{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\" and year = 2023 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://lahood.house.gov/2023/12/year-in-review-16-from-2023-in-il16", "Year in Review: 16 Snapshots from 2023 in IL16", "2023-12-31", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Darin LaHood", "L000585", "lahood.house.gov", "lahood", "https://lahood.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "16 Snapshots from 2023 in the 16th Congressional District\n\nIn 2023, I've been honored to begin representing the new 16th Congressional District of Illinois. With constituents in 21 counties covering central and northern Illinois, we've made it a priority to get into the community and discover what makes our state and region special. Over the course of the year we visited small businesses, community organizations, farms, factories, colleges, hospitals, energy facilities, and much more. To highlight an eventful year, I wanted to showcase 16 snapshots from the new 16th Congressional District! Happy New Year and see you in 2024!\n\nIn January, I made my first official visit to Galena to meet with small businesses, elected officials, and the Chamber of Commerce to learn about what's happening in the community and issues impacting the region.\n\nLater in January, I visited the Rockford Airport to discuss the status of airport upgrades and what the future looks like for them.\n\nIn February, I spoke at Eureka College in honor of one of their most famous alumni, President Ronald Reagan. President Reagan\u2019s legacy of civic leadership continues to be carried out through the Ronald W. Reagan Leadership Fellows and it's always a privilege to celebrate the incredible students at Eureka.\n\nIn March, I traveled to Morris in Grundy County to visit the LyondellBasell plant. They do a great job supporting their community by offering jobs and they are leaders in the low-carbon industry.\n\nFarmers are a key economic driver in the 16th District. In April, I visited Brian Duncan's family farm to help plant. I appreciate all the family farmers who feed and fuel our country.\n\nThe Future Farmers of America (FFA) shape and educate the next generation of Illinois farmers. In May, I visited with the Livingston County FFA to check in on their projects and innovative work in agriculture.\n\nIn June, I toured the Byron Nuclear Plant. Nuclear energy helps support our economy in Illinois and it is an important emission-free energy resource, which is critical to our all-of-the-above energy approach.\n\nEach year, I am honored to nominate young men and women to attend our nation's military academies. In June, I hosted those students who were appointed to one of the service academies in our Peoria District Office.\n\nOne of my top priorities is providing high quality constituent services. In July and August, I was proud to join community leaders in Morris and Normal to open new Congressional Offices, which are open and accessible to all IL16 constituents.\n\nIn September, I did a hard hat tour of the OSF's Cancer Institute in Peoria, which will make Peoria a hub for cancer research and treatment throughout our state and region.\n\nPrecision Planting's new facility in Morton will support hundreds of jobs in the community and I was grateful to visit in September.\n\nMy office was proud to secure a Community Funding Project award to support the new YMCA facility in Morris. I was honored to participate in a beam signing with local officials in October.\n\nThe Rockford Chamber of Commerce is an important advocate for local small businesses and I joined them in November to provide a Congressional update.\n\nI am proud to champion legislation to strengthen the low income housing tax credit. In November, I was honored to break ground on the new Willis Senior Lofts project in Rochelle.\n\nIn December, I visited with the Little Learners and Birth to Five Council at the CTE Academy in Elizabeth to talk about their mission to improve child care and support families.\n\nWishing everyone a safe and happy New Year! I look forward to seeing many of you in 2024", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-highlights-pacific-islands-caucus-activities", "Amata Highlights Pacific Islands Caucus Activities", "2023-12-31", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AS", "Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen", "R000600", "radewagen.house.gov", "radewagen", "https://radewagen.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Uifa\u2019atali Amata is highlighting the congressional activities of the bipartisan Pacific Islands Caucus, which she co-chairs. Efforts during 2023 emphasized U.S. commitment in the region, legislation and funding, and Congress\u2019s role in international partnerships in the Pacific.\n\nImage\n\nMembers of Congress Amata, Ed Case of Hawaii, and James Moylan of Guam\n\n\u201cI appreciate my colleagues in the bipartisan Pacific Islands Caucus and the commitment we can show to the region together,\" said Co-Chairman Amata. \"We\u2019ve gotten a lot done in relation to the Pacific Islands but there will be more to do in 2024, and I look forward to working with each dedicated Co-Chair and Member of our Caucus on behalf of the Pacific Islands, including our security, economies, and environmental priorities.\u201d\n\nThe Caucus\u2019s Year in Review with specific actions and legislative details is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-another-great-year-of-fighting-and-winning-for-texans", "Sen. Cruz: Another Great Year of Fighting and Winning for Texans", "2023-12-31", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) led the fight in the Senate this year against the Biden administration\u2019s woke agenda and delivered pro-growth, pro-jobs, and pro-freedom policies to promote jobs, freedom, and security for Texans.\n\nReflecting on the past year, Sen. Cruz said, \u201cAs your senator for Texas, I have been proud to lead the fight to defend our values and promote jobs, freedom, and security. This year, I\u2019ve had the privilege of leading my Republican colleagues as ranking member on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. We formed bipartisan coalitions around Biden nominees to stop inexperienced and radical ones while supporting qualified public servants, and we worked in a bipartisan manner to advance policies that will benefit the families and businesses in the Lone Star State. As we look ahead to 2024, I excited to keep fighting for the Lone Star State, and defending your freedoms, strengthening our economy, and creating more jobs for hardworking Texans and their families.\u201d\n\nSen. Cruz\u2019s 2023 Highlights:\n\nDelivering for Texas\n\nSIGNED INTO LAW: After months of legislative efforts from a bipartisan coalition of Texas lawmakers led by Sen. Cruz, the annual defense authorization bill included language to streamline the presidential permitting process for building key bridges across the Rio Grande in Brownsville, Laredo, and Eagle Pass, Texas.\n\nSen. Cruz also wrote a letter to the Biden administration in support of the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge (PVGTB)presidential permit application.\n\nSECURED BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL SUPPORT: Sen. Cruz led the fight for U.S. diplomats and officials of the U.S. Section of the International Boundary Commission to have the necessary resources to ensure Mexico\u2019s compliance with the 1944 Treaty on Utilization of Waters of the Colorado, Tijuana, and Rio Grande Rivers. A bipartisan majority of senators supported his efforts.\n\nPASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Sen. Cruz led efforts to formally name the Ports-to-Plains Corridor through Texas and New Mexico asInterstate 27, which will boost economic growth in Texas.\n\nSen. Cruz participated in agriculture roundtables with industry leaders from the coast to the panhandle as he works to ensure our farmers and ranchers have the resources they need for Texas agriculture to thrive.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter calling out FEMAfor rejecting the City of Corpus Christi\u2019s appeal for additional funding for the Packery Channel Restoration Project to rebuild after damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to President Biden supporting Texas Governor Greg Abbott\u2019s request for an emergency disaster declaration to provide federal assistance to Texans impacted by severe weather, including tornadoes and heavy rain, in Harris, Jefferson, Liberty, and Orange counties.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to the Biden administration supporting Texas Governor Greg Abbott\u2019s request for an emergency disasterdeclaration to provide federal assistance to Texans impacted by Winter Storm Mara.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Highway Formula Modernization Act, bipartisan legislation that would direct the Department of Transportation to reevaluate the funding formulas used to distribute federal highway dollars to ensure we invest properly in Texas highways and highways across the nation.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Improving Access to Our Courts Act to provide an additional court \u2013 located in Alpine, Texas \u2013 to those served by the Pecos Division of the Western District of Texas.\n\nFollowing reports of mail theft in the Galveston area, Sen. Cruz introduced the Upholding a Secure Postal System (USPS) Act that would require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress on nationwide mail theft trends, and what the Postal Service is doing to combat theft.\n\nBoosting Jobs and the Economy\n\nSen. Cruz was awarded the 2022 Club for Growth Defender of Economic Freedom Award for dedication to promoting economic growthand championing issues related to limited government.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Cost Recovery and Expensing Acceleration to Transform the Economy and Jumpstart Opportunities for Businesses and Startups (CREATE JOBS) Act to generate much-needed investment in America\u2019s workforce, create jobs, and provide relief for struggling Americans.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act, and legislation to make permanent the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act\u2019s middle-class tax cuts.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Chemical Tax Repeal Act to eliminate the Superfund Tax imposed by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced an amendment to repeal a provision from the 2021 infrastructure package that created new reporting requirements for many cryptocurrency and blockchain companies. The amendment would remove harmful regulations on the cryptocurrency industry that stifle innovation, endanger the privacy of Americans, and would push key aspects of the industry overseas.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Adopting Cryptocurrency in Congress as an Exchange of Payment for Transactions Resolution, also known as the ACCEPT Resolution.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced legislation to prohibit the Federal Reserve from developing a direct-to-consumer central bank digital currency, which could be used as a financial surveillance tool by the federal government.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Federal Permitting Modernization Act (FAST Act) and the 90-day Review Act aimed at streamlining and expediting federal permitting for major infrastructure projects by putting more stringent timetables on federal agencies and courts to review projects.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced legislation that will prevent companies that manage investment funds held in federal employee retirement accounts from using those holdings to vote in corporate shareholder meetings to force leftist Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies onto private sector businesses.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced legislation to eliminate the Office of Financial Research, a stark example of redundancy and unaccountability within the Treasury Department.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced legislation to eliminate the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.\n\nProtecting Our Independent Judiciary and Combating the Weaponization of Government\n\nSen. Cruz introduced a proposed constitutional amendment that would ensure only nine justices could serve on the U.S. Supreme Court at a time.\n\nSen. Cruz led a Supreme Court amicus brief in the case Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo arguing that the doctrine of \u201cChevron deference\u201d violates Articles I, II, and III of the Constitution.\n\nSen. Cruz filed a Supreme Court amicus brief in the case Washington Alliance of Technology Workers v. Department of Homeland Security in support of a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari, seeking Supreme Court review of the unlawful issuance of student visas by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland confronting the Department of Justice for surveilling the personal communications of attorneys advising congressional oversight committees.\n\nSen. Cruz filed an amicus brief in the case Estados Unidos Mexicanos v. Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. with the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to support the Second Amendment and American sovereignty.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland at the Department of Justice requesting an investigation into why radical environmental organizations have been able to accept foreign money without registering under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).\n\nSen. Cruz introduced Eric\u2019s Law, a bill that aims to deliver justice to victims and their families in federal death penalty cases.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced a joint resolution pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to fight a D.C. Council measure that would allow illegal aliens to vote in local D.C. elections.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced a series of bills to stop the lingering authoritarian COVID-19 mandates and protect Americans fromunconstitutional federal mandates around the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nSen. Cruz led a coalition of Senate Republican committee ranking members in sounding the alarm over an attempt by the White House to hijack the rulemaking process to promote left-wing policy goals.\n\nPushing Back on the Left\u2019s Woke Agenda\n\nSen. Cruz introduced bicameral legislation, the Safeguarding Free Speech Act, to prohibit federal agencies from forcing an employee or contractor to use personal pronouns that differ from an individual\u2019s biological sex.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Respect for Hispanic Americans Act, which would ban the use of the wholly-invented term \u201cLatinx\u201d in any official government communication by a federal agency or employee.\n\nFreeing American Energy and Dismantling Burdensome Environmental Regulations\n\nThe International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) honored Sen. Cruz with the Legislator of the Year Award for championing policies and advocating and leading legislative efforts to promote U.S. energy.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act to counter the Biden administration\u2019s executive overreachbanning gasoline powered vehicles and establishing an electric vehicle mandate.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Public Water Supply Invasive Species Compliance Act and the Saving America\u2019s Vulnerable and Endangered Species Act (SAVES Act), which would remove regulatory burdens for ranchers and conservators engaged in captive breeding of exotic wildlife while promoting animal conservation in the United States.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced a resolution pushing back on the implementation of a carbon tax. The resolution addresses the negative impacts of instituting a carbon tax.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to the Executive Director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC) against addingunnecessary bureaucratic barriers to the permitting process for domestic mining.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Congressional Oversight of the Antiquities Act to reform the Antiquities Act of 1906 and require congressional approval for national monument designations.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter calling on the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to extend the public comment period for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) financial assurance proposed rule.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced legislation to amend the National Trails System Act and designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail without harming Texas and American energy development projects in the areas around Route 66.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a bipartisan letter to the Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm raising concern about a proposed rule by the DOE to change efficiency standards on distribution transformers\u2014critical electric grid components.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of the Treasury Janet Yellen condemning efforts by the Biden administration to use the U.S. tax code to penalize American energy production.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Natural Gas Export Expansion Act, which would expedite the federal approval process for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) and increase free trade.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Energy Freedom Act, in order to make America energy secure again by accelerating federal permitting for energy projects and pipelines, mandating new onshore and offshore oil and gas lease sales, approving pending liquified natural gas (LNG) export licenses, and generally speeding up solar, wind, and geothermal development.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Black Vulture Relief Act, which would alleviate burdensome government regulations and allow farmers to protect their newborn livestock from black vultures without a depredation permit whenever their livestock is threatened.\n\nBacking Law Enforcement\n\nPASSED THE SENATE: Sen. Cruz sponsored a resolution commemorating the bicentennial of the Texas Ranger Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Back the Blue Act, which would increase penalties for criminals who target law enforcement officers and provide new tools for officers to protect themselves.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced legislation that would protect the brave men and women of law enforcement by criminalizing fleeing from agents or officers in a high-speed chase. The bill is named in honor of Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez, Jr., who died in the line of duty while pursuing a group of illegal aliens near Mission, Texas.\n\nCombating the Drug Crisis and Increasing Healthcare Access\n\nSIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz\u2019s Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act is now law. It will direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to take steps to enhance understanding of the dangerous animal tranquilizer xylazine, or tranq and other novel synthetic drugs, develop new tests for detection, and establish partnerships with front-line entities that are often the first points of contact with new street drugs.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced bipartisan legislation to address the online sale of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments Act, to expand healthcare innovation and accessibility for Texans and all Americans by increasing access for all Americans to life-saving drugs, devices, and other medical therapies already approved in other trusted countries.\n\nDefending the Right to Life\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding answers about allegations that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was secretly surveilling recent meetings of the pro-life group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU).\n\nSen. Cruz led the effort to demand answers from Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, about the reported harassment of a pro-life Catholic school group at the National Air and Space Museum.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a bicameral letter to the National Archives and Records Administration acting archivist Debra Steidel Wall urging a prompt response regarding the treatment of several pro-life Americans at the National Archives Museum on January 20, 2023.\n\nChampioning Our Military and Veterans\n\nSIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz authored the bipartisan, bicameral bill that renamed a Texas post office after Spc. Vanessa Guill\u00e9n, a 20-year-old soldier of the United States Army stationed at Fort Hood Army Base who was murdered by another soldier on base.\n\nSIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz\u2019s Changing Age-Determined Eligibility to Student Incentive Payments (CADETS) Act expanded the age of eligibility for the Student Incentive Payment Program at the Maritime Administration, granting financial assistance to cadets who attend one of six state maritime academies, including Texas A&M Maritime Academy, and who commit to a post-graduation service obligation.\n\nSIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz spearheaded a bipartisan amendment to the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)prohibiting the sale of Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) crude oil to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced an amendment to the FY24 NDAA that build on the NDAA of 2023, to support servicemembers who were wrongly discharged solely based on their COVID-19 vaccine status.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Pay Our Coast Guard Act, bicameral, bipartisan legislation to ensure Coast Guardsmen are paid just like other military personnel in the event of a government shutdown.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a bipartisan letter to the United States National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requesting answers on the backlog of veterans\u2019 service record requests impacting their access to critical government benefits and services.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced legislation that creates an opt-in for military families to establish Military Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) to help fund their child\u2019s education and expand access to personalized, high-quality educational experiences.\n\nSIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz introduced the Deterring Egregious State Infiltration of Schools\u2019 Training (DESIST) Act, which would prohibit the Department of Defense from establishing or maintaining a Junior Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corps (JROTC) program at any private school operated or controlled by entities linked to the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC), Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or the People\u2019s Liberation Army (PLA). This amendment was included in the FY24 NDAA.\n\nAdvocating for Our Students\n\nSen. Cruz introduced and fought for the immediate passage of his Securing Our Schools Act and the Protect Our Children\u2019s Schools Act, which would improve school security and access to student mental health resources and allow schools to use unspent, previously appropriated federal COVID-19 education-related funding to improve school security.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging the Biden administration to address the growing rates of antisemitism in K-12 schools following Hamas\u2019s war against Israel.\n\nStanding Up to America\u2019s Enemies and Adversaries, While Standing with Her Allies\n\nPASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Sen. Cruz spearheaded the passage of his bipartisan legislation to rename the street outside of the Cuban embassy in Washington, D.C. as \u201cOswaldo Pay\u00e1 Way\u201d after the Cuban dissident leader who was assassinated by Cuba\u2019s communist regime.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Protecting America from Spies Act, legislation that would make individuals who have committed acts of espionage or intellectual property theft against the United States ineligible for visas, as well as the family members of such individuals, for a period of five years.\n\nStanding with Israel\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on him to rescind discriminatory guidance issued by the State Department halting bilateral scientific and technological cooperation in certain Israeli-held territories.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Harvard University President Claudine Gay demanding that the university condemn the antisemitic statementsmade by student organizations on campus.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Hamas Sanctions Act, the first piece of legislation to comprehensively target Hamas. The legislation wouldimpose sanctions on Hamas, its members and affiliates, and countries that provide funding and territory for Hamas operations.\n\nCountering the Iranian regime\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions Act, or SEVER Act, to block the Biden administrationfrom allowing Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other sanctioned individuals linked to the Iranian regime to enter the United States.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced legislation to prohibit the Biden administration from waiving Congressional sanctions that prohibit cooperation on Iran\u2019s nuclear program.\n\nCountering Communist China\n\nPASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Sen. Cruz gained unanimous support for his resolution calling for the release of wrongfully detained Texan Mark Swidan, who is imprisoned in China.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act, to stop adversaries from acquiring land near military bases, and military areas, which puts our military and national security at risk.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Stop Higher Education Espionage and Theft (SHEET) Act to counter Chinese espionage efforts in American universities.\n\nSupporting freedom and opposing oppression in Central and South America\n\nSen. Cruz introduced a resolution supporting the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD), a multilateral initiative by American allies in Latin America including Panama, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Ecuador.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to President Biden calling on his administration to reverse political concessions and increase pressure on the Maduro regime in Venezuela, after the administration eased economic pressure as part of a deal related to the Venezuelan elections in 2024.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Corruption in Argentina Stymied by Enforcing Sanctions Act of 2023, or CASES Act, which would require the President to investigate five Argentinian officials for corruption, including Argentina\u2019s Vice President Cristina Fern\u00e1ndez de Kirchner.\n\nFighting to Secure the Southern Border\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, which would allow local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and would pull taxpayer-funded grants going to sanctuary cities.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the FINISH IT Act, which would require the federal government to use previously purchased and unused border wall panels to extend the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border or to transfer them to state governments to be used for wall construction.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to President Biden urging the White House to reverse the administration\u2019s decision to end Title 42.\n\nSen. Cruz led Republican Senate colleagues on a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border to Brownsville, Texas on the eve of the end of Title 42 to meet with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Texas National Guard, and other law enforcement officials.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced bicameral legislation to amend federal law and impose a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for any person who has multiple convictions, or a conviction for an aggravated felony, who enters the country illegally.\n\nSen. Cruz traveled to Texas\u2019 maritime border at South Padre Island to visit key Coast Guard stations and hear directly from the men and women of the Coast Guard about what resources they need to keep Texas\u2019 maritime borders safe and secure.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the Schools Not Shelters Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support, to protect and prioritize students by prohibiting K-12 schools, colleges, and universities that receive federal funding from being used as shelters to house illegal aliens.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced an amendment to add the Secure the Border Act to the continuing resolution to stop the Biden Border Crisis dead in its tracks and halt the invasion at our southern border.\n\nSen. Cruz led Republican Senate colleagues on a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border to witness the impacts of the millions of illegal immigrants who have flooded through the southern border, the rising rates of drug smuggling, and the increasing national security threats due to President Biden\u2019s open border policies.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas calling on the Biden administration to address a text message, discovered by El Paso Sector Intelligence, soliciting personal information of Border Patrol agents and their families.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas demanding that the Biden administration immediately address the influx of \u201cspecial interest aliens\u201d who have been arrested at the southern border.\n\nLeading Republican Legislative Initiatives as the Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce Committee\n\nPASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Sen. Cruz advanced legislation that would streamline the CHIPS permitting reform process, removing burdensome hurdles to achieving environmental reviews and permits. The amendment, which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support in July, would provide regulatory certainty and accelerate the construction of semiconductor manufacturing plants.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced the bipartisan, bicameral AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in vehicles. In Texas, over 88,000 jobs are tied to radio.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced bipartisan legislation that passed the Commerce Committee to require all event ticket sellers to display the total ticket price\u2014including all required fees\u2014in any advertisement or marketing materials.\n\nSen. Cruz led bipartisan efforts to stop three Biden administration nominees over lack of experience or radical policy positions.\n\nSen. Cruz introduced legislation to limit children\u2019s access to social media at school by requiring schools receiving federal broadband funding to prohibit access on subsidized services, devices, and networks.\n\nSen. Cruz unveiled a discussion draft of legislation aimed at addressing major issues in college athletics that have wrought a patchwork of pending litigation, inconsistent state laws, and labor complaints.\n\nSen. Cruz and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act, legislation that would block the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from banning gas stoves.\n\nSen. Cruz and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, introduced the Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act, legislation that would require the FTC to create reasonable disclosure guidelines for products that have audio or visual recording components, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers and dishwashers that are not clearly obvious. This legislation passed the Commerce Committee.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) President and CEO Patricia de Stacy Harrison, expressing objections to a CPB mandate that radio and television stations must engage in affirmative action to qualify for grant funding.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Eventbrite President and CEO Julia Hartz requesting details regarding the firm\u2019s seemingly inconsistent enforcement of community guidelines targeting conservatives, which has resulted in the removal of events featuring comments from Riley Gaines, while permitting feature speakers espousing allegiance to Hamas.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to the U.S. Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and National Science Foundation (NSF) to turn over information regarding their role in helping facilitate the censorshipof Americans\u2019 constitutionally protected speech online.\n\nSen. Cruz led 27 of his colleagues in calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to rescind its draft order on \u201cDigital Discrimination,\u201d which would give the federal government control over nearly every aspect of the Internet while opening broadband providers to expansive, indeterminate, and crippling liability under a \u201cdisparate impact\u201d standard.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey demanding answers regarding the company\u2019s decision to delete references to a donation the company made to the Black Lives Matter Global Network.\n\nSen. Cruz asked the National Science Foundation (NSF) to turn over information regarding its taxpayer-funded censorship, including doling out tens of millions of dollars in grants to universities building online censorship tools and developing \u201ctrauma support\u201d therapy for journalists.\n\nSen. Cruz led more than 100 other lawmakers in calling on Congressional leaders to include Sens. Cruz and Kelly\u2019s amendment to streamline the CHIPS permitting reform process in this year\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\n\nSen. Cruz led a bicameral coalition of federal lawmakers calling on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to reverse its suspension of rules allowing liquefied natural gas (LNG) by rail.\n\nSen. Cruz led Commerce Committee Republican members in sending a letter to companies X, Meta, TikTok, and Google seeking information on their content moderation policies during the Israel-Hamas war, and asking the companies to commit to fully preserving a documentary history of Hamas\u2019s atrocities.\n\nSen. Cruz led a group of senators in urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to withdraw a proposed rule designating more than 28,270 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico, an area larger than West Virginia, as a \u201ccritical habitat\u201d for the newly discovered Rice\u2019s whale\u2014a clear attempt to shut down oil and gas operations in the area over a single sighting of a whale in 2017.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter pressing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg about the decision-making behind certain grants to the Amtrak NY-NJ Gateway Program and asked the Department of Transportation (DOT) to commit to giving fair consideration to the whole country for grants, rather than favoring the Northeast Corridor.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) demanding answers on whether the deployment of federal air marshals to assist along the southwest border is risking the safety of the flying public.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to the newly sworn-in Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner, Anna Gomez, urging her to oppose FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel\u2019s plan to expand the E-rate program beyond school classrooms and libraries. The proposed expansion of funding, including to fund Wi-Fi hotspots on school buses, is not only unlawful (the statute only allows for connectivity spending for classrooms and libraries) but raises concerns about subsidizing children\u2019s unsupervised internet access to social media sites like TikTok and Instagram on their bus rides to and from school.\n\nSen. Cruz and House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today sent a letter to the law firm Sher Edling LLP demanding information related to the firm\u2019s barrage of lawsuits targeting energy companies, and the role the acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ann Carlson, played in these lawsuits while serving as a professor at UCLA Law School.\n\nSen. Cruz took to the Senate floor requesting unanimous consent to pass the Pay Our Coast Guard Act, bicameral, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.). The Pay Our Coast Guard Act would ensure Coast Guardsmen are paid just like other military personnel in the event of a government shutdown.\n\nSen. Cruz led all Committee Republicans in sending a letter to President Biden, blasting the administration for violating the Vacancies Act by allowing Ann Carlson, who was effectively rejected by the Senate to be administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to serve as acting head of the agency.\n\nSen. Cruz joined Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on an amicus brief in a case concerning the Biden administration\u2019s decision to alter the terms of \u201cLease Sale 261,\u201d an oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico required by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.\n\nSen. Cruz released a fact-finding report on the single largest pot of federal money ever allocated for broadband\u2014the $42.45 billion allocation for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan seeking answers regarding her plans to regulate artificial intelligence for \u201cdisinformation\u201d and \u201cbias.\u201d The letter explains that the FTC\u2019s review of large language models used to train AI, which comes without any explicit statutory congressional authorization, may also infringe on constitutionally-protected speech.\n\nSen. Cruz sent letters to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan and the head of the European Union\u2019s San Francisco office, demanding answers regarding the degree of coordination between the FTC and the EU to enforce the EU\u2019s Digital Services Act (\u201cDSA\u201d) and Digital Markets Act (\u201cDMA\u201d) on U.S. soil.