Smith Announces Bipartisan Effort to Increase Male Educators and Mentors

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 16, 2026) — Today, Washington Congressman Adam Smith introduced a two-bill package—the Educators for America Act and the Building Community in America Act—to expand pathways for Americans to serve as teachers, mentors, and volunteers. The bills bolster paid teaching opportunities and national service programs to boost recruitment, with a focus on increasing the number of men participating. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is leading companion legislation in the Senate, and Senator John Curtis (R-UT) is a cosponsor of the Building Community in America Act.

The legislation addresses teacher shortages, declining community engagement, and increasing concerns about loneliness and disconnection among young people. Men today make up just 23 percent of public-school teachers and 28 percent of AmeriCorps volunteers, despite the important role teachers, mentors, and volunteers play in young people’s development. These bills reflect the work of many organizations that have spent years highlighting these challenges and advancing practical, community-based solutions.

“Boys in this country are struggling—in school, in work, and in life. Part of the reason is that so many of them are growing up without men showing up for them, as teachers, coaches, or mentors,” said Congressman Smith. “This legislation starts to fix that by getting more men into the classrooms and service programs where kids actually spend their time. I’m proud to lead this effort in the House.”

“Every kid deserves positive role models, and every community is stronger when more people step up to serve,” said Kelly. “My years in the Navy taught me that service gives you purpose, responsibility and a stronger connection to your community. Right now, too many schools need teachers, and too many mentoring programs need volunteers. We need more men to become teachers, mentors, and volunteers. When more people serve, our kids and our communities are better off.”

“At a time when too many young men feel lonely and isolated, we should be creating more opportunities to mentor, volunteer, and connect to a great purpose,” said Curtis. “By helping connect more young men to meaningful service and mentorship programs, our legislation will make our communities healthier, more resilient, and more connected.”

“We need good men – mentors, leaders and role models – in our communities and in our classrooms. The best antidote to a bad man online is a good man in flesh and blood, in the lives of our boys. The declining share of men in K-12 teaching and in community organizations ought to be setting off alarm bells across the country. Sen. Kelly’s bills represent a serious effort to address this problem, and are the first of their kind. It is easy to talk about the importance of male role models. These bills actually do something to promote them,” said Richard V. Reeves President, American Institute for Boys and Men.

“Connection is one of the strongest protective factors a young person can have. As the father of four boys, I know how important it is for young people to have caring adults who model respect, responsibility, and service. We appreciate Senator Kelly’s leadership in expanding opportunities for more men to become teachers, mentors, and volunteers and helping more young people build those meaningful relationships,” said Usiel Barrios, Director of Strategic Development at Amistades.

“Every day, I have the privilege of helping young men find guidance, purpose, and hope for the future. When boys are surrounded by strong mentors and a community rooted in faith, service, and compassion, they grow into better men, fathers, leaders, and neighbors. We appreciate Senator Kelly for recognizing the importance of mentorship and service, and we’re grateful for his leadership on the Building Community in America Act. We look forward to continuing our work to strengthen families and our community,” said Pastor David L. Wade.

The legislation is also supported by the American Institute for Boys and Men, the National Education Association, the National Rural Education Association, the National Center for Teacher Residencies, and MENTOR.

Click here to view the full list of supporting organizations and statements.

Background:

America’s schools and communities are facing shortages of teachers, mentors, and volunteers at a time when many young people report feeling increasingly isolated and disconnected. Men made up one-third of public-school teachers in the early 1980s but account for just 23 percent today. Only 17 percent of bachelor’s degrees in education are earned by men, and one in eight teaching positions nationwide is either vacant or filled by a non-fully certified teacher. Research suggests male teachers can have a positive impact on boys’ academic outcomes.

Community engagement has also declined in recent decades. Research shows volunteering strengthens social connections, improves mental and physical health, and increases civic engagement, yet men represent just 28 percent of AmeriCorps volunteers. Boys also face longer waitlists for mentors, and one in four boys and young men lacks an adult male mentor they can rely on.

The Educators for America Act would:

Ensure federally supported Teacher Quality Partnership residency programs prioritize the recruitment and selection of teacher candidates who are underrepresented in the profession, including men.

Strengthen the teacher workforce by expanding pathways into the classroom through teacher residency programs, which allow aspiring teachers to earn while they learn.

Help schools recruit more educators while increasing access to positive role models for students.

Prioritize national service programs that recruit and train underrepresented participants, including men.

Expand opportunities to serve in youth mentoring, after-school programs, conservation, disaster response, public safety, violence interruption, reentry services, skilled trades, apprenticeships, and workforce development.

Strengthen communities by encouraging more Americans to volunteer, mentor, and serve.


Rep. Mark Alford Applauds NSF’s $160 Million Kansas City Award Following His Push and Letter of Support

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mark Alford applauds the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) decision to award the University of Missouri-Kansas City-led Critical Materials Crossroads Engine up to $160 million in federal funding, following bipartisan advocacy efforts including a letter of support he sent to help secure the investment.

Rep. Alford joined colleagues in urging NSF to select the Kansas City region, highlighting its strong workforce, infrastructure and leadership in advanced manufacturing and research.

“This is a big win for Missouri’s Fourth District and for America’s future,” said Mark Alford. “Rebuilding our domestic supply chains for critical materials strengthens our national security, supports energy independence and drives economic growth. I was proud to send a letter supporting this effort, and I’m glad to see that work deliver real results for Missouri.”

The Critical Materials Crossroads Engine, led by the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), brings together more than 260 partners across higher education, industry, government and workforce organizations. The initiative aims to expand domestic production of materials essential to modern technologies, including semiconductors, batteries, aerospace components and medical devices.

The investment positions the Greater Kansas City region as a national hub for critical materials innovation, commercialization and workforce development. According to regional estimates, the effort could create approximately 10,000 jobs by 2036 and generate up to $40 billion in economic output.

“This investment reinforces that the Heartland has the workforce, infrastructure and expertise to lead in rebuilding America’s industrial base,” Alford added.

“Kansas City is uniquely positioned to drive innovation and ensure the United States is no longer dependent on foreign adversaries for the materials that power our economy and national defense.”

The award includes an initial $15 million over two years, with the potential to grow to $160 million over the next decade if key milestones are met.

The NSF Regional Innovation Engines program supports cross-sector partnerships to accelerate critical technologies, strengthen regional economies and maintain U.S. leadership in innovation.

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Congressman Al Green Honors the Legacy of His Friend, the Honorable John Lewis, Calls for Voting Rights Protections

(Washington, D.C.) — On Friday, July 17, 2026, Congressman Al Green commemorated the enduring legacy of civil rights icon and former Congressman theHonorable John Lewis, whose remarkable courage and commitment to justice helped transform America by securing and protecting the fundamental right to vote.

Congressman John Lewis’ leadership during the Civil Rights Movement, including his willingness to face violence on the Edmund Pettus Bridge during the historic march known as Bloody Sunday, inspired the conscience of our nation and helped lead to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. His sacrifice, along with the sacrifices of countless others, expanded the promise of democracy and reaffirmed that every American deserves an equal voice at the ballot box.


ICYMI: Rep. Al Green Declares President Trump Will Face Articles of Impeachment

(Washington, DC) — On Thursday, July 16, 2026, Congressman Al Green delivered remarks on the House floor declaring that President Donald J. Trump will face articles of impeachment.

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s speech on his official YouTube page or by clicking here. The floor speech highlighted is also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).


Amo Fights Back Against Republican Budget that Increases Debt, Funds Illegal War, and Fails to Lower Costs

Washington, D.C. – YESTERDAY, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI), Member of the House Committee on the Budget, called out Republicans' latest budget boondoggle, which would add $95 billion to the deficit while making it harder to vote and doing nothing to lower costs for Rhode Islanders.

Amo introduced an Amendment to reverse the energy cuts in the Big, Ugly Law and lower costs for consumers.

