of affordable and deeply affordable housing.

Ensure that affordable housing stays affordable for the long run.

Encourage revamping zoning codes to eliminate barriers to affordable housing construction.

Open more low-cost financing to affordable housing developers.

Support affordable homes and apartments for rural residents.

The Community Housing Act is endorsed by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the National NeighborWorks Association, and Grounded Solutions Network.

"Across the nation, households with the lowest incomes continue to face rising cost burdens and housing instability,” said Renee M. Willis, President and CEO, National Low Income Housing Coalition. “To address this crisis, we need sustained investments in programs that provide deep affordability and stability for these families. Representative Balint's legislation would increase rental supply where it is needed most by making historic investments in the National Housing Trust Fund, provide funding for legal assistance for renters at risk of eviction through the Eviction Protection Grant program, and fund and reform programs to preserve affordable rental housing in rural areas. I thank Representative Balint for focusing on the needs of low-income renters in this bold legislation.”

A one pager on the bill can be found here. A section-by-section summary can be found here. The full bill text can be found here.

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Barrett: It’s Up to Congress to Prevent Another Endless American War

In case you missed it, Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07) wrote an op-ed on Fox News Digital today on the role Congress must play in preventing America from being dragged into another endless war. In the op-ed, Barrett discusses his package of legislation from earlier this year to Recalibrate Foreign Policy and End Endless Wars, as well as his recent votes to require congressional authorization for any further military operations in Iran.

Barrett served 22 years in the U.S. Army and is the only member of Congress to introduce an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to wind down and limit the conflict in Iran.

You can read the op-ed here or below.

Image

War is something we are all contemplating as tensions with Iran continue. It certainly keeps me up at night. After spending 22 years in the Army and deploying around the world, it still consumes a lot of my attention.

Europe and America fought the "War to End All Wars" more than 100 years ago in the trenches of World War I. Of course, it didn’t really end wars, and it directly fed into World War II, which left millions dead and reset the global national hierarchy. In the book "1984," George Orwell wrote that "by becoming continuous war has ceased to exist." When we normalize war, it becomes a constant in our lives, like a chronic disease we try to manage but never fully cure.

That’s why one of the proudest votes I took in my first year in Congress was to repeal the 2002 authorization for use of military force in Iraq — almost 17 years to the day after I came home from my own deployment in that war. This marked the first time in my life that Congress successfully repealed an authorization for use of military force.

Earlier this year I introduced my own bipartisan reform plan to repeal another dormant authorization and require future authorizations to be reapproved at least every five years. This package would also give Congress more tools to quickly and clearly define future missions after the president uses force to confront urgent threats.

Our Constitution is clear: Only Congress can declare war and decide to engage in the use of military force. In 1973, Congress passed the War Powers Act, which delegated some authority to the president for up to 60 days before Congress must give consent for the effort to continue.

When that timeline expired for the conflict in Iran, I felt compelled to enforce it for one simple reason — the decision of when and how to go to war is perhaps the most consequential that a government can make. It literally involves life and death.

Decisions like this demand the highest level of constitutional scrutiny. Iran must never get a nuclear weapon, but the people’s representatives must have a say when American lives and taxpayer dollars are on the line.

Decisions about war can’t be taken lightly. Sadly, I have encountered what feels like a growing mindset that some Americans think we can fight wars using other people’s sons and daughters with technology that keeps us far from the battlefield. We haven’t had a draft in over 50 years, so it’s easy to feel insulated from the effects of war.

But an entire generation of Global War on Terror-era veterans see it differently. We lost friends and battle buddies who either didn’t make it home or came back physically or psychologically wounded, with thousands more losing the battle to suicide than to combat. At the end of two decades, it was easy to wonder if it was all worth it or not.

Staff Sergeant Duane Dreasky was my friend and roommate on a deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during Operation Enduring Freedom. He was struck by an IED in Iraq and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, just three miles from where I now cast my votes as a member of the United States Congress.

Other friends were lost to suicide or overdose. I think about the total human cost of war as I carry their memories and the thousands of other War on Terror veterans with me as I make these decisions.

While my time in the military has passed, I owe it to this generation of warfighters to set clear, unambiguous objectives, prevent mission creep and protect against endless conflicts and nation building.

When we do need to use military force, a clearly defined mission allows for overwhelming force to defeat the enemy quickly and decisively. It’s time for Congress to step up and have the debate on the use of force and avoid the tragic mistakes of the past.


Congressman Bell Announces Over $1.2 Million to Bolster Training and Employment Programs in St. Louis

Congressman Bell announced $1,285,628 in federal funding for the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment

The funding came through the Department of Labor’s YouthBuild award

Congressman Bell recently hosted his second annual job fair to further support job seekers in the St. Louis region

Congressman Bell: “So many amazing things happen when people have a stable, good-paying job”

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Wesley Bell (D-MO-01) announced over $1.2 million in federal funding heading for the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment. The funding came through the Department of Labor’s YouthBuild award.

“So many amazing things happen when people have a stable, good-paying job,” said Congressman Bell. “Which is why I'm doing everything in Congress to make sure my constituents have every opportunity possible to be gainfully employed. I am proud to help bring these federal dollars to the St. Louis region and excited to see all the good it will do for our community.”

Representative Bell has used his time in Congress to support programs that bring job opportunities back to the St. Louis region. He has hosted two Congressional job fairs that have brought together hundreds of employers and potential employees from around the area. As the St. Louis County Prosecutor, Congressman Bell understands the direct correlation between job opportunity and crime rates in the St. Louis region.

The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) is the City of St. Louis government agency that offers job seekers and businesses a variety of no-cost services related to employment, job training, and career advancement.

YouthBuild is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational services for opportunity youth ages 16-24 who left school without a secondary diploma. Participants learn vocational skills in construction, as well as in other in-demand industries that include healthcare, information technology, and hospitality. Participants also provide community service through the required construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighborhoods.


Congressman Bell Spearheads Effort to Include Disaster Relief Funding in Any Supplemental Legislation

The letter urges House leadership to immediately put together a supplemental funding package to address needed disaster recovery funds for the St. Louis region

This effort builds on several other legislative initiatives Congressman Bell has championed to address the lack of federal support stemming from last year’s tornado

Congressman Bell sent the letter to House leadership, as well as the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee

Congressman Bell: “The tornado impacted communities already facing economic challenges and aging infrastructure, making recovery especially difficult in St. Louis's most vulnerable neighborhoods

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Wesley Bell (D-MO-01) led an effort urging House leadership and the Appropriations Committee Chair and Ranking Member to include disaster relief funding in any supplemental legislation brought to the House floor.