\n\nSen. Cruz and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin (D-W.Va), announced that they had secured a bipartisan amendment to prevent the Biden administration from banning gas stoves in households across America in the Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) funding bill. The amendment largely mirrors the bipartisan Gas Stoves Protection and Freedom Act that they had introduced together in February that would preclude CPSC from using federal funds to ban gas stoves or impose regulations that would substantially increase the costs of gas stoves to make them unaffordable for Americans.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Vice Admiral Joanna Nunan, the superintendent of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), demanding answers about the safety of cadets in light of disturbing remarks by the school\u2019s sexual assault prevention and response (SAPR) director.\n\nSen. Cruz and Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a bipartisan letter to seven automakers that either removed or planned to remove broadcast AM radio in their current and future vehicle models, including electric vehicles, urging the automakers to make a commitment to keep AM radio in their vehicles.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan regarding the troubling drop in employee morale at the agency.\n\nSen. Cruz led a coalition of Senate Republican committee ranking members in sounding the alarm over an attempt by the White House to hijack the rulemaking process to advance left-wing policy goals that have been rejected by Congress.\n\nSen. Cruz published a 13-page memo to the beer industry\u2019s self-regulatory body detailing how Bud Light\u2019s sponsorship of Dylan Mulvaney violated industry standards that prohibit marketing to underage individuals.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to President Biden, urging him to immediately nominate a \u201cserious and well-qualified person with substantial aviation experience\u201d to serve as Federal Aviation Administration administrator.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg demanding answers about reporting from the Wall Street Journal describing how Instagram\u2019s recommendation systems actively facilitated the production, purchase, and possession of child sexual abuse material.\n\nSen. Cruz and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) opened an investigation into and called on the beer industry\u2019s self-regulatory body\u2014the Beer Institute\u2014to investigate whether Anheuser-Busch\u2019s partnership with influencer Dylan Mulvaney violates the Beer Institute\u2019s guidelines prohibiting marketing to underage individuals. The letter outlines evidence showing that Dylan Mulvaney\u2019s audience skews younger than the legal drinking age and that Mulvaney\u2019s social media content appeals to young viewers.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission Acting Inspector General asking that she open an investigation into whether FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel\u2019s unprecedented actions against the Standard General-TEGNA transaction, including the decision to have the FCC\u2019s Media Bureau designate the transaction for an Administrative Law Judge (\u201cALJ\u201d) hearing, were motivated by a biased desire to block the deal.\n\nSen. Cruz and House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) sent bicameral letters to Consumer Reports, the Climate Imperative Foundation, and Stacey Abrams\u2019 Rewiring America group.\n\nSen. Cruz led his Senate Commerce Republican colleagues in sending a letter highlighting serious concerns regarding President Biden\u2019s nominee to lead the National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA), Ann Carlson, and her past record of promoting green energy mandates for the automobile industry.\n\nSen. Cruz and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) sent a bicameral letter to Mary Daly, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (\u201cSF Fed\u201d), regarding the SF Fed\u2019s failure to properly ensure the safety and soundness of Silicon Valley Bank (\u201cSVB\u201d) and to comply with congressional oversight requests about SVB\u2019s collapse.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg requesting information related to the Federal Aviation Administration\u2019s (FAA) long-running inability to address congestion and air traffic controller shortages in the New York region.\n\nSen. Cruz and Republican committee members sent a letter expressing concern that President Biden and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg are improperly favoring Northeastern states over the rest of the country with respect to Amtrak Board seats and a large taxpayer-funded rail grant program.\n\nSen. Cruz sent letters to nine Big Tech firms seeking information about coordination with more than 40 government officials who were attempting to flag, censor, and investigate the content and accounts of Americans online.\n\nSen. Cruz led a letter with more than a dozen Senate Republican colleagues to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo urging the administration to strike a number of liberal social policy conditions that were attached to grants for domestic chip production. Few of the requirements on the $39 billion in money, such as requiring applicants to develop plans around mass transit use and affordable housing, were found in the CHIPS Act, a bill enacted last year meant to help re-shore semiconductor manufacturing.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a series of letters to Biden regulators and left-wing environmental advocacy groups seeking information and preservation of documents regarding their role in the Biden administration\u2019s recent efforts to ban gas stoves.\n\nSen. Cruz and Rep. Jim Jordan opened a probe into the Federal Trade Commission\u2019s investigation of Elon Musk\u2019s Twitter takeover.\n\nSen. Cruz called on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to rescind its costly, radical proposed rule to require government contractors to provide extensive information about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to the Department of Transportation\u2019s Maritime Administration (MARAD) seeking information about its lengthy delays in reaching decisions on applications for deepwater ports for exporting oil and natural gas. The letter also urged MARAD to meet its statutory deadlines to make decisions. Currently, four of the seven applications for licenses are for projects located off the coast of Texas.\n\nSen. Cruz sent a letter to social media companies Meta, Google, Twitter, and TikTok launching an oversight investigation into these companies\u2019 use of recommendation algorithms and their reported use of \u201cblacklists,\u201d \u201cde-emphasizing,\u201d and other means of \u201creduced distribution\u201d of content from users, including many conservatives.\n\nSen. Cruz, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) sent a letter to the CEOs of DirectTV and its controlling shareholders, AT&T and TPG, voicing deep concerns about DirecTV\u2019s decision to drop conservative news network Newsmax.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2590", "Balderson Recap: Looking Back at 2023", "2023-12-30", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Troy Balderson", "B001306", "balderson.house.gov", "balderson", "https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=5", "scraper", "This past January marked the beginning of the 118th Congress. With Republicans regaining control of the House of Representatives, we were able to bring oversight and fiscal responsibility back to Washington.\n\nAt the start of the year, I was selected to serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has the broadest jurisdiction of any committee in Congress\u2013from securing our nation\u2019s supply chains to ensuring all Americans have access to quality, innovative health care. The committee stayed busy all year, held 93 hearings, and sent 120 bills to the full House for consideration and passage.\n\nMore importantly, I was able to continue working on behalf of the people of Ohio\u2019s 12th Congressional District. Throughout the entire year, I criss-crossed the district\u2019s 12 counties, holding hundreds of meetings with health care workers, small business owners, and individuals who work every day to improve the world around them.\n\nAs I reflect on 2023 and look onward to 2024, I want to share with you a handful of issues that meant a lot to me this year. These are issues where I have been a leader among my House colleagues, and issues where I believe meaningful progress has been made.\n\nBoosting American Energy and Preserving Consumer Choice\n\nEarlier this year, the House passed H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act. This is House Republicans\u2019 flagship legislation to boost U.S energy production and ensure an abundance of affordable, reliable energy for American families.\n\nThe bill provides meaningful permitting reforms, streamlines the energy export process, and boosts domestic production. Simply put, this bill enables American energy producers to tap into the resources we have right beneath our feet in a timely manner by cutting red tape, instituting concrete timelines for permitting review, and incentivizing energy investment here at home.\n\nRelying on bad actors like Russia and Iran for our energy is shortsighted and reckless. And though this seems like commonsense, the policies coming out of the Biden White House today ignore this reality. If not stopped, the United States will remain dependent on hostile nations to meet our energy needs.\n\nConsumer choice has also come under assault this year. Activist bureaucrats are pushing bans on gas-powered cars and electric vehicle (EV) mandates.\n\nIn March, I joined my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee in introducing the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act (H.R. 1435). This bill passed the House this summer that blocks California from implementing its all-out ban on gas-powered cars beginning in 2035. In order to carry out this ban, they need approval from the EPA through a waiver\u2013our legislation would block the approval of this waiver and prevent this kind of ban in any other state going forward.\n\nI also was a co-sponsor of the CARS Act (H.R. 4468), which also passed the House this year and would prevent the EPA from finalizing a federal rule that would mandate two-thirds of all vehicles sold by 2032 be all-electric. Freedom of choice and the power of the American consumer make the United States the envy of the world. There is nothing wrong with buying an EV if it best fits your family\u2019s needs, but no government agency should have the right to unilaterally take that decision away.\n\nDespite trying to require the adoption of all-electric vehicles, the Biden Administration is pushing to shut down power plants across the country, slashing the capacity to charge the very vehicles they seek to mandate.\n\nTheir top proposal requires fossil fuel power plants to retrofit facilities to cut or capture their carbon dioxide emissions by 2040. The problem is carbon capture has yet to be successfully deployed at commercial level, and it would be prohibitively expensive for energy producers. In fact, this proposed rule would force many coal- and gas-fired plants to permanently shut down to avoid these cost-prohibitive retrofits.\n\nReport after report shows that American energy demand is growing while energy production is shrinking. In order to avoid a future where rolling blackouts and unexpected power outages become the norm, I introduced the Grid Reliability and Resiliency Improvements Act (H.R. 2875), which would provide increased transparency and information on the long-term reliability of America\u2019s electrical grid.\n\nI also joined my fellow Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans in a letter to the EPA administrator demanding the agency extend its public comment period for their strict, costly proposed rules. Over the last year, the Committee has held the Biden Administration accountable for its reckless proposals, conducting a number of hearings where I have been able to underscore the importance of grid reliability with energy experts and agency officials.\n\nPromoting Innovation in Health Care\n\nFor many Ohioans, access to affordable, quality health care can be a challenge. This is particularly true for those who live in more rural parts of the state and the elderly, who may have issues getting to and from their appointments. Telehealth is a critical tool that connects people to their health care providers regardless of their zip code or ability to travel.\n\nTelehealth boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic, and I have been working ever since to ensure that health care providers continue to cover telehealth services and invest in telehealth capabilities.\n\nRemote patient monitoring (RPM) lies at the heart of new, cutting-edge telehealth technologies. RPM lets patients remain in the comfort of home while doctors track their medication adherence and monitor vital signs. This can be especially useful when patients are prescribed opioids.\n\nMy bill, the Remote Opioid Monitoring Act, aims to use this technology to combat the opioid epidemic by helping doctors identify and stop the misuse and abuse of lawfully prescribed opioids, preventing addiction from the outset. Last week, the legislation overwhelmingly passed the House 386-37 and now heads to the Senate for consideration.\n\nI have also introduced the Expanding Remote Monitoring Access Act (H.R.5394), which would ease restrictions on health care providers and allow more seniors to benefit from remote monitoring services. RPM became widely available during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) lowered the threshold for who could be eligible. During this time, we saw just how effective RPM can be at reducing long-term health care costs, improving health outcomes, and increasing options for seniors. My bill would extend the COVID-era rules so more seniors can benefit from this technology.\n\nThe Expanding Remote Monitoring Access Act is still being considered by the Energy and Commerce Committee.\n\nStopping the Border Crisis\n\nIn 2023, the U.S. saw record-breaking numbers of migrants flow across our border. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, there have been 7.8 million illegal immigrant encounters nationwide since President Biden took office. These individuals are drawn to our country because of the Biden Administration\u2019s lax immigration policies and feeble border enforcement.\n\nThe crisis is only getting worse. Just days ago, on December 18th, the southern border saw a record 12,600 migrant encounters in a single day.\n\nBecause of the President\u2019s failure to secure our southern border, we are seeing a surge of deadly fentanyl smuggled across our border. This poison makes its way from the Mexico border to communities across the country\u2013including here in Ohio. In a report released in December, the Ohio Department of Health found that fentanyl was involved in 81% of Ohio\u2019s unintentional drug overdoses in 2022.\n\nThe ongoing crisis at the southern border shows how misguided policy decisions in Washington can have widespread, tragic impacts nationwide.\n\nHouse Republicans immediately put together and passed a border security package when we regained control of the House earlier this year. The Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2), is the strongest border security bill ever put forward in Congress, and it takes a two-pronged approach to fight the immigration crisis.\n\nFirst, it secures the border by resuming construction of the border wall, deploying more border agents, and implementing new technologies to detect illegal crossings.\n\nSecond, H.R. 2 reforms U.S. policies to deter migrants from illegally entering the country by ending catch and release, streamlining the asylum process, ending in executive abuse of immigration authority, and strengthening current law to protect unaccompanied children from human trafficking.\n\nThis immigration package passed the House in May, yet the Democrat-led Senate has ignored the legislation while the White House continues to downplay the border crisis. Going into 2024, I will continue calling on Democrats in Washington to take the border seriously, and I will urge my counterparts in the Senate to follow House Republicans\u2019 lead and pass H.R. 2.\n\nSupporting Israel\n\nFor Israelis and Jewish people across the world, the shock of Hamas\u2019s attack on October 7th was unimaginable. In a matter of hours, terrorists from Gaza invaded Israel to massacre and abduct innocent men, women, and children.\n\nImmediately following the attack, I signed on as an original co-sponsor to a resolution declaring that the United States unequivocally stands with Israel and its people. The resolution condemned Hamas\u2019s brutal invasion and affirms American support for Israel as it continues to defend itself.\n\nIsrael is our greatest ally and friend in the Middle East. That\u2019s why I voted in support of a $14.3 billion security assistance package that provides equipment needed for their ongoing defense. The bill also replenishes American defense stockpiles and allocates funds to evacuate American citizens in Israel.\n\nI also signed on to the Stop Taxpayer Funding of Hamas Act, which would ensure that no American taxpayer dollars will be authorized to Gaza until the President certifies to Congress that these funds will not benefit terrorist organizations and that there are no hostages currently being held in Gaza. If we truly want to stand with Israel, in both our words and actions, then we must not give aid and comfort to the very terrorists carrying out barbaric acts of violence and kidnapping civilians.\n\nLet's Stay Connected\n\nAs always, let me know if I can ever be of assistance to you or your loved ones by calling my office at (614) 523-2555 or sending me an email.\n\nBe sure to update your contact preferences, so I can keep you informed about the latest from Washington, D.C. and across the region.\n\nWishing you and your family a Happy New Year!\n\n###\n\nRelated News\n\nOp-Ed \u2013 Keeping pace with innovation: Empowering Americans in the age of wearables\n\nFebruary 25, 2026 | Posted in Articles\n\nHouse passes Rep. Troy Balderson\u2019s bill to bolster grid reliability\n\nDecember 18, 2025 | Posted in Articles\n\nHouse Passes Balderson\u2019s Reliable Power Act\n\nDecember 17, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nBalderson Joins President Trump for Announcement to Lower Car Prices and Protect Consumer Choice\n\nDecember 3, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nBalderson, Cotton Introduce Bill to Stop Frivolous Lawsuits Blocking American Energy Projects\n\nDecember 2, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-new-years-statement", "Congressman Flood\u2019s New Year\u2019s Statement", "2023-12-29", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2013U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a recorded statement ahead of New Year\u2019s, which is observed January 1, 2024.\n\nVideo of the remarks can be found by clicking here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. The full text of the speech is below.\n\nFriends and fellow Nebraskans, as we enter 2024, I want to reflect on the moments and blessings 2023 gave us.\n\nThere were many highs: House Republicans took control of the House and passed some historic bills, like the Lower Energy Costs Act and the Secure the Border Act.\n\n2023 was my first full year in Congress. I introduced and passed my first bill on a bipartisan basis. My office assisted hundreds of constituents to resolve issues. I traveled around the world to meet with international leaders to strengthen America\u2019s relationships \u2013 and that\u2019s just a few of the most significant moments.\n\nI am so grateful for all the opportunities to serve you in Congress this year. I came to Washington to make life better for everyone in Nebraska\u2019s First District, and together, we can continue work to achieve even more in 2024.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-thompson-travel-southern-border-speaker-johnson", "Congressman Thompson to Travel to Southern Border with Speaker Johnson", "2023-12-29", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Glenn Thompson", "T000467", "thompson.house.gov", "thompson", "https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 On Wednesday, January 3, U.S. Representative Glenn \u201cGT\u201d Thompson and Speaker Mike Johnson along with other Representatives, will travel to Eagle Pass, Texas to visit the border.\n\nThey will meet with state and local officials to discuss the failures of the Biden Administration to enforce border policy and their experience on the ground.\n\n\"At every turn the Biden Administration has failed to address the crisis on our southern border,\" Rep. Thompson said. \"House Republicans have put forth solutions, and this trip will allow us to meet face to face with those brave men and women who serve in Customs and Border Protection, who have been sidelined by failed policies.\"\n\n\u201cAmerica is experiencing the worst border crisis in our history, impacting every community in the country. While President Biden and Senate Democrats are asleep at the wheel, House Republicans will not cease in demanding transformative, immediate solutions to the madness. We look forward to meeting with the brave men and women of law enforcement and the citizens on the frontlines of this crisis who will help shine a light on the disastrous effects of this Administration\u2019s border policies,\u201d Speaker Johnson said.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2023/12/sen-johnson-announces-mobile-office-hours", "Sen. Johnson Announces Mobile Office Hours", "2023-12-29", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", "ronjohnson", "https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) announced that his staff will be available for mobile office hours at the times and locations listed below. These office hours give constituents the opportunity to meet with Sen. Johnson\u2019s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or other federal matters.\n\nNote: Staff-led mobile office hours are closed to press. Recording devices of any kind are not allowed. These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of our constituents.\n\nMilwaukee County Office Hours\n\nTuesday, January 2\n\n9:30 a.m. \u2013 10:30 a.m.\n\nWashington Park Senior Center\n\n4420 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee, WI 53208\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://joewilson.house.gov/media/press-releases/wilson-statement-trump-ruling-maines-secretary-state", "Wilson Statement on the Trump Ruling by Maine\u2019s Secretary of State", "2023-12-28", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "SC", "Joe Wilson", "W000795", "joewilson.house.gov", "joewilson", "https://joewilson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Congressman Joe Wilson issued the following statement:\n\n\u201cThe Trump derangement has appeared again today with the decision by Maine\u2019s Secretary of State to bar Donald Trump from running for President in the state. This undemocratic move is contrary to what Americans should be working for which is to bring our country together with a fair and honest selection where all candidates can participate, especially one that is leading all the polls. It would be outrageous and insulting to the intelligence of any American that he or she should not be able to run without a conviction, as all Americans are presumed innocent until given a full and fair trial.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://malliotakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/malliotakis-announces-winners-high-school-congressional-app-challenge-2023", "Malliotakis Announces Winners of High School Congressional App Challenge for 2023", "2023-12-28", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Nicole Malliotakis", "M000317", "malliotakis.house.gov", "malliotakis", "https://malliotakis.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(WASHINGTON, DC) - Today Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis announced Marta Bekirman from New Dorp High School placed first in the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for New York\u2019s 11th Congressional District for developing the \"Helping Staten Island\" App. Tobias Lin of Coney Island Prep High School placed second for developing the \"Pick Up Share\" app.\n\nBekirman's \"Helping Staten Island\" App was coded using Java, and allows users to locate different volunteering opportunities, both virtual and in person, throughout Staten Island, and track volunteering hours.\n\nI was proud to congratulate Marta for winning our office's Congressional App Challenge two years in a row,\u201d Malliotakis said. \u201cHelping Staten Island would be a fantastic resource for students looking to get involved in our community, track volunteer hours and find ways to give back. When young people volunteer in their communities, they develop essential life skills and a sense of social responsibility that encourages them to be more civically engaged. Marta is extremely creative and I\u2019m proud to recognize her talent along with her efforts to make Staten Island a better place to live, work, and recreate.\"\n\n\"I was not able to access many volunteering opportunities on Staten Island, so I wanted to create a resource that anyone could use to locate volunteering opportunities,\" Marta said. \"The intended audience is students or people on Staten Island who want to help the community become a better place for volunteering.\"\n\nThe runner up, Tobias Lin of Coney Island Prep High School, created \"Pick Up Share,\" an app that assists busy parents who need someone to drive their children to and from school. The app also includes a database of community trusted after school programs and a page where families can donate old uniforms.\n\n\"After witnessing the sheer quantity of emails my mom was receiving regarding busy parents looking for someone to pick up their children from school, I realized that there was nothing out there that would help parents balance their work and parenting at the same time,\" Tobias said. \"I understand that parenting can be very difficult, and many parents may not have the time or energy to take care of their children as much as they would like to due to their jobs. As a result, I set out to design a web application that could help parents all over the world be both better parents and better providers for their children.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://mariodiazbalart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/icymi-rep-diaz-balart-and-rep-mccaul-new-york-post-bidens-energy-plan", "ICYMI: Rep. D\u00edaz-Balart and Rep. McCaul in the New York Post: Biden\u2019s energy plan means lights out for Africa", "2023-12-28", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Mario Diaz-Balart", "D000600", "mariodiazbalart.house.gov", "mariodiazbalart", "https://mariodiazbalart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Op-ed: Mario D\u00edaz-Balart and Michael McCaul\n\nDecember 25, 2023\n\nRead the full op-edhere:\n\nThe Biden administration\u2019s decision to impose oppressive, burdensome restrictions on developing African countries attempting to advance and lift themselves from destitution and dependence is profoundly concerning.\n\nEnergy poverty is at the heart of Africa\u2019s development challenges.\n\nNo country on Earth became prosperous and self-reliant without access to affordable and plentiful energy.\n\nEnergy security is the prerequisite for industrialization, job creation, advanced health care and effective education systems.\n\nProsperity is only possible with ready access to inexpensive energy.\n\nCongress initiated the successful, bipartisan Power Africa program in 2015, with the underlying legislation mandating a commonsense \u201call-of-the-above\u201d energy strategy with both conventional and renewable sources.\n\nRegrettably, the Biden administration has gutted Power Africa with its onerous restrictions.\n\nInstead of leveraging all available tools to pull Africa out of energy poverty, it only allows so-called \u201cgreen-energy projects\u201d to receive US funding and support.\n\nThis policy is simply energy colonialism.\n\nEven worse, it is hypocritical and a huge waste of money and opportunities.\n\nPresident Biden\u2019s unauthorized climate envoy,John Kerry, is flying around the world in jet planes while abandoning the African people to the impossible task of solving their serious energy crises with ineffective and counterproductive solutions: solar panels filled with parts made by forced labor in Communist China.\n\nMost recently he and other administration officials, including Vice PresidentKamala Harris, attended COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, where they pledged billions in taxpayer money to the Green Climate Fund \u2014 a slush fund for special-interest projects with no real oversight that has funded projects in China, the world\u2019s second-largest economy.\n\nThese pledges of billions in taxpayer money invested only in perceived \u201cgreen\u201d projects will do nothing to address the true drivers of pollution \u2014 like China \u2014 or empower the African continent.\n\nWe find it unconscionable the administration is exploiting the continent\u2019s dire needs for investments toward genuine modernization and advancement to appease its special interests and partisan agenda.\n\nIt is wrong to hold still-developing African countries to a standard even the most advanced economies cannot achieve.\n\nThis virtue signaling will have disastrous results for US interests in Africa.\n\nThe burden on Africa is even more absurd when one considers Africa\u2019s current emissions are entirely inconsequential, amounting to less than the margin of error in climate models used to speculate about the effects of climate change.\n\nIn other words, if Africa were to reduce its emissions to zero, the enormous sacrifice that would entail would still have almost no effect on a global scale.\n\nAnd even if African countries tripled their current emissions levels from natural-gas power plants, it would still be negligible compared with China\u2019s continuously growing carbon emissions.\n\nInstead of confronting the world\u2019s second-largest economy, responsible for 27% of global emissions \u2014 more than six times the emissions of the entire continent of Africa \u2014 the Biden administration is holding undeveloped countries to an unfair standard.\n\nChina has shown it\u2019s eager to finance the conventional energy development Team Biden is trying to quash.\n\nBiden\u2019s approach to Power Africa is wasteful, paternalistic and counterproductive.\n\nIt\u2019s wasteful because it devalues critical energy assistance to Africa and diverts it to less useful priorities.\n\nIt\u2019s paternalistic because it dictates oppressive burdens on Africa\u2019s development the United States did not endure during its formative stages.\n\nIt\u2019s counterproductive because it hinders Africa\u2019s advancement while driving countries into the waiting arms of the true problem in climate change: Communist China.\n\nIn the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill for fiscal year 2024, which passed the House in September, there\u2019s a provision to right this wrong.\n\nIf enacted, the bill would simply require the president to return to the balanced approach of allowing countries in Africa to use all tools available to promote energy security and development.\n\nAfter all, the goal of Power Africa is not to mindlessly impose an ineffectual and wasteful climate-change agenda where it does not fit.\n\nMario D\u00edaz-Balart is a US representative for Florida\u2019s 26th Congressional District, a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations and chairman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee. Michael McCaul is a US representative for Texas\u2019 10th Congressional District, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Homeland Security.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-continues-working-to-ensure-usps-fixes-mail-and-newspaper-delivery-issues-in-north-dakota-receives-commitment-to-address-dickinson-delivery-issue-minot-box-repairs", "Hoeven Continues Working to Ensure USPS Fixes Mail & Newspaper Delivery Issues in North Dakota, Receives Commitment to Address Dickinson Delivery Issue, Minot Box Repairs", "2023-12-28", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ND", "John Hoeven", "H001061", "www.hoeven.senate.gov", "hoeven", "https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "Hoeven Continues Working to Ensure USPS Fixes Mail & Newspaper Delivery Issues in North Dakota, Receives Commitment to Address Dickinson Delivery Issue, Minot Box Repairs\n\nSenator Calls on USPS Meet with Communities before Moving Forward with Processing Changes\n\n***Click here for Hoeven\u2019s letter to USPS. Click here and here for USPS\u2019s responses to Hoeven.***\n\nBISMARCK, N.D. \u2013 Senator John Hoeven continued his efforts to ensure that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is fixing mail and newspaper delivery issues in North Dakota, and again called on the Postal Service meet with communities in the state before moving forward with mail processing changes.\n\n\u201cFrom receiving the local newspaper to refilling prescriptions, paying bills, and sending packages to family and friends during the holiday season, our residents rely on the essential services provided by USPS,\u201d said Hoeven. \u201cWe continue working to ensure that USPS is fixing delivery issues and at the same time have reiterated our concerns with proposed changes to mail processing in the state. USPS must meet with the impacted communities to answer any questions or concerns North Dakotans may have about the proposed change before moving forward with any processing changes.\u201d\n\nHoeven has repeatedly raised concerns regarding delayed delivery of mail, packages and newspapers, as well as concerns about proposed changes to mail processing facilities, to USPS officials including, Director of Midwest Processing Operations Kathy Hand and Minnesota/North Dakota District Manager Angela Bye. In response to Hoeven, the USPS:\n\nCommitted to ensure that local newspapers are not sent to Fargo for processing but rather remain within their respective communities for prompt delivery.\n\nCommitted to address delivery issues, particularly with mail and local newspapers, that are concentrated in an area located in downtown Dickinson.\n\nCommitted to repair all USPS-owned cluster box units (CBUs) in Minot, North Dakota no later than January 5.\n\n-###-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-aderholt-announces-winner-fourth-congressional-district", "Congressman Aderholt Announces Winner of Fourth Congressional District Digital App Challenge", "2023-12-27", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Robert B. Aderholt", "A000055", "aderholt.house.gov", "aderholt", "https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) released the following statement to announce the winner of the 2023 Fourth Congressional District Digital App Challenge. The App Challenge is a nationwide contest held in each Congressional District for high school students to develop their own smart phone applications.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to announce that Brilyn Hollyhand of Tuscaloosa has won this year\u2019s Fourth District Digital App Challenge,\u201d said Congressman Aderholt. \u201cBrilyn\u2019s app, called \u201cYour Voice,\u201d helps people quickly register to vote and helps them plan to vote. And it works for all 50 states!\n\n\u201cJust like our annual art competition recognizes and encourages students\u2019 artistic talents on the canvas, the app challenge is focused on talents for the important and growing digital world. I think it\u2019s great that Brilyn used his gifts and abilities to help people exercise one of their most important rights, the right to vote.\u201d\n\nBrilyn is a junior at Tuscaloosa Academy. He provided our office with this quote after learning he had won.\n\n\u201cI couldn\u2019t be more excited to have my app win the 2023 Congressional App Challenge! My app was designed to help people register to vote, and with a major election coming up in just a few short months, it\u2019s such an important time to be talking about this! I\u2019ll be voting for the first-time next November, and I hope this encourages all of my generation to get out and vote!\u201d\n\nIn the coming weeks, Congressman Aderholt will present Brilyn with a winning plaque sponsored by Nine Digital in Tuscaloosa.\n\nYou can watch Brilyn\u2019s demonstration video here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-kicks-60-county-listening-tour", "Rep. Mann Kicks off 60-County Listening Tour", "2023-12-27", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "KS", "Tracey Mann", "M000871", "mann.house.gov", "mann", "https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Manhattan, KS - U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) will kick off his Fourth Annual 60-County Mann Listening Tour on January 2, 2024. Each year, Rep. Mann hosts one town hall meeting in each county in the Big First District of Kansas. Since being elected to Congress, he has hosted 186 town halls.\n\n\u201cFighting for Kansans is my top priority,\u201d said Rep. Mann. \u201cEach year, I host a town hall in every county in the Big First to meet with Kansans. Listening to their comments gives me the marching orders I need to serve them in Congress. I\u2019m grateful for every Kansan who has participated in my past town halls, and I\u2019m looking forward to seeing everyone again this year.\u201d\n\nThe start of Rep. Mann\u2019s 2024 town hall tour will cover 4 days and 22 counties. Details for each stop can be found below, on social media, and on Rep. Mann\u2019s website.\n\nMEDIA RSVP: Media is welcome at all the town halls below. Please contact Michaela Todd at Michaela.Todd@Mail.House.Gov to RSVP or for further information.