“Two years ago, President Trump made a promise to drive down prices, he hasn’t kept it,” said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). “From his Big, Ugly Law, to his erratic tariffs, to his illegal war with Iran, he has slashed health care and clean energy projects, driven grocery prices through the roof, and caused gas prices to skyrocket. Americans deserve lower costs and more opportunity, not another foreign war in the Middle East that adds to our debt, jacks up costs, and makes us less safe. I’m a NO on Trump’s latest disastrous budget, and I will keep fighting to stop chaos, end the war, and lower costs. ”

WATCH HERE: Congressman Amo Speaks Directly to Rhode Islanders about Republicans Refusal to Lower Costs and Willingness to Fund Trump’s Iran War

Background

Congressman Amo, a Member of the House Committee on the Budget, offered an amendment to Republicans' latest Budget Reconciliation bill that would have reversed the energy cuts in the Big, Ugly Law that are driving up costs and making life more expensive for Rhode Islanders.

Amo has been a staunch opponent of Trump’s Big, Ugly Law attempting to amend it before it was passed to protect Medicaid and SNAP.

The Congressman has also traveled across the First Congressional District meeting with Rhode Islanders impacted by Trump’s devastating Big, Ugly Law.

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Balint, Nearly 200 House Democrats Demand Independent Investigations into Killings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Johan Sebastian Guerrero

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) joined Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and nearly 200 colleagues in calling for independent investigations into Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Guerrero’s deaths and demanding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) halt removal proceedings against the witnesses.

“Both of these incidents have created enormous fear and outrage in the community, and raise serious questions about the safety of community members, regardless of immigration status,” wrote the Members. “Far too many people, Americans and noncitizens alike, are dead as a result of DHS’s reckless actions. There must be accountability and independent investigations.”

On July 7th, ICE agents shot and killed Mr. Salgado Araujo, a father of three U.S. citizens who had resided in the country for 35 years. He was reportedly not ICE’s target in their operation, and despite ICE’s claims that Mr. Salgado Araujo “weaponized his vehicle,” no evidence to substantiate that claim has been presented, and it is disputed by witnesses in the vehicle.

On July 13th, ICE agents shot and killed Mr. Guerrero, a father who also was reportedly not the target of enforcement actions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims to have shot him in concern for “public safety” after he “attempted to flee.” The agency does not allege that at any point officers feared for their safety. Video of this killing shows ICE officers handcuffing Mr. Guerrero even after he had been shot in the head.

DHS agents, including ICE agents, have shot at least 21 people just since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term. Six of these shootings have been fatal, resulting in the death of U.S. citizens and individuals who posed no public safety threat. In two previous shootings, ICE has claimed that victims were also “weaponizing” their vehicles, claims that have turned out to be false statements as evidence emerged.

In addition to the demands for an independent investigation and the commitment that witnesses to the killing of Mr. Salgado Araujo not be deported, the Members are asking for a detailed breakdown of all training materials and guidelines around vehicle stops.

The full text of the letter to DHS Secretary Mullin and ICE Acting Director Venturella can be read here.

The letter was also signed by Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Ami Bera (CA-06), Donald Beyer (VA-08), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gilbert Cisneros (CA-31), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), James E. Clyburn (SC-06), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Herbert Conaway (NJ-03), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Jim Costa (CA-21), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Shomari Figures (AL-02), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Bill Foster (IL-11), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Al Green (TX-09), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Pablo Jose Hernández (PR-At Large), Jim Himes (CT-04), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), William R. Keating (MA-09), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Rick Larsen (WA-02), John Larson (CT-01), George Latimer (NY-16), Susie Lee (NV-03), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Mike Levin (CA-49), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), John Mannion (NY-22), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Kristin McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Analilia Mejia (NJ-11), Christian Menefee (TX-18), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Dave Min (CA-47), Gwen S. Moore (WI-04), Joseph D. Morelle (NY-25), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Richard Neal (MA-01), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Scott Peters (CA-50), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Josh Riley (NY-19), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Pat Ryan (NY-18), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Norma Torres (CA-35), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Derek Tran (CA-45), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), James Walkinshaw (VA-11), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), George Whitesides (CA-27), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

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Balint, Warren Lead Lawmakers in Calling for Antitrust Regulators to Closely Scrutinize Fox Takeover of Roku, Ensure Review is Free from Political Favoritism

Text of Letter (PDF)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), a member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust, and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, wrote to Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who oversees the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, urging the agency to “closely scrutinize” Fox Corporation’s (Fox) proposed $22 billion takeover of Roku, Inc. (Roku) and commit to reviewing the merger “free from political interference and in an impartial fashion.”

“We are concerned that, given the Department of Justice’s recent rubber-stamping of deals that may violate antitrust law – and in particular, your apparent role interfering in nonpartisan antitrust enforcement — the (DOJ) may not give this transaction the close review it deserves,” wrote the lawmakers.

Representatives Jerold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust; Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.); Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.); Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.); Summer Lee (D-Pa.); and Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) also joined in signing the letter.

In recent months, senior DOJ leadership, including Associate Attorney General Woodward, and politically connected lobbyists reportedly intervening in antitrust enforcement actions such as the Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)-Juniper Networks merger settlement, which led to the firing of then-Antitrust Division senior official Roger Alford and another deputy after they objected to the interference.

If approved, the Fox-Roku merger would combine the country’s two largest free, ad-supported streaming television services. The result would be greater control by Fox-Roku over how viewers watch TV, the device they use to watch, and what programs they watch, meaning fewer choices for viewers and likely highercosts. The entertainment and streaming industries have seen rapid consolidation in the previous year, including with the Disney-Fubo and Paramount-Skydance deals.

“Eliminating a significant competitor would reduce consumer choice for free streaming services and could give the combined entity market power to start charging for a previously free service,” warned the lawmakers.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who currently leads the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, has reportedlydirected Antitrust Division attorneys to settle antitrust law enforcement cases instead of taking them to trial. Additionally, just three days after his recent designation, Antitrust Division attorneys were reportedly told that the review of the potential Paramount-Warner Bros. merger would be closed.

“We are concerned that settlements invite opportunities for more backroom deals like the ones we have seen during this administration, and will weaken enforcers’ ability to go after antitrust violations in order to lower prices for American families,” wrote the lawmakers.

Antitrust law prohibits mergers whose effect “may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly,” and the DOJ and Federal Trade Commission’s Merger Guidelines require agencies to “examine whether a trend toward consolidation in an industry would heighten … competition concerns” when investigating whether a merger violates the antitrust laws.

“In order to uphold the Antitrust Division’s responsibility to protect competition and consumers, we urge DOJ to closely scrutinize the proposed Fox-Roku deal under antitrust law and seek your commitment that the review will be conducted free from political interference and in an impartial fashion,” the lawmakers concluded.

Senator Warren has led the way in fighting back against the Trump administration’s apparent use of federal agencies for political favoritism:

In July 2026, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) celebrated the news that a coalition of 12 attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, saying the “megamerger would mean higher costs and fewer choices for Americans.”

In April 2026, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senator Booker (D-NJ) in introducing the Correcting Lapsed Enforcement in Antitrust Norms for Mergers Act (CLEAN Mergers Act) to restore integrity and independence to federal antitrust enforcement.

In April 2026, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Klobuchar (D-Minn.) led Senator Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Representatives Jayapal (D-Wash.), Deluzio (D-Pa.), Balint (D-Vt.), Craig (D-Minn.), Nadler (D-N.Y.), and Raskin (D-Md.) in requesting that the Department of Justice (DOJ) Acting Inspector General (IG) William M. Blier open a new, independent investigationinto potential corruption involving the DOJ’s antitrust-related activity.

In February 2026, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Balint (D-Vt.) led colleagues in pressing Attorney General Pam Bondi on whether there was corruption and political favoritism at the Department of Justice (DOJ) involving the agency’s questionable review of the massive merger between real estate giants Compass and Anywhere Real Estate. The lawmakers’ push followed the ouster of top DOJ antitrust official Gail Slater.

In December 2025, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to recuse herself from the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s review of any Warner Bros. merger due to potential conflicts of interest related to her former employer, lobbying firm Ballard Partners. A DOJ spokesperson had indicated that Bondi would lead the Trump administration’s review of the merger, alongside DOJ Antitrust head Gail Slater.

