{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\" and state = \"WA\" sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/4702", "Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez visits Seafood Processor and Hosts Military Service Academy Info Night", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON \u2014 Earlier this month, Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez spent the day in Cowlitz and Clark Counties where she continued working on issues directly affecting Southwest Washington. That afternoon she travelled up to Cowlitz County where she visited a seafood processing center that packages and ships locally-caught seafood across the country. Later that evening, the Congresswoman hosted an information night in Clark County for students interested in military service academies.\n\nFor her first stop of the day, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez toured Pacific Seafood\u2019s Woodland facility and discussed what it takes to distribute locally caught seafood across the country. The processing and distribution center is a critical hub for shipping west coast seafood. Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez also used the time to sit down with employees to discuss the importance of having a predictable permitting environment, supporting working waterfronts, and having strong regional supply chains.\n\n\u201cWorking waterfronts are kitchen table issues for us in Southwest Washington. Nobody wants a waterfront with only yachts and tents, but if we don\u2019t stand up for the people who make their living on the water that\u2019s what we\u2019ll get.\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cThe generational skill it takes to keep our working waterfronts up and running\u2013and feeding us\u2013is incredible. I\u2019m committed to continuing to support our fishermen in Congress.\u201d\n\nTo hear a recap on the visit directly from the Congresswoman click HERE.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez at Pacific Seafood\n\nSouthwest Washington is home to some of the most fish-dependent communities in the country. Earlier this year she worked in the appropriations committee to include a provision to prioritize local and regional seafood in the National School Lunch Program. She is also a co-sponsor of the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act, a bill to establish cooperative agreements connecting local farmers and producers with local food distribution organizations \u2013 including for purchases of locally processed food like seafood.\n\nLater that evening, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez headed down to Clark County where she hosted an information night for students interested in attending our nation\u2019s military service academies. Every year the Congresswoman nominates a group of incredible students from Southwest Washington as they begin their careers in public service.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly encouraging to see so many students come out to learn about how they can build a career in public service. Offering students the options to have diverse career paths and paths that let them give back to their communities, \u201d said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. \u201cEvery year I\u2019m so proud to see the young men and women from across Southwest Washington who take this step to serve their country and our community.\u201d\n\n####", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"], ["https://baumgartner.house.gov/2026/09/29/icymi-congressman-baumgartner-joins-governor-ferguson-to-provide-an-update-on-states-request-for-federal-major-disaster-declaration-regarding-eastern-wa-wildfires/", "ICYMI: Congressman Baumgartner Joins Governor Ferguson to Provide an Update on State\u2019s Request for Federal Major Disaster Declaration Regarding Eastern WA Wildfires", "2026-09-29", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Michael Baumgartner", "B001322", "baumgartner.house.gov", "baumgartner", "https://baumgartner.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "September 28, 2026\n\nSPOKANE, WA \u2014 Today, Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05) joined Gov. Bob Ferguson along with other state and local officials to formally request a federal Major Disaster Declaration related to the wildfires in Eastern Washington that broke out earlier this summer.\n\nThree major wildfires \u2013 the Old Trails Fire in northwest Spokane, the Autumn Lane Fire near Nine Mile Falls, and the Fairview Fire in Mead \u2013 caused widespread destruction across the Spokane area. The fires prompted evacuations for approximately 67,000 residents, burned nearly 10,000 acres, and destroyed 833 homes. Total damages are estimated to exceed $1 billion.\n\nView Senator Murray and the entire Washington delegation\u2019s letter to President Trump here.\n\nWatch the full press conference here.\n\nCongressman Baumgartner\u2019s Notable Quotes:\n\n\u201cThese fires have made a mark on the national landscape [and] I cannot begin to tell you how many members of Congress throughout the country have reached out in the aftermath of the fires and there is a nationwide willingness to help and a nationwide understanding that we need help.\n\n[\u2026]\n\n\u201cWhile there are Republicans, Democrats, Independents that support you, this has just been a unified effort across the board and that has been great to see.\n\n[\u2026]\n\n\u201cI was also with President Trump, a week ago Wednesday, in the Oval Office, at the White House and feel very confident that we are going to get support for this FEMA request.\n\n[\u2026]\n\n\u201cNow, as these go forward, there\u2019s both an individual component and a government component and it\u2019s important the federal government is not just writing a blank check here so it\u2019s important that the government component be reasonable and not be a cash grab to fill in other aspects of government spending but again, I do feel very confident [and] Secretary Mullin feels very confident about the need here.\n\n[\u2026]\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s important that if the federal government is going to be helping states like Washington, it\u2019s important that states like Washington be doing everything they can to have healthy forests.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/gluesenkamp-perez-announces-mobile-office-hours-in-cowlitz-county-2", "Gluesenkamp Perez Announces Mobile Office Hours in Cowlitz County", "2026-09-29", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "RYDERWOOD, WA \u2013 Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) announced her office will be holding mobile office hours in Cowlitz County. Residents of Washington\u2019s Third District will be able to walk in to get assistance with federal agencies like the VA, IRS, and State Department.\n\nThe Congresswoman\u2019s team will be available on Wednesday, October 7th, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Ryderwood Community Hall 305 Morse St, Ryderwood, WA 98581.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez has held thirty-three mobile office hours in every part of Washington\u2019s Third District without easy access to an office, as a part of her commitment to ensure every community can access her services.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez has already recovered more than $16.2 million for over 3,800 constituents owed to them by federal agencies.\n\n\u201cMy bipartisan team is working each day to directly assist folks across Southwest Washington with federal agencies \u2013 whether it\u2019s recovering Social Security checks, tax refunds, or veterans benefits you\u2019re owed,\u201d said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. \u201cOur services shouldn\u2019t be any less accessible because of where you live \u2013 so I\u2019ve made it my priority to bring mobile office hours to every county across Southwest Washington. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to stop by, and I\u2019ll keep working to ensure we can reach more of our rural communities.\u201d\n\nConstituents looking to receive updates about future office hours in their communities can follow Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez on Facebook, X, Instagram, or Threads or subscribe to her newsletter.\n\nThose not able to make it can always reach out online, by phone at (360) 695-6292, or in person at the Congresswoman\u2019s Vancouver or Kelso offices.\n\nExamples of how Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez has assisted constituents across Southwest Washington can be found here.\n\n####", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/rep-gluesenkamp-perez-introduces-legislation-to-support-veterans-right-to-build-their-own-homes", "Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez Introduces Legislation to Support Veterans\u2019 Right to Build Their Own Homes", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2014 This week, Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Bruce Westerman (R-AR) introduced the Veterans Owner-Builders\u2019 Rights Act to expand VA home loans and provide rural veterans with the ability to use a VA home loan to build their own homes. This bill would establish a five-year pilot program under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make direct housing loans to veterans in rural areas for the construction of new homes.\n\nAs the U.S. continues to face a shortage of starter homes, giving veterans the flexibility to build a home creates a new path to home ownership. In rural communities especially, housing demand frequently outpaces construction. Many veterans already have the skills and knowledge to build a home, but without benefits that give them the freedom to use those skills, they don\u2019t have an opportunity to build. This means veterans are forced into a narrow band of options for how to use VA home loans. As a result, only about 30% of veterans use VA home loans. Owner-builder opportunities, like the ones this bill creates, simultaneously build wealth for veterans and their families, while adding to the overall housing supply.\n\nSpecifically, this legislation would:\n\nCreate a new direct home loan program at VA for rural veterans who want to build their own homes, utilizing the framework and eligibility requirements of an existing VA direct home loan program;\n\nProvide blueprints with American wood sourcing and manufacturing requirements to stimulate domestic timber economies;\n\nStreamline the permitting application process by requiring permit furnishment within 45 days of submission and covering all associated fees;\n\nProvide technical assistance for veterans through the VA or a contracted third party related to the skills necessary to construct or repair a home, as well as for the permit application process; and\n\nSafeguard against home-flippers by requiring the veteran to live in the home for at least two years, or otherwise accelerate repayment of their loan.\n\nMarie Gluesenkamp Perez meets with the Raymond American Legion to discuss Veterans housing options.\n\n\u201cBuilding our own home was one of the hardest and most rewarding things I\u2019ve ever done. While many vets have the relevant skills, they functionally can\u2019t use their VA home loans and leverage their skills to build a home. In fact, only 30% of vets use their VA home loans at all.\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cMy bill creates a pilot program for rural vets to use provided blueprints and expedited permitting to start building wealth and community-while increasing the housing supply for all of us.\u201d\n\n\u201cStable, reliable housing directly contributes to the health and well-being of our veterans. Unfortunately, high construction costs and interest rates keep many from investing in their future as homeowners.\u201d Said Rep. Westerman, \u201cBy working directly with the VA to expand construction loan access and investing in the domestic building materials we have in our own backyard, this bill initiates an innovative pilot program that lowers housing costs and provides more access for our veterans in addition to supporting rural America and bolstering our domestic wood supply chain. I\u2019m grateful for the opportunity to work alongside my colleague from Washington to deliver real, bipartisan solutions that address the needs of our veteran community.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt HEVIN, we work directly with veterans and their families, and we know how important safe, stable housing is to building long-term stability. For veterans living in rural communities, the path to homeownership can come with additional barriers and fewer options. This bipartisan legislation creates another practical pathway by giving eligible veterans the opportunity to use a VA loan to build a home, while also providing the technical assistance and permitting support they may need along the way. We believe removing barriers to homeownership and giving veterans more opportunities to build a stable future for themselves and their families is an important investment in those who have served our country.\u201d \u2013 HEVIN, Helping Every Veteran in Need, Longview, WA\n\nCurrently, eligible veterans can get a VA-backed Home Loan to access the funds they need to buy, build, or improve a home. Yet in practice, the program remains underutilized for owner-builders. The Veterans Owner-Builders Rights Act creates a pilot program to prescriptively bypass these barriers and allow veterans the flexibility to build their own homes and start on a pathway to durable wealth.\n\nIn developing this legislation, the Congresswoman discovered there is not consistent process for Members to introduce legislation with images included in the bill text, such as blueprints or maps. As a result, the Congresswoman fought to include language in the Fiscal Year 2026 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act and recently sent a letter to House leadership requesting clarification of best practices for adding images to bill text.\n\nIn addition to the Veterans Owner-Builders Rights Act, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez has worked from day one to ensure veterans have access to services and housing, especially in rural communities. This Congress, she passed the Rural Veterans\u2019 Improved Access to Benefits Act, aimed at expanding access to disability exams to veterans living in rural areas, and introduced the Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act to expand eligibility for rural veterans to get transportation to VA health facilities.\n\nShe also included report language in the FY27 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill to permit the use of the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program for the purchase of land on which an RV, manufactured, or mobile home could be permanently sited as a primary residence, as well as report language to encourage the development of Safe Parking programs that provide allow veterans to park at VA facilities overnight to make it easier for them to access medical services.\n\nThis Veterans Owner-Builders Rights Act is supported by HEVIN and is budget neutral.\n\n####", 1, "2026-09-29T11:07:12Z", "2026-09-29T11:08:49Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-schriers-bill-bolster-clean-affordable-hydropower-energy-and", "Congresswoman Schrier\u2019s Bill to Bolster Clean, Affordable Hydropower Energy and Enhance River Health Signed Into Law", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) announced that her Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act was signed into law. The bipartisan legislation supports Washington\u2019s clean, affordable hydropower and the healthy management of rivers by enhancing efficiency and transparency for parties involved in the hydropower dam licensing process. Congresswoman Schrier introduced this legislation alongside Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01).\n\n\u201cI am thrilled to announce that my bipartisan Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act was signed into law,\u201d said Congresswoman Schrier. \u201cThis law will bring transparency and clarity to the licensing process, better informing our communities and dam operators on license status and providing Congress with tools to further streamline the licensing process. I look forward to continuing this work to reduce energy costs, manage river resources, and cut red tape.\"\n\nThe legislation is supported by the National Hydropower Association, American Whitewater, and American Rivers.\n\n\"I am proud to see the Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act signed into law. This is an important piece of legislation that will effectively cut federal red tape around hydropower relicensing applications. With nearly 600 water storage dams across Idaho, we must focus on efficient licensing processes to keep our dams running and support clean energy growth,\" said Congressman Fulcher.\n\n\u201cHydropower provides 30 million Americans clean, reliable power; it's the shock absorber of the grid, delivering 24/7 power when other resources can't. It also provides other public benefits like flood control, irrigation, and recreation. The Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act shines an important light on our broken permitting process. I commend Representatives Schrier and Fulcher and Senators Cortez Masto and Daines for leading the charge,\u201d said National Hydropower Association President and CEO Malcom Woolf.\n\n\u201cWe thank Representatives Schrier and Fulcher for their leadership in advancing greater transparency in the hydropower licensing process,\" said Kelly Catlett, Senior Advisor at American Rivers Action Fund. \"Greater transparency into the status of licensing proceedings can help identify opportunities to improve efficiency and bring greater clarity and accountability to the process. A more efficient licensing process can help move projects toward resolution while creating better opportunities to protect and restore healthy rivers.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND: Hydropower dams must relicense their dams with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in order to continue operating a facility every 30 to 50 years. On average, relicensing a hydropower facility takes between seven and ten years to complete. According to a recent DOE report, FERC relicensing activity is expected to more than double in the coming decade, threatening resource adequacy. In addition, applicants seeking licenses for new hydropower dams are the most sensitive to licensing costs and delays. Existing projects have existing revenue streams to finance relicensing costs, but new project costs are covered by the project developer.\n\nThis new law will streamline and enhance the efficiency of this process by requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) provide an annual report to Congress on the status of each hydropower dam license or relicense application. This will increase transparency for project stakeholders and give Congress a tool to improve the FERC process.\n\nYou can watch Congresswoman Schrier\u2019s full remarks on the legislation HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-29T11:07:12Z", "2026-09-29T11:08:49Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-schrier-joins-wa-delegation-supporting-request-major-disaster", "Congresswoman Schrier Joins WA Delegation in Supporting Request for Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance Following Devastating Wildfires", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) joined Washington state\u2019s entire Congressional delegation in a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to approve Governor Bob Ferguson\u2019s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance to help families recover and repair damage due to the devastating wildfires that swept through Central and Eastern Washington from July 23 through August 31.\n\n\u201cAs members of the Washington state delegation, we write in support of Washington state\u2019s September 28th request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance due to devastating wildfire damages incurred from July 23 through August 31. We implore you to approve the request for assistance as quickly as possible,\u201d members of the delegation wrote. \u201cA record-setting drought and an unusually small snowpack contributed to numerous large and fast-moving wildfires in Central and Eastern Washington, devastating communities in Benton, Spokane, Stevens, and Okanogan Counties, as well as on the Spokane Indian Reservation. These fires spread rapidly, jumping roads and rivers, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate quickly, with many escaping with little more than they could carry.\u201d\n\nCongresswoman Schrier joined the effort led by Senator Murray (D-WA) alongside Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Representatives Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA-03), Dan Newhouse (R, WA-04), Michael Baumgartner (R, WA-05), Emily Randall (D, WA-06), Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), and Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10).\n\n2026 was one of Washington state\u2019s worst wildfire seasons on record, with fires causing severe damage and devastating lives. Weather conditions, exacerbated by extended drought, heat, and wind, caused over 900,000 acres, or 1,400 square miles, to burn across Washington state \u2013 taking homes and lives. Three massive fires broke out and tore through neighborhoods across Spokane, the Old Trails Fire burned in northwest Spokane, the Autumn Lane Fire burned near Nine-Mile Falls, and the Fairview Fire burned in Mead.\n\nIn the Eighth District, the Little Giant, Three Queens, Sisi, King, Goat, and West Fork fires \u2013 among others \u2013 devastated communities, property, livestock, and businesses. The damages from this wildfire season continues to overwhelm state, local, Tribal, nonprofit, and private-sector capabilities.\n\nThe lawmakers continued, \u201cLocal, state, and federal resources responded quickly to the wildfires. Firefighting crews from around the country, as well as international firefighting forces and the National Guard, deployed to Washington state to assist local first responders with evacuations and firefighting. While their heroic efforts helped to contain these devastating fires, federal assistance is required to support communities as they begin to rebuild. The fires destroyed over 2,500 structures, including entire neighborhoods, and forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. Ultimately, over 650 primary residences were destroyed by these fast-moving wildfires, leaving hundreds of Washingtonians displaced.\u201d\n\n\u201cThroughout this crisis, state, local, Tribal, and federal first responders have stepped up and worked tirelessly to keep our communities secure. We are incredibly grateful for their diligent work and careful coordination to keep Washingtonians safe and informed throughout this disaster, as well as for your prompt approval of the state\u2019s Emergency Declaration request submitted on August 2nd, which allowed for critical federal assistance that supported fire suppression, emergency shelter operations, and other vital needs. We reiterate our full support for the September 28th request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance,\u201d the delegation concluded.\n\nThe full letter is availableHERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/26/ranking-member-jayapal-statement-on-trumps-pocket-rescissions/", "Ranking Member Jayapal Statement on Trump\u2019s Pocket Rescissions", "2026-09-26", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "SEATTLE, W.A. \u2014 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, released the following statement regarding Trump\u2019s pocket rescissions, targeted primarily at immigration services.\n\n\u201cCongress has the power of the purse, the constitutional authority to appropriate funding. Trump\u2019s pocket rescissions are illegal and further proof that he has no regard for the Constitution of the United States.\n\n\u201cThis illegal rescission is a continuation of Trump\u2019s cruel mass deportation and anti-DEI efforts that whitewash American history and make certain communities targets of hate. He has illegally refused to carry out Congress\u2019s authorizations for critical essential services for immigrants, including assistance for unaccompanied children, legal services for people working to obtain citizenship, and assistance in integration efforts, as well as essential education programs that help us ensure equity and inclusion of all our communities. Meanwhile, even as he cuts these essential programs for working people across our country, he has continued to enrich himself and his family to the tune of billions of dollars \u2014 all while driving up gas prices and grocery prices, slashing healthcare and mocking the idea that life under Trump is completely unaffordable.\n\n\u201cCongress must reclaim our constitutional authorities from this out-of-control administration. I will do everything in my power to prevent these illegal recissions and stand up for Congress\u2019s sole Article 1 powers to appropriate funds.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-27T10:23:37Z", "2026-09-27T10:25:08Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/25/reps-jayapal-larsen-and-sen-markey-announce-legislation-to-expand-workforce-opportunities-for-communities-impacted-by-substance-use/", "Reps. Jayapal, Larsen and Sen. Markey Announce Legislation to Expand Workforce Opportunities for Communities Impacted by Substance Use", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Bill Text (PDF)\n\nWashington (September 25, 2026) \u2013 In recognition of National Recovery Month, Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced the reintroduction of the Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act, legislation that would strengthen and expand grants for community partnerships that promote employment opportunities for workers in recovery and support communities affected by widespread substance use. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) lead the legislation in the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cAddiction and substance use are deeply tied to economic instability and the shortage of behavioral health professionals,\u201d said Congresswoman Jayapal. \u201cOur bill takes these issues head on by investing in local organizations that help those affected by substance use gain employment and empower more people to pursue the behavioral health field. By promoting economic stability and increasing the number of healthcare specialists, we can get to the root of the substance abuse crisis and help communities across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor National Recovery Month, we celebrate those working to achieve and maintain recovery from addiction, and everyone who helped them along the way. Especially as families struggle to get ahead, it\u2019s more important than ever that we help people in recovery overcome barriers to employment,\u201d said Senator Markey. \u201cThis legislation will strengthen community partnerships that connect people with good jobs, peer support, and mentorship, supporting lasting recovery and helping communities heal.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe opioid epidemic continues to devastate communities in Northwest Washington,\u201d said Rep. Larsen. \u201cThis legislation would break down barriers to employment for people in recovery and fund local organizations to address the nationwide behavioral health workforce shortage. I will keep working to get this bill over the finish line and to regain momentum in the fight against the opioid crisis.\u201d\n\n\u201cSubstance use disorder has become a far too common barrier to employment,\u201d said Cole Angley, Massachusetts Workforce Association\u2019s Executive Director. \u201cThe Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act filed by Sen. Markey builds upon a successful model and puts the necessary tools in the hands of workforce development professionals to help address these barriers with impacted job-seekers across Massachusetts and the nation.\u201d\n\nThe legislation would reauthorize, strengthen, and expand a pilot grant program first authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and later extended through the 2018 SUPPORT Act. The pilot grants have funded community partnerships that promote employment for individuals affected by substance use and those interested in professions that address the impacts of substance use across the country. The Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act would authorize $187.5 million to continue this lifesaving and community-strengthening work.\n\nThe legislation was first introduced by Senator Markey and Representatives Jayapal and Larsen in July 2024.", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4271", "Larsen Reintroduces Bill to Expand Workforce Opportunities for Communities Facing Substance Use Disorders", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) reintroduced the Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act to promote employment opportunities for workers in recovery and provide support to communities impacted by widespread substance use.\n\n\u201cThe opioid epidemic continues to devastate communities in Northwest Washington,\u201d said Rep. Larsen. \u201cThis legislation would break down barriers to employment for people in recovery and fund local organizations to address the nationwide behavioral health workforce shortage. I will keep working to get this bill over the finish line and to regain momentum in the fight against the opioid crisis.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor National Recovery Month, we celebrate those working to achieve and maintain recovery from addiction, and everyone who helped them along the way. Especially as families struggle to get ahead, it\u2019s more important than ever that we help people in recovery overcome barriers to employment,\u201d said Senator Markey. \u201cThis legislation will strengthen community partnerships that connect people with good jobs, peer support, and mentorship, supporting lasting recovery and helping communities heal.\u201d\n\n\u201cAddiction and substance use are deeply tied to economic instability and the shortage of behavioral health professionals,\u201d said Rep. Jayapal. \u201cOur bill takes these issues head on by investing in local organizations that help those affected by substance use gain employment and empower more people to pursue the behavioral health field. By promoting economic stability and increasing the number of healthcare specialists, we can get to the root of the substance abuse crisis and help communities across the country.\u201d\n\nThe Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act would reauthorize and expand a pilot grant program first authorized in the 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and later extended by the 2018 SUPPORT Act. The bill would authorize a total of $187.5 million over six years to continue this lifesaving and community-strengthening work and award grants to state and local workforce development boards to partner with treatment providers, employers, education providers, Tribal organizations, legal services organizations, or other designated community-based organizations to support individuals impacted by substance use. These partnerships would leverage grant funding to implement innovative approaches to support workers and to provide wraparound services to its participants.\n\nThe full text of the Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act is available here.\n\nA one-pager on the Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act is available here.\n\nLarsen Focused on Combating Opioid and Fentanyl Crisis\n\nLarsen continues to focus on supporting local efforts to fight the opioid epidemic and save lives. In 2024, he published a districtwide opioid report outlining a four-pillar framework to combat the crisis. In addition to the Workforce Opportunities for Communities in Recovery Act, Larsen leads three bills aimed at combating the opioid epidemic:\n\nIn May 2026, Larsen reintroduced the bipartisan End Fentanyl Trafficking with Local Task Forces Act to establish a dedicated federal funding stream to help multi-jurisdictional drug task forces combat opioid trafficking in Washington state and across the country.\n\nIn June 2025, Larsen reintroduced the bipartisan Protection for Reservation Occupants against Trafficking and Evasive Communications Today (PROTECT) Act to give Tribal courts and law enforcement more tools and resources to combat the opioid epidemic.\n\nLarsen also leads the Closing the Substance Use Care Gap Act to expand access to lifesaving, community-based harm reduction initiatives and services and enhance the federal response to the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-schrier-introduces-bipartisan-bill-improve-life-saving-newborn", "Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Life-Saving Newborn Health Screenings", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "September 25, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) introduced the Surge to Save Newborns Act alongside Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23). This legislation would provide states with federal resources to implement newborn screening for conditions included on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP), ensuring more newborns benefit from early detection and timely care.\n\n\u201cAs a pediatrician, I\u2019ve taken care of patients whose conditions were discovered early on their newborn screen. Because we had the resources to screen for these diseases, we were able to help babies right away and save lives. However, states often lack the resources to screen for each condition listed on the recommended panel, which puts our children at risk,\u201d said Congresswoman Schrier. \u201cI am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure that newborns in Washington state and across the country are screened for all of these treatable conditions at birth.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND: Newborn screening helps identify certain serious health conditions shortly after birth so that affected children can receive appropriate follow-up care. The federal government maintains a Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP), which identifies conditions recommended for inclusion in state newborn screening programs. However, adding a condition to the federal recommended panel does not necessarily mean that every state immediately implements screening for that condition.\n\nThe Surge to Save Newborns Act would provide states with dedicated federal resources to help implement newborn screening for conditions included on the RUSP. However, it can still be a challenge for children to access primary care. This legislation would address this issue by bolstering the pediatric vaccine delivery system and supporting primary care physicians who participate in the program.\n\nThe Surge to Save Newborns Act would:\n\nHelp states move recommended newborn screening conditions from federal recommendation to implementation.\n\nProvide dedicated resources to address state implementation needs while preserving state responsibility for operating newborn screening programs.\n\nCreate annual visibility into which recommended conditions each state has and has not yet implemented.\n\nPair federal funding with accountability by requiring HHS to assess grant effectiveness and report back to Congress.\n\n\u201cOne of our most sacred duties as a society is to protect our newborn babies,\u201d said Congressman Langworthy. \u201cWe already have the technological advancements to detect serious conditions\u2014now we must do everything in our power to ensure that every single newborn has access to them. Adding a condition to the federal recommended panel is a good first step, but we need to make sure that states have the resources to put the screenings into practice. This bill will literally save lives and help get these precious babies into treatment before it\u2019s too late. We have to get this done.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is supported by a broad coalition of rare-disease patient advocacy organizations, family foundations and children\u2019s health organizations representing families affected by conditions that can be detected through newborn screening, including the Children\u2019s Hospital Association, ALD Alliance, ALD Connect, Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome Advocacy Association, Association for Creatine Deficiencies, Believing for Bryleigh Foundation, Conner's Crusade, CTX Alliance, Cure ALD, HCU Network America, Hunter\u2019s Hope Foundation, Judson's Legacy, Katelynn\u2019s Butterfly Kisses, Krabbe Connect, Little Hercules Foundation, MLD Foundation, Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, Project Alive, the RARE Foundation, Remember The Girls, The Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders, United Leukodystrophy Foundation, United MSD Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders , and the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).\n\n###\n\nIssues:CongressHealth", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/25/reps-jayapal-tlaib-pressley-and-sens-markey-merkley-reintroduce-legislation-to-halt-government-use-of-facial-recognition-and-other-biometric-technology/", "Reps. Jayapal, Tlaib, Pressley and Sens. Markey, Merkley Reintroduce Legislation to Halt Government Use of Facial Recognition and Other Biometric Technology", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Bill Text (PDF)\n\nWashington (September 25, 2026) \u2013 Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced the reintroduction of the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act, legislation to prohibit the government from using facial recognition and other biometric technologies.\n\nThe legislation responds to the federal government\u2019s growing use of biometric recognition technology, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection\u2019s (CBP) mobile facial recognition app, which has been used to target immigrants and intimidate communities across the country. Research shows that nearly half of U.S. adults\u2019 faces are already stored in facial recognition databases, and that Black, Brown, and Asian individuals are up to 100 times more likely to be misidentified by a facial recognition algorithm than white men.\n\n\u201cWe have to stop the constant, nonconsensual state of surveillance that we live in, and that starts with placing a moratorium on our government\u2019s use of facial recognition technology,\u201d said Congresswoman Jayapal. \u201cBlack and Brown people are more likely to be misidentified and wrongfully put in jail because of this unregulated technology, and our government has used it to unjustly target protestors and immigrants. Putting the brakes on this technology is necessary to protect civil rights and ensure public safety.\u201d\n\n\u201cFacial recognition technology is racist, misidentifying Black, Brown, and Asian residents and pinning them as suspects in crimes they did not commit,\u201d said Representative Tlaib. \u201cWhen such flawed and biased technology is used to invade our privacy, we are all less safe. I\u2019m proud to reintroduce this bill that will ban facial recognition technology and protect all our civil liberties.\u201d\n\n\u201cFacial recognition and other biometric technologies in the hands of government agencies have become tools of authoritarianism. Agencies such as ICE and CBP are using this technology to track, target, intimidate and surveil communities across the country,\u201dsaid Senator Markey. \u201cBlack and Brown communities \u2014 already subject to the most aggressive policing and immigration enforcement \u2014 are disproportionately affected and more likely to be wrongly flagged, detained, or targeted by a faulty facial recognition match. We must stop the Trump administration\u2019s growing web of surveillance technology, and that starts with a moratorium on dangerous, discriminatory biometric recognition.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery American who values their right to privacy, stands against discrimination, and believes people are innocent until proven guilty should be concerned about facial recognition technology fueling a national surveillance state,\u201d said Senator Merkley. \u201cEnacting a federal moratorium on this technology is critical to ensuring we can rein in inappropriate surveillance and protect our communities\u2019 fundamental right to privacy.\u201d\n\nThe Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act would:\n\nPlace a prohibition on the use of facial recognition technology by federal entities, which can only be lifted with an act of Congress;\n\nPlace a prohibition on the use of other biometric technologies, including voice recognition, gate recognition, and recognition of other immutable physical characteristics, by federal entities, which can only be lifted with an act of Congress;\n\nCondition federal grant funding to state and local entities, including law enforcement, on those entities enacting their own moratoria on the use of facial recognition and biometric technology;\n\nProhibit the use of federal dollars for biometric surveillance systems;\n\nProhibit the use of information collected via biometric technology in violation of the Act in any judicial proceedings;\n\nProvide a private right of action for individuals whose biometric data is used in violation of the Act and allow for enforcement by state Attorneys General; and\n\nAllow states and localities to enact their own laws regarding the use of facial recognition and biometric technologies.\n\n\u201cFace surveillance is one of the most intrusive surveillance technologies. It\u2019s past time for the federal government to end its use. Face surveillance in the hands of the government is a fundamentally harmful technology, even under strict regulations or if the technology was 100% accurate. We thank the authors of this bill for their leadership in ending the federal government\u2019s use of this dangerous and invasive technology,\u201d said India McKinney, Director of Federal Affairs at Electronic Frontier Foundation.\n\n\u201cWe can no longer afford to ignore the very real harms of AI surveillance technologies, including facial recognition. We have seen how ICE and other federal agencies utilize facial recognition to abuse immigrants, Black and Brown communities, and people participating in protests and other First Amendment protected actions. There is no more excuse for inaction or justification for allowing the continued use of this surveillance technology \u2013 the time to pass this legislation is now,\u201d said Caitlin Seeley George (she/her), Campaigns and Managing Director at Fight for the Future.\n\n\u201cFacial recognition poses a significant threat to our privacy and our democracy. The technology has been shown to be biased, inaccurate, and disproportionally harmful to people of color. Even 100% accurate facial recognition poses considerable threats to our privacy and civil liberties. The Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act takes the right approach on this urgent issue, effectively banning its current use and ensuring Congress will give careful consideration to if and how the technology can be used in the future. EPIC is proud to support it,\u201d said Jeramie D. Scott, Director of Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)\u2019s Surveillance Oversight Program.\n\n\u201cThe rapid adoption of powerful surveillance tech by our federal government benefits companies that amass billions in profits through contracts with law enforcement agencies, at the expense of our civil rights. This bill by Senator Markey couldn\u2019t be more timely. Not only does this bill disrupt the money flow for surveillance profiteers; it prevents the use of one of the most invasive forms of surveillance and grants users a private right of action, urgently needed as we still lack federal data privacy protections and a prohibition on law enforcement purchases of sensitive data. We\u2019ve seen how dangerous these tools can be and how easily bad actors can weaponize them against any person or community. Without proper guardrails or consideration for how our privacy will be protected, surveillance tech becomes a tool of oppression, not safety. We are proud to endorse this bill and appreciate Senator Markey\u2019s continued leadership in this area,\u201d said Amanda Beckham, Government Relations Director at Free Press.\n\n\u201cRight now, just walking down the street could allow you to be detected by AI-powered cameras and put into a database. Sen. Markey\u2019s Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act is a critically needed safeguard against a surveillance apocalypse where the government and unaccountable corporations can collect and store your face and voice,\u201d said Hajar Hammado, Senior Policy Advisor at Demand Progress.\u201cFacial recognition technology threatens the privacy and security of all Americans. Every member of Congress who cares about invasive surveillance must support this bill.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe should all be free to move freely in our communities \u2014 drive to work, walk our neighborhoods, travel to see family \u2014 without constant monitoring. ICE officers and other federal agents are out in our neighborhoods targeting Black and Brown people because of the color of our skin and scanning our faces without consent to fuel a cruel mass deportation machine. They\u2019re using the very same facial recognition technologies that regularly misidentify people of color, leading to unjust arrests and detainment. Senator Markey\u2019s Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act would put a stop to this racist invasion of privacy,\u201d said Alejandra Montoya-Boyer, Vice President of The Leadership Conference\u2019s Center for Civil Rights and Technology.\n\nThe Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act is cosponsored in the Senate by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and in the House of Representatives by Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35), Judy Chu (CA-28), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09).\n\nThis legislation is endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Fight for the Future, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Color of Change, Access Now, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), Free Press, Demand Progress, and UnidosUS.", 1, "2026-09-27T10:23:37Z", "2026-09-27T10:25:08Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/gluesenkamp-perez-announces-2026-bigleaf-maple-big-leaf-contest", "Gluesenkamp Perez Announces 2026 Bigleaf Maple Big Leaf Contest\u00a0", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) announced her fourth annual Bigleaf Maple Big Leaf Contest to encourage residents of Washington\u2019s Third District to get out in the woods and find the biggest Bigleaf Maple leaf they can.\n\nLast year\u2019s winner, James Owen, shows off his 21in leaf found in east Lewis County\n\nPrevious winners have included Maynard M. with an 18.5in leaf found in Curtis in 2024, and Dirk and Dixie H. who found a 23.5in leaf in Randle in 2023. Last year brought in an impressive 21in leaf, found by James Owen from Raintree Nursery.\n\n\u201cThis competition started when I found out the largest maple leaf on record in the congressional library was tiny and from Kentucky. And I was like \u2018We can\u2019t have that. There are bigger leaves than that in the woods by my house.