“As St. Louis communities recover from the 2025 storms, I urge you to bring supplemental disaster relief appropriations funding to the House floor as soon as possible," wrote the Congressman in the letter.

“The storm damaged or destroyed about 5,000 buildings, including homes, businesses, schools, and critical public facilities. More than 100,000 customers lost power, at least five people died, and dozens were injured. Local officials estimate total damages exceed $1.6 billion,” Congressman Bell continued.

This letter builds on Rep. Bell’s broader efforts to strengthen and modernize the federal government’s disaster relief and recovery response. In May, he introduced the Tornado Preparedness Act to improve the nation’s ability to detect, forecast, and respond to tornadoes, and to strengthen community resilience in high-risk areas.

“I urge Congress to act quickly to ensure our community receives the resources needed to rebuild and recover from recent disasters. Local governments continue to bear the burden of increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters and require sustained federal partnership to respond effectively and recover fully. I respectfully urge you to bring a comprehensive supplemental disaster relief appropriations bill to the House floor that provides the resources necessary for my district and the other communities nationwide recovering from recent disasters,” the Congressman concluded.

After the devastating tornadoes in Missouri last year, Rep. Bell pushed to hold the Trump Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) accountable and to ensure families received necessary assistance.

In October 2025, he introduced the FEMA Operations Continuity Act to ensure FEMA can continue providing disaster relief during lapses in government funding. In February 2026, he introduced the FEMA Accountability Act, requiring FEMA to publicly report monthly on disaster relief fund expenditures. Most recently, Congressman Bell introduced the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Automated Assessment Act, “CDBG AAA,” which seeks to improve how the federal government identifies and addresses unmet housing, infrastructure, and economic recovery needs after major disasters.

A link to the letter can be found HERE and the letter text is below:

“Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, Chairman Cole, and Ranking Member DeLauro:

As St. Louis communities recover from the 2025 storms, I urge you to bring supplemental disaster relief appropriations funding to the House floor as soon as possible.

On May 16, 2025, a severe weather system produced an EF-3 tornado that struck the St. Louis region and neighboring communities across Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. With peak winds of 152 miles per hour, the tornado traveled nearly 23 miles and became the widest tornado recorded in the St. Louis region since modern records began in 1950. The storm damaged or destroyed about 5,000 buildings, including homes, businesses, schools, and critical public facilities. More than 100,000 customers lost power, at least five people died, and dozens were injured. Local officials estimate total damages exceed $1.6 billion.

The tornado impacted communities already facing economic challenges and aging infrastructure making recovery especially difficult in St. Louis's most vulnerable neighborhoods. Congress has not enacted a comprehensive supplemental disaster relief appropriations package since the American Relief Act, 2025 (Pub. L. No. 118-158), signed into law on December 21, 2024. While FEMA and other federal agencies have provided critical assistance, significant unmet recovery needs remain. Supplemental appropriations are direly needed to help communities recover, restore housing and infrastructure, support local governments, and strengthen resilience against future disasters.

I urge Congress to act quickly to ensure our community receives the resources needed to rebuild and recover from recent disasters. Local governments continue to bear the burden of increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters and require sustained federal partnership to respond effectively and recover fully. I respectfully urge you to bring a comprehensive supplemental disaster relief appropriations bill to the House floor that provides the resources necessary for my district and the other communities nationwide recovering from recent disasters.


New Dem Trade & Tariffs Task Force Chair Don Beyer Slams Declaration to Withdraw from USMCA, Urge Strengthening of Trilateral Agreement through Joint Review

Today, New Democrat Coalition Trade & Tariffs Task Force Chair Don Beyer (VA-08) issued a statement on the start of the joint review process of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) urging Trump Administration officials to maintain and build on the seminal trade agreement rather than withdraw and throw the U.S. and regional economy into chaos. The failure to renew the USMCA is estimated to result in a $300 tax increase per household in 2027 and the loss of 95,000 jobs.

“This past year has demonstrated the profound importance of free trade with America’s two closest trading partners, Canada and Mexico. As the President’s sweeping trade war erodes our trade relationships, raises costs, and destroys certainty in our economy, it is essential that the United States use this opportunity to strengthen – not retreat from – this crucial agreement.

“The Administration’s decision to start this review process by refusing to extend the USMCA is a grave mistake. Withdrawal from the agreement would devastate our markets, manufacturers, farmers, and consumers here at home. Our negotiators must engage in good-faith, trilateral discussions during this review to reinforce the agreement and ensure its continuation while addressing new challenges that have emerged in the six years since the USMCA took effect.

“Over the past year, New Dems convened meetings with the Canadian and Mexican ambassadors and roundtables with stakeholders and trade experts to ensure this process refines the Agreement without undermining its core framework. We are fully committed to delivering a revitalized USCMA through the joint review to deliver lower costs, stronger supply chains, more jobs, and certainty to our economy.”


Congressman Biggs Applauds Supreme Court Rulings on Women’s Sports, Presidential Authority

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Biggs applauded the U.S. Supreme Court decisions this week in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Trump v. Slaughter.

In West Virginia v. B.P.J., a majority of Supreme Court Justices ruled that states passing laws to protect the integrity of women’s sports are not in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title IX. Therefore, states taking action to separate biological men and women in sports arenas, including Arizona, are perfectly within the bounds of the U.S. Constitution and applicable laws. Arizona’s Save Women’s Sports Act has been under litigation and was being defended by the state legislature.

“Yesterday's ruling was a massive win for America, the law, science, common sense, and fairness for all,” said Congressman Biggs. “It is fitting that, in the United States’ 250th year, we have again restored order to the insanity threatening the integrity of women’s sports. I’m so thankful for the individuals around the country who fought every day for girls dreaming about competing in various sporting events throughout their lives. Because of your efforts, our daughters and granddaughters can grow up in a nation that will protect their right to play sports in a safe and nurturing environment – not one marred by biological boys and men attempting to gain access.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in writing the opinion of the Court, stated, “The two States here—along with 25 other States, the IOC, the USOPC, and the NCAA—have concluded at this time that women and girls should be allowed to compete for those life-changing opportunities on an equal playing field, without fear of physical injury from biological males or being forced to compete against biological males. Consistent with Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, we hold that the States may maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females. They may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex. The Constitution and Title IX do not require an overhaul of women’s and girls’ sports throughout America.

In Trump v. Slaughter, the Court ruled that the President of the United States does, in fact, have the constitutional authority to fire a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner without cause, being that the FTC is under the executive branch – of which the President is the chief executive. The Court struck down a previous case, Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, that had prevented President Roosevelt’s 1935 attempt to fire an FTC Commissioner without cause.