\n\nTrego County\n\nWHERE: WaKeeney Public Library\n\n610 Russell Ave | WaKeeney, KS\n\nTIME: 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM CT\n\nGraham Count\n\nWHERE: Graham County Auto and Arts Museum\n\n322 W. Main Street | Hill City, KS\n\nTIME: 9:00 AM \u2013 9:45 AM CT\n\nSheridan County\n\nWHERE: Sheridan County Library\n\n801 Royal Ave | Hoxie, KS\n\nTIME: 10:30 AM \u2013 11:15 AM CT\n\nDecatur County\n\nWHERE: Oberlin City Library\n\n104 E. Oak Street | Oberlin, KS\n\nTIME: 12:00 PM \u2013 12:45 PM CT\n\nRawlins County\n\nWHERE: Rawlins County Courthouse\n\n607 Main Street | Atwood, KS\n\nTIME: 2:15 PM \u2013 3:00 PM CT\n\nCheyenne County\n\nWHERE: St. Francis Public Library\n\n121 N. Scott Street | St. Francis, KS\n\nTIME: 4:00 PM \u20134:45 PM CT\n\nSherman County\n\nWHERE: Goodland Public Library\n\n812 Broadway Ave | Goodland, KS\n\nTIME: 4:30 PM \u2013 5:15 PM MT\n\nThomas County\n\nWHERE: Lions Community Center (Henry Hall)\n\n313 Kansas Ave | Brewster, KS\n\nTIME: 7:30 AM - 8:15 AM CT\n\nWallace County\n\nWHERE: The Events Center\n\n404 E. Ramon Street | Sharon Springs, KS\n\nTIME: 8:15 AM \u2013 9:00 AM MT\n\nGreeley County\n\nWHERE: First Farm Bank\n\n522 Broadway Ave | Tribune, KS\n\nTIME: 9:45 AM \u2013 10:30 AM MT\n\nHamilton County\n\nWHERE: Council Room at Syracuse City Hall\n\n109 Main Street | Syracuse, KS\n\nTIME: 11:15 AM \u2013 12:00 PM MT\n\nStanton County\n\nWHERE: Stanton County Public Library\n\n103 E. Sherman Ave | Johnson, KS\n\nTIME: 2:30 PM \u2013 3:15 PM CT\n\nMorton County\n\nWHERE: Morton County Library\n\n410 Kansas Street | Elkhart, KS\n\nTIME: 4:15 PM \u2013 5:00 PM CT\n\nStevens County\n\nWHERE: Senior Center\n\n624 S. Main Street | Hugoton, KS\n\nTIME: 5:45 PM \u2013 6:30 PM CT\n\nSeward County\n\nWHERE: Liberal Chamber of Commerce\n\n(West Room)\n\n4 Rock Island Road | Liberal, KS\n\nTIME: 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM CT\n\nHaskell County\n\nWHERE: Haskell County Courthouse\n\n300 Inman Street | Sublette, KS\n\nTIME: 9:15 AM \u2013 10:00 AM CT\n\nGrant County\n\nWHERE: Grant County Library\n\n(Cooper Clark meeting room)\n\n215 E. Grant Ave | Ulysses, KS\n\nTIME: 10:45 AM \u2013 11:30 AM CT\n\nKearny County\n\nWHERE: Kearny County Courthouse\n\n304 N. Main Street | Lakin, KS\n\nTIME: 12:15 PM \u2013 1:00 PM CT\n\nWichita County\n\nWHERE: Wichita County Library\n\n208 S. 4th Street | Leoti, K\n\nTIME: 2:45 PM \u2013 3:30 PM CT\n\nScott County\n\nWHERE: Spencer Flight Center\n\n300 S. Mesquite Road | Scott City, KS\n\nTIME: 4:15 PM \u2013 5:00 PM CT\n\nLane County\n\nWHERE: Lane County Library\n\n(Community Room)\n\n144 S. Lane Street | Dighton, KS\n\nTIME: 5:30 PM \u2013 6:15 PM CT", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases/reschenthaler-announces-january-mobile-office-hours", "Reschenthaler Announces January Mobile Office Hours", "2023-12-27", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Guy Reschenthaler", "R000610", "reschenthaler.house.gov", "reschenthaler", "https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) announced his staff will hold mobile office hours at various locations throughout Pennsylvania\u2019s 14th Congressional District next month to offer increased assistance to constituents experiencing problems with a federal agency.\n\nDuring these mobile office sessions, constituents can receive help with Social Security and Medicare issues, federal grant funding, passports and visas, immigration and naturalization services, veterans\u2019 benefits, and the IRS.\n\nJanuary's schedule is outlined below:\n\nWhat: Greene County Mobile Office Hours\n\nDate: Thursday, January 4, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. \u2013 4:00 p.m.\n\nLocation: Greene County Office Building, 93 East High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370\n\nWhat: Fayette County Mobile Office Hours\n\nDate: Friday, January 5, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. \u2013 4:00 p.m.\n\nLocation: Fayette County Courthouse, 61 East Main Street, Uniontown, PA 15401\n\nWhat: Indiana Mobile Office Hours\n\nDate: Wednesday, January 10, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. \u2013 4:00 p.m.\n\nLocation: Indiana County Courthouse Annex, 827 Water Street, Indiana, PA 15701\n\nWhat: Somerset Mobile Office Hours\n\nDate: Thursday, January 11, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. \u2013 4:00 p.m.\n\nLocation: Somerset County Planning Conference Room, 300 North Center Avenue, Suite 540, Somerset, PA 15501\n\nWhat: Connellsville Mobile Office Hours\n\nDate: Tuesday, January 16, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. \u2013 4:00 p.m.\n\nLocation: Connellsville Municipal Building, 110 North Arch Street, Connellsville, PA 15425", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://strong.house.gov/media/press-releases/strong-secures-wins-north-alabama-2023", "Strong Secures Wins for North Alabama in 2023", "2023-12-27", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Dale W. Strong", "S001220", "strong.house.gov", "strong", "https://strong.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 U.S. Representative Dale W. Strong (AL-05) released the following update on his work for Alabamians as he reaches the end of his first year in Congress:\n\n\u201cIt has been an honor to serve as your representative in Washington. I am proud of the wins our team has achieved for North Alabama.\n\nAs a freshman member of Congress, I was appointed to serve on three committees that are crucial to the people of Alabama's Fifth Congressional District: Armed Services; Homeland Security; and Science, Space & Technology.\n\nAfter two years of Democrat control in Washington, D.C., Americans are paying the price for their failed policies: wasteful government spending, higher energy costs, skyrocketing prices for everyday goods, an overrun Southern border, weakness on the world stage, emboldening our adversaries, and a federal government backed by Biden to be weaponized against his opponents.\n\nI am proud to say that I hit the ground running with my Republican colleagues to fight for America. This year, the House has passed the most conservative border legislation in history, sliced bloated bureaucratic budgets, and prioritized our men and women in uniform.\n\nWhile we are making progress, we are still fighting an administration that refuses to implement these conservative priorities. Moving forward, I promise to continue fighting for our conservative values, commonsense policies to make life better for hardworking Americans, and our national security.\u201d\n\nCONSTITUENT SERVICES\n\n1,001 constituents served through casework with federal agencies, ranging from passports, VA benefits, tax returns, and many other casework issues constituents have had with federal agencies.\n\nOver $2.83 million in constituent benefits secured and returned to AL-05 by my office.\n\n17,899 individual response letters sent to constituents regarding comments sent to my office.\n\n720 visits to local businesses across all five AL-05 counties to hear their comments regarding issues and legislation that impact them.\n\n15 Mobile Office Hour events held in communities across North Alabama, including: Stevenson, Triana, Ardmore, Falkville, and many more. Be on the lookout for Mobile Office Hours near you in 2024.\n\nKEY LEGISLATION INTRODUCED BY REP. STRONG\n\nFINISH IT Act\n\nThe Biden Administration has forced the Department of Defense (DoD) to spend up to $130,000 a day to store and keep from using materials intended for the border wall, which the Biden Admin has refused to build. This bill would require DoD to use the construction materials to secure the southwest border as originally intended or transfer them to border states for that purpose.\n\nProtecting America\u2019s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act\n\nAs of 2020, Chinese ownership of U.S. agricultural land was over $1.8 billion dollars in value. My legislation prevents the purchase or lease of this land by any individual associated with the government of China or other foreign adversaries.\n\nDHS Biodetection Improvement Act\n\nThe anthrax attacks of 2001 opened our eyes to the threat of bioterrorism. Since then, we have worked across all levels of government to improve prevention, detection, and response capabilities, but work still remains. This legislation will ensure the Department of Homeland Security is fully leveraging every tool at its disposal to protect Americans against the threat of bioweapon attacks.\n\nSTRENGTHENING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY & DEFENSE\n\nThe NDAA provides authorization for funding of every aspect of the U.S. military. This year's NDAA ensures that U.S. military readiness remains at the highest level, combats aggression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), guts the Biden Administration's woke policies & DEI bureaucracy, and increases oversight of U.S. taxpayer dollars to minimize waste.\n\nAs a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I was able to secure several wins for North Alabama in this year's NDAA, including:\n\nHalting further construction of the Space Command\u2019s interim headquarters in Colorado until the completion of two independent reviews into the Biden Administration's unprecedented political reversal of the Air Force's merit-based selection process, which named Redstone Arsenal as the best location for national security.\n\nA 5.2% pay increase for our men and women in uniform, the largest in over 20 years.\n\nThe inclusion of my bill, the FINISH It Act, which will protect our Southern border and cut wasteful government spending by the Biden Administration.\n\nGutting the Biden Administration's DEI bureaucracy in our military.\n\nOver $500 million in funding authorizations for research, development, and the continued improvement of Redstone Arsenal.\n\nMultiple provisions to ensure America remains on the cutting edge of development and maintains dominance over our adversaries.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://donalds.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1382", "Donalds Statement On The 2023 Christmas Holiday", "2023-12-25", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Byron Donalds", "D000032", "donalds.house.gov", "donalds", "https://donalds.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "NAPLES, Fla. \u2013 Today, Congressman Donalds issued the following statement regarding the 2023 Christmas holiday:\n\n\u201cThe Christmas season is a magical time of faith, family, community, and generosity. While Christmas celebrations and traditions have expanded and evolved over time, it is critical that we pause to highlight the true meaning of the holiday: the miracle of the birth of Jesus Christ.\n\n\u201cOur Southwest Florida community is strong, resilient, and most importantly caring. We have come a long way since the historic destruction of Hurricane Ian, but there is still much more to be done. In the spirit of the season, as you and your loved ones gather this Christmas, let us remember to not only Keep Christ in Christmas but help your neighbors who may have fallen upon hard times.\n\n\u201cMerry Christmas! Wishing you a joyous and blessed holiday.\u201d\n\nMore:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/weekly-column/the-christmas-spirit", "The Christmas Spirit", "2023-12-24", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "SD", "Mike Rounds", "R000605", "www.rounds.senate.gov", "rounds", "https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!\n\nAs we celebrate Christmas with our loved ones, we remember the true reason for the season: the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the promise of a loving God who offered to us His only son.\n\nOn Christmas Eve, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the idea of the Christmas Spirit. Many may think of the Christmas Spirit as baking cookies or decorating the Christmas tree. While this is true, the Christmas Spirit also manifests in how we treat one another. The true Christmas Spirit reflects the teachings of Jesus: love one another, share our gratitude for all of the good things in our lives and give back to those less fortunate.\n\nShowing kindness is the Christmas Spirit. Counting our blessings is the Christmas Spirit. Giving back in our communities is the Christmas Spirit. Thanking others is the Christmas Spirit. Helping our neighbors \u2013 strangers, too \u2013 is the Christmas Spirit.\n\nOne of the blessings I\u2019m giving thanks for this Christmas is the service of our brave men and women in uniform overseas. Our service members and their families sacrifice time together on Christmas so the rest of us can celebrate with our families in peace. We owe them a debt we can never truly repay.\n\nI\u2019m looking forward to spending this evening the same as I do every Christmas Eve: hosting dinner at my home in Fort Pierre with around 100 of my family members, including my kids and grandkids. I hope that you are able to celebrate your traditions this Christmas with your family, friends and loved ones.\n\nWishing you and your families a blessed Christmas and a joyful holiday season. It is an honor to work for you in the United States Senate. Thank you for all you to do make South Dakota the greatest place in the world to call home.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://boebert.house.gov/PJASigned", "Pueblo Jobs Act Signed Into Law!", "2023-12-23", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "CO", "Lauren Boebert", "B000825", "boebert.house.gov", "boebert", "https://boebert.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Congresswoman Boebert\u2019s Pueblo Jobs Act was signed into law as part of the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The passage of this bill will provide a much-needed economic boost in the region and create at least 1,000 jobs. This historic piece of legislation is Congresswoman Lauren Boebert\u2019s first bill signed into law.\n\nCongresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) said, \u201cThe Pueblo Jobs Act will create at least a 1,000 new jobs in Pueblo and repurpose billions of dollars of infrastructure from the Pueblo Chemical Depot, providing southern Colorado with a much-needed economic boost. This bipartisan and bicameral effort was locally-driven and crafted from the bottom-up. Special thanks to the local officials, the House Armed Services Committee, and the outstanding individuals at PuebloPlex who worked with me to get this important legislation done.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nOn Friday, the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was officially signed into law by the President. Congresswoman Boebert\u2019s bipartisan Pueblo Jobs Act was a key element of this bill and will create at least 1,000 jobs following the closure of the Pueblo Chemical Depot.\n\nThis legislation ensures that the federal government adheres to the rigorous Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process under the supervision of the Secretary of the Army. This strategic move provides certainty for Pueblo's economic landscape and fosters the creation of future employment opportunities.\n\nBack in 1988, the Base Closure Commission recommended the realignment of the Pueblo Chemical Depot, exempting 7,000 acres, including the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) and additional facilities, from standard BRAC requirements. Congresswoman Boebert's Pueblo Jobs Act closes this loophole, safeguarding the multi-billion-dollar infrastructure investment represented by PCAPP and the additional facilities on the protected 7,000 acres. The bill ensures that this valuable infrastructure will actively contribute to Pueblo's prosperity, rather than facing demolition. With the passage of Congresswoman Boebert's bill, PuebloPlex is already working with industries to harness this remarkable facility for the creation of high-paying jobs in Pueblo.\n\nThe Pueblo Jobs Act, championed by Congresswoman Boebert, mandates the adherence to the standard BRAC process by the Army, yielding several benefits for the Pueblo community. This legislation prevents billions of dollars of infrastructure from being torn down and bulldozed. The bill enables PuebloPlex to access federal grant funding for planning and mitigating the economic impacts of the Chemical Depot closure. The Pueblo Jobs Act allows Pueblo to receive substantial environmental indemnifications, aiding in the redevelopment and reuse of the property. The legislation allows for conveyance of the property at less-than-fair market value for economic development purposes. Collectively, these resources are pivotal in sustaining Pueblo as the Chemical Depot undergoes closure, welcoming new businesses to the area.\n\nSome of the economic development and job opportunities the Pueblo Jobs Act support include PuebloPlex, the Pueblo Memorial Airport Industrial Park, the federal Transportation Technology Center, and the implementation of a regional workforce development project led by local colleges including Pueblo Community College and Colorado State University-Pueblo.\n\nThroughout the legislative process, Congresswoman Boebert collaborated closely with PuebloPlex, Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet, Congressman Doug Lamborn, and the House Armed Services Committee.\n\nThe full text of the Pueblo Jobs Act is available here.\n\nAdditional NDAA Information Courtesy of the House Armed Services Committee:\n\nThe focus of this year's NDAA is on strengthening the military in response to threats from Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China. The bill authorizes $886.3 billion in national defense funding and aims to enhance benefits for servicemembers, including a 5.2% pay increase, allocation of $280 million for new schools for military children, and correction of personnel files for those discharged for not taking the COVID-19 vaccine.\n\nThe NDAA also addresses \"wokeness\" in the military by banning Critical Race Theory, implementing a pay cap on DEI programs, introducing a Parents' Bill of Rights in DoD schools, and cutting climate change programs.\n\nTo address global threats and protect our borders, the bill modernizes the nuclear triad, prohibits sourcing operational energy from Russia or China, prevents the retirement of certain capabilities, increases funding for military construction and logistics, reassesses missile defense posture due to North Korea's ICBM developments, mandates the use or transfer of border wall materials to border states, and addresses threats posed by fentanyl trafficking. Additionally, the bill fully funds the deployment of National Guardsmen in support of Border Patrol activities.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://joewilson.house.gov/media/press-releases/wilson-signing-fy24-national-defense-authorization-act", "Wilson on Signing of FY24 National Defense Authorization Act", "2023-12-23", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "SC", "Joe Wilson", "W000795", "joewilson.house.gov", "joewilson", "https://joewilson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2013 Congressman Joe Wilson, Senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement after the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 was signed into law.\n\n\u201cThis bill represents the commitment of Congress to our service members, their families, and our national security.\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s NDAA supports strategic deterrence initiatives, modernization of our critical weapons systems, and most importantly, the needs of service members and their families. One of the provisions is a 5.2% pay increase for our service members, the largest in over 20 years. As our service members and their families make sacrifices, Congress has the duty to ensure they are taken care of.\n\n\u201cAdditionally, I was grateful that this NDAA included provisions that rejected divisive and unnecessary programs to promote certain agendas. Our military has already succeeded in bringing together people of all backgrounds to serve in the United States Armed Forces and uphold the Constitution.\n\n\u201cAs our adversaries continue to threaten and attack our Armed Forces around the globe, Congress needs to ensure our military is prepared to face the threats of today and tomorrow.\n\n\u201cThe NDAA authorizes critical funding for South Carolina military bases and the missions at the Savannah River Site. With China sharply expanding their nuclear stocks and capability, the U.S. needs to modernize its own nuclear arsenal and its infrastructure to maintain its nuclear deterrent.\n\n\u201cI was grateful to have my legislation expanding mutually beneficial defense and technology collaboration with Israel included in the NDAA. This gives the opportunity for both countries to collaborate on defense projects in areas of emerging technologies, such as AI. With our adversaries looking to surpass us in technology, the U.S. and its allies must be at the forefront.\n\n\u201cAlso included is the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act, which I led in the House. It prevents foreign officials from demanding bribes of American companies and has been referred to as the most significant legislation targeting foreign corruption in over forty years. This provides a vital tool for protecting Americans and American businesses from foreign corruption.\n\n\"As a veteran and father of four sons who have served in the military overseas, I appreciate these victories for our military and am committed to continuing to work for our service members and their families. I am thankful this bill was signed into law.\n\nHighlights of the FY24 NDAA\n\nSavannah River Site (SRS)\n\nIncludes funding authorizations for the missions of the Savannah River Site, including for the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility and modernization of our nuclear triad.\n\nSupports funding for the Tritium Finishing Facility and adds a deadline of December 31st, 2036, for the facility to commence operations, which prevents any unnecessary delays.\n\nAuthorizes funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PiLT) to support schools, emergency services, and county operations in counties surrounding Savannah River Site.\n\nCaring for our Military Service Members and their Families\n\nSupports a 5.2% increase in service member basic pay, the largest pay raise in over 20 years to combat inflation.\n\nExpands Basic Needs Allowance to assist low-income service members supporting a family.\n\nMilitary Readiness\n\nIncreases funding for military exercises ensuring the U.S. military is prepared to fight in any theater.\n\nPrevents the Biden administration from retiring certain weapons systems that are still useful.\n\nDepartment of Defense Support for Border Security\n\nRequires DOD to use or transfer all border wall materials in its possession to southwest border states.\n\nFully funds the deployment of the National Guard to the Southern Border to support CBP officers.\n\nPromoting Defense Research and Development Cooperation between the United States and Israel\n\nAdds $47 million above the President\u2019s budget request to research and develop advanced technology with Israel, which has benefited the U.S., including at our border.\n\nExtends the US-Israel Anti-Tunneling Cooperation Program, which could be used at the Southern Border, by two years.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://nunn.house.gov/2023/12/23/nunn-bill-expanding-parental-leave-military-families-signed-law/", "Nunn Bill Expanding Parental Leave for Military Families Signed into Law", "2023-12-23", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Zachary Nunn", "N000193", "nunn.house.gov", "nunn", "https://nunn.house.gov/category/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "DES MOINES \u2014 U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today announced his bipartisan legislation to expand parental leave eligibility for parents serving in the drilling Reserve or National Guard was signed into law. The Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act, co-led with Representative Jeff Jackson (NC-14), was included in the National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Joe Biden.\n\n\u201cAs a father and current Air Force Reserve member, I\u2019ve experienced firsthand the sacrifices parents make to serve our country. I\u2019m proud that our bipartisan bill has been included in this year\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act to make life easier for military families,\u201d Rep. Nunn said. \u201cThis law will ensure Reserve and National Guard parents have the same access to leave as their active duty counterparts. Any servicemember who serves our country deserves time with their new children.\u201d\n\nThe Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act addresses a disparity under current policies implemented in 2021 that expanded parental leave for fathers and adoptive parents in active duty but did not include drilling members of the Reserve and National Guard. Currently, leave policies for those servicemembers are offered to new mothers but not fathers or adoptive parents. This bill equalizes leave policies for all service members.\n\nThe bill, which was originally introduced on April 13, 2023 at the American Legion in Bondurant, Iowa, passed the House of Representatives on December 14, 2023 and Senate on December 13, 2023 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The President signed the bill into law on Friday, December 22, 2023.\n\nADDITIONAL BACKGROUND\n\nRep. Nunn currently serves in the Air Force Reserve. With six children, including two recently adopted foster daughters, Rep. Nunn has experienced the policy disparity firsthand.\n\nVideo from the press conference announcing the bill can be found here. Text of the legislation can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-s-focus-veterans-2023", "Amata\u2019s Focus on Veterans in 2023", "2023-12-23", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AS", "Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen", "R000600", "radewagen.house.gov", "radewagen", "https://radewagen.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Uifa\u2019atali Amata focused on Veterans throughout 2023, and is providing a year-end summary of the efforts in the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee (HVAC), one of her three Committee assignments in Congress.\n\nAt the start of the year, Amata was named Vice Chairman of the Committee, which is led by Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL.), and she serves on the Veterans Health Subcommittee, her top selection on behalf of American Samoa\u2019s Veterans, as well as the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, tasked with oversight of the Veterans\u2019 Administration (VA). She also served as Chairman of the Women Veterans Task Force.\n\nImage\n\nAt the Coastwatchers Memorial in Honiara - Uifa\u2019atali Peter T. Coleman served in Solomon Islands during World War II aboard a ship assigned to the Army placing and supporting these Coastwatchers\n\n\u201cI so appreciate our Veterans, as they provide leadership in American Samoa throughout our community, and the United States,\u201d said Vice Chairman Amata. \u201cI treasure the opportunity to work on behalf of our Veterans in Congress.\u201d\n\nThrough hearings and legislation, the Committee has directed attention to implementing the major legislative overhaul efforts of recent years, such as the PACT Act, while listening to Veterans at every opportunity and working to improve services in general, health care, and response times, while reducing backlogs, continuing the updates in VA technology, and insisting on VA personnel reforms.\n\nIn January, Amata highlighted nine new Veterans services bills completed at the close of the prior Congress that became law or took effect in January, such as the bipartisan Faster Payments to Veterans' Survivors Act of 2022, which she cosponsored. The others were the bipartisan Guaranteeing Healthcare Access to Personnel Who Served Act, a bipartisan effort addressing gaps in veteran health care to improve VA reach to serve veterans better in hard-to-reach places; The Veterans Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act; The Reaching Every Homeless Veteran Act; The VA Supply Chain Resiliency Act; The Department of Veterans Affairs Provider Accountability Act; The Rural Veterans Travel Enhancement Act; The Post-9/11 Veterans\u2019 Mental Health Care Improvement Act; The Revising and Expediting Actions for the Crisis Hotline (REACH) for Veterans Act.\n\nAlso in January, as she does yearly, she celebrated her announcements of those selected to the prestigious U.S. Service Academies. Also yearly, she visits and tours again our local Eni F. H. Faleomavaega VA Clinic, as she did recently, and meets often with American Samoa\u2019s veterans seeking VA services in Honolulu as well as health officials at Tripler Center.\n\nIn February, as original cosponsor, she took part in introducing the bipartisan Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding (GUARD) VA Benefits Act, to protect Veterans from predatory claim sharks, a bill supported by numerous Veterans national organizations.\n\nIn March, which is when Committees are organized and the schedule is underway, Amata took part in oversight hearings on VA accountability, welcomed a VFW delegation in the congressional office to talk priorities, spoke up about women veterans care issues in a VA oversight hearing, apprised Veterans of congressional oversight to correct inaccuracies on the Korean War Memorial\u2019s Wall of Remembrance, participated in a bipartisan oversight letter to the VA Secretary bipartisan letter to address discrepancies in suicide data and insist on transparency; and highlighted HVAC passage of these four bills: H.R. 502, To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs repays members of the Armed Forces for certain contributions made by such members towards Post-9/11 Educational Assistance; H.R. 815, the RELIEVE Act; H.R. 753, VA COST SAVINGS Enhancements Act; and H.R. 1226, the Wounded Warrior Access Act.\n\nImage\n\nLaying wreaths at the American War Memorial to honor the service of heroes who fought to secure freedom\n\nAlso in March, she visited Service Members, our future Veterans, in touring nine military installations on the U.S. east coast, including each branch of the Armed Forces, and seeing many of our Toa o Samoa.\n\nIn May, the House passed the Veterans\u2019 Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Act of 2023, signed into law in June. This followed the 2023 COLA increase of 8.7 percent, through a 2022 bill, the largest increase in many years.\n\nAlso in May, the House passed H.R. 1669, the VET-TEC Authorization Act of 2023, supporting Veterans educational goals in technology courses, and H.R. 366, the Korean American VALOR Act.\n\nAmata took part in the 25th Annual Women in Military Service Wreath Laying Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in May with the bipartisan Congressional Women\u2019s Caucus, in which each Member of Congress speaks in honor of a selected woman Service Member.\n\nShe also spoke in a joint hearing of two Veterans\u2019 Subcommittees \u2013 she serves on both \u2013 the Health Subcommittee, and Oversight and Investigations, examining challenges in VA health care hiring, staffing, and retaining.\n\nThat month, Congress got a first look at the the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which fully funds the VA plus an $18 billion increase over 2023 in discretionary programs, boosts Pacific deterrence and projects at Arlington National Cemetery.\n\nOn June 12th, Amata highlighted Women Veterans Recognition Day, specifically honoring women who have served in the Armed Forces.\n\nAlso in June she helped introduce as original cosponsor, the bipartisan Care for Compact of Free Association (COFA) Veterans Act.\n\nIn June, leading up to the 4th of July, she visited Normandy\u2019s Wall of the Missing in Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France, specially remembering the heroic service and sacrifice of Henry Saaga enshrined there. He landed on Omaha Beach and fought with valor in the hedgerows, earning the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. She went on to visit several Veterans sites, American military cemeteries, and battle memorials there.\n\nIn July, Vice Chairman Amata helped introduce the bipartisan Veteran Service Recognition Act as original cosponsor, an effort led by Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA), which Amata has supported with public remarks, to help U.S. Veterans who are noncitizen/non-US nationals obtain legal permanent resident status, and assist noncitizen U.S. Service Members in applying for citizenship if desired during basic training.\n\nAlso in July, she highlighted HVAC passage of 11 bills including two she worked for as cosponsor: The Restore Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability Act, H.R. 4278, and the bipartisan Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act of 2023, H.R. 542.\n\nIn a busy July, she also toured Landstuhl Medical Center, an Army medical facility, for input on telehealth and services to geographically remote locations.\n\nThis year, in August, she was able to lay a wreath at the American War Memorial, Guadalcanal, and take a special visit to the Coastwatchers Memorial in Honiara, as Uifa\u2019atali Peter T. Coleman served in Solomon Islands during World War II aboard a ship assigned to the Army placing and supporting these brave Coastwatchers.\n\nIn September, in both a letter to the VA Secretary and in an oversight hearing, she strongly urged adherence to Buy American law and federal policies in buying practices, as this remains a key issue for the U.S. government regarding buying American produced tuna.\n\nAlso in September, Amata co-led introduction of the bipartisan Passports for Purple Hearts Act, to waive fees and specially honor Purple Heart Veterans.\n\nIn November, the Committee released a findings report on the work of the Women Veterans Task Force, chaired by Amata, which led fact finding roundtable meetings with women veterans on their specific challenges in healthcare, educational goals, small business efforts and more.\n\nAlso that month, Vice Chairman Amata congratulated Air Force Veteran Fa\u2019alagiga Nina Tu\u0101\u2019au-Glaud\u00e9 upon her appointment to advise the VA on behalf of local and Pacific region Veterans, putting into effect the legislation that Amata co-led creating this position, H.R. 3730, as an original cosponsor.\n\nOn Veterans Day, Amata observed the federal holiday with a statement thanking and honoring Veterans. Throughout the year she also honored Armed Forces Day and Military Appreciation Month in May, Purple Heart Day, as well as birthdays of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, also commemorating D-Day, the Battle of Midway, and Pearl Harbor Day.\n\nIn December, the House passed three Veterans bills from the Committee, including the bipartisan Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act that Amata cosponsored.\n\nAlso in December, HVAC passed 11 more bills for consideration by the full House, two of which Amata cosponsored: H.R. 1753, Jax Act, named after female Veteran Jaclyn \u201cJax\u201d Scott; and H.R. 522, Deliver for Veterans Act, sponsored by Congressman Jim Moylan of Guam. Work on these bills will continue in 2024 for final passage to be signed into law.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-announces-upcoming-staff-outreach-events-4", "Smith Announces Upcoming Staff Outreach Events", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Constituents of Third District Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) are invited to meet with a member of his staff during the month of January in Harrison, Pawnee City, Chadron, Beatrice, Rushville, Tecumseh, Alliance, and Auburn.\n\nA staff outreach event is an opportunity for constituents to meet directly with a member of Smith's staff about federal issues, receive assistance with a federal agency, or take advantage of the services available through his office.\n\nSmith, who has offices in Grand Island, Scottsbluff, and Nebraska City, will provide a staff member at the following times and locations:\n\nTuesday, January 2nd\n\nSioux County Courthouse\n\n325 Main Street, Harrison\n\n2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. MT\n\nTuesday, January 9th\n\nPawnee County Courthouse\n\n625 6th Street, Pawnee City\n\n11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT\n\nDawes County Courthouse\n\n451 Main Street, Chadron\n\n12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. MT\n\nWednesday, January 10th\n\nBeatrice Chamber of Commerce\n\n218 N. 5th Street, Beatrice\n\n11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT\n\nTuesday, January 16th\n\nSheridan County Courthouse\n\n303 East 2nd Street, Rushville\n\n12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. MT\n\nJohnson County Courthouse\n\n351 Broadway Street, Tecumseh\n\n10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. CT\n\nWednesday, January 17th\n\nBox Butte Courthouse, 1st Floor\n\n515 Box Butte Avenue, Alliance\n\n11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MT\n\nNemaha County Courthouse\n\n1824 N Street, Auburn\n\n10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. CT\n\nFor additional information, please contact Smith\u2019s Grand Island office at (308) 384-3900, his Scottsbluff office at (308) 633-6333, or his Nebraska City office at (402) 874-6050.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-house-senate-lawmakers-demand-supreme-court-block-white-house-eco", "ICYMI: House, Senate lawmakers demand Supreme Court block White House eco actions: 'Set the record straight'", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-senate-lawmakers-demand-supreme-court-block-white-house-eco-actions-set-record-straight\n\nBy Thomas Catenacci - Fox News\n\nFIRST ON FOX: A group of dozens of House and Senate Republicans filed a legal brief Monday to urge the Supreme Court to take up two cases related to President Biden's authority to lock up public lands from resource development and other uses.\n\nIn the brief first obtained by Fox News Digital, the lawmakers \u2014 led by Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., and joined by House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and 26 other lawmakers including three senators \u2014 argued that the president's use of the 1906 Antiquities Act is an example of federal overreach and violates the U.S. Constitution.\n\nThe lawmakers specifically asked the high court to hear both American Forest Resource Council v. United States of America and Murphy Company v. Biden, two cases challenging the expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southwest Oregon. Plaintiffs have argued that the monument expansion was both illegal and caused significant economic damage, particularly to the timber industry.\n\n\"We urge the Supreme Court to hear these cases and send a clear message that the President cannot simply bypass Congress and rewrite our nation's land laws with the stroke of a pen,\" Bentz said in a statement. \"This is about upholding the Constitution, protecting our rural communities, and ensuring responsible management of our public lands.\"\n\nThe Antiquities Act, designed as a federal conservation tool, grants the president broad authority to establish national monuments on existing federal lands. Since taking office in 2021, Biden has established five such monuments in Colorado, Nevada, Texas, Mississippi and Arizona, which have faced opposition from industry, lawmakers and garnered legal challenges.