\u2019 We\u2019re so lucky here in Southwest Washington to have some of the most beautiful trees in the country\u2013and this competition is about bringing that pride of place to the U.S. Capitol,\u201d said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. \u201cSo go, get out in the woods, enjoy a fall day with your family, find some really big honking leaves and just have fun! I promise you\u2019ll learn so much about the woods we\u2019re so lucky to share.\u201d\n\nBigleaf Maple trees are found all over the Pacific Northwest, and the showcase spurs folks to get outside, enjoy our woods, and learn about the challenges facing the Bigleaf Maple.\n\nThe biggest leaf will be displayed for visitors to see in the Congresswoman\u2019s office and showcased online.\n\nConstituents can learn how to enter here, and they should submit an image of their leaf by October 23rd, while preserving the original.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/24/jayapal-introduces-the-students-not-profits-act/", "Jayapal Introduces the Students Not Profits Act", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "SEATTLE, W.A. \u2013 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) introduced the Students Not Profits Act to protect students and taxpayers from corporations and private-equity firms abusing our federal student aid system.\n\n\u201cHigher education is inaccessible to Americans in every corner of this country as astronomical student loan debt weighs on millions. Congress must act to protect students from the exploitative practices of for-profit corporate universities that prey on vulnerable students,\u201d said Rep. Jayapal.\u201cThe Students Not Profits Act is a major step toward putting an end to the exploitative habits of these institutions that prey on disadvantaged students working to earn their degree.\u201d\n\nResearch has shown that the for-profit higher education industry continues to fail students. On average, students attending for-profit programs earn no more than if they had not attended college at all, while incurring costs at four times the rate of a public college. For-profit colleges account for only about 13 percent of enrollment but nearly 50 percent of all loan defaults, as well as the vast majority of college closures from 2014-2019.\n\nTo protect students from this harmful, predatory sector, the Students Not Profits Act would:\n\nEnsure taxpayer dollars are going towards providing quality, affordable education for students, not into the coffers of private companies by ending taxpayer subsidies to for-profit colleges;\n\nEstablish a transparent process for approving the conversion of a for-profit school to a nonprofit school, including requiring institutions to certify that:\n\nThe institution is a nonprofit, and maintains 501(c)(3) status with the IRS;\n\nAssets and services acquired from previous owners of the institution were not acquired for more than their fair value, demonstrated by a third-party appraisal, independent financing of the acquisition or full and open competition in the acquisition process;\n\nNo member of the board or person with the power to appoint board members receives any economic benefit from the institution; and\n\nNone of the core functions of the institution are controlled by a for-profit entity.\n\nThe Students Not Profits Act is sponsored by Jes\u00fas G. \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (IL-04), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13).\n\nThe legislation has been endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, Americans for Financial Reform, The Century Foundation, Debt Collective, and Protect Borrowers.", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/24/jayapal-statement-on-senate-blocking-war-powers-resolution/", "Jayapal Statement on Senate Blocking War Powers Resolution", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "SEATTLE, W.A. \u2014 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted 49-50 to block her War Powers Resolution, which passed the House of Representatives in July by a bipartisan vote of 214-208.\n\n\u201cThe Senate\u2019s failure to pass my War Powers Resolution is a slap in the face to the millions of American people who want this war to end. The Senate had the opportunity to send a clear message to this administration that they would not stand for another day of his war of choice. Instead, a majority of Senate Republicans acted as a cult party and stood by Trump\u2019s unpopular and devastating war.\n\n\u201cIn the House, we will continue to pass these resolutions and demand an end to the war. It is time to reassert Congress\u2019s constitutional authority to declare war.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/24/jayapal-warren-lawmakers-announce-reintroduction-of-comprehensive-stop-wall-street-looting-act/", "Jayapal, Warren, Lawmakers Announce Reintroduction of Comprehensive Stop Wall Street Looting Act", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Text of bill can be found here.\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), , Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-Ill.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.), reintroduced the Stop Wall Street Looting Act, comprehensive legislation to fundamentally reform the private equity industry and level the playing field by forcing private investment firms to take responsibility for the outcomes of companies they take over, and by empowering workers and protecting investors.\n\nThe legislation would make private equity firms responsible for the debts of the companies they control, while cracking down on practices that allow private equity firms to load companies with debt, extract profits from them, and walk away scot-free when those companies fail. The bill would also strengthen protections for workers and consumers, require private equity firms to disclose more information about the management and advisory fees they charge, and place guardrails on firms that receive taxpayer funds. Finally, it would limit the role of real estate investment trusts (REITs) in health care and eliminate certain tax benefits for REIT investors.\n\nThis re-introduction follows the landmark bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act\u2019s becoming law this summer \u2013 the first-ever legislation to rein in private equity. The law stops private equity and other corporate landlords from buying up single-family homes.\n\n\u201cToo many companies that people love and depend on, including nursing homes and grocery stores, have fallen victim to private equity,\u201d said Representative Jayapal. \u201cWall Street private equity firms claim to improve efficiency, but often they rip apart brands, wrack up debt, and abandon workers, communities, and investors. We have to stop this multitrillion-dollar industry from getting away with this, and our bill does that by making private equity firms responsible for the outcomes of their takeovers and protecting workers from corporate greed. We must stop Wall Street looting and put people over profits.\u201d\n\n\u201cFar too often, private equity firms will buy these companies, load them up with debt, and then lay off a ton of workers \u2013 all to produce huge returns for their super-wealthy investors,\u201d Representative Landsman said. \u201cOur bill will hold these firms accountable so we can protect jobs and businesses for hardworking Americans.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s long past time for billionaires and big corporations to stop gambling with hardworking Americans\u2019 and their communities\u2019 assets in service of corporate greed,\u201d said Representative Pocan. \u201cIn Wisconsin, we\u2019ve seen what happens when private equity firms like Sun Capital raid companies for their wealth and leave workers and communities to pick up the pieces. When Sun Capital took over Shopko \u2013 a Wisconsin-based retail chain that had stood strong for more than 50 years \u2013 they drained it dry, buried it in debt, pushed it into bankruptcy, and abandoned roughly 14,000 workers. This bill will finally hold these predatory firms accountable and protect workers from being plundered by corporate greed.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis year, Congress proved with our bipartisan housing law that we can stop private equity from rolling through industry after industry, jacking up prices and leaving businesses and workers in the dust,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cTheStop Wall Street Looting Act takes a stand against private equity\u2019s legal looting and puts power back in the hands of workers and consumers.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn places like Janesville, Waukesha, and Green Bay, we have seen out-of-state investors buy Wisconsin businesses, raid them, and then shutter their doors\u2014leaving Wisconsin workers and communities to suffer,\u201d said Senator Baldwin. \u201cOur legislation takes on private equity and Wall Street\u2019s greed and better protects our Wisconsin workers from these predatory practices.\u201d\n\n\u201cMore and more, private equity is taking over various aspects of American life, bringing its harmful playbook to essential industries\u2014including housing, health care, child care, and local newspapers,\u201d said Senator Merkley. \u201cCorporations need to be responsible when private equity prioritizes shareholders\u2019 profits at the expense of service, quality, and good-paying jobs.\u201d\n\n\u201cPrivate equity companies often come into communities promising to revitalize businesses or turn around struggling hospitals. But we routinely see them extract maximum value for themselves at the expense of workers and ordinary people, \u201d said Senator Smith. \u201cThis legislation will hold private equity companies accountable and put an end some of their most egregious practices.\u201d\n\nSince 2020, private equity fund assets have grown exponentially, reaching over $9 trillion in 2025 compared to $4.5 trillion in 2020. Private equity funds have purchased companies in nearly every sector of the economy \u2014 from nursing homes, to newspapers, to grocery stores \u2014 laying off hundreds of thousands of workers and ruining thousands of companies in the process.\n\nThe private equity industry claims to invest in companies while also earning high returns for investors by using their management expertise to make the companies\u2019 operations more efficient, and then selling the companies at a profit. In reality, private equity funds often load mountains of debt on the companies they buy, strip them of their assets, and extract exorbitant fees and dividends, guaranteeing payouts for themselves regardless of how the investment performs. When their debt-ridden investments go belly-up, private equity funds walk away with no responsibility for the mess they create, leaving workers in the lurch and forcing communities to clean up their mess.\n\nThe Stop Wall Street Looting Act will:\n\nRequire Private Investment Funds to Have Skin in the Game. Private equity firms, the firm\u2019s general partners, and their insiders will all be on the hook for the liabilities of companies under their control\u2014including debt, legal judgments, and pension-related obligations\u2014to better align the incentives of private equity firms and the companies they own. Liability would not extend to the fund\u2019s limited partners, ensuring that only those that control portfolio firms are on the hook. In order to encourage more responsible use of debt, the bill ends the tax subsidy for excessive leverage and closes the carried interest loophole.\n\nEnd Looting of Portfolio Companies. To give portfolio companies a shot at success, the bill limits how much money private equity firms can extract from companies and closes the loophole that private equity firms have used to hide certain assets from bankruptcy courts. Every transaction since Steward Health Care was bought by private equity would be subject to review as part of Steward\u2019s bankruptcy to determine whether it can be clawed back as a fraudulent transfer.\n\nProtect Workers, Customers and Communities. This proposal prevents private equity firms from walking away when a company fails and protects workers and communities by:\n\nPrioritizing workers\u2019 pay in the bankruptcy process and amending the laws to increase the priority claims for unpaid earnings and other benefits from $10,000 to $20,000 per worker.\n\nCreating incentives for job retention so that workers can benefit from a company\u2019s second chance.\n\nEnding the immunity of private equity firms from legal liability when their portfolio companies break the law, including the WARN Act. When workers at a plant are shortchanged or residents at a nursing home are hurt because private equity firms force portfolio companies to cut corners, the firm should be liable.\n\nExpanding protections for striking workers by clarifying unfair labor practices and the employer duty to bargain.\n\nEmpower Investors by Increasing Transparency. Private equity managers will be required to disclose fees, returns, and other information about their funds and the corporate loans they make so that investors can monitor their investments. This would have required Cerberus to disclose the terms of its investments in Steward Health Care, which Cerberus continues to withhold from Congress.\n\nPut Guardrails Around Accessing Public Funds. Firms receiving any funds from a federal or state agency must publicly disclose how the funds are used and will be prohibited from acquiring any company or making a distribution to investors for two years after receipt.\n\nDrive REITS out of Health Care. Prohibits payments from federal health programs to entities that sell assets or use assets for a loan collateral made to a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) d; repeals a rule in the Tax Code that allows taxable REIT subsidiaries to exert influence on the operations of health care entities; and removes the 20 percent pass-through deduction, passed in the 2017 Trump tax cuts, for all REIT investors. Ralph de la Torre executed a sale-leaseback transaction of the Steward properties in exchange for a $1.25B payout from a REIT; this would have banned the hospitals from continuing to receive federal dollars upon executing the property sale\u2014thus likely preventing the sale.\n\nThe bill is supported by ACRE-BCG, AFL-CIO, Americans for Financial Reform, American Center for Economic and Policy Research, Communication Workers of America, Demand Progress, Economic Liberties Project, American Federation of Teachers, Center for Popular Democracy, Community Catalyst, Community Change Action, Economic Policy Institute, Future of Music, Indivisible, National Nurses United, National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, National Women\u2019s Law Center Action Fund, Open Markets Institute, People\u2019s Action Institute, Players Alliance HQ, Private Equity Stakeholder Project, Public Citizen, SEIU, Strong For All Coalition, Student Borrower Protection Center, Take on Wall Street, UNITE HERE, and United for Respect.\n\n\u201cThe Stop Wall Street Looting Act would put workers and their communities first \u2014 above private equity companies that make it a sport to buy and sell companies, raise prices and sell off what remains for parts. We deserve better and holding Wall Street accountable is a critical step toward correcting its unchecked power over our lives, homes and jobs,\u201d said Saqib Bhatti, Executive Director of the Action Center on Race & the Economy and the Bargaining for the Common Good Network (ACRE-BCG)\n\n\u201cPrivate equity has gotten away with a heads-I-win, tails-you-lose business model for far too long. They take control of businesses, bury them in debt, strip out assets, fees, and dividends, and walk away richer, while workers lose their jobs, consumers pay more, and communities lose essential businesses and services. Families are already struggling to afford basic needs\u2014the last thing they need is more of the economy organized around Wall Street extraction,\u201d saidOscar Vald\u00e9s Viera, Americans for Financial Reform Senior Policy Analyst. \u201cThe Stop Wall Street Looting Act would break this business model and make private equity firms answer for the risks they create and the damage they leave behind. That accountability is especially urgent as the Trump administration moves to include private equity in workers\u2019 401(k) retirement accounts. Workers should not be forced to risk their jobs, their communities, and now their retirement savings to subsidize Wall Street\u2019s destructive business model.\u201d\n\n\u201cHere at Economic Liberties we\u2019ve documented what happens when private equity takes over the institutions people depend on. Hospitals are gutted, physician practices are squeezed for fees and forced to cut corners and patients wait longer for worse care. The firms engineering this destruction have been legally insulated from the consequences. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act ends this arrangement,\u201d said Morgan Harper, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the American Economic Liberties Project. \u201cIf you control a company, you\u2019re responsible for what it does. That principle is essential to breaking up Big Medicine, but really to protecting workers and communities in every sector private equity has strip-mined.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is exactly the type of leadership that our legislators need to exhibit right now! We all must stand up to Wall Street and private equity\u2019s attack on our economy and democracy,\u201d said DaMareo Cooper, Executive Director of the Center for Popular Democracy. \u201cIt is the role and responsibility of those who have taken the oath of office to stand up against predatory corporations and protect the life and liberty of workers and consumers.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen entities prioritize revenue over the health and economic well-being of the communities they serve, healthcare rapidly becomes out of reach; both geographically when healthcare facilities in neighborhoods close, and economically when people get squeezed for every cent,\u201d said Shaina Goodman, Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs at Community Catalyst. \u201cWe are grateful to the bloc of legislators sponsoring the Stop Wall Street Looting Act to start addressing the pernicious effects private equity control of healthcare facilities is having on communities nationwide.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe private equity lobby claims to \u2018build better businesses\u2019 and deliver strong returns for workers\u2019 retirements. Don\u2019t believe it. The private equity model isn\u2019t about efficiency gains \u2014 it\u2019s about exploiting tax loopholes and regulatory gaps, saddling businesses with debt, and stripping their assets,\u201d said Economic Policy Institute President Heidi Shierholz. \u201cIt\u2019s a \u2018heads I win, tails you lose\u2019 bet, and workers, suppliers and communities are left holding the wreckage when it fails. And the risks are growing as private equity expands and these high-cost, risky, opaque investments get pushed onto 401(k) savers. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act is essential legislation to address a looming threat to workers\u2019 retirements and to our economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cMusicians have seen extractive private equity creep into every corner of our industry, propping up predatory ticket resale business models, gobbling up recordings and publishing rights, squeezing the life out of local radio, print and web journalism, and asset stripping crucial businesses like instrument retailers and gear manufacturers all the way into bankruptcy. Congress can put an end to this extraction, so executives bear responsibility rather than shifting the harm onto workers and music fans,\u201d said Executive Director of the Future of Music Coalition, Kevin Erickson.\n\n\u201cWe are facing a crisis in this country of companies being starved by their private fund owners of the capital they need to protect the safety and wellbeing of their workers and customers,\u201d said Audrey Stienon, Industrial Policy Program Manager at Open Markets Institute. \u201cIt is imperative that those with the ultimate power to influence companies\u2019 actions also be held accountable for the impacts of those actions on American people and communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe gaming industry isn\u2019t dying, it\u2019s being drained for all it\u2019s worth. Private equity buys studios with no intention of making a good product. To private equity firms, these companies are just another way to squeeze money out of other people\u2019s work while hanging workers and consumers out to dry,\u201d said Chris Nunn, Member Leader, Players Alliance HQ. We just watched this with the EA buyout. This cannot become the new norm. Games should belong to the people who make them and the gamers who play them, not private equity. This is why we gamers support the Stop Wall Street Looting Act.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Stop Wall Street Looting Act\u2019s reintroduction comes at a critical time in our nation\u2019s history. As most of the country struggles with affordability, private equity firms continue to extract wealth from our families and communities,\u201d said Chris Noble, Policy Director for the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. \u201cWall Street\u2019s never-ending pursuit of profits and lack of accountability has not only bankrupted companies, it has also harmed our democracy. By passing SWSLA, Congress can establish the type of oversight of private markets that befits a democratic society.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe all pay the price when private equity\u2019s predatory practices go unchecked in our communities. Companies prioritizing profits over people have decimated nursing homes, closed the doors to community hospitals and other facilities and made it harder for healthcare workers to advocate for their patients through unions,\u201d said SEIU Executive Vice President Leslie Frane. Working people are fed up, and we\u2019re putting that anger to work to unrig a system that has allowed private equity to put profits ahead of working families and our communities. That is why SEIU members are urging Congress to pass the Stop Wall Street Looting Act so we can hold private equity accountable.\u201d\n\n\u201cOn one side of our country, families are being crushed by the rising cost of food, healthcare, utilities, and everyday needs. Hundreds of thousands have been laid off,\u201d said Charles Khan, Deputy Director of the Strong Economy For All Coalition. On the other side, ruthless and greedy Wall Street billionaires and their private equity firms are looting large and small businesses to get rich while everyone else pays the true costs. It\u2019s time for our government to stand up for workers and our families against the billionaires. We need the Stop Wall Street Looting Act ASAP.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Stop Wall Street Looting Act removes the ability of private equity funds to extract cash from companies they acquire via sale-leaseback deals, dividend recapitalizations, and monitoring fees,\u201d said Eileen Appelbaum, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. \u201cThese legal but unscrupulous practices enrich PE firms and their investors. But they undermine the financial stability of the companies they acquire g, squeeze their workers, and reduce the quality of their products and services, hurting employees, customers, and communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cPrivate equity roll-ups are a proven source of anticompetitive behavior throughout the American economy,\u201d said Carter Dougherty, Senior Fellow for Antimonopoly and Finance at Demand Progress. \u201cThis predatory strategy results in less competition and choice \u2014 and higher costs \u2014 for consumers and the economy as a whole.\u201d\n\n\u201cConsumer Voice strongly supports the Stop Wall Street Looting Act. Too often, private equity firms have bought nursing homes, sold off the buildings, loaded the operators with debt, and taken fees and dividends while residents lived with too few staff and worse care. When the facility fails, the residents and workers pay for it, and the investors walk away. This bill would make the funds that control these facilities answerable for what happens in them. Residents deserve owners with a real stake in their care,\u201d said the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care.", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-schrier-senators-murray-and-cantwell-introduce-bill-honor", "Congresswoman Schrier, Senators Murray and Cantwell Introduce Bill to Honor Captain Ariana Savino, Zeus 95 Crew", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the Zeus 95 Memorial Act alongside Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03), and Congressman Mike Carey (OH-15). The bill honors the crew of Zeus 95, who died on March 12, 2026, while supporting Operation Epic Fury against Iran, including Captain Ariana Savino of Covington, Washington.\n\nThe bill honors six servicemembers: Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, AL; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, WA; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, KY; Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, IN; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, OH; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, OH.\n\nThe Zeus 95 Memorial Act would establish a monument in or near Arlington National Cemetery in honor of the fallen crewmembers.\n\n\u201cI remain heartbroken that the crew of Zeus 95, including Captain Savino of Covington, died last spring in flight operations over Iraq. I will continue my efforts to honor their bravery and sacrifice, and am profoundly grateful that these crewmembers chose a life of service to our nation,\u201d said Congresswoman Schrier. \u201cCaptain Savino\u2019s passion, leadership, and bravery will be forever remembered by the people of Washington state and all Americans. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of Captain Savino and the entire Zeus 95 crew. I send my deepest condolences to them, and pray for the safety and health of all of our servicemembers.\u201d\n\n\u201cCaptain Ariana G. Savino represents the absolute best of Washington state and our country. I will forever be grateful for her bravery and sacrifice,\u201d said Senator Murray. \u201cCapt. Savino and the other five courageous Air Force Airmen put their lives on the line to keep our country safe\u2014they should be honored. My thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones in this tragic incident\u2014Congress should pass this bill immediately to establish this memorial. We have a commitment to honor our servicemembers not only with words but by supporting the families they leave behind\u2014making sure the federal government is there for our military families will continue to be a top priority for me. To the families, friends, and fellow Airmen who loved the Zeus 95 crew, you have my most sincere condolences.\u201d\n\n\u201cCaptain Savino and the five heroes of ZEUS 95 gave everything in service to our country. A memorial at Arlington National Cemetery will ensure their courage and sacrifice are never forgotten,\u201d said Senator Cantwell.\n\nCaptain Ariana Savino, 31, was a graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Central Washington University. Captain Savino earned her active-duty commission in 2017 and was promoted to captain in 2021. She served at bases in Georgia and Mississippi, logging over 300 combat flight hours.\n\nCaptain Savino sought to inspire others, particularly women and young people pursuing aviation careers, and is remembered as a passionate captain, advocate, and community member.\n\nThe bill is also cosponsored by Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), and Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05).\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4269", "Larsen Fights for Guardrails on Data Centers", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined 110 House Democrats in a letter to tech industry leaders last Friday demanding that all data center construction follow strict guardrails to protect consumers from electricity and water price hikes.\n\n\u201cData center projects and the energy systems and infrastructure that support them must be built and operated responsibly with a commitment to high-quality construction, good jobs, strong environmental stewardship, and strong partnerships with the communities they serve,\u201d wrote the Members.\n\nThe lawmakers stated that they would oppose new data center construction projects that failed to incorporate strong labor standards, negotiate community benefits agreements with local leaders, and mitigate impacts on local air quality, drinking water and utilities costs for residents.\n\n\u201cAt a time when the nation's power grid, roads, bridges, schools, and other public infrastructure require significant investment, data center development must strengthen rather than strain, these systems,\u201d the Members continued. \u201cDevelopers must also invest responsibly in grid infrastructure, including new generation and grid upgrades, to protect ratepayers from bearing the costs of data center projects' energy needs.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the letter to tech industry leaders can be read here.\n\nLarsen Holds Data Centers Accountable\n\nLast week, Rep. Larsen voted for legislation to protect families from higher electricity bills because of data centers in their communities (the Ratepayers Protection Act). Rep. Larsen also cosponsors the Big Ugly Tax Breaks for Data Centers Act to roll back tax breaks for large AI data centers in Republicans\u2019 Big Ugly Law.\n\nRep. Larsen supports tough, upfront restrictions on data centers:\n\nNo high electric bills for local families and small businesses;\n\nNo federal tax breaks;\n\nNo construction without community approval and union labor;\n\nData centers must pay their fair share to connect to and use the grid; and\n\nData centers must use closed loop water systems.\n\nA one-pager on Rep. Larsen\u2019s work to hold data centers accountable can be found here.", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://baumgartner.house.gov/2026/09/22/baumgartner-announces-2-23-million-grant-to-spokane-county-to-support-fairchild-air-force-base-transportation-access/", "Baumgartner Announces $2.23 Million Grant to Spokane County to Support Fairchild Air Force Base Transportation Access", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Michael Baumgartner", "B001322", "baumgartner.house.gov", "baumgartner", "https://baumgartner.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "September 21, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05) announced that the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation has approved a federal grant for $2,236,500 to Spokane County to undertake a $3,195,000 project for the reconstruction of Thorpe Road. This directly supports Fairchild Air Force Base by constructing better transportation access.\n\n\u201cThis is a major win for the operational resilience of Fairchild Air Force Base (FAFB), the beating heart of the Spokane community,\u201d said Congressman Baumgartner. \u201cThis is a crucial investment in national security that will enhance timely response and grant Air Force personnel easier access to one of the most strategic military installations in the US Air Forces\u2019s inventory \u2013 Fairchild Air Force Base \u2013 home to the largest US air refueling wing in the world.\u201d\n\nCurrently, Fairchild relies on a single access gate to manage the flow of personnel, goods, and vehicles. This bottleneck not only creates significant congestion and delay, but undermines core principles of military readiness, emergency responsiveness, and base security. This project will reconstruct and modernize Thorpe Road to fully enable the operation of a secondary access gate. The resulting benefits are substantial: improving response times during recalls and emergencies, enhancing quality of life for service members and families, reducing base-related congestion, and strengthening disaster resiliency.\n\n\u201cI also want to recognize the incredible work of Commissioner Al French and Spokane County Director of Public Works Kyle Twohig in securing this funding,\u201d said Congressman Baumgartner. \u201cThey saw the need for this project and worked to get it across the finish line. This is exactly the kind of partnership we need between local leaders and the federal government to strengthen Fairchild, improve access for our service members, and make our community more resilient.\u201d\n\nGetting through the main gate at Fairchild can be a challenge, even outside of rush hour. The current gate is only two travel lanes wide, creating unnecessary congestion and delays. By comparison, installations on the west side of the state, including McChord Field and Fort Lewis, have entry points that are four lanes wide or more. Building the Thorpe Road access and secondary gate to accommodate greater traffic capacity will significantly improve the speed and ease of entry while reducing congestion at the main gate.", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://baumgartner.house.gov/2026/09/22/baumgartner-bill-holds-foreign-officials-accountable-for-discriminating-against-washington-state-businesses/", "Baumgartner Bill Holds Foreign Officials Accountable for Discriminating Against Washington State Businesses", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Michael Baumgartner", "B001322", "baumgartner.house.gov", "baumgartner", "https://baumgartner.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "September 16, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congressman Michael Baumgartner\u2019s (WA-05) No Racketeers on Our Shores Act (H.R. 9834) was approved by the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 15 to 8. This clears the bill to be considered by the full House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cAmerican companies should not be unfairly targeted or subjected to discriminatory treatment by foreign governments, and that is especially important for companies from Washington state like Coupang, Microsoft and Amazon,\u201d said Congressman Baumgartner. \u201cThe No Racketeers on Our Shores Act gives our diplomats another targeted tool to hold foreign officials accountable without immediately escalating to the use of tariffs to address trade disputes.\u201d\n\nThe legislation responds to a growing pattern uncovered by the House Judiciary Committee: foreign governments using coercive powers to target successful Washington state companies while protecting their favored domestic competitors:\n\nBackground:\n\nMicrosoft is one of the companies singled out under Europe\u2019s Digital Markets Act. Its Windows operating system and its LinkedIn service have been designated as one of seven \u201cgate keepers,\u201d placing them under special EU mandates backed by fines up to 10 percent of the company\u2019s worldwide revenues\u201320 percent for repeat violations. Six of the seven companies initially targeted by the EU for this discriminatory treatment were US firms;\n\nCoupang, a Washington state headquartered company, is facing a whole of government assault by the South Korean government. South Korean agencies launched 40 investigations after a data breach that culminated in a $410 million fine, harming American investors and the U.S. business that sell goods through Coupang to the South Korean market.\n\nWhat the bill does:", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4460", "New K-12 Education Package Would Better Support Students, Families, Teachers", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) cosponsored the introduction of the Transforming Education for the Future Act, a comprehensive legislative package authored by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) to modernize and strengthen K-12 education to help our kids have a brighter future.\n\nThe American education system has experienced significant turbulence during the past decade, including the Trump administration\u2019s mismanagement and dismantling of the Department of Education, learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, increased use of technology and social media, the rise of generative AI, increased teacher burnout, and the reduction of federal support for public schools. The Transforming Education for the Future Act will help address these critical issues and more.\n\n\u201cWe have a fundamental responsibility to ensure every child has access to a high-quality education,\u201d said DelBene. \u201cFrom funding rollbacks to learning setbacks, our public schools are facing tighter budgets and increased challenges. This bill contains several meaningful reforms to strengthen public education, including restoring and increasing funding, expanding school meal programs, and implementing universal preschool. I thank Rep. Bonamici for her leadership in modernizing public education and making a difference in the lives of our students and teachers.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor decades, public schools have been asked to do more with less. Add to that the fact that we have seen many new and complicated challenges over the past ten years,\u201d said Bonamici. \u201cCircumstances have changed, but the American system of public education has not yet adapted. We need a public education system that meets the moment for today\u2019s students and tomorrow\u2019s. We need an education system that prepares students not to pass a test, but to think critically and build a future. We need to support the educators who make that possible. And we need to remove those barriers that stand between children and opportunity. The Transforming Education for the Future Act is a blueprint for doing just that.\u201d\n\nThe Transforming Education for the Future Act will:\n\nProvide a Well-Rounded Education for All Students\n\nMake school breakfasts and lunches free for all children, provide summer meals and summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), and streamline and expand the Child and Adult Care Food Program.\n\nEstablish free, universal preschool for all three- and four-year-old children.\n\nExpand access to career and technical education, arts, civics, humanities, and more.\n\nReduce state and federal reliance on standardized test scores and expand the use of multiple high-quality measures to capture a more accurate picture of student achievement.\n\nRepeal the federal school voucher program.\n\nRestore funding and staff to the Department of Education.\n\nSupport Educators\n\nStrengthen the educator pipeline through historic investments in educator pay, improved working conditions, and ample resources for educators and staff.\n\nFund high-quality education research and promote transformational, evidence-based practices for student success and well-being.\n\nAddress Socioeconomic Barriers to Learning\n\nFully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) so children with disabilities get the free and appropriate public education and services they need.\n\nTriple funding for Title I to better serve students from disadvantaged backgrounds and the schools that educate them.\n\nAddress discrimination and bias in K-12 schools, uphold civil rights, and address racial segregation.\n\nThis legislation is endorsed by: American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Psychological Association (APA), Glisten, National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE), National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Principals Association, National PTA, and the School Social Work Association of America.\n\nA summary of the legislation can be found here.", 1, "2026-09-22T09:42:49Z", "2026-09-22T09:44:35Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-bilirakis-degette-announce-rep-schriers-appointment-co-chair", "Reps Bilirakis, DeGette Announce Rep. Schrier\u2019s Appointment to Co-Chair the Congressional Diabetes Caucus", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) \u2013 Co-Chairs of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus \u2013 announced that Representative Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), the first pediatrician elected to Congress, will serve as the new Democratic Co-Chair of the Caucus in the 120th Congress. Representative Schrier will join Co-Chair Bilirakis in leading the 246-member Diabetes Caucus, one of the largest and most influential bipartisan member organizations in Congress.\n\n\u201cAs a doctor with Type 1 diabetes, it is a priority of mine in Congress to help patients with diabetes manage their condition and afford their medications,\u201d said Rep. Schrier. \u201cI am extremely excited to co-chair the Congressional Diabetes Caucus alongside Congressman Bilirakis. Congresswoman DeGette has championed the Diabetes Caucus for over twenty years, and I am honored to continue her work to bolster diabetes research, lower costs for patients, and ensure quality care for all Americans.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am proud to announce my friend, Rep. Kim Schrier, as the incoming Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus,\u201d said Rep. DeGette. \u201cDiabetes impacts millions of Americans across every district in this country, crossing all political lines. Those who live with diabetes in this nation need strong advocates on their behalf in the years to come. Rep. Schrier brings her expertise as a pediatrician and as someone with direct personal experience with diabetes to her work every day. She is a tough, practical legislator and will drive bipartisan work to expand access to life-saving treatments, bring down insulin costs, and fund the biomedical research that will ultimately lead to a cure.\u201d\n\n\u201cDiana is a dear friend and one of the fiercest advocates I have ever had the privilege of working alongside,\u201d said Rep. Bilirakis. \u201cFor years, we have put politics aside and worked together toward a shared goal: improving the lives of Americans living with diabetes and, ultimately, finding a cure. Her leadership, tenacity and compassion have helped drive tremendous progress in diabetes research, treatment and prevention. I am deeply grateful for her friendship and partnership, and for the lasting legacy she has built through her leadership of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. I am also pleased that Dr. Kim Schrier will join me in leading the Caucus in the 120th Congress, should voters place their continued trust in us to serve. As a pediatrician who also lives with Type 1 diabetes, she brings firsthand experience to the issues facing patients and families. I look forward to continuing the Caucus\u2019s bipartisan work to improve diabetes care, lower costs, advance lifesaving research and pursue our ultimate goal of finding a cure.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe American Diabetes Association is thrilled that Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D., will be the next co-chair of the Diabetes Caucus,\u201d saidAmerican Diabetes Association Chief Advocacy Officer Lisa Murdock. \u201cCongresswoman Schrier has demonstrated her leadership on behalf of those with diabetes, including commitment to ensuring access to medicines and technology. Her experience living with diabetes and as a pediatrician enable her to have valuable insight into the needs of the diabetes community and the policies necessary to support them. We look forward to working in partnership with Congresswoman Schrier as she takes on this new role. As we welcome Congresswoman Schrier, we want to express our gratitude to Congresswoman Diana DeGette for her leadership of the Diabetes Caucus who has tirelessly advocated for legislation to improve diabetes research, education, and treatment, as well as contributed to efforts that resulted in growing the Diabetes Caucus into the largest caucus in Congress. Her many years of service to those living with diabetes cannot be overstated.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) are thrilled that Congresswoman Kim Schrier is becoming a House Co-Chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus,\u201d saidGeorge Huntley, CEO of the Diabetes Leadership Council & Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition. \u201cThis is a natural extension of the critical work she is doing on behalf of the diabetes community, including introducing the bipartisan INSULIN Act to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Congresswoman Schrier in her new role. We also want to thank Congresswoman Diana DeGette for her many years of service leading the Caucus and for all that she has done for people with diabetes.\u201d\n\n\u201cRep. Kim Schrier's leadership, clinical perspective and personal experience will be a tremendous asset to the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. The Endocrine Society is grateful to Rep. Diana DeGette for her tireless efforts to elevate diabetes as a national priority and improve care for people living with the disease,\u201d said Endocrine Society President Nanette Santoro, MD, E. Stewart Taylor Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado. \u201cDiabetes affects tens of millions of Americans and places an enormous burden on individuals, families, and our healthcare system. As an organization dedicated to improving hormone health, the Endocrine Society prioritizes diabetes prevention, treatment and research, and we look forward to partnering with Reps. Schrier and Bilirakis to advance policies that help people living with diabetes.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt has been an honor to work with Congresswoman DeGette,\u201d saidBreakthrough T1D Chief Global Advocacy Officer Lynn Starr. \u201cHer legacy for the T1D community is unparalleled. From the Special Diabetes Program to the 21st Century Cures Act, stem cell research, and the INSULIN Act, her vision and determination have saved lives, transformed care, and significantly advanced the pursuit of cures. She has truly been a steadfast champion for everyone affected by T1D, and even now in her final months in Congress, she is working tirelessly to accomplish as much as possible for the community she has served for so long. She is an inspiration, and we will deeply miss her and her powerful voice in Congress. Congresswoman Schrier is a worthy successor who has her own legacy as a leader for the T1D community on Capitol Hill. As a pediatrician and the only sitting member of Congress living with type 1 diabetes herself, she understands the stakes and the day-to-day realities of managing this disease. She knows firsthand the needs of the community. We are grateful to her for taking on this new role and responsibility and look forward to working alongside her and her fellow caucus members to accelerate cures and improve the lives of all those affected by T1D.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND: The mission of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus is to educate members of Congress and their staff about diabetes and support legislative activities that improve diabetes research, education and treatment. The Diabetes Caucus, under the leadership of Reps DeGette and Bilirakis, has been the driving force behind some of the most significant advancements in diabetes care, prevention, and research in modern history, including:\n\nHistoric Funding Increases for Dedicated Programs: Led the successful, multi-year push to increase funding for the Special Statutory Funding Program for Type 1 Diabetes (SDP) and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) from $30 million a year to $200 million a year.