“In the United States of America, all federal bureaucrats should answer to the President, who is elected by and accountable to the American people,” said Congressman Biggs. “For too long, unelected bureaucrats have operated independently of oversight from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. That chaos suffered a significant defeat with yesterday’s ruling. I applaud the U.S. Supreme Court for getting this case and issue correct, restoring our three branches of government to more of the balance our founders intended with their inspired framework so many years ago.”

Chief Justice John Roberts, delivering the opinion of the Court, wrote, “Humphrey’s framework, in short, has not withstood the test of time. While Humphrey’s was surely right to focus on ‘the character of the office’ at issue, and surely right to say that ‘purely executive’ powers must be controlled by the President, we long ago abandoned the notion that there are some powers that are only partly executive. Forty years have now passed, in fact, since we recognized that the FTC exercises executive power – and did so even in 1935, when Humphrey’s was decided. And more than 200 years have passed since we recognized that the Constitution ‘vests the whole executive power in the President’ alone.”

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Reps. Sanford Bishop and Austin Scott Highlight Their Bipartisan Ocmulgee Mounds Bill at House Subcommittee Hearing

PHOTO: Congressman Bishop and Congressman Scott with the Macon-Bibb Delegation at the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee Hearing on July 1

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) and Austin Scott (GA-08) testified before the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands regarding their bill, H.R. 9416, the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park Redesignation Act. H.R. 9416 continues a more than decade long, but steady and combined effort of local, state, and federal leaders to create Georgia’s first National Park and more closely realize the original vision for this historic and cultural treasure which will also bring more visitors and jobs to Middle Georgia.

“As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday this Saturday, it is vital that we preserve and protect our ancient history, including the stories of the indigenous peoples who lived here long before July 4, 1776,” said Congressman Bishop. “Our bill today represents a small, albeit meaningful, step forward that will strengthen Ocmulgee and ensure that its cultural and religious sites are protected now and into the future.”

“In Georgia's 8th Congressional District, and across the state, the Ocmulgee Mounds are a source of deep pride. Just as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone reflect the heritage of their regions, the Ocmulgee River corridor represents one of the most important cultural landscapes in the Southeast. By redesignating the Ocmulgee Mounds as a National Park, we can ensure that this extraordinary history is recognized at the national level and shared with visitors from across the country and around the world. I’m proud of the bipartisan work that has brought us to this point, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to move this legislation all the way to President Trump's desk and establish Georgia's first national park,” said Congressman Scott.

WATCH: Congressman Bishop’s Testimony and Congressman Scott’s Testimony

The area is the ancestral home of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and has been inhabited continuously by humans for over 12,000 years. American Indians first arrived in the area during the Paleo-Indian Period hunting Ice Age mammals. Around 900 CE, the Mississippian Period began, and Muskogean people constructed mounds for meeting, living, burial, agricultural, and other purposes, many of which remain today and would be encompassed in the new U.S. National Park and Preserve.

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Buchanan Bill to Encourage Use of AI Tools to Detect Tax Fraud Advanced by House Ways and Means Committee

Establishes Pilot Program to Use AI to Identify Fraudulent Tax Returns, Requires Report to Congress on Results

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, announced that his bipartisan AI Tax Integrity Act of 2026 (H.R. 9501) to encourage the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to detect tax fraud was marked up and passed out of committee by the House Ways and Means Committee. Buchanan’s bill is co-led by Congressman Steven Horsford (D-Nev.).

“Protecting American taxpayer dollars is one of our most important responsibilities in Congress, and we should be empowering the IRS to use modern, emerging technologies to ensure that all tax fraud is detected and that bad actors are held accountable,” said Buchanan. “That’s why I’m proud to see my AI Tax Integrity Act with Rep. Horsford get successfully marked up and passed out of committee today. By evaluating how the IRS can harness emerging AI capabilities to strengthen fraud detection, we can ensure that it can conduct efficient, thorough investigations and improve recovery of taxpayer dollars.”

The AI Tax Integrity Act requires the Treasury Secretary to establish a pilot program within the IRS to use AI to identify potentially fraudulent tax returns, including those which are the result of identity theft, fraudulent claims for tax credits, deductions or refunds by individual or business taxpayers, and improperly prepared returns by third-party return preparers.

It also requires the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report to the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee evaluating the effectiveness and accuracy of using AI tools and capabilities to assist the IRS in detecting tax fraud. The bill does not expand the IRS’s enforcement capabilities.

In 2020, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) identified $2.3 billion in tax fraud through 1,598 investigations, resulting in 945 prosecution recommendations and 593 sentencing actions. By 2024, the IRS-CI had launched 2,667 investigations, secured 1,571 convictions, uncovered more than $9.1 billion in tax and financial fraud and recovered nearly $3 billion through restitution and asset seizures. Building on this progress, the AI Tax Integrity Act aims to help Treasury and the IRS take their efforts further by evaluating how AI can enhance fraud detection and improve recovery of taxpayer dollars.

Joining Buchanan and Horsford as cosponsors on the AI Tax Integrity Act are Reps. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.) and David Schweikert (R-Ariz.). Buchanan’s bill is supported by the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, Intuit and the 60 Plus Association.

Buchanan is a leader in advancing meaningful legislation to protect hard-working Americans and combat waste, fraud and abuse. In March 2026, he introduced the AI Fraud Accountability Act (H.R. 7786) to crack down on highly realistic AI-generated impersonation scams designed to defraud Americans.

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Bynum Urges EPA to Monitor Microplastics in America's Drinking Water

Yesterday, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (D-OR), Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) led a bicameral letter, joined by 53 of their colleagues, urging Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin to add microplastics to the agency's recently published Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6). The lawmakers argue that EPA should begin monitoring microplastics in America's drinking water, citing a growing body of research linking the emerging contaminant to serious adverse health effects.

Earlier this Congress, Rep. Bynum introduced the bicameral, bipartisan Microplastics Safety Act to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct a study on the health impacts of microplastics in food, water, and other products. The legislation is a critical step forward in better understanding the threat of microplastics to human health.

In the letter, the lawmakers write:

"As plastic production continues to expand rapidly, microplastics pose a potential threat to public health in the United States. Emerging research demonstrates that microplastics are now pervasive in the human body and are associated with serious adverse health effects. Concentrations of microplastics in human brain tissue have been reported to increase by nearly 50 percent between 2016 and 2024."

Later in the letter, they write:

"Accordingly, we urge the EPA to add microplastics to UCMR 6 and to design a robust, nationwide monitoring program for microplastics in drinking water. Doing so will provide critical transparency regarding exposure, inform future health-protective standards under SDWA, and help ensure that the federal government meets its responsibility to protect the health and safety of the American people."