\n\nInvoking the Antiquities Act and establishing a national monument effectively blocks the designated lands from normal uses. Under separate legislation passed in the 1970s, Congress established the so-called \"multiple-use\" and sustained yield mandate, requiring the Bureau of Land Management to open the lands it manages to various uses including energy development like drilling, grazing, recreation and mining.\n\n\"For far too long the executive branch has abused the Antiquities Act to cut off millions of acres of public lands, an action that greatly impacts rural communities across the country and ignores Congress\u2019 directive on how those lands must be responsibly managed,\" Westerman said Tuesday.\n\n\"The president does not have the constitutional authority to lock away our federal land and waters, especially without any local input,\" he said. \"I urge the Supreme Court to take up these two critical cases and set the record straight on the executive branch\u2019s authority when it comes to regulating our federal lands and waters.\"\n\nBut while the two cases are focused on that monument, they have much wider ramifications for future use of the Antiquities Act and national monuments created by Biden over the last two years, according to plaintiffs.\n\nBiden's designation of the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada and Baaj Nwaavjo I\u2019tah Kukveni National Monument in Arizona, for example, have faced opposition that included legal challenges from state governments as well as mining, livestock and agriculture groups.\n\n\"Whether you\u2019re living in southwest Oregon near the illegal expansion of the monument, in Utah where numerous presidential proclamations have placed massive areas off-limits in recent years, or in Washington, D.C., where concerns about the protection of our democracy and constitutional processes are top of mind, this case and its outcome are critical to the future management of our federal lands,\" American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) President Travis Joseph said last month.\n\nIn 2019, after the AFRC sued the federal government over the designation of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, a lower court ruled in favor of the group and said the executive branch lacked authority to override the will of Congress which, in separate legislation, defined sustained-yield timber harvest as the dominant use of public land in Oregon.\n\nThen in July, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision. Months earlier, in April, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals came to a similar conclusion in Murphy Company v. Biden, the second case that Republicans asked the Supreme Court to review.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://buchanan.house.gov/2023/12/two-more-buchanan-bills-signed-into-law", "Two More Buchanan Bills Signed Into Law!", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Vern Buchanan", "B001260", "buchanan.house.gov", "buchanan", "https://buchanan.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan announced that two of his proposals included in the final version of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), have been signed into law. This marks Buchanan\u2019s 31st and 32nd legislative initiatives signed into law since he first came to Congress in 2007.\n\nBuchanan has had four initiatives signed by President Bush, six by President Obama and 13 by President Trump. He has also seen nine legislative proposals signed into law by President Biden so far.\n\n\u201cThese two proposals are going to address the well-being and safety of our active-duty service members and their families,\u201d said Congressman Buchanan. \u201cI\u2019m extremely pleased to see these provisions signed into law and am committed to securing more wins for our country and our community in Southwest Florida.\u201d\n\nThe two Buchanan provisions include:\n\nAn amendment to examine the benefits and feasibility of utilizing black box data recorders in tactical military vehicles to prevent future accidents.\n\nThe Rachael Booth Act (H.R. 975), which aims to fix a gap in current law that prevents some individuals who suffer domestic abuse at the hands of a service member from receiving much-needed financial assistance.\n\nBuchanan\u2019s first provision will evaluate if equipping tactical vehicles with black box data recorders could prevent future military training accidents, previously introduced as the DRIVE SAFE Act (H.R. 4399). Buchanan has been a leading advocate in Congress for reforming current military training procedures and improving emergency response capabilities in Congress after his constituent, Army Specialist Panipinto, died when the M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle he was driving overturned during a road test in 2019 in South Korea.\n\nNumerous safety and training failures contributed to SPC Panipinto\u2019s death, including malfunctions of the vehicle\u2019s communication systems, defective or broken equipment, a lack of medical services on base and significant delays in medical response to the scene of the accident.\n\n\"There just isn't an end to this sadness. Our hearts are forever broken. The only thing we can do now is try to prevent this from happening again,\u201d said Kimberly Weaver, mother of Army Specialist Panipinto. \u201cCongressman Buchanan heard us. He has been relentless in the fight to demand accountability and secure a safer future for our service members. Rollovers account for 63% of military vehicle deaths. Data retrieving devices on tactical vehicles will help to collect accident data and diagnose mechanical failures before they become fatalities or blamed upon the victim who no longer has a voice. We are forever grateful to Congressman Buchanan for his devotion to this cause and the procurement of a safer future for our military sons and daughters.\"\n\nBuchanan\u2019s second provision, the Rachael Booth Act, was named after his constituent from Lithia, FL. She found herself unable to access the financial assistance she should have been eligible for when her husband was convicted of domestic abuse in a civilian court and then discharged from the military on an unrelated offense.\n\nThis new law will help dependents of service members more easily access Transitional Compensation to help them transition to financial independence after the service member has been discharged from the military for a domestic abuse offense.\n\n\u201cThe passing of this Act is an emotional triumph for me,\u201d said Rachael Booth. \u201cKnowing victims will have swift access to the help they need, empowering them with the assistance they need to reclaim their lives is a beacon of hope.\u201d\n\nSenator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who introduced companion legislation in the Senate, said, \u201cThe Rachael Booth Act is a bipartisan, common sense solution to an urgent problem. This law will fix the error that prevented victims whose cases are handled by civilian courts from being eligible for transitional compensation. I am proud to have named this law after a courageous Floridian who shed light on the current system.\u201d\n\nBuchanan had a series of sweeping military training reforms included in the FY22 NDAA that required the Pentagon to implement more realistic training practices, develop stricter enforcement standards and ensure better oversight to prevent future military training accidents and deaths.\n\nIn 2020, Buchanan also offered an amendment to the FY21 NDAA that was successfully signed into law. His amendment required the DoD to examine emergency response capabilities and services currently available at U.S. bases around the world, and to report to Congress on the potential benefits and feasibility of requiring bases to have properly functioning MedEvac helicopters and fully stocked military ambulances.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/following-ciscomanis-urging-va-adds-outstation-sierra-vista", "Following Ciscomani\u2019s Urging, VA Adds Outstation in Sierra Vista", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Juan Ciscomani", "C001133", "ciscomani.house.gov", "ciscomani", "https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Following pressure from U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is opening of a Vet Center Outstation in Sierra Vista, Arizona.\n\nThe announcement of the new location comes after the Vet Center Community Access Point in Cochise County closed in May. In July, Congressman Ciscomani wrote a letter to the VA demanding answers on the closure and pressing the agency for a timeline for the opening of a new location. The shuttering of the access point left the nearest Vet Center more than 75 miles away, creating an immense burden for the 18,000 veterans that call Cochise County home.\n\n\u201cI am pleased to see the VA take concrete steps to open a new location in Cochise County,\u201d said Congressman Ciscomani, a member of the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee. \u201cOur veterans already face onerous red tape when receiving the benefits they deserve, and we must do all we can to eliminate those burdens. Whether it\u2019s reducing wait times, finding more convenient locations, or expanding access to care, I will always strive to find ways to better serve our veterans.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe closure of the Vet Center in May left veterans in Cochise County without convenient, accessible care,\u201d said Army veteran Jane Strain. \u201cThanks to the advocacy of Congressman Ciscomani, the VA recognized the need for a location in Sierra Vista. As a result, our veteran community will once again be able to receive the care they need in an expedient and localized manner.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://crane.house.gov/2023/12/22/media-press-releases-crane-announces-winner-2023-congressional-app-challenge/", "Crane Announces Winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Elijah Crane", "C001132", "crane.house.gov", "crane", "https://crane.house.gov/media/", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) announced Skanda \u201cJai\u201d McCabe as the winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Arizona\u2019s 2nd Congressional District. Jai is currently a 9th Grader at Coconino High School in Flagstaff, AZ. He built his first gaming computer when he was 11 and is very passionate about coding, programing, and hardware development. He plans on using utilizing his gifts to become a computer engineer.\n\n\u201cIt is inspiring to know young individuals like Jai have a passion for coding, programing, and hardware development,\u201d said Rep. Crane. \u201cHis skills and talent will surely help our nation in the future, as we endeavor to preserve America\u2019s security and prosperity by advancing transformative science and technology.\u201d\n\nJai\u2019s app, Notes2, is an innovative and efficient text editing platform that offers users visually dynamic interfaces.\n\nThe Congressional App Challenge is a prestigious prize in student computer science. Participation in the challenge has grown exponentially since the program\u2019s inception.\n\nMost students who win this challenge are just learning how to code a fully functioning app from start to finish.\n\nAs the winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge, Jai will receive the following:\n\nRecognition: Rep. Eli Crane and the Congressional App Challenge community will officially recognize the achievement. The winning app will be:\n\nDisplayed in the US Capitol Building for one year\n\nFeatured on House.gov for one year\n\nFeatured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us\n\nCertificate of Achievement: A formal certificate acknowledging the victory in the 2023 Congressional App Challenge will be presented by the office of Rep. Eli Crane.\n\n#HouseofCode: The winner will be invited to attend #HouseofCode, located at the US Capitol Building, and will take place in April 2024.\n\nARTS Act Copyright Waiver: The winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge is entitled to have their registration fees waived if they elect to copyright their creation.\n\nTo learn more about the Congressional App Challenge, click here.\n\nBe on the lookout for information regarding next year\u2019s competition.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://crenshaw.house.gov/2023/12/crenshaw-s-psychedelic-research-provision-signed-into-law", "Crenshaw's Psychedelic Research Provision Signed into Law", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Dan Crenshaw", "C001120", "crenshaw.house.gov", "crenshaw", "https://crenshaw.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC - Legislation led by Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) to research the use of psychedelics to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) in active-duty servicemembers was signed into law as part of this year\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Originally introduced as H.R. 3684, this provision is focused on ending the suicide epidemic plaguing our active-duty and veteran populations.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve led this two years in a row in the House, and now finally got it into the final bill with the Senate,\u201d said Crenshaw. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled. This will save lives and potentially revolutionize the way we treat all types of PTSD.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe inclusion of psychedelic research in the NDAA marks a pivotal turn in our journey to revolutionize mental health care for our military,\u201d said Amber Capone, CEO and co-founder of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS). \u201cThe unwavering support and dedication of our community, combined with the collaborative efforts of policymakers like Rep. Crenshaw, have been instrumental in achieving this milestone. This is more than a legislative success; it's a beacon of hope, promising innovative and effective treatments for those who have selflessly served our nation.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis legislation is a historic accomplishment for our Country, our servicemembers, and for science. This achievement, coupled with the recent actions of the VA, have shown psychedelic-assisted therapies are moving from theoretical ideas to tangible therapeutic treatments,\u201d said former Congresswoman Mimi Walters, chair of the patient advocacy group, Apollo Pact. \u201cThis will give our active-duty service men and women more options to heal. I commend Reps. Crenshaw & Luttrell on their leadership to bring innovative solutions to the forefront.\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nRetired U.S. Navy SEAL Representative Morgan Luttrell co-led the legislation and offered it as an amendment to this year\u2019s NDAA. Under Crenshaw\u2019s bill, the Secretary of Defense is directed to establish a clinical trial grant program for the use of psychedelic substances to treat PTSD and TBI in active-duty servicemembers.\n\nA recent FDA Phase 3 Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD found that 71% of participants who received three MDMA-assisted therapy sessions no longer qualified for a PTSD diagnosis and 86% experienced a clinically meaningful reduction in symptoms, underscoring the significant impact psychedelic treatment can have on those suffering from trauma-related disorders.\n\nThe bill has a broad, bipartisan coalition of co-sponsors: Reps. Luttrell, Bergman, Van Orden, Zinke, Gaetz, Ocasio-Cortez, Laurel Lee, Mace, Correa, Moskowitz, Khanna, Blumenauer, Trone, and Bill Johnson.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-provisions-signed-law", "Johnson Provisions Signed into Law", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Dusty Johnson", "J000301", "dustyjohnson.house.gov", "dustyjohnson", "https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, two provisions led by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) were signed into law. The provisions would create a congressional charter for the National American Indian Veterans (NAIV) organization and ban the use of LOGINK, a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) state-controlled shipping platform, at U.S. ports.\n\n\u201cSecuring these provisions will protect our imports and exports from the CCP\u2019s spying eyes and ensure our Native American veterans get long-overdue recognition they deserve,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cAfter years of hard work and team effort, I\u2019m glad to see more success for South Dakota.\u201d\n\n\u201cSigning the NDAA into law is important for our country in so many ways and strengthens our military. This bill includes a provision the NAIV has been working on for many years: a provision to grant NAIV a federal charter. On behalf of all of our Native veterans, I want to thank Congressman Dusty Johnson and all the supporters of this section that means so much to the Native men and women who have honorably served for more than 200 years,\u201d said Don Loudner, National Commander, National American Indian Veterans.\n\nLOGINK Background:\n\nLOGINK is used at more than 20 ports worldwide and stores unrivaled data and visibility into global shipping container flows. It\u2019s estimated the CCP and its state-controlled shipping platform have contact with at least half of the global shipping container flows. If LOGINK gained access to U.S. carriers and ports, the CCP would be at an extreme competitive advantage, allowing them to underbid foreign competitors and further increase dependency on Chinese markets.\n\nIn March, Johnson introduced legislation to ban LOGINK. Read the full amendment text here.\n\nNational American Indian Veterans Congressional Charter Background:\n\nCongress grants charters to recognize patriotic and national organizations that operate solely for charitable, literary, educational, scientific or civil improvement purposes. Headquartered in South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Reservation, the NAIV is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for tribal veterans nationwide. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are more than 140,000 Native American veterans in the United States. While congressional charters have been granted to Italian-American, Polish-American and Catholic-American veterans groups, as of today, no Native American veterans\u2019 organization has received one, yet Native Americans serve in our military at five times the national average.\n\nOriginally established in 2004, today the NAIV serves the needs of Native American veterans in all 50 states. NAIV was formed as a result of a request by former Senators Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.) during a Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee hearing in 2004.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/my-weekly-column-supporting-our-police-officers-and-their-k9-partners", "My Weekly Column: Supporting our police officers and their K9 partners", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Our police and law enforcement officers make incredible sacrifices to protect our families and communities and undertake many responsibilities outside of the public eye. That includes caring for police K9s \u2013 which assist officers in seizing drugs, tracking missing people, and detaining criminals \u2013 during their service and after their retirement. These police K9s are vital partners in ensuring public safety and spearheading the fight against crime and the fentanyl epidemic.\n\nIn my conversations with police and sheriffs across the 4th Congressional District on my 36 County Tour, I have learned that officers themselves often cover the expenses of routine veterinary visits and assume other costs. According to some estimates, approximately 40% of the lifetime veterinary expenses for police dogs occur in the last two years of their lives, meaning the handler could expect $5,000 or more in veterinary bills in the final years of a police dog\u2019s life. That\u2019s wrong and requires real solutions.\n\nAt a time when our police forces are still struggling to hire new officers and our law enforcement officers already have enough on their plates, they shouldn\u2019t be expected to spend their hard-earned paychecks on routine police dog care and checkups.\n\nThat\u2019s why I introduced legislation \u2013 the Honoring Police Officer and K9 Service Act \u2013 to help our police cover the costs of maintaining K9s in their departments and ensure that police dogs receive the quality care and treatment that they deserve after a lifetime of service. More specifically, this initiative would establish a $5,000,000 authorization for a grant program within the U.S. Department of Justice to financially assist law enforcement officers with expenses incurred by active and retired K9s.\n\nThe U.S. Attorney General would then award grants to eligible nonprofits that assist owners of former law enforcement K9s with costs associated with veterinary care, medication, or other medical expenses.Any grant recipient would further be required to deliver a detailed annual report to the U.S. Attorney General outlining how grant funds were deployed, and the Attorney General would then submit a joint report of all grant funds to Congress to ensure program accountability, efficacy, and transparency.\n\nI am also glad to report that this legislation enjoys wide support and endorsements from major police and law-enforcement organizations across the country. The National Police Dog Foundation, the National Police Association, the National Sheriffs\u2019 Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the International Union of Police Associations, and Major County Sheriffs of America have all expressed their strong support for this bill. They have specifically underscored how the Honoring Police Officer and K9 Service Act will make a real difference in the lives of police K9s and alleviate financial stress for police departments so that they can focus on doing their jobs and protecting our communities.\n\nOur police and law enforcement officers \u2013 and their K9 partners \u2013 put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities and keep our families safe. I am encouraged that my bill will give our police officers the resources and the peace of mind to protect our families and deliver the high-quality care that police dogs deserve on the job and during retirement. As a strong ally of our law enforcement community, I will always back the blue 100%, which includes our four-legged friends and heroes.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-slams-bidens-border-mismanagement", "Congressman Flood Slams Biden\u2019s Border Mismanagement", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement regarding the reopening of rail crossings on the U.S.-Mexico border.\n\n\u201cClosing rail crossings only to reopen them days later under pressure is just the latest example of Secretary Mayorkas\u2019 mismanagement of border policy. I\u2019m glad he reopened the crossings, however, they never should have been shut in the first place. This decision only added chaos and needless complexity to an already busy holiday season. President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas need to put their focus on getting control of our border and building the wall instead of shutting down transportation that\u2019s critical to our economy.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-christmas-statement-0", "Congressman Flood\u2019s Christmas Statement", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2013U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a recorded statement ahead of Christmas, which is observed December 25, 2023.\n\nVideo of the remarks can be found by clicking here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. The full text of the speech is below.\n\nFriends and fellow Nebraskans, as we enter this season, I want to take a moment to briefly reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.\n\nMore than two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ was born, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.\n\nHis birth was announced to shepherds.\n\nIt was a humble beginning for the Savior of the world \u2013 an unexpected one that shattered the expectation of some that the Messiah would be a politically powerful figure.\n\nTwo millennia later, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus continues to offer hope, grace, and salvation.\n\nAs we gather with family and friends to celebrate Christmas, let\u2019s give thanks for what we\u2019ve received this year.\n\nWe are richly blessed with a country in which we are free to live, work, and raise a family.\n\nIf you\u2019re traveling throughout the holidays, please be sure to watch the weather closely, buckle up, and have fun celebrating!", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://hageman.house.gov/media/press-releases/hageman-statement-extension-comment-period-natural-asset-companies", "Hageman Statement on Extension of Comment Period for Natural Asset Companies", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "WY", "Harriet M. Hageman", "H001096", "hageman.house.gov", "hageman", "https://hageman.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced an extension of the public comment period for Natural Asset Companies (NACs) and provided additional information on these proposed NACs.\n\nIn response to this extension, Rep. Harriet Hageman stated \u201cThe SEC tried to quickly sneak NACs past Congress and the American public. Thirty-one members of the House of Representatives joined me in a letter demanding a longer public comment period than the ridiculous 21 days originally provided. I am happy to report that today the SEC quietly published an order extending the deadline for comments on the proposed NAC rule. The order issued by the SEC sets forth additional information and addresses concerns regarding how NACs would operate and areas of inquiry. A link to the SEC\u2019s order can be found here - I encourage all of you to weigh in on this potentially devastating effort to securitize our national heritage lands and private property rights!", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-washington-examiner-china-capitalizing-hamas-terrorist-attacks", "Hinson in the Washington Examiner: China is capitalizing on Hamas terrorist attacks", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Rep. Ashley Hinson\n\nThe Washington Examiner\n\nDecember 22, 2023\n\nLast year, I visited Israel with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. I met wonderful Israelis, including at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, which was savaged by Hamas on Oct. 7, and was struck by how they lived under constant fear of attack each day. That constant dread became reality earlier this year, when Hamas launched its brutal terrorist attacks against Israel.\n\nFollowing the horrific attacks on innocent Israeli citizens at the hands of Hamas terrorists, freedom-loving countries and moral people everywhere rightly condemned Hamas and shared their support for Israel. However, communist China did not let this crisis go to waste. The Chinese Communist Party capitalized on the death and destruction to prop up Hamas terrorists, gain favor from Iran and its proxies, and sow division within the United States.\n\nIn its first statement following the strikes, China urged both sides to \u201cexercise restraint\u201d and \u201cremain calm\u201d without so much as mentioning the innocent Israelis who were brutalized and murdered by Hamas terrorists. This did not come as a shock, given the CCP\u2019s genocide against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.\n\nChina\u2019s conciliatory tone toward Hamas is part of its larger strategy to displace and undermine American global leadership, particularly in the developing world. China\u2019s growing engagement in the Middle East has been calculated. From its predatory lending practices in African countries struggling with jihadi insurgents and armed militias to building significant trade relationships with anti-democratic dictators, the CCP has long been working to tip the global geopolitical scales in its favor.\n\nMost concerning is the rising friendship between China and Iran, and both have a vested interest in seeing America\u2019s foreign policy objectives fail. In true \"the enemy of my enemy is my friend\u201d fashion, China and Iran\u2019s relationship capitalizes on their shared anti-Western ideologies. China is the No. 1 buyer of Iranian oil, meaning Iran gets to sell its oil and avoid U.S. sanctions while China gets to buy it at a discount, saving billions. Chinese ports serve as major destinations for Iranian tankers conducting illicit trade, also in violation of U.S. sanctions.\n\nShortly after Hamas\u2019s terrorist attacks, the CCP dispatched diplomats across the Middle East. This was not only an attempt to cast itself as a peace broker on the world stage but to degrade America\u2019s effective diplomacy in the region following the success of the Abraham Accords. Naturally, CCP diplomats discredited Hamas\u2019s brutality and refused to condemn Iran, its major oil supplier and partner in chaos, and its influence and funding for Hamas.\n\nChina\u2019s opportunistic response is not confined to Iran and its proxies in the Middle East. The CCP has also attempted to sow discord here at home in the U.S. The CCP has intentionally promoted anti-Israel, pro-Hamas content on TikTok, targeting young people who get their news from this dangerous app. The People\u2019s Forum, a \u201cnonprofit\u201d organization with dubious ties to the CCP, is reportedly backing pro-Hamas protests across the U.S. in support of a ceasefire that would undermine Israel\u2019s necessary ground offensive and American efforts to bring hostages home safely.\n\nChina has a vested interest in Iran, through its terrorist proxies, achieving its goal of destroying the Jewish state of Israel and eliminating America\u2019s closest and most important ally in the region. We cannot allow the CCP to take the moral high ground publicly while actively supporting Hamas, meddling in American politics, and working to subvert U.S. diplomacy abroad. Standing with Israel means calling out the supporters and enablers of the Oct. 7 massacre \u2014 and anyone who refuses to denounce them.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://miller.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-colleagues-send-letter-biden-impact-recent-houthi-attacks-global-trade", "Miller, Colleagues\u00a0Send\u00a0Letter to\u00a0Biden on the Impact of Recent Houthi Attacks on Global Trade", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "WV", "Carol D. Miller", "M001205", "miller.house.gov", "miller", "https://miller.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) led a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to neutralize recent threats and attacks from an Iranian-backed militia, known as the Houthis, on trade cargo ships in the Red Sea near Yemen. The letter also urges the Biden Administration to work with our international partners to secure our trade lanes. These attacks have caused many major trade companies to redirect their cargo shipments which delays arrivals and increases costs for consumers.\n\nClick HERE for the full letter.\n\nJoining Congresswoman Miller in sending the letter are Representatives Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Randy Weber (R-TX), Cory Mills (R-FL), Mike Carey (R-OH), Nick LaLota (R-NY), August Pfluger (R-TX), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), and Claudia Tenney (R-NY).\n\nOn the attacks by Houthi\u2019s on the global trade market in the Red Sea:\n\nWhile the world remains stunned by the senseless violence committed by Iran-backed militias in Israel, Iran has stepped up their international attacks by having the Houthis, an Iran-backed militia group in Yemen, send shockwaves through the global trade market by attacking global shipping in the Red Sea, near the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal and Red Sea provide passage to about 12% of the world\u2019s seaborne oil and 8% of its liquefied natural gas. As much as 8.2 million barrels per day of crude oil and oil products traversed the Red Sea from January to November of 2023 and 20% of all shipping containers globally rely on safe passage through it. The route through the Suez Canal is also the most direct route used to ship goods between Europe and Asia.\n\nOn the impact of Houthi\u2019s attacks on the global supply chain and rising shipment times and costs:\n\nThese attacks have forced trade giants, such as BP and Maersk, to suspend passage through the Suez Canal and opt to direct their ships around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, a substantially longer and more expensive journey. Experts have estimated that traveling from Asia to Northern Europe around the Cape of Good Hope extends journey times from 31 to 40 days. This amounts to tens of millions of dollars being unnecessarily spent by companies to travel around the Cape of Good Hope, just to avert potential violence in the Suez Canal. The cost of this journey is unfairly passed on to consumers through increased prices. The Brent benchmark, a measure used to price more than three-quarters of the world\u2019s traded oil, shows crude prices rose 1.6% within the first week of the Houthi attacks. Trade experts around the world have predicted substantial ripple effects across the global supply chain if the threat in the Red Sea is not neutralized within days.\n\nOn the impact of trade relations with Egypt and the stability of global trade:\n\nWe are cautiously optimistic that your initiative to spearhead the multinational task force to protect commercial passage will be successful and we compel the administration to take all necessary steps to ensure safe passage and encourage foreign nations to engage as well, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Egyptian economy relies on the Suez Canal for 25% of its earnings and has already seen traffic drop 35%, worsening the financial crisis the country was already seeing. Further disruptions to trade through the Suez Canal could send Egypt, a key partner in ensuring peace in Israel and Gaza, into chaos. It is imperative that the Houthi violence is nullified in order to ensure the stability of global trade and the global economy. We look forward to quick and decisive action regarding this threat.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-attends-cop28-and-advocates-iowa-farmers", "Miller-Meeks Attends COP28 and Advocates for Iowa Farmers", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Mariannette Miller-Meeks", "M001215", "millermeeks.house.gov", "millermeeks", "https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (IA-01) joined the bipartisan Energy and Commerce delegation to COP28 to advocate for Iowa and agriculture issues. This historic, bipartisan Congressional delegation (CODEL) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates was led by Energy and Commerce Committee Vice Chair Kelly Armstrong (R-ND).\n\n\u201cWe have a story to tell, and I was honored to represent our district and our agricultural priorities at COP28,\u201dsaid Miller-Meeks. \u201cAt COP, I had the opportunity to speak at the U.S. Pavilion to discuss how Iowa farmers help fuel the world with lower carbon, cleaner emissions liquid fuels. In Iowa, we are taking advantage of the geographic composition and natural attributes of our state to support the entire gamut of renewables, from wind to solar to ethanol, biodiesel, biomass, manure, and compressed renewable natural gas and hydropower. I was also able to mention how our farmers across Iowa and the United States are the backbone of this country and our economy. I highlighted how Iowa is a leading producer of soybeans, corn, pork, and eggs in the United States, even while reducing fertilizer and pesticide use with adoption of sustainable regenerative Ag practices.\n\nI am excited to continue to tell the story about how we are a role model creating energy systems to reduce emissions to secure a cleaner, healthier planet for generations to come.\n\nClick here for the top photos from the historic, bipartisan Congressional delegation.\n\nClick here to read Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks\u2019 column on COP28 featured in the Iowa Torch.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://nunn.house.gov/2023/12/22/nunn-leads-iowa-delegation-letter-calling-biden-mayorkas-stop-saddling-iowas-0/", "Nunn Leads Iowa Delegation in Letter Calling for Biden, Mayorkas to Stop Saddling Iowa\u2019s Farmers with Results of Failed Border Policies", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Zachary Nunn", "N000193", "nunn.house.gov", "nunn", "https://nunn.house.gov/category/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "DES MOINES \u2014 U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) led the Iowa congressional delegation in a letter urging President Joe Biden and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to secure the border in response to a decision to suspend major rail crossings on the southern border. These rail crossings are critically important for transporting Iowa\u2019s agricultural products, which support roughly one million U.S. jobs and 31 percent of American farm income.\n\n\u201cLet us be clear: this punitive move to harm America\u2019s farmers will exacerbate the pain already felt by families across the country because of the border crisis you caused,\u201d said the legislators. \u201cWe, therefore, urge you to establish operational control of these passes to reopen the flow of legal goods as quickly as possible.\u201d\n\nOn Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection closed rail crossings between Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. More than one third of the nation\u2019s business with Mexico is exchanged between Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. For every day the railways are closed, 60 trains sit idle and 4,500 Union Pacific rail cars face delay, contributing to the embargo of grain and other goods.\n\nSince the beginning of the Biden Administration, more than 6.4 million illegal immigrants have poured over the southern border and into our country. Failed policies have allowed a flood of illegal immigrants to enter our country, creating a national security and humanitarian crisis. Taxpayers are funding assistance, transportation and other services for those illegally entering our country. Cartels are exploiting the open border to traffic vulnerable people and illicit drugs that impact communities across the country.