In September 2025, Senators Warren (D-Mass.), Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Booker (D-N.J.), and Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sounded the alarm on Stanley Woodward’s nomination for Associate Attorney General at the Department of Justice (DOJ), ahead of his Senate confirmation vote expected as early as next week as part of a batch of 100 nominees. Since April 2025, Woodward had served as Counselor to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

In June 2025, Senators Warren (D-Mass.), Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Booker (D-N.J.), and Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote to Judge P. Casey Pitts of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, urging the court to use its power under the Tunney Act to determine whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) approved Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.’s (HPE) $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks (Juniper) based on political favors.


Upcoming Events

Eighth Annual Senior Briefing and Luncheon | August 14, 2026

It’s almost time for my favorite event of the year, our Annual Senior Briefing and Health Fair in Carson!

I’m honored to host this event every year at the Carson Community Center. We bring together older Americans from across our communities to share helpful information and resources, offer free health screenings, vaccinations, and check ups, and more!

This year, we’ll have:

Free eye exam

Free blood pressure checks

Free diabetes screenings

Free cognitive health screening

Free dental Screening

Free heart screenings

Free thyroid exams

We’ll also be serving a free, hot meal!

If you have any questions, or to let us know you’re coming, please call my office at 310-831-1799. I hope to see you there!

¡Ya casi es hora de mi evento favorito del año, nuestra Feria Anual de Salud y Sesión Informativa para Personas Mayores en Carson!

Me siento honrado de organizar este evento cada año en el Centro Comunitario de Carson. Reunimos a estadounidenses mayores de todas nuestras comunidades para compartir información y recursos útiles, ofrecer exámenes de salud, vacunas y chequeos completamente gratis, ¡y más!

¡También serviremos una comida caliente gratuita!

Este año, vamos a tener:

Examen de la vista

Prueba de presión arterial

Pruebas de glucosa

Salud cognitiva

Evaluaciones dentales

Evaluaciones cardíacas

Exámenes de la tiroides

Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, o para hacernos saber que está viniendo, por favor llame a mi oficina al 310-831-1799. ¡Espero verte allí!


Barrett, Beyer, Jacobs Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Require Human Oversight Over Autonomous And AI Weapons

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressmen Tom Barrett (MI-07), Don Beyer (VA-08), and Sara Jacobs (CA-51) introduced the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act (H.R. 9729) to ensure that no autonomous or artificial intelligence-enabled weapon system used by the United States military can carry out an intentionally lethal strike without meaningful human oversight or a human decision-maker in the loop. The bill would establish a clear legal requirement that commanders and operators retain appropriate levels of human judgment in decisions involving the use of lethal force.

“Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly critical role in strengthening our national defense, but it should never be the one making life-or-death decisions,” Barrett said. “We must establish safeguards now to ensure these technologies are used ethically and transparently. This bipartisan bill sets clear limits to make sure people stay in control whenever lethal force is involved while allowing our military to continue leading the world in technological innovation.”

“No machine should ever be allowed to independently decide to kill a human being because allowing AI systems to independently select and engage targets carries serious risks. Machines cannot understand morality or the value of human life, nor can they be held accountable for mistakes, war crimes, or catastrophic escalation,” said Beyer. “These life and death decisions must remain in human hands. As AI becomes more powerful and more integrated into military systems, Congress has a responsibility to establish clear guardrails and responsible standards for the military use of AI. Our legislation would ensure that a human decision-maker always remains in the loop and integral to the chain of command when lethal force is involved.”

“AI mistakes on the battlefield have the potential to be catastrophic: civilian casualties, friendly fire, unintended escalation, and calculations made on faulty data,” said Jacobs. “These aren’t risks worth taking – not when they can result in unnecessary lives lost or war. That’s why I’m proud to join Congressman Beyer and Congressman Barrett in introducing legislation to ensure that humans are meaningfully involved before autonomous or AI-enabled weapon systems are used for lethal force. This is a common-sense step to help our military keep pace with emerging technologies while upholding our commitments to international humanitarian law and ethics.”

Barrett also recently introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prohibit the use of artificial intelligence to independently carry out offensive lethal force. Although the amendment was not made in order for House floor consideration, Barrett has continued working with colleagues on bipartisan legislation to establish statutory guardrails for the military use of AI-enabled and autonomous weapons.

Click here to read the bill.


Barrett Introduces Two More Bills to Reform Campaign Finance, Limit Fundraising and Out-of-State Spending

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07) introduced two new bills in his plan to Reform Campaign Finance, which is part of his broader Blueprint for a Better America.

The Campaign Accountability and Parity (CAP) Act (H.R. 9726) and Outside Influence Prevention Act (H.R. 9727) would cap congressional campaign fundraising and require political action committees (PACs) to raise at least half of their funds from the state in which they are advertising.

“The balance between campaigning and representing the people in Congress is completely out of whack. No member of Congress should be spending more money to get reelected than it costs to do the work people elected them to do in the first place,” said Barrett. “These new bills in my plan to Reform Campaign Finance will finally put the people first by leveling the playing field, capping congressional campaign funds to align with the cost of running a congressional office, and limiting out-of-state spending.”

In the House of Representatives, the average Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA) is approximately $1.9 million. This is the annual allowance a congressional office is given to support the member of Congress in his or her official and representational duties. The MRA, which is determined by a formula and funded through the appropriations process, may be used for official expenses, including staff compensation, mail, office equipment and supplies, district office space, and more.

The Campaign Accountability and Parity (CAP) Act would limit congressional campaigns from spending more than an amount equivalent to the average MRA within a single year.

The Outside Influence Prevention Act would require any PACs that make independent expenditures to promote or attack a candidate to raise at least half of their funds from the state in which those dollars are spent.

Barrett has consistently emphasized that Congress and state legislatures must be able to reclaim their authority over campaign finance rules. Last month, he introduced the Constitutional Campaign Finance Reform Amendment (H.J.Res. 191), which makes clear that the Constitution allows Congress and states to regulate and limit campaign contributions and spending.

The new bills come after Barrett and the House unanimously passed two other campaign finance bills Monday evening:

The Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act (H.R. 3535) to extend the ban on foreign spending in American elections to include state and local ballot initiatives, referenda, and recall elections.

The FEC Administrative Improvements Act (H.R. 8738) to modernize the Federal Election Commission, expand online filing requirements, and allow for political committees to use credit cards instead of checks.

About Barrett’s Blueprint for a Better America:

Restoring Trust in Government: Making Government Serve the People, Not Special Interests

Reviving the American Dream:Helping Families Afford Homes in Mid-Michigan

Making Health Care Affordable Again:Lowering Costs for Working Families

Recalibrating American Foreign Policy: Ending Endless Wars and Promoting Peace Through Strength

Reforming Campaign Finance:Putting Governing Before Campaigning

Making America Healthy Again: Prioritizing Public Health Over Corporate Profits


Beyer, Barrett, Jacobs Introduce Bipartisan Legislation Requiring Human Control Over Autonomous Weapons

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Congressman Tom Barrett (R-MI), and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA) introduced the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act to ensure that no autonomous or artificial intelligence-enabled weapon system used by the United States military can carry out an intentionally lethal strike without meaningful human oversight or a human decision-maker in the loop. The bill would establish a clear legal requirement that commanders and operators retain appropriate levels of human judgment in decisions involving the use of lethal force.

“No machine should ever be given the power to decide to kill a human being on its own. Allowing AI systems to independently select and engage targets carries serious risks; machines cannot understand morality or the value of human life, nor can they be held accountable for mistakes, war crimes, or catastrophic escalation,” said Rep. Beyer. “These life and death decisions must remain in human hands. As AI becomes more powerful and more integrated into military systems, Congress has a responsibility to establish clear guardrails and responsible standards for the military use of AI. Our legislation would ensure that a human decision-maker always remains in the loop and integral to the chain of command when lethal force is involved.”

“Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly critical role in strengthening our national defense, but it should never be the one making life-or-death decisions,” Rep. Barrett said. “We must establish safeguards now to ensure these technologies are used ethically and transparently. This bipartisan bill sets clear limits to make sure people stay in control whenever lethal force is involved while allowing our military to continue leading the world in technological innovation.”