Congressman Carson Submits Federal Inquiry on AES/BlackRock Acquisition

July 1, 2026

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman André Carson (IN-07) submitted a formal inquiry to the Federal Regulatory Commission on BlackRock’s proposed acquisition of AES Corporation.

In the letter, Congressman Carson expressed concern that this transaction will raise customer rates, despite claims to the contrary. Congressman Carson cited an example in Michigan, where customers saw four successive rate increases following a private acquisition in 2014. A Minnesota judge later cited this deal to reject a proposal by the same BlackRock affiliate seeking to acquire AES Indiana.

Congressman Carson’s letter also expressed the risk of AI data centers passing on costs to customers. Congressman Carson recently introduced the AI Data Center Moratorium Act to enact a common-sense pause on data centers until safeguards can be put in place for customers, as well as a bill requiring additional transparency with data center developments. Congressman Carson has also spoken out against AES Indiana’s recently approved rate hike, which is set to take effect next year.

The full text of the letter can be found below and attached:

Dear Secretary Reese:

I am writing to formally express my deep concerns regarding the proposed acquisition of The AES Corporation by a consortium led by BlackRock through its affiliate, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and EQT Infrastructure. As the Representative for Indiana’s 7th Congressional District, I write with serious concern about the implications this transaction may have for the families, working people, and ratepayers I represent.

While the applicants claim this transaction will not impact customer rates, I remain unconvinced. Essential utility services, such as those provided by AES Indiana, are the lifeblood of our local economy and the foundation of household stability for my constituents. The transfer of such critical public infrastructure to private equity control warrants the Commission’s most searching scrutiny.

My primary concern is that the profit-maximizing mandates inherent to private equity and largescale investment firms will inevitably prioritize shareholder returns over the affordability, reliability, and environmental well-being of our communities. We have seen time and again that when essential services are treated as investment assets, the incentive structure shifts toward aggressive cost-cutting and rate increases that place a disproportionate burden on working families. BlackRock and EQT Infrastructure operate on investment timelines that are fundamentally misaligned with the decades-long capital stewardship that electric utility infrastructure demands. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Power Company saw four successive rate increases following its acquisition by private equity in 2014, illustrating precisely this dynamic. A Minnesota administrative law judge cited this deal as grounds to reject a nearly identical proposal by Global Infrastructure Partners, the same BlackRock affiliate seeking to acquire AES Indiana.

Furthermore, I am deeply alarmed by the potential for this acquisition to be driven by the surging demand for energy to power artificial intelligence and data centers. There is a profound risk that the massive costs associated with grid upgrades to support these facilities will be passed on to residential ratepayers, rather than the corporations driving the demand.

Additionally, I am concerned that the pressure to meet the rapidly growing energy requirements of these data centers will lead to an over-reliance on older, dirtier power generation, exacerbating air pollution and degrading the quality of life for communities already burdened by industrial emissions. This is not a hypothetical concern: Indiana already relies heavily on fossil fuel generation, and the communities in my district have long lived with the health consequences of that reality.

I urge the Commission to conduct the most rigorous and transparent review possible of this acquisition. Specifically, I request that the Commission:

Scrutinize the impact on long-term rate affordability: Ensure that the “public interest” standard under the Federal Power Act is rigorously applied to protect consumers from potential future rate hikes, and that residential ratepayers are not forced to subsidize the infrastructure demands of massive data center developments.

Evaluate the negative impacts of private ownership on residents: Examine whether the long-term capital requirements of essential utility infrastructure and the imperative to transition toward cleaner energy can be reliably met by firms with investment cycles shorter than the operational life of these assets.

Assess environmental and community health impacts: Thoroughly investigate how this change in ownership might alter generation priorities, specifically ensuring that the drive for rapid power expansion does not lead to increased air pollution and negative health outcomes for residents.

Prioritize public transparency: Maintain an open and accessible record for public comment, ensuring that the voices of the ratepayers who are most affected by this transaction are fully considered before any regulatory approval is granted.

My constituents rely on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to protect their interests and serve as a check against corporate, for-profit interests that would sacrifice their economic security and environmental well-being. I ask that you hold this transaction to the highest standard of accountability and condition or deny approval if the record fails to demonstrate that this transaction affirmatively serves the public interest—not merely avoids obvious harm to it.

Thank you for your time and your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

Congressman André Carson

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Issues:EnergyEconomy


Smith introduces resolution condemning the CCP’s campaign to erase ethnic and religious minorities

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the Co-Chair of both the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) and the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC), introduced legislation condemning the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) intensified repression of ethnic and religious minorities, as well as Beijing’s new law—the so-called Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress—scheduled to take effect on July 1st. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) is the lead Democrat on the resolution.

The Smith-McGovern resolution (H.Res.1400), first reported by The Epoch Times, warns that the bogus statute, adopted by China’s National People’s Congress in March, gives unprecedented legal force and cover to the CCP’s ongoing campaign to eliminate distinct ethnic, religious, linguistic, and cultural identities into a single Party-defined national identity. It condemns the CCP’s forced assimilation targeting Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, Hui Muslims, Manchus, and other communities, whose languages, faiths, families, and histories are under siege.

The legislation also asserts that Beijing’s law reaches beyond China’s borders, threatening Uyghurs, Tibetans, Chinese dissidents, journalists, scholars, religious leaders, and former political prisoners abroad. In effect, the resolution argues, the CCP is unjustly claiming the authority to punish lawful and peaceful speech, advocacy, scholarship, and religious practice, even on free soil.

“Beijing’s message is chilling: abandon your faith, forget your language, obey the Party—or face punishment, even abroad,” said Smith.

“This is not unity. It is tyranny—and it turns cultural and religious erasure into official policy. Congress must act decisively to condemn the CCP’s atrocities and protect Americans and diaspora communities from transnational repression,” continued Smith, who has chaired countless congressional hearings on human rights abuses in China.

Smith and McGovern’s resolution urges sanctions and visa restrictions on People’s Republic of China (PRC) officials and entities responsible for forced assimilation, religious repression, forced labor, arbitrary detention, mass surveillance, coercive boarding-school systems, and transnational repression.

The legislation also calls for continued U.S. advocacy on behalf of political prisoners, including Ilham Tohti, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, Hada, and others detained for peaceful advocacy, religious practice, scholarship, or cultural preservation.

Furthermore, the measure calls for stronger protections for China’s diaspora communities in the United States, who remain under the threat of transnational repression from the CCP.

It also gives expanded support for endangered languages, religious traditions, independent media, diaspora-led cultural education, documentation of cultural repression, and local-language broadcasting.

Finally, the Smith-McGovern resolution affirms that the recognition and succession of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leaders are religious matters that must be decided exclusively by Tibetan Buddhists, free from interference by the Government of China or the Chinese Communist Party.