\n\nSignificant Investments in National Research: Championed the expansion of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) budget, increasing its appropriations from under $1 billion to over $2.3 billion to accelerate the search for a cure.\n\nExpanded Access to Lifesaving Technology: Successfully pushed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve coverage and access for continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), revolutionizing daily care for seniors with diabetes.\n\nGroundbreaking Prevention Initiatives: Led the effort to establish the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) and successfully put the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program into statute, focusing federal efforts on stopping the disease before it starts.\n\nTackling the Root Causes of High Insulin Costs: Spearheaded some of the earliest Congressional investigations into how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) drive up the cost of insulin. These early efforts laid the crucial groundwork for major PBM reforms and advanced policies to make it easier to bring lower-cost biosimilar insulins to the market.\n\nAs the Caucus enters this new chapter, its leadership will remain committed to passing legislation that improves the lives of the over 40 million Americans living with diabetes and over 115 million living with prediabetes. For more information on the Congressional Diabetes Caucus and its ongoing initiatives, please visit diabetescaucus-degette.house.gov.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-22T09:42:49Z", "2026-09-22T09:44:35Z"], ["https://randall.house.gov/media/press-releases/randall-merkley-lead-bicameral-resolution-honor-americas-lgbtq-veterans-and", "Randall, Merkley Lead Bicameral Resolution to Honor America\u2019s LGBTQ+ Veterans and Servicemembers", "2026-09-20", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Emily Randall", "R000621", "randall.house.gov", "randall", "https://randall.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last week, U.S. Congresswoman Emily Randall (D, WA-06) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley introduced a resolution recognizing September 20, 2026, as National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day.\n\nNational LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day falls on the anniversary of the repeal of \u2018Don\u2019t Ask, Don\u2019t Tell\u2019 in 2011 and recognizes the courage and contributions of LGBTQ+ Americans who have served our nation. It is estimated that more than 100,000 servicemembers were discharged from the Armed Forces on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity between World War II and 2011.\n\n\u201cService members and Veterans who\u2019ve proudly served our country deserve respect and care no matter who they are or who they love. But this Administration continues to push out trans and queer service members using discriminatory policies that don\u2019t make our military more prepared or our nation more secure. Unacceptable,\u201d said Rep. Randall. \u201cToday, on the 15-year anniversary of the repeal of \u2018Don\u2019t Ask, Don\u2019t Tell,\u2019 \u2013 the long-standing policy that kept LGBTQ+ service members in the closet \u2013 we honor all LGBTQ+ Americans who have bravely served our country. Today we recommit to fighting for every veteran to receive the dignity, support, and benefits they\u2019ve earned.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s servicemembers and veterans come from all walks of life, but they all share a common commitment to serve our nation,\u201d said Sen. Merkley. \u201cThese heroes put on their uniform knowing their country would likely ask them to hide who they are, deny who they love, or punish them simply for living openly. For generations, LGBTQ+ Americans have answered the call to serve, and we should honor their service and acknowledge the discrimination they endured.\u201d\n\nThe resolution calls for greater awareness of the historical and ongoing injustices faced by LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans, including discriminatory military policies, unjust discharges, and bans on transgender military service and health care. It also urges the federal government to support LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans and ensure they receive the recognition and benefits they have earned through their service.\n\nThe Trump Administration continues to pursue policies restricting transgender Americans\u2019 ability to serve openly in the military. The ban on transgender military service and additional restrictions on gender-affirming care continue to be litigated in federal court, with the Trump Administration asking the Supreme Court to uphold the ban on transgender troops, threatening the careers of thousands of servicemembers who serve in critical national security roles.\n\nRandall and Merkley have led the charge in Congress to support our military readiness and national security by prohibiting discrimination against our servicemembers. Previously, Merkley wrote the No Place for LGBTQ+ Hate Act, which would ensure that Trump\u2019s hateful anti-LGBTQ+ executive orders, including the ban on transgender servicemembers, have no force or effect, and that no federal funds are used to implement, administer, enforce, or carry out those executive orders.\n\nIn addition to Randall and Merkley, this resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR), and U.S. Representatives Mark Takano (CA-39), Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08).\n\nThis resolution is endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, Minority Veterans of America, Modern Military Association of America, Advocates for Transgender Equality, Out in National Security, National Women\u2019s Law Center Action Fund, Black Veterans Project, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), and SPARTA Pride.\n\n\u201cFor generations, LGBTQ+ Americans have felt called to service in the U.S. Armed Forces, even as they were prevented from serving openly until recent years. The dire predictions \u2013 lately resurrected by anti-equality figures \u2013 that claimed that recognizing LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans would somehow harm military readiness or effectiveness, have been conclusively and forever debunked. At a time when transgender servicemembers are seeing their service cut short for no good reason, it\u2019s good to remember we all owe a debt of gratitude to our LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans, and we thank Sen. Merkley and Rep. Randall for this resolution to honor them,\u201d said Jennifer Pike Bailey, Human Rights Campaign Senior Director of Government Affairs.\n\n\u201cLGBTQ+ Americans have answered the call to serve this country for generations, often at extraordinary cost to themselves, their families, and their futures,\u201d said Lindsay Church, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Minority Veterans of America. \u201cThey put on the uniform knowing their country would likely ask them to hide who they were, deny who they loved, or punish them simply for living openly. LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day is our declaration that our service will not be erased and our sacrifices will not be forgotten. We honor those who served, we reckon with what has been done to them in the name of national defense, and we demand a country worthy of the people who have always been willing to defend it.\u201d\n\n\u201cModern Military Association of America (MMAA) is proud to endorse the National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day Resolution. LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans have defended our nation with courage and distinction in every generation, often while confronting discrimination and barriers simply because of who they are. Even when our nation did not always afford them the dignity or recognition they deserved, they continued to serve and sacrifice. Their service, sacrifice, and stories are an essential part of American military history. We also recognize the families who have supported them and the importance of ensuring servicemembers, veterans, and their families have access to the care they need, including gender-affirming care. This resolution provides an important opportunity to recognize their contributions, acknowledge the harm caused by discriminatory policies, and honor and preserve their legacy for generations to come. MMAA is proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ military and veteran community in honoring their service, sacrifice, and enduring contributions to our nation,\u201d said Hale Allegretti, Modern Military Chair of the Board of Directors, U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. (ret.).\n\n\u201cLGBTQ+ Americans have served our country from the founding of the Republic, including during decades when their government asked for their service while denying them equal treatment. National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day honors that service and sacrifice, recognizes the costs of exclusion, and affirms that everyone who raises their hand to serve deserves dignity, respect, and the benefits they have earned. We are grateful to Senator Merkley and Representative Randall for recognizing the generations of LGBTQ+ Americans who have worn the uniform,\u201d said Lucas F. Schleusener, CEO of Out in National Security.\n\n\u201cAt a time of immense national security challenges, tens of thousands of LGBTQIA+ people are answering the call and proudly serving our nation through military service,\u201d said Brian Dittmeier, Director of LGBTQI+ Equality at the National Women\u2019s Law Center Action Fund. \u201cTheir selfless service is undermined by the ongoing attacks by the Trump administration, which is forcing trans people out of military careers and ripping away the benefits they\u2019ve earned through their service. LGBTQIA+ service members and veterans have had to overcome a long legacy of discrimination and exclusion in the military, but despite these challenges, they have continued to excel and rise through the ranks. Now, more than ever, we need leaders in Congress who are willing to stand with our service members and veterans as the administration senselessly undermines our military\u2019s recruitment and readiness. This resolution, led by Sen. Merkley and Rep. Randall, is an important step in ensuring that anyone can put themselves forth to serve this country, regardless of who they are or who they love.\u201d\n\nFull text of the resolution can be found by clicking here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-21T10:25:24Z", "2026-09-21T10:26:54Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/rep-gluesenkamp-perez-celebrated-by-southwest-washington-ukrainian-community-upon-returning-home", "Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez Celebrated by Southwest Washington Ukrainian Community Upon Returning Home", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "VANCOUVER, WA \u2014 Upon her return to PDX International Airport late in the evening on a school night, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez was welcomed by a large crowd of local Ukrainian American families to celebrate her recent vote to pass additional harsh sanctions targeting Russia\u2019s ability to finance its war against Ukraine and to thank her for being one of only two Democrats to vote to ensure this sanctions package reached the House floor.\n\nOn Tuesday, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez cast the deciding vote on the motion that brought the Russia sanctions package to the House floor. In recent months, Russia has targeted Ukrainian population centers with relentless waves of drone attacks. This sanction package targets Russia\u2019s ability to finance its war against Ukraine by penalizing the biggest buyers of Russian oil.\n\nOn Wednesday, the sanctions bill passed in the House 262-159, with 58 Democrats supporting. The legislation previously passed the United States Senate on a bipartisan basis 86-11 on August 7, 2026, including support of both U.S. Senators from Washington, and the President is expected to sign the bill into law soon.\n\nVideo of her arrival can be watched HERE.\n\nMembers of the Southwest Washington Ukrainian community thank Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez for her vote of support.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez is greeted by Mikhail Pavenko, a volunteer Chaplain serving alongside the Armed Forces of Ukraine.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez hands out sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine, gifted to her by the delegation.\n\nRep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is greeted by Ihor Levkiv, President of the Ukrainian-American Cultural Association of Oregon and Southwest Washington.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez greets local constituents of Ukrainian heritage.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez is welcomed by constituents thanking her for her support of the Ukrainian community.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez discusses support for Ukraine with a constituent at PDX.\n\nA folder with the above images for download can be found HERE.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez is a proud supporter of Ukraine\u2019s fight to stop Russia\u2019s invasion and has worked continuously to aid Ukrainian refugees displaced by the conflict. In 2024, she introduced the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act and voted to pass HR 813, allocating over $60 billion in funding for Ukrainian defense. More recently in the FY27 Defense Appropriations markup, she spoke in support of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a provision to strengthen domestic manufacturing capability to support Ukrainian defense.\n\nAdditionally, Rep Gluesenkamp Perez supports Ukrainians living in Southwest Washington through her casework operation, helping constituents facing issues with federal agencies. To get in touch or learn about how her office can help with federal agencies, please visit her casework page or Ukrainian Language casework page.\n\n####", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/18/jayapal-wilson-booker-introduce-legislation-to-combat-high-rate-of-heart-disease-in-south-asian-americans/", "Jayapal, Wilson, Booker Introduce Legislation to Combat High Rate of Heart Disease in South Asian Americans", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Joe Wilson (SC-02) and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) are reintroducing the bipartisan South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act, landmark legislation to both raise awareness about the alarming rate of heart disease for South Asians across the United States and put resources and strategies toward reversing this deadly trend for all communities.\n\n\u201cAs the first South Asian American woman ever elected to the House of Representatives, I\u2019m fully committed to increasing understanding of heart disease and the unique risk factors in the South Asian community while ensuring that all those living with it get the resources, treatment, and support they need,\u201d said Rep. Jayapal. \u201cHeart disease has been the leading cause of death for over a century, and it is even more dire in the South Asian community. The South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act is essential legislation that ensures that we have the research, resources, and treatments to prevent heart disease cases and deaths in the South Asian community and beyond.\u201d\n\n\u201cHeart disease disproportionately affects certain populations such as the South Asian community, and this bill will expand research and education to benefit those communities. I am grateful that this bipartisan bill passed the House in multiple previous Congresses, and I look forward to its final passage into law,\u201d said Rep. Joe Wilson.\n\n\u201cHeart disease is taking South Asian Americans from their families at rates the medical community still doesn\u2019t fully understand,\u201d said Senator Booker. \u201d This bill puts real research dollars behind the risk factors hiding in plain sight, so doctors can catch what they\u2019ve been missing. Every community deserves to have its heart health taken seriously, not treated as an afterthought.\u201d\n\nStudies show that South Asians in the United States \u2013 people who immigrated from or whose families immigrated from countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal \u2013 are experiencing a dramatic rise in heart disease and face four times the risk of heart disease compared to the general population. Despite making up 25 percent of the world\u2019s population, South Asians account for a disproportionate 60 percent of the world\u2019s heart disease cases and over 50 percent of the world\u2019s cardiovascular deaths. Almost two-thirds of middle-aged South Asian Americans are at intermediate or high risk for heart failure within the next 10 years, and because research agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) do not disaggregate medical data for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, it is nearly impossible to examine data on South Asian Americans.\n\nHeart disease is widely prevalent in the United States, but is not well understood. One person in America dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease, and costs associated with heart disease in the United States \u2014 including indirect costs \u2014 exceed $500 billion annually and is projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2035.\n\nThe South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act would authorize the HHS Secretary to make grants available to states to promote awareness of the increasing prevalence of heart disease in South Asian communities. These grants can be used to:\n\nDevelop culturally appropriate materials on topics such as nutrition education, optimal diet plans, and programs for regular exercise.\n\nSupport heart health promotion activities of community organizations that work with or serve communities disproportionately affected by heart disease.\n\nSupport conferences or workshops on research practices, methodology, and design to include more members of communities disproportionately affected by heart disease in scientific studies.\n\nThe legislation also directs the HHS Secretary to submit a report to Congress on the grant activities and any data gathered related to heart disease in disproportionately impacted communities and authorizes funding for these programs through 2028.\n\n\u201cSouth Asian Americans have faced a disproportionate burden of cardiovascular disease for far too long, while gaps in data, research, and culturally responsive prevention continue to limit our ability to address it. The South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act is an important commitment to changing that by investing in the evidence and community-based public health efforts needed to prevent disease and improve outcomes. SAPHA has supported this legislation for years, and we urge lawmakers to support the South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act and its efforts to expand culturally appropriate heart health education and prevention, strengthen community-based outreach, and improve research on cardiovascular disease in South Asian communities,\u201d said Samira Khan, MPH, CHES President, South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA)\n\nThe South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act is sponsored by representatives Nanette Barrag\u00e1n (CA-44), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Henry Johnson (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Adam Smith (WA-09), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) and Shri Thanedar (MI-13).\n\nThe legislation has been endorsed by the American Heart Association, the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), El Camino Health, Indian American Impact, MASALA Study, the National Asian Pacific American Women\u2019s Forum, the South Asian Health Initiative (SAHELI) and the South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA).", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-schrier-led-patients-first-act-and-five-other-healthcare-bills-featured", "ICYMI: Schrier-Led Patients First Act and Five Other Healthcare Bills Featured During Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) joined her colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for a health subcommittee hearing titled \u201cExamining Legislative Proposals to Reform Medicare Provider Payment and Bolster Health Care Cybersecurity.\u201d During the hearing, Congresswoman Schrier advocated for six of her bills \u2013 including her bipartisan Patients First Act that aims to establish comprehensive Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) reform.\n\nDuring the hearing, Congresswoman Schrier said: \u201cIt\u2019s time for Congress to right the ship and to enact long-term reform to physician payment. We can\u2019t pass another short term fix, and leave everyone on edge until the end of the year like we\u2019ve done for so many years. Without Patients First, physician practices will continue to close or be bought out by large hospital systems, private equity, or insurance companies, and that just raises the cost of care for everyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd without support for primary care, we can expect to see fewer and fewer medical students pursue that path. I urge this committee to move this legislation to straight markup. We need to pass the Patients First Act immediately,\" Schrier continued.\n\nMore information on Schrier\u2019s six bills that were featured in today\u2019s hearing can be found below:\n\nH.R. 9693, The Patients First Act of 2026 (Led by Reps Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), and Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03))\n\nH.R. 8163, The Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026 (Led by Reps Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03) and Brad Schneider (IL-10))\n\nH.R. 4331, The Access to Claims Data Act(Led by Reps Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13))\n\nH.R. 9908, The Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act (Led by Reps Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), Erin Houchin (IN-09))\n\nH.R. 1254, The Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act (Led by Reps. Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), Young Kim (CA-40), and Dan Meuser (PA-09))\n\nH.R. 7905, The Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026 (Led by Reps Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), and Diana DeGette (CO-01))\n\nWatch Congresswoman Schrier\u2019 remarks HERE.\n\nWatch the full hearing HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4461", "DelBene, LaHood Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Encourage Prepared Meal Donations", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene and Darin LaHood (IL-16) introduced the bipartisan Meals for Communities Tax Credit Act. This legislation would encourage restaurants and retail food establishments to donate prepared meals to charitable organizations serving communities across the country by creating new tax incentives for donations.\n\nCurrently, businesses and individuals can receive tax deductions for bulk food donations. However, no deduction or credit exists for prepared meals donated to nonprofit organizations that takes into consideration the added costs of food preparation.\n\nThe Meals for Communities Tax Credit Act establishes a new nonrefundable credit for eligible businesses that donate prepared meals to charitable organizations. Specifically, the bill would:\n\nProvide a 50% tax credit for the fair market value of qualified prepared meal donations, with a maximum credit of $7 per meal, adjusted to inflation;\n\nCap the credit at $50,000 per year;\n\nInclude guardrails to prevent businesses from double dipping by claiming both the prepared meal credit and the existing charitable deduction for any food donation; and\n\nRetain the same health and food safety standards for kitchens and donated meals as already required for commercial restaurant service.\n\n\u201cMillions of families across the country are struggling to reliably put food on the table because of rising grocery bills and a more expensive economy. Our food pantries and local nonprofits are stretched thin and cannot meet the demand in their communities. Meanwhile, restaurants are also contending with higher overhead costs and fewer customers,\u201d said DelBene. \u201cThis legislation helps address both problems by providing restaurants with incentives to donate prepared meals directly to nonprofits serving hungry families. It will support restaurants, their workers, and families who don\u2019t have enough to eat.\u201d\n\n\u201cRestaurants and food retailers in Illinois and throughout the country have an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in their communities by donating prepared meals to organizations that can put them directly into the hands of people in need,\u201d said LaHood. \u201cThe Meals for Communities Tax Credit Act provides a commonsense incentive for businesses to be charitable and turn surplus prepared food into meals for families and individuals who need them. By encouraging these donations, we can help strengthen our communities and make sure good food reaches the people who need it most.\u201d\n\n\"Restaurants are more than places where people eat \u2013 they are a vital part of our community infrastructure, with the kitchens, talent, and local relationships to help address food insecurity at scale,\u201d said Matt Jozwiak, Founder and CEO of Rethink Food. \u201cThe Meals for Communities Tax Credit creates a practical way to unlock that capacity, helping local restaurants stay strong while providing nutritious, chef-prepared meals to neighbors who need them. We\u2019re grateful to Representatives LaHood and DelBene for recognizing that supporting small businesses and strengthening food access can, and should, go hand in hand.\u201d\n\nRepresentative Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) also joined the legislation as an original cosponsor.", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/17/jayapal-hosts-hearing-on-big-tech-and-surveillance-ai/", "Jayapal Hosts Hearing on Big Tech and Surveillance AI", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "The full hearing can be watched HERE.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), co-chair of the Monopoly Busters Caucus, hosted a hearing on the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy as Big Tech monopolists aim to take over the industry and find new ways to profit off the surveillance of Americans. Surveillance AI is rapidly becoming more dangerous, with whistleblowers sounding the alarm that it could pose a serious threat to human life. Yet the powerful companies building AI are being left to write their own rules.\n\nThis hearing examined the harms of surveillance AI and Members heard testimony from Dr. Jason Sattizahn, a former Meta employee and whistleblower; Leila Turner-Scott, a mother whose son died after following so-called safety guidance from ChatGPT; Amba Kak, the Co-Executive Director of the AI Now Institute and former Senior Advisor on AI at the Federal Trade Commission and; and Eliza Pan, the co-founder of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice.\n\n\u201cThis hearing could not be more timely. After months of communities speaking out and organizing across the country against data centers and threats of artificial intelligence, now top researchers and even CEOs from those AI companies are also beginning to speak out about their own concerns that artificial intelligence is advancing so rapidly and recklessly that even they believe it could lead to the extinction of humanity. These companies do not exist in a vacuum. They come from a world in which Big Tech corporations and large AI companies backed by those same corporations wield enormous power over the entire AI stack, whether it is the advanced chips, cloud computing, or the models themselves. This has created a closed loop of a few interdependent giants. Before we let this industry lock in its current shape for good, we need real structural solutions to break this oligopoly control and surveillance regime. That\u2019s why I will soon be releasing a bill that would establish a national federal charter for AI companies, just like we do with banks. These companies would need a charter to operate, and the charter would be conditioned on structural reforms to ensure that the American people\u2019s interest comes first,\u201d said Jayapal.\n\n\u201cAI surveillance is already inescapable in the technology we use everyday. Grandiose doomsday claims about AI only benefit Meta and other tech companies, because it distracts from this fact and attempts to convince Americans that AI capabilities are beyond their understanding. This is not true. Unfortunately, it is up to all of us to understand how these companies have already siphoned our data without our true consent and push back. We would be foolish to even consider allowing tech companies to regulate themselves, and we should not assume that they will approach policy conversations in good faith. Profit margins drive these companies\u2019 decisions around AI and the use of your data. Period,\u201d said Dr. Jason Sattizahn.\n\n\u201cSince Sam\u2019s death, I\u2019ve learned that one of the most dangerous ways that OpenAI kept him engaged is from the way it programmed ChatGPT\u2019s short and long-term memory. These features are on by default and let the chatbot save the data Sam gave it to create a profile of him. OpenAI collected and stored information about every aspect of my child\u2019s life, drawing him further in by \u2018remembering\u2019 personal things about him. Sam thought he was being safe. He thought he was \u2018researching\u2019 substances with this invention that, in his mind, had all of the information on the internet to generate accurate outputs and help keep him safe. But the goal of ChatGPT was not to keep Sam safe; It was only to keep him using the product. Just hours before Sam died, ChatGPT had advised him that it was safe to mix Kratom and Xanax. It is not. This technology is unsafe and our elected officials have a responsibility to use their power to hold AI companies accountable and keep this from happening to anyone else\u2019s child,\u201d said Leila Turner-Scott.\n\n\u201cAt the FTC. I saw firsthand what it meant to go up against power in the tech industry after a decade of consolidation on the backs of unregulated commercial surveillance and a permissive competition regime. We do need new rules, and we don\u2019t have to invent them from scratch. We have a long history of governing banks, utilities, critical infrastructure, with tools like structural separation, nondiscrimination, and supervision. In all of these, we have leverage over market interests, and the ability to gate access to the market on the condition that the public interest is protected,\u201d said Amba Kak, Co-Executive Director of the AI Now Institute and former Senior Advisor on AI at the Federal Trade Commission.\n\n\u201cThe Amazon tech and corporate employees I represent want Congress and the public to know that if we don\u2019t act now to rein them in, Amazon and its execs will build a world in which all working people are surveilled, pushed out of high quality jobs, and terrified to step out of line. There\u2019s a lot of focus on frontier labs, but we need to realize Amazon is the one spending over $200 billion dollars just this year alone to force data centers into communities, and its own employees are sounding the alarm bells,\u201d said Eliza Pan, co-founder of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice.\n\nEach of the witnesses\u2019 full opening statements can be found here:\n\nDr. Jason Sattizahn\n\nLeila Turner-Scott\n\nAmba Kak\n\nEliza Pan\n\nJayapal was joined by Monopoly Busters co-chair, Representative Chris Deluzio (PA-17), and Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35), Jes\u00fas G. \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (IL-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), and Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03).", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/newhouse-introduces-resolution-honoring-gold-star-families", "Newhouse Introduces Resolution Honoring Gold Star Families", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dan Newhouse", "N000189", "newhouse.house.gov", "newhouse", "https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Press Release\n\nFor Immediate Release: September 17, 2026\n\nContact: Max Willens, (202) 738-7716\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) introduced a bipartisan resolution in the House of Representatives designating the week of September 20-26, 2026, as Gold Star Families Remembrance Week.\n\n\u201cGold Star Families are living reminders that there is a price for the freedom we enjoy every day. The families of these brave men and women have suffered and paid the ultimate price so that others will not.\u201d said Rep. Newhouse.\n\nNewhouse added, \u201cTo honor those lost and those still here, we dedicate Gold Star Remembrance week. My colleagues and I send our gratitude to the thousands of families who keep the memories of their loved ones alive through sharing stories and continue to honor the bravery of those who lost their lives in service to our great Nation.\u201d\n\nA Gold Star Family is a family who has lost an immediate family member while serving on active duty in the armed services of the United States.\n\nRep. Newhouse was joined by 52 of his colleagues in introducing the resolution to honor these families across the country. Original cosponsors include:\n\nReps. Tim Moore (NC-14), Wesley Hunt (TX- 38), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Michael Lawler (NY-17), John Moolenaar (MI-02), Maria Salazar (FL-27), Jeff Hurd (CO-03), Michael Simpson (ID-02), Brian K. Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Glenn Thompson (PA-15), Andy Barr (KY-06), Don Bacon (NE-02), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David P. Joyce (OH-14),Tim Walberg (MI-05), Tom Barrett (MI-07), Tracey Mann (KS-01), John W. Rose (TN-06), Zachary Nunn (IA-03), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Young Kim (CA-40), David G. Valadao (CA-22), Robert J. Wittman (VA-01), Richard Hudson (NC-09), Mike Carey (OH-15), Matt Van Epps (TN-07), Cory Mills (FL-07), Clay Fuller (GA-14), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), John J. McGuire III (VA-05), August Pfluger (TX-11), Michael A. Rulli (OH-06), Christopher H. Smith (NJ-04), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Mark B. Messmer (IN-08), Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07), Ashley Hinson (IA-02), Pete Stauber (MN-08), Julia Letlow (LA-05), Stephanie I. Bice (OK-05), Neal P. Dunn (FL-02), Brian J. Mast (FL-21), Robert P. Bresnahan Jr. (PA-08), Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), Mark Alford (MO-04), Trent Kelly (MS-01), Michael Guest (MS-03), Addison P. McDowell (NC-06), Mike Kelly (PA-16), and Randy Feenstra (IA-04).\n\nThe full text of the resolution can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4462", "DelBene\u2019s Bill to Strengthen Taxpayer Rights Passes House, Heads to Senate", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Suzan DelBene\u2019s (WA-01) Taxpayer Advocate Participation Act (TAPA). This bipartisan legislation, led with Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17), authorizes the National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) to file amicus briefs in federal tax cases on issues that may broadly affect taxpayer rights. The NTA is currently barred from submitting amicus briefs in federal tax litigation, even in major precedent-setting cases.\n\n\u201cAmerican taxpayers deserve to have an independent voice represent them in court, especially in cases that could impact them and their tax bill. This bipartisan bill will allow the National Taxpayer Advocate to weigh in on behalf of millions of Americans in these vital cases,\u201d said DelBene. \u201cI thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their efforts to get this through the Ways and Means Committee and now the House so we can better advocate for taxpayers.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerican taxpayers deserve someone in their corner when their rights are at stake in federal court,\u201d said Steube. \u201cThe National Taxpayer Advocate already fights for taxpayers across the country, but current law does not authorize the Advocate to weigh in on court cases that could impact millions of Americans. My bill closes that gap and makes sure the taxpayer\u2019s voice is heard. I\u2019m pleased to see the House pass TAPA, and I urge the Senate to get it to President Trump\u2019s desk.\u201d\n\nThe bill does not authorize the NTA to represent individual taxpayers, but ensures the Advocate\u2019s systemic expertise can inform judicial proceedings.", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://adamsmith.house.gov/news/press-releases/congressman-smith-statement-missed-votes", "Congressman Smith Statement on Missed Votes", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "adamsmith.house.gov", "adamsmith", "https://adamsmith.house.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 16, 2026) \u2013 Today, Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) released the following statement\"\n\n\"Over the past few weeks, I have been dealing with some medical issues and was scheduled to have a procedure. Unfortunately, this procedure was postponed, causing me to miss several votes in the House over the past few days in session.\n\n\"My top priority is representing my constituents back in Washington. To do so, I also need to take care of my health and recovery to best serve those in the Ninth District. Thank you for your support and I look forward to getting back to work.\"", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://baumgartner.house.gov/2026/09/16/baumgartner-applauds-passage-of-the-am-radio-for-every-vehicle-act-of-2025/", "Baumgartner Applauds\u00a0Passage of\u00a0The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Michael Baumgartner", "B001322", "baumgartner.house.gov", "baumgartner", "https://baumgartner.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "September 15, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05) celebrates passage of The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025. This bipartisan bill would require that AM broadcast stations be accessible in all passenger motor vehicles imported into, shipped within, or manufactured and sold within the United States. \u201cAM radio remains a critical tool for keeping Americans informed, especially when severe weather, wildfires, or other emergencies disrupt our normal communications,\u201d said Congressman Baumgartner. \u201cThe AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 will help ensure drivers can continue to access the important source of emergency information wherever they are.\u201d\n\nThe AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 Background:\n\nAM radio remains an important part of the nation\u2019s emergency alert system, providing a way for communities to receive critical information during emergencies and disasters;\n\nThe legislation directs the DOT to establish rules in consultation with FEMA and the FCC to ensure AM radio is accessible to drivers;\n\nFor vehicles sold before the new requirement takes effect, manufacturers would have to clearly disclose if the vehicle does not include AM radio access and could not charge an additional fee for AM access during that period;\n\nRequires the Government Accountability Office to study how AM radio and other technologies can deliver emergency alerts to people in vehicles.", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4454", "Ways & Means Republicans Continue Covering Up Harms of Trump\u2019s Medicare AI Experiment", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) forced a vote on an amendment during a Ways & Means Committee markup that would require the Trump administration to release yet-unseen information about the WISeR program. The program pays private companies to use AI to delay and deny care to seniors in Washington and five other states.\n\nSince the program began in January, patients have been left in severe pain and unable to access the care prescribed by their doctors. In June, DelBene announced that Virtix, the company administering WISeR in Washington, was ordered to submit a corrective action plan for delays in reviewing claims after a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) audit of its performance. Neither document has been released to Congress or the public.\n\nThe amendment would force CMS to release any audits or corrective action plans for WISeR-participating companies within 3 months. It would also direct the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to analyze the impacts of Medicare Advantage plans\u2019 red tape on patients and providers. Ways & Means Republicans rejected the amendment by an 18-19 vote.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s clear why the administration is doing everything they can to conceal these documents. The more that Americans learn about WISeR, the more outraged they get at the Trump administration for jeopardizing their care and trying to privatize Medicare,\u201d said DelBene.\n\nThis effort was informed by a bombshell report released by the Electronic Frontier Foundation that revealed widespread delays and denials of care, operational chaos, and reports of patient harm. The report contains nearly 1,000 pages of documentation, including contracts with participating companies, internal reports, and health care providers\u2019 complaints about the program, that were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and lawsuit. It also sheds light on the CMS\u2019 plan to expand WISeR to cancer treatments and other types of care.\n\nDelBene introduced legislation last November to repeal WISeR and has led multiple other legislative efforts to stop the program.", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/rep-gluesenkamp-perez-votes-to-support-ukrainian-defense-and-sanction-russia", "Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez Votes to Support Ukrainian Defense and Sanction Russia", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2014 Today, Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez reaffirmed her commitment to the Ukrainian community in Southwest Washington by voting for a comprehensive package of sanctions targeting Russia and anyone who facilitates sanctions evasion. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 is a critical effort to cripple funding for Russia\u2019s War in Ukraine by penalizing countries that buy Russian oil. The bill was voted on in the Senate earlier this year, where it passed 86-11. The bill went on to pass in the House 262-159.\n\nThis package includes a number of sanctions, specifically it would:\n\nImposes blocking and entry (visa) sanctions on specified Russian officials, including Vladimir Putin and senior political and military leaders, oligarchs who haven\u2019t opposed the war or continue to benefit from ties with the Russian government, executives/controlling owners of major Russian energy projects, foreign companies supporting Russia\u2019s defense industrial base or military, and persons engaged in corruption, money laundering, or sanctions evasion for the Russian government.\n\nImposes sanctions on Russia\u2019s \u201cshadow fleet,\u201d a network of vessels and supporting entities used to transport Russian oil and other goods while concealing ownership or transactions to circumvent sanctions.\n\nImposes sanctions on the Central Bank of Russia, Sberbank, VTB Bank, Gazprombank, and other covered Russian financial institutions. Foreign financial institutions engaging in significant transactions with sanctioned Russian institutions shall also be sanctioned.\n\nImposes sanctions on entities in which the Russian government holds a controlling/majority interest or that are otherwise government-affiliated, and restricts U.S. financial institutions from processing specified transactions involving the Russian government, government-owned entities, or Russian officials.\n\nRestricts certain Russian securities from U.S. exchanges; prohibits new U.S. investment in Russia and its energy sector and transfer of U.S.-produced energy or energy products; prohibits purchases of Russian sovereign debt; authorizes restrictions on certain services to Russia; and sanctions certain financial-messaging providers used to circumvent sanctions.\n\nDirects implementation of existing restrictions on Russian uranium imports under 42 U.S.C. \u00a72297h-10a(d), including covered uranium associated with Rosatom or its subsidiaries or successors, and requires sanctions against specified officials and shareholders.\n\nExtends the deadline of the 1996 Iran Sanctions Act from 2026 to 2031.\n\nIn addition to steep sanctions the bill would introduce aggressive secondary measures, including up to 500% duties on Russian goods and up to 100% duties on third-party countries that purchase Russian oil/gas or facilitate sanctions evasion.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to represent one of the largest Ukrainian communities in America\u2013people who have lost fathers, mothers, sons and daughters in the fight to defeat fascism.,\u201d said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cI urge the President to move quickly to implement these critical sanctions to ensure that Putin and his people know there is a steep price for their continued disregard for the sanctity of life.\u201d\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez has continuously worked to support Ukraine in its fight to end the Russian invasion and to support Ukrainian refugees displaced by the conflict. In 2024, she voted to pass HR 813, allocating over $60 billion in funding for Ukrainian defense. More recently in the FY27 Defense Appropriations markup, she spoke in support of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a provision to strengthen domestic manufacturing capability to support Ukrainian defense. Additionally, Rep Gluesenkamp Perez supports Ukrainians living in Southwest Washington through her casework channels, helping constituents facing issues with federal agencies. To get in touch or learn about how her office can help with federal agencies, please visit her casework page or Ukrainian Language casework page.\n\n####", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4261", "Larsen\u2019s Water Resources Bill Passes House", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02)\u2019s Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA 2026) passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 415 to 9. The bipartisan, biennial bill protects Northwest Washington\u2019s environment, supports Columbia River Treaty negotiations and authorizes critical investments in Northwest Washington ports, inland waterways, flood management systems and other water resources infrastructure.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s House passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 is great news for ports, harbors and inland waterways in the Pacific Northwest and across the country,\u201d said Rep. Larsen, who is the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. \u201cFrom expanding funding opportunities to restore ecosystems on Spencer Island to authorizing a study to mitigate Nooksack River flooding, WRDA 2026 continues bipartisan efforts to improve water resources infrastructure, create good-paying jobs and protect communities from natural disasters. I look forward to working with the Senate to pass a final WRDA 2026 into law.