“AI mistakes on the battlefield have the potential to be catastrophic: civilian casualties, friendly fire, unintended escalation, and calculations made on faulty data,” said Rep. Jacobs. “These aren’t risks worth taking – not when they can result in unnecessary lives lost or war. That’s why I’m proud to join Congressman Beyer and Congressman Barrett in introducing legislation to ensure that humans are meaningfully involved before autonomous or AI-enabled weapon systems are used for lethal force. This is a common-sense step to help our military keep pace with emerging technologies while upholding our commitments to international humanitarian law and ethics.”

This legislation is also supported by organizations including Council for a Livable World, Common Defense, and Win Without War.

“Council for a Livable World is pleased to support the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act as it would mark a clear step forward toward ethical oversight of emerging military technologies, which thus far have been outpacing guardrails and regulations," said Council for a Livable World Executive Director and Former Congressman John Tierney. “This bill identifies and proposes a remedy to the dangers of unmitigated autonomy of weapons, particularly weapons of mass destruction. Every lawmaker should understand the importance of keeping Americans safe by ensuring a human is always involved in decisions affecting human life. Unlike humans, machines can't apply judgments based on values and morals, and all available evidence shows machines have an alarming propensity for error. Americans should not have to face the consequences of automated weapons technology running amok. It's essential that policy makers debate and resolve how to address this critical security issue, and we applaud Rep. Beyer's focus on such a serious and urgent matter.”

“Common Defense strongly endorses the Human Authority over Autonomous Weapons Act,” said Common Defense Political Director Naveed Shah. “As an Army veteran who served in Iraq, I know the moral responsibility that comes with taking human life in combat, decisions that must never be handed over to machines. This bill ensures meaningful human control over lethal autonomous systems, restores accountability to war-making, and prevents machines from deciding the rules of engagement.”

“Decisions impacting human life and safety should never be handed off to algorithms,” said Win Without War Government Relations Associate Sofia Guerra. “When these systems fail, whether through bad data or rubber-stamp approvals, the costs are incalculable. This bill is a critical step to ensure that humans, accountable to both international law and the consequences of their actions, are making the most serious decisions regarding the use of force.”


New Dems Oppose Effort to Greenlight Trump’s Illegal Tariffs

Today, New Democrat Coalition Chair Brad Schneider (IL-10) and New Dem Trade & Tariffs Task Force Chair Don Beyer (VA-08) issued a statement in opposition to the Sanctioning Russia Act, which would grant the President power to enact more sweeping tariffs without Congressional approval.

“The American people do not want and cannot afford more of President Trump’s illegal, cost-raising tariffs. Unfortunately, the Sanctioning Russia Act is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to greenlight tariffs of up to 100 percent on our major trading partners while surreptitiously handcuffing Congress’ ability to stop Trump from further escalating his global trade war.

“New Dems wholly support leveraging strict sanctions to punish those who fuel, drive, and profit from Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine. There are many commonsense proposals in Congress to support Ukraine’s efforts to defend its freedom and sovereignty – this legislation is most definitely not one of them. Instead, it undermines U.S. support for Ukraine when they need us most.

“We urge our colleagues to block this effort to hand over more tariff power to a President who is hellbent on spreading chaos and corruption, raising costs on American families, and destroying our most vital trade relationships.”


ICYMI: Buchanan Calls for Senate to Pass His Permanent Daylight Saving Time Bill in Sarasota Herald-Tribune Op-Ed

“Now the Senate has the Opportunity to Finish the Job.”

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan penned an op-ed in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune celebrating the bipartisan House vote to pass his Sunshine Protection Act (H.R. 139), a bill to make daylight saving time permanent year-round and end the twice-annual clock change, and calling on the Senate to pass his bill and send it to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

“Americans are ready to lock the clock,” writes Buchanan in the op-ed. “Florida has led the conversation on this issue for years, and the House has now acted with broad bipartisan support. It’s time for the Senate to send this commonsense legislation to the President’s desk.”

Read the full op-ed here or below:

Floridians want more daylight time. Congress must deliver it.

Congressman Vern Buchanan

For years, Americans have asked a simple question: Why are we still changing our clocks twice a year?

The U.S. House of Representatives has finally taken a major step toward ending that outdated practice by passing my bill, the Sunshine Protection Act, in a bipartisan 308-117 vote. My bill makes daylight saving time permanent nationwide, bringing consistency to families, opportunities to businesses and health benefits to communities across the country.

Floridians have long understood the value of more daylight in the evening. As the Sunshine State, we know that extra daylight means more time for families to enjoy parks, ballfields, and local events after work and school. It also benefits restaurants, retailers and countless small businesses that rely on evening activity.

Twice each year, Americans are forced to adjust their schedules because of a practice that no longer fits the way we live today. Those clock changes disrupt sleep, create unnecessary confusion and have been linked to increases in traffic accidents and workplace injuries during the transition periods. Permanent daylight saving time will eliminate those disruptions while giving Americans the consistency in schedule they deserve.

This is a commonsense reform, not a partisan one. The overwhelming bipartisan support in the House reflects what Americans have been saying for years: It’s time to stop changing the clocks.

I have championed this issue since 2018 because I understand that good government should make everyday life easier, not more complicated. The Sunshine Protection Act is a real solution that supports families, strengthens local economies and eliminates an unnecessary government mandate that affects every American twice a year.

Now the Senate has the opportunity to finish the job.

Americans are ready to lock the clock. Florida has led the conversation on this issue for years, and the House has now acted with broad bipartisan support. It’s time for the Senate to send this commonsense legislation to the President’s desk.

I am proud of the many benefits my bill will provide to every corner of our great nation, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan represents Florida’s 16th Congressional District, which includes Manatee County and the southern portion of Hillsborough County.

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Congresswoman Kat Cammack Welcomes FDA Rule Modernizing Orange Juice Standard for Florida Growers

LAKELAND, Fla. — Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) today welcomed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's final rule modernizing the federal Standard of Identity for pasteurized orange juice during an announcement with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, Senator Ashley Moody, and Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15).

The updated standard lowers the minimum Brix level from 10.5 to 10 degrees, allowing processors to produce 100 percent orange juice using more of the fruit Florida actually grows, in response to a 2022 petition from Florida Citrus Mutual and the Florida Citrus Processors Association. Citrus greening and repeated hurricanes have lowered the natural sugar content of Florida oranges, and the previous standard forced processors to blend in imported juice to meet a threshold today's Florida crop could not reliably reach. FDA estimates the rule will save manufacturers more than $50 million annually.

“For years, Congressman Scott Franklin and I have been working alongside Florida's citrus growers because they kept telling us the same thing: Washington's rules no longer matched the reality in Florida's groves. Citrus greening, hurricanes, and freezes changed the fruit, but the federal standard never changed with it. We introduced legislation, worked directly with FDA, and kept pushing until Washington finally listened,” said Congresswoman Kat Cammack. “I'm grateful to Secretary Kennedy and Acting Commissioner Diamantas for delivering a commonsense, science-based solution. Now, more Florida oranges can go into Florida orange juice, helping strengthen one of our state's signature industries and ensuring this proud Florida tradition can continue for generations to come.”

“President Trump is ending an outdated regulation that forced American orange juice producers to rely on foreign imports and an obsolete sugar standard,” said HHS Secretary Kennedy. “We are cutting red tape, saving the industry more than $50 million each year, strengthening American supply chains, and creating a level playing field for U.S. citrus growers — all while maintaining the safety, quality, and taste Americans expect. That is America First policy, guided by gold-standard science.”

“Florida citrus has long set the standard for quality around the world, and our growers deserve every opportunity to compete and succeed,” said Rep. Laurel Lee. “Today’s announcement demonstrates what can happen when growers, industry leaders, and elected officials work together to solve real problems. I’m proud to partner with Representative Cammack in advancing this commonsense update to the federal Brix standard, which preserves the quality consumers expect, and creates new opportunities for Florida-grown citrus to thrive.”

Congresswoman Cammack is the only Florida member of the House Agriculture Committee and a cosponsor of the Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act (H.R. 933), the House legislation led by Congressman Scott Franklin (FL-18) that pressed for the change. In the 2026 Farm Bill, she secured the extension of the citrus greening research trust fund through 2031. After the January and February freezes, she led the full Florida delegation letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins that produced a federal disaster declaration for impacted producers. She and Rep. Franklin are also co-leading the $3.5 billion Florida agriculture disaster aid package now before Congress.