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The Epoch Times exclusive article on Smith's new legislation'CCP Expanding International Repression Through New "Ethnic Unity Law," Warns House Resolution'

By Eva Fu & Dorothy Li

Published July 1, 2026

WASHINGTON—House lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning China’s new ethnic unity law, saying it will expand the regime’s efforts to enforce the regime’s ideology internationally and eliminate cultural and religious rights.

The measure by Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) comes amid growing concerns in Congress about the Chinese law, which allows Beijing to target people in the United States and beyond.

The Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress law, enacted on July 1, formalizes a longstanding push to prioritize Mandarin Chinese in education from kindergarten and promotes a unified national identity among the country’s 55 officially recognized ethnic minority groups.

It also contains a clause that allows the Chinese authorities to prosecute individuals and entities abroad if their actions are deemed by Beijing to undermine “national unity” or incite “separatism.”

Chinese military honour guards await the arrival of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ahead of a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Nov. 7, 2023. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

“Beijing’s message is chilling: Abandon your faith, forget your language, obey the Party—or face punishment, even abroad,” Smith told The Epoch Times in a statement. “This is not unity. It is tyranny—and it turns cultural and religious erasure into official policy.”

The resolution, shared with The Epoch Times ahead of its public release, denounces the new law and the regime’s broader repression of Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, and other ethnic minority groups.

The law “elevates Chinese Communist Party ideology,” and its vague prohibitions risk criminalizing a broad range of activities, including peaceful expression, religious worship, reporting, and minority right advocacy, the resolution said.

It noted the law’s sweeping provisions could be used to punish or intimidate people the regime dislikes abroad, including in the United States.

Taiwanese officials have warned that the regime could use the law against individuals for expressing Taiwanese identity and history, or opposing Beijing’s official narratives around Taiwan, the resolution noted.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, speaks at a hearing on Capitol Hill on Feb. 4, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The lawmakers expressed support for advocating the release of those imprisoned for religious beliefs, cultural preservation, or peace activism, including Uyghur economics professor Ilham Tohti and Uyghur ethnographer Rahile Dawut, both serving life sentences under existing law.

The resolution encourages President Donald Trump and executive branch officials to impose sanctions or visa restrictions on Chinese officials and entities responsible for enforcing the ethnic unity law and other forced-assimilation polices.

In addition, it urges the secretary of state to work with U.S. allies, such as the European Union, Canada, and Australia, to monitor implementation of China’s new law and assess its effects.

The Trump administration needs to take stronger action against the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) use of the new law to harass, surveil, or take any other efforts to silence the Chinese diaspora’s advocacy activities in the United States, the resolution said.

Smith said Congress “must act decisively to condemn the CCP’s atrocities and protect Americans and diaspora communities from transnational repression.”

Sens. John Curtis (R-Utah), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced a similar measure in the Senate last week.

Smith, McGovern, and a dozen other House lawmakers also expressed alarm to Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the issue. In a letter dated June 29, they asked Rubio to condemn the ethnic unity law as “a tool of forced assimilation, ideological control, and transnational repression.”

The law is part of the Chinese regime’s broader pattern of transnational repression and a “direct threat to the rights and safety of diaspora communities and human rights advocates, including American civil society organizations and lawmakers,” they said.

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) speaks during a House Rules Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Sept.16, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Rights groups have also raised alarms that the law could give the CCP a legal basis to go after dissidents and other targets abroad. Freedom House said on X on June 30 that China’s new law threatens to “further extend” its transnational repression efforts against members of ethnic and religious minority groups.

The CCP has been identified among the world’s most prolific perpetrators of transnational repression since 2014, according to Freedom House.


The Catholic Herald interview with Rep. Smith'Is political cowardice keeping abortion legal? | In conversation with Chris Smith'

By The Catholic Herald

Published July 1, 2026 at 9:00 PM

In this episode of In Conversation With, Mary Margaret Olohan sits down with Congressman Chris Smith, the New Jersey Republican who has co-chaired the House Pro-Life Caucus for decades and spent forty six years in Congress on three fronts he treats as one fight: the unborn, the trafficked, and the religiously persecuted. Smith is not a man in doubt. He describes hate mail, bullhorn protests and death threats as the ordinary cost of the pro-life position, and his answer to that cost is not caution. It is, in his words, to bend into the wind rather than with it.

The abortion pill is the conversation's central exhibit. Smith cites a large study finding that just under eleven per cent of women who take the drug suffer serious complications requiring hospitalisation, against an official rate the FDA has cited of roughly half of one per cent. He holds the agency responsible across three administrations, Clinton, Obama and Biden, for what he calls a cover up unlike anything he has encountered in decades of legislating, and he points to Planned Parenthood and international bodies marketing the drug worldwide, including into countries with no access to skilled birth attendants should a woman haemorrhage. Only the more conservative press, in his account, has been willing to cover the consequences to women rather than the politics of access.

Smith is equally unsparing about the politicians who once stood where he stands. He names Jesse Jackson, Dick Gephardt, Harry Reid, Dick Durbin and Al Gore as men who were once firmly pro-life and reversed course as their ambitions grew. He goes further, describing how the primary process has been used to remove pro-life Democrats from Congress entirely, citing the defeat of Congressman Dan Lipinski and naming Henry Cuellar as the lone holdout, the only Democrat to vote against a bill Smith says would legalise abortion up to birth in every state.

On the argument that the issue is now an electoral liability, Smith is direct. He recalls a constituent convinced she was pro-choice who, once asked under what circumstances abortion should be permitted, described a position closer to the Hyde Amendment than she realised. He cites the Marist poll's yearly finding that self-described pro-choice majorities collapse into pro-life positions once specific restrictions are named, and his own district polling, which he says never once favoured the pro-choice line even in supposedly hostile years. He is similarly precise about the Dobbs decision itself, noting that Justice Alito's opinion, which he has read closely, returns the question to lawmakers generally and not, as is widely assumed, to state lawmakers alone.

The conversation's second half turns to trafficking, where Smith's record is more concrete than rhetorical. He wrote the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, the law under which Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to twenty years and which he says has been used against nearly five thousand other exploiters, including, in part, Jeffrey Epstein. He is candid that prosecutors weakened that outcome by also charging the far lesser Mann Act, and he traces the same commodifying logic from that case back to the 1980s pornography commission he helped establish under Attorney General Edwin Meese, a task force he says the Clinton administration later dismantled entirely, including its child pornography enforcement. A successor bill, closing gaps that remain, has already passed the House twice with strong bipartisan margins and died twice in the Senate, killed once by Bob Menendez, with Thomas Massie among the recorded no votes.