\n\nText of the letter can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://nunn.house.gov/2023/12/22/nunn-leads-letter-urging-year-round-e15-sales/", "Nunn Leads Letter Urging for Year-Round E15 Sales", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Zachary Nunn", "N000193", "nunn.house.gov", "nunn", "https://nunn.house.gov/category/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "DES MOINES \u2014 U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today led the Iowa Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in a letter urging President Joe Biden to allow for the expanded, year-round sale of E15.\n\n\u201cIowa leads the nation in the production of biofuels thanks to our hardworking farmers and biofuel producers,\u201d said the representatives in the letter. \u201cAny delays in securing permanent, year-round E15 sales punishes Americans and farmers who have already faced record inflation, fuel prices, and market uncertainty as a result of your Administration\u2019s economic policies.\u201d\n\nNearly every other row of corn grown in Iowa is used to create biofuels. Each day, our farmers provide access to homegrown fuel across the nation and the world. The biofuels industry supports countless jobs, reduces prices at the pump, and provides billions of dollars in exports.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-supports-amicus-brief-concerning-antiquities-act-relation-primnm", "Amata Supports Amicus Brief Concerning Antiquities Act in Relation to PRIMNM", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AS", "Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen", "R000600", "radewagen.house.gov", "radewagen", "https://radewagen.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Uifa\u2019atali Amata on Thursday filed a letter in support of the amici brief (here) in the Supreme Court concerning abusive use of the Antiquities Act, which has been used to create and expand the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM).\n\n\u201cThe PRIMNM was over the size of California when first created, then expanded to four times that, and now proposals exist to make it as large an area as the United States,\u201d said Congresswoman Amata. \u201cIt is just abusive to take away an area of waters the size of our country and potentially remove all our fishing rights in this immense area. I encouraged the Court along with my 28 congressional colleagues to oppose expansion and curb such abuses.\u201d\n\nCongresswoman Amata\u2019s letter to the Supreme Court of the United States supports a Congressional Amici Curiae Brief filed in the matters of American Forest Resource Council v. the United States of America and Murphy Company v. Biden.\n\nCongresswoman Amata\u2019s letter states: \u201cAs Congresswoman of American Samoa and a Congressional Western Caucus Member and Vice Chair whose jurisdiction has been impacted by the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument creation and expansion I join my 28 Congressional colleagues in support of the Amici Brief related to Antiquities Act abuses.\u201d\n\nShe continues, \u201cAn Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court supporting the limiting of presidential authority under the Antiquities Act was filed in support of the petitions for writ of certiorari urging the Supreme Court to review American Forest Resource Council v. the United States of America and Murphy Company v. Biden. The brief is linked herein\u2026 Thank you.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-welcomes-98418-ascjpa-grant-doj", "Amata Welcomes $98,418 ASCJPA Grant from DOJ", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AS", "Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen", "R000600", "radewagen.house.gov", "radewagen", "https://radewagen.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Uifa\u2019atali Amata is welcoming this week\u2019s notice of a grant of $98,418 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP) to the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency for efforts to prevent juvenile delinquency.\n\n\u201cCongratulations to CJPA Director Mariana Timu-Faiai along with her team for the work these federal funds support on behalf of our youth and their successful application efforts,\u201d said Congresswoman Amata.\n\nThe grant description states, \u201cAmerican Samoa is a family-oriented territory. It is the goal of the government to empower the cultural values of aiga-family to counsel, guide, and protect the younger generation. The foundation of programs under the Title II Formula Grant in American Samoa focuses on keeping juveniles out of the system and promoting positive youth development through activities such as sports that the youth enjoy. The Designated State Agency ensures that procedures and protocols within the American Samoa Juvenile Justice System comply with the core requirements of the Title II Act as documented and reported in the territorial Compliance Monitoring Manual. The goals of the local government align with the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention mission to treat children as children.\u201d\n\nCongress funded the DOJ in 2023 through the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, followed by short-term government funding extensions.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/merry-christmas-amata-1", "Merry Christmas from Amata", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AS", "Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen", "R000600", "radewagen.house.gov", "radewagen", "https://radewagen.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Uifa\u2019atali Amata released a message in celebration of Christmas.\n\nImage\n\nWhite House Christmas ball 2023 with President and First Lady Biden, Congresswoman Amata and her son in law Aleksi Aleksiev\n\n\u201cHave a merry Christmas! \u2018A merry heart does good like a medicine,\u2019 (Proverbs 17:22). Once again, this December has been a busy stretch in Washington as Congress continues the rest of the appropriations work for 2024,\u201d said Congresswoman Amata. \u201cIt was great news that on December 14th, we completed final passage of the NDAA, authorizing a well-deserved 5.2 percent pay raise for our men and women in the military. To each of our Toa o Samoa, and our military families, thank you! We\u2019ll be thinking of those of you stationed away from home during the holidays.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis season is a celebration of joy, peace, and hope, but most of all, the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ,\u201d she continued. \u201c\u2018A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed,\u2019 (Proverbs 11:25 NIV). May we remember charity, and take special joy in our families, friends, and many blessings this year. God bless American Samoa, the United States, and all our homes this Christmas.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://steil.house.gov/media/press-releases/steil-election-integrity-legislation-signed-into-law", "Steil Election Integrity Legislation Signed into Law", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Bryan Steil", "S001213", "steil.house.gov", "steil", "https://steil.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) today released a statement following his legislation to extend the Federal Election Commission\u2019s (FEC) Administrative Fine Program being signed into law. The law extends the program for certain reporting violations for an additional 10 years and ensures the FEC enforcement operations continue to run smoothly.\n\n\"In 2023, a year of divided government, only 27 bills the House passed were signed into law. I\u2019m proud that my common-sense election integrity bill was one of them,\u201d said Steil. \u201cThis law ensures the FEC is well equipped to provide more transparency for the American people. Not only does this law accomplish the immediate goal of efficient campaign finance regulation, but it also aligns with the broader objectives of the American Confidence in Elections Act. I look forward to continuing our work to strengthen Americans' confidence in our elections.\"\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Federal Election Commission, commonly referred to as the FEC, enforces federal law that requires political committees to file reports of receipts and disbursements by a certain date.\n\nUnder the Administrative Fine Program, the FEC can swiftly resolve infractions related to late-filed or unfiled reports, ensuring transparency and accountability.\n\nThat Administrative Fine Program was set to expire on December 31, 2023. Steil\u2019s law extended the program for an additional 10 years, ensuring the FEC can expeditiously assess and enforce fines against campaign committees for their late-filed or unfiled reports.\n\nBefore the inception of the Administrative Fine Program, an average of 21 percent of campaign finance reports were filed late. Now, late filed reports are below 10 percent, and the agency has assessed over $9 million in fines.\n\nThis legislation was sponsored by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chair of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and Sen. Deb Fisher (R-NE), Ranking Member of that committee, and passed the Senate by voice vote.\n\nThe Committee on House Administration reported out by voice vote an identical measure, H.R. 5734, which was sponsored by Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI01) and Ranking Member Joseph D. Morelle (D-NY25) The president signed S. 2747 into law on December 19, 2023.\n\nCLICK HERE to read the law.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://steube.house.gov/press-releases/u-s-rep-greg-steube-announces-pine-view-students-win-2023-congressional-app-challenge/", "U.S.\u00a0 Rep. Greg Steube Announces Pine View Students Win 2023 Congressional App Challenge", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "W. Gregory Steube", "S001214", "steube.house.gov", "steube", "https://steube.house.gov/category/press-releases/page/", "scraper", "U.S. Rep. Greg Steube Announces Pine View Students Win 2023 Congressional App Challenge\n\nThe Team\u2019s SmartVolly App is a \u201cSmart Fire Extinguisher Protecting Your Home 24/7\u201d\n\nLeft to Right: AP Statistics Teacher and Entrepreneur Club Sponsor Dr. Mark Mattia, Kuentsen Dorji, Henry Zhou, Marlowe Meredith, Pine View Principal Dr. Stephen P. Covert", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cruz-demands-answers-about-temporarily-shuttered-international-railway-crossings-in-texas-diverted-cbp-resources-to-process-illegal-aliens", "Cruz Demands Answers About Temporarily Shuttered International Railway Crossings in Texas, Diverted CBP Resources to Process Illegal Aliens", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2013 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) sent a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, demanding answers about U.S. Customs and Border Protection\u2019s decision to temporarily close two international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, and divert CBP resources to help process illegal aliens, who are unlawfully entering the U.S. in record numbers. Sen. Cruz asked for answers about who made these decisions, what led to the decisions, and how CBP plans to prevent this from happening again.\n\nClosing these international railway crossings delayed hundreds of thousands of tons of consumer and agriculture goods from traveling between the U.S. and Mexico. This is the second time since September that DHS has closed an international bridge in response to uncontrolled numbers of illegal aliens.\n\nIn the letter, Sen. Cruz wrote,\u201c\u2026by shutting down legal border crossings to accommodate the surge of illegal aliens flooding the border at Eagle Pass, you have created a national security threat of the highest degree. You are also signaling to the world that the United States government\u2014and certainly your Department\u2014will put the interests of foreign citizens over the needs of American people and businesses. Furthermore, by ceding operational control of our southern border to criminal cartels that are ferrying terrorists, drugs, and dangerous criminals, you have effectively turned Border Patrol into a travel agency rather than a law enforcement organization. It goes without saying that this is an outrage and a total breakdown of law-and-order.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-delegation-continues-push-for-federal-re-approval-of-the-ambler-access-project", "Alaska Delegation Continues Push for Federal Re-Approval \r\nof the Ambler Access Project", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=15", "scraper", "Anchorage, Alaska\u2014 U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) today sent a letter to Secretary Deb Haaland expressing their disappointment and frustration with the Department of the Interior\u2019s (Department) politicization and continued delay of the Ambler Access Project (AAP), which is needed to facilitate road access to the world-class Ambler Mining District in northwest Alaska.\n\nThe delegation\u2019s letter coincides with the closure of the public comment period for the Bureau of Land Management\u2019s (BLM) draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the AAP, which was necessitated by the Department\u2019s decision last year to seek a voluntary court remand of the permits issued to the project. Despite claiming its supplemental analysis would be complete this year, the Department is already months behind schedule.\n\n\u201cBoth Alaska and the nation need the jobs, revenues, and minerals that the AAP would facilitate access to. ANILCA mandates this project\u2019s approval, and BLM\u2019s extensive analysis indicates that it can be responsibly constructed with reasonable protections. Approving the AAP would deliver significant economic and security benefits for Alaska and the U.S. Rejecting the AAP, or approving it in a non-viable manner, would cost us those benefits, prolong our deep dependence on foreign minerals, and magnify the vulnerabilities and atrocities associated with it.\u201d\n\nIn their letter, the delegation explained how Congress intended the AAP to receive expeditious approval:\n\n\u201cInstead of lifting [Public Land Orders], however, BLM has left them in place. Instead of the one- to two-year process envisioned and required by ANILCA, the AAP is now in its eighth year of federal permitting. Instead of the analysis prescribed by ANILCA, BLM remains involved and is now voluntarily in the midst of an SEIS. Further, despite your testimony earlier this year\u2026assuring Congress that the SEIS was on track, and the schedule the Interior Department provided to the courts when seeking a voluntary remand, BLM has failed to keep the schedule and has fallen months behind, making it impossible to complete this process by the end of calendar year 2023.\u201d\n\nThe delegation criticized the 1,283-page draft SEIS for exceeding the scope of the court\u2019s remand. Despite telling the court that the agency would primarily focus on two specific considerations, BLM has reopened nearly its entire analysis, seeking to magnify the potential environmental impacts of the project while minimizing discussion of its economic benefits.\n\n\u201cWe urge BLM to recognize the AAP, which has not yet been constructed, is clearly not responsible for existing fish and wildlife declines. The AAP\u2019s proponents have committed to robust mitigation measures that will help avoid impacts to local resources, and the draft SEIS must recognize that restricted-use haul roads in Alaska can and historically have been carefully constructed and operated to protect the surrounding environment.\u201d\n\nThe delegation next pointed to the urgent need for domestic sources of the minerals within the Ambler Mining District, which include copper, cobalt, gallium, and germanium. Projects to develop those minerals will be subject to a separate permitting process, but none will be able to proceed without a private haul road to transport ore to the Dalton Highway.\n\n\u201cWhile the U.S. has no apparent strategy to ensure a stable domestic supply of these commodities, the Ambler District conveniently contains deposits with all four of them. The Department should thus regard the AAP as strategic infrastructure that can be safely built while simultaneously boosting Alaska\u2019s economy, strengthening our national security, and preventing the energy transition from being abruptly derailed.\u201d\n\nThe delegation also knocked BLM for the broader impacts of its interminable permitting process.\n\n\u201cWhen this administration took office in January 2021, the AAP was fully approved, a right-of-way grant had been issued to the project proponent, and regional stakeholders were able to engage in negotiations on a specific, well-defined project. Three years later, BLM\u2019s permitting process is having a deleterious impact on Alaskans\u2019 ability to understand what this project is, where and how it will be constructed, how it will functionally be operated, and how the environment will be protected through mitigation measures and related protocols.\u201d\n\nThe delegation closed its letter by urging BLM to approve a new Record of Decision (ROD) for the AAP in the second quarter of 2024, to select Alternative A as its preferred alternative, and to ensure the project is approved in an economically viable manner.\n\nThe delegation\u2019s letter is available here.\n\nThe Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980 guarantees a right-of-way (ROW) across federal lands to provide access to the Ambler Mining District. Federal permitting for the AAP began in 2015 and included a rigorous environmental review and environmental and economic analysis (EEA). After holding 18 public meetings and considering over 3,000 unique public comments, in July 2020, the Secretaries of the Interior and Transportation signed a ROD selecting the Northern Alignment as the approved route for the road. That same month, after holding 21 public meetings and reviewing over 21,000 public comments, BLM and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) signed a joint ROD choosing Alternative A as the preferred alternative; subsequently BLM and National Park Service issued a 50-year ROW permit for the AAP.\n\nIn February 2022, DOI sought a voluntary court remand to conduct an SEIS for the AAP. President Biden held a roundtable on \u201cSecuring Critical Minerals for a Future Made in America\u201d on the very same day\u2014failing to recognize that the Ambler Mining District is one of the nation\u2019s best options to produce them, but foreshadowing his administration\u2019s incoherence on this issue.\n\nThe court agreed to DOI\u2019s remand request in May 2022, but placed conditions on it to ensure it would move forward expeditiously. In June 2023, Secretary Haaland testified to Congress that permitting would be completed by the end of the year, but just days later, the administration filed a court brief announcing a delay for a new ROD until mid-2024.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-welcomes-closure-of-loophole-in-russia-seafood-ban", "Murkowski Welcomes Closure of Loophole in Russia Seafood Ban", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=15", "scraper", "Anchorage, Alaska \u2013 Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today released the following statement after President Joe Biden signed a new Executive Order, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury released new guidance and determinations, clarifying and affirming the U.S. prohibition on Russian-origin seafood imports regardless of where processing occurs.\n\n\u201cIn the midst of a truly difficult time for Alaska\u2019s fishermen, these are stabilizing steps that will help end Russia\u2019s evasion of sanctions and China\u2019s dumping of overharvested Russian fish onto American markets. That, in turn, will help seafood prices recover, restore balance and basic fairness to markets, and cut off a key source of funding for Putin\u2019s catastrophic war in Ukraine, all at the same time,\u201d Murkowski said. \u201cI want to commend the relentless and dogged advocacy of Senator Dan Sullivan and other Alaskans who have led on this charge to protect Alaska\u2019s fishing industry, and thank the Biden administration for coming around and seeing the wisdom in addressing Russia\u2019s malign behavior.\u201d\n\nRussia has maintained a one-sided ban on U.S. seafood imports since 2014. Following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia began to flood the international market with underpriced seafood to help fund its bloody war against an innocent nation. In response, President Biden issued Executive Order 14068 in March 2022, blocking the import of Russia seafood. Russia, however, has largely bypassed those sanctions by reprocessing its seafood harvest in China, making it a product of China for the purposes of U.S. country-of-origin labeling. China then exports those stocks to the United States, undermining the sanctions regime, domestic markets, and the hardworking Alaskan fishermen who sustainably harvest seafood. The Executive Order signed today amends EO 14068 to clarify that Russian-origin seafood import are banned even when that seafood is processed in another country.\n\nThe Executive Order can be read here. More information about Treasury\u2019s guidance and determinations is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-releases-2023-festivus-report-on-government-waste/", "Dr. Rand Paul Releases 2023 \u2018Festivus\u2019 Report on Government Waste", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 22, 2023\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Releases 2023 \u2018Festivus\u2019 Report on Government Waste\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released his 2023 \u201cFestivus\u201d Report, totaling ~$900,000,000,000 in government waste.\n\nThis marks Dr. Paul\u2019s ninth edition of the Festivus Report as he continues working to alert the American people to how their federal government uses their hard-earned money.\n\nSome of the highlights include the National Institutes of Health spending a portion of a $2.7 million grant to study Russian cats walking on a treadmill and Barbies used as proof of ID for receiving COVID Paycheck Protection Program funds. The Department of Defense ruined over $169 million worth of military equipment by leaving it outside, the United States Agency for International Development spent $6 million to promote tourism in Egypt, and the Small Business Administration gave \u2018struggling\u2019 music artists like Post Malone, Chris Brown, and Lil Wayne over $200 million.\n\nYou can find Dr. Paul\u2019s 2023 Festivus Report HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2023/12/sen-johnson-for-the-washington-examiner-rushed-secret-negotiations-are-not-the-way-to-address-the-border-crisis", "Sen. Johnson for the Washington Examiner: Rushed, Secret Negotiations are Not the Way to Address the Border Crisis", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "WI", "Ron Johnson", "J000293", "www.ronjohnson.senate.gov", "ronjohnson", "https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 On Thursday, the Washington Examiner published an op-ed written by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), where he emphasized that rushed and secret backroom negotiations by Senate leadership with President Biden are not the way to address the Democrat-caused crisis at the southern border. The senator stated that this effort should be about actually securing the border \u2014 not broader immigration reform.\n\nThe full op-ed can be found here and excerpts are below.\n\n\u201cOver the weekend, I joined 14 Republican Senate colleagues in releasing a letter calling for a meeting of the Senate Republican Conference to discuss the negotiations with the White House and Senate Democrats regarding securing our border. The letter appears to have succeeded in letting Senate leadership know that a large group of senators does not want to be jammed with legislation addressing the catastrophe at our border without a thorough review by us and the public.\n\n\u2026\n\n\u201cThe crisis at the southwest border is unlike anything we\u2019ve experienced in history. The massive flood of illegal migration is an order of magnitude larger than the \u2018humanitarian crisis\u2019 former President Barack Obama sparked when he abused prosecutorial discretion and granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in 2012. In 2019, Obama\u2019s Homeland Security Secretary, Jeh Johnson, stated that 1,000 apprehensions per day \u2018overwhelm[ed] the system.\u2019 We recently experienced more than 14,000 encounters in a single day, and it has become common for encounters to exceed 10,000 per day.\n\n\u2026\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, Biden and his Democratic allies in Congress want an open border. Biden came into office with the border largely secured and then immediately reversed all the policies that had successfully stemmed the flow of illegal immigrants. The fact that Biden and congressional Democrats are the root cause of the crisis is a major problem in conducting good-faith negotiations with them.\n\n\u201cIndeed, because Biden has not faithfully executed existing law, repeatedly lied to the public, ignored and violated Supreme Court rulings, and failed to engage in meaningful negotiations on securing the border until only recently, it is impossible for Republicans to trust him to comply with whatever he agrees to. That\u2019s a real challenge for Republican negotiators.\n\n\u2026\n\n\u201cMoreover, conducting rushed and secret backroom negotiations is not the way to address the unprecedented border crisis. That\u2019s the kind of business as usual process Washington leadership has relied upon to mortgage our children\u2019s future and weaken our country. Whatever negotiators produce will need to be fully vetted, discussed, and understood \u2014 by members and the general public. That will take weeks, not hours or days.\n\n\u2026\n\n\u201cBut this effort should be about securing the border \u2014 not broader immigration reform. Addressing DACA recipients is politically impossible until the border is secure, and now, with Biden expanding the population of undocumented immigrants by more than 6 million people, he has made the problem significantly worse.\n\n\u201cThe essential ingredient will be how to enforce any agreement reached. I have suggested making Ukraine funding contingent on benchmarks being met on a monthly basis. I am open to other foolproof enforcement ideas, but negotiators must realize enforcement is the key to any agreement that can pass the House and Senate.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-2023-year-in-review/", "Senator Scott 2023 Year in Review", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "SC", "Tim Scott", "S001184", "www.scott.senate.gov", "timscott", "https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) released his 2023 year in review, highlighting his work on behalf of the people of South Carolina and efforts to advance his Opportunity Agenda across the country.\n\nThis year, Senator Scott introduced 24 bills, 4 resolutions and 10 amendments. 8 pieces of his legislation were partially or fully enacted this year.\n\nSouth Carolina\n\nThe Senator and his team assisted 7,320 South Carolinians with casework requests, an 80% increase compared to 2022.\n\nStrengthening a direct line of communication with constituents remained a priority for the Senator and allowed him to send over 82,000 letters to South Carolinians in 2023.\n\nThrough the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, the Senator championed several legislative accomplishments for South Carolina, such as:\n\n$66 million in funding to complete new barracks at Fort Jackson;\n\n$20 million in funding for the Aiken County National Guard Readiness Center;\n\n$4.37 million in funding to complete the National Guard Readiness Center at Joint Base Charleston;\n\n$7.9 million in funding for an automated multipurpose machine gun range at the McCrady Training Center in Columbia, South Carolina; and\n\n$2.7 billion in funding to support the Savannah River Site, including $1 billion for plutonium modernization activities and $1.6 billion for operations and maintenance.\n\nAmerican Energy\n\nReaffirming his commitment to American energy dominance and independence, Senator Scott championed the Protecting America\u2019s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) from China Act, which would strengthen our energy security by prohibiting the sale of American crude oil from the SPR to any company under Chinese Communist Party (CCP) control and bar the exportation of SPR crude oil to China. Senator Scott also championed the Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe (ESCAPE) Act to weaken Russia\u2019s ability to influence our European allies by promoting energy independence.\n\nCommittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs\n\nSenator Scott took over as the top Republican on the powerful Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in January. As the Ranking Member, he has focused on commonsense policies to create economic opportunity and grow communities across the country, including those that are often left behind. Throughout the year, Ranking Member Scott introduced 11 pieces of legislation and legislative frameworks as the Republican leader of the committee.\n\nAs the son of a single mother, Ranking Member Scott grew up living with family until they could afford to rent a place of their own and wasn\u2019t able to experience the value of homeownership until later in life. That\u2019s why he\u2019s so dedicated to enhancing policies and programs that help improve housing affordability for Americans\u2014 making the American Dream a reality. Ranking Member Scott released the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act, his comprehensive legislative solution to lift families up by taking a holistic view of federal housing policy and making long-needed reforms across all segments of the U.S. housing market.\n\nThe Biden administration and its regulators have worked overtime to push a progressive policy agenda and regulate every aspect of American life. Agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have issued rules and proposals at a record pace and the federal banking agencies have waded into climate initiatives and other progressive priorities outside its mandate. Throughout the year, Ranking Member Scott has executed principled oversight of the Biden administration\u2019s burdensome regulatory agenda and demanded transparency and fact-based analyses for their proposed rules and regulations.\n\nTo see a full list of Senator Scott\u2019s accomplishments during his first year as the Republican leader of the Senate Banking Committee, click here.\n\nEducation\n\nSenator Scott has strived to create pathways to give all Americans a quality education. To that end, he hosted the largest ever National School Choice Week Student Rally at the U.S. Capitol, which was attended by more than 300 students from 10 D.C.-area public charter and private schools.\n\nAs the co-chair of the bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus, Senator Scott hosted the 7th Annual HBCU Fly-In to celebrate the historic accomplishments of HBCUs, highlight their immense contributions to the American economy and workforce and discuss ways to strengthen them for years to come. This was the largest HBCU Fly-In to date.\n\nWith education as a central focus of his Opportunity Agenda, the Senator led two bipartisan Senate resolutions \u2013 National Charter School Week and National School Choice Week \u2013 both of which unanimously passed, raising attention to critical education issues and priorities.\n\nIn an effort to protect parental rights and ensure parents remain the lead decision makers in their child\u2019s life, Senator Scott secured House passage of his Parental Rights Over the Education and Care of Their (PROTECT) Kids Act. Far too often, parents are pushed out of their child\u2019s education\u2014and kids are paying the price.\n\nHealth Care\n\nSenator Scott championed 12 pieces of legislation aimed at making American health care more consumer friendly and market-driven. His Initiating Meaningful Patient Review Of Various Existing (IMPROVE) Part D Regulations Act, which ensures the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) listen to the patients who rely on Medicare Part D and make improvements based on their feedback, passed committee. Also passing committee this year was the Senator\u2019s Occupational Therapy Mental Health Parity Act, which ensures occupational therapists can provide care to those suffering with substance abuse and mental health disorders.\n\nWhen the Biden administration pushed radical far-left priorities, Senator Scott back on harmful health care policies to South Carolinians and opposed two radical health care nominees. When Washington bureaucrats threatened American seniors\u2019 coverage access and choices, Senator Scott co-led a bipartisan group of 61 Senators in calling for the protection of Medicare Advantage for the nearly 30 million older adults and individuals with disabilities enrolled in the program. The Senator also worked with Republicans on the Senate Committee on Finance to help prevent drastic cuts proposed by the Biden administration to the Medicare Advantage program.\n\nAs in everything he does, Senator Scott was focused on ensuring Washington bureaucrats work on behalf of the hardworking American people. In addition to formally launching another investigation into government waste, Senator Scott received a report from an investigation he previously initiated detailing deficiencies within Medicaid\u2019s Recovery Audit Contractor Program\u2014a program created to identify and correct government overpayments and underpayments.\n\nRestoring Law & Order\n\nOver the course of this year, South Carolinians and Americans alike have witnessed a spike in crime and an increase of illegal border crossings. In an effort to restore law and order, the Senator has supported legislation to tackle immigration, bolster police funding, prevent federal government overreach and combat human trafficking.\n\nThe Senator introduced the Alan T. Shao II Fentanyl Public Health Emergency and Overdose Prevention Act and Secure the Border Act of 2023, and supported the Back the Blue Act of 2023, Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act of 2023, Combatting Violent and Dangerous Crime Act, Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, Keep Our Border Agents Paid Act, Securing Our Border Act and Stop Fentanyl Border Crossings Act.\n\nTo combat the rising fentanyl crisis in America, Senator Scott, in his capacity as Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, wrote and introduced the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. This bill targets every part of the illicit fentanyl supply chain \u2013 from the chemical suppliers in China to the manufacturers in Mexico and the cartels who smuggle the deadly drug across our border \u2013 and aims to choke off the income source of synthetic opioid traffickers and stop the flow of deadly fentanyl into the United States. The FEND Off Fentanyl Act was unanimously voted out of the Senate Banking Committee and earned 66 Senate cosponsors. It was included in the Senate\u2019s version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\n\nNational Security & Foreign Affairs\n\nThis year, Senator Scott joined the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which he serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy. Throughout the year, the Senator championed policies to strengthen U.S. national security, support our allies and push back on our adversaries.\n\nAfter Iranian-proxy Hamas\u2019 October 7 attack on Israel, Senator Scott stood by our greatest ally in the Middle East, and, in his capacity as Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced the Revoke Iranian Funding Act, a bill to permanently freeze the $6 billion released by the Biden administration to Iran and direct the Treasury Secretary to provide an accounting of all high-value Iranian assets around the world that are currently blocked by U.S. sanctions. To prevent Iran from funding further attacks on the U.S. and our allies, Senator Scott also pushed for passage of his Solidify Iran Sanctions Act to extend sanctions on funding for Iran\u2019s energy and weapons sectors and curtail the regime\u2019s ability to develop its nuclear program and finance destabilizing activities. Before and after the October 7 attack, the Senator led dozens of his Republican colleagues in holding the administration to account for its dangerous Iran polices. Additionally, to prevent U.S. tax dollars from winding up in the hands of Hamas and combat potential malign influence at our foreign policy institutions, Senator Scott helped author the Stop Support for Hamas Act and the State Department Security Notification Act, a portion of which was signed into law in the FY24 NDAA.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-joins-resolution-to-condemn-iranian-military-proxy-attacks-on-u-s-troops/", "Senator Scott Joins Resolution to Condemn Iranian Military Proxy Attacks on U.S. Troops", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "SC", "Tim Scott", "S001184", "www.scott.senate.gov", "timscott", "https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and 10 of their bipartisan colleagues in introducing a resolution condemning the increasing attacks by Iranian military proxies against U.S. armed forces in Iraq and Syria and emphasizing the urgency of responding to and deterring such attacks.\n\n\u201cWe cannot stay silent while American troops and our allies are under attack from Iranian-backed terrorists,\u201d said Senator Scott. \u201cWithout a clear and cohesive strategy to counter Iranian aggression, the Biden administration continues to place American service members and our Israeli allies at risk. Substantive action is needed to deter Iran and its proxies.\u201d\n\n\u201cAttacks on American troops are reprehensible, and Iranian support for these attacks has rightfully earned a swift and forceful response from the Biden administration,\u201d said Senator Coons. \u201cI join Senator Cruz in introducing this resolution to condemn these attacks, increase pressure on Iran to cease its support for violent militia groups, and support efforts to deter Iranian-backed militia attacks on U.S. troops and the international community. I also commend the resiliency and bravery of American service members across the Middle East and hope this resolution makes clear Congress\u2019 support for U.S. Central Command\u2019s mission of countering terrorism and maintaining stability across the region.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Iranian regime is attacking Americans, our allies, and our interests across the Middle East,\u201d said Senator Cruz. \u201cThey are not only launching attacks and massacres against our Israeli and Arab allies, but their Houthi proxies are now trying to shut down freedom of navigation that is vital to the American and global economies. It is clear that they are not deterred, and it is long past time for the Biden administration to take all necessary steps to deter and counter these activities. Enough is enough.