Florida orange production has fallen roughly 92 percent since 2005 because of citrus greening and repeated hurricanes, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. For growers in Marion County and across North Central Florida, the updated standard means more Florida-grown fruit can stay in the carton, reducing reliance on imported juice and providing greater incentive to keep groves in production. The rule helps preserve one of Florida's signature industries while supporting growers, processors, and jobs throughout the state's citrus supply chain.

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Congresswoman Kat Cammack proudly serves Florida's Third Congressional District, covering 12 counties in North Central Florida. She serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Agriculture.


Castro Statement on Governor Abbott’s Failed “Buoy Border”

SAN ANTONIO, TX — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement following reports that over 100 buoys dislodged after heavy rains and floods in Texas:

“More than 100 of Governor Abbott’s buoys broke loose during deadly floods in Texas. Buoys with sharp razors are now causing damage to neighborhoods and have shut down a bridge that transports thousands of vehicles a day.

“Abbott’s 'buoy border' was a reckless idea from the very start and border communities remain collateral damage.”

Additional Background:

In August 2023, Congressman Castro led members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Texas Democratic delegation on a trip to Eagle Pass, Texas to see the buoys and razor wire in the river and to engage with local authorities and community members about the impact of Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Start on asylum-seekers, federal immigration enforcement, and the local community.

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SeafoodSource article on CECC letter to President Trump'US commission on China calls for ban on Chinese seafood'

By Chris Chase

Published July 17, 2026

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) is calling on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to ban seafood caught or processed by China, citing concerns over forced labor.

CECC Chair Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Co-Chair Representative Christopher Smith (R-New Jersey), along with commissioners Representative Dale Strong (R-Alabama) and Representative Tom Suozzi (D-New York) wrote a letter to Trump calling for an executive order to ban seafood either caught by Chinese-linked vessels or processed in China.

“The reason is simple. Chinese seafood is too often produced through forced labor and enters our market at prices honest American fishermen cannot match. That is not competition. It is abuse shipped into the United States,” the letter states.

The U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China is calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to completely ban all seafood imports from China | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China

The letter referenced Trump’s April 2025 executive order, and said that order acknowledged the challenges faced by the U.S. seafood industry due to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and forced labor in seafood supply chains. It states that among those challenges, China is the biggest obstacle to advancing the U.S. seafood industry’s competitiveness.

“China is the most immediate test of your policy, leveraging its vast fishing fleets and processing plants to cheat American fishermen, exploit vulnerable workers, and project power at sea,” the letter states. “The United States should not help pay for these egregious behaviors. I urge you to use your authority to make our country the least hospitable market in the world for Chinese harvested seafood.”

The CECC has criticized Chinese seafood in the past, and its most-recent annual report in 2025 called on the U.S. to scrutinize Chinese seafood and do more to combat forced labor. Seafood from China has been under higher scrutiny from the U.S. government since a 2023 report by The Outlaw Ocean Project identifying forced and Uyghur labor in the Chinese supply chain. The organization followed that report up with evidence of North Korean labor in the Chinese seafood supply chain, and the CECC called for investigations by the government following the reports.

The latest letter calls for even more action against China in light of both those public investigations and congressional testimony that has occurred since.

It also points out that multiple federal agencies have identified China as a forced-labor concern, including the Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which has added seafood to its list of priorities under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.

“Those steps were right. The United States market is awash in criminally tainted seafood from China,” the letter states.

The CECC said eliminating IUU-associated seafood from the U.S. market would benefit U.S. commercial fishing, increasing the value of fisheries and landings.


Protecting American fishermen and seafood marketsRep. Smith, Sen. Sullivan lead letter to President Trump urging ban of Chinese seafood linked to forced labor and illegal fishing

A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers and members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) are asking President Trump to issue an Executive Order banning seafood harvested by Chinese-linked vessels or processed in China from entering the United States.

The letter was spearheaded by CECC Co-Chair Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Chair Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and signed by fellow CECC Commissioners Reps. Dale Strong (R-AL) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY).

In their letter, the lawmakers commend President Trump’s April 2025 Executive Order (EO 14276) to restore American seafood competitiveness and urge the Administration to take the next step by closing the U.S. market to marine products linked to the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s forced labor and illegal fishing practices.

“We urge you to use your authority to make our country the least hospitable market in the world for Chinese harvested seafood,” write the Members of Congress. “Chinese seafood is too often produced through forced labor and enters our market at prices honest American fishermen cannot match. That is not competition. It is abuse shipped into the United States.”

The letter details abuses across China’s seafood industry, including debt bondage, passport confiscation, violent abuse, labor trafficking, avoidable deaths, and coercive labor transfers. These abuses affect workers aboard fishing vessels, in seafood-processing plants, and in aquaculture operations, including operations connected to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and Tibet.

The lawmakers note that “federal agencies have already recognized the seriousness of this risk,” underscoring that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has identified fish harvested by Chinese distant-water vessels as a forced labor concern, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made seafood a high-priority enforcement sector under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (PL 117-78), of which Smith was an original co-sponsor.

The Members of Congress further reiterate the food-safety concerns associated with Chinese seafood, stating that “the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has imposed import controls on certain seafood from China and Hong Kong because of unsafe drug and additive risks, including products farmed and harvested outside China, but processed there.”

The letter also warns that China’s distant-water fishing fleet is not merely a commercial enterprise, but rather “a subsidized maritime force that takes resources, pressures coastal states, and expands Beijing’s influence.” As such, the co-signers urge the President to adopt an import prohibition modeled on existing restrictions on Russian seafood and designed to prevent evasion through transshipment, relabeling, repacking, or processing in third countries.

“The United States cannot inspect every vessel or police every agreement the Chinese routinely break, but we can decide what enters our market. If you engage in illegal fishing and use slave labor, you should not have access to the American market,” the lawmakers argue.

“Banning Chinese seafood from the United States would back American fishermen, protect American consumers, support our allies, and cut off profits from a system built on abuse and coercion.”

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Rep. Chu Commends Federal Court Order Requiring Immediate Reforms at Adelanto ICE Processing Center

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to immediately overhaul conditions at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center after finding that detainees are likely to succeed on claims that their constitutional and disability rights are being violated.

The ruling stems from a class-action lawsuit brought by detained immigrants and immigrant rights organizations citing detainee deaths, inadequate medical care, insufficient nutrition, and unsafe drinking water, unsanitary living conditions, and failures to accommodate people with disabilities.

Judge Sykes ordered DHS and ICE to implement sweeping reforms to medical care, sanitation, food service, recreation, disability accommodations, and visitation while the litigation proceeds. Within 14 days, ICE must submit a comprehensive remedial plan for medical care and disability accommodations, and two independent, court-appointed monitors will oversee compliance.

Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), who has conducted oversight of the Adelanto facility, pressed ICE officials over documented abuses, and has called for its closure for more than a decade released the following statement:

“Today’s ruling affirms what we have known all along. Detainees held at Adelanto have been suffering and dying in unacceptably cruel and inhumane conditions. And those who have raised the alarm, including detainees participating in a hunger strike whom I met with last month, have faced solitary confinement or even deportation in retaliation for speaking out.

ICE must comply fully and immediately with the court's order, implement every required reform without delay, and ensure that every person in its custody receives the constitutional protections and basic human dignity they are owed.

While this ruling is an important victory for detainees and their families, it cannot erase the years of preventable suffering that occurred before the court intervened. I will continue fighting to permanently close the Adelanto ICE Processing Center because no amount of court supervision can fix a detention system that has repeatedly failed to protect human life.”

Since the start of President Trump’s second term, five people have died while in ICE custody at Adelanto or shortly after being transferred from the facility. At least 13 people have died in connection with Adelanto since it opened, making it one of the deadliest ICE detention centers in the country. Over the years, detainees, advocates, medical professionals, and oversight officials have documented serious concerns at the facility, including delayed medical treatment, unsanitary conditions, inadequate access to hygiene products, barriers to communicating with attorneys and family members, and deaths that even ICE has deemed preventable.

The Adelanto ICE Processing Center is operated by GEO Group, a private prison contractor that receives millions of taxpayer dollars each year to detain immigrants on behalf of the federal government.