His sharpest observation is about language. He hears in "the fetus is a parasite" and in the votes to permit sex-selective abortion of girls, which he calls theatre of the absurd, the same dehumanising instinct that lets pornography and trafficking treat women as commodities rather than people. He suspects history will eventually judge this era the way it now judges slavery, as something contemporaries defended and later generations cannot understand having defended.

Asked what should be done, Smith's answer is personal rather than programmatic. Stand up regardless of the cost, because the polling and his own long career suggest the fear of doing so is overstated. Finish the trafficking bill the Senate has twice let die. And do not mistake silence, from institutions or from individual members, for safety. In his account, the faith community and its allies remain, as he puts it, the only ones standing between current policy and something considerably more coercive.

This article was published on July 1, 2026 and can be found online at:


Ciscomani Announces $3.74 Million USDA Grant to University of Arizona to Strengthen Arizona’s Preparedness Against New World Screwworm

Tucson, AZ - Congressman Juan Ciscomani today announced that the University of Arizona has been awarded a $3.74 million Grand Challenge Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to strengthen Arizona’s preparedness for New World screwworm, a parasitic pest that poses a serious threat to livestock, wildlife, companion animals, and rural economies.

New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into and feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing severe wounds that can become life-threatening if not quickly detected and treated. The pest was previously eradicated from the United States through a coordinated binational effort between the U.S. and Mexico that used sterile fly release, surveillance, and public awareness campaigns.

The new grant will support expanded research, surveillance, education, and outreach efforts across Arizona, while advancing innovative detection and monitoring tools to improve early identification and rapid response capabilities. The project will also support coordination among producers, veterinarians, researchers, and state and federal partners to strengthen statewide readiness. Key stakeholders like the Arizona Cattle Growers Association will help support statewide deployment.

The initiative will complement ongoing efforts by the Arizona Department of Agriculture and will help equip livestock producers, animal health professionals, and rural communities with improved tools to detect and respond to potential outbreaks.

As part of the project, the University of Arizona will also conduct economic and risk assessments to better understand the potential impact of New World screwworm on Arizona’s livestock industry and rural economy, as well as evaluate response strategies, including the feasibility of an Arizona-based sterile fly production and distribution facility.

The project, known as PREP-NWS (Preparedness through Research, Extension, and Stakeholder Partnerships), brings together experts in veterinary diagnostics, entomology, agriculture, wildlife health, economics, and Cooperative Extension to build a coordinated statewide preparedness network.

Key areas of focus include improving early detection and diagnostic capacity, expanding surveillance through new technologies, enhancing livestock monitoring tools, and strengthening forecasting models to identify areas of elevated risk. The initiative will also expand hands-on training and outreach programs to help producers and animal health professionals recognize and respond to potential infestations.

In a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins requesting this grant, Congressman Ciscomani emphasized the importance of proactive investment in protecting Arizona’s agricultural economy and rural communities from emerging biological threats.

"Arizona’s ranchers, veterinarians, and rural communities are on the front lines of protecting our livestock industry, and they deserve every tool, every resource, and every advantage we can provide," said Congressman Juan Ciscomani. "This investment ensures we are not simply reacting to threats after they arrive. We are building the research, technology, and coordinated partnerships needed to detect New World screwworm early, respond quickly and effectively, and prevent a potential outbreak from becoming a full-scale crisis that would harm Arizona families, producers, and our rural economy."

This grant advocated for by Rep. Ciscomani has received great support from several Arizona community leaders:

"As our State Veterinarian's Office works hard to prepare Arizona for the New World screwworm, which we hope never makes it here, it is terrific to have a partner like the University of Arizona working alongside us," said Paul Brierley, director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture. "This is an example of the land grant engine revving up to bring innovative resources to livestock producers and the public in all 15 Arizona counties and 22 federally recognized tribes. University researchers worked closely with us to respond quickly to the call for proposals, and this funding will help power the all-hands-on-deck effort required to protect our livestock industry and once again push this pest out of our country."

"ACGA’s extensive membership base and statewide relationships are key to this project. Our goal is to work alongside researchers, agencies and other stakeholders to help ensure the tools and tactics developed by the PREP-NWS team are based on feasible, real-world application," said Suzanne Menges, Executive Director of the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association. "The health of our animals is always top of mind to members of the cattle community, so we are very vested in this opportunity to protect our herds from this pest."

"Many foreign animal diseases are tested by PCR, a reliable technology that allows us to perform testing in volume much more efficiently," said Emily Janovyak, assistant director of the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. "This molecular platform is more agile and scalable. Instead of relying exclusively on experienced entomologists, we could leverage a wider pool of laboratory professionals well versed in PCR testing."

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Rep. Cleaver Secures Key Missouri Priorities in House Water Resources Bill

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) celebrates the inclusion of several Missouri priorities he championed in the House’s Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), bipartisan legislation that authorizes critical U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects to strengthen infrastructure, protect communities, and support long-term economic growth.

Among the provisions secured by Congressman Cleaver are:

A $45 million authorization for Phase 5 of the Brookside Sewer Separation Project in Kansas City

Language prohibiting out-of-basin water transfers from the Missouri River Watershed, helping safeguard one of the region’s most vital natural resources

Authorization of the Lower Missouri River Flood Risk and Resiliency Comprehensive Study, a critical step toward protecting communities from increasingly severe flooding while improving long-term resilience throughout the region

“Investing in our nation’s infrastructure means investing in safer communities, cleaner water, and a stronger economy,” said Congressman Cleaver. “These provisions represent collaboration with local leaders, engineers, advocates, and stakeholders who understand the needs of our region. I’m proud to see these priorities included in the House WRDA bill because they will help strengthen our infrastructure, protect the Missouri River, and better prepare our communities for the challenges of the future.”

The $45 million authorization for the Phase 5 of Kansas City’s Brookside Sewer Separation Project will support ongoing efforts to modernize aging wastewater infrastructure, reduce sewer overflows, improve water quality, and protect public health while ensuring the city can continue meeting federal environmental standards.

The bill also includes Congressman Cleaver’s effort to prevent out-of-basin waste transfers from the Missouri River Watershed, preserving water resources that are essential to communities, agriculture, navigation, industry, and ecosystems throughout Missouri and neighboring states.

Additionally, the legislation authorizes the Lower Missouri River Flood Risk and Resiliency Comprehensive Study, allowing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate long-term strategies to reduce flood risk, strengthen community resilience, and improve management of the Lower Missouri River in the face of increasingly frequent severe weather events.

“Whether it’s protecting our drinking water, reducing flood risk, or upgrading critical infrastructure, these investments will have lasting benefits for families and communities across our region. I’m grateful these provision were included and I will continue fighting to ensure Missouri receives the federal partnership it deserves.”