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nAmerican troops in the region have been targeted by Iranian proxies more than 115 times since mid-October, in the wake of the terror attacks committed by Hamas against Israel. Iran provides financing, training and other support to militia groups throughout the region, including the Houthi rebels in Yemen. In addition to targeting U.S. troops and infrastructure, attacks by Iran-backed militias have forced global shipping companies to stop using the Red Sea as a travel route, slowing down critical supply chains throughout the region.\n\nSenators Scott, Coons and Cruz were joined in introducing the resolution by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska.).\n\nThe text of the full resolution is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-rips-chicago-mayor-education-board-president-for-anti-school-choice-resolution/", "Senator Scott Rips Chicago Mayor, Education Board President for Anti-School Choice Resolution", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "SC", "Tim Scott", "S001184", "www.scott.senate.gov", "timscott", "https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Chicago Mayor Previously Promised Not to Close Selective Enrollment Schools\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Chairman of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, slammed Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Board of Education President Jianan Shi for the city\u2019s recently passed resolution that could eliminate school choice for Chicago families, strip minority and low-income students of their preferred high schools and widen the achievement gap.\n\n\u201cOn December 14th, 2023, the Chicago Board of Education approved a teachers\u2019 union-backed resolution that seeks to eliminate selective enrollment in Chicago Public Schools in the name of promoting \u2018equity\u2019. If enacted, this plan would be devastating to the thousands of students and families who currently benefit from attending a school of their choice. Chicago\u2019s 11 selective-enrollment high schools, which emphasize academic rigor, achievement, and excellence, enroll nearly 10,000 Black and Hispanic students. Over 7,500 of students enrolled in these schools are low-income,\u201d Senator Scott wrote. \u201cThese schools are not just the best in Chicago \u2013 they\u2019re some of the highest performing in the entire country. They have been a lifeline for children from low-income and minority backgrounds whose families are desperate to provide them the best education possible amidst a landscape of failing assigned schools in Chicago.\u201d\n\nAs a candidate for mayor, Johnson promised not to close the city\u2019s selective enrollment schools. If enacted, this plan will break that promise and result in thousands of low-income students being trapped in failing schools.\n\nRead the full letter here and below:\n\nDear Mr. Shi and Mayor Johnson:\n\nI write to express strong condemnation of the Chicago Board of Education\u2019s recently passed resolution that could eliminate school choice for Chicago families, strip minority and low-income students of their preferred education options, and widen the achievement gap. As Chairman of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, I believe that every parent in the country has the right to choose the best school for their child, regardless of their zip code, and I urge you to preserve these critical options for families in Chicago.\n\nOn December 14th, 2023, the Chicago Board of Education approved a teachers\u2019 union-backed resolution that seeks to eliminate selective enrollment in Chicago Public Schools in the name of promoting \u201cequity\u201d. If enacted, this plan would be devastating to the thousands of students and families who currently benefit from attending a school of their choice. Chicago\u2019s 11 selective-enrollment high schools, which emphasize academic rigor, achievement, and excellence, enroll nearly 10,000 Black and Hispanic students. Over 7,500 of students enrolled in these schools are low-income[1].\n\nThese schools are not just the best in Chicago \u2013 they\u2019re some of the highest performing in the entire country. They have been a lifeline for children from low-income and minority backgrounds whose families are desperate to provide them the best education possible amidst a landscape of failing assigned schools in Chicago. For example, Walter Payton College Prep, one of the schools that could be effectively dismantled by this plan, is ranked in the top 10 high schools in the United States. 96 percent of its students are proficient in math, compared to 11 percent in the district, and 95 percent of students are proficient in reading, compared to 14 percent in the district[2]. It also serves a minority population of nearly 59 percent, doing incredible work to reduce the achievement gap in Chicago. Across the board, data clearly shows that students at selective-enrollment high schools reach academic proficiency at substantially higher rates than CPS students districtwide.\n\nSchools like this are providing life changing opportunities for students, and families are clearly crying out for more choice\u2014not less. Six years ago, when Chicago Public Schools set up a new application system that allowed eighth graders to apply for a high school of their choice, rather than enrolling in their assigned neighborhood school, parents jumped at the chance to give their child better options. Since then, a stunning 76 percent of Chicago high school students have chosen to attend a school other than the one assigned to them[3].\n\nEven then-candidate Brandon Johnson recognized the demand for and success of selective enrollment schools, promising not to get rid of them when his name was on the ballot. Now, having secured office on that promise, he\u2019s turning his back on the families who rely on these schools and shutting out the students utilizing them to better their future. Chicago\u2019s leaders should be looking for ways to increase school choice options for families who want them, rather than cutting them off.\n\nAs Chairman of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, I believe supporting both neighborhood schools and schools of choice is not an either/or proposition. I am gravely concerned that this plan will strip away public school choice for families, destroy one of the city\u2019s best ways of helping minority and low-income children succeed, and force children into failing public schools that do not work for them. As you work to finalize this plan over the next several months, I urge you to preserve these crucial school choice options.\n\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-recognizes-miller-family-and-santa-claus-house-as-alaskans-of-the-week", "Sullivan Recognizes Miller Family and Santa Claus House as \u201cAlaskans of the Week\u201d", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=16", "scraper", "ANCHORAGE, ALASKA\u2014Earlier this week, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) recognized the Miller Family, longtime owners and operators of the Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, on the Senate floor. The Santa Claus House, opened by Con and Nellie Miller more than 70 years ago, is a staple for tourism in Interior Alaska, and attracts thousands of guests every year from across the world to experience the magic of Christmas in the real North Pole. For decades, the Miller family has brought Christmas cheer all year round\u2014all while getting involved in and giving back to the community. The Miller family and Santa Claus House were recognized as part of Sen. Sullivan\u2019s series, \u201cAlaskan of the Week.\u201d\n\nTribute to the Miller Family\n\nMadam President, I am going to end my remarks today on a high note and a very important one.\n\nIt is Wednesday. I like to come down and do what we call the \u201cAlaskan of the Week.\u201d I can see the pages are already kind of excited, right, because, let's face it, this is the most exciting speech of the week and certainly the most interesting.\n\nSo what I like to do is come down--by the way, I know the press generally likes it because it is normally a signal that it is the end of the week. Everybody is going home. This is usually the last speech of the week. I think this might be the last speech of the year this year.\n\nWhat we do with the Alaskan of the Week, we talk a little bit about what is going on in Alaska--I will get to that--and then I like to highlight someone who is doing something great for my State.\n\nIt might be, you know, someone local. Our first Alaskan of the Week, I think, was a librarian who had been a librarian for 40 years--amazing woman--and then we have superstar world athletes, gold medalists in swimming, and things like that. So we just cover the whole gamut.\n\nNow, usually there is a poster board. I made this a very special Alaskan of the Week poster board. This might be the first time ever it has got Santa on it, and you are going to see why--a Santa-oriented speech.\n\nSo, of course, right now, I am getting ready to head home in a couple of hours. I was just home over the weekend. There are no worries in Alaska right now about a white Christmas. Anchorage, my hometown, I think we have had close to 100 inches of snow already. Look, for us, that is a lot. I am talking about November, right. So we have a white Christmas coming, for sure.\n\nIt is magical, of course, in Alaska. We have got reindeer. We have got one that actually lives in downtown Anchorage. We have visitors coming. We have got a great town called North Pole, AK--North Pole, AK--and we have the Santa Claus House in North Pole, where Santa lives. By the way, this is true. This is what my Alaskan of the Week speech is all about.\n\nIf you write a letter to Santa addressed to the North Pole, your letter will end up at the Santa Claus House in North Pole, AK. Why wouldn't it?\n\nBy the way, this house is not to be confused with the abode of a North Pole city council member. North Pole, AK, is a city a little bit north of Fairbanks. This city council member, by the way, his name is Santa Claus. His legal name is Santa Claus. He is a member of the city council. I know him well. Look, I am not ripping him. He is a Bernie Sanders Socialist, true. Now, why wouldn't he be? You know, the guy gives out free gifts to everybody. That is true. He is a good guy. So, Santa, if you are watching, hello--Santa Claus, city council member, North Pole.\n\nBut in all seriousness, Interior Alaska--this is in the interior part of our State--has the greatest, most kind people and generous. And in keeping with the spirit of Christmas, our Alaskan of the Week is the Miller family who is the owner of Santa Claus House in North Pole, AK, which has been a fixture in our State--and really for the country--for over 70 years--70 years. The Miller family founded Santa Claus House and has been running it for 70 years, making North Pole, AK, literally what it is today. They built the whole community.\n\nLet me help you get into the holiday spirit by describing just how magical the Santa Claus House in North Pole, AK, really is. If you drive down Saint Nicholas Drive--I am not kidding--by St. Nicholas Catholic Church, by the way, you will see a huge house lined with red trim and murals of a reindeer and Santa's sleigh. Just outside is a barn with a real reindeer, a massive, decked-out Christmas tree, and a 42-foot-tall Santa Claus statue welcoming you to Santa's workshop.\n\nThe magic does not end there. Inside the house, you are greeted by a Christmas tree decorated with every ornament you can imagine, a live countdown to Christmas Day--of course. Why wouldn't there be one every day of the year--and a professional Santa Claus ready to hear every Christmas wish from the thousands of visitors--and I am not just talking Alaskans but Americans, people from all over the world who visit Santa Claus House in North Pole, AK, every year. And you are also likely to meet and see several members of the extended Miller family working to make the Santa Claus House the winter wonderland it is. They have been doing it for four generations, keeping the spirit of Christmas alive.\n\nLet me take you back four generations to the original founder of Santa Claus House. That is Con and Nellie Miller. Born in 1913, Con and his mother just didn't see eye to eye. They decided that it was best that he join the Navy.\n\nHe joined when he was 15--a little young. This is just in the great Alaska spirit. You know, I have talked about it a lot over the years. We have more veterans per capita than any State in the country, so being in the military and a veteran is very normal in Alaska. It is a great part of our culture.\n\nThis young guy Con left Colorado and spent 3 years in the Navy, starting at the age of 15. How he got in, I have no idea. He was on a gun boat in China. Then he got out. Then Pearl Harbor happened. And of course he is a patriot so he rejoined the Navy. He fought in the South Pacific during the Second World War--so a great American, \u201cgreatest generation\u201d individual, Con Miller.\n\nAfter the war ended, Con and his wife Nellie ended up in Fairbanks with the goal of running a clothing store. To supplement their income, Con sold clothes in the surrounding rural villages, often donning a red Santa suit each Christmas. He quickly earned celebrity status as the local Santa Claus in Interior Alaska--the first that many children had ever seen--ever--in rural Alaska.\n\nIn 1952, the Millers built a trading post 13 miles south of Fairbanks in the newly named North Pole, AK. So just a little south of Fairbanks, the big city in the interior. One day, while working hard at his new store, a young Alaskan boy recognized Con and asked: Well, hello, Santa. Are you building a new house? The inspiration clicked, and Con thought, Hey, why not? Let's do this. And so the Santa Claus House was born.\n\nIn addition to purchasing groceries, locals could mingle at the soda fountain and pick up their daily mail at the Santa Claus House under the direction of the post mistress, Nellie Miller--Con's, a.k.a. Santa's, wife. It was a mail contract station that served North Pole's first post office for almost 20 years. So there you have it, North Pole, AK, became a post office for America.\n\nThe Miller family lived above the store and was essential to its operation. All three kids: Terry, Mike, and Merry--yes, Merry Christmas, spelled M-E-R-R-Y, not M-A-R-Y--worked alongside their parents. Despite their insight behind the scenes as employees, current owner and manager Mike said they believed in Santa as much as anyone else. Of course, they did. Everybody believes in Santa.\n\nAs North Pole grew--it is growing; it is a great community, like I said, just a few miles outside of Fairbanks--the Santa Claus House grew with it. Inside the store's emphasis on Christmas delights slowly replaced the aisles of canned goods. Meanwhile, the Miller family established themselves as pillars of the North Pole community--not only North Pole but all of Interior Alaska.\n\nCon Miller served as the mayor of North Pole for 19 years--the city's longest serving mayor-while Nellie Miller acted as a marriage commissioner for the community. Back then, that was a real job, a marriage commissioner.\n\nEventually, both of their sons, Terry and Mike, also found politics. The late Terry Miller was a State legislator. He was president of the State senate and was elected to be our Lieutenant Governor in 1978. Mike, who was helping around the Santa Claus House, also served in the legislature as senate president from 1983 to 2001. This is a dominating political family in Alaska, two State senate presidents.\n\nI knew the Millers. They are a great, great family. Both Miller brothers, very highly respected across the aisle. This is, and was, and has been a great family committed to public service.\n\nBegun over 70 years ago by Con and Nellie Miller, the Santa Claus House continues as following generations of Millers keep up that Christmas spirit and keep it thriving in North Pole, AK. It is still a family-run business.\n\nMike Miller is looking forward to the next generation continuing to run the family business with his daughter Carissa and son-in-law Paul and staffed by several grandchildren. Isn't this just a wonderful story? It really warms your heart as we head into the holiday season.\n\nWe all know Santa's job is a hard one, and it is also no small job running the Santa Claus House for the world. In addition to the family, there are between 40 and 60 employees year-round working there.\n\nBesides being a delightful tourist attraction worldwide, the Santa Claus House understands the true meaning of Christmas and uses its name recognition for good works in the community, organizing food drives for the Fairbanks Food Bank that is used throughout Interior Alaska and many other charities.\n\nMike said: I think we have really worked hard to bring the spirit of Santa to our community, \u201cthe spirit of giving and family and caring about one another. I hope we have done a small slice [in this service] of helping people to realize that Christmas is about caring about one another, giving, and [about] being good neighbors.''\n\nThat is Mike Miller.\n\nThey have done that in a huge way. They have done more than give a small slice. For the past 70 years, they have given their all toward spreading the magic, the wonder, and the joy of Christmas to Alaskans, to Americans, to people all over the world.\n\nSo thank you to the Miller family and to the incredible institution of the Santa Claus House in North Pole for making our State a more jolly place, a more generous place, a more caring place, and for keeping the spirit of Christmas alive--not just now during the holidays but year-round in the great State of Alaska.\n\nAnd, of course, to the Millers and Santa Claus House, congratulations on being our Alaskan of the Week.\n\nI yield the floor.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/us-treasury-finally-takes-action-on-russian-seafood-imports-following-2-year-sullivan-led-campaign", "U.S. Treasury Finally Takes Action on Russian Seafood Imports Following 2-Year Sullivan-Led Campaign", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Dan Sullivan", "S001198", "www.sullivan.senate.gov", "sullivan", "https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=16", "scraper", "Determination Advances Reciprocity in U.S.-Russian Seafood Trading Relationship\n\nANCHORAGE, ALASKA\u2014U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today lauded a new Executive Order and resulting U.S. Department of the Treasury determination that will finally revise current guidance that has allowed all Russian-origin seafood to bypass an earlier Executive Order banning its import into the United States. The new determination states that the current prohibition on Russian imports applies to salmon, pollock, cod and crab products harvested in waters under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation or by Russian-flagged vessels outside of Russian waters, even if this seafood has later been reprocessed and substantially transformed in another country, most frequently in Communist China and sometimes using slave labor. For nearly two years, Sen. Sullivan has been tirelessly advocating for the Treasury Department and other federal agencies to expand the current prohibition of Russian seafood into the U.S. market in dozens of meetings, advocacy and engagement with senior Biden administration officials and his congressional colleagues, and through legislation he\u2019s authored and championed in the Senate.\n\n\u201cRussia\u2019s decade-long ban on nearly all American-produced seafood products has created a completely unfair, one-sided trade relationship that has significantly hurt Alaska fishermen. In spite of an Executive Order issued in March of 2022 that I strongly advocated for that sought to level the playing field and correct this injustice, Russia and Communist China\u2014which have some of the worst labor and environmental standards in the world\u2014have aggressively exploited a gaping loophole that has given hundreds of millions of dollars\u2019 worth of Russian seafood continued access to the U.S. market,\u201d said Sen. Sullivan. \u201cThis unfair arrangement was wrong on so many levels: Not only did it drive down seafood prices and hurt hardworking American fishermen, especially in Alaska, it has also provided substantial revenue to support Vladimir Putin\u2019s brutal invasion of Ukraine and has bolstered human rights abuses in China. Additionally, Russian and Chinese fisheries have some of the worst environmental standards for the sustainability of our oceans and fishing stocks in the world, while we have the highest.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve relentlessly pressed this issue with senior members of the Biden administration, expressing my frustration\u2014and the frustration of Alaskans\u2014that our own government has allowed this damaging injustice to go on for far too long. The administration has finally listened and taken action on this ridiculously unfair notion that \u2018reprocessed\u2019 Russian fish, pumped with chemicals in China, could be classified as the product of another country and still sold on the U.S. market almost duty-free. Our advocacy and unyielding determination have finally paid off, delivering a blow to the authoritarian regimes in Russia and China, and their fishing industries, which dramatically undermine the health of our oceans and promote human rights abuses. Most importantly, this is a long overdue win for Alaskan and American fishermen, for sustainable and environmentally-sound fisheries, and for the numerous coastal communities in Alaska that they support.\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nIn March 2022, in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and at the strong urging of Sen. Sullivan, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14068, which prohibits the import of seafood originating in Russia. However, Russian and Chinese industry officials quickly exploited a loophole that gave them continued access to the U.S. market by sending Russian seafood to be substantially transformed in another country through reprocessing. Consequently, the Biden administration\u2019s original prohibition was largely ineffective since the vast majority of Russian seafood is shipped to and reprocessed in other countries, such as China, and then shipped to the U.S. for consumption.\n\nToday\u2019s executive order will close this loophole and prevent any fish caught in Russian waters, or caught by Russian fishermen, from entering the U.S. market, regardless of where it goes for additional processing.\n\n\u201cUnited Fishermen of Alaska and the commercial fishing industry in Alaska thanks Senator Sullivan for his strong leadership on this issue, and for his years of support for the commercial fishing industry, particularly his support for seafood trade issues we are facing during this challenging time\u201d said Matt Alward, president of the United Fishermen of Alaska. \u201cSenator Sullivan\u2019s work to enact meaningful prohibition of Russian seafood is a welcome step towards stabilizing the Alaska seafood industry.\u201d\n\n\u201cSilver Bay Seafoods is owned by more than 550 fishermen, each of which operates an Alaskan small business and complies with stringent sustainability, environmental, and labor standards to ensure our customers get top quality seafood. Russian seafood cannot make the same claims, and although the Biden administration acted to ban imports of Russian seafood after the invasion of Ukraine, imports continued with impunity when routed through other countries. This action rights that wrong and ensures that the American consumer can feel good about the seafood they purchase,\u201d said Cora Campell, CEO of Silver Bay Seafoods. \u201cSenator Sullivan has shown tireless leadership on this issue and an unwavering commitment to Alaska\u2019s fishermen and our coastal economy. He has doggedly pursued a level playing field, sound policy, and solutions that are good for seafood producers and consumers. Senator Sullivan\u2019s work ethic is unmatched, and the Alaska seafood industry is fortunate to have such a stalwart advocate.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is an enormous win for the nation\u2019s effort to impose meaningful economic sanctions on Russia. Consumers throughout the United States have been unknowingly purchasing Russian-harvested seafood and indirectly supporting Russia\u2019s war on Ukraine. That\u2019s simply wrong,\u201d said Joe Bundrant, CEO of Trident Seafoods. \u201cWe are grateful for the time and effort the administration, Senator Sullivan and other congressional offices have put into strengthening these sanctions and assuring U.S. consumers that their seafood purchases are not fueling the Russian war.\u201d\n\n\u201cMembers of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association applaud today\u2019s action by the Treasury Department to increase economic sanctions on Russia by closing U.S. markets to Russian seafood,\u201d said Julie Decker, president of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association. \u201cNow, Russian seafood will not be able to enter the U.S. via other countries, fund Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine, unfairly compete with domestic seafood, and depress U.S. seafood markets. We thank Senator Sullivan and our Congressional Delegation for their leadership on this issue, which is vital to U.S. fishermen and processors, and an important step toward ending the unjust war in Ukraine. Today\u2019s action allows the U.S. to lead by example and we encourage other nations to follow suit.\u201d\n\nSenator Sullivan has strongly advocated for a fix\u2014through legislative or administrative action\u2014to meaningfully prohibit Russian seafood imports until American fishermen and processors are afforded reciprocal access to the Russian market and until Russia ends its brutal, illegal war against Ukraine.\n\nBelow is a timeline of the Russian seafood reciprocity issue, and Sen. Sullivan\u2019s work to resolve it:\n\nIn 2014, Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine. In response, the United States and its allies imposed a suite of sanctions. Russia then enacted retaliatory sanctions that barred the importation of any American fish into the Russian market. This created a very uneven seafood trade relationship: Russia could export as much seafood as it wants into the United States and we couldn\u2019t export any Alaskan fish into Russia. This severely economically damaging injustice between America\u2019s and Russia\u2019s fishing industries continued to exist for almost a decade.\n\nSen. Sullivan pressed the issue of Russian seafood trade reciprocity\u2014encouraging the federal government to ban the importation of Russian seafood into the United States\u2014for years prior to Russia\u2019s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including in numerous meetings with the Commerce Secretaries and U.S. Trade Representatives under Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden\u2014all to get the United States to level the playing field with regard to seafood trade with Russia.\n\nOn March 11, 2021, Sen. Sullivan pressed the issue of the lack of reciprocity in the Russian-U.S. seafood trading relationship with Wally Adeyemo, nominee to be deputy secretary of the Treasury. In their conversation, the deputy secretary committed to Sen. Sullivan to address this issue.\n\nOn February 9. 2022, Sen. Sullivan introduced the U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act, cosponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). This legislation would impose a ban on the import of all Russian seafood products into the United States, regardless of such seafood being reprocessed in another country.\n\nOn February 15, 2022, Sen. Sullivan included a provision in the Never Yielding Europe\u2019s Territory (NYET) Act that directs the federal government to prohibit Russian seafood imports into the U.S.\n\nOn February 17, 2022, Sen. Sullivan attempted to pass the U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act by unanimous consent, but the bill was blocked by Senate Democrats. Attempts to pass a revised version of S.2011 later in Spring 2022 were similarly blocked by Senate Democrats.\n\nOn February 24, 2022, Russia initiated its brutal invasion of Ukraine.\n\nIn the days following the invasion, Sen. Sullivan relentlessly pressed senior Biden administration National Security Council, Treasury Department, Commerce Department, and White House officials to include the banning of the importation of Russian seafood into the United States as part of the President\u2019s broader sanctions package against the Putin regime.\n\nOn March 11, 2022, as a result of Sen. Sullivan\u2019s advocacy, the Biden administration announced it would prohibit the importation of Russian seafood into the United States, in addition to banning goods from several other signature sectors of Russia\u2019s economy. President Biden also announced his intention to revoke Russia\u2019s \u201cmost-favored nation\u201d status as a member of the World Trade Organization.\n\nDespite this success, it became clear that Russian seafood oligarchs began to bypass the Biden administration\u2019s sanctions by shipping their seafood to other countries, especially China, to then have the Russian seafood transformed and shipped into the United States almost duty-free. This loophole allowed hundreds of millions of dollars\u2019 worth of Russian seafood to escape sanctions and make it into the U.S. market, while significantly harming Alaskan and other American fishermen.\n\nOn April 7, 2022, Sen. Sullivan pressed Chris Magnus, then-commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB), about closing the existing loophole that gives Russian seafood non-reciprocal access to the U.S. market.\n\nOn March 3, 2023, Sen. Sullivan pressed Troy Miller, acting commissioner of CPB, about the existing loophole that gives Russian seafood non-reciprocal access to the U.S. market.\n\nOn March 21, 2023, Sen. Sullivan pressed the Russian seafood loophole issue with Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the Treasury.\n\nThroughout 2023, Sen. Sullivan pressed the Russian seafood loophole issue with high-level, senior Treasury, CPB and White House officials on a very regular basis, including in text messages and phone calls on June 9, June 23, August 6, August 13, October 24, October 25, November 21, December 8, and December 13.\n\nOn June 15, 2023, Sen. Sullivan again pressed the continued Russian seafood prohibition issue with Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the Treasury.\n\nOn June 15, 2023, led by Sen. Sullivan, Sens. Sullivan and Murkowski introduced the updated U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act of 2023, legislation that would impose a comprehensive ban on the import of all Russian-origin seafood products into the United States. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Garret Graves (R-La.) and Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska).\n\nOn June 22, 2023, Sen. Sullivan attempted to pass the U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity by unanimous consent, but the bill was again blocked by Senate Democrats.\n\nOn August 30, 2023, Sen. Sullivan again pushed the Russian seafood loophole issue with Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the treasury, and Troy Miller, CBP acting commissioner.\n\nOn September 26, 2023, at Sen. Sullivan\u2019s urging, the Treasury Department\u2019s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and CBP personnel convened a seafood industry roundtable in Anchorage to discuss the Russian seafood loophole issue and to get agreement on a detailed plan to close this loophole. This was a result of Sen. Sullivan\u2019s many discussions with both CBP and Treasury pressing them to place a meaningful prohibition on Russian seafood imports.\n\nOn October 24, 2023, Sen. Sullivan again pressed the Russian seafood prohibition issue in a call with Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the Treasury, and continued to follow-up over the ensuing weeks.\n\nOn December 19, 2023, Sen. Sullivan spoke on the Senate floor about the Russian seafood prohibition issue and again urged his colleagues to pass his U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act of 2023.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-colleagues-applaud-senate-passage-of-legislation-honoring-medal-of-honor-recipients/", "Young, Colleagues Applaud Senate Passage of Legislation Honoring Medal of Honor Recipients", "2023-12-22", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "IN", "Todd Young", "Y000064", "www.young.senate.gov", "toddyoung", "https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) applauded Senate passage of legislation he helped introduce that would designate U.S. Highway 20 \u2013 including the 156 miles in Indiana \u2013 as the \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur Medal of Honor recipients are some of our nation\u2019s bravest heroes,\u201d said Senator Young. \u201cI am proud to support the designation of U.S. Highway 20 as the \u2018National Medal of Honor Highway\u2019 and permanently recognize and celebrate each recipient\u2019s selfless devotion and sacrifice to our country. I look forward to this legislation passing the House of Representatives, and eventually becoming law.\u201d\n\nThe Medal of Honor is the nation\u2019s highest military award for valor, presented by the president in Congress\u2019 name. U.S. service members who distinguish themselves \u201cthrough conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty\u201d can receive the medal.\n\nRedesignating U.S. Highway 20\u2014 the longest continuous highway in the United States\u2014 as the \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway\u201d would honor each state\u2019s current and future Medal of Honor recipients and recipients from any state who travel on it.\n\nLegislatures and governors in all 12 states along U.S. Highway 20 have designated their state Medal of Honor Highways covering 100 percent of the 3,365-mile Medal of Honor Highway across America. The 12 states along U.S. Highway 20 accounts for about 62 percent of all 3,516 Medal of Honor awards presented since the Civil War. Designating U.S. Highway 20 as the \u201cNational Medal of Honor Highway\u201d would ensure all 3,516 recipients and any future recipients from all 50 states and territories are honored. Following Indiana\u2019s designation, INDOT placed eight commemorative signs along the route through Steuben, LaGrange, Elkhart, St. Joseph, LaPorte, Porter, and Lake counties.\n\nIn addition to Senator Young, Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) also cosponsored the Senate version of the bill.\n\nThe legislation is supported by the Bend Heroes Foundation, Military Officers Association of America, The American Legion, Legion of Valor, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://barrymoore.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-barry-moore-demands-answers-illegally-undisclosed-foreign-gifts-200", "Rep. Barry Moore demands answers on illegally undisclosed foreign gifts to 200 American universities", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "AL", "Barry Moore", "M001212", "barrymoore.house.gov", "barrymoore", "https://barrymoore.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Today, Rep. Barry Moore led a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona demanding answers about why colleges across the nation failing to disclose billions from foreign donors despite those disclosures being mandated by law. Over 200 American colleges and universities illegally withheld information about $13 billion in foreign gifts, according to a report by the Network Contagion Research Institute.\n\n\"We have seen a horrific rise in antisemitism on college campuses across our country since the October 7th attack on Israel,\" said Moore. \"I believe it's no coincidence that many of the universities failing to condemn antisemitism also illegally failed to disclose large gifts from foreign countries. I call on Secretary Cardona to immediately launch an investigation into these illegally undisclosed gifts and their influence on our universities.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bean.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-bean-surprises-congressional-app-challenge-winners-jacksonville", "Congressman Bean Surprises Congressional App Challenge Winners from Jacksonville", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Aaron Bean", "B001314", "bean.house.gov", "bean", "https://bean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Jacksonville, FL\u2014Today, U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) visited Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville to announce the winners of the 2023 Congressional App Competition (CAC). The Congressman presented the news to Victor Zhang, Arvan Thakur, Prithish Shan, and Alan Alwakeel in a surprise ceremony with school administrators, teachers, and Duval County leadership.\n\nThe students created an app called \u201cGeoBlend,\u201d which allows users to explore various historical sites around Jacksonville and interact with the city\u2019s various points of interest in an immersive augmented reality experience.\n\n\u201cThe Fourth District has so many innovative and talented students, and I am amazed by the ingenuity displayed in this year\u2019s competition. Victor, Arvan, Prithish and Alan channeled their creativity using sophisticated coding software and technology,\u201d said Congressman Bean. \u201cCongratulations to all our applicants, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the next wave of young innovators.\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nThe CAC highlights the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education giving students an opportunity to hone their coding and technology skills. Middle and high school students from the Fourth District are eligible to compete in this annual competition.\n\nThis year\u2019s winners will have their app displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building, featured online at the House of Representative\u2019s website, and will be invited to a celebratory reception on Capitol Hill in honor of their achievement.