\u201d\n\nSince 2014, Congress has enacted a water resources development bill every two years to help improve the nation\u2019s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation system, flood and storm risk management, aquatic ecosystems and other aspects of water resources infrastructure. WRDA 2024 passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and included many of Rep. Larsen\u2019s local priorities, including funding environmental infrastructure assistance to Western Washington state communities and expanding the Tribal Partnership Program (TPP) to make it easier for the Army Corps of Engineers to partner with Northwest Tribes on projects.\n\nWashington State Wins in WRDA 2026\n\nWRDA 2026 invests in Washington state priorities, including restoring the Puget Sound, addressing Nooksack River flooding and ensuring that critical Corps projects across the state can continue.\n\nWins for Washington in WRDA 2026 include:\n\nNooksack River Flooding: Authorizes a new feasibility study for flood risk reduction in the Nooksack River, which Whatcom County can use for long-term planning to address flooding concerns. Rep. Larsen has been working with local leaders to develop a plan to address Nooksack River flooding. Earlier this year, he advocated for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster relief funds to help communities recover from December 2025\u2019s devastating floods, and he has championed FEMA flood mitigation grant funding so that local communities can prepare for future floods.\n\nDisaster Debris Removal: Reforms how the Corps writes emergency debris removal contracts after floods to minimize harmful impacts to property and wildlife, and directs the Secretary of the Corps to ensure protection of healthy vegetation, important habitats, and vulnerable wildlife when setting standard contract terms. This provision will protect local ecosystems while cleaning flood debris in the Skagit River and other local rivers from December 2025\u2019s floods.\n\nPuget Sound and Adjacent Waters (PSAW): Increases the per project funding cap to $20 million, ensuring projects like Spencer Island restoration in Snohomish County continue to move forward. In 2018, Rep. Larsen successfully included an amendment in WRDA 2018 to increase the per project cap for PSAW to $10 million.\n\nPuget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP): Allows the Corps to cost-share the relocation of related infrastructure for PNSERP projects at Lilliwaup Estuary, Tahuya Estuary, Snow Creek and Salmon Creek and Nooksack Estuary. Rep. Larsen previously worked to authorize $451 million for PSNERP in WRDA 2016. The Puget Sound is the largest estuary by water volume in the United States. Rep. Larsen's bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the National Estuary Program through 2031 and protect estuaries around the country passed the House last December.\n\nColumbia River Treaty: Extends temporary authority for the United States to pay for pre-planned storage of water in Canada while United States and Canada continue to negotiate a new Columbia River Treaty. The United States\u2019 current authority expires in 2027. The hydropower that the Columbia River Treaty provides benefits towns and cities across Northwest Washington, and Rep. Larsen has advocated for the Columbia River Treaty\u2019s renewal for over a decade. Rep. Larsen supports efforts to negotiate a modern Columbia River treaty that manages flood risks and ensures a reliable clean energy supply, and he is working with local stakeholders to gather input ahead of negotiations.\n\nPreventing Invasive Aquatic Species: Clarifies that indirect costs incurred by non-federal partners remain eligible for credit or reimbursement under the Corps\u2019 Watercraft Inspection authority, which funds state efforts to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species. Invasive golden, quagga and zebra mussels continue to expand their footprint in the Pacific Northwest. Early detection monitoring, watercraft inspection and decontamination and eradication efforts are critical to preventing further spread.\n\nLower Columbia River Channel Maintenance: Clarifies that the cost of constructing a dredged material disposal facility for operation and maintenance of the Lower Willamette and Lower Columbia River is a federal responsibility that can be drawn from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF). These facilities are necessary for dredging operations to maintain the Columbia River waterway, which moves over $31 billion in cargo annually and supports 40,000 local jobs.\n\nLower Columbia River Turning Basin: Authorizes the Chief\u2019s Report for Lower Columbia Turning Basin improvements. Traffic has continued to grow in the Lower Columbia River, with an increase in larger vessels that need room to safely turn and park. These improvements will allow for the better positioning of vessels, increase opportunities to use nearby tug service and improve efficient movement of vessels transporting goods.\n\nHMTF Allocations for Donor and Energy Transfer Ports: Removes discretion for the Administration to ensure it fully utilizes a provision in WRDA 2020 requiring specific funding allocations from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to donor and energy transfer ports. The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma are donor ports.\n\nOffice of Technical Assistance and Community Outreach: Creates an Office of Technical Assistance and Community Outreach within the Corps to help communities that may have difficulty navigating the Corps\u2019 planning and construction processes. This office will serve as a one-stop-shop for directing communities to existing programs that assist with affordability concerns, address unique needs, and provide support for any stage of a Corps project.\n\nCorps Study Process: Requires the Corps and the non-federal sponsor to establish an agreed-to timeframe (with milestones) for studies, and to allow the non-federal sponsor to request time extensions based on project complexity and sponsor\u2019s goals.\n\nFor the legislative text of WRDA 2026, click here.\n\nFor a summary of WRDA 2026, click here.\n\n###\n\nRelated News\n\nLarsen Votes to Protect Families from Data Centers Raising Costs\n\nSeptember 16, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nLarsen Statement on Joint U.S.-Canada Oil Spill Response Exercise\n\nSeptember 15, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nLarsen Applauds $4.2 Million for Local Salmon Passage Restoration\n\nSeptember 15, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nEverett\u2019s Maritime Institute Recognized as Leader in Maritime Workforce Education\n\nSeptember 8, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4263", "Larsen Votes to Protect Families from Data Centers Raising Costs", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to pass the Ratepayers Protection Act 417 to 3.\n\n\u201cI voted for the Ratepayers Protection Act to protect families from higher electric bills,\u201d said Rep. Larsen. \u201cThis legislation is only a start, and there is a lot more work to do. I support tough, upfront restrictions on large data centers: no high electric bills for local families and small businesses, no federal tax breaks, and no construction without community approval and union labor. Data centers must pay their fair share to connect to and use the grid, and they should be required to use closed loop water systems. I support the ability of local jurisdictions to enact temporary moratoriums to give themselves time to decide how they want to manage large data centers.\u201d\n\nThe Ratepayer Protection Act requires state regulators to consider directing data centers to pay the full cost of connection to the grid, protecting ratepayers from footing the bill for data centers\u2019 power consumption. In 2024, the Department of Energy projected that the percentage of U.S. electricity demand from data centers could grow from 4.4 percent in 2023 to 12 percent by 2028.\n\nRep. Larsen also cosponsors the Big Ugly Tax Breaks for Data Centers Act to roll back tax breaks for large AI data centers in Republicans\u2019 Big Ugly Law.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4264", "Larsen Votes No on More Trump Tariff Powers", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cI support Ukraine. I always have, and I always will. But this sanctions bill isn\u2019t necessary.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump already has authority to impose sanctions on the Russian officials and companies that are fueling the brutal war in Ukraine. And yet he has chosen to sanction only two Russian officials with that authority.\n\n\u201cCongress has already allocated $400 million for assistance to Ukraine. Instead of using these existing powers and dollars, the Trump Pentagon has refused to release that money to help the Ukraine military.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump is going easy on Putin and blaming Ukraine for surging diesel prices. This sanctions bill doesn\u2019t do anything to help Ukraine that this President can\u2019t already do.\u201d\n\nThe House of Representatives today voted to pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act by a vote of 262 to 159.\n\nRep. Larsen is a strong advocate for a free and independent Ukraine. In June, he helped pass the Ukraine Support Act, which would impose tough sanctions on Russia and provide additional security assistance to Ukraine. Rep. Larsen is a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), an organization made up of delegates from all 32 NATO member countries with a mission to engage in dialogue over transatlantic security issues.\n\nRep. Larsen is also a leader in opposing the Trump administration\u2019s tariffs and a member of the New Democrat Coalition Trade and Tariffs Task Force. In February, the House passed with bipartisan support a resolution that Larsen co-led to terminate President Trump\u2019s abuse of \u201cemergency\u201d authorities to impose sweeping tariffs on U.S. imports from Canada.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/16/jayapal-statement-on-vote-for-ratepayer-protection-act/", "Jayapal Statement on Vote for Ratepayer Protection Act", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement after voting for the Ratepayer Protection Act.\n\n\u201cI voted for this bill because there is nothing objectionable in it, and at least it makes slight headway in proposing regulatory standards for data centers to operate and not push costs onto consumers. But I want to be clear: this bill has no teeth to it\u2014it does not require states to do anything. It is merely a suggested standard that states are not required to adopt. It does absolutely nothing to address the very real concerns that voters have around AI, data centers, and the safety and accessibility of their water and air. And importantly, it does nothing to actually hold AI companies responsible for the havoc that they are wreaking on communities across the country.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s remember that Donald Trump continues to call the threats of AI a \u2018hoax\u2019 and that this Administration \u2014 right now \u2014 has laws that could be enforced against the AI companies to hold them accountable for the threats they have unleashed in surveillance, scraping knowledge, and creating models that could very seriously cause the extinction of the human race, in the words of their own researchers and CEOs.\n\n\u201cWe need real solutions to rising costs of energy, like the Energy Bills Relief Act, rather than backroom deals that help to shield big polluters and data centers while doing very little to address the affordability crisis that people are facing. I intend to continue doing that work.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://baumgartner.house.gov/2026/09/15/bipartisan-northwest-endangered-salmon-predation-prevention-act-clears-key-committee-hurdle/", "Bipartisan Northwest Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act Clears Key Committee Hurdle", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Michael Baumgartner", "B001322", "baumgartner.house.gov", "baumgartner", "https://baumgartner.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "September 15, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congressman Michael Baumgartner\u2019s (WA-05) bipartisan Northwest Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act of 2026 was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee by a voice vote. This clears the bill to be considered by the full House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cI am pleased the House Natural Resources Committee voted in a bipartisan manner to advance my bill,\u201d said Congressman Baumgartner. \u201cThis bill, born in collaboration with many of the tribes in Washington that have federally recognized treaty fishing rights, is an important step in the right direction to protect salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest. I look forward to continued bipartisanship as we work to get it signed into law before the end of this Congress.\u201d\n\n\u201cRecovering Northwest salmon requires granting tribal and local managers the authority to address pinniped predation as they know best,\u201d said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04). \u201cH.R. 9621 provides greater flexibility to manage pinnipeds in the Columbia River, its tributaries and Washington waters. These local experts understand the ecosystem and need the right tools to support threatened and endangered salmon recovery. I commend Rep. Baumgartner for advancing a science-based solution that empowers regional partners and delivers meaningful results for native fish populations.\u201d\n\nNorthwest Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act of 2026:", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/rep-marie-gluesenkamp-perez-statement-on-9-15-rule-vote", "Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Statement on 9/15 Rule Vote", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "I\u2019m proud to represent one of the largest Ukrainian communities in America-people who have lost fathers, mothers, sons and daughters in the fight to defeat fascism.\n\nI\u2019ll always stand with my community\u2019s values, and I am grateful for the 86 senators who voted to send this bill to the house. My vote today gets us one step closer to enacting these sanctions into law and I look forward to voting tomorrow to cut off the flow of Russian oil money fueling this war.", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/15/meng-jayapal-and-south-asian-members-of-congress-denounce-racist-post-targeting-ut-austin-students/", "Meng, Jayapal, and South Asian Members of Congress Denounce Racist Post Targeting UT Austin Students", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C \u2013 Today, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Grace Meng (NY-06), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Ami Bera (CA-06), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13) issued a joint statement condemning a racist post by Texas Republican Bo French that included a photo of South Asian students celebrating at a University of Texas football game:\n\n\u201cWe are outraged by the blatantly xenophobic social media post made by Bo French, Republican candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission, attacking students celebrating at the University of Texas football game. These were young students in a moment of joy and celebration.\n\n\u201cThis is a part of a broader rise of attacks made towards the South Asian American community. In fact, 71 percent of all anti-Asian threats of violence between August 2024 and December 2025 were directed at South Asians, making them the most targeted Asian regional subgroup in online spaces associated with targeted violence. Hateful and racist attacks like this have no place online, or in our communities. We must continue to speak out against this sort of rhetoric, and we must demand better of candidates and elected officials. No one\u2019s Americanness should be judged based on the color of their skin.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4258", "Larsen Statement on Joint U.S.-Canada Oil Spill Response Exercise", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released the following statement:\n\n\u201cOn September 2, my staff observed a joint exercise between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard designed to simulate response efforts and coordination between our two countries in the event of an oil spill in shared waters.\n\n\u201cThis type of collaboration across the border between the U.S. and Canada is even more critical because of Canada\u2019s plans to ship more oil in the Salish Sea with the proposed new Alberta to B.C. pipeline.\n\n\u201cI have concerns about the potential impacts of this proposed pipeline, including on tanker traffic in the Salish Sea, and I am glad that my staff could observe the exercise to ensure that there are relationships and procedures in place that benefit both countries in the event of a disastrous spill.\n\n\u201cI will continue to work with federal agencies to ensure their oil spill prevention and response plans account for increased tanker traffic, identify federal actions to reduce the risk of a spill and engage my Canadian Government counterparts on the concerns people I represent have about the pipeline.\u201d\n\nOn September 2, the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard participated in a joint exercise designed to coordinate oil and hazardous spill responses in shared Pacific waters such as the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Haro Strait, Georgia Straits and Boundary Bay. These exercises occur every other year under the Canada-United States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan.\n\nOn July 2, the Government of Alberta announced a proposed new oil pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific Ocean that would transport 1 million barrels per day to an export terminal at Roberts Banks in British Columbia located just north of the Canada-U.S. border. The new pipeline is anticipated to significantly increase tanker traffic in Haro Strait and Boundary Bay in the Salish Sea, and with it the risks for catastrophic oil spills impacting sensitive marine environments.\n\nLarsen Insists Coast Guard Act to Protect Salish Sea\n\nAfter hearing concerns from people who live in his district about this proposed pipeline, Rep. Larsen has been closely tracking developments on plans for pipeline construction and pressing the Coast Guard on its plans to update its prevention planning through the Canada-United States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan. In late July, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a roundtable with officials from the Coast Guard on maritime safety. A video clip of Rep. Larsen asking Coast Guard officials about their awareness of the new Canadian pipeline and how it would implicate existing oil spill prevention plans can be found here, and the recording of the entire roundtable can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4259", "Larsen Applauds $4.2 Million for Local Salmon Passage Restoration", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\u2019s (NOAA) is awarding $4.2 million to the Skagit River System Cooperative (Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community) for restoring fish passage to support Similk Estuary Chinook salmon.\n\n\u201cThis is great news for fish!\u201d said Rep. Larsen. \u201cThis funding will give the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community the resources they need to improve fish passage and foster salmon recovery. I will keep working closely with local leaders and Tribes to bring home federal dollars to protect salmon habitats and Northwest Washington\u2019s environment.\u201d\n\nNOAA\u2019s Community-Based Restoration Program provides technical assistance and funding to partners implementing habitat restoration projects in coastal communities around the country. These projects recover and sustain fisheries in the United States by ensuring that fish have access to high-quality habitats. NOAA selected only 16 projects out of 350 proposals for this round of funding under the program.\n\n\u201cThese funds from NOAA Fisheries provide much needed support for the Similk estuary habitat restoration project,\u201d said Fred Cayou, Board Chair of the Skagit River System Cooperative. \u201cThis high priority project benefits SRSC member Tribes and local communities by helping to recover Chinook salmon populations while also reducing flood risks.\u201d\n\nThe Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group from Washington state also received $7.2 million from NOAA to restore floodplain habitat for Chinook and steelhead in the Mid-Columbia River.\n\nLarsen Continues to Champion Northwest Washington\u2019s Environment\n\nRep. Larsen is a strong advocate for protecting Northwest Washington\u2019s environment. He leads annual efforts to fund Washington\u2019s Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups (RFEGs). Last year, he joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) in leading members of the state\u2019s Congressional delegation in a letter urging the Department of Interior to reverse its decision to eliminate funding for RFEGs, a blow to widely supported salmon recovery and habitat restoration efforts and longstanding Tribal partnerships. Larsen also leads bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s National Estuary Program through Fiscal Year 2031 and protect the Puget Sound (the ESTUARIES Act).\n\nLarsen champions annual efforts to support the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF), a critical source of investment for salmon habitat restoration in the Pacific Northwest. His bill to expand federal protections for marine mammals, including Southern Resident Killer Whales in Puget Sound, was included in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. In June, Rep. Larsen\u2019s bill to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Commission for seven years so the Commission can continue its work to restore the marine ecosystem of the Northwest Straits region passed the House of Representatives.\n\nAs the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Larsen fought for $1 billion in funding for salmon culvert projects in his Build America 250 Act, a bipartisan, $580 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill. The legislation passed out of committee this May.", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/15/jayapal-raskin-fletcher-liccardo-durbin-blumenthal-padilla-whitehouse-introduce-cra-resolution-of-disapproval-regarding-regulation-that-changes-how-international-students-journalists-main/", "JAYAPAL, RASKIN, FLETCHER, LICCARDO, DURBIN, BLUMENTHAL, PADILLA, WHITEHOUSE INTRODUCE CRA RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL REGARDING REGULATION THAT CHANGES HOW INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS & JOURNALISTS MAINTAIN IMMIGRATION STATUS", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), and Sam Liccardo (CA-16) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval regarding a regulation, entitled \u201cEstablishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media,\u201d which changes how international students and journalists maintain their immigration status.\n\nFor more than 40 years, F-1 visa students, J-1 visa exchange visitors, and I visa international journalists have been permitted to remain in the U.S. for as long as they engage in the activity that qualifies them for the visa, a practice known as \u201cduration of status.\u201d However, on July 17, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule that eliminates duration of status and requires recipients of F-1 student visas and J-1 exchange visas to enter the U.S. for a fixed admission period capped at a maximum of four years; similarly, recipients of I visas would be admitted for the length of their project in the U.S. or a maximum of 240 days. The rule also includes significant limitations on transfers and changes of educational objectives for student visa recipients. Educational institutions, labor unions, and medical associations have raised serious concerns about this rule\u2019s impacts on the nation\u2019s ability to attract the best and brightest students to U.S. universities and to retain doctors in American communities that desperately need them. The rule is scheduled to go into effect on September 15.\n\n\u201cInternational students make our institutions of higher learning better for all students and create pipelines to ensure the best and brightest lend their talents to strengthen our economy and American innovation. We should be welcoming students, not wrapping the processes to obtain visas in layers of red tape. This has nothing to do with national security and everything to do with Trump and Stephen Miller\u2019s plan to prevent all forms of legal immigration. I first came to this country on a student visa and understand deeply just how important these visas are,\u201d said Jayapal.\n\n\u201cAmerica has always benefited from attracting brilliant students, researchers, doctors and journalists from around the world. The Trump Administration wants to obstruct that path with bureaucratic hurdles and quicksand designed to make legal immigration harder. This senseless rule will drive away talented people who come here to study, practice medicine, do research and contribute to our communities. It harms the American economy and American innovation and makes all of us worse off,\u201d said Raskin.\n\n\u201cOur international students, researchers, and journalists in our community and across our country make important contributions to our schools, our communities, and our economy,\u201d said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. \u201cPlacing fixed time limits on their studies ignores how long some study programs actually take and adds red tape to an immigration system that is already overwhelmed. Visiting students should have a stable, welcoming environment to further their education and contribute to our communities\u2014not obstacles that undermine their ability to do so. That is why I am glad to introduce legislation with Congressman Raskin, Congresswoman Jayapal, and Congressman Liccardo to repeal this rule and to help ensure the success of our universities and communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica wins when we can continue to attract the best and brightest students from around the world to drive American competitiveness, particularly in STEM fields. Eliminating the Duration of Status framework will push talented students and researchers toward our competitors, undermining our ability to win the global battle for talent, essential to our innovation economy,\u201d said Rep. Sam Liccardo (CA-16).\n\n\u201cThis proposed rule is just another part of the Donald Trump-Stephen Miller mass deportation agenda. They want to make the immigration process so difficult, so cumbersome, and so onerous that legal immigrants decide to leave the U.S. or never come here at all\u2014which will result in the loss of talented, bright individuals who make America better,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cOur nation is already confronting a serious health workforce shortage. Now is not the time to make it even more difficult for health care professionals to care for our most vulnerable communities. I appreciate my Democratic colleagues in joining me on this important measure and encourage members on both sides of the aisle to support it.\u201d\n\n\u201cInternational students deserve fair opportunities to receive an education in the United States. Students, exchange visitors, and foreign members of the media should never have to live in fear of the Administration\u2019s unprecedented attacks on legal immigration,\u201d said Padilla. \u201cDiversity is our country\u2019s strength, and international students and exchange visitors support American innovation, job growth, higher education, and global competitiveness. We have a responsibility to protect these visa holders, including international students who contribute to the culture of American universities and eventually to our nation\u2019s economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cRhode Island\u2019s institutions of higher education help power the Ocean State\u2019s economic competitiveness. International students and medical residents drive innovation, contribute to cutting-edge research, and spend big not only on tuition, but also at local restaurants and businesses. This Trump administration rule punishes international students, young doctors, and foreign journalists as well as local small businesses and universities as part of their extreme anti-immigration agenda,\u201d said Whitehouse.\n\nBill text is available here.\n\nThis regulation will have adverse impacts on foreign students, international medical school graduates (residents), and foreign members of the media. The federal government last implemented a fixed period of admission for these visa categories in the 1970s, and the changes resulted in significant backlogs. This new regulation will likely yield the same result, as the most recent available data shows the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processing backlog at 12 million cases. Universities have predicted significant hardships for PhD students, who can often take as long as seven years to complete their programs. In addition, universities have expressed concerns that the strict regulation will prevent graduate students from changing their educational objective and prevent undergraduate students, including athletes, from transferring to another university in their first year of education or changing their majors. Medical associations have similarly raised concerns about the impacts of the rule on medical residents.\n\nThis rule is the most recent in a series of attempts by the Trump Administration to stop legal immigration to the United States. Last year, Senator Durbin led a group of 35 Senate Democrats in pressing the Trump Administration to reconsider the decision to revoke student visas without adequate notice. In April, Durbin led Judiciary Democrats in requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct an independent investigation after the Trump Administration summarily halted most immigrant benefits processing for immigration applicants from 39 countries, stopped visa processing for immigrant visa applicants from 75 countries, and ended most refugee and asylum processing. In a separate letter to GAO, Durbin and his colleagues also requested GAO investigate the Trump Administration\u2019s attempts to \u201cre-review\u201d immigration benefits granted to all individuals from 39 countries who were approved under the Biden Administration\u2014including those who have since become U.S. citizens.\n\nThe CRA resolution of disapproval is endorsed by: AAMC \u2013 Association of American Medical Colleges; AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management; Alliance for International Exchange; American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers; American College of Radiology; American Council on Education; American Gastroenterological Association; American Immigration Lawyers Association; American Osteopathic Association; American Psychiatric Association; American Society of Nephrology; American Society of Neuroradiology; Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment; Association of American Universities; Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities; Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities; Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU); Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges; Cornell University; Council of Graduate Schools; Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities; Global Detroit; Illinois State University; Illinois Tech; International Educators of Illinois; Miles for Migraine; NAFSA: Association of International Educators; National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (NAICU); Northern Illinois University, Presidents\u2019 Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration; Shorelight, LLC; Third Way; UC Berkeley; UCLA; University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources; University of California System; University of California-San Diego; University of California, Davis; University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, San Francisco; University of California, Santa Cruz; University of Illinois System; and U.S. For Success Coalition.\n\nDurbin has introduced bipartisan legislation to make long-needed reforms to our legal immigration system, including the Keep STEM Talent Act, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, and the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act.", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/gluesenkamp-perez-announces-mobile-office-hours-in-thurston-and-lewis-counties", "Gluesenkamp Perez Announces Mobile Office Hours in Thurston and Lewis Counties", "2026-09-14", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "TENINO AND RANDLE, WA \u2013 Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) announced her office will be holding mobile office hours in Thurston and Lewis Counties. Residents of Washington\u2019s Third District will be able to walk in to get assistance with federal agencies like the VA, IRS, and State Department.\n\nThe Congresswoman\u2019s team will be available on Wednesday, September 16th, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Tenino City Hall Meeting Room 149 Hodgden St S, Tenino, WA 98589 and on Wednesday September 23rd, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Mountain View Timberland Library Meeting Room 10111 US-12, Randle, WA 98377.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez has held thirty mobile office hours in every county in Washington\u2019s Third District where she doesn\u2019t have an office, as a part of her commitment to ensure every community can access her services.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez has already recovered more than $16.2 million for over 3,800 constituents owed to them by federal agencies.\n\n\u201cMy bipartisan team is working each day to directly assist folks across Southwest Washington with federal agencies \u2013 whether it\u2019s recovering Social Security checks, tax refunds, or veterans benefits you\u2019re owed,\u201d said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. \u201cOur services shouldn\u2019t be any less accessible because of where you live \u2013 so I\u2019ve made it my priority to bring mobile office hours to every county across Southwest Washington. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to stop by, and I\u2019ll keep working to ensure we can reach more of our rural communities.\u201d\n\nConstituents looking to receive updates about future office hours in their communities can follow Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez on Facebook, X, Instagram, or Threads or subscribe to her newsletter.\n\nThose not able to make it can always reach out online, by phone at (360) 695-6292, or in person at the Congresswoman\u2019s Vancouver or Kelso offices.\n\nExamples of how Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez has assisted constituents across Southwest Washington can be found here.\n\n####", 1, "2026-09-15T09:50:21Z", "2026-09-15T09:52:05Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/rep-gluesenkamp-perez-testifies-on-her-bills-to-clean-up-congress", "Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez Testifies on Her Bills to Clean Up Congress", "2026-09-10", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2014 Last week, Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez attended a hearing held by the House Committee on Rules to advocate for changes to House rules for next Congress. She urged the committee to enact a number of reforms within the U.S. House of Representatives. Among these reforms were an effort to create cognitive standards for members of the House, to form a Select Committee to explore Electoral Reform options, allow for remote committee testimonies, and to expand the code of conduct to ban Members of Congress from sleeping with House staff.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez testifies in front of the Rules Committee\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez opened her testimony asking committee members to consider the adoption of her BRIDGE to Congress Resolution to allow remote witness testimony at Congressional hearings. The Congresswoman noted that for too long everyday people and people who live far from the Capitol face significant burdens in coming to DC to speak in front of their representatives. This provision hopes to bring local issues into committee spotlights and reduce the influence of lobbyists and paid policy professionals.\n\n\u201cFor a constituent in Southwest Washington, testifying in person can mean taking time off work, finding child or elder care, and paying for a plane ticket and hotel in Washington, D.C. Most working families I know simply can\u2019t afford that,\u201d said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cThe result is a witness pool that lacks geographic, economic, and lived-experience diversity. Instead of hearing directly from a fisherman in Pacific County or a shop teacher in Skamania County, Congress gets a feedback-loop from people paid to discuss policy. That leads to bad policy and erodes public trust.\u201d\n\nThe Congresswoman continued her testimony by urging the adoption of her resolution establishing a bipartisan Select Committee on Electoral Reform. Throughout her time in congress, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez has pursued options for making Congress a more representative body to the average American. The Electoral Reform Select Committee Act was the first piece of legislation she introduced in the 119th Congress. If formed, the bipartisan Select Committee would investigate options such as multi-member districts with proportional representation, expanding the House, and independent redistricting commissions to improve the responsibility members of Congress have to their constituents.\n\n\u201cRegardless of party or ideology, more and more Americans feel that our democracy isn\u2019t working for them. Americans feel unrepresented and are losing faith in a government that they view as unreflective of their communities and values.\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cAs Members of Congress, we need to take a step back, reexamine how we got here, and work toward what we can do to fix it.\u201d\n\nVideo of the Congresswoman\u2019s remarks can be found here:\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez continued her testimony by reminding the committee that accountability and trust in Congress demands they take action on the instances of sexual misconduct that have plagued this Congress.\n\n\u201cThis is about trust, accountability, and not giving powerful people a free pass to continue perpetuating a culture of sexual assault and misconduct. Americans deserve to know that their elected officials are held to high standards\u2013and that their representatives are hellbent on making this institution work better for the American people,\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cAs members, we are here to work \u2013 not date. The next rules package should include a code of conduct that prohibits Members of Congress from having sexual relationships with House staff, no matter where that staffer works\u2014whether in another Member\u2019s personal office, a committee, or a caucus.\u201d\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez ended her testimony by once again raising her mental acuity standards provision to her colleagues in the House. She has made repeated efforts to urge the Office of Congressional Conduct to create a standard of conduct as it relates to members suffering from significant and irreversible cognitive decline. Recently she offered this provision in the Appropriations Committee as an amendment to the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act. The amendment failed overwhelmingly, with Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez casting the only yes vote on the entire committee.\n\n\u201cAmericans elect Members of Congress to be their voice in Washington, and that responsibility comes with a clear standard of conduct. Clause 1 of Rule XXIII of the Rules of the House requires Members to \u2018behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.\u2019\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cWhen a Member is no longer able to fulfill the responsibilities of the office because of a significant and irreversible cognitive impairment, and unelected staff are effectively running the office on that Member\u2019s behalf, we have to establish a process to evaluate and address it.\u201d\n\n####", 1, "2026-09-11T09:25:29Z", "2026-09-11T09:27:08Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4257", "Larsen Pushes Back Against Trump\u2019s Voter Suppression Efforts", "2026-09-09", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail-in voting rule is an effort to suppress the right to vote. There is no evidence that mail-in ballots result in widespread voter fraud in our elections, no matter what the President claims.\n\n\u201cFor instance, during a recount of ballots mailed in Whatcom County for last month\u2019s primary, election workers confirmed that 100% of the ballots were counted accurately. Local election officials know how to administer free and fair elections.\n\n\u201cI am challenging Trump\u2019s voter suppression efforts. I will keep supporting all efforts to defend Washington\u2019s secure vote-by-mail system and protect the right of every eligible citizen to cast a ballot and have that ballot counted.\u201d\n\nYesterday, Rep. Larsen joined 260 of his House and Senate colleagues in sending an amicus brief to the Supreme Court arguing against the legality of Trump\u2019s USPS mail-in voting rule. The court case challenges a USPS rule issued because of President Trump\u2019s executive order this past March that imposes unconstitutional and unworkable restrictions on mail-in voting, including requiring states to provide a \u201ccitizenship verification list\u201d and attempting to give USPS control over who can vote by mail.\n\nRep. Larsen is a co-founder of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus.\n\nTo read the full amicus brief, click here.", 1, "2026-09-10T09:25:58Z", "2026-09-10T09:27:09Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4255", "Everett\u2019s Maritime Institute Recognized as Leader in Maritime Workforce Education", "2026-09-08", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced that the Maritime Institute in Everett was one of sixteen maritime workforce centers designated as a Center of Excellence (CoE) for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education in 2026.\n\n\u201cThe maritime economy is alive and well in Washington state,\u201d said U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which oversees MARAD. \u201cThe Maritime Institute\u2019s national recognition as a MARAD Center of Excellence is proof positive of that. I will keep working to support the Maritime Institute and expand the local maritime economy and the jobs that come with it in the Pacific Northwest.\u201d\n\nA MARAD CoE designation recognizes that a Center is making a notable contribution to the growth, sustainability, and competitiveness of the maritime sector and workforce in the United States. The 48 CoEs across the U.S. are organizations identified as key to building the maritime workforce and providing the necessary infrastructure for the United States to mobilize the required workforce in times of national need. They may be eligible for up to $30 million in federal funding specifically allocated to CoEs in 2027.\n\n\u201cMaritime Institute is incredibly proud to be designated as a Center of Excellence by the U.S. Maritime Administration,\u201d said Dave Abrams, CEO of the Maritime Institute. \u201cThis designation honors the dedication of our team to provide the highest quality training to mariners in the State of Washington and across the U.S. Our mission is to train people to build, repair, and operate vessels safely; we hope that this designation will eventually provide funding for additional resources to support that mission and our continued expansion in Everett, while helping to grow Washington\u2019s maritime workforce.\u201d\n\n\"It\u2019s an honor to hear our partners at Maritime Institute have been recognized as a Center of Excellence by MARAD,\u201d said Lisa Lefeber, Port of Everett CEO/Executive Director. \u201cThis is a testament to the important work they are doing here at the Port of Everett to train up our region\u2019s next generation of maritime workers and create direct pipelines to good paying maritime jobs. We are particularly proud of our joint efforts to expand this critical workforce training for adults to now include options for high school seniors with the launch of the first ever maritime high school program for Snohomish County.\u201d\n\nTwo other organizations in Washington state received CoE designations this year: Washington State Ferries in Seattle and Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend.", 1, "2026-09-09T09:27:09Z", "2026-09-09T09:29:04Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4256", "Larsen Joins 167 Lawmakers Demanding the Trump Administration Halt its Roadless Rule Rollback", "2026-09-08", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined a bipartisan coalition of 167 Members of Congress last Friday in urging the Trump administration to abandon its proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule, a longstanding and successful conservation guardrail protecting 44 million acres of iconic landscapes and National Forest System lands. The letter underscores the Rule\u2019s broad, bipartisan support, as well as its critical role in safeguarding clean drinking water, wildlife habitats, carbon storage, and outdoor recreation economies across 37 states.\n\n\u201cSince its adoption in 2001, the Roadless Rule has served as a cornerstone of public lands conservation, now protecting approximately 44 million acres of National Forest System lands across 37 states. These areas provide clean drinking water, critical wildlife habitat, carbon storage, and world-class recreation opportunities,\u201d wrote the Members. \u201cThe enduring support for the Roadless Rule is rooted in its clear and measurable benefits. Over the past 25 years, the rule has helped protect watersheds, biodiversity, and ecosystem integrity by limiting road construction and large-scale logging in undeveloped areas.\u201d\n\nIn the letter, the lawmakers criticize their lack of meaningful public engagement, calling for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend the comment period, hold in-person public meetings, and conduct full Tribal consultation. The lawmakers also demanded the Trump administration halt its rescission effort and instead focus on successful implementation of this bedrock policy.\n\nThe full text of the letter can be read here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Rollins and Chief Schultz,\n\nAs Members of Congress representing a broad range of communities, stakeholders, and outdoor interests, we write in strong support of the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s Roadless Area Conservation Rule (\u201cRoadless Rule\u201d) and in firm opposition to the Department of Agriculture\u2019s proposal for rescission. We urge the Department to halt this effort and instead focus on effective implementation of this longstanding and successful policy.