The Water Resources Development Act is considered every two years and authorizes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects that improve navigation, flood protection, ecosystem restoration, and water infrastructure across the country.

Full text of the bill here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.


County backs naming new VA clinic after DeWitt native son

DeWitt County Today

Bobby Horecka | July 1st, 2026

DeWitt County commissioners last week joined a growing group of county officials across the region supporting naming the new Veterans Affairs clinic in nearby Victoria after a De-Witt County native, a man who went on to become one of the most highly decorated soldiers of the Vietnam War. Their resolution passed unanimously Monday to endorse naming the area’s VA clinic after the late Master Sgt. Roy P. Benavidez, a Medal of Honor recipient who was born Aug. 5, 1935, in the community of Lindenau in western DeWitt County.

His family would later call El Campo home after moving there when his father passed away during his boyhood.

The VA medical facility currently operates under the name Victoria VA Clinic and was built to serve the needs of some 20,000 veterans living in the Golden Crescent area.

By signing off on the measure, DeWitt County joins officials in Victoria, Jackson, Lavaca and several other counties in supporting the name change. Those county resolutions are being collected by Republican Congressman Michael Cloud’s office, which will then take them to Washington, D.C., where he will introduce a similar measure on the floor of the House of Representatives to initiate the name change.

The resolution would then require congressional approval and, ultimately, the president’s signature.

Cloud’s office is where Benavidez’s grandson, Matthew Benavidez, is about to take a position as a district field representative.

Matthew had previously worked as chief of staff for District 85 state Rep. Stan Kitzman, R-Pattison, but Kitzman was defeated by former Flatonia Mayor Dennis ‘Goose’ Geesaman during the GOP primary election.

Benavidez said he found the vote to be ‘inspirational.’

‘It has been almost 60 years since my grandfather’s actions that day in Vietnam, 45 years since he was awarded the Medal of Honor, and almost 30 years since his passing, and he is still remembered and memorialized,’ he said. ‘I look at this as the actions of the community, and the veterans. They look at the name Roy P. Benavidez and see a beacon of hope, courage, sacrifice and commitment to his brothers in arms.’

Benavidez served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1976, returning to his El Campo home upon retirement. His family still lives in the community where Matthew Benavidez, his siblings and immediate cousins graduated from high school.

His grandfather’s Medal of Honor stems from what the soldier dubbed ‘Six Hours in Hell,’ the title of a book about his time in the service.

Benavidez rescued eight men and recovered classified military documents on May 2, 1968, after volunteering for a rescue mission behind enemy lines.

He suffered a broken jaw, 37 bullet wounds and bayonet puncture wounds, returning to the forward operating base in dire condition. Assessing medics attempted to place him inside a body bag, but Benavidez mustered enough strength to spit a mouthful of blood into the face of a doctor looming over him, proving he was still alive.

‘He did not do what he did to become a hero in the eyes of the nation, he did what he did to be a brother to his fellow man,’ Matthew Benavidez said. ‘He did not think about what would happen after the fact, he only thought in the moment.

‘For the people of Texas to still remember the name, and remember the story, and carry on the legacy is truly inspiring,’ he added. ‘His story is what keeps me going in my pursuit to be a better person, and a better public servant.’

Benavidez was presented the Medal of Honor by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 after corroborating witnesses could be located. Benavidez died in 1998.

Veterans Affairs facilities are often named after military heroes, with the bestknown in Texas being Audie Murphy in San Antonio.

World War II-era soldier and fellow Texan Lt. Audie Murphy, featured in the movie To Hell and Back, is the most decorated soldier in U.S. history and a Medal of Honor recipient.

To the veterans for whom the hospital provides care, a trip there is not to the Audie Murphy Veterans Affairs Hospital, but simply ‘Audie Murphy,’ a man still revered by those who once wore the nation’s uniform.

‘I hope that this renaming will bring some sort of comfort to the veterans who visit the hospital, and instill a sense of purpose into everyone who reads his story. It is truly inspiring,’ Matthew Benavidez said.

Shannon Crabtree, longtime editor of the Wharton County Leader-News in El Campo, also contributed to this report.


Congressman Cohen Announces $1.8 Million FEMA Reimbursement to MLGW for Damage from April 2025 Storms

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) announced that the Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division (MLGW) will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for 75 percent of its cost to repair the power grid infrastructure damaged in storms and flooding in April of last year. That amounts to $1,850,109 for removal and replacement of utility poles, transformers, wire and other materials and the labor required to restore power.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“The storms and tornadoes that ripped through our region in April of 2025 did serious damage to our power grid. I am pleased to see FEMA’s reimbursement for most of the costs MLGW had to incur to restore power.”

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July 1, 2026 Congressman Cohen Announces $2.2 Million in NIH Grants to St. Jude and UTHSC

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced two National Institutes of Health grants to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and one to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC).

St. Jude received a grant of $1,077,000 from the National Cancer Institute for research on innate immune sensors inflammasomes and inflammasome-mediated processes in cancer under the direction of Dr. Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti in the Department of Immunology. Inflammasomes are proteins in the immune system that regulate the activation of important signaling molecules and proteins and induce inflammation in response to infectious microbes and molecules. A second St. Jude grant, for $388,500, from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, is for research on lipid metabolism under the direction of Dr. Joseph T. Opferman in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.

UTHSC received a grant of $777,079 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for research on fungal-bacterial dynamics under direction of Dr. Brian M. Peters in the College of Pharmacy. This work aims to help develop improved therapeutic interventions to reduce the mortality from fungal-bacterial co-infection.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“Important medical research is being done in Memphis by these internationally revered pillars of academic medicine in our community. I congratulate Drs. Kanneganti, Opferman, and Peters for receiving these federal investments in the work they undertake.”

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Comer Announces $24 Million Secured for Paducah’s Riverport West Project

WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $24 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to support the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority's (PMCRA) Riverport West Project. Since December of 2025, Congressman Comer has pushed DOT to award a BUILD grant for the Riverport West Project. His constant communication with DOT over the last eight months has included setting up a meeting for PMCRA and Paducah community leaders to meet with high-level staff at DOT Headquarters in D.C., sending a letter to DOT Secretary Sean Duffy, and calling senior DOT officials to underscore the project's importance to western Kentucky's economy, transportation infrastructure, and long-term growth.

“The Department of Transportation’s decision today to award a $24 million BUILD grant for the Riverport West Project is a major win for McCracken County and will help unlock new opportunities for economic growth across our region. I am proud to support the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority and its community partners whose leadership and vision have made this transformative project possible. I will continue to work with our community leaders and the Trump Administration to support investments that strengthen western Kentucky's infrastructure, create jobs, and expand economic opportunities,” said Congressman Comer.