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-minnesota-republicans-demand-answers-on-postal-delays-following-issues-in-city-of-carver", "Emmer, Minnesota Republicans Demand Answers on Postal Delays Following Issues in City of Carver", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "MN", "Tom Emmer", "E000294", "emmer.house.gov", "emmer", "https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014Every member of Minnesota\u2019s Republican congressional delegation, Representatives Brad Finstad (MN-01), Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) and Pete Stauber (MN-08), joined a letter led by Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) addressing the postal delays which have impacted homes and businesses across Minnesota. The letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is the delegation\u2019s second inquiry into the United States Postal Service (USPS) service delays this year.\n\n\u201cWe have heard consistent concerns from Carver residents that their everyday mail service is delayed and unreliable. Even though our local mail carriers are working overtime, they simply can\u2019t keep up with their routes,\u201d Emmer said.\u201cSixth District residents rely on timely mail service and their mail carriers deserve to be compensated for their hard work. Postmaster General DeJoy must answer for these persistent delays across our state.\u201d\n\nThe members wrote:\n\nWe are writing to you regarding the United States Postal Service\u2019s (USPS) operation within the Minnesota-North Dakota Region. In the middle of one of the busiest seasons for mail and package delivery, we are extremely concerned about the current state of mail delivery in Minnesota.\n\nNearly a year ago, we shared our concerns over the lack of mail delivery and delays across Minnesota that worsened during the holiday season. A month after the initial letter, we received a response stating that mail service was delayed due to staffing shortages and inclement weather, and that the USPS was working on solutions to provide Minnesotans with reliable, timely mail services.\n\nUnfortunately, we are in an identical situation a year later. Our offices have received many complaints from constituents that they are not receiving mail at a consistent rate, some going without mail for up to a week. It was recently announced by the Inspector General that four post offices in the south metro would be receiving audits and Congressman Stauber\u2019s office was informed that the Bemidji and Blackduck post offices would receive audits as well.\n\nWe are aware the USPS is facing a staffing shortage across the state and there is significant burnout among current employees. While it is welcomed news that the Minnesota-North Dakota Region has been holding job fairs in an effort to hire additional staff, we are concerned about the recent reports that USPS workers are working overtime without receiving correlating pay. Mail carriers in the Twin Cities metropolitan area have been working 60-to-80-hour weeks just to keep up with demand. Additionally, it was reported that some Minnesota Post Offices are directing their employees to set aside traditional USPS mail delivery for other non-traditional mail deliveries.\n\nOur constituents, especially those in rural areas, rely on the USPS to pay their bills, get their prescriptions, and keep in touch with their loved ones. To further understand the actions that the USPS is taking, please provide a response to the following questions:\n\nWhat steps has the USPS taken to ensure that Minnesotans are able to receive their mail and packages during the holiday season?\n\nGiven the recent news that the Bemidji Post Office instructed their mail carriers to work extended hours without overtime pay, are any other post offices in Minnesota offering similar instructions to their employees?\n\nAre Minnesota Post Offices instructing their carriers to prioritize deliveries other than traditional mail?\n\nWhat steps, other than career fairs, is the USPS taking to recruit and retain workers?\n\nHow did the Inspector General determine which post offices in Minnesota would receive an audit?\n\nIs there potential for any additional post offices in Minnesota to receive an audit or the possibility for a statewide audit?\n\nIt is imperative that the USPS finds solutions to ensure that Minnesotans receive their mail in a timely fashion, while providing a safe working environment for their employees. Thank you for your prompt consideration of our questions.\n\nBackground\n\nThis month, constituents in the City of Carver have contacted Rep. Emmer\u2019s office regarding mail delays, with some residents not receiving mail for five days. Additionally, as the City of Carver\u2019s population continues to grow, the city\u2019s post office faces capacity and space issues including reports that postal workers previously had to sort mail in the parking lot.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases/feenstra-helps-lead-letter-biden-administration-over-railway-service", "Feenstra Helps Lead Letter to Biden Administration Over Railway Service Suspensions at Southern Border", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Randy Feenstra", "F000446", "feenstra.house.gov", "feenstra", "https://feenstra.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HULL, IOWA \u2013 This week, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) helped lead a letter \u2013 spearheaded by U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA) \u2013 to President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas urging the Biden administration to secure the border and resume railway service routes in Eagle Pass, Texas and El Paso, Texas.\n\n\u201cPresident Biden and Secretary Mayorkas have failed to uphold their constitutional duty to secure our border and protect our communities. Instead of finishing the border wall, destroying the drug cartels, and deporting illegal immigrants, the Biden administration opted to close major railway crossings that facilitate trade \u2013 including the sale of Iowa agricultural products \u2013 between the United States and Mexico. This is just another attack on American farmers who are already facing WOTUS regulations, inflation, and high energy costs,\u201d said Rep. Feenstra. \u201cIowa farmers and producers rely on open markets and trade certainty to sell their high-quality goods worldwide and turn a profit. Alongside the entire Iowa congressional delegation, I call on President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas to do their job, secure the border, and reopen these crucial railway crossings for the good of Iowa agriculture.\u201d\n\nThe full letter can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://fischbach.house.gov/2023/12/icymi-house-members-disappointed-in-usmca-ruling", "ICYMI House Members Disappointed in USMCA Ruling", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "MN", "Michelle Fischbach", "F000470", "fischbach.house.gov", "fischbach", "https://fischbach.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - U.S. Reps. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Mike Bost (R-IL), Jim Costa (D-CA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Annie Kuster (D-NH), and Suzan DelBene (D-WA) led 56 of their colleagues in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack expressing their disappointment in the recent dispute settlement ruling on Canada\u2019s dairy tariff rate quota (TRQ) allocation measures under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The ruling raises significant questions regarding fair market access for American dairy producers and processors involved in the Canadian food and agriculture sector.\n\n\u201cThe latest USMCA panel decision is extremely disappointing and leaves America\u2019s dairy industry at a disadvantage. But my colleagues and I will not give up. We are exploring other tools and opportunities to ensure U.S. dairy producers get fair access to Canadian export markets, and this letter encouraging the Administration to do the same is the first step of many,\u201d said Rep. Fischbach (MN-07). \u201cI look forward to a swift response and to working with USTR and USDA on solutions.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2023/12/rep-tony-gonzales-to-congressional-leadership-failure-to-act-on-border-may-lead-to-a-point-of-no-return", "Rep. Tony Gonzales to Congressional Leadership: Failure to Act on Border May Lead to a Point of No Return", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "EAGLE PASS, TEXAS \u2013 Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) sent a letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (LA-04), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) urging the four corners of leadership in Congress to take emergency action to secure the border.\n\n\u201cOur southern border is in the worst state it has ever been. As the U.S. Representative for the largest border district in Congress, I do not say that lightly. Today, I am calling on all lawmakers to take emergency action to secure our border. Failure to act may lead to a point of no return,\u201d Congressman Tony Gonzales wrote. \u201cIn my district specifically, local communities have no further resources to continue sustaining migrants. Their limited budgets are being drained by this crisis, and they are not being reimbursed by the federal government. Local law enforcement has engaged in countless high-speed pursuits with human smugglers, some of which have led to innocent American bystanders losing their lives. We know what policies are needed to end this chaos, and we need to act on them now. There is no time to delay further on this issue.\u201d\n\nThe full letter can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-release-hinson-recaps-work-iowans-2023", "VIDEO RELEASE: Hinson Recaps Work for Iowans in 2023", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Ashley Hinson", "H001091", "hinson.house.gov", "hinson", "https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "\"As 2023 comes to an end, I\u2019m reflecting on all we have accomplished, together, for Iowans.\n\nI\u2019ve been to all 22 counties in Iowa\u2019s Second Congressional District at least four times this year, meeting with families, veterans, small businesses, and farmers to hear about their challenges and their successes, and learn how I can help.\n\nTransparency and accountability are at the heart of what I do, which is why I\u2019ve held 14 in person town halls and 8 virtual town halls this year to hear directly from you.\n\nI\u2019ve turned that feedback into action and introduced legislation like the:\n\nAfter Hours Child Care Act, to expand childcare services beyond 9 to 5 hours to fit real family schedules\n\nThe Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act, to help end tragedy of stillbirth, the tragic loss of a child after 20 weeks, and ensure expecting women have access to care\n\nThe EATS Act to stand up for Iowa pig farmers and overturn California\u2019s Prop 12 bacon ban\n\nAnd the REAL Trucking Act, to get more Iowa truckers on the road and reduce costs across the board.\n\nI have also kept up my important work of improving quality of life for Iowa veterans, elevating the conversation around veterans\u2019 mental health care and engaging TSA to help veterans with service dogs travel more easily.\n\nWhile many of my efforts in Congress are bipartisan, I have also held the Biden Administration accountable and pushed back on policies that are just plain wrong \u2013 from rejecting Biden\u2019s student loan \u201ccancelation\u201d scheme, to standing firm against wasteful spending, and working to secure our Southern Border.\n\nAs a Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I\u2019ve been dedicated to slashing reckless spending while delivering investments for our district, including a $1.5 million grant for Dubuque to help restore daily commercial air service.\n\nAnd, we can be honest, there was a whole lot of chaos and dysfunction in Washington in 2023, which is why I redoubled my efforts to drain the swamp through my Make Washington Work Again package, which would force bureaucrats who have been \u201cworking from home\u201d back into the office, move agency headquarters out of DC, and enact a federal lobbying ban.\n\nOur team closed 3,481 constituent cases this year \u2013 helping Iowans get back money they are owed by the IRS, collecting missing social security and veterans benefits, bringing Iowans home safely from Israel, and reuniting families by securing passports.\n\nWe\u2019ve responded to over 28,000 constituents who have written in to our team, and we are going to keep these conversations going in the new year.\n\nI\u2019ve approached this year with one mission: make D.C. run more like Iowa and enact policies that connect rural communities, improve safety and security for Iowa families, and protect taxpayers \u2013 because it is your money, not the government\u2019s money.\n\nI\u2019m proud of what we\u2019ve accomplished together in 2023, and I can\u2019t wait to build on these successes with you in the new year.\"\n\nBackground:\n\nHinson and her team were able to deliver life-changing casework wins for Iowans.\n\nHinson and her team solved 3,481 cases (and counting) for Iowans this year. Some of the most impactful casework outcomes included helping a small business obtain an IRS refund of over $1,000,000, delivering medals to families of veterans, helping veterans schedule appointments with specialists at the VA, and recovering missing Social Security benefits.\n\nHinson continued to deliver on her promise to be transparent, accessible, and responsive to her constituents, embodying the mantra: \"whether we agree or disagree, you will always know where I stand.\"\n\nHinson held 14 in-person town halls and eight virtual town halls to connect with Iowans and answer questions.\n\nHinson held press calls with the Iowa media each week where she discussed legislative initiatives, news of day, and took questions.\n\nHinson and her team responded to over 28,000 constituents who wrote into our office with questions.\n\nHinson has championed Iowans' priorities in Congress this year, working to hold the Biden Administration accountable while finding common ground to deliver for Iowa.\n\nAs a Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Hinson held Biden cabinet secretaries accountable, and crafted legislation that slashes funding for the woke Biden agenda while ensuring Iowa's priorities were funded.\n\nAs a Member of the House Select Committee on Competition with China (SCC), Hinson has been working across the aisle to produce the policy blueprint to compete with China on the global stage.\n\nHinson brought the SCC to Dysart, Iowa for a roundtable with Iowa farmers to discuss strategies to counter China's aggressive intellectual property theft and efforts to undermine Iowa agriculture.\n\nHinson introduced 24 bills and co-sponsored 173 bills, 85 of which are bipartisan.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases/issa-conducts-border-tour-regional-mayors", "Issa Conducts Border Tour for Regional Mayors", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "CA", "Darrell Issa", "I000056", "issa.house.gov", "issa", "https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Following a comprehensive tour of the San Diego region\u2019s southern border yesterday alongside mayors and other local leaders representing San Diego and Riverside Counties, Congressman Issa (CA-48) released this statement:\n\n\"I convened a tour of our southern border for the mayors of our region because it is vital that everyone at all levels of government realize what is happening there.\n\n\"On his very first day in office, Joe Biden opened the nation\u2019s borders and sent a message to the world that America\u2019s immigration laws were essentially null and void. As a result, an estimated seven million illegals have crossed into our country, unprecedented child and human trafficking has occurred, and America is suffering the deadliest drug crisis in our history.\n\n\u201cBiden has also betrayed our border agents by not letting them do their jobs, denying them the tools they need, and even falsely accusing them of wrongdoing. We have so many outstanding men and women in the Border Patrol, but Biden doesn\u2019t want them to stand guard and keep out those who would violate our laws. He wants them to be Uber drivers for illegal immigrants, taking them where they want to go.\n\n\"This Congress is now rising to the occasion, and Republicans are working together to hire new Border Patrol agents, enhance border enforcement technology, continue construction on border infrastructure, set our asylum laws right, and end the Biden policy of catch and release.\n\n\"My thanks to Mayor DeForest, Mayor White, Mayor Schwank, and Mayor Wells for joining me on this visit and asking the right questions. This is a fight we must win.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-hosts-mobile-office-hours-every-town-district", "Kean Hosts Mobile Office Hours in Every Town in District", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Contact: Dan Scharfenberger\n\n(December 21, 2023) BERNARDSVILLE, NEW JERSEY- Today, Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) announced that his constituent service team has hosted 95 Mobile Office Hours, one in every town in New Jersey\u2019s 7th Congressional District.\n\nSince the office opened in January 2023, Kean and his team have hosted 95 mobile office hours.\n\n\u201cTeam Kean\u2019s Mobile Office Hours have given residents the accessibility and convenience to meet with a member of my staff face-to-face to discuss federal agency matters right in their hometown,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cIn addition to hosting 95 mobile office hours, my team has closed more than 1,500 cases and has assisted thousands of families, seniors, students, and veterans with federal agencies. I am incredibly proud of my team for their work, ensuring that every voice is heard, and every need is addressed.\u201d\n\nNew Jersey's 7th congressional district includes all of Hunterdon and Warren Counties; and parts of Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties.\n\nTeam Kean is always here to help. If you or someone you know needs help with a federal agency, please do not hesitate to contact the office. You can find more information here: https://kean.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency or call (908) 547-3307.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://kelly.house.gov/media/press-releases/kelly-pa-lawmakers-blinken-marc-fogel-must-be-included-any-prisoner-swap", "Kelly, Pa. Lawmakers to Blinken: Marc Fogel Must Be Included in Any Prisoner Swap", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Mike Kelly", "K000376", "kelly.house.gov", "kelly", "https://kelly.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), alongside Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), as well as Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Dan Meuser (R-PA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Glenn \u201cGT\u201d Thompson (R-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Susan Wild (D-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and Summer Lee (D-PA) urged Secretary Antony Blinken to include Butler County native and Pittsburgh-area resident Marc Fogel in any prisoner swap made with Russia. Fogel has been detained in Russia since August 2021 and is currently serving a 14-year sentence for possession of medical marijuana used to treat his severe back injury, a charge very similar to that of WNBA player Brittney Griner.\n\nIn the bipartisan, bicameral letter, the lawmakers wrote:\n\n\u201cSince Marc Fogel\u2019s arrest, numerous members of the House and Senate from both sides of the aisle have urged the State Department to take further action, including classifying Mr. Fogel as wrongfully detained. Unfortunately, this designation process has stalled while Mr. Fogel\u2019s health has deteriorated. As negotiations are ongoing with the Russian Federation, we respectfully request that any potential prisoner swap must include Mr. Fogel, along with Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.\u201d\n\nUnder federal law, Fogel meets at least six of the eleven established criteria to be designated as wrongfully detained by the State Department. He has yet to be classified as wrongfully detained, while Griner was designated in less than three months after her arrest. On December 8, 2022, Griner was released from Russian prison via a prisoner swap for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer known as the \u201cMerchant of Death.\u201d Fogel remains in a Russian penal colony serving his sentence.\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nMarc Fogel, a Butler, Pennsylvania native, taught history courses at schools attended by children of U.S. diplomats in Colombia, Venezuela, Oman, Malaysia, and, for the last 10 years, in Russia. Fogel was detained on August 14, 2021, and is serving a 14-year hard-labor sentence for possession of medical marijuana used to treat his severe back injury, a charge very similar to that of WNBA player Brittney Griner.\n\nUnder federal law, Fogel meets at least six of the eleven established criteria to be designated as wrongfully detained by the State Department. He has yet to be classified as wrongfully detained. Griner was designated in less than three months after her arrest. On December 8, 2022, Griner was released from Russian prison via a prisoner swap for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer known as the \u201cMerchant of Death.\u201d Fogel remains in a Russian penal colony serving his sentence.\n\nRep. Kelly has previously led efforts to free Mr. Fogel, including by introducing The Marc Fogel Act in June. This legislation would amend the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act to require more transparency from the State Department to Congress on how wrongful detainment determinations are made.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://langworthy.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-nick-langworthy-meets-seneca-nation-council", "Congressman Nick Langworthy Meets with Seneca Nation Council", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Nicholas A. Langworthy", "L000600", "langworthy.house.gov", "langworthy", "https://langworthy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "IRVING, NY \u2013 On Wednesday, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) met with the Seneca Nation Council to discuss the needs and priorities of the Seneca Nation, as well as provide legislative updates.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to partner with the Seneca Nation Council to build a better future for the Seneca Nation and our region as a whole \u2014 this meeting was a continuation of our strong relationship,\u201d said Congressman Nick Langworthy. \u201cI\u2019ve been a vocal advocate for the renewal of their gaming compact and ensure that the state follows through, protecting thousands of good-paying jobs. We also touched on key projects like the much-needed repairs for Prospect Street and their environmental concerns.\u201d\n\nSeneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong, Sr. added, \u201cWe were happy to welcome Congressman Langworthy to Seneca territory to meet with members of the Seneca Nation Council. The priority concerns and interests of the Seneca Nation extend from ensuring the sovereignty, safety and well-being of our Nation, our people, and our lands to matters that impact all of Western New York. We look forward to building on today's meeting and working with Congressman Langworthy to make sure our concerns are heard in Washington.\"\n\nCongressman Nick Langworthy represents the 23rd Congressional District of New York, including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties and parts of Erie County.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://langworthy.house.gov/media/press-releases/langworthy-leads-letter-governor-hochul-urging-adoption-natural-gas-0", "Langworthy Leads Letter to Governor Hochul Urging Adoption of Natural Gas Infrastructure Improvements Recommended in Winter Storm Elliot Report", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Nicholas A. Langworthy", "L000600", "langworthy.house.gov", "langworthy", "https://langworthy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On Thursday, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) led a letter to Governor Hochul in response to the report issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) analyzing the issues related to the widespread outages during Winter Storm Elliot and recommendations to protect energy access during future winter storms.\n\n\u201cWe strongly urge you to consider the report\u2019s recommendations to protect natural gas infrastructure, including wellheads, from extreme cold weather, after production was affected during the winter storm threatening the safety of millions of New Yorkers,\u201dthe members wrote. \u201cThe report produced by FERC and NERC confirmed what we feared about the reliability of our state\u2019s bulk power system operations\u2014the grid\u2014and its endurance during an extreme weather event.\u201d\n\n\u201cDespite the report\u2019s conclusion that natural gas remains a critical source of heating and power generation for New Yorkers, the policies carried out by your office and by the New York State Assembly appear to reject these realities,\u201d the letter continued.\n\nRead the full letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://langworthy.house.gov/media/press-releases/langworthy-visits-dunkirk-fire-department-announces-over-76000-federal-funding", "Langworthy Visits Dunkirk Fire Department, Announces Over $76,000 in Federal Funding", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Nicholas A. Langworthy", "L000600", "langworthy.house.gov", "langworthy", "https://langworthy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "DUNKIRK, NY \u2013 Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) made a visit to the Dunkirk Fire Department to meet with first responders and announce an Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the amount of $76,007. Congressman Langworthy was joined by Fire Chief Michael Edwards.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s an honor to thank our dedicated firefighters in person and tour the Dunkirk Fire Station,\u201d said Congressman Langworthy. \u201cI\u2019m proud to announce this significant investment to enable the City of Dunkirk to purchase needed gear, enhancing the capabilities of our local fire department. It\u2019s always been my priority to do what I can to ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs safely and I look forward to our continued partnership.\u201d\n\nThe City of Dunkirk intends to use this grant to purchase 14 new radios for the fire department.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1113", "REP. MIKE LAWLER ISSUES STATEMENT ON IRELAND TAKING UNITED KINGDOM TO COURT OVER CONTROVERSIAL TROUBLES LEGACY AND RECONCILIATION ACT", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Michael Lawler", "L000599", "lawler.house.gov", "lawler", "https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Congressman Lawler released the following statement on Ireland's decision yesterday to take the United Kingdom to the European Court of Human Rights over its controversial Legacy and Reconciliation Act. Representative Lawler led a bipartisan letter last week to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and T\u00e1naiste Miche\u00e1l Martin admonishing the recent passage of the Legacy and Reconciliation Act and urging precisely the course of action taken yesterday.\n\n\u201cA great injustice was perpetrated with the recent passage of the Legacy and Reconciliation Act and Ireland is right to take this matter to court,\u201d said Congressman Lawler. \u201cThis Act undermines the Good Friday Agreement and neglects the frameworks agreed by Ireland and the UK in the Stormont House Agreement.\u201d\n\n\u201cFurther, by providing amnesty for heinous crimes and shutting down historical criminal investigations, this Act is a clear violation of human rights for victims of the Troubles,\u201d continued Congressman Lawler. \u201cThat is exactly why I urged the Irish government to strongly consider legal action against the UK at the European Court of Human Rights.\"\n\n\u201cI sincerely appreciate the work of the Irish Government for vocally opposing this Act while it moved through Westminster, and I stand with them as they take this next step,\u201d concluded Congressman Lawler. \u201cWhile this time is trying for many, I will never stop standing up for the Irish people against this grave injustice.\n\nNew York's 17th Congressional District is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://luttrell.house.gov/media/press-releases/luttrell-introduces-ctpat-pilot-program-act", "Luttrell Introduces CTPAT Pilot Program Act", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Morgan Luttrell", "L000603", "luttrell.house.gov", "luttrell", "https://luttrell.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), along with Congresswomen Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Rob Menendez (D-NJ), introduced the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Pilot Program Act. This legislation would pilot expanding CTPAT to include \u201cfreight forwarders\u201d and warehouses, helping reduce disruption of international trade, strengthen border security, and reduce supply chain congestion. The Senate companion was introduced by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tom Carper (D-DE) and passed with bipartisan support.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to introduce legislation to support a much-needed pilot program that would assess the national security value of including additional trade partners in CTPAT,\u201d said Congressman Luttrell. \u201cThis legislation would provide a path to more security at our borders, as well as enhance the security of the supply chain while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade. Strengthening our national security while boosting our supply chain is common sense legislation and I look forward to this bill passing in the House with bipartisan support.\u201d\n\nFollowing 9/11, Congress created the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program, a partnership between supply chain leaders and the federal government to expedite freight through the country safely and securely. However, the original legislation left out critical links in cross-border supply chains that play a key role in moving goods to the final customer.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://malliotakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/malliotakis-helps-37-immigrants-become-us-citizens-2023", "Malliotakis Helps 37 Immigrants Become U.S. Citizens in 2023", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Nicole Malliotakis", "M000317", "malliotakis.house.gov", "malliotakis", "https://malliotakis.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(STATEN ISLAND, BROOKLYN, NY) - Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), today announced her office has helped 37 immigrants from 14 different countries become United States citizens in 2023. This brings her total since being elected to Congress to 112, 70 in Richmond County and 42 in Kings County.\n\n\u201cWhile the Biden Administration is prioritizing those who've crossed the border illegally with their 'last in first out' policy, our office has been helping those who did everything right but have been caught in bureaucratic red tape for years, including helping 37 immigrants become American Citizens in 2023 alone. We should be rewarding those that followed the proper process, not punishing them by pushing them further down the line. As the daughter of immigrants, I'm proud to have helped these individuals and wish them continued success as they work to achieve their American Dreams.\"\n\nThe 37 immigrants Malliotakis' office helped become citizens this year came from: Albania, Egypt, China, North Macedonia, Nigeria, Liberia, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Spain, Syria, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Pakistan and Yemen. 18 became citizens in Richmond County and 19 became citizens in Kings County.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://meuser.house.gov/media/press-releases/republicans-challenge-secs-proposal-prohibit-volume-based-exchange-transaction", "Republicans Challenge SEC's Proposal to Prohibit Volume-Based Exchange Transaction Pricing", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Daniel Meuser", "M001204", "meuser.house.gov", "meuser", "https://meuser.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 A coalition of Republican members of the Financial Services Committee Capital Markets Subcommittee, wrote a letter led by Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-09) and Subcommittee Chairman Ann Wagner (MO-02), expressing significant opposition to the Securities and Exchange Commission\u2019s (SEC) recent proposal to prohibit volume-based exchange transaction pricing. In a letter addressed to SEC Chair Gary Gensler, they argue that the proposal is misguided, lacking empirical foundation, and could potentially disrupt the market ecosystem.\n\nVolume-based discounts, they argue, are integral to various sectors of the economy, promoting competition and enhancing consumer benefits. In the securities markets, these discounts play a crucial role in fostering liquidity. The letter warns that prohibiting these discounts could undermine fundamental market dynamics and display a lack of understanding of market operations at the Commission.\n\nThe letter goes on, expressing concern that the SEC's initiative relies more on conjecture than concrete evidence, potentially disrupting the market without just cause. Furthermore, they caution that the proposal could lead to a less transparent market with fragmented liquidity, contradicting the SEC\u2019s mandates. It also raises concerns about decreased competition, potentially resulting in higher costs for investors, which the SEC claims to help with this misguided proposal.\n\nThe letter, co-signed by Capital Markets Subcommittee members including Reps. Pete Sessions (TX-17), Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Bryan Steil (WI-01), Andrew Garbarino (NY-02), Michael Lawler (NY-17), Zach Nunn (IA-03), and Erin Houchin (IN-09), urges the SEC to reconsider this proposal. The members request a detailed response from the SEC to several pertinent questions, focusing on the empirical basis of the proposal, its potential impact on market liquidity and global competitiveness, and its implications for the existing regulatory framework.\n\nThe Republican members conclude by urging the SEC to cultivate a regulatory environment that is coherent, transparent, and responsive to the actual dynamics of the market ecosystem, rather than imposing unnecessary restrictions.\n\nRep. Dan Meuser said, \u201cOur letter to the SEC sends a clear message: we won't stand by while unnecessary regulations threaten the health of our markets. Volume-based discounts are more than just numbers; they're about fair play and smart business. The SEC's proposal to do away with them shows a worrying disconnect from real-world market practices. We're in this to protect every investor out there. As Republicans, we believe in rules that make sense, that are based on hard facts, not just theories. Our markets thrive on competition and transparency, and that's the kind of environment we're fighting to preserve.\"\n\nThe letter can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://miller.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-miller-and-chairman-smith-call-irs-commissioner-werfel-testify-ways-and", "Rep. Miller and Chairman Smith Call IRS Commissioner Werfel to Testify before the Ways and Means Committee", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "WV", "Carol D. Miller", "M001205", "miller.house.gov", "miller", "https://miller.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV), Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO), and all Ways and Means Republicans sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel calling on him to testify before the Ways and Means Committee on the Biden Administration\u2019s failure to follow a law passed by Congress and signed by President Biden. In November, the IRS announced its decision to delay implementation of the Democrat-mandated lower 1099-K reporting threshold that was included in the American Rescue Plan Act. In its flawed guidance, the IRS also made the legally dubious decision to change the law without any authority to do so from Congress.\n\n\u201cThis Administration is hellbent on picking winners and losers in how they interpret the law. Unfortunately, the loser is always the American taxpayer,\" said Congresswoman Miller. \u201cThe change of the reporting 1099-K threshold from $20,000 and over 200 transactions to only $600 would have hurt over 44 million American taxpayers and the IRS\u2019 refusal to implement the change has created more uncertainty going forward. For this reason, the reporting threshold should remain at $20,000 which protects Americans from paying redundant taxes. My bill, the Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act will return the threshold to the time-tested standard and save the IRS and Americans alike from unnecessary headaches for the foreseeable future. I am looking forward to the Commissioner\u2019s testimony before the Committee, he will have many tough questions to answer.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe IRS should not be shielding Democrats from the consequences of their own bad lawmaking \u2013 the clear intent of which was to maximize tax revenues, even if that meant placing 90 percent of the tax burden on middle-class families and gig workers,\u201d said Chairman Smith. \u201cCongress alone can repeal the unpopular, unworkable 1099K reporting requirement that Democrats and President Biden rammed through on a purely partisan basis. Republicans stand ready to do just that if the President and Senate Democrats would agree to join us. In the meantime, the IRS cannot sidestep the Constitution and simply rewrite laws.\n\nJoining Congresswoman Miller and Chairman Smith in co-signing the letter are all the Republican Members of the Ways and Means Committee: Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Ron Estes (R-KS), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Kevin Hern (R-OK), Greg Murphy (R-NC), David Kustoff (R-TN), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Greg Steube (R-FL), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Blake Moore (R-UT), Michelle Steel (R-CA), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and Mike Carey (R-OH).\n\nClick HERE for the full letter.