ICYMI: Ciscomani Speaks on Necessity of Modernizing Nogales Port of Entry, Importance for Trade and Border Security in Arizona

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani recently spoke with 535 News in Washington on his continued efforts to modernize the Dennis DeConcini Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in Nogales, Arizona, and the impact modernizations would have on trade between the United States and Mexico and security at the border. Representative Ciscomani has been a committed advocate of modernizing the DeConcini LPOE to strengthen the security of the Arizona-Mexico border and improve the overall flow of goods across the border.

"Strong trade and border security are paramount for southern Arizona. As Representative of a border district, I am dedicated to ensuring the border is secure and the flow of trade across the border remains uninterrupted," said Rep. Ciscomani. "The flow of agriculture products alone is essential for the flourishing of local communities, specifically our ranchers and farmers in rural areas. I remain committed to advocating for modernizations at the DeConcini Port of Entry to make sure Arizona continues to be a leader in international trade and that our border stays secure."

In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and General Services Administration, Rep. Ciscomani was joined by his Arizona colleagues Reps. Greg Stanton and Abe Hamadeh in urging Secretary Mullin and Administrator Forst to take immediate action in modernizing the Port to strengthen the local and national economy, and border security.

"We write to underscore the urgent need to advance the modernization of the Dennis DeConcini Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in Nogales, Arizona. As one of the busiest ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border, the DeConcini LPOE is critical to our nation’s economic vitality and border security," the lawmakers write. "We respectfully request your leadership in accelerating all remaining pre-construction activities and ensuring the project is fully prioritized within the upcoming General Services Administration (GSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Five-Year Capital Investment Plan. The DeConcini LPOE serves as a vital link between Arizona and Mexico, facilitating millions of lawful crossings each year. In 2025 alone, the port processed more than 7 million personal vehicle passengers and approximately 3.5 million pedestrians. Despite this volume, the facility’s core infrastructure has not kept pace with current operational demands. Originally constructed in 1931 and last significantly updated in 1994, U.S. CBP has confirmed that the current facility no longer meets mission requirements."

The DeConcini LPOE is in critical need of infrastructure updates to improve the facility’s configuration and to fix the issue of the nearby International Outfall Interceptor and stormwater tunnels beneath the facility creating dangerous flooding and overflows of sewer drainage. Current conditions at the facility expose Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel to harmful substances and conditions, impacting their ability to carry out their respective duties. Additionally, current facility setup does not allow for the effective deployment of modern inspection and pre-clearance systems. This also impacts the facility’s use of non-intrusive inspection (NII) technologies which are critical to the mission of CBP personnel.

Long-overdue modernizations of the DeConcini LPOE are essential for ensuring trade at the Arizona-Mexico border remains strong and our border security personnel have the tools they need to keep the border secure. Issues at the DeConcini LPOE affect more than just the facility itself. These issues impact the overall strength of Arizona’s economy, hurting local businesses and daily life. The flow of everyday goods that are necessary for the flourishing of Arizona, from agriculture products to medical supplies, is heavily affected by the Port’s need for improvements.

Rep. Ciscomani remains committed to fighting for modernizations at the DeConcini LPOE as these improvements are more than necessary for our local and national economy and security.

Watch Rep. Ciscomani’s full interview with 535 News HERE.

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Higgins’ Legislation Naming Lafayette VA Clinic after Veteran Rodney C. Hamilton Sr. Passes House

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) issued a statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6963, legislation designating the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Lafayette, Louisiana, as the “Rodney C. Hamilton Sr. VA Clinic.”

“Rodney Hamilton dedicated his life and career in service to the United States of America and our Veterans. His lifelong advocacy made it possible to establish Lafayette’s state-of-the-art VA clinic, and it is fitting that every Veteran assisted by this clinic will know his name,” said Rep. Higgins. “I am proud to have led this Louisiana delegation effort, and look forward to its swift passage in the Senate.”

Louisiana delegation members Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Congresswoman Julia Letlow (R-LA), Congressman Cleo Fields (D-LA), and Congressman Troy Carter (D-LA) are co-sponsors of the legislation. Supporting organizations include the American Legion, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans state chapters. Read the full text here.

Congressman Higgins led debate in favor of the legislation on the House floor before it passed unanimously by voice vote. Watch his full remarks here.

Rodney Hamilton was born in 1932 in Fort Worth, Texas, and moved to Lafayette, Louisiana, in 1948, where he would reside until his death in 2020. At the age of 17, Hamilton joined the Marine Corps and served in the Korean War. He was wounded in combat in September 1951 and was awarded the Purple Heart. After his tenure in the Marine Corps, Hamilton became a Lafayette community leader. He served in Lafayette’s city government from 1968-1972 and later founded the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Action Coalition.

As a longtime Veterans advocate, Hamilton played a crucial role in establishing the VA clinic in Lafayette, which opened in 2016. The road leading to the Lafayette VA Clinic was named in Hamilton’s honor in 2017.


Reps. Cleaver, Davids Call for Release of Delayed Funding Supporting Local History and Tourism

(Kansas City, MO) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Sharice Davids (D-KS), are calling on the Trump Administration to immediately release overdue federal funding approved by Congress more than five months ago that supports museums, historic sites, classrooms, and tourism throughout western Missouri and eastern Kansas.

Despite Congress approving the funding earlier this year, National Heritage Areas across the country, including the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA), have yet to receive the resources they rely on to keep staff employed, preserve historic sites, expand educational programming, and support local economies.

“These repeated delays in funding are causing significant strain on our [National Heritage Areas] - many of which rely on small staffs and robust volunteer networks,” wrote the Members. “[The Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area] is facing this shortfall - and on the verge of having to lay off staff - while servicing a record number of grant applications, providing opportunities to 122 percent more students compared to the last fiscal year, and meeting increased tourism demand from the semiquincentennial and the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

Federal investments in National Heritage Areas help preserve historic landmarks, support museums and cultural organizations, provide grants to local communities, expand education opportunities for students, and attract visitors whose spending strengthens local businesses. Every federal dollar invested through National Heritage Areas is matched by at least one dollar in private funding and generates more than five dollars in additional nonfederal investment.

Established in 2006, the FFNHA connects more than 300 museums, historic sites, libraries, trails, and cultural organizations across 41 counties in Missouri and Kansas. Together, these partners tell the story of the western frontier, Bleeding Kansas, the Civil War, Brown v. Board of Education, Native American history, and influential Americans such as President Harry Truman and Amelia Earhart.

Annual federal funding also enables Freedom’s Frontier to award grants to local organizations, preserve historic sites, develop classroom programming, support heritage tourism, and coordinate projects that many smaller museums and nonprofit organizations could not undertake on their own.

Read the Members’ full letter to OMB Director Vought 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.


The Exceptional Members Backing Accountability in Federal Spending

Congress Members Seek Accountability in Federal Spending

Daily Signal

Daniel West | July 17th, 2026

When people think of the rights and responsibilities of a legislator, they typically first imagine lawmaking: the slow and arduous task of crafting laws and policies. Thankfully, some members of Congress are moving beyond a passive view of lawmaking and are recovering a fuller picture of what it means to exercise their duties as elected representatives, namely by fighting fraud in federal grants.

This week, 34 members of the House and the Senate submitted a comment letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget on a proposed rule to strengthen accountability and oversight of federal grantmaking.

Led by Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, these members are taking an active role in highlighting how the Trump administration’s actions to encourage oversight and accountability over public funds align with congressional intent set forth in federal law.

“It is vital that recipients of government assistance comply with federal law,” the members wrote in a comment letter submitted to OMB. “As members of the United States Congress, we have an interest in ensuring that federal funds do not flow to projects or recipients that violate laws passed by our institution—or constitutional provisions passed by Congress and ratified by the States. And as representatives of the American people, we have an interest in stopping these funds from advancing peripheral and experimental ideologies that seek to destabilize the American project and harm the American people.”

Legislators take an oath to support and defend the Constitution, bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and “faithfully discharge the duties of the office.” These are “duties,” plural, in recognition of the multiple functions of a legislator.

Over time, members of Congress overpromised and underdelivered, leading citizens to expect less of their elected representatives in Washington, D.C.