“On behalf of the Paducah McCracken County Riverport Authority, we would like to thank Congressman Comer for his support in the development and federal funding for Riverport West. These grant funds mark a critical milestone in positioning Riverport West as a catalyst for economic growth across Western Kentucky. Congressman Comer's support and advocacy, along with Senators McConnell and Paul, has been instrumental in helping us secure the BUILD grant funds necessary to construct the first phase of Riverport West,” said PMCRA Executive Director Jimmie Garrett.

Background:

McCracken County is uniquely located at the confluence of the two largest rivers in our nation's Marine Highway System - the Mississippi and the Ohio Rivers - and at the junction of three states, making it an ideal location for federal investments to conduct the necessary planning and design work to prepare the site for construction. Paducah Riverport West will serve as an extension of the main public port, which has leased nearly all parcels available, demonstrating the need for an expansion of the community's current capacity. The region has a high volume of manufactured goods and agricultural products that are shipped by domestic barge companies headquartered in Paducah. The Riverport West Project will strengthen Kentucky’s transportation network, support local jobs, and create new opportunities for economic growth across the region.


Comer, Speaker Johnson, and Republican Lawmakers Urge Trump Administration to Let Jones Act Waiver Expire to Bolster America's Maritime Industry

WASHINGTON—Congressman James Comer (R-Ky.), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.), and Republican lawmakers today urged the Trump Administration to allow the current Jones Act waiver to expire as scheduled, and to take additional policy steps to safeguard American shipbuilding and the long-term competitiveness of the U.S. maritime industry. The Jones Act plays a critical role in Kentucky's economy, protecting barge companies headquartered in Paducah and supporting thousands of maritime jobs in one of the nation's leading inland maritime hubs. In a letter to President Donald J. Trump, the Republican lawmakers emphasized that this Administration understands the strategic importance of the Jones Act to U.S. economic and national security interests and encouraged the use of alternative tools to address fuel and fertilizer costs.

“We appreciate your longstanding support and attention to the challenges facing our domestic shipping industry. As you outlined in your visionary Maritime Action Plan (MAP), a strong maritime industrial base is essential to the nation’s economic and national security, particularly as the United States works to reinforce its global strategic position. Your acknowledgement in the MAP that less than one percent of new commercial ships are built in the United States underscores the importance of protecting durable domestic maritime policy and safeguarding against foreign encroachment in our nation’s waterways. Our nation’s strongest shield against foreign exploitation of American waterways is the Jones Act, which requires vessels transporting cargo between U.S. ports to be American-built, American-owned, American-crewed, and American-flagged,” wrote the Republican lawmakers.

According to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. maritime system transports more than 760 million tons of cargo annually, including agricultural products, energy resources, and other essential commodities. The current Jones Act waiver, issued to address rising fuel and fertilizer costs, has allowed foreign-flagged vessels to operate in domestic commerce even when U.S.-flagged vessels were available. Data from the Maritime Administration indicates that approximately 95 percent of waiver voyages have been conducted by foreign maritime operators that are not subject to U.S. tax obligations or domestic regulatory requirements.

“The Jones Act ensures that domestic waterborne commerce is conducted by U.S. vessels and mariners rather than by heavily subsidized foreign competitors. Over time, it has helped sustain a safe and reliable commercial fleet, supporting hundreds of thousands of well-paying American maritime jobs. In short, the Jones Act waiver has become a loophole exploited by adversarial countries to erode America’s maritime dominance. We write to respectfully request that the current Jones Act waiver be allowed to expire as scheduled on August 16, 2026, and encourage you to utilize alternative policy tools to address fuel and fertilizer costs while preserving the strength of the American maritime industry. We stand ready to support your continued efforts to strengthen American economic and maritime dominance,” concluded the Republican lawmakers.

Read the letter here.


Correa, Colleagues Move to Enshrine Psychedelic Therapy Executive Order in Law, Protect Veterans' Access

WASHINGTON — Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA), alongside Reps. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), Jack Bergman (R-MI), and Michael McCaul (R-TX), introduced the Initiating Biomedical Outcomes to Garner Advancements into Innovative Neuroplastogen Efficacy (IBOGAINE) Act. This legislation would codify President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order No. 14401, which accelerates the development of, and access to, psychedelic drugs that could save lives and reverse the crisis of serious mental illness in the United States.

“Our veterans put their lives on the line to defend our country, and far too many come home with invisible wounds. They deserve access to every effective resource available to help treat PTSD and support their recovery. Psychedelic-assisted therapy has shown promising results, but we need more research and funding in order for this treatment to become a reality,” said Rep. Correa. “Representative General Jack Bergman and I have been tirelessly advocating for this issue in Congress, and President Trump’s support has been a gamechanger for our effort. I am grateful to Rep. Morgan Luttrell for introducing legislation to cement Trump’s executive order into law so the progress made does not get lost when a new administration comes into office.”

“Last month, President Trump ushered in a new era of treatment options for our veterans with his executive order accelerating medical treatments for serious mental illness. Now we must codify it into law and ensure this progress is not lost,” said Rep. Luttrell. “Psychedelic therapy has helped me and countless other veterans, improving our lives for the better. As we fight to combat our veteran suicide crisis, this breakthrough must be available to the men and women who served our nation.”

"Our veterans and special operators have willingly put themselves in unimaginable danger to defend our freedoms,” said Rep. McCaul. “We have a profound moral obligation to help these heroes heal from their wounds, both seen and unseen. As his executive order made clear, President Trump deeply understands our duty to care for them and the potential of treatments like Ibogaine to provide lasting healing. I'm proud to champion this legislation to cement the president's commitment to our veterans and look forward to our continued work in Congress to deliver for those who answered the call for us."

“President Trump’s Executive Order sent a strong and long-overdue message to the federal bureaucracy: the days of slow-walking progress are over,” said Rep. Bergman. “Agencies now have clear direction from the top to move forward and deliver for our Veterans and families who have been waiting far too long. However, executive action alone is not enough. An Executive Order cannot rewrite federal law, and it can be reversed by a future administration. That’s why I’m proud to support this legislation that codifies these directives into law and ensures lasting change. Congress must continue to act to streamline FDA approvals, address outdated restrictions, and guarantee the VA fully implements these policies so Veterans have access to the treatment options they deserve as soon as they become available.”

Psychedelic treatments for veterans are currently unavailable in the United States. This has forced veterans suffering from PTSD and other mental health issues to travel overseas for assistance.

According to a study published by Stanford University School of Medicine in 2024, participants who received ibogaine treatment experienced reductions of 88% in PTSD symptoms, 87% in depression symptoms, and 81% in anxiety symptoms after just one month.

Read the full bill here.