\n\nSince its adoption in 2001, the Roadless Rule has served as a cornerstone of public lands conservation, now protecting approximately 44 million acres of National Forest System lands across 37 states. These areas provide clean drinking water, critical wildlife habitat, carbon storage, and world-class recreation opportunities. Iconic landscapes such as the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the Gila National Forest in New Mexico, and the George Washington National Forest in Virginia exemplify the ecological, cultural, and economic importance of these lands.\n\nThe Roadless Rule was developed through one of the most robust public processes in federal rulemaking history. The Forest Service received 1.6 million public comments - approximately 95 percent in support - and held over 600 public meetings nationwide. In contrast, the current rescission effort has lacked meaningful public engagement. The Department provided just 21 days for public comment on the Notice of Intent in 2025 and has yet to hold any public meetings. Despite these limitations, more than 600,000 comments were submitted, with over 99 percent opposing rescission. This overwhelming and bipartisan public support underscores the continued popularity and importance of the Roadless Rule. Unsurprisingly, at just 30 days, the ongoing comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and proposed rule is equally insufficient, and we encourage the USFS to extend the comment period to 120 days for a fair and transparent process.\n\nGiven the extraordinary public interest in the Roadless Rule and the significant consequences that its repeal would have for communities across the country, the Forest Service should also conduct a robust series of in-person public meetings before finalizing any rescission. Additionally, Tribes are entitled to the opportunity to engage in robust consultation, as the repeal of the Rule will have dramatic consequences on their way of life. When the Roadless Rule was originally developed, the aforementioned 600 public meetings ensured that affected communities, Tribes, local governments, industry, recreation interests, and conservation organizations had the opportunity to engage directly with the agency. The proposal to repeal the Rule warrants the same level of public engagement. Public meetings should be held in regions where National Forest System roadless areas are most affected, providing local communities with a meaningful opportunity to ask questions, provide testimony, and ensure the administrative record reflects the perspectives of those who will experience the greatest impacts. A transparent, accessible, and geographically representative public engagement process is essential to maintaining public confidence in the rulemaking process and ensuring the agency fully considers the consequences of such a consequential policy change.\n\nThe enduring support for the Roadless Rule is rooted in its clear and measurable benefits. Over the past 25 years, the rule has helped protect watersheds, biodiversity, and ecosystem integrity by limiting road construction and large-scale logging in undeveloped areas. Forest Service data show that watersheds within roadless areas are far more likely to be in \u201cproperly functioning\u201d condition compared to those outside of them, which are more often classified as \u201cat risk\u201d or \u201cimpaired.\u201d\n\nThese healthy ecosystems support a wide array of wildlife. Roadless areas provide habitat for hundreds of species listed or proposed for protection under the Endangered Species Act, including grizzly bears, lynx, and other sensitive species, and disproportionately support species of conservation concern. In addition, these areas play a vital role in climate resilience and carbon storage. For example, the Tongass National Forest alone stores over 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon and sequesters millions more annually.\n\nClaims that the Roadless Rule impedes wildfire management are not supported by the evidence. The rule explicitly allows for wildfire prevention, suppression, and hazardous fuels reduction. In fact, nearly 2 million acres of roadless areas have undergone fuel treatments in recent years. Forest Service data also show that roadless areas account for a significant share of fuel treatment activities relative to their forest coverage. Research further indicates that wildfire risk is comparable inside and outside of roadless areas and that roads are not necessary to maintain forest health.\n\nMoreover, scientific studies demonstrate that wildfire ignitions occur far more frequently in roaded areas due to human activity. By limiting road construction, the Roadless Rule helps reduce ignition risks from sources such as vehicles, campfires, and other human causes.\n\nFinally, the economic benefits of the Roadless Rule are substantial. By avoiding the construction and maintenance of new roads, the rule saves taxpayers billions of dollars. The Forest Service already faces a road maintenance backlog of nearly $6 billion across its existing system. Expanding road networks into remote and often economically unviable areas would only increase these costs. At the same time, protected roadless areas support recreation, tourism, and outdoor economies, while safeguarding clean water and subsistence resources that communities rely on. When it comes to outdoor recreation, roadless areas encompass more than 25,000 miles of trails, 8,500 climbing routes, 1,000 miles of whitewater, and more than 10,000 miles of mountain biking trails across the country, all of which support a $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy. Additionally, hunters and anglers across the nation access these public lands where backcountry provides ample fishing and hunting. The Roadless Rule protects drinking water in 354 municipal watersheds, saving downstream communities millions of dollars in water filtration costs.\n\nAfter 25 years of successful implementation, the conclusion is clear: the Roadless Rule is effective, widely supported, and essential to responsible forest management. Rescinding it would undermine decades of progress and impose unnecessary environmental and fiscal costs.\n\nWe respectfully urge the Department to end its unjustified rescission of the Roadless Rule.", 1, "2026-09-09T09:27:09Z", "2026-09-09T09:29:04Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/04/jayapal-demands-answers-on-reports-ice-is-weakening-safety-standards-at-private-for-profit-detention-centers/", "Jayapal Demands Answers on Reports ICE is Weakening Safety Standards at Private, For-Profit Detention Centers", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, is demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as reporting indicates that ICE is weakening detention safety standards, even as 56 people have died in these facilities under ICE\u2019s watch. Loosening standards will allow for-profit, private prison operators to continue cutting corners on food, medical care, and safety. ICE Acting Director David Venturella is the former Vice President of GEO Group, the largest of these private, for-profit prison corporations. Reporting suggests that these private contractors were consulted in the adoption of these new standards.\n\n\u201cDetention standards are meant to guide the entities operating immigration detention centers \u2013 they should not be written by them. And yet, it appears that that is precisely what occurred here,\u201d wrote the Members. \u201cAt a time when there are numerous documented cases of abuse and neglect within the immigration detention system, when deaths of detained people, including at least one homicide, have more than doubled from previous years, and when the oversight mechanisms within the system have been gutted, we should not be lowering detention standards, especially not to pad the bottom line of companies getting rich off of taxpayer funds and human suffering.\u201d\n\nSince the start of the second Trump administration, over 400,000 people have been arrested and sent to immigration detention facilities. From these facilities, there have been reports of inadequate medical care, spoiled food, overcrowded cells, and physical beatings. Guards beat one teenager so badly that he had to be hospitalized. Pregnant women have miscarried inside detention centers because of the appalling conditions, with some reporting receiving no medical care after miscarrying.\n\nLowering already failing standards will make these facilities less safe and increase profits for the contractors running these facilities, including GEO Group and CoreCivic. These private, for-profit prison corporations have already benefited significantly from the expansion of immigration detention, with both GEO Group and CoreCivic reporting an additional $2 billion in profits in 2025.\n\nJayapal is demanding information regarding the new standards and what they entail, as well as any communications between DHS officials and officials at GEO Group or CoreCivic.\n\nThe full text of the letter can be found here.\n\nThe letter was also signed by Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Donald Beyer (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-16), Jason Crow (CO-06), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Christopher Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Laura Friedman (CA-30), John Garamendi (CA-08), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (IL) (IL-04), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Henry \u201cHank\u201d Johnson Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Mike Levin (CA-49), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Robert J. Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Mark Takano (CA-39), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Derek Tran (CA-45), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://adamsmith.house.gov/news/press-releases/congressman-smith-introduces-bipartisan-bill-bolster-988-mental-health-crisis", "Congressman Smith Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Bolster 988 Mental Health Crisis Response", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "adamsmith.house.gov", "adamsmith", "https://adamsmith.house.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) introduced the 988 Crisis Response Act, bipartisan legislation to fund professional mobile crisis response teams (MCRTs) dispatched by 9-8-8 Lifeline operators and establish Medicaid reimbursement for crisis call centers and resources. Congressman Smith is joined in introducing this legislation by Representatives Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and David Valadao (CA-22) as part of the larger 988 Implementation Act.\n\n\u201cWhen someone has a mental health crisis, they deserve timely, comprehensive treatment \u2014 not just a trip to an overcrowded emergency room,\u201d said Congressman Smith. \"I've witnessed the important work of our mobile crisis response teams and broader behavioral health workforce in King County, and I appreciate their dedication to providing critical care to our community's most vulnerable. This bill will provide the reliable funding needed to strengthen these teams and help expand this model of care nationwide. Everyone deserves the right help, in the right setting, at the right time. I'm proud to join my colleagues in this effort.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND: The 988 Crisis Response Act provides sustainable funding streams for mobile crisis response teams (MCRTs) and other elements of the crisis care continuum. This includes Medicaid reimbursement for crisis call centers, MCRTs, and crisis receiving and stabilization facilities, in line with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) recommendation that insurers cover all three pillars of the crisis care continuum. The bill also provides grant funding to build MCRT capacity.\n\nSpecifically, this bill:\n\nAuthorizes $100 million for the Mental Health Crisis Response Partnership program for communities to create or enhance existing mobile crisis response teams, composed of licensed counselors, clinical social workers, physicians, paramedics, crisis workers, and/or peers. Teams must respond to people in crisis and provide immediate stabilization and referral to behavioral health services and supports.\n\nMakes permanent the 85% federal matching assistance percentage (FMAP) for mobile crisis response teams and expands the FMAP to crisis call centers and crisis stabilizing and receiving facilities, ensuring unambiguous Medicaid financing for all three pillars of the crisis care continuum.\n\nThe bill text is available [here]. A fact sheet on the legislation is available [here].\n\n\u201cAs a pediatrician, I have seen firsthand how severe our youth and adult mental health crisis has become,\u201d said Congresswoman Schrier. \u201cIt is so important that when our family members, loved ones, and neighbors are in crisis, they can get immediate help. Mobile crisis response teams, with licensed counselors, physicians, crisis workers, and paramedics, dispatched by 988 save lives, deescalate dangerous situations, and keep us all safe. We need to make sure these teams are always available for every American as a reliable resource when our community members need help.\u201d\n\n\u201cA mental health crisis does not wait for business hours, and a family asking for help should never be left wondering whether anyone will come,\u201d said Congressman Fitzpatrick, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. \u201cFor years, I have worked with families, first responders, providers, and advocates who understand that the right intervention at the right moment can change the course of a life. The 988 Lifeline gave Americans a number to call; now we must make certain there is a strong system of care ready to answer that call. Our bipartisan 988 Crisis Response Act will help communities put trained professionals on the ground, strengthen crisis stabilization services, and ensure that when someone reaches out in their most vulnerable hour, help is not merely promised\u2014it arrives.\u201d\n\n\u201cAcross the Central Valley, mobile crisis response teams work alongside law enforcement to respond to individuals in crisis, deescalate difficult situations, and connect people with vital mental health services,\u201d said Congressman Valadao. \u201cI know how deeply personal and impactful this work is for our community, which is why I\u2019m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the 988 Crisis Response Act. This bipartisan bill will strengthen federal support for mobile crisis response teams and the broader crisis care continuum, helping ensure these critical services remain available to those who need them most.\u201d\n\nIf you or a loved one needs help, call or text 988.", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4449", "New Documentary Highlights Need for Reauthorized Federal Landslide Prevention Programs to Save Lives", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "A new WCNC documentary, \u201cLost Ground: The Hidden Danger Beneath Us,\u201d chronicles the aftermath of deadly landslides that have devastated communities across the country. It also highlights the need to close the gaps in science and mapping to better understand and prepare for landslide hazards to protect at-risk communities across the country.\n\nOn March 22, 2014, a massive landslide near Oso, Washington killed 43 people, destroyed 42 homes, and severely damaged public infrastructure and private property. The documentary features stories from Oso, Hurricane Helene, and other landslides.\n\nCongresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) speaks in the documentary about the importance of Congress reauthorizing federal landslide preparedness programs that expired in 2024.\n\nIn 2021, the National Landslide Preparedness Act, authored by DelBene, was passed into law and created the first-of-its-kind federal landslide program.\n\n\u201cThe legislation to reauthorize has passed in the Senate. We\u2019re working to get that through the House, so the program will be reauthorized and can continue going forward,\u201d said DelBene. \u201cWe\u2019ve had strong bipartisan support. Communities across the country are vulnerable. This is about all of us coming together and making sure we're doing everything possible to prevent a national tragedy.\u201d\n\nDelBene is featured in the following portions of the documentary:\n\nFrom 35:38: DelBene discusses the Oso landslide and her legislation to improve landslide preparedness\n\nFrom 40:04: DelBene discusses the importance of mapping landslides and reauthorizing the National Landslides Hazards Reduction Program\n\nFrom 47:41: DelBene discusses the need for proactive policies and how communities can stay alert", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-schrier-introduces-bipartisan-bill-bolster-988-mental-health", "Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Bolster 988 Mental Health Crisis Response", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) introduced the 988 Crisis Response Act, bipartisan legislation to fund professional mobile crisis response teams (MCRTs) dispatched by 9-8-8 Lifeline operators and establish Medicaid reimbursement for crisis call centers and resources. Congresswoman Schrier is joined in introducing this legislation by Representatives Adam Smith (WA-09), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and David Valadao (CA-22) as part of the larger 988 Implementation Act.\n\n\u201cAs a pediatrician, I have seen firsthand how severe our youth and adult mental health crisis has become,\u201d said Congresswoman Schrier. \u201cIt is so important that when our family members, loved ones, and neighbors are in crisis, they can get immediate help. Mobile crisis response teams, with licensed counselors, physicians, crisis workers, and paramedics, dispatched by 988 save lives, deescalate dangerous situations, and keep us all safe. We need to make sure these teams are always available for every American as a reliable resource when our community members need help.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND: The 988 Crisis Response Act provides sustainable funding streams for mobile crisis response teams (MCRTs) and other elements of the crisis care continuum. This includes Medicaid reimbursement for crisis call centers, MCRTs, and crisis receiving and stabilization facilities, in line with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) recommendation that insurers cover all three pillars of the crisis care continuum. The bill also provides grant funding to build MCRT capacity.\n\nSpecifically, this bill:\n\nAuthorizes $100 million for the Mental Health Crisis Response Partnership program for communities to create or enhance existing mobile crisis response teams, composed of licensed counselors, clinical social workers, physicians, paramedics, crisis workers, and/or peers. Teams must respond to people in crisis and provide immediate stabilization and referral to behavioral health services and supports.\n\nMakes permanent the 85% federal matching assistance percentage (FMAP) for mobile crisis response teams and expands the FMAP to crisis call centers and crisis stabilizing and receiving facilities, ensuring unambiguous Medicaid financing for all three pillars of the crisis care continuum.\n\n\u201cWhen someone has a mental health crisis, they deserve timely, comprehensive treatment \u2014 not just a trip to an overcrowded emergency room,\u201d said Congressman Smith. \"I've witnessed the important work of our mobile crisis response teams and broader behavioral health workforce in King County, and I appreciate their dedication to providing critical care to our community's most vulnerable. This bill will provide the reliable funding needed to strengthen these teams and help expand this model of care nationwide. Everyone deserves the right help, in the right setting, at the right time. I'm proud to join my colleagues in this effort.\u201d\n\n\u201cA mental health crisis does not wait for business hours, and a family asking for help should never be left wondering whether anyone will come,\u201d said Congressman Fitzpatrick, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. \u201cFor years, I have worked with families, first responders, providers, and advocates who understand that the right intervention at the right moment can change the course of a life. The 988 Lifeline gave Americans a number to call; now we must make certain there is a strong system of care ready to answer that call. Our bipartisan 988 Crisis Response Act will help communities put trained professionals on the ground, strengthen crisis stabilization services, and ensure that when someone reaches out in their most vulnerable hour, help is not merely promised\u2014it arrives.\u201d\n\n\u201cAcross the Central Valley, mobile crisis response teams work alongside law enforcement to respond to individuals in crisis, deescalate difficult situations, and connect people with vital mental health services,\u201d said Congressman Valadao. \u201cI know how deeply personal and impactful this work is for our community, which is why I\u2019m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the 988 Crisis Response Act. This bipartisan bill will strengthen federal support for mobile crisis response teams and the broader crisis care continuum, helping ensure these critical services remain available to those who need them most.\u201d\n\nIf you or a loved one needs help, call or text 988.", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-schrier-introduces-bipartisan-bill-cap-cost-insulin-35-all", "Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Cap Cost of Insulin at $35 for all Americans", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) introduced the bipartisan INSULIN Act to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35, or 25% of the list price per month, for all Americans with diabetes. Congresswoman Schrier is joined in introducing this legislation by Reps. Diana Degette (CO-01), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), and Angie Craig (MN-02).\n\n\u201cAs a doctor with Type 1 diabetes who depends on insulin, I understand the immediate need to bring down the cost of insulin \u2013 especially at a time when so many Americans are already struggling with high costs,\u201d said Congresswoman Schrier. \u201cI am proud to introduce this groundbreaking bipartisan legislation that will cap the price of insulin for all Americans and make a meaningful difference in the lives and the health of everyone in our districts.\u201d\n\nBackground: Currently, insulin costs are capped at $35 per month for people on Medicare, and nearly 30 states have separate price caps for state-regulated and private plans. The INSULIN Act would limit out-of-pocket costs for patients with diabetes by ensuring that group and individual market health plans waive any deductible and limit cost-sharing to no more than $35 or 25% of list price per month for at least one insulin of each type and dosage form.\n\nThe bipartisan bill would also:\n\nRequire a study report on uninsured Americans who use insulin, including where they live, why they\u2019re uninsured, and demographic and income data.\n\nCreate a new expedited FDA approval pathway to get biosimilar insulin to market more quickly.\n\nEstablish an insulin resource center and hotline to connect uninsured diabetes patients with diabetes resources and programs.\n\n\u201cInsulin insecurity is not a partisan issue. It\u2019s a life-or-death issue,\u201d said Rep. DeGette. \u201cI have fought for years to lower the price of insulin for the over 40 million Americans living with diabetes. I have met with too many Coloradans who have shared their painful experience of rationing their insulin so they could afford groceries. No one in America should be forced to choose between their life-saving medication or feeding their families.\u201d\n\n\"As a doctor, I have spent my career fighting for patients, and I've watched too many of them ration a hundred-year-old medicine because the price tag made it impossible to afford. That's not right, and it never should have taken this long to fix. I'm proud to lead this effort in the House, and I won't stop until every American with diabetes can afford the insulin that keeps them alive,\" said Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D.\n\n\u201cDiabetes stole the lives of 100,000 Americans last year. Tens of millions of Americans are living with diabetes, and for many, insulin is a matter of life and death,\u201d said Rep. Bresnahan. \u201cNo American should have to choose between paying the bills and getting the insulin they need, or risk their life rationing the doses they have left. This legislation isn\u2019t just a Band-Aid on the problem. It delivers immediate relief for patients and reforms that will increase competition and drive down prices over the long term. Lowering the cost of insulin puts money back where it belongs: in the pockets of working families who need every dollar they earn. Middlemen and big corporations shouldn\u2019t be making extra cash off the backs of working people who rely on insulin to survive.\u201d\n\nThis bill has broad support among diabetes advocates.\n\n\u201cThe American Diabetes Association (ADA) appreciates and applauds the House\u2019s bipartisan introduction of the INSULIN Act, which would limit out-of-pocket insulin costs for patients at $35 a month,\u201d said Lisa Murdock, Chief Advocacy Officer of ADA. \u201cA recent survey, commissioned by ADA, showed that 40% of insulin users currently pay $150 each month, and there is widespread bipartisan support across the U.S. for making insulin affordable. The INSULIN Act would ensure no one has to choose between paying for insulin and other necessities. This bill puts people first and is a commonsense way to lower health care costs for Americans depending on insulin to live.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor the millions of Americans who rely on insulin every day, no one should have to choose between paying for their medication and meeting other basic needs,\u201d said Dr. Robert Lash, Chief Medical Officer with the Endocrine Society. \u201cThe Endocrine Society applauds Representatives DeGette, Schrier, Miller-Meeks, Bresnahan, and Craig for introducing the INSULIN Act, which would help make insulin more affordable for people with private insurance while connecting uninsured patients to resources that can help them access this lifesaving medication. This bipartisan legislation is an important step toward ensuring that all people who need insulin can obtain it and stay healthy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) applaud and thank Representatives DeGette, Miller-Meeks, Schrier, and Bresnahan for introducing the INSULIN Act of 2026,\u201d said George Huntley, CEO. \u201cThis legislation will greatly improve access to affordable insulins for people living with diabetes, and it is time that the $35 monthly insulin co-pay cap apply to everyone as it does to Medicare beneficiaries today. We look forward to working to get this legislation across the finish line before the end of the 119th Congress.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor the more than 1.5 million Americans with type one diabetes (T1D), insulin access is life-or-death,\u201d said Lynn Starr, Breakthrough T1D Chief Global Advocacy Officer. \u201cBy capping out-of-pocket cost at $35, the INSULIN Act ensures that people have dependable, affordable access to the insulin they require to live. We applaud Representatives DeGette, Miller-Meeks, Schrier, Bresnahan, and Craig for introducing the House INSULIN Act and urge their colleagues to stand with them on the side of all those living with T1D. While there is still more work to be done, we are hopeful that, together with the Senate, we will finally have the access to affordable insulin the entire T1D community deserves and depends on.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4446", "DelBene: Voluntary Commitments to Reduce Health Insurance Paperwork Not Good Enough, Congress Must Pass Bipartisan Legislation", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) issued the following statement on UnitedHealthcare\u2019s announcement that it will voluntarily reduce prior authorization requirements. This follows last year\u2019s industry pledge to reduce prior authorization requirements.\n\n\u201cWhile it\u2019s encouraging to see health insurance plans acknowledge that their unnecessary prior authorization requirements are preventing patients from getting the care they need, these announcements shouldn\u2019t replace or delay much-needed legislative reforms.\n\n\u201cVoluntary commitments aren\u2019t enforceable and can be changed at any time. The way we truly reform this deeply flawed practice that worsens health outcomes is to pass the overwhelmingly bipartisan Improving Seniors\u2019 Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation would ensure that all insurers are playing by the same rules, modernize and speed up the frustrating prior authorization process, and create the necessary transparency and accountability for those who fail to meet these new standards.\u201d\n\nBackground", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/rep-marie-gluesenkamp-perez-statement-on-september-1st-rule-vote", "Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Statement on September 1st Rule Vote", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "Sunday night my son pulled his first fish out of the Columbia River. What the DC bubble doesn\u2019t get is that working waterfronts require working people. Nature is not a terrarium\u2013and you don\u2019t get effective environmentalism without the input of people who make their livelihoods and heritage on the water-whether we\u2019re talking about lobsters or sea lions\u2013working people need a seat at the table and electeds need to listen to them, not data from the 1990s.", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/01/ranking-member-jayapals-opening-statement-at-hearing-on-trumps-immigration-dragnet-and-republican-threats-to-defund-local-police/", "Ranking Member Jayapal\u2019s Opening Statement at Hearing on Trump\u2019s Immigration Dragnet and Republican Threats to Defund Local Police", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. (September 1, 2026)\u2014Today, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, delivered opening remarks at a hearing on Republicans\u2019 efforts to force state and local police to carry out the Trump Administration\u2019s chaotic mass deportation agenda, diverting limited resources from fighting crime and making communities less safe.\n\nBelow are Ranking Member Jayapal\u2019s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at today\u2019s hearing.\n\nWATCHRanking Member Jayapal\u2019s opening statement.\n\nRanking Member Pramila Jayapal\n\nSubcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement\n\nHearing on \u201cSanctuary Policies: Tragic Consequences\u201d\n\nSeptember 1, 2026\n\nThank you, Mr. Chairman. Today, we are here to talk about the tragic consequences of policy decisions. Unfortunately, the erratic, disturbing policy decisions of the Trump Administration have left countless tragedies in their wake. Right now, in Donald Trump\u2019s America, people are dying from a disease we declared eliminated in 2000, because his Secretary of Health and Human Services cannot stop spreading lies about vaccines. 18 service members have died, and over 700 were injured as a result of Trump\u2019s illegal war of choice against Iran that has no strategy, no exit plan and has driven up gas and grocery prices for Americans at a time when too many are already struggling.\n\nService members have had to fend off attacks from foreign governments as well as our own government. After enduring nine months of the horrifying conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln that drove another sailor to attempt suicide, Joshua Aviles\u2014who is risking his life to serve our country\u2014learned that Trump\u2019s ICE had detained his father. Donald Trump\u2019s out of control ICE has also deported seven spouses of active-duty service members.\n\nMeanwhile, federal agents have killed people who are simply driving home after celebrating their birthdays, like Ruben Ray Martinez, or driving to work, like Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebasti\u00e1n Guerrero, or exercising their constitutional rights, like Ren\u00e9e Good and Alex Pretti. Not a single ICE or CBP officer has been held accountable for any of these fatal shootings. In fact, it took almost six months for the Department of Justice to turn over key evidence to the Hennepin County Attorney\u2019s office to even allow local investigations around the murders of Good and Pretti to proceed.\n\nThe extent of disregard for the American people from this President and his Cabinet is stunning. Trump has called affordability a hoax, got the Attorney General who still serves as his personal attorney to approve a deal that gives him and his family immunity from tax fraud, even as he has enriched himself with unconstitutional crypto and business deals that have now made him and his family $2.2 billion dollars in the past year.\n\nBut the distraction, the corruption, and the cruelty are backfiring. 70% of Americans disapprove of Trump\u2019s performance overall. Even on immigration, where Trump claimed he was going after the \u201cworst of the worst,\u201d what the American people have seen instead is the kidnapping, disappearing, and incarceration of people of all statuses, including U.S. citizens kids, parents and spouses of U.S. citizens, and people with legal status that he took away.\n\nICE\u2019s own data shows that the majority of people they arrest have ZERO criminal charges or convictions. Arrests of immigrants without a single criminal conviction have surged by 770%. In their recent operation targeting people in the D.C. suburbs, ICE actually bragged that 70% of the immigrants they arrested lacked any criminal charges or convictions.\n\nPerhaps even more disturbingly, Trump is releasing people with criminal charges and convictions from immigration detention to make room for folks without any criminal history. In fact, in stark contrast to Republican talking points, DHS data shows that under Trump, ICE is releasing 23% more people with criminal convictions from immigration detention than it did during the Biden Administration.\n\nRepublicans want you to think they care about public safety, but none of this does anything to improve public safety. They have pulled agents off of fentanyl investigations to roam the streets searching for people who \u201clook undocumented.\u201d As a result, according to the Trump-appointed DHS Inspector General, federal agents are spending 30% less time working on fentanyl cases, leading to a 40% drop in fentanyl seizures.\n\nDHS goes into federal prisons to pick up immigrants in the middle of their criminal sentences to put them into deportation proceedings. Letting people with criminal convictions out early so you can boost your detention and deportation numbers doesn\u2019t make America safer. Perhaps even worse are the many instances where DHS has picked up people with criminal charges before their trials and deported them or allowed them to self-deport long before a judge is able to hand down a sentence. Not only does this grant them a get-out-of-jail free card, but it also deprives their victims of justice and restitution.\n\nThe administration lets these people go free so they can fill immigration detention centers with people who have never harmed anyone. Nuns and pastors, care-workers, moms, dads, and children. Last month, I visited the Stewart Detention Center in rural Georgia. What I saw was absolutely unacceptable: a private for-profit detention center that incarcerates over 1,900 people every single night in unsanitary conditions, substandard medical care, and severe overcrowding.\n\nOne 24-year old man with absolutely no criminal history, who came to escape the war in Yemen, has spent 24 months in detention and was even bleeding from the mouth after ICE pulled his tooth instead of trying to fix it. A 72-year-old man who has lived in the United States for more than 30 years with no criminal record, and is married to a U.S. citizen who is in final stages of renal failure, went in for a green card interview and instead was arrested by ICE. And a woman who can longer conceive children because the last time she was in ICE detention under Trump, a doctor conducted an unnecessary medical procedure without her consent, was weeping over her U.S. citizen daughter who is suffering severe mental health problems because her mother is in immigration detention even though she has multiple legal pathways in process.\n\nThe stories we will hear today deserve our attention as do all the ones I mentioned. I would hope this Committee would treat the issues I mentioned with the seriousness they deserve. Until then, I thank our witnesses for being here today and give my sincere condolences for the horrific injuries your daughters have suffered.\n\nI yield back.", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/09/01/wyden-and-jayapal-call-for-gao-investigation-of-dhs-surveillance-courts-must-protect-public-from-subpoena-abuses-and-government-intimidation-tactics-used-to-keep-surveillance-of-americans-secret/", "Wyden and Jayapal Call for GAO Investigation of DHS Surveillance; Courts Must Protect Public from Subpoena Abuses and Government Intimidation Tactics Used to Keep Surveillance of Americans Secret", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Private companies and other entities often receive subpoenas from federal law enforcement containing vague, boilerplate nondisclosure provisions that can carry threats of legal consequences for noncompliance\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called for an investigation into decades-long abuses of authority by federal law enforcement agencies to coerce silence from subpoenaed private companies and on federal courts to protect the public from misleading demands for secrecy related to government surveillance.\n\nIn a letter to Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS), John Roberts, and Acting Comptroller of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Orice W. Brown, Wyden and Jayapal requested action to address federal agencies\u2019 abuse of subpoena powers to surveil Americans. It has been the routine practice of federal law enforcement agencies to demand secrecy from companies that have received government subpoenas for customer records. But under federal law, only courts have that power. The agencies may not gag recipients of subpoenas, except in a few limited circumstances in which a court order is granted.\n\n\u201cWhile these secrecy demands carry no force of law, their coercive effect is extremely successful,\u201d Wyden and Jayapal said. \u201cThis leaves customers entirely in the dark about government incursions into their personal data.\u201d\n\nUnfortunately, this practice has become institutionalized across multiple agencies including: Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), Drug Enforcement Association (DEA), and Department of Justice (DOJ).\n\nICE frequently makes boilerplate requests for indefinite silence through its administrative subpoenas, including its customs summons and immigration subpoenas. For example, on July 8, 2025, Harvard University received three immigration subpoenas from ICE regarding international students with boilerplate requests for silence. The next day, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a press release celebrating the same enforcement action it had just directed Harvard to keep secret.\n\nDOJ has also treated extra-legal gag requests as standard operating procedure, regularly instructing the recipients of grand jury subpoenas not to disclose the government\u2019s demands. DOJ\u2019s letters often include boilerplate language demanding recipients to \u201cnot disclose the existence of this subpoena or the fact of your compliance for a period of 90 days\u2026 Any such disclosure could seriously impede the investigation being conducted and, thereby, interfere with the enforcement of the federal criminal law.\u201d\n\nAs a result of these brazen abuses of authority, Wyden requests that the GAO initiate a comprehensive audit of the DOJ, DHS, and their relevant component agencies \u2013including DEA, ICE, and HSI\u2013regarding the use of non-disclosure language in subpoenas.\n\nThe text of the letter is here.", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/newhouse-urges-cms-create-pathway-critical-access-hospital-status", "Newhouse Urges CMS to Create Pathway for Critical Access Hospital Status for Astria Toppenish", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dan Newhouse", "N000189", "newhouse.house.gov", "newhouse", "https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Press Release\n\nFor Immediate Release: September 1, 2026\n\nContact: Noah Yantis, (202) 713-7750\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) sent a letter to Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz urging the creation of a pathway for Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status for hospitals located on Tribal lands through an administrative change to CMS administrative guidelines. This would allow Astria Toppenish to be designated as a CAH.\n\nClick here or see below for full text of letter.\n\nThe Honorable Mehmet Oz, MD\n\nAdministrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201\n\nDear Administrator Oz:\n\nThank you for your efforts to enhance and secure our Medicare and Medicaid programs and improve fiscal stewardship. As we implement the federal requirements to reduce fraud and abuse in the Medicaid program, your leadership on this critical issue will ensure that healthcare access, particularly in rural communities, remains strong.\n\nI am writing to follow up on a conversation we had last fall about Astria Toppenish Hospital (ATH)\u2014a hospital in my district located on an Indian reservation\u2014and urge you to consider utilizing your authority to create a pathway for Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status for hospitals located on tribal land through an administrative change to the CMS Administrative (Interpretive) Guidelines.\n\nAs you know, the Medicare Rural Hospitality Flexibility Program, established under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, created the CAH designation to help preserve access to inpatient care in certain rural communities. Since 2006, CAH status has been reserved for hospitals that meet strict rural and geographic tests, including being located more than 35 miles from the nearest hospital or 15 miles over mountainous terrain or secondary roads.\n\nAstria Toppenish Hospital is a nonprofit PPS hospital located on the tribal lands of Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, serving a uniquely diverse population across its region that includes tribal members and farm workers who work and live in the area. More than 15% of its community is American Indian, 66% is Hispanic, and 54% of residents live below 200% of poverty.\n\nThe hospital provides critical services across rural Washington and operates with one of the highest percentages of reliance on Medicaid of any hospital in the state, ATH is in dire financial straits and is facing significant reductions in service to its community and potential closure. While Washington State has already passed legislation that would provide cost-based payments to Medicaid patients at Astria Toppenish Hospital following enactment of federal CAH designation, ATH is ineligible for CAH status consideration under current standards due to being within 35 miles of the next closest hospital.\n\nThe current CMS Interpretive Guidelines related to CAHs provides that:\n\nIn determining whether a currently certified CAH or a CAH applicant meets the location requirements at \u00a7485.610(c), the proximity of IHS/Tribal hospitals or CAHs and non-IHS/Tribal hospitals or CAHs to each other is not considered.1\n\nHowever, it is my understanding that CMS guidance remains silent on tribal or non-tribal hospitals located on tribal land. Given this, I respectfully request that you expand current guidance and adopt an administrative change that provides an exception for Indian Health Service (IHS), Tribal CAHs and other hospitals located on a reservation (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act) that are located less than the 35 or 15 miles from another hospital or CAH. Additionally, I strongly urge you to consider clarifying in the new guidance that any new CAH that operates dedicated psychiatric beds over and above its 25 acute care beds.\n\nImplementing these new administrative changes to the Interpretive Guidelines for the program will support rural hospitals in fighting against the drug and mental health crises that have been persistent across my state and is a significant opportunity to safeguard existing, essential healthcare services for our rural and tribal communities.\n\nThank you for your consideration of this request and please reach out to me or my staff with any questions.", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/newhouse-votes-continuing-resolution-fund-federal-government", "Newhouse Votes For Continuing Resolution to Fund Federal Government", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Dan Newhouse", "N000189", "newhouse.house.gov", "newhouse", "https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Press Release\n\nFor Immediate Release: September 1, 2026\n\nContact: Noah Yantis, (202) 225-4466\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse released the following statement after the vote on the Senate Amendment H.R. 6500, Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027. The resolution passed by a vote of 370-48.\n\n\u201cCongress has a responsibility to fund the government each fiscal year and prevent a lapse in essential services for taxpayers. This short-term continuing resolution avoids a shutdown while maintaining current spending levels and allows additional time to negotiate full-year funding measures. Senate Democrat Appropriators have unnecessarily delayed this process, and they should come to the table for good faith negotiations to avoid another continuing resolution this winter.\"", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-schrier-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-expand-veteran-mental", "Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Veteran Mental Health Services", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) recently introduced the Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act to expand access to mental health counseling for Veterans and their families. This bill aims to ensure that underserved areas, including areas of Central and Eastern Washington, are eligible for additional VA Vet Centers to provide in-person mental health care. Congresswoman Schrier is joined in introducing this legislation by Representatives Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Sean Casten (IL-06), and Steve Cohen (TN-09).\n\n\u201cWe have a clear responsibility to make sure that those who have served and protected our country receive the best service and care possible. Recent tragedies in Washington state and Veterans mental health crises across our country are stark reminders of why we need to address the Veteran mental health care gap,\u201d said Congresswoman Schrier. \u201cFor rural communities in Washington state, Vet Centers are often hours away and understaffed. We need to do more to ensure Veterans have accessible care that works for them. This bill will ensure that Veterans and their families can easily access centers and mental health resources, improving the health of our entire communities and supporting those who have served our country.