In some ways, this is good; the federal government should not be the first stop to solve societal problems. But it can also cause problems, as our Republic cannot function if those elected to serve lose the public’s trust.

The 34 members of Congress highlight this at the end of their letter: “We commend OMB for seeking to ensure that all assistance disbursed by the federal government aligns with the Constitution and with federal law. The American people deserve no less.”

At a time when the American people are frustrated with Congress being more talk than action, it is refreshing to see representatives work with the administration to take back the reins from unelected bureaucrats in the administrative state.

The OMB’s proposed rule makes commonsense changes such as connecting the dots between government agencies to ensure fraudsters can no longer scam one agency, get flagged, then scam a different one.

As one example, Minnesota saw scams targeting federal child nutrition programs, then housing support programs, and finally taking advantage of programs to aid children with autism. By expanding the U.S. Treasury’s “Do Not Pay” tool the opportunities for fraud plummet, as proven by the recovered $11.7 billion in fiscal year 2025.

Another simple but effective tool would require grantees to submit certification of services rendered before the government authorizes payment.

No more pay first, chase fraud later.

These rule changes are the executive branch working to faithfully execute the law as Congress intended. While it is easy to be cynical, most laws are crafted by Congress not to produce loopholes for fraud. Thus, Congress has a responsibility to see that the executive carries out these functions with maximum integrity.

We should all encourage more of this inter-branch cooperation to secure public funds. The way the federal government stewards taxpayer dollars is a direct reflection of its respect for those it represents.

Socialists spend like drunken sailors because they have little respect for those whom they are supposed to serve. Conservatives have long sought to ensure an efficient and effective government that promotes subsidiarity, which means this cleanup of federal financial management could not come at a better time.

As Americans reflect on 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, we should all recommit to upholding our rights and duties as citizens, starting with restoring trust in the stewardship of public funds.


Davids, Cleaver Call for Release of Delayed Funding Supporting Local History, Tourism

This week, U.S. Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) and Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO-05) called on the Trump Administration to release overdue federal funding that supports museums, historic sites, classrooms, and tourism across eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Congress approved the funding more than five months ago, but local organizations are still waiting for the money they rely on to keep staff employed and programs running.

“These repeated delays in funding are causing significant strain on our [National Heritage Areas] – many of which rely on small staffs and robust volunteer networks,” wrote the Members. “[The Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area] is facing this shortfall – and on the verge of having to lay off staff – while servicing a record number of grant applications, providing opportunities to 122 percent more students compared to the last fiscal year, and meeting increased tourism demand from the semiquincentennial and the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

The federal funding helps preserve historic landmarks, support museums and cultural organizations, provide grants to local communities, expand educational opportunities for students, and attract visitors whose spending supports local businesses. Every federal dollar invested through National Heritage Areas is matched by at least one dollar in private funding and generates more than $5 in additional nonfederal investment.

Established in 2006, the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) connects more than 300 museums, historic sites, libraries, trails, and cultural organizations across 41 counties in Kansas and Missouri. Together, these partners tell the story of the western frontier, Bleeding Kansas, the Civil War, Brown v. Board of Education, Native American history, and influential Americans like President Harry Truman and Amelia Earhart.

The annual federal funding also allows Freedom's Frontier to award grants to local organizations, preserve historic sites, develop classroom programming, support heritage tourism, and coordinate projects that many smaller museums and nonprofits could not undertake on their own.

The official letter from Davids and Cleaver is available here or below:

Dear Director Vought,

We write to you regarding critical funding for our nation’s 62 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) for fiscal year (FY) 2026. In January 2026, President Trump signed into law the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026, which included annual appropriations for NHAs through the National Park Service (NPS) at $30.985 million. Since this bill was signed into law over five months ago, many NHAs – including the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA), which encompasses much of eastern Kansas and western Missouri – have not received their annual funding (around $500,000 per NHA) or any continuing resolution funding passed into law prior to January. This comes after FY25 funding for NHAs was significantly delayed with FFNHA not receiving their award until weeks before the end of the last fiscal year.

NHAs are an excellent example of public-private partnerships that preserve our nation’s history, showcase our cultural heritage, and boost local economies. With modest federal appropriations, NHAs secure a minimum 100-percent match in nonfederal dollars to provide irreplaceable educational and tourism opportunities. FFNHA tells important stories of American settlement of the western frontier, Bleeding Kansas and the Civil War, Brown v. Board of Education and significant figures in our nation’s history such as President Harry Truman, Amelia Earhart, and the Native tribes of the Great Plains.

NHAs contribute billions to the U.S. economy annually and support hundreds of thousands of jobs, leveraging each dollar of federal funding into more than $5 of nonfederal resources. For example, FFNHA provided 54 percent of its FY25 income from nonfederal sources. Our nation’s 62 NHAs provide an excellent and sustainable model of economic development at little cost to the federal government and are critical to telling our nation’s story amidst the America250 celebration.

These repeated delays in funding are causing significant strain on our NHAs – many of which rely on small staffs and robust volunteer networks; annual NPS appropriations are critical to attracting private donations, planning grants and historic preservation efforts, and executing educational opportunities. FFNHA is facing this shortfall – and on the verge of having to lay off staff – while servicing a record number of grant applications, providing opportunities to 122 percent more students compared to the last fiscal year, and meeting increased tourism demand from the semiquincentennial and the FIFA World Cup 2026.

We respectfully request that you immediately disburse these FY26 appropriations for NHAs and provide us with an outline of the award process and the reason for these delays. Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,


Dingell Introduces Resolution Recognizing Importance of Diversity in Federally Funded Health Research

U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) introduced a resolution recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in federally funded health research to advance scientific excellence, and ensure equitable outcomes for patients in the United States.

“Medical research should be guided by science, not politics. If we want to develop the next generation of treatments and cures, our research must reflect the people those discoveries are meant to serve,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “Americans deserve confidence that taxpayer-funded research is evidence-based and focused on improving health outcomes for everyone.”

The resolution comes as the Trump administration considers a sweeping proposal that researchers warn would inject politics into the federal scientific grant process and weaken the longstanding peer review system used to evaluate federally funded biomedical research. The proposal has drawn opposition from physicians, scientists, patient advocates, and leading scientific organizations, who argue it would undermine scientific integrity and America’s leadership in medical innovation.

The resolution is endorsed by the HIV Medicine Association, Alliance for Aging Research, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer, GO2 For Lung Cancer, The Infectious Diseases Society of America, Gerontological Society of America, American Society for Microbiology, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

“The Alliance for Aging Research applauds Congresswoman Dingell’s lifelong commitment and continued leadership to ensure the findings of taxpayer funded biomedical research are relevant to all patients. Broad, vague, and politically opinionated prohibitions on essential research considerations such as diversity and inclusion only serve to undermine scientific integrity and ultimately, our global leadership in health innovation,” said Scott Frey, Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations.

“Maintaining scientific integrity in medical research and ensuring that research study participants reflect the diversity of our population and the disproportionate impacts of diseases is critical for the health of all Americans. Because infectious diseases spread from person to person, it is in everyone’s interest to support research that helps keep everyone in our communities healthy. Placing politics above scientific merit and enabling drastic swings in research priorities every four years will undermine scientists’ ability to deliver lifesaving new cures and weaken our capacity to develop medical countermeasures for future outbreaks and biothreats,” said Ronald G. Nahass, MD, MHCM, FIDSA; President, Infectious Diseases Society of America.

"Giving federal political appointees (under any administration) the power to decide what science gets funded would quickly destroy the innovation that has enabled the United States to be the world leader in science for the past 70 years," said James C. Appleby, CEO of the Gerontological Society of America.

"By introducing significant uncertainty and politics into federal health research, the Federal Financial Assistance rule proposed by the Office of Management and Budget would set back efforts to end the HIV epidemic in America and around the globe. Researchers must address the needs of the populations most heavily impacted by HIV, including people of color and LGBTQ+ and transgender individuals in their studies. They must also be able to maintain international collaborations that continue groundbreaking developments in treatment, vaccine, and cure research in order to dramatically alter the trajectory of the HIV epidemic for all," said Anna K. Person, MD, FIDSA — Chair, HIVMA.