\n\nOn the IRS delaying the implementation of the new 1099-K reporting threshold signed into law:\n\nOn November 21, 2023, shortly before the Thanksgiving holiday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) committed a lawless act by delaying the implementation of a new IRS Form 1099- K reporting threshold that congressional Democrats and President Biden enacted into law. Additionally, the IRS went a step further by even rewriting the law itself, changing important provisions as it sees fit. This comes after the agency announced a similar action last year on December 23, 2022, right before the Christmas holiday. The timing of these announcements makes it clear that the agency hopes Congress will not notice its refusal to implement a law passed by Congress and signed by the President. Well, we noticed.\n\nOn testifying before the Ways and Means Committee on why the IRS believes it can choose to not implement:\n\nWe write to ask you to provide the Committee with dates you are available between January 29 and February 7, 2024, to testify before the Committee on Ways and Means regarding why the agency believes it does not have to implement laws passed by Congress and signed by the President. The role of the Executive Branch is to execute the laws, not make them or delay them. Your announcement\u2019s blatant disregard for the separation of powers and our nation\u2019s constitutional order is alarming. We look forward to your appearance to answer questions about this decision.\n\nTo be clear, we did not vote for, nor do we support, the lowering of the Form 1099-K threshold. However, we have serious concerns with the IRS\u2019s actions that have continually ignored the clear letter of the law, and now your agency appears to be writing an entirely new policy without the authority to do so. The legislation that our Democrat colleagues passed on a party line vote very clearly states that the Form 1099-K threshold was set at $600 for tax year 2022 and onward. The enacted law did not give the IRS room to delay or change this threshold.\n\nOn the Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act and congressional oversight of the IRS:\n\nWe agree with you that the IRS is not prepared to implement the law. That is why we passed H.R. 190, the Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act, through the Committee on Ways and Means earlier this year as part of the Small Business Jobs Act, which would return the threshold to the time-tested standard of $20,000 and 200 transactions. Congress has the power to legislate. The IRS does not. We do not like the law congressional Democrats passed and that President Biden signed, but we cannot ignore the rule of law violations involved in the agency\u2019s decision. We cannot imagine how frustrated and upset our Democratic colleagues must be by your decision not to implement one of their signature pieces of legislation that would send 44 million new tax forms to Americans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases/reschenthaler-leads-effort-to-combat-reserve-and-guard-suicide-rates", "Reschenthaler Leads Effort to Combat Reserve & Guard Suicide Rates", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Guy Reschenthaler", "R000610", "reschenthaler.house.gov", "reschenthaler", "https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler, a former U.S. Navy JAG, joined Congressmen Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), a retired U.S. Navy SEAL, and Derek Kilmer (D-WA) in introducing H.R. 6873, legislation which directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include former members of the Reserves and Guard in their annual suicide report. After the 2020 report, the VA stopped including a separate statistic on suicides of former members of the Guard and Reserve, who were not federally activated.\n\n\u201cOver 20 veterans die by suicide each day, a sad reality for our heroes who have sacrificed so much for our nation,\u201d said Reschenthaler. \u201cAmerica has a duty to all those who served our country in uniform to ensure they have the same mental health resources at home that they had on the battlefield. That begins with an accurate count of these tragedies so we can work towards combatting them. I thank Reps. Van Orden and Kilmer for joining me on this important legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cI worked with National Guards and Reserves in combat, and these men and women deserve the same services as active-duty personnel because veteran suicide does not discriminate on the nature of one\u2019s military service,\u201d said Van Orden. \u201cAll our servicemembers, regardless of what capacity they served in, deserve to have their mental health and well-being taken seriously. This includes the men and women who have served our nation through the Army Reserves, such as those here at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin\u2019s Third District, and the National Guard. By reinstating former members of the Reserves and the Guard in the Veterans\u2019 Affairs annual suicide report, we will have a more comprehensive understanding of veterans\u2019 mental health and can better identify ways to combat veterans\u2019 suicide and get them the support they need.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you serve this country, the federal government should have your back,\u201d said Kilmer. \u201cAs a Co-Chair of the House Military Mental Health Task Force, I\u2019m deeply committed to addressing the mental health challenges faced by our service members, including those in the Reserves and National Guard not federally activated during their service. However, the alarming suicide rate among veterans underscores a critical gap in our understanding and support of these brave individuals. By including these former members of the Reserves and National Guard in the VA\u2019s annual suicide report, Congress can take a necessary step toward acknowledging and addressing this crisis. We owe it to every person who has served our nation in the armed forces, in any capacity, to ensure they receive the mental health support they need and deserve.\u201d\n\nIn 2018, there were 538 suicides among former members of the Armed Forces who were never activated for Federal military service, an average of 1.5 suicide deaths per day, according to the 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report.\n\nKilmer and Van Orden are co-chairs of the House Military Mental Health Task Force, which addresses issues pertaining to military mental health and suicide prevention. Reschenthaler is also a member of the task force, collaborating with subject matter experts, disseminating information, and providing resources to members and their staff so they can learn about the challenges facing America\u2019s former and current Service members and their families.\n\nRead the full bill here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases/reschenthaler-pa-lawmakers-to-blinken-marc-fogel-must-be-included-in-any-prisoner-swap", "Reschenthaler, PA Lawmakers to Blinken: Marc Fogel Must Be Included in Any Prisoner Swap", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Guy Reschenthaler", "R000610", "reschenthaler.house.gov", "reschenthaler", "https://reschenthaler.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), alongside Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), as well as Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Dan Meuser (R-PA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Glenn \u201cGT\u201d Thompson (R-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Susan Wild (D-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and Summer Lee (D-PA) urged Secretary Antony Blinken to include Pittsburgh-native Marc Fogel in any prisoner swap made with Russia. Fogel has been detained in Russia since August 2021 and is currently serving a 14-year sentence for possession of medical marijuana used to treat his severe back injury, a charge very similar to that of WNBA player Brittney Griner.\n\nIn the bipartisan, bicameral letter, the lawmakers wrote:\n\n\u201cSince Marc Fogel\u2019s arrest, numerous members of the House and Senate from both sides of the aisle have urged the State Department to take further action, including classifying Mr. Fogel as wrongfully detained. Unfortunately, this designation process has stalled while Mr. Fogel\u2019s health has deteriorated. As negotiations are ongoing with the Russian Federation, we respectfully request that any potential prisoner swap must include Mr. Fogel, along with Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.\u201d\n\nUnder federal law, Fogel meets at least six of the eleven established criteria to be designated as wrongfully detained by the State Department. He has yet to be classified as wrongfully detained, while Griner was designated in less than three months after her arrest. On December 8, 2022, Griner was released from Russian prison via a prisoner swap for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer known as the \u201cMerchant of Death.\u201d Fogel remains in a Russian penal colony serving his sentence.\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\nAdditional Reschenthaler Efforts:\n\nOn June 27, 2023, Reschenthaler introduced the Marc Fogel Act, which would require the State Department to provide Congress with copies of documents and communications on why a wrongful determination has or has not been made in cases of U.S. nationals detained abroad within six months of arrest.\n\nOn August 3, 2022, Reschenthaler led a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the State Department to immediately classify Marc Fogel as wrongfully detained due to the extreme similarity to Brittney Griner\u2019s case.\n\nOn October 31, 2022, Reschenthaler led a bipartisan letter to Secretary Blinken demanding the State Department prioritize securing Fogel\u2019s release.\n\nOn November 3, 2022, Reschenthaler introduced a resolution of inquiry directing President Biden and Secretary Blinken to provide the U.S. House of Representatives with copies of all documents relating to the State Department\u2019s review of the statutory criteria for Fogel to be designated as wrongfully detained.\n\nOn February 15, 2023, Reschenthaler and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul led a letter to Secretary Blinken expressing serious concern that the State Department has failed to provide information on why Fogel has not been classified as wrongfully detained.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-and-sen-cruz-demand-answers-texas-college-firing-teacher-who-said", "Rep. Roy and Sen. Cruz demand answers from Texas college for firing a teacher who said there are only two genders", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2014 On Wednesday, Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) and Senator Ted Cruz (TX) demanded answers from St. Philip\u2019s College in San Antonio, Texas for allegedly terminating a professor, Dr. Johnson Varkey, for saying that there are only two genders.\n\nThe lawmakers wrote in a letter,\u201cIt is our understanding that in January 2023, your institution terminated the employment of Dr. Johnson Varkey, a longtime adjunct professor, for teaching standard human biology and reproduction principles consistent with the school-approved curriculum that he had taught for consecutively for nearly twenty years.\u201d\n\nDr. Varkey had consistently received exemplary reviews throughout his tenure until November 28, 2022, when reports indicate four students walked out of his class after he articulated the scientific fact that sex is a fixed characteristic determined prior to birth by X and Y chromosomes.\n\nThe legislators said,\u201cDr. Varkey received a Notice of Discipline and Termination of Employment and Contract letter from your administration alleging that the college \u2018received numerous complaints\u2019 about his \u2018religious preaching, discriminatory comments about homosexuals and transgender individuals, anti-abortion rhetoric, and misogynistic banter\u2019 and that Dr. Varkey\u2019s teaching \u2018pushed beyond the bounds of academic freedom with [his] personal opinions that were offensive to many individuals in the classroom.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cRegrettably, this incident is not an isolated occurrence at St. Philip\u2019s College and the broader Alamo Colleges District. Instead, recent history reveals a pattern of targeting and penalizing educators who refuse to capitulate to the prevailing progressive narrative\u2026 Given that St. Philip\u2019s College receives federal funding, we hope that your administration can address this matter with both swiftness and clarity.\u201d the Texas lawmakers wrote.\n\nThe letter is also signed by Representative Michael Cloud (TX-27), Lance Gooden (TX-05), and Dan Crenshaw (TX-02).\n\nRead the full letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases/administracion-biden-implementa-la-ley-reclaim-de-la-congresista-salazar", "Administraci\u00f3n Biden implementa la Ley RECLAIM de la congresista Salazar", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Maria Elvira Salazar", "S000168", "salazar.house.gov", "salazar", "https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 La Administraci\u00f3n de Peque\u00f1os Negocios de la Administraci\u00f3n Biden acaba de anunciar que implementar\u00e1 la H.R. 4667, la Ley RECLAIM, de la representante Mar\u00eda Elvira Salazar (R-FL), que recientemente fue aprobada por la C\u00e1mara de Representantes.\n\nLa legislaci\u00f3n exige que la Administraci\u00f3n de Peque\u00f1os Negocios cree un plan para reclamar pr\u00e9stamos del Programa de Protecci\u00f3n de Cheques de Pago (PPP) no utilizados o fraudulentos emitidos durante la pandemia de COVID-19.\n\n\u201cCuando el Congreso aprob\u00f3 mi Ley RECLAIM el mes pasado, enviamos un fuerte mensaje al presidente Biden de que necesitamos la rendici\u00f3n de cuentas en nuestro Gobierno\u201d, dijo la representante Salazar. \u201cAplaudo a la Administraci\u00f3n de Peque\u00f1os Negocios por implementar mi pol\u00edtica sensata. Los propietarios de peque\u00f1os negocios de Miami dependieron de estos pr\u00e9stamos para mantener las puertas abiertas durante la pandemia, pero los malos actores se aprovecharon del sistema. Le debemos a los contribuyentes estadounidenses garantizar que los fraudes y estafadores devuelvan lo que robaron de nuestras comunidades\u201d.\n\n\u201cAplaudo a la congresista Salazar por su trabajo en la Ley RECLAIM\u201d, dijo el congresista Roger Williams, presidente del Comit\u00e9 de Peque\u00f1os Negocios de la C\u00e1mara de Representantes. \u201cVer a la SBA hacer lo mismo y actuar seg\u00fan la legislaci\u00f3n pragm\u00e1tica de este Comit\u00e9 muestra el impacto y la eficacia de nuestro trabajo en el Congreso\u201d.\n\nLa Ley \u201cReturning Erroneous COVID Loans Addressing Illegal and Misappropriated (RECLAIM) Taxpayer Funds\u201d requiere que la Administraci\u00f3n de Peque\u00f1os Negocios (SBA, por sus siglas en ingl\u00e9s) establezca procesos para contabilizar los pr\u00e9stamos fraudulentos y no utilizados del Programa de Protecci\u00f3n de Cheques de Pago (PPP) distribuidos durante el apogeo de la pandemia de COVID-19.\n\nLa Administraci\u00f3n de Peque\u00f1os Negocios anunci\u00f3 su gu\u00eda aqu\u00ed.\n\nEsta legislaci\u00f3n marca la sexta victoria legislativa importante durante los dos mandatos de la representante Mar\u00eda Elvira Salazar en el Congreso. Otros proyectos de ley clave patrocinados por la congresista Salazar que fueron aprobados o implementados como Ley incluyen:\n\nLa Ley \u201cCOVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Relief\u201d para brindar alivio econ\u00f3mico a los floridanos.\n\nImplementada por la Administraci\u00f3n Biden en marzo de 2021.\n\nLa Ley \u201cReinforcing Nicaragua\u2019s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform (RENACER)\u201d para sancionar al r\u00e9gimen de Ortega en Nicaragua.\n\nPromulgada como ley en noviembre de 2021.\n\nLa Ley PRICE facilitar\u00e1 que los peque\u00f1os negocios obtengan contratos federales.\n\nPromulgada como ley en febrero de 2022.\n\nLa Ley \u201cSummer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery\u201d reautorizar\u00e1 fondos importantes para programas que aborden problemas de salud mental y abuso de sustancias.\n\nPromulgada como ley en diciembre de 2022.\n\nLa Ley REEF incentivar\u00e1 que los barcos retirados de la Armada sean hundidos y utilizados como arrecifes artificiales en ecosistemas marinos en todo Estados Unidos.\n\nPromulgada como ley en diciembre de 2023.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases/biden-administration-implements-salazars-reclaim-taxpayer-funds-act", "Biden Administration Implements Salazar\u2019s RECLAIM Taxpayer Funds Act", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Maria Elvira Salazar", "S000168", "salazar.house.gov", "salazar", "https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The Biden Administration\u2019s Small Business Administration just announced that it will implement H.R. 4667, Rep. Mar\u00eda Elvira Salazar\u2019s (R-FL) RECLAIM Taxpayer Funds Act, which recently passed the House of Representatives. The legislation requires the Small Business Administration to create a plan to reclaim unused or fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans issued during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n\u201cWhen Congress passed my RECLAIM Taxpayer Funds Act last month, we sent a strong message to President Biden that we need accountability in our government,\u201d said Rep. Salazar. \u201cI applaud the Small Business Administration for implementing my common sense policy. Miami small business owners relied on these loans to keep the doors open during the pandemic \u2013 but bad actors took advantage of the system. We owe it to the American taxpayers to ensure frauds and cheats pay back what they stole from our communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cI applaud Congresswoman Salazar for her work on the RECLAIM Taxpayer Funds Act,\u201d said Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams. \u201cSeeing the SBA follow suit and act on this Committee\u2019s pragmatic legislation shows the impact and effectiveness of our work in Congress.\u201d\n\nThe Returning Erroneous COVID Loans Addressing Illegal and Misappropriated (RECLAIM) Taxpayer Funds Act requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish processes to account for fraudulent and unused Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans distributed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Small Business Administration noticed the guidance here.\n\nThis legislation marks the sixth major legislative victory during Representative Salazar\u2019s two terms in Congress. Other key bills sponsored by Rep. Salazar that were passed or implemented into law include:\n\nThe COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Relief Act to provide economic relief for Floridians.\n\nImplemented by the Biden Administration in March 2021.\n\nThe Reinforcing Nicaragua\u2019s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform (RENACER) Act to sanction the Ortega Regime in Nicaragua.\n\nSigned into law in November 2021.\n\nThe PRICE Act to make it easier for small businesses to get federal contracts.\n\nSigned into law in February 2022.\n\nThe Summer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act to reauthorize critical funding for programs that address mental health and substance abuse issues.\n\nSigned into law in December 2022.\n\nThe REEF Act to incentivize retired Navy ships to be sunk and used as artificial reefs in marine ecosystems across America.\n\nSigned into law in December 2023.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://vanorden.house.gov/media/press-releases/van-orden-reschenthaler-kilmer-lead-effort-combat-reserve-guard-suicide-rates", "Van Orden, Reschenthaler, Kilmer Lead Effort to Combat Reserve & Guard Suicide Rates", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Derrick Van Orden", "V000135", "vanorden.house.gov", "vanorden", "https://vanorden.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressmen Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), a retired U.S. Navy SEAL, Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler, a former U.S. Navy JAG, and Derek Kilmer (D-WA) introduced H.R. 6873, legislation which directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include former members of the Reserves and Guard in their annual suicide report. After the 2020 report, the VA stopped including a separate statistic on suicides of former members of the Guard and Reserve, who were not federally activated.\n\n\u201cI worked with National Guards and Reserves in combat, and these men and women deserve the same services as active-duty personnel because veteran suicide does not discriminate on the nature of one\u2019s military service,\u201d said Van Orden. \u201cAll our servicemembers, regardless of what capacity they served in, deserve to have their mental health and well-being taken seriously. This includes the men and women who have served our nation through the Army Reserves, such as those here at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin\u2019s Third District, and the National Guard. By reinstating former members of the Reserves and the Guard in the Veterans\u2019 Affairs annual suicide report, we will have a more comprehensive understanding of veterans\u2019 mental health and can better identify ways to combat veterans\u2019 suicide and get them the support they need.\u201d\n\nQuote from Chief Deputy Whip Reschenthaler: \u201cOver 20 veterans die by suicide each day, a sad reality for our heroes who have sacrificed so much for our nation. America has a duty to all those who served our country in uniform to ensure they have the same mental health resources at home that they had on the battlefield. That begins with an accurate count of these tragedies so we can work towards combatting them. I thank Reps. Van Orden and Kilmer for joining me on this important legislation.\u201d\n\nQuote from Rep. Kilmer: \u201cIf you serve this country, the federal government should have your back. As a Co-Chair of the House Military Mental Health Task Force, I\u2019m deeply committed to addressing the mental health challenges faced by our service members, including those in the Reserves and National Guard not federally activated during their service. However, the alarming suicide rate among veterans underscores a critical gap in our understanding and support of these brave individuals. By including these former members of the Reserves and National Guard in the VA\u2019s annual suicide report, Congress can take a necessary step toward acknowledging and addressing this crisis. We owe it to every person who has served our nation in the armed forces, in any capacity, to ensure they receive the mental health support they need and deserve.\u201d\n\nIn 2018, there were 538 suicides among former members of the Armed Forces who were never activated for Federal military service, an average of 1.5 suicide deaths per day, according to the 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report.\n\nVan Orden and Kilmer are co-chairs of the House Military Mental Health Task Force, which addresses issues pertaining to military mental health and suicide prevention. Reschenthaler is also a member of the task force, collaborating with subject matter experts, disseminating information, and providing resources to members and their staff so they can learn about the challenges facing America\u2019s former and current Service members and their families.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0446C366-6747-4D27-B0B0-67660DA4DE02", "Boozman Preserves Memories of Arkansas Air Force Veteran", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "AR", "John Boozman", "B001236", "www.boozman.senate.gov", "boozman", "https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) recognized the service of Harold Beaver in \u2018Salute to Veterans,\u2019 a series highlighting the military service of Arkansans.\n\nBeaver was born on December 12, 1946 and raised in Searcy, Arkansas. He grew up on a farm and attended Pleasant Plains school with only 15 other classmates. After graduation, he attended the University of Arkansas to pursue a degree in civil engineering.\n\nAfter completing a mandatory two years of ROTC, Beaver chose to pursue advanced ROTC.\n\n\u201cEverybody who was looking to have some choices during the Vietnam era rather than being drafted, for the most part, chose to go into the advanced ROTC. That\u2019s part of the reason, I had no idea what my draft number would be. It didn\u2019t make any difference, so I chose to go in that direction.\u201d\n\nJust weeks after marrying his wife, he was assigned to March Air Force Base in Riverside, California for a six-week advanced ROTC summer camp. \u201cIt was an interesting experience,\u201d he said recalling the extensive schedule that kept him very busy.\n\nHe graduated in May 1969 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. His first active duty assignment was at Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, Texas.\n\n\u201cThe interstate wasn\u2019t completed at the time, so we did a lot of country driving to get there,\u201d he said.\n\nHe was selected for pilot training and learned to fly the T-41 \u201cto weed out the folks\u201d who weren\u2019t cut out to be a pilot.\n\nThe next step in training was flying the T-37, which at the time was the first jet an Air Force pilot flew. It was side-by-side training with an instructor for more than four months.\n\n\u201cThe 37\u2019s got a stick so you had to learn that transition,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s the only plane in the Air Force, at that time, where you practiced spins, so we would go up to 22,500 feet, force it into a stall, create rotation and make it spin. There is only one spin recovery procedure. Nothing else works, other than that one, so you had to do it right once you got into a spin to get out.\"\n\nOne of his fellow students in the program was killed trying to get out of a spin. \u201cIt made me do some soul searching whether I wanted to continue with the program or not,\u201d he recalled.\n\nBeaver said the hardest part of learning to fly was the motion sickness, but he found ways to overcome the challenge.\n\nFollowing training on the T-38 the pilots in the class were able to select their next flying assignment based on the class ranking. Beaver elected to be an instructor on the T-37 and stay at Webb Air Force Base.\n\nHe described the relationships he made with fellow students as the best part of pilot training, and how important that was for him to give those same experiences to new pilots as an instructor.\n\nFlight classes were typically made of 25-30 students with 9-10 instructors.\n\nBeaver and other instructors also trained a lot of foreign pilots. One of his best students was from Norway. While that student spoke English well, others weren't proficient in the language.\n\n\u201cIt was kind of difficult trying to explain to them what to do in the plane while you\u2019re flying.\"\n\nThere is one experience as an instructor that stands out.\n\n\u201cWe were spinning,\u201d Beaver said. He recalled the student tried to recover, but the plane ended up in an inverted spin. \u201cVery uncomfortable situation, and his hands were locked on the stick, and I couldn\u2019t get him to turn loose.\u201d Beaver was beating on the student\u2019s hands to no avail. \u201cI grabbed his oxygen hose, squeezed it, and he couldn\u2019t breathe, so he turned loose the stick to grab his mask and that\u2019s when I got the stick and we recovered and came back immediately.\u201d\n\nBeaver had a five-year commitment to the Air Force, but he was able to get an early out as the Vietnam War was ending.\n\nHe and his wife returned to Arkansas where he spent a long career serving as a civil engineer for the Arkansas Department of Transportation.\n\nBeaver says he hopes he made a difference and shared knowledge that helped his pilots.\n\nHe recommends the ROTC program for those who feel called to serve. \u201cIt is something of an honor to serve your country, especially as a pilot, especially wearing the uniform of this country,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cHarold Beaver made a tremendous impact on transportation in Arkansas, so I\u2019m especially honored to help preserve these memories of his Air Force service, as well. He is a great example of someone who has found ways to use his talents to serve others throughout his lifetime. His stories are important to our nation\u2019s history and I\u2019m glad future generations will get to learn about the role he and other pilot instructors have had in ensuring the strength of our military,\u201d Boozman said.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:56:20Z"], ["https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-joins-colleagues-in-bipartisan-push-to-lower-prescription-drug-costs", "Capito Joins Colleagues in Bipartisan Push to Lower Prescription Drug Costs", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "WV", "Shelley Moore Capito", "C001047", "www.capito.senate.gov", "capito", "https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues in a letter \u2013 led by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) \u2013 urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of the Treasury to lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs by enforcing a rule limiting the use of harmful \u201ccopay accumulators.\u201d Copay accumulators prevent copay assistance from counting towards a patient\u2019s deductible or out-of-pocket maximum, which makes it harder for patients to afford their medications.\n\n\u201cThis decision is an important step in the right direction for low-income and other eligible patients who rely on manufacturer and nonprofit copay assistance programs to alleviate affordability and access challenges for their medicines,\u201d the senators said.\n\n\u201cInstead of appealing the court\u2019s ruling, we urge you to adopt policies from the 2020 NBPP [Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters] that strike the right balance of preserving a plan\u2019s ability to control costs while also putting the patient first,\u201d the senators continued.\n\nIn addition to Senators Capito, Kaine and Marshall, the letter is signed by Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), John Boozman (R-Ark), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.).\n\nFull text of the letter is available here.\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-capito-wishes-west-virginians-amerry-christmas", "VIDEO: Capito Wishes West Virginians a\r\nMerry Christmas", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "WV", "Shelley Moore Capito", "C001047", "www.capito.senate.gov", "capito", "https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "**Click here or the image above to watch the video.**\n\n**Click here to download the video.**\n\nCHARLESTON, W.Va. \u2013 U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today issued a video message wishing West Virginians a Merry Christmas.\n\nFull video transcript included below:\n\n\u201cMerry Christmas, West Virginia. As you gather with family and loved ones to enjoy the traditions and festivities, I hope this is a time of great joy, peace, and happiness.\n\n\u201cI encourage you to pause and reflect on what's most important during this Christmas season. Whether you are at home or traveling to see those who matter most, let's come together and celebrate the blessings that we have and renew our hope for a bright future and a new year ahead.\n\n\u201cLet's also remember the brave men and women serving overseas, first responders and law enforcement officers, and our medical professionals who are unable to spend these special holidays with their loved ones because of their selfless service to all of us.\n\n\u201cFrom my family to yours, Merry Christmas. May your days be merry and bright, and may the year ahead be full of blessings for you and your family.\u201d\n\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-and-delivers-remarks-at-newly-completed-fire-station-in-plymouth", "Senator Collins Visits and Delivers Remarks at Newly Completed Fire Station in Plymouth", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nPlymouth, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins delivered remarks and toured the facility at a celebration of the new fire station in Plymouth. The event also recognized \u201cNational Maine Day,\u201d which occurs today, December 21st.\n\n\u201cI enjoyed touring the new station and speaking with Plymouth\u2019s firefighters and town leaders about how this facility will improve their ability to respond to emergencies and keep people safe,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI was pleased to advocate for federal funding to support the Town of Plymouth\u2019s new fire station through last year\u2019s funding bill, and I will continue to champion federal investments that help to ensure the safety of first responders and communities throughout Maine.\u201d\n\nFollowing Senator Collins, Bradley Foss, the Deputy Chief of the Plymouth Fire Department, spoke to those in attendance. Deputy Chief Foss discussed a recent near-carbon monoxide poisoning, when a local household was using a power generator without proper ventilation. Fortunately, tragedy was avoided in that case, but as countless Mainer\u2019s power-up their backup generators in response to the widespread electrical outages this week, Deputy Chief Foss wanted to stress the life-or-death importance of proper generator safety to those in Plymouth and throughout the State of Maine.\n\nSenator Collins, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured $800,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending last year to replace the Town of Plymouth\u2019s aging fire station that had fallen into disrepair. This funding was part of more than $36 million that Senator Collins secured in the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations bills for 27 different public safety projects across the state.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-nifa-awards-262500-to-ndsu-to-empower-women-leaders-in-agribusiness-education", "Sen. Cramer: NIFA Awards $262,500 to NDSU to Empower Women Leaders in Agribusiness Education", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ND", "Kevin Cramer", "C001096", "www.cramer.senate.gov", "cramer", "https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "BISMARCK \u2013 The U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded $262,500 to North Dakota State University to address the shortage of experts in agricultural management and economics. It will also empower women and underrepresented groups in the agriculture and food production sector.\n\nThese funds are part of a larger investment of $3.2 million in Food and Ag Sciences National Needs Graduate and Post-grad Fellowship Grants. NIFA\u2019s National Needs Fellowship program trains students pursuing masters and doctoral degrees and provides additional education for the next generation of policy makers, researchers, and educators in the food and agricultural sciences.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-scott-demand-biden-admin-delay-red-tape-rule-detrimental-to-small-businesses", "Crapo, Risch, Scott Demand Biden Admin Delay Red-Tape Rule Detrimental to Small Businesses", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Rick Scott (R-Florida) with U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) and 76 of their colleagues wrote U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Andrea Gacki urging the administration to delay the implementation of new reporting requirements for small businesses.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the millions of small businesses in our states, we write to you today with significant concerns regarding the implementation of the beneficial ownership reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA),\u201d wrote the elected officials. \u201c . . . While the goal of this new law is to target shell companies involved in illicit financial transactions, the CTA defines covered entities as those having 20 or fewer employees and under $5 million in revenue. In other words, not just shell companies, but nearly every small business in America.\u201d\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, FinCEN is woefully behind in educating small business owners and stakeholders of their new obligations under the CTA that begin in just a few short weeks . . . This lack of awareness and education is alarming and must be addressed before the law is implemented,\u201d continued the leaders. \u201cFinCEN has yet to finalize the two final BOI rulemakings that are critical to protecting small businesses\u2019 personal information. We strongly request that FinCEN delay the January 1, 2024, effective date for all BOI requirements by a minimum of one year and FinCEN has finalized all outstanding rulemakings. We believe a year\u2019s delay will provide FinCEN and the business community with more time to educate owners of their new obligations. It will also give FinCEN time to review the new rules and improve and finalize the statute\u2019s regulatory framework.\u201d\n\nThe full letter is available here.\n\nJoining Senators Crapo, Risch and Scott are U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-North Dakota), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Dan Sullivan (R-Alabama), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Katie Boyd Britt (R-Alabama), Steve Daines (R-Montana), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) and John Kennedy (R-Louisiana).\n\nThe letter is also supported by numerous organizations, including:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cruz-statement-on-americans-including-texans-freed-from-maduro-custody-in-venezuela", "Cruz Statement on Americans, Including Texans, Freed from Maduro Custody in Venezuela", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Following the announcement that ten Americans, including three Texans, have been freed from captivity in Venezuela, where they were held by the Maduro regime, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said, \u201cI\u2019m pleased these Americans, including Texans Luke Denman, Airan Berry, and Jerrel Kenemore, will finally be reunited with their loved ones here at home. I have long called on the Maduro regime to release them and for the United States to impose pressure on the regime until it did so, and it is heartening that their unjust ordeal is over. Nevertheless, I continue to be concerned that the Biden administration\u2019s hostage diplomacy, in this case the release of criminal and terrorist financier Alex Saab, sends a message to terrorists and other American adversaries abroad that American hostages can be used as bargaining chips.\n\n\u201cThis news must also deepen our focus and commitment to bring back all Americans who are wrongfully detained overseas. Texan Mark Swidan remains unjustly imprisoned by the Chinese Communist Party