\u201d\n\nAround a third of returning service members have reported experiencing symptoms of depression, and the Veterans suicide crisis is severe. In 2023, suicide rates among Veterans were 35.2 per 100,000 \u2013 compared to 16.9 per 100,000 for non-Veteran American adults.\n\nThe Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act would ensure a Vet Center or outstation is established for either every 55,000 Veterans or every 30,000 square miles. Vet Centers provide a range of services to Veterans and their families, including mental health counseling to combat Veterans and those who suffered military sexual assault, and bereavement services. Vet Centers\u2019 practice of providing services to families in addition to the affected Veterans is also unique in the VA Veteran care space.\n\n\u201cVeterans sacrifice so much to keep our nation safe and deserve access to quality mental health care close to home,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cMany veterans in New Jersey and across the country are faced with long, sometimes impossible travel to get the help they need. I worked across the aisle to find a solution. This bill, the Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act, would increase access to mental health facilities and ensure our veterans receive access to the benefits they earned.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-schrier-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-keep-ai-making-health", "Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Keep AI from Making Health Care Decisions", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Congressman Buddy Carter (R-GA-01), and Congressman Tom Barrett (R-MI-07) introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent artificial intelligence from making health care decisions that should be made by qualified health care professionals.\n\nHealth care systems are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate claims and determine if certain health care for patients is \u201cmedical necessity. This has led to denials of claims \u2013 impacting mental health coverage, cancer treatment, hospital stays, and more.\n\nIn response, Representatives Landsman, Carter, Schrier, and Barrett introduced the bipartisan Doctors Not AI Act \u2013 legislation to ensure medical decisions are made by a health professional, not AI.\n\nThe Doctor\u2019s Not AI Act would:\n\n1. Ensure AI is only used in a Supporting Role\n\nPrevents AI from making or issuing harmful determinations involving medical judgment.\n\nAllows insurers to use AI technology to assist with processing claims.\n\nRequires that denials based on medical necessity be made by a licensed health care professional with appropriate expertise.\n\n2. Protect Independent Clinical Judgment\n\nRequires health professionals to independently review each patient\u2019s individual medical circumstances.\n\n3. Increase Transparency\n\nRequires disclosure when AI is used in the review process and must be included in the administrative record.\n\nGives patients the right to know if AI has played a role in their insurance denial.\n\n4. Protects Access to Mental Health Care\n\nHelps prevent AI from unfairly denying or limiting mental health and substance use disorder care.\n\nCongressman Schrier, M.D.:\n\n\u201cIt is critical that doctors, not automated systems or AI-powered models, are in charge of critical healthcare decisions for their patients. We are now seeing insurers implement automated systems that can make dangerous decisions about a patient\u2019s health, coverage, and treatment plans. Medical decisions should be made by health professionals, and we need oversight and transparency now to keep Americans safe and healthy.\u201d\n\nCongressman Landsman:\n\n\u201cWhen a computer system is making decisions about health care, people will get hurt. We have to make sure health care professionals remain the decision makers. If not, folks will be left with massive bills, their health getting worse, or even life-threatening consequences.\u201d\n\nCongressman Carter:\n\n\u201cEvery patient\u2019s medical needs are unique and decisions about their care require the judgment of a qualified health care professional, not an algorithm. While AI can help make the claims process more efficient, it should never have the final say in denying someone access to medically necessary care. I am proud to co-lead the Doctors Not AI Act to put patients first, preserve independent clinical judgment, and bring greater transparency and accountability to insurers\u2019 use of AI.\u201d\n\nCongressman Barrett:\n\n\u201cArtificial intelligence should never replace the judgment of a doctor. When it comes to someone\u2019s health and well-being, the outcome is too important to leave it up to an algorithm. This bill makes sure doctors \u2014 not AI \u2014 remain responsible for determining what care patients need while bringing greater transparency to the use of these technologies in health insurance.\u201d\n\nCraig Obey, Senior Vice President of Federal Affairs at Inseparable\n\n\u201cInsurance coverage decisions that affect someone\u2019s mental healthcare, cancer treatment, or hospital stay should never be dictated by an algorithm. AI should be used responsibly and only as a supplementary tool, not substitute for the informed judgment of trained clinicians about the care patients need. The DNAI Act will ensure that patients are protected through a more transparent, fair, and honest system.\u201d\n\nRead the bill text HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/rep-gluesenkamp-perez-to-host-service-academy-information-night-at-vancouver-community-library", "Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez to Host Service Academy Information Night at Vancouver Community Library", "2026-08-31", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "Vancouver, WA \u2013 On Tuesday September 8th, the office of Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez will host an information night for students interested in applying to the service academies. The event will be held from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Columbia Room at the Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St, Vancouver, WA 98660.\n\nThe information night will have two parts: presentations and an open house. During the presentation, each service academy will give a brief presentation on their academy and their applications processes. A staff member from the Congresswoman\u2019s office will also give a presentation on the process for receiving a congressional nomination from Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. Following this, attendees will be free to meet with service academy representatives.\n\nHigh school juniors, or anyone 17-22 years old who lives in Washington\u2019s Third District, are able to apply for a service academy nomination from Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez through her website. The deadline for 2027 service academy nomination requests is Sunday, November 15, 2026.\n\n\u201cEvery year, I\u2019m impressed by the incredible students from across Southwest Washington who step up to serve their country and our community.\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cI\u2019m hosting this information session to support the next generation of young leaders as they apply to our nation\u2019s military service academies. \u201d\n\nThe Congresswoman\u2019s team always stands ready to support students with the application process. Those with questions not listed in the FAQs are encouraged to reach out online, by phone at (360) 695-6292, or in person at her Vancouver or Kelso offices.\n\nComplete details for date and time of the info session are below:\n\nTuesday, September 8th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Columbia Room at the Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St, Vancouver, WA 98660\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"], ["https://randall.house.gov/media/press-releases/randall-dexter-send-letter-calling-out-inhumane-conditions-inside-tacoma-nw", "Randall, Dexter Send Letter Calling Out Inhumane Conditions Inside Tacoma NW ICE Detention Center", "2026-08-31", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Emily Randall", "R000621", "randall.house.gov", "randall", "https://randall.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C \u2014 Today, U.S. Congresswoman Emily Randall (D, WA-06) and Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (D, OR-03) sent a letter to ICE Acting Director, David Venturella, DHS Inspector General, Dr. Joseph Cuffari, and CEO of the GEO Group, George Zoley, calling out the inhumane conditions inside the Tacoma NW ICE Detention Center. In their letter, Randall and Dexter call out ICE, GEO, and DHS for failing to meet their obligation to provide access to timely medical services, adequate food, visitation, and other basic services.\n\n\u201cWe remain deeply concerned about reports of inadequate and delayed access to medical care. Since our first visits in early 2025, numerous constituents have reported having medical issues dismissed and access to care delayed or denied, and this was echoed again during our visit,\u201d wrote Randall and Dexter. \u201cAdditionally, we were alarmed to hear about alleged sexual assault occurring within the facility. We were also unable to exercise our congressional oversight authority to inspect the medical area of the facility because no Public Health Service staff were available. In addition, we were informed that access continues to be denied to state health inspectors of Washington\u2019s Department of Health.\u201d\n\nIn their letter, Randall and Dexter demand answers from ICE, DHS, and the GEO Group on clarifying standards for meal times, medical care, and visiting procedures. The full text of the letter is available HERE.\n\nIn response to reports of 140+ individuals participating in a hunger strike at the Tacoma NW ICE Detention Center, Reps. Randall and Dexter made an unannounced oversight visit on August 15th. While inside, Randall and Dexter met with a hunger striker and heard firsthand about the delayed meal times, inedible food, and lack of timely medical care being provided to detainees. Photos and a video recording of the members\u2019 Q&A following their visit is available HERE.\n\nFollowing the members\u2019 visit, the hunger strike ended on August 20th and ICE and GEO agreed to make some changes to improve conditions inside the facility.\n\nDuring the unannounced visit, Rep. Dexter, who practiced as a critical care and lung physician for more than 20 years, raised serious concerns about reports that people detained at the facility have gone on a hunger strike over food and poor living conditions. Dexter explained that inadequate nutrition and prolonged hunger can cause serious health risks, particularly for people with underlying medical conditions.", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4253", "Larsen Urges Supreme Court to Protect LGBTQ+ Students from Discrimination", "2026-08-28", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "This week, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined more than 180 House and Senate Democrats in filing an amicus brief at the Supreme Court in the case of St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy. In this case, religious preschools are seeking an exemption from the nondiscrimination provision in Colorado\u2019s universal preschool program so they can refuse to admit LGBTQ+ children or the children of LGBTQ+ people while still receiving public funding.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not complicated: organizations accepting taxpayer dollars should not be allowed to discriminate against LGBTQ+ children or parents,\u201d said Rep. Larsen. \u201cI urge the Supreme Court to protect LGBTQ+ families from discrimination, and Icontinue to stand with the LGBTQ+ community in Northwest Washington and across the United States.\u201d\n\nThe members\u2019 brief urges the Supreme Court to uphold the nondiscrimination provision and not grant a religious exemption. The brief argues that:\n\nThe Supreme Court defers to legislatures and the political process when assessing exemptions from neutral, generally applicable laws;\n\nPetitioners\u2019 rule would endanger numerous federal nondiscrimination laws that Congress has carefully crafted over decades; and\n\nThe Court should be mindful not to destabilize or undermine that legislative role by effectively legislating ad hoc exemptions to nondiscrimination laws.\n\nThe amicus brief is available to read here.", 1, "2026-08-29T11:31:28Z", "2026-08-29T11:32:37Z"], ["https://baumgartner.house.gov/2026/08/27/baumgartner-introduces-bill-to-ban-wildfire-betting/", "Baumgartner Introduces Bill to Ban Wildfire Betting", "2026-08-27", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Michael Baumgartner", "B001322", "baumgartner.house.gov", "baumgartner", "https://baumgartner.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "| Press Releases\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05) introduced the Wildfire Event Contract Prohibition Act (H.R. 10109), legislation to prohibit prediction-market platforms from listing or clearing contracts that allow speculators to profit from wildfire events.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve already had enough problems with arsonists causing wildfires in Eastern Washington, we don\u2019t need betting markets giving potential big financial incentives to start fires,\u201d said Congressman Baumgartner. \u201cWhen a wildfire threatens a community, every effort should be focused on protecting families, homes, and first responders. Congress should draw a clear line and make sure federally regulated markets cannot facilitate wagers on the devastation of American communities.\u201d\n\nIn an August 2026 letter to the Commodities Future Trading Commission, nine senators cited public reports that Polymarket accepted more than $1.2 million in bets connected to the 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires. Those contracts allowed users to speculate on outcomes such as the number of acres burned, whether fires would spread to certain areas, and when they would be contained.\n\nThe fires, started by an arsonist who has confessed to starting 25 other fires, forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate, burned roughly 10,000 acres, and destroyed or heavily damaged more than 900 structures. Though there is no evidence that the alleged arson was connected to a prediction-market wager, the risk is too obvious to ignore.\n\nThe Wildfire Event Contract Prohibition Act would:\n\nProhibit federally registered prediction-market entities from listing or clearing wildfire event contracts;\n\nPrevent platforms from evading the prohibition by basing contracts on related measures or data, including acreage, containment, evacuations, and property damage;\n\nPreserve State authority to regulate or prohibit gambling and gaming; and\n\nRequire the Department of Justice, in consultation with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and relevant land-management agencies, to identify existing enforcement tools and recommend any additional authorities needed to deter and prosecute wildfire-related betting schemes, including overseas prediction markets.\n\nThe bill does not restrict wildfire forecasting, fire-weather science, emergency-response operations, or legitimate insurance products. It addresses only event contracts listed or cleared on federally registered prediction-market platforms.", 1, "2026-08-27T16:10:01Z", "2026-08-27T16:10:50Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/08/27/monopoly-busters-caucus-chairs-meta-settlement-confirms-the-danger-of-big-tech-surveillance-to-our-kids/", "Monopoly Busters Caucus Chairs: Meta Settlement Confirms the Danger of Big Tech Surveillance to Our Kids", "2026-08-27", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The Monopoly Busters Caucus Chairs, Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Pat Ryan (NY-18), and Angie Craig (MN-02), released the following statement after a bipartisan coalition of 51 attorneys general reached a settlement of up to $16.68 billion with Meta over claims it designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive and harmful to children:\n\n\u201cThis landmark settlement by the states confirms the danger Big Tech surveillance poses to our kids and families. Meta watches our kids\u2019 every move and intentionally designed its platforms to keep them scrolling. Meta knew this screen time addiction was driving kids to spiral into depression, starve themselves, and die by suicide. Instead of protecting kids, it buried the proof there was a problem. We cannot stop here. Meta and other Big Tech companies are rushing out surveillance AI with the exact same disregard for child safety and human life. It is time to break up their monopolies and stop their personalized predation before another child gets hurt.\u201d", 1, "2026-08-28T17:11:49Z", "2026-08-28T17:13:14Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/gluesenkamp-perez-visits-pacific-county-to-tour-hospital-and-discuss-rural-healthcare", "Gluesenkamp Perez Visits Pacific County To Tour Hospital and Discuss Rural Healthcare", "2026-08-26", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "PACIFIC COUNTY \u2014 Last week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez visited Pacific County\u2019s Ocean Beach Health, a Critical Access Hospital in Ilwaco. Staff at the hospital gave the Congresswoman a tour of the facility, including a new MRI lab that will be paid for with federal funding that the Congresswoman helped shepherd as a member of the House Appropriations Committee. In total, the hospital will receive $1.25 million in federal funding to improve its imaging services. Following the tour of the hospital, the Congresswoman joined staff at the newly constructed Long Beach women\u2019s and children\u2019s clinic. The clinic will focus on care for women and young children, with a specific focus on maternal health.\n\nOcean Beach Hospital is one of few remaining hospitals serving communities in Pacific County and the only hospital on the Long Beach Peninsula. As a Critical Access Hospital, Ocean Beach Health is more than 15 miles from the next nearest hospital with only secondary road connections between facilities. Hospital staff voiced concerns about how the One Big Beautiful Bill\u2019s cuts to rural healthcare will exacerbate access issues in rural America and hurt patients in Pacific County. Prior to receiving federal funding for MRI equipment, patients were forced to either travel across the Columbia River to Oregon or wait for a mobile MRI unit to be available to get imaging services.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez speaks with hospital staff about the challenges facing rural healthcare\n\n\u201cWhen you live in a rural community, the nearest hospital might be 20 miles away and there\u2019s a real anxiety there. You have to make tough decisions based on your access to care. People working shift jobs or moms with young kids\u2013we don\u2019t have time to spend three hours or more driving out just to see a doctor or get an MRI,\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cSupporting rural healthcare is vital to ensuring people have agency and security in making healthcare decisions and continuing healthcare access. Thank you to Ocean Beach Health for showing me what it takes to open a new health care facility in a critical access area.\u201d\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez tours the new women and children\u2019s clinic in Long Beach\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez is working in DC to improve access to quality, reliable health care in Southwest Washington. Over the summer, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez successfully passed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill directing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study pain management improvement strategies for miscarriage\u2013something made worse by health care gaps in coverage and access. This Congress she also passed the Rural Veterans\u2019 Improved Access to Benefits Act, aimed at expanding access to disability exams to veterans living in rural areas.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez voted against H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law on July 4, 2025. This law eliminated Medicaid eligibility for roughly 17 million Americans\u2013including 31,000 in Southwest Washington. The bill also terminated the temporary expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits, which helped cover health care coverage costs for lower-income households. Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez co-led the Bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act to extend these tax credits for one year, giving families more time to make these important health care decisions.\n\n####", 1, "2026-08-27T16:10:01Z", "2026-08-27T16:10:50Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4252", "Larsen Slams Trump Administration's Threat to Demolish the Kennedy Center", "2026-08-25", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cYes, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts needs structural renovations. No, the administration cannot use that need to strong arm the board into putting the president\u2019s name on the facade; the courts already ruled against that.\n\n\u201cNo one is going to be allowed to demolish the Kennedy Center. I\u2019m focused on making sure the Kennedy Center gets the renovations needed to safely entertain its guests.\n\n\u201cWe should leave the Kennedy Center theatrics to the performers.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-26T05:33:32Z", "2026-08-26T05:34:56Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4447", "DelBene Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Protect Nonprofits\u2019 Tax-Exempt Status", "2026-08-24", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Greg Steube (FL-17) introduced the Safeguarding America\u2019s Nonprofits Act, legislation that would clarify that a nonprofit\u2019s federal tax-exempt status does not constitute federal financial assistance.\n\nThe bill amends Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code to state that a federal income tax exemption does not count as federal financial assistance for organizations described under sections 501(c), 501(d), or 401(a).\n\nThere are roughly 2 million nonprofit organizations in the United States. Many operate without any direct government assistance, thereby avoiding the compliance burdens that federal subsidies often impose. When the tax code was written, Congress intended for a clear distinction between nonprofits that do and do not accept government assistance. This bill affirms Congress\u2019 intent and limits legal uncertainty.\n\n\u201cNonprofits across the country rely on clear, consistent federal rules to continue serving their communities effectively. In recent years, conflicting court decisions have created uncertainty by suggesting that nonprofits could be subject to regulations that Congress never intended for them. This bipartisan legislation would clarify that an organization\u2019s tax-exempt status is not federal financial assistance. It would protect charities, philanthropies, community\u2011based organizations, and religious institutions from unnecessary regulations so they can stay focused on delivering critical services,\u201d said DelBene.\n\n\u201cNonprofits across the country depend on their tax-exempt status to carry out their work. That status should never be treated as a form of government assistance,\u201d said Steube. \u201cThe Safeguarding America\u2019s Nonprofits Act puts a clear, permanent rule in statute so nonprofits do not have to worry about their tax exemption being reinterpreted as a government handout.\u201d\n\n\u201cNonprofit organizations are the heart of our communities. They play an essential role in supporting families and hardworking Americans, advancing research, educating students, and providing countless other public benefits, often stepping in where government and business can\u2019t or shouldn\u2019t. Their strength lies in their independence. The Safeguarding America\u2019s Nonprofits Act protects tax-exempt organizations independent from the federal government from unnecessary and burdensome risks of litigation or bureaucratic overreach. We appreciate Congressman Greg Steube (R-FL) and Congresswoman DelBene for their bipartisan leadership so nonprofits can continue to focus on their missions,\u201d said Community Impact Coalition Co-Chairs: Tommy Goodwin and Mary Wheatley.\n\n\u201cAssociations are among the most trusted institutions in American life,\u201d said Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, President and CEO, American Society of Association Executives. \u201cThey set the standards that keep products safe and professions credible, train and credential the workforce, and convene the people who solve problems no single company or agency can solve alone. That work depends on their independence. The Safeguarding America\u2019s Nonprofits Act makes clear what has always been true: tax exemption is not federal financial assistance, and it should never become a lever for government control over organizations that accept no federal dollars. ASAE thanks Congressman Steube and Congresswoman DelBene for introducing this important legislation and urges members of Congress to support it.\u201d\n\n\u201cRepresenting family forestry businesses across Rural America, the Forest Landowners Association understands firsthand the important role nonprofit organizations play in strengthening communities and advancing the interests of the people and industries they serve,\u201d said Scott Jones, CEO, Forest Landowners Association. \u201cTax-exempt status is not a government grant or subsidy, and it should not be treated as federal financial assistance. The Safeguarding America\u2019s Nonprofits Act provides important clarity and protects organizations like FLA from unnecessary regulatory burdens that could hinder our ability to carry out our missions. FLA is proud to support this bipartisan legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cCommunity Associations Institute (CAI) is proud to support the Safeguarding America\u2019s Nonprofits Act,\u201d said Dawn M. Bauman, CAE, CEO of CAI. \u201cNonprofit organizations like CAI play an essential role in providing important resources to support the integrity and strength of America\u2019s communities. This legislation helps ensure CAI can continue to prioritize our members and provide the education, advocacy, and resources they need to support thriving community associations. We thank Congressman Steube and Senator Lankford for their leadership on this important legislation.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is supported by a broad coalition of nonprofit organizations, including the Community Impact Coalition, Career Education Colleges and Universities, American Society of Association Executives, National Scleroderma Foundation, Women in Trucking, Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, Community Associations Institute, The Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild, Inc., Household and Commercial Products Association, American Rental Association, American Council of Academic Physical Therapy, Bostrom, National Association for Regulatory Administration, Association Management Services, Inc., Association CEO, American Society for Nondestructive Testing, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and the National Emergency Number Association.", 1, "2026-09-03T09:29:33Z", "2026-09-03T09:31:32Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4251", "Larsen Releases Statement on Collapse of U.S.-Canada Talks to Prevent Trump\u2019s Pointless New Tariffs", "2026-08-22", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:\n\n\"These new tariffs aren't leverage over Canada. They're yet another way that the Trump administration is raising your prices and sabotaging the American economy.\n\n\u201cAcross over a hundred meetings and conversations with people I represent in Northwest Washington, I heard how a stable economic relationship with Canada and Mexico is critical to keeping local businesses afloat, lowering prices and creating good-paying jobs. The U.S. must renegotiate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) and end these pointless, reckless tariffs.\n\n\u201cIt's not complicated: trade good, tariffs bad. I will keep fighting to end these tariffs, bring down costs and make the U.S.-Canada relationship boring again.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-23T05:27:15Z", "2026-08-23T05:29:02Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4250", "Larsen and Jacobs Applaud Start of Pilot Program Covering Cost of Freezing Eggs or Sperm for Servicemembers", "2026-08-21", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (D, WA-02) and Sara Jacobs (D, CA-51) released the following statement on the news that their pilot program to cover the cost of servicemembers freezing their sperm or eggs will start in September. This is the first federally funded program to cover sperm and egg freezing costs.\n\n\u201cAfter nearly a decade of advocacy, starting next month servicemembers will be eligible to freeze their eggs or sperm before hazardous missions,\u201d said the Members. \u201cNo one should be forced to choose between serving their country and starting their family. This program\u2019s launch is an important step toward guaranteeing that members of the military have the support they need to have children.\u201d\n\nLast week, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced that a three-year gamete cryopreservation pilot program will begin on September 14, 2026. The program will reimburse up to $500 annually for sperm cryopreservation and $10,000 for egg freezing. Servicemembers eligible for the program include those who have received orders for duty in a hazardous location, are likely to receive such orders in the next 120 days or will be geographically separated from their partner for 180 days or more.\n\nRep. Larsen initially proposed this program in 2017. In 2024, Rep. Larsen worked with Rep. Jacobs to secure language in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA) requiring DoD to begin the gamete cryopreservation pilot program.\n\nLarsen and Jacobs Fight for Reproductive Health Care for Servicemembers\n\nLast August, Reps. Larsen and Jacobs reintroduced their Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025 with Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), which is included in the Right to IVF Act. This comprehensive legislation would expand the fertility treatments and family-building services that are covered under servicemembers\u2019 and veterans\u2019 health care to include\u2014among other things\u2014in vitro fertilization (IVF) and adoption assistance, for servicemembers and veterans who are unable to conceive without assistance, and the option for individuals to freeze their eggs or sperm ahead of deployment to a combat zone.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-22T05:24:59Z", "2026-08-22T05:26:16Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/gluesenkamp-perez-tours-high-lava-incident-command-center-speaks-at-high-school-trades-education-center-ribbon-cutting", "Gluesenkamp Perez Tours High Lava Incident Command Center, Speaks at High School Trades Education Center Ribbon Cutting", "2026-08-20", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON \u2014 This week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez was home in Southwest Washington making official visits. During this period, she joined first responders at a command station to learn about wildland firefighting efforts and spoke at the ribbon cutting for a new trades education center.\n\nAs wildfires continue to plague the northwest, the Congresswoman stopped in at the High Lava Fire Incident Command Center. The High Lava Fire has rapidly become the largest in Southwest Washington, estimated to be about 1300 acres during the Congresswoman\u2019s visit. Experts at the command center briefed her on their work to contain a wildfire, and the resources they need to get their jobs done. To hear a recap on the visit directly from the Congresswoman click HERE.\n\nThe Congresswoman has consistently worked to support wildland firefighters and wildfire prevention, including introducing the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act, which was enacted into law last year, to expand the Forest Service\u2019s Good Neighbor Authority to better manage wildlands and reduce wildfire risks. The Congresswoman also recently wrote to the Forest Service to press the agency to maintain and improve wildfire preparedness and prevention activities through their restructuring.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez speaks with workers about their efforts at the High Lava Fire Command Center.\n\nThe next day, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez visited Vancouver to attend the ribbon cutting of a new trades education center at Fort Vancouver High School. At the ribbon cutting she spoke about her long running support for trades education and the value of getting students into durable technical careers. You can watch her remarks here.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez receiving a tour of the new welding education center from a Fort Vancouver High School student\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s incredible to see this continuance of what really merits pride. Where people are known by the things that they make and the skill and attention they bring to it. That is what makes our country so strong, and that is what we\u2019re seeing here today.\u2019\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cI\u2019m proud to see that diligence in supporting our shop teachers, supporting shop programs, making sure kids have a place in their school where they can be the best every day. I cannot say it enough, this is exactly what our country needs and I\u2019m so grateful to everyone who has put time and muscle into doing this.\u201d\n\nRep Gluesenkamp Perez co-owns an auto repair and machine shop, and has been passionate throughout her career about getting students involved in trades education. She has fought for AP credits for shop class and introduced legislation to allow the use of 529 funds for students who pursue trades based career paths.\n\n####", 1, "2026-08-26T05:33:32Z", "2026-08-26T05:34:56Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/08/19/jayapal-johnson-williams-foushee-ross-statement-on-ices-lies-about-member-oversight/", "Jayapal, Johnson, Williams, Foushee, Ross\u00a0Statement\u00a0on ICE\u2019s Lies About Member Oversight", "2026-08-19", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "LUMPKIN, G.A. \u2014 U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, Henry C. \u201cHank\u201d Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), and Deborah Ross (NC-02), released the following statement regarding falsehoods put out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the Members oversight.\n\n\u201cOnce again ICE is telling absolute lies. Although ICE is required under the law and court order to admit Members of Congress without any notice, we gave them two business days\u2019 notice, plus two weekend days. ICE\u2019s claim that we arrived an hour early is laughable. We started recording a two-minute video at a gas station 27 minutes away at 10:29 am. We arrived at the facility shortly after 11:00 am and entered at 11:10 am. Once we completed the inspection and met with detained people, we left the detention facility around 2:18 pm on our own accord to go to the immigration court, which has a separate entrance. We had previously made arrangements with an attorney to observe an Immigration Court hearing. As a reminder, the immigration courts are not controlled by ICE, but by a completely separate department. ICE tried to block us even though they have no jurisdiction over the courts. After about 20 minutes of waiting, they allowed us to enter the court and we observed the proceedings for approximately 20 minutes. We left at 3:09 pm and began a press conference outside the facility grounds at 3:20 pm.\n\n\u201cThis is not the first time ICE has attempted to interfere with a congressional inspection and refused to answer basic questions about the number and demographics of the people in their custody \u2014 basic information we would expect ICE to have at their fingertips to ensure appropriate care and safety. Despite these challenges, we will not be deterred from doing our jobs to conduct oversight and hold ICE accountable.\n\n\u201cUnder the Trump Administration, ICE has forced us to go to court to make them follow the law and facilitate congressional inspections. If they lie about these small things, imagine what they lie about for the big things.\u201d", 1, "2026-08-20T05:28:41Z", "2026-08-20T05:29:58Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/schrier-schumer-and-bennet-lead-88-colleagues-demanding-rescission-trumps", "Schrier, Schumer, and Bennet Lead 88 Colleagues in Demanding the Rescission of Trump\u2019s Dangerous Childhood Vaccine Executive Order", "2026-08-18", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), alongside Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), led 88 colleagues in demanding President Donald Trump rescind his executive order that directs federal health agencies to overhaul longstanding childhood vaccine recommendations and encourages states to reconsider school immunization requirements.\n\nTrump\u2019s anti-science executive order creates more chaos and confusion as millions of families across the country are preparing for the school year and are relying on science-based vaccine recommendations to protect their children and communities from preventable diseases.\n\n\u201cAt a moment when the United States is experiencing the highest surge in measles cases in thirty-five years and an increasing number of states are forced to declare public health emergencies - your administration is placing more children in harm\u2019s way rather than protecting them. This Executive Order overrides decades of scientific evidence and sows fear, chaos, and confusion. The result will not be safer or healthier children; it will be a continued decline in vaccination rates, recurring disease outbreaks, higher healthcare costs, and school disruptions that cause learning loss. Vaccines are rigorously tested and monitored for safety, and save millions of lives each year - especially the lives of children,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nSince being confirmed, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has unleashed a methodical campaign to substitute decades of science with an anti-vaccine ideology.\n\nSpecifically, Trump\u2019s latest directive pushes to break up combination vaccines into single-disease doses, ignoring the medical community\u2019s long-standing, evidence-backed agreement that combination vaccines are safe, effective, and specifically timed to protect children when they need it most. Forcing families to schedule multiple doctors\u2019 appointments, with multiple co-pays adds unnecessary chaos, confusion, and financial strain. Compounding this issue are the deep Medicaid cuts under Trump\u2019s One Big, Beautiful Big Act that have drastically cut access to care and increased cost burdens for low-income families.\n\nNotably, single-disease shots for routine childhood vaccines - like measles, mumps, and rubella - simply do not exist in the U.S. market. Demanding that parents and pediatricians switch to non-existent vaccines creates mass confusion, stalls routine care right as children head back to school, and forces drug manufacturers into a years-long regulatory pipeline. It is an unfeasible policy based on scientifically disproven theories that are being peddled by discredited individuals, and it sacrifices practical reality and children\u2019s health for political grandstanding.\n\n\u201cThe health and safety of America\u2019s children must not be sacrificed for political theater and ideology. American children and their families deserve robust evidence-based immunization recommendations that are rooted in science. The administration\u2019s politicization of vaccines makes American families less safe, threatens to return the U.S. to an era before routine vaccination prevented millions of infections, and is already resulting in unnecessary suffering and preventable deaths, particularly among children,\u201d continued the lawmakers.\n\n\u201cEvery day this Executive Order remains in effect, more children go without the vaccines that would protect them, additional outbreaks become more likely, and lives are put at risk. We urge you to rescind this Executive Order immediately and restore evidence-based decision-making to federal public health policy,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nThe text of the letter is available HERE.", 1, "2026-08-19T05:29:02Z", "2026-08-19T05:30:24Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/08/18/jayapal-johnson-williams-foushee-ross-conduct-oversight-at-stewart-detention-center/", "Jayapal, Johnson, Williams, Foushee, Ross Conduct Oversight at Stewart Detention Center", "2026-08-18", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Full video of Members\u2019 remarks following their visit can be found HERE.\n\nLUMPKIN, G.A. \u2014 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, along with Congressmembers Henry C. \u201cHank\u201d Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), and Deborah Ross (NC-02), today conducted oversight at the Stewart Detention Center.\n\n\u201cWe are horrified by the situation here at Stewart,\u201d said Jayapal. \u201cWe believe this detention center should be shut down. What we heard from detained people today was that they are not getting the care, the proper food, or the clean water that ICE says they are \u2014 to the point that we heard from several people who are simply not drinking water that they haven\u2019t bought bottled from the commissary. Stewart is a failure of the promise of America, and I will continue working to get this facility, and all private, for-profit detention centers, shut down.\u201d\n\n\u201cStewart Detention Center has a long history of denying basic human dignity and rights to detainees. Since he took office, the Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon, bandwagon that has been rolling throughout the country collecting immigrants and then depositing them into facilities like Stewart Detention Facility, where they languish for months and even years at a time,\u201d said Johnson.\n\n\u201cWe conducted an oversight visit to Stewart Detention Center because accountability requires seeing firsthand how people in our nation\u2019s immigration detention system are being treated. Some of the people detained in facilities like this came to this country with their parents at two or three years old\u2014this is the only country they have ever called home. Yet they are being held as if they are hardened criminals. I will continue to do this work because everyone in this country, regardless of where they were born or their documentation status, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect,\u201d said Williams.\n\n\u201cIt was heart-wrenching to hear detained people talk about their stories and the family members that they have left. We heard from a gentleman whose wife has end stage renal disease, and she\u2019s not getting the proper care. For people not to be able to have contact and have to constantly be worried about the conditions of their family members back home is another level of cruelty that has been added to the conditions under which they live. We didn\u2019t get a whole lot of answers, but we saw a lot of things,\u201d said Foushee.\n\n\u201cYou cannot make money off the backs of immigrants and poor people. It is inhumane. It is unjust. And it is your taxpayer dollars, at least $150 a day to hold people who shouldn\u2019t even be in detention in the first place. This has got to stop now,\u201d said Ross.\n\nImmigration advocates have criticized Stewart as one of the worst detention facilities in the country and many of its problems have persisted throughout Stewart\u2019s history. Federal agencies, independent watchdogs, facility staff, detained people, and advocates have documented abuses including unsanitary conditions, inadequate and inedible food, medical neglect, poor mental health care, inappropriate and overuse of solitary confinement, and use of force.\n\nStewart has also been consistently overcrowded since Trump came into office. As of the week of July 27, the facility was over capacity by a few hundred. There have also been two suicides at the facility since Trump returned to office.\n\nMembers toured the facility and met with detained persons to hear about conditions directly from them. Their full takeaways can be found here.", 1, "2026-08-21T05:30:57Z", "2026-08-21T05:32:22Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4443", "DelBene, Patients, Providers Raise Alarm Over Looming Republican Medicaid Cuts, Work Requirements", "2026-08-17", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "On Friday, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) joined patients and providers at the Together Center to discuss the impact of the Medicaid cuts in Republicans\u2019 Big Ugly Bill, many of which are set to take full effect early next year and will kick over 350,000 Washingtonians off their Apple Health coverage.\n\nThe Big Ugly Bill slashed over $1 trillion from Medicaid. Nearly 2 million Washingtonians are enrolled in Apple Health, including children, pregnant women, parents, seniors, and people with disabilities. The cuts include new work requirements, more frequent paperwork requirements for patients, and shifting more of the administrative costs onto states.\n\nThe new work requirements are set to take full effect in January 2027. Patients with serious medical conditions like cancer and HIV could be forced to work to retain their health insurance. Washingtonians who are too sick to fulfill the mandated work requirements and do not qualify for an extremely narrow exemption will lose their insurance. Without insurance, more people will be forced to rely on emergency rooms for uncompensated care, placing an increased burden on local hospitals and community health clinics.\n\n\u201cWashingtonians are bracing for the impact of Congressional Republicans\u2019 heartless cuts to Medicaid,\u201d said DelBene. \u201cTheir Big Ugly Bill forces people with serious medical conditions to choose between navigating complex red tape and working to avoid losing their insurance when they should be focusing on their care instead. Republicans slashed over a trillion dollars from our health care system to give tax breaks to their wealthy friends. Patients, providers, hospitals, and clinics in our community will be left paying the price.\u201d\n\n\u201cAcross Washington, the changes driven by H.R. 1, a bill passed by congressional Republicans and signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2025, will touch thousands of families, older adults, working people, and communities in every corner of the state. Beginning this fall and into 2027, many Washingtonians will see shifts in eligibility, new work requirements, and more frequent renewal timelines \u2014 changes that will affect the coverage they rely on for essential care,\u201d said Trinity Wilson, Health Care Authority Medicaid Director. \u201cWhat\u2019s most important for people to know right now is that support is available. We encourage everyone to keep their contact information up to date, review any notices they receive, and reach out to Apple Health or Washington Healthplanfinder if they have questions about their coverage options. While these federal changes present real challenges, Washington's commitment remains the same: to help Washingtonians stay informed, stay covered, and stay connected to the care they need.\u201d\n\nMore information about the Medicaid cuts can be found here.", 1, "2026-08-18T05:27:41Z", "2026-08-18T05:29:06Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/08/17/jayapal-demands-answers-on-so-called-donroe-doctrine-policies-that-risk-destabilizing-the-western-hemisphere/", "Jayapal Demands Answers on So-Called \u201cDonroe\u201d Doctrine Policies that Risk Destabilizing the Western Hemisphere", "2026-08-17", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), a Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to answer for the regional implications of the \u201cTrump Corollary\u201d to the Monroe Doctrine, and ground U.S. foreign policy toward the Western Hemisphere on the principles of mutual respect and advancement of human rights.\n\n\u201cAs Members of Congress, we are asked to accept that this doctrine now governs U.S. policy toward every nation in the Western Hemisphere \u2014 yet we still lack the basic information needed to understand what it means in practice, what authorities it assumes, and what human costs this new posture has already claimed in communities across the Americas,\u201d wrote the Members. \u201cTaken together, the interventions conducted under the banner of the \u2018Donroe\u2019 Doctrine appear to follow a partisan playbook: the endorsement of favored candidates, the placement of political allies, the weaponization of tariffs and sanctions, and, where those fail, the application of direct military force. These are tactics that destabilize our hemisphere and endanger our neighbors\u201d\n\nThe \u201cDonroe\u201d Doctrine appears to have three main facets:\n\nLethal force without Congressional authorization or due process: Since September 2025, the U.S. military has carried out over five dozen lethal boat strikes, killing well over 200 people with no due process.\n\nEconomic coercion as a form of collective punishment: In January, the President imposed what amounts to a full blockade on fuel shipments to the island. Elsewhere, sanctions and tariffs have been used to shield a political ally from prosecution and to pressure an electorate before it votes.\n\nInterference in the democratic life of sovereign nations: Across the hemisphere, the administration has openly intervened in sovereign electoral processes, including in Honduras and Colombia.\n\nJayapal is leading a Congressional Delegation to the Panamerican Congress, where hemispheric partners will discuss alternative visions for security and prosperity in the Western Hemisphere rooted in respect for the sovereignty of countries across the region, international law, and the needs of poor and working-class communities.\n\nThe letter was also signed by Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jes\u00fas G. \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (IL-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez (NY-07), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).\n\nThe full text of the letter can be read here.", 1, "2026-08-18T05:27:41Z", "2026-08-18T05:29:06Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4432", "DelBene Delivers $5 Million for Snohomish Food & Farming Center, Hears From Local Producers", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) delivered a $5 million ceremonial check for the Food & Farming Center in Snohomish County. DelBene secured the investment in the FY24 federal funding law.\n\nFarmers in the region often lack resources to process and sell their products, and consumers struggle to access locally grown food. The Snohomish County Food & Farming Center will provide local fruit and vegetable farmers with equipment and infrastructure for processing, aggregation, and distribution. Plans for the center also feature a commercial kitchen and an indoor farmers market to aid consumers in purchasing locally grown produce. This funding will help Snohomish develop and build the center. In addition to the $5 million that DelBene secured in the FY24 federal funding law, she also secured $750,000 for the project in FY23.\n\nFollowing the presentation of the ceremonial check, DelBene held a listening session with Snohomish County farmers at Bob\u2019s Corn and Pumpkin Farm to hear about the problems they\u2019re facing. Producers discussed disaster preparedness, workforce challenges, land use policies, and infrastructure funding.\n\n\u201cOur region is home to a strong local farming community,\u201d said DelBene. \u201cWe must make sure we are looking out for our farmers and provide them with the tools they need to successfully operate their farms and share their wonderful locally grown produce. As farmers face unprecedented challenges from high fuel and fertilizer costs, Trump\u2019s tariffs, and a weak economy, federal funding will aid Snohomish County in supporting them and further developing this project.\u201d\n\n\u201cSnohomish County has a long legacy of family farms that have fed our community for generations, when the new Food and Farming Center opens it will secure this legacy for future generations,\u201d said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. \u201cI am grateful to Rep. DelBene and our federal delegation for their partnership and collaboration to fund this important investment to support farmers and food security at a challenging time.\u201d\n\nDelBene secured over $18 million for 15 community projects across Washington\u2019s 1st Congressional District in the FY24 federal funding package. Only non-profit, city, county, and Tribal entities are permitted to receive funding.", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4246", "Larsen Announces $7 Million for Ferries in Island & San Juan Counties", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cRural communities I represent need more support and funding from the federal government,\u201d said Rep. Larsen. \u201cThese dollars will help Washington State Ferries serve my constituents whose lives and livelihoods are tied to ferries, and I am glad to have helped bring this funding home. As the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I will keep fighting for federal investments that make Washington\u2019s ferry system more reliable and create good-paying jobs.\u201d\n\nThe Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is awarding the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) $7.2 million for Washington State Ferries\u2019 (WSF) Anacortes - San Juan Islands and Port Townsend - Coupeville routes. This funding will cover fuel costs to operate vessels.\n\nThe FTA is also awarding King County Metro Transit $22.1 million for its Seattle passenger-only ferry facility expansion project.\n\nRep. Larsen is a strong advocate for investing federal dollars in Washington state\u2019s ferry system. His BUILD America 250 Act provides $1.7 billion in dedicated funding to construct and repair ferries:\n\nThe bill boosts the Federal Highway Administration\u2019s Ferry Boat program to $932 million (up from $570 million in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law).\n\nThe bill provides the FTA\u2019s ferry programs with $625 million in funding for urban areas and an additional $125 million in funding for rural and insular areas.\n\nThe bill allows WSF more flexibility to apply for funding for ferries that serve urban and rural communities, which will help WSF invest in and maintain ferries to ensure residents of San Juan and Island counties have reliable transportation.\n\nIn May, the BUILD America 250 Act passed out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by a vote of 62-2.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4248", "New York Times: Larsen, Warren Accuse Trump Administration of Stonewalling Major Transit Projects", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), top Democrat on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, joined 39 congressional Democrats in demanding that the Trump administration stop delaying the advancement of public transportation projects funded by the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program.\n\nAs reported in the New York Times: \"'It smacks of blue state-red state politics,' said Representative Rick Larsen of Washington, the lead Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who organized the letter with Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. 'What they\u2019re doing is they\u2019re punishing blue states, they\u2019re delaying jobs, and they\u2019re increasing project costs,' Mr. Larsen said. 'That will be the outcome of these delays.' Other projects in red states, he said, may be collateral damage in the administration\u2019s hostility toward the program.\n\nCurrently, the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) has access to more than $1.9 billion in unobligated and unallocated funds ready to be spent. However, the Trump administration continues to hold up significant projects instead of spending its infrastructure dollars.\n\n\u201cWe have watched for months as the FTA and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have stonewalled the progress of worthy transit projects while President Trump and Department of Transportation Secretary Duffy are proclaiming a commitment to a 'golden age of transportation,'\u201d the congressional Democrats wrote in a letter to FTA Acting Deputy Administrator Matthew Cahill and OMB Director Russell Vought.\n\n\u201cEvery $1 invested in transit generates $5 in long-term economic value. Conversely, failing to deliver on long-promised transit investment carries serious economic consequences,\u201d the members continued.\n\nThe members concluded by reminding the Trump administration officials of the historically bipartisan nature of CIG-funded projects and demanded that their agencies immediately advance the stalled projects \u2013 regardless of a state\u2019s 2024 election results.\n\nYou can read the full letter HERE and below.\n\nDear Director Vought and Acting Deputy Administrator Cahill,\n\nWe write to express deep concern regarding reports that your agencies are delaying the advancement of public transportation projects within the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) pipeline. As members of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committees and as members of the House and Senate representing affected projects, we have an obligation to ensure that the CIG program is carried out in accordance with statutory requirements that have been enacted to ensure that taxpayer resources are not wasted as a result of delay by the federal government. We have watched for months as the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have stonewalled the progress of worthy transit projects while President Trump and Department of Transportation Secretary Duffy are proclaiming a commitment to a \u201cgolden age of transportation.\u201d We would like to remind you that such a vision is woefully incomplete if it does not include delivering CIG projects that will provide fast, frequent and reliable transit service across the nation.\n\nThe growing backlog of projects in limbo due to FTA and OMB inaction is unacceptable. Since last fall, your agencies have neglected to advance the Boston Green Line Transformation project, the Los Angeles Southeast Gateway Line and the Salt Lake City region\u2019s Frontrunner 2X project into the CIG Engineering phase\u2014without justification for the delay. Last week, FTA moved the Utah project into Engineering, a welcome development, but the two other projects remain stalled.\n\nThis delay is occurring despite the fact that FTA currently has access to more than $1.9 billion in unobligated and unallocated funds that are available to support CIG projects, and Congress has consistently appropriated new funds each year to the CIG program. The Frontrunner 2X project has already been allocated $594 million of CIG funding, and based on FTA\u2019s commitment at Engineering entry last week, the project will need only $693 million of additional CIG program funds.\n\nWe wish to remind you that the projects in Boston, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City have all completed a comprehensive rating process pursuant to the CIG program guidance that was most recently updated by FTA in November of 2025, under President Trump\u2019s administration. Each of the three projects received an overall project rating that qualified them to enter the Engineering phase and later receive a Full Funding Grant Agreement. In fact, the projects in Boston and Los Angeles received an overall higher rating of \u201cmedium-high,\u201d compared to the \u201cmedium\u201d overall rating of the Utah project.\n\nFTA and OMB should advance all projects that meet statutory criteria, and your agencies should not impose any further delays. Under the most recently enacted appropriations law and prior appropriations laws, FTA, OMB and the Administration are prohibited from using any federal funds to \u201cimpede or hinder project advancement or approval for any project seeking a Federal contribution from the capital investment grants program of greater than 40 percent of project costs,\u201d which includes the delayed projects. We are very concerned that delaying the CIG project pipeline, while advancing only the Utah project, is potentially rooted in partisan political considerations, which could further violate statutory requirements.\n\nWe are frustrated by reports that OMB is partially responsible for these avoidable and costly delays. As a result of these stalling tactics, there has not been a single new CIG grant agreement signed since this Administration took office. Should this egregious trend continue, 11 projects in 10 states (California, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin) that anticipate signing a CIG grant agreement this year could be subjected to senseless delay. No Administration since 1993 has failed to sign a single CIG grant agreement in the first year: we urge you not to set a new record by failing to sign CIG grant agreements for two years in a row.\n\nUnnecessary delays are not only frustrating; they are economically short-sighted. Transit is an excellent investment. Every $1 invested in transit generates $5 in long-term economic value. Conversely, failing to deliver on long-promised transit investment carries serious economic consequences. Project sponsors and taxpayers will end up footing the bill for delay-induced cost increases. The construction workforce and the broader transportation supply chain are left waiting for critical job-creating investments. In the interim, people have fewer choices to get around their community. The impact of trips not taken to work, to school, or to the doctor undermines economic growth.\n\nTransportation policy is generally bipartisan, and we are proud of this reputation. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress re-committed to a multimodal federal transportation program. Every year, Congress reiterates a bipartisan commitment to CIG through the annual appropriations process. We stand ready and willing to continue making robust federal investments in infrastructure on the scale that our country desperately needs. However, any effort to impede or hinder CIG projects does serious harm to the bipartisan coalition that supports federal infrastructure investment. Congress must be confident that the CIG program will be executed in accordance with the law. Any delay or hinderance in delivering CIG projects further undermines our confidence that this Administration will faithfully execute the law.\n\nMany of us represent communities with CIG projects that are currently impacted or could soon be impacted by your agencies\u2019 actions. We request that you immediately advance the two stalled projects in California and Massachusetts into Engineering and prevent further program obstruction or delays. Please respond in writing, not later than August 18, 2026, with your timeline to advance the two projects into the next phase of CIG. Going forward, we request that you expeditiously approve projects that are eligible for a Full Funding or Small Starts Grant Agreement, including the 11 projects seeking grant agreements later this year. Investing in transit projects through the CIG program is essential to building a transportation system that works for everyone.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-congresswoman-schrier-joins-roundtable-discussion-local-health-leaders", "ICYMI: Congresswoman Schrier Joins Roundtable Discussion with Local Health Leaders, Patients on Social Media\u2019s Impacts on Youth Mental Health", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "SEATTLE, WA - On Tuesday, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) joined scholars, patients, and healthcare leaders to discuss the impacts of social media on youth mental health, and policy solutions to protect children and hold Big Tech accountable.\n\nIncluded in the discussion were Seattle Children\u2019s CEO Christopher Longhurst, MD, MS; Founding Director of the Stanford Social Media Lab Jeff Hancock, PhD; former Seattle Children\u2019s patient Emme Leonard; Children\u2019s Alliance Executive Director Soleil Boyd, PhD; Seattle Children\u2019s Chief of Psychiatry & Mental and Behavioral Health Services Ray Hsaio, MD; and Seattle Children\u2019s Adolescent Medicine Division Head Yolanda Evans, MD, MPH.\n\nBACKGROUND: Congresswoman Schrier is the first and only pediatrician in Congress, and has used her experience to advocate for the safety, health, and security of children online. This Congress, Congresswoman Schrier introduced Sammy\u2019s Law \u2013 a bill that would improve kids\u2019 online safety by requiring social media companies to cooperate with third-party watchdog apps that would alert parents if their children have been exposed to harmful messages or interactions online. Congresswoman Schrier additionally introduced the Kids Off Social Media Act, which prohibits kids under the age of 13 from being on social media and bans companies from recommending content using algorithms for users under the age of 17.\n\nCongresswoman Schrier also recently joined her colleagues in the House of Representatives to advance the KIDS Act, a bipartisan bill that takes historic steps to protect our kids and their data online and hold Big Tech accountable.\n\n\u201cAs a pediatrician and member of Congress, I have seen first-hand the dangerous impacts social media has on our kids\u2019 mental, physical, and emotional health,\u201d said Congresswoman Schrier. \u201cFinding solutions to protect kids online and hold Big Tech accountable has always been a top priority of mine, and I was glad to join local healthcare leaders, scholars, and patients today to hear about their experiences working directly to address this public health and safety crisis. I look forward to continuing my work in Congress to keep our children safe from the many harms social media platforms are causing in Washington state and across our country.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe evidence is clear: social media has a profound impact on youth mental health, and the data reinforces what we see in young people seeking care at Seattle Children\u2019s,\u201d said Christopher Longhurst, MD, MS, CEO at Seattle Children\u2019s. \u201cProtecting our youth is a responsibility we all share, and I\u2019m grateful Representative Schrier, Attorney General Brown, state legislators and other community partners have joined Seattle Children\u2019s in discussing the issue and necessary solutions to keep our children and teens safe.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4427", "DelBene Delivers $850,000 for Mountlake Terrace Community Center Resiliency Project", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, WA \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) delivered an $850,000 ceremonial check for the City of Mountlake Terrace to fund repairs to the city\u2019s emergency services shelter at the library. DelBene secured the investment in the FY26 federal funding law.\n\nThe library houses several important resources, including educational programs, community spaces, and emergency shelter for extreme weather events. The facility serves approximately 170,000 residents each year. The emergency services shelter building contains a designated Snohomish County daytime heating and cooling center and is the only shelter within city limits.\n\nThis federal investment will aid the city in making critical repairs to the community center\u2019s emergency services shelter building, which will ensure the heating and cooling center can remain operational and serve residents in need during extreme weather events.\n\n\u201cThe Mountlake Terrace Library is home to many essential services, including the only daytime heating and cooling center in the city,\u201d said DelBene. \u201cUnfortunately, the aging building is falling apart and is in dire need of repairs to address safety and accessibility concerns and prevent operational disruptions. This federal investment will aid the city in making necessary repairs and ensure they can continue offering a lifeline that keeps thousands in our community safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur city extends a heartfelt thank you to Congressmember DelBene, her colleagues in DC, and her staff for this generous investment in our community's safety and resiliency. The Mountlake Terrace Community Center Resiliency Project provides hope and structure for those in need during times of extreme weather events. Our partnership in funding its maintenance provides tangible evidence of how government works best together,\u201d said Mountlake Terrace Mayor Steve Woodard.\n\nDelBene secured over $22.2 million for 15 community projects across Washington\u2019s 1st Congressional District in the FY26 federal funding package. Only non-profit, city, county, and Tribal entities are permitted to receive funding.", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/08/11/wyden-davidson-jayapal-and-biggs-call-for-gao-investigation-into-warrantless-federal-surveillance-of-americans-bank-records/", "Wyden, Davidson, Jayapal and Biggs Call for GAO Investigation into Warrantless Federal Surveillance of Americans\u2019 Bank Records", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Members call out secret \u201chotwatch\u201d real-time tracking, abuse of All Writs Act, and dragnet financial searches targeting innocent Americans\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., with Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) launch a new investigation into federal law enforcement\u2019s widespread surveillance of Americans\u2019 personal bank accounts and financial records.\n\nIn a letter to Acting Comptroller General Orice W. Brown, the bipartisan members of Congress highlighted severe gaps in judicial oversight, transparency, and statutory notice requirements. The lawmakers warned that without meaningful safeguards, federal agencies\u2014including the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)\u2014are improperly exploiting legal gaps to spy on law-abiding citizens.\n\n\u201cAmericans\u2019 financial records can reveal deeply sensitive information including their religion; the political causes and non-profit organizations they support, including through membership; the doctors\u2019 offices and clinics where they are treated; where they travel and with whom; and countless other private personal details,\u201d the members wrote.\u201cDespite the sensitivity of this data, Americans\u2019 financial records receive few protections against government surveillance and existing legal authorities have at times been abused or stretched beyond their intended purpose.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers asked the GAO to evaluate four primary surveillance practices currently deployed by federal agencies:\n\nFailure to Notify Americans of Seized Records: Despite the Right to Financial Privacy Act requiring the government to notify individuals when their bank records are turned over to the government, the DOJ disclosed in November 2024 that it does not track compliance with these notice rules. The lawmakers are asking GAO to quantify how many Americans are left unaware that their records were turned over.\n\nAbuse of FBI National Security Letters (NSLs): The FBI routinely uses NSLs to obtain historical financial data without prior judicial approval. The bipartisan members asked GAO to audit whether the FBI is complying with 2016 reform guidelines that require individualized justifications and strict expiration rules for non-disclosure directives.\n\nWarrantless Real-Time \u201cHotwatch\u201d Tracking: Agencies are forcing financial institutions to report new customer transactions in real time using the All Writs Act\u2014a broad and ambiguous 1789 law \u2014rather than seeking explicit statutory authority from Congress. Lawmakers requested an audit into the scale, frequency, and legal justifications behind these court-ordered \u201chotwatches.\u201d\n\nFinCEN & FBI Dragnet Financial Searches: Agencies have allegedly directed banks to run broad, informal searches across customer databases via Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and Bank Secrecy Act mechanisms. These directives sweep up innocent Americans, circumvent PATRIOT Act safeguards, and permanently gag banks from telling customers their records were turned over.\n\nThe lawmakers requested that the GAO compile its findings into a formal report, complete with recommendations for legislative and executive reforms to restore judicial oversight and protect constitutional rights.\n\nA copy of the full letter sent to the GAO is available here.\n\nA web version of this release is here.", 1, "2026-08-12T06:18:38Z", "2026-08-12T06:20:33Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4244", "Larsen Presses ICE for Answers about Ferndale Facility", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) wrote to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director David Venturella regarding Larsen\u2019s visit to ICE\u2019s suboffice in Ferndale on July 31:\n\n\u201cAs part of my oversight responsibilities, I am working to get answers for my constituents about the facility's operations and policies,\u201d said Rep. Larsen. \u201cWhile the officers present during my visit were able to answer some of my questions, I am writing to get additional clarification and data.\u201d\n\nRep. Larsen has also contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) about their facility in the Ferndale area and intends to visit it. HSI has been responsible for the operations that detained nearly 50 people in Lynden in recent months.\n\n\u201cThe President\u2019s immigration enforcement agenda is hurting the local economy and making our communities less safe,\u201d said Rep. Larsen. \u201cMy office stands ready to help family members locate their loved ones in ICE custody and access legal services \u2013 call 425-252-3188 or go to larsen.house.gov/helping-you/visas-and-immigration.htm.\u201d\n\nRep. Larsen\u2019s full letter to Secretary Mullin and Acting Director Venturella is available here and below.\n\nAugust 11, 2026\n\nDear Secretary Mullin and Acting Director Venturella:\n\nThank you for the opportunity to visit the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Ferndale Suboffice/Hold Facility (\u201cFerndale Suboffice\u201d) in Ferndale, Washington on July 31, 2026.\n\nI toured this facility because I have heard from constituents whose family members and friends have been detained at the Ferndale Suboffice. As part of my oversight responsibilities, I am working to get answers for my constituents about the facility's operations and policies. While the officers present during my visit were able to answer some of my questions, I am writing to get additional clarification and data.\n\nTo better understand the purpose and use of ICE\u2019s Ferndale Suboffice, please provide answers to the following questions no later than Friday, August 21, 2026:\n\n1. When did ICE ERO begin operating at the Ferndale Suboffice?\n\n2. How many people have been detained at the Ferndale Suboffice in the last 30, 90 and 365 days?\n\na. What was the average length of stay during each period?\n\nb. What was the longest length of stay during each period?\n\n3. How many total individuals were held at the Ferndale Suboffice in each of the following years: 2023, 2024 and 2025?\n\na. What was the average length of stay during each period?\n\nb. What was the longest length of stay during each period?\n\n4. Since ICE ERO began operating the Ferndale Suboffice, how many individuals have been held overnight in this facility?\n\n5. Since ICE ERO began operating the Ferndale Suboffice, how many children have been detained at the facility?\n\n6. What policy limits stays in this facility to 12 hours? Please identify the specific directive establishing this limit, including the date it was issued.\n\nThank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-12T06:18:38Z", "2026-08-12T06:20:33Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4394", "DelBene Delivers $500,000 for Bellevue Wastewater Improvement Project", "2026-08-10", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) delivered a $500,000 ceremonial check to the City of Bellevue to replace old pipes and upgrade the wastewater management system along Lake Washington. DelBene secured the investment in the FY26 federal funding law.\n\nThis federal investment will be dedicated to the Lake Washington Sanitary Sewer Lines Program. First installed in the 1950s and 1960s, the wastewater management system\u2019s pipes are aging and need to be updated. They currently serve approximately 1,900 residents in the Hunts Point, Yarrow Point, Evergreen Point, Medina South, Meydenbauer Bay, Killarney and Newport South areas. Without repairs and modernization, the \u201cLake Lines\u201d will begin to fail and could release raw sewage into Lake Washington. This federal funding will aid the City of Bellevue in developing a plan to manage and update the system, which will protect public health and the local ecosystem.\n\n\u201cLake Lines serve 1,900 members of our community, but the aging pipes\u2019 location along the shoreline and in Lake Washington create challenges for upgrades,\u201d said DelBene. \u201cBellevue has worked tirelessly to come up with a strategy to update these pipes to preserve access, protect public health, and avoid harm to Lake Washington. This funding will make a difference in the development and eventual implementation of this critical project.\u201d\n\n\u201cMost people never think about the sewer lines running along Lake Washington - and that\u2019s a good thing. But some of this infrastructure has been serving Bellevue since the 1950s and 60s, and now it is our responsibility to plan for what comes next,\u201d said Bellevue Mayor Mo Malakoutian. \u201cWe are grateful to Congresswoman DelBene for helping secure this federal investment and for recognizing that a $1.2 billion challenge will require continued partnership. This funding helps us start that work now, protect Lake Washington and plan responsibly for the generations that will depend on it.\u201d\n\nDelBene secured over $22.2 million for 15 community projects across Washington\u2019s 1st Congressional District in the FY26 federal funding package. Only non-profit, city, county, and Tribal entities are permitted to receive funding.", 1, "2026-08-11T05:54:29Z", "2026-08-11T05:56:25Z"], ["https://strickland.house.gov/2026/08/08/strickland-statement-on-the-passing-of-nisqually-chairman-choke/", "Strickland Statement on the Passing of Nisqually Chairman Choke", "2026-08-08", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marilyn Strickland", "S001159", "strickland.house.gov", "strickland", "https://strickland.house.gov/category/press_release/", "scraper", "Lacey, WA \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) released a statement on Nisqually Indian Tribe Chairman Ellery \u201cKen\u201d Choke:\n\n\u201cChairman Choke was a respected and beloved leader. He will be remembered for his tireless service and commitment to his tribal nation, and to the South Sound community at large. To honor his legacy and work, I remain committed to restoring Nisqually Tribe ownership of the Clear Creek Hatchery. He will be deeply missed.\u201d\n\nCongresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is Whip of the New Democrat Coalition, Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://adamsmith.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-smith-introduces-bill-put-washingtons-aerospace-workers-and-safety-experts", "Rep. Smith Introduces Bill to Put Washington's Aerospace Workers and Safety Experts on Manufacturer Boards", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "adamsmith.house.gov", "adamsmith", "https://adamsmith.house.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 7, 2026) \u2013 Rep. Adam Smith today introduced the Safety Starts at the Top Act of 2026, legislation that would require large aerospace manufacturers to include worker representatives and safety experts on their boards of directors.\n\nWashington's 9th District sits at the center of the nation's aerospace manufacturing workforce, home to thousands of machinists, engineers, and skilled tradespeople who design and build commercial aircraft flown by millions of passengers every day. The bill would ensure that expertise has a permanent, guaranteed voice at the highest levels of corporate decision-making.\n\n\u201cWashington's aerospace workforce builds some of the safest aircraft in the world, and they know better than anyone what it takes to keep it that way. This bill gives them a permanent seat at the table where safety decisions get made,\u201d said Rep. Adam Smith.\n\nThe bill is the House companion to legislation introduced by Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) in the Senate.\n\n\u201cFor years, Boeing has prioritized financial engineering over mechanical engineering, undermining the company\u2019s safety culture. It's time for that to change,\u201d said Senator Edward Markey. \u201cWithout input from the workers on the factory floor every day, Boeing is flying blind. By requiring Boeing\u2019s Board to include worker and safety representatives, the Safety Starts at the Top Act will ensure that Boeing listens to the professionals who know safety best.\u201d\n\nThe Safety Starts at the Top Act would require any Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) holder with at least $15 billion in annual gross revenue to annually certify to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator that its board of directors includes two labor representatives \u2014 one from each union representing employees directly involved in aircraft design and manufacturing \u2014 and two aerospace safety experts with proven, demonstrable safety outcomes. The FAA Administrator would be directed to rescind the ODA delegation of any manufacturer that does not meet these requirements within 90 days of enactment.\n\nThe Safety Starts at the Top Act is endorsed by the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM), IAM Local 751, IAM District W24, and SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001.\n\nStatements of Support:\n\n\u201cSafe airplanes are built by people who are empowered to speak up and leaders who are willing to listen. America's aerospace engineers and technical professionals bring decades of expertise to designing and manufacturing the world's safest aircraft, yet too often their voices have not reached the highest levels of corporate leadership. The Safety Starts at the Top Act helps ensure that the knowledge and experience of frontline workers, together with aviation safety experts, are represented where the most consequential decisions are made. That's good governance, good public policy, and most importantly, good for the flying public,\u201d said Brandon Anderson, Legislative Director of the Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, (SPEEA, IFPTE Local 2001).\n\n\u201cIAM 751 appreciates and supports this proposed legislation and if passed would ensure that workers voices are heard at the highest levels when decisions impacting aerospace manufacturing and safety are being discussed and implemented,\u201d said Jason Chan, President & Directing Business Representative for the International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 751.\n\n\u201cIAM District W24 supports the Safety Starts at the Top Act of 2026. When passed, it will allow workers' concerns and their voices to be heard. Safety has been a foundation of our Union, and when decisions are made with workers' input, manufacturing and working safely can be mutually beneficial,\u201d said Brandon Bryant, President & Directing Business Representative for the International Association of Machinists (IAM) District W24.", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4242", "Larsen Announces $1.3 Million to Local Shipyards", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced Everett Ship Repair LLC and Rozema\u2019s Boat Works, Inc. received $1.3 million in federal funding:\n\n\u201cThe maritime economy and the jobs that come with it are alive and well in the Puget Sound,\u201d said Rep. Larsen. \u201cAs the top Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have been a strong advocate for the Small Shipyards Grants Program because funding like this supports local small businesses and helps regional economies grow. I am glad to see these dollars come home and I look forward to seeing them in action in Snohomish and Skagit counties the years to come.\u201d\n\nEverett Ship Repair and Rozema\u2019s Boat Works received the funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Maritime Administration (MARAD).\n\n\u201cWe greatly appreciate the award from MARAD, as well as the Congressman and the Senators\u2019 support in receiving this grant,\u201d said Gavin Higgins, CEO of Everett Ship Repair. \u201cWe think the Small Shipyard Grant Program is one of the best programs for supporting our shipyards that's out there. This grant will allow us to greatly improve the cost efficiency of our new drydock and expand the opportunity for the vessels that we will be servicing on it. The grant will also support electrical training, a much underserviced trade in the marine industry, and will help to expand the resource pool accordingly.\u201d\n\nIn total, MARAD awarded $5.2 million to six shipyards in Washington state:\n\n$456,216 for Everett Ship Repair LLC for electrical upgrades in support of a new 35,000 ton floating drydock, as well as support training in shipyard processes;\n\n$938,176 for Rozema's Boat Works, Inc. for new shipyard equipment including a MultiCam 5-410-R-H CNC Router Table and a 230-Ton CNC Press Brake;\n\n$321,474 for Safe Boats International LLC for an aluminum welding/fabrication training program and 17 welding machines;\n\n$750,000 for Arrow Launch Service, Inc. for 75-ton travelift;\n\n$1,259,190 for BRIX Marine Inc. for four 10-ton remote overhead cranes with hoists and runways; and\n\n$1,508,596 for Delta Marine Industries, Inc. for a 620-ton travelift.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://baumgartner.house.gov/2026/08/06/eastern-washington-wildfire-resource-kit/", "Eastern Washington Wildfire Resource Kit", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "WA", "Michael Baumgartner", "B001322", "baumgartner.house.gov", "baumgartner", "https://baumgartner.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Wildfires are the largest naturally-occurring threat for Eastern Washingtonians. It\u2019s important to be aware of the wildfires that break out and how to stay safe.\n\nBelow is a list of federal, state and local resources to help keep your and your families safe from wildfires. I encourage you to read through the relevant resources applicable to your community.\n\nPlease do not hesitate to contact my office should you or a loved one need assistance or guidance. We stand ready to help in any way we can.\n\nStay safe,\n\nCongressman Michael Baumgartner\n\nDownload the Red Cross App on Google Play or Apple App Store\n\nDownload FEMA App or TEXT \u201cANDROID\u201d or \u201cAPPLE\u201d to 43362\n\nFederal Resources\n\nWildfire Preparedness & Safety\n\nStaying Safe During High Fire Danger Conditions\n\nPrepare for Wildfires\n\nPreparing Homes for Wildfires\n\nCDC Wildfire Survival Tips\n\nFire Evacuation Checklist\n\nPreparing Homes for Wildfires\n\nAgriculture & Livestock\n\nAgriculture-Related Losses\n\nLost Livestock Assistance\n\nProtect Livestock During a Disaster\n\nTree Grower Assistance\n\nUSDA Disaster Assistance Programs\n\nLivestock Forage Disaster Program Factsheet\n\nFlood & Disaster Recovery\n\nFlood Preparation\n\nAir Quality & Health\n\nCheck Local Air Quality\n\nTo find a Disaster Recovery Center near you, use the DRC Locator or text DRC and your ZIP code to 43362.\n\nState Resources\n\nWashington State DNR Wildfire\n\nWashington State National Guard X (Twitter)\n\nWashington State National Guard Facebook\n\nWashington State Emergency Management Division\n\nWashington State Department of Health: Smoke from Fires\n\nWashington State Department of Health: Prepare for Natural Disasters\n\nWashington State Department of Ecology: Smoke Levels Map\n\nFiling an Insurance Claim\n\nDisaster Relief for Taxpayers\n\nFinancial Assistance for Wildfire Resilience and Forest Health\n\nActive Wildfire Map\n\nWashington\u2019s Air Monitoring Network\n\nWashington Smoke Forecast\n\nResources by County\n\nADAMS\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nASOTIN\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nAsotin County Emergency Management: (509) 243-2088\n\nAsotin County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nFire Districts:\n\nAsotin County Fire District 1 (North Asotin County)\n\nAsotin County Fire District 2 (Blue Mountain)\n\nCOLUMBIA\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nColumbia County Emergency Management: 509-382-2518\n\nColumbia County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nFire Districts:\n\nColumbia County Fire District 2\n\nFERRY\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nFerry County Emergency Management: (509) 775-5225 ext 1112\n\nFerry County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nFRANKLIN\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nFranklin County Emergency Management: (509) 545-3546\n\nFranklin County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nGARFIELD\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nGarfield County Emergency Management: (509) 843-1533\n\nGarfield County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nPEND OREILLE\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nPend Oreille County Emergency Management: (509) 447-3151\n\nPend Oreille County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nFire Districts:\n\nSouth Pend Oreille Fire & Rescue\n\nPend Oreille Fire District 2 (Newport/Metaline Falls)\n\nPend Oreille Fire District 5 (Locke/Ruby)\n\nLINCOLN\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nLincoln County Emergency Management \u2013 (509) 725-9264\n\nLincoln County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nFire Districts:\n\nLincoln County Fire District 1 (Sprague)\n\nLincoln County Fire District 3 (Odessa)\n\nLincoln County Fire District 4 (Reardan)\n\nLincoln County Fire District 5 (Davenport)\n\nLincoln County Fire District 6 (Harrington)\n\nLincoln County Fire District 7 (Wilbur)\n\nSPOKANE\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nSpokane County Emergency Management: (509) 477-7606\n\nSpokane County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nSpokane County Regional Clean Air Agency\n\nSpokane County Wildfire Resources\n\nSpokane Conservation District\n\nFire Districts:\n\nSpokane County Fire District 1 (Spokane Valley)\n\nSpokane County Fire District 2 (Fairfield)\n\nSpokane County Fire District 3 (Cheney/Medical Lake/Spangle)\n\nSpokane County Fire District 4 (Deer Park/Chattaroy/Colbert)\n\nSpokane County Fire District 5 (Four Mound)\n\nSpokane County Fire District 8 (Freeman/Mica/Valleyford)\n\nSpokane County Fire District 9 (Mead/Nine Mile Falls/Fairwood/Town & Country)\n\nSpokane County Fire District 10 (West Plains)\n\nSpokane Fire District 11 (Rockford)\n\nSpokane Fire District 12 (Waverly/Latah)\n\nSpokane Fire District 13 (Newman Lake)\n\nSTEVENS\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nStevens County Emergency Management: (509) 684-7543\n\nStevens County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nFire Districts:\n\nStevens County Fire District 1 (South Stevens County)\n\nStevens County Fire District 2 (Hunters)\n\nStevens County Fire District 3 (Colville)\n\nStevens County Fire District 4 (Chewelah/Valley)\n\nStevens County Fire District 5 (Addy)\n\nStevens County Fire District 6 (Kettle Falls/Marcus)\n\nStevens County Fire District 7 (Arden)\n\nStevens County Fire District 8 (Kelly Hill)\n\nStevens County Fire District 9 (Little Pend Oreille Lakes)\n\nStevens County Fire District 10 (Aladdin/Deep Lake)\n\nStevens County Fire District 11 (Northport)\n\nStevens County Fire District 12 (Rice)\n\nStevens County Fire District 13 (Williams Lake/Evans)\n\nWALLA WALLA\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nWalla Walla County Emergency Management: (509) 524-2902\n\nWalla Walla County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nFire Districts:\n\nWalla Walla County Fire District 2 (Waitsburg)\n\nWalla Walla County Fire District 4 (South Walla Walla)\n\nWalla Walla County Fire District 5 (Burbank)\n\nWalla Walla County Fire District 6 (Touchet)\n\nWalla Walla County Fire District 8 (North Walla Walla)\n\nWhitman\n\nBeen Evacuated? Call the American Red Cross at (509) 783-6195 or follow this link to find available shelter.\n\nWhitman County Emergency Management: 509-397-5606\n\nWhitman County Sheriff\u2019s Department Facebook\n\nFire Districts:\n\nWhitman County Fire District 1 (Tekoa)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 2 (St. John)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 3 (Garfield)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 4 (Palouse)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 5 (Lamont)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 6 (Endicott)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 7 (Rosalia)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 8 (LaCrosse)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 10 (Farmington)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 11 (Albion/Colfax/Diamond/Steptoe)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 12 (Pullman)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 13 (Almota)\n\nWhitman County Fire District 14 (Colton)\n\nStay prepared. Stay informed. Stay safe.", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/rep-marie-gluesenkamp-perez-tours-roadmasters-a-local-manufacturer-of-automotive-systems-and-accessories", "Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Tours Roadmaster, a Local Manufacturer of Automotive Systems and Accessories", "2026-08-05", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "VANCOUVER, WA \u2014 Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is out in Clark County where she toured Roadmaster Inc, a local manufacturer of tow bars, suspension, brakes, and other automotive systems. Roadmaster has long been a fixture of this community, where it has been owned by the same family since 1970. The Congresswoman spoke with workers and owners about what it takes to make high quality equipment right here in Southwest Washington.\n\nThe Congresswoman visited the facility to learn more about their American-made ethos and their vision for building a strong industrial base in our country. Roadmaster makes the vast majority of their parts and tools in house, using their full machine shop and forging equipment. Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez was impressed by their commitment to self-sufficiency, technical mastery, and stewardship of our national heritage as the best tradespeople in the world.\n\nRoadmaster workers show Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez machining equipment.\n\n\u201cThis is about people making high quality stuff and making it here at home.\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cThe truth is people don\u2019t want cheap junk. They want stuff that lasts\u2013better stoves, better washing machines and better car parts. We\u2019ve been stuck in a consumer trap for too long and we need to get back to the trades and pride in making things again. Thank you to Roadmaster for letting me join you to see a real vision of strong American industry.\u201d\n\nRep Gluesenkamp Perez meets with Roadmaster.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez has worked tirelessly to protect American made products and American\u2019s right to fix their own stuff. She came to Congress with Right to Repair as her flagship issue after years of co-owning an auto repair and machine shop with her husband Dean. Recently, she put forth an initiative to support AP credits for shop class and introduced legislation to allow the use of 529 funds to help young people get started in skilled trades.\n\n####", 1, "2026-08-06T07:37:31Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/rep-marie-gluesenkamp-perez-joins-paper-industry-leaders-to-discuss-labor-support-at-awppw-hall", "Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez joins paper industry leaders to discuss labor support at AWPPW Hall", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Marie Gluesenkamp Perez", "G000600", "gluesenkampperez.house.gov", "gluesenkampperez", "https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/press", "scraper", "LONGVIEW, WA \u2014 Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez joined a group of pulp and paperworkers and union leaders at the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers Hall in Longview. She was joined by friend and fellow appropriator Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA-33). The Representatives spoke to workers about ongoing efforts to support the pulp and paper industry and deliver safe durable jobs for millworkers across Southwest Washington.\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez meets with paper workers at the AWPPW Hall\n\nRep. Gluesenkamp Perez has been deeply involved in economic stability and job safety for pulp and paperworkers since arriving in Congress. Recently, her focus has intensified after a chemical tank failure at the Nippon Dynawave Papermill in Longview took the lives of 11 workers.\n\n\u201cThis is an industry with a workforce built on generational skill and renewable resources. It\u2019s the kind of skill you only get when you do the long work of investing in people. These workers need to know that their jobs are secure, safe, and that they\u2019re going to be able to put food on the table and come home every night\u201d Said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez, \u201cI\u2019m so proud to be here\u2013talking with the people on the shop floors and in the mills, doing the work\u2013about what I can do to support their livelihoods.\u201d\n\nThe Congresswoman has been working to support the natural resource economy, including paper mills across Southwest Washington, for her entire career in Congress. In 2025, she introduced the Jobs in the Woods Act aimed at investing in education for a new generation of skilled labor. More recently, she added over $5 million dollars in appropriations to fully fund the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), and independent government watchdog responsible for ensuring chemical safety at facilities like paper mills.\n\n####", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/08/04/jayapal-statement-on-senate-judiciary-committees-advancement-of-blanche-nomination-for-ag/", "Jayapal Statement on Senate Judiciary Committee\u2019s Advancement of Blanche Nomination for AG", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "SEATTLE, W.A. \u2014 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), a Member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding the Senate Judiciary Committee\u2019s vote to advance the nomination of Todd Blanche to be Attorney General:\n\n\u201cThis vote from Senate Republicans on the Judiciary Committee is disrespectful to survivors across the country and the world and to the American people who are calling for real accountability from a Trump Justice Department that has continued to turn a blind eye to the horrific abuses committed by Jeffrey Epstein and the predators and pedophiles around him. It is also a slap in the face to the American people who see yet another scam to benefit Trump\u2019s pockets and pardon January 6 insurrectionists who beat up cops and tried to steal an election. This \u2018deal\u2019 rubber-stamps Trump and his family\u2019s immunity from tax audits for the $2.3 billion he profited off the American people last year alone, and it still allows the DOJ to give individual payouts to January 6 insurrectionists while stealing from the American people for all of it.\n\n\u201cI have been so honored to work with and to get to know the Epstein survivors. These courageous women have stood up time and time again to demand justice from a DOJ that has protected predators while exposing and endangering survivors. Todd Blanche profoundly disrespected the survivors during a recent meeting, and Senators Cornyn and Tillis have reportedly refused to even meet with them. Knowing these women, I know that this is a setback, but they will not be silenced, and I will continue working to lift their voices every single day.\n\n\u201cThere is zero evidence that Blanche intends to stop serving as Trump\u2019s personal lawyer and will instead serve as the people\u2019s lawyer for real justice. I call on Republican senators to find some courage and some conscience and deny Todd Blanche confirmation on the Senate Floor. The rubber stamping of this President and his destruction of our country, as he profits off American taxpayers and slashes healthcare, education and continues endless wars, must end.\u201d", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/08/04/rep-pramila-jayapal-holds-roundtable-in-seattle-on-trumps-cuts-to-long-term-care-for-immigrants/", "Rep. Pramila Jayapal Holds Roundtable in Seattle on Trump\u2019s Cuts to Long-Term Care for Immigrants", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "No Cuts to Healthcare Coalition Outlines Devastating Cuts to Immigrant Healthcare Coming Oct 1 due to Trump\u2019s HR 1\n\nSEIU 775: We urge Gov and Legislature to \u201cauthorize emergency spending to stop this catastrophe before it happens\u201d\n\nSEATTLE, WA\u2014 Yesterday, the No Cuts to Healthcare coalition held a roundtable with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal on the impending cuts to immigrant healthcare due to implementation of Trump and the Republican Congress\u2019 HR 1.\n\nHosted by SEIU 775 at their offices in Seattle, Rep. Jayapal was joined by State Senator Manka Dhingra, Secretary of Washington Department of Social and Health Services Angela Ramirez, and impacted individuals and organizations including Washington State Hospital Association and Neighborhood House, immigrant caregivers and clients.\n\nPhoto Credit: Andrew Villeneuve\n\nOn October 1, 1,300 older people and people with disabilities in Washington will lose their long-term care services \u2013 and 15,000 Washington immigrants total are expected to lose their healthcare. This is part of the implementation of HR 1, Trump\u2019s budget bill signed into law last year, called the \u201cBig Bad Betrayal Bill\u201d by Rep. Jayapal.\n\nThe No Cuts to Healthcare coalition is made up of a wide range of advocacy groups working to stop the cuts to immigrant healthcare, including: WA School-Based Health Alliance, Pro-Choice Washington, Northwest Health Law Advocates, OneAmerica, Washington State LTC Ombudsman Program, Economic Opportunity Institute, Firelands Workers United / Trabajadores Unidos, Chinese Information and Service Center, Asian Counseling and Referral Service, CISC, Project Access Northwest, Neighborhood House, WPSR, Washington State Budget and Policy Center, and SEIU 775.\n\nFor more information on the October 1 immigrant healthcare cliff, and to speak to panelists from yesterday, reply to this email.\n\nStatements from roundtable panelists:\n\nRep. Pramila Jayapal: \u201cThank you to SEIU 775 and the impacted caregivers, community, and family members who spoke truth to power at yesterday\u2019s event. When Trump and Republicans passed their Big Bad Betrayal, they stripped healthcare from millions of people in this country \u2013 and also specifically targeted immigrant communities. The No Cuts to Healthcare Coalition is bringing voices together from across our community to show just how devastating this will be in Seattle and nationwide. I am grateful to have state and local partners who are fighting to protect the most vulnerable in our communities \u2013 and in Congress, I will be standing strong to demand a reversal to these cuts that are devastating families. We have the money to take care of all people, as evidenced by the billions of dollars Republicans are greenlighting for Trump\u2019s war of choice in Iran. It is time we actually invest at home to save lives.\u201d\n\nSterling Harders, President of SEIU 775: \u201cWhile Trump and Congressional Republicans are to blame for cutting Medicaid and attacking immigrants every way they can, Governor Ferguson and the legislature are working to protect vulnerable residents. They appropriated about twenty million dollars of state funds to cover the cost of people losing care, and they have worked closely with advocates and clients to get more people eligible for Medicaid. And of course they passed the Millionaires Tax to help fund these services in the future. Unfortunately, the federal government is implementing the cuts quicker and in a more draconian fashion than expected, and so the funds appropriated won\u2019t go far enough to protect everyone from these cuts. While we appreciate what has been done thus far, we are asking the Governor and legislature to step up again and do everything possible to avoid the crisis of 1300 vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities losing care. We urge them to authorize emergency spending to stop this catastrophe before it happens and allow the legislature more time to find a long-term solution.\u201d\n\nState Senator Manka Dhingra: \u201cOur intent as compassionate lawmakers was to pass a budget that prevented everyone at risk of losing their long-term care from this horrific situation. Not only is it the right thing to do, as practical lawmakers we know that protecting care is the fiscally responsible thing to do. I can\u2019t speak for all legislators, but I do know that this was a priority of the Democrats in the legislature, the Members of Color Caucus and the Governor this session \u2013 we understand the real harm to people when coverage is cut.\u201d\n\nLiliana Chernova, caregiver: \u201cMy husband and I fled to Washington from Ukraine in 2022 so our family could survive. Now, our lives are still being threatened \u2013 not by bombs, but by the looming threat of lifesaving health care being ripped away from us simply because we are immigrants. We are forced to hope and pray that my mother-in-law and daughter are not left behind. We came to this country because we needed support. Washington became our home and welcomed us in. Now we\u2019re asking state lawmakers to do the same. Our state can fill in the gap left by a federal government that is hostile to people like us.\u201d\n\nZosia Stanley, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Washington State Hospital Association: \u201cWhen people lose health insurance, their health care needs do not disappear. Hospitals provide care regardless of a person\u2019s ability to pay, but they cannot absorb unlimited costs from coverage losses and funding cuts. These shortfalls will force service reductions that affect access to care for all Washington patients.\u201d\n\nViktoriia, Case Manager at Neighborhood House: \u201cI see this every day in my work, and I live it every day at home: home and community-based care is not just compassionate; it is cost-effective. It keeps people out of hospitals and out of expensive institutions. It strengthens families, and it saves public resources. We are our client\u2019s safety and without us, what will happen?\u201d", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/08/03/jayapal-and-whitehouse-lead-90-colleagues-in-brief-supporting-the-ability-of-states-and-localities-to-hold-big-oil-and-gas-companies-accountable-for-climate-related-harms/", "Jayapal and Whitehouse Lead 90 Colleagues in Brief Supporting the Ability of States and Localities to Hold Big Oil and Gas Companies Accountable for Climate-Related Harms", "2026-08-03", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Pramila Jayapal", "J000298", "jayapal.house.gov", "jayapal", "https://jayapal.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), today led 90 members of Congress in submitting an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the case of Suncor Energy Inc. v. County Commissioners of Boulder County. The brief explains that the Clean Air Act, the Constitution, and federal foreign policy do not prevent states and localities from holding oil and gas companies accountable for climate-related harms stemming from deceptive marketing and sales of their knowingly harmful products.\n\nAs climate change intensifies natural disasters, states and local governments face billions of dollars in climate change-driven damages. The County and the City of Boulder (respondents) sued fossil fuel companies (petitioners) under state tort law in Colorado court to \u201cprotect Boulder\u2019s property and to care for residents\u2019 safety,\u201d alleging that the fossil fuel companies knew their products were harmful but deliberately concealed that information from consumers. Before the Supreme Court, the fossil fuel companies incorrectly argue that the Clean Air Act, the Constitution, and federal foreign policy preempt Boulder\u2019s claims. The lawmakers filed a brief to ensure that federal statutes and federal authority are not improperly used as cudgels to preempt states\u2019 powers to protect their citizens.\n\nThe lawmakers\u2019 brief explains that the Clean Air Act does not preempt state tort suits seeking to address harms caused by the deceptive marketing and sales of fossil fuels. While Congress knows how to preempt state laws when it chooses, \u201cthe Clean Air Act\u2019s text, structure, and purpose show that Congress has not preempted respondents\u2019 state tort claims. The Act is intended to improve air quality primarily through emission reductions and thus does not reach respondents\u2019 claims that petitioners engaged in the tortious conduct of deceptive marketing and sales of their knowingly harmful products. . . . Petitioners\u2019 argument ignores the mismatch between the conduct at issue in respondents\u2019 claims and the conduct that Congress sought to regulate in the Act. This fatal flaw should end the Court\u2019s inquiry.\u201d\n\nFurther, \u201ceven if petitioners were correct that respondents\u2019 claims could incidentally reduce or even directly regulate emissions (which they do not), the Clean Air Act\u2019s text, structure, and purpose permit that.\u201d In the Act, \u201cCongress expressly empowered state regulations beyond the federal standards and preserved state authority to seek \u2018any\u2019 relief under \u2018any statute or common law.\u2019\u201d Congress thus \u201censure[d] that the Act sets a federal floor to prevent a \u2018race to the bottom\u2019 but otherwise largely leaves state power intact, recognizing the enduring role of States in pollution regulation.\u201d The oil companies\u2019 novel presumption in favor of preemption would invert traditional principles of federalism and undermine Congress\u2019s authority to choose when and how federal law displaces state law.\n\n\u201cPetitioners hardly disguise their intent to upend decades of this Court\u2019s jurisprudence respecting Congress\u2019s legislative choices and state sovereignty in our federal system,\u201d the lawmakers write. The petitioners\u2019 argument \u201cwould turn any regulatory regime for a national industry into a default liability shield for deceptive practices or other misconduct.\u201d The members added, \u201cThis is not how Congress legislates: Congress does not implicitly create liability shields for tortious conduct whenever it regulates within a field\u2026 Instead, even where Congress does preempt traditional state authority, it often carves out consumer protection claims, recognizing the importance of States\u2019 ability to protect citizens from fraud-based harm.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers also refute the petitioners\u2019 assertion that Congressionally approved foreign policy preempts respondents\u2019 claims. Petitioners \u201cfail to identify any foreign policy in tension with respondents\u2019 claims, much less the clear and substantial conflict with federal foreign policy typically required to preempt state laws operating in a traditional area of state authority\u2026 Petitioners\u2019 attempt to gin up a conflict between federal foreign policy and respondents\u2019 tort claims falls short.\u201d\n\nJoining Whitehouse and Jayapal in signing the amicus brief were Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chirs Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with 77 members of the House.\n\nFull text of the brief is available here.", 1, "2026-08-04T07:35:49Z", "2026-08-04T07:37:27Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4241", "Larsen Joins Entire WA Delegation in Requesting Expedited Emergency Declaration for Devastating Wildfires in Spokane", "2026-08-03", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined Washington state\u2019s entire Congressional delegation in a letterto President Donald Trump urging him to approve Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson\u2019s request last night for an expedited Emergency Declaration for the devastating wildfires sweeping through Central and Eastern Washington state.\n\nOn Saturday, Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency and issued a statewide burn ban through September 30, 2026. The National Weather Service upgraded the Red Flag Warning on Saturday, to a Particularly Dangerous Situation, which is very rare and typically reserved for extreme fire weather conditions. The Spokane Area Fires consist of the Old Trails Fire burning in northwest Spokane, the Autumn Lane Fire burning near Nine Mile Falls, and the Fairview Fire burning in Mead. Over 700 structures have been lost in the fires so far and over 14,000 structures are threatened, 67,000 people have been evacuated, the three fires have burned over 8,000 acres combined and are still 0% contained, nearly 1,000 firefighters battling fires in the Spokane area, and thousands of more people remain under a Level 3 (Go Now!) evacuation.\n\n\u201cLarge and fast-moving wildfires are burning in Central and Eastern Washington. Dangerous conditions, including strong winds, low humidity, and extremely high temperatures, intensified existing fires and ignited new fires, the worst of which started in Spokane and Stevens Counties on Saturday, August 1. According to the Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC), the Pacific Northwest is experiencing wildfire activity not normally seen until much later in the fire season. Between record-setting drought and record low snowpack, the state and Central and Eastern Washington were left vulnerable to fires that burn longer, spread faster, and are increasingly resistant to control,\u201d wrote Larsen and the members of the delegation.\n\nRep. Larsen joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and U.S. Representatives Michael Baumgartner (R, WA-05), Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA-03), Dan Newhouse (R, WA-04), Emily Randall (D, WA-06), Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), Kim Schrier (D, WA-08), Adam Smith (D, WA-09) and Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10) in the letter to President Trump.\n\n\u201cThese fires spread rapidly, jumping roads and rivers, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate quickly, with many escaping with little more than they could carry. So far, roughly 700 structures have been destroyed in Spokane, including entire neighborhoods, while many remain threatened. As the fires continue to burn, this number is expected to climb. Hundreds of people have completely lost their homes and farms, and many are prohibited from returning to their homes or neighborhoods as crews continue to extinguish smoldering embers,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201cFirefighting crews from around the country, as well as international firefighting forces, have deployed to Washington state and are working overtime to suppress these fires, while National Guard members are assisting local first responders with evacuations and firefighting. Expedited federal assistance will help continue these efforts and ensure that state and local agencies have the resources they need.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile local, state, and federal resources deployed quickly to respond to the wildfires, federal assistance is needed as firefighting, evacuations, and emergency shelter operations are ongoing. Expedited federal assistance is critical and will help firefighting crews continue to suppress these persistent wildfires and protect the businesses, farms, schools, healthcare facilities, and residential homes from devastation, all while ensuring those displaced by the fires have the support and resources they need,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nThe full letter is available below and HERE.\n\nDear Mr. President,\n\nAs members of the Washington state delegation, we write in support of Washington state\u2019s August 2nd request for an expedited Emergency Declaration due to the devastating wildfires raging in Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens, and Yakima Counties. In addition to the counties, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and Spokane Tribe of Indians are also listed in Washington\u2019s expedited Emergency Declaration request. We implore you to approve the request for assistance as quickly as possible.\n\nLarge and fast-moving wildfires are burning in Central and Eastern Washington. Dangerous conditions, including strong winds, low humidity, and extremely high temperatures, intensified existing fires and ignited new fires, the worst of which started in Spokane and Stevens Counties on Saturday, August 1. According to the Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC), the Pacific Northwest is experiencing wildfire activity not normally seen until much later in the fire season. Between record-setting drought and record low snowpack, the state and Central and Eastern Washington were left vulnerable to fires that burn longer, spread faster, and are increasingly resistant to control.\n\nThese fires spread rapidly, jumping roads and rivers, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate quickly, with many escaping with little more than they could carry. So far, roughly 700 structures have been destroyed in Spokane, including entire neighborhoods, while many remain threatened. As the fires continue to burn, this number is expected to climb. Hundreds of people have completely lost their homes and farms, and many are prohibited from returning to their homes or neighborhoods as crews continue to extinguish smoldering embers.\n\nFirefighting crews from around the country, as well as international firefighting forces, have deployed to Washington state and are working overtime to suppress these fires, while National Guard members are assisting local first responders with evacuations and firefighting. Expedited federal assistance will help continue these efforts and ensure that state and local agencies have the resources they need.\n\nWhile local, state, and federal resources deployed quickly to respond to the wildfires, federal assistance is needed as firefighting, evacuations, and emergency shelter operations are ongoing. Expedited federal assistance is critical and will help firefighting crews continue to suppress these persistent wildfires and protect the businesses, farms, schools, healthcare facilities, and residential homes from devastation, all while ensuring those displaced by the fires have the support and resources they need. We appreciate your prompt attention to the state\u2019s request.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-04T07:35:49Z", "2026-08-04T07:37:27Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-schrier-joins-wa-delegation-requesting-expedited-emergency", "Congresswoman Schrier Joins WA Delegation in Requesting Expedited Emergency Declaration for Devastating Wildfires in Spokane", "2026-08-03", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier (D-WA-08) joined Washington state\u2019s Congressional delegation in a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to approve Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson\u2019s request for an expedited Emergency Declaration for the devastating wildfires sweeping through Central and Eastern Washington state.\n\nOn Saturday, Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency and issued a statewide burn ban through September 30, 2026. The National Weather Service upgraded the Red Flag Warning on Saturday, to a Particularly Dangerous Situation, which is very rare and typically reserved for extreme fire weather conditions. Over 700 structures have been lost in the fires so far and over 14,000 structures are threatened, with over 67,000 people evacuated.\n\nSenators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Representatives Michael Baumgartner (R, WA-05), Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA-03), Dan Newhouse (R, WA-04), Emily Randall (D, WA-06), Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), Kim Schrier (D, WA-08), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), and Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10) were additionally on the letter.\n\n\u201cThese fires spread rapidly, jumping roads and rivers, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate quickly, with many escaping with little more than they could carry. So far, roughly 700 structures have been destroyed in Spokane, including entire neighborhoods, while many remain threatened. As the fires continue to burn, this number is expected to climb. Hundreds of people have completely lost their homes and farms, and many are prohibited from returning to their homes or neighborhoods as crews continue to extinguish smoldering embers,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cFirefighting crews from around the country, as well as international firefighting forces, have deployed to Washington state and are working overtime to suppress these fires, while National Guard members are assisting local first responders with evacuations and firefighting. Expedited federal assistance will help continue these efforts and ensure that state and local agencies have the resources they need.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile local, state, and federal resources deployed quickly to respond to the wildfires, federal assistance is needed as firefighting, evacuations, and emergency shelter operations are ongoing. Expedited federal assistance is critical and will help firefighting crews continue to suppress these persistent wildfires and protect the businesses, farms, schools, healthcare facilities, and residential homes from devastation, all while ensuring those displaced by the fires have the support and resources they need,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nThe full letter is available HEREand below:\n\nDear Mr. President,\n\nAs members of the Washington state delegation, we write in support of Washington state\u2019s August 2nd request for an expedited Emergency Declaration due to the devastating wildfires raging in Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens, and Yakima Counties. In addition to the counties, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and Spokane Tribe of Indians are also listed in Washington\u2019s expedited Emergency Declaration request. We implore you to approve the request for assistance as quickly as possible.\n\nLarge and fast-moving wildfires are burning in Central and Eastern Washington. Dangerous conditions, including strong winds, low humidity, and extremely high temperatures, intensified existing fires and ignited new fires, the worst of which started in Spokane and Stevens Counties on Saturday, August 1. According to the Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC), the Pacific Northwest is experiencing wildfire activity not normally seen until much later in the fire season. Between record-setting drought and record low snowpack, the state and Central and Eastern Washington were left vulnerable to fires that burn longer, spread faster, and are increasingly resistant to control.\n\nThese fires spread rapidly, jumping roads and rivers, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate quickly, with many escaping with little more than they could carry. So far, roughly 700 structures have been destroyed in Spokane, including entire neighborhoods, while many remain threatened. As the fires continue to burn, this number is expected to climb. Hundreds of people have completely lost their homes and farms, and many are prohibited from returning to their homes or neighborhoods as crews continue to extinguish smoldering embers.\n\nFirefighting crews from around the country, as well as international firefighting forces, have deployed to Washington state and are working overtime to suppress these fires, while National Guard members are assisting local first responders with evacuations and firefighting. Expedited federal assistance will help continue these efforts and ensure that state and local agencies have the resources they need.\n\nWhile local, state, and federal resources deployed quickly to respond to the wildfires, federal assistance is needed as firefighting, evacuations, and emergency shelter operations are ongoing. Expedited federal assistance is critical and will help firefighting crews continue to suppress these persistent wildfires and protect the businesses, farms, schools, healthcare facilities, and residential homes from devastation, all while ensuring those displaced by the fires have the support and resources they need. We appreciate your prompt attention to the state\u2019s request.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-04T07:35:49Z", "2026-08-04T07:37:27Z"], ["https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4392", "WA Delegation Requests Expedited Emergency Declaration for Devastating Wildfires in Spokane", "2026-08-03", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Suzan K. DelBene", "D000617", "delbene.house.gov", "delbene", "https://delbene.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) joined Washington state\u2019s Congressional delegation in sending a letter to President Trump urging him to approve Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson\u2019s request for an expedited Emergency Declaration for the devastating wildfires sweeping through Central and Eastern Washington state.\n\nOn Saturday, August 1, 2026, Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency and issued a statewide burn ban through September 30, 2026. On Saturday, the National Weather Service upgraded the Red Flag Warning to a Particularly Dangerous Situation, a rare designation typically reserved for extreme fire weather conditions. Over 700 structures have been lost in the fires so far and over 14,000 structures are threatened, with over 67,000 people evacuated.\n\nJoining DelBene in the letter to President Trump were Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Representatives, Rick Larsen (WA-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Emily Randall (WA-06), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Adam Smith (WA-09), and Marilyn Strickland (WA-10).\n\n\u201cThese fires spread rapidly, jumping roads and rivers, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate quickly, with many escaping with little more than they could carry. So far, roughly 700 structures have been destroyed in Spokane, including entire neighborhoods, while many remain threatened. As the fires continue to burn, this number is expected to climb. Hundreds of people have completely lost their homes and farms, and many are prohibited from returning to their homes or neighborhoods as crews continue to extinguish smoldering embers,\u201d the lawmakers wrote to President Trump. \u201cFirefighting crews from around the country, as well as international firefighting forces, have deployed to Washington state and are working overtime to suppress these fires, while National Guard members are assisting local first responders with evacuations and firefighting. Expedited federal assistance will help continue these efforts and ensure that state and local agencies have the resources they need.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile local, state, and federal resources deployed quickly to respond to the wildfires, federal assistance is needed as firefighting, evacuations, and emergency shelter operations are ongoing. Expedited federal assistance is critical and will help firefighting crews continue to suppress these persistent wildfires and protect the businesses, farms, schools, healthcare facilities, and residential homes from devastation, all while ensuring those displaced by the fires have the support and resources they need,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nThe full letter can be found here", 1, "2026-08-06T07:37:31Z", "2026-08-06T07:38:34Z"], ["https://adamsmith.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-adam-smith-introduces-resolution-calling-equal-tax-treatment-wage-income", "Rep. Adam Smith Introduces Resolution Calling for Equal Tax Treatment of Wage Income and Capital Gains", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Adam Smith", "S000510", "adamsmith.house.gov", "adamsmith", "https://adamsmith.house.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 31, 2026) \u2013 Today, Rep. Adam Smith introduced a resolution built on a simple idea: a dollar earned should be a dollar taxed, full stop. This resolution calls on Congress to start simplifying the tax code so working-class Americans and the ultra-wealthy play by the same rules.\n\n\"For decades, we've asked working families to play by one set of rules while the wealthiest Americans play by another. A teacher, a machinist, a nurse \u2014 they see taxes taken out of every paycheck before they ever see the money,\u201d said Rep. Adam Smith. \u201cMeanwhile, the ultra-wealthy grow their fortunes by trillions of dollars a year; paying next to nothing in taxes due to loopholes emplaced quietly over the past 40 years. It's time we started simplifying the tax code around one basic principle: a dollar earned is a dollar taxed, no matter who earns it or how.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis resolution tells Congress and the Ways and Means Committee to stop looking away from a system that treats identical gains completely differently depending on whose name is on them. If we're serious about the debt and serious about fairness, this is where we have to start.\"\n\nThe resolution has drawn early support from tax law experts, including Ray D. Madoff, Professor at Boston College Law School and author of \u201cThe Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy.\"\n\n\"I've spent years studying this issue, and the fix isn't complicated: broaden the income tax so it captures every form of monetary gain, not just wages. This resolution asks the correct, and long overdue questions. I'm glad to see Congress willing to take a serious look at why our tax code treats income so differently depending on where it comes from,\" said Ray D. Madoff, Professor at Boston College Law School.\n\nHere's the problem:\n\nThe country is $39 trillion in debt \u2014 and the tax system isn't bringing in enough money to keep up, because too much income never gets taxed in the first place.\n\nRegular paychecks are carrying the load. Income taxes make up about 49% of all federal revenue, and payroll taxes make up another 35% \u2014 meaning 84 cents of every federal dollar comes from taxes on wages. Taxes on investments, inheritances, and business ownership make up the rest.\n\nThe wealthiest 1% now hold about $55 trillion in net worth, while most Americans don't have enough savings to cover an emergency. Seventy years ago, top earners paid a 94% tax rate on that income. Today the top rate is just 37% \u2014 and many still pay far less through additional loopholes.\n\nBillionaires can grow richer by billions a year and barely pay taxes on it, because that money comes from stock and business ownership going up in value, not a paycheck. A dollar earned that way isn't taxed anywhere near like a dollar earned at a job.\n\nSome of the richest people in America pay a lower tax rate than teachers and nurses. A 2021 investigation into leaked IRS records found several of the wealthiest Americans paid a true tax rate in the low single digits, or no income tax at all due to tax loopholes, compared to how much their wealth grew each year \u2014 lower than many middle-class workers pay on their salaries.\n\nThe resolution calls on the House Ways and Means Committee to hold hearings on this gap, and urges Congress to start simplifying the tax code so every American \u2014 whether they earn a paycheck or sell a stock \u2014 is taxed the same way on the same amount of money earned.", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4240", "Larsen Seeks Answers at Ferndale ICE Facility", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cThe President\u2019s cruel immigration agenda has angered many of my constituents and struck fear in families around the region. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has been at the top of this agenda. I came to the Ferndale ICE holding facility today to get answers about this facility for my community.\n\n\u201cWhere I was not able to get complete answers, I will be sending a follow-up oversight letter. I expect to get additional details about ICE\u2019s recent policy changes for this kind of facility and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations locally.\n\n\u201cI was able to get answers to the following questions community members have about the facility\u2019s operations:\n\n\u201c1. The facility has two holding cells that have room for eight people each. The average time a detained person stays in the facility is 4-5 hours. Since July 1, ICE has had a policy that no one can be detained in this type of facility for longer than 12 hours. People held by ICE here are first processed and then transferred to the privately-run detention center in Tacoma.\n\n\u201c2. People detained in the facility have access to a toilet and a sink. There are no kitchen or shower facilities, or medical personnel on staff, because of the short detainment periods. However, there is a process for non-emergent or emergent care.\n\n\u201c3. There are two private rooms with telephones where detained people can call an attorney if they have one.\n\n\u201c4. HSI has been responsible for the operations that detained nearly 50 people in Lynden in recent months. I intend to follow up with the Department of Homeland Security, HSI and ICE about HSI\u2019s role in immigration enforcement and removal operations locally.\n\n\u201cAs a service to my constituents, my office is going to work with this local ICE facility in Ferndale to establish a process where people who are detained here can get the necessary paperwork to request support from my staff.\n\n\u201cThe President\u2019s immigration enforcement agenda is hurting the local economy and making our communities less safe. My office stands ready to help family members locate their loved ones in ICE custody and access legal services \u2013 call 425-252-3188 or go to larsen.house.gov/helping-you/visas-and-immigration.htm.\u201d\n\nLarsen Fights to Hold ICE Accountable\n\nIn June 2025, Rep. Larsen toured the privately-run ICE detention facility in Tacoma and met with Lelo Juarez, a Skagit County union leader and activist whom ICE detained in March 2025.\n\nEarlier this month, Rep. Larsen joined nearly 200 House Democrats in calling for independent investigations into Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Guerrero\u2019s deaths and demanding that ICE halt removal proceedings against the witnesses. He also demanded independent investigations into the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis in January 2026.\n\nIn Congress, Rep. Larsen has refused to vote for legislation that would fund ICE without placing additional guardrails on the agency and requiring that ICE follow the same rules as every other local, state and federal law enforcement agency.\n\nRep. Larsen supports strengthening accountability and oversight of ICE operations and DHS detention facilities, including:\n\nProhibiting ICE officers from wearing masks during arrests;\n\nRequiring ICE officers to be trained in de-escalation;\n\nProhibiting masked ICE officers from using restricted equipment, such as tear gas;\n\nEnding family and child detention;\n\nEnding DHS\u2019s use of private detention facilities;\n\nProviding individuals in immigration detention with unlimited communication with legal counsel;\n\nRepealing the Alien Enemies Act, which President Trump has used to deport immigrants from Venezuela with no due process by accusing them of \u201cinvading\u201d the United States; and\n\nA complete and independent investigation into the killings of unarmed civilians.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-schrier-houchin-introduce-bipartisan-bill-improve-rural-hospital", "Reps Schrier, Houchin Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Rural Hospital Cybersecurity", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA-08) and Congresswoman Erin Houchin (R-IN-09) recently introduced the bipartisan Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, alongside cosponsors Representatives Jefferson Shreve (R-IN), Glenn \"GT\" Thompson (R-PA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), and Jennifer McClellan (D-VA). Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ). The legislation strengthens cybersecurity at rural hospitals by directing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a comprehensive rural hospital cybersecurity workforce strategy, expand cybersecurity training resources, and improve preparedness against growing cyber threats.\n\n\u201cAs a doctor and a patient, I know we must protect hospitals from cyberattacks,\" said Rep. Schrier. \u201cRural hospitals in particular often lack the funding and workforce necessary to prevent cyberattacks and some in Washington have already been impacted. This bill will give rural hospitals the tools they need to keep patients safe, protect personal data, and secure medical systems.\"\n\n\"Rural hospitals are often operating with limited staff and resources, yet they're expected to defend against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks,\" said Rep. Houchin. \"When a rural hospital is forced offline, patient care is put at risk. This bipartisan bill is a practical step toward giving rural providers the workforce, training, and tools they need to strengthen their cybersecurity and continue serving their communities.\"\n\n\"Rural hospitals in Indiana's Sixth District are often the only option for Hoosier families who need care close to home,\u201d said Rep. Shreve. \u201cThese hospitals don\u2019t have the resources to hire a cybersecurity team, but they still need to keep their patients\u2019 private information secure. This bill gives them the training and tools they need to do that. I'm glad to join Rep. Houchin on this important legislation.\"\n\n\"In our complex world, it is imperative that we safeguard sensitive personal information and medical records from cybercriminals,\" said Rep. Thompson. \"The Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act aims to protect patient information by helping develop, promote, and expand the rural hospital cybersecurity workforce, particularly through education and training programs tailored to the needs of rural hospitals, such as those in Pennsylvania.\"\n\n\"For rural hospitals, a cyberattack isn't just a disruption to technology, it can become a disruption to care,\u201d said Rep. Tokuda. \u201cThis legislation helps ensure rural providers can continue delivering lifesaving care by having the resources, training, and workforce support they need to protect patient data, respond to threats, and continue serving their communities.\"\n\n\u201cIn our rapidly changing digital age, cybersecurity threats continue to grow. Rural hospitals and health clinics often lack the resources and personnel to defend against these threats,\u201d said Rep. McClellan. \u201cThe Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act develops a comprehensive workforce training program to protect our rural communities from attacks that could exploit vulnerabilities in our health care system and undermine access to care. I am pleased to work on a bipartisan basis with Congresswoman Houchin to bolster our security measures to help maintain a strong care network.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor many years, TRIMEDX has worked with, and provided medical device service for, small town and rural hospitals throughout the country. Already challenged by increasing cost pressures, we have seen first- hand how vulnerable rural hospitals are to cybersecurity attacks and we support any efforts for the development of strategies to address cyber challenges,\u201d said Kristi McDermott, TRIMEDX Chief Operating Officer. \u201cAccordingly, TRIMEDX applauds Rep. Houchin and Rep. Schrier for introducing this strong bipartisan bill which seeks to address growing cybersecurity challenges, to include workforce development strategies, in rural hospitals throughout the country.\u201d\n\nThe Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act requires HHS to:\n\nDevelop a comprehensive rural hospital cybersecurity workforce development strategy that considers public-private partnerships, cybersecurity curricula, workforce training, and policy recommendations.\n\nMake instructional materials available to help rural hospitals train staff on fundamental cybersecurity practices.\n\nProvide annual updates to Congress on the implementation of the strategy and any related workforce development initiatives.\n\nCyberattacks against hospitals have become more frequent and more sophisticated, placing patient care, medical records, and critical healthcare infrastructure at risk. Rural hospitals are particularly vulnerable because they often lack the resources to recruit and retain dedicated cybersecurity professionals.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the American Hospital Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, National Rural Health Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, TRIMEDX, and the Alliance for Quality Medical Device Servicing.\n\nThe Senate companion legislation has twice advanced out of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 14451, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, 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