“ASM is deeply concerned that the proposed ban on DEI will harm programs to increase participation in science - harming, not helping, scientific progress and the effectiveness of government funding and of private sector needs. In fact, diversity in thoughts, perspectives and experiences is not only desirable, but essential to solve complex problems, which is what science is about,” said Stefano Bertuzzi, American Society for Microbiology, CEO.


CUT THE CRAP: Dingell, Colleagues Press Administration for Answers as Michigan Becomes Epicenter of Parasitic Outbreak

Today, U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI-08), Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) pressed administration leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for answers on the federal response–or lack thereof–to the nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis. The parasitic, foodborne infection has spread nationwide, but Michigan has emerged as an epicenter of the crisis, reporting more than 5,000 cases as of July 17.

In their letter to the acting heads of the CDC and FDA, the lawmakers expressed their concerns that recent federal staffing cuts and hollowed-out public health infrastructure are crippling the government's ability to track the infection, warn the public, and isolate the source.

“While cases have been reported nationwide, Michigan has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, with thousands of confirmed illnesses and new cases continuing to be identified each day. The rapid increase in cases, coupled with the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle our nation’s public health infrastructure, raises serious questions about the federal government’s ability to effectively detect, investigate, and respond to public health emergencies,” the lawmakers said.

The lawmakers closed the letter with a series of questions and reiterated the importance of a strong public health system: “The people of Michigan — and all Americans — deserve confidence that the food they purchase and consume is safe. They also deserve a strong federal public health system that works in close partnership with state and local h

ealth departments to rapidly identify foodborne threats, provide clear and timely guidance to the public, and prevent additional illnesses.”

A copy of the letter can be found HERE and text is below:

Dear Acting Director Bhattacharya and Acting Commissioner Diamantas:

We write as members of Congress from Michigan, with serious concerns regarding the outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne parasitic infection which has now been detected in at least 34 states and continues to spread without an identified source. While cases have been reported nationwide, Michigan has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, with thousands of confirmed illnesses and new cases continuing to be identified each day. The rapid increase in cases, coupled with the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle our nation’s public health infrastructure, raises serious questions about the federal government’s ability to effectively detect, investigate, and respond to public health emergencies.

Cyclosporiasis is a foodborne illness that causes frequent diarrhea, along with other symptoms which can be severe, including abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, and dehydration. To the best understanding of experts in foodborne illness, infection can occur when people consume food contaminated with infected human fecal matter. It generally does not spread from person to person, and the incubation period can take days to weeks after exposure, making outbreaks difficult to trace and contain. Furthermore, many individuals never receive diagnostic testing, while others experience mild or no symptoms, meaning numerous infections likely go unreported. As a result, the official case numbers may represent only a fraction of the outbreak’s actual size.

Michigan has reported more than 3,700 cases — by far the largest concentration identified anywhere in the country — with reported cases increasing by approximately 20 to 30 percent each day. Michigan records roughly 50 cases of cyclosporiasis annually, meaning the current numbers are extremely alarming. The scale of the current outbreak represents one of the largest foodborne illness investigations the state has undertaken in recent years.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has been working tirelessly to interview individuals testing positive for cyclosporiasis for common food exposures. Their work has pointed to potential sources of illness, including lettuce and salad greens. However, identifying the contaminated product and preventing additional illnesses requires the full capacity of our nation’s public health infrastructure, particularly where supply chains cross state and international borders.

To date, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — the two regulatory entities primarily responsible for responding to foodborne illness outbreaks — have yet to identify a specific source responsible for the outbreak, meaning Americans searching for the best available guidance from experts on how to keep themselves and their families safe are left without one reliable, central source for information. It is more important than ever that Americans receive timely, detailed, and science-based guidance on how to reduce their risk of infection and how to best protect themselves and their families.

While the nature of the parasite is likely a factor in a source not yet being identified, staffing cuts at key agencies like CDC and FDA raise serious questions about a lack of necessary expertise and of the ability to adequately respond to the outbreak. Since Fiscal Year 2024, CDC staffing has reportedly declined by about 27 percent, including staff at the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), which is responsible for preventing the spread of illnesses like cyclosporiasis. Likewise, thousands of employees were fired from the FDA in early 2025, including staff from the Human Foods Program, which oversees food safety at the agency. These cuts have limited agencies’ ability to prevent, track, and respond to this kind of outbreak.

We are also concerned by changes that have weakened the nation’s foodborne illness surveillance systems. The Administration has made states use of FoodNet, the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, optional for all but two pathogens, limiting yet another tool we have historically relied on. FoodNet has long provided critical data to help investigators identify, monitor, and track cases of foodborne illness caused by eight specific pathogens including cyclospora. Experts have warned that the loss of this data could hinder health officials’ ability to track cases and identify trends that could point to a particular source.

Given the seriousness of this outbreak and the concerns surrounding the ability of CDC and FDA to manage this ongoing outbreak with limited resources, we respectfully request your response to the following questions by July 24, 2026.

1. What is CDC's current assessment of the scope of the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak, including the total number of confirmed and suspected cases by state?

a. Can you explain what factors may be limiting the ability to obtain an accurate case count?

2. What investigative steps have CDC and FDA taken to identify the source of this outbreak? Has the CDC and FDA met with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services regarding this outbreak?

3. Do CDC and FDA agree with the assessment of Michigan health officials identifying lettuce or salad greens as the possible source of illness?

4. What barriers are preventing CDC and FDA from acting on leads identified by Michigan investigators?

5. When do CDC and FDA anticipate being able to identify the source of this outbreak?

6. How many CDC and FDA personnel are currently assigned to this investigation, and how does that compare to staffing levels for comparable foodborne illness outbreaks over the past five years?

a. Do you plan to hire additional staff to manage and investigate the source of this outbreak?

7. How has making states’ participation in FoodNet optional for cyclosporiasis surveillance affected CDC’s ability to detect, monitor, and investigate the current outbreak?

a. Is there any plan for CDC to recommend restoring mandatory participation in FoodNet? If not, why?

8. Can you detail the coordination between CDC, FDA, state health departments, and other partners to identify the source of contamination?

9. What steps is CDC advising the public to take to keep themselves safe? Please share the latest food safety guidance that has been issued.

10. What efforts are CDC and FDA taking to spread awareness and educate the public on the risks of illness and preventative measures?

The people of Michigan — and all Americans — deserve confidence that the food they purchase and consume is safe. They also deserve a strong federal public health system that works in close partnership with state and local health departments to rapidly identify foodborne threats, provide clear and timely guidance to the public, and prevent additional illnesses. We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your response.


Democratic House Trade Working Group Members Issue Statement on President Trump Not Extending the USMCA Trade Deal As-Is

WASHINGTON—Today, members of the Democratic House Working Group, chaired by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, released the following statement following news that the Trump Administration would not extend the trilateral US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade pact for another sixteen years as-is.

Members issuing the statement: Representative DeLauro, Representative Dean, Representative Deluzio, Representative Dingell, Representative Hoyle, Representative Kaptur, Representative Lynch, Representative McGovern, Representative Mrvan, Representative Nadler, Representative Pingree, Representative Pocan, Representative Raskin, Representative Schakowsky, Representative B. Scott, Representative Tonko

“Over a hundred House Democrats and dozens of major labor unions, environmental, farm, faith and consumer groups demanded renegotiation of President Trump’s USMCA because it has failed American workers and the environment. Corporations have continued to exploit lower environmental and labor standards and rock-bottom Mexican wages 40 percent below industrial wages in China to continue to offshore jobs. Now that the Administration has recognized that President Trump’s USMCA cannot continue in its current form, we will continue to lead the Democratic Caucus in pushing for a renegotiated USMCA that works for working families, and protects our farms and manufacturing sector, and the environment.

“It is time for a new era of trade policy, as laid out in the Democratic Fair Trade for Working Families Resolution—an era of strong labor, wage, and environmental standards, strong rules of origin and clear Made in America requirements, robust enforcement mechanisms to combat violations, no limits on food safety, environmental or Big Tech oversight, and guardrails against offshoring. These are the issues that we will be prioritizing as we prepare to renegotiate USMCA, and we urge the Trump Administration to join us and American workers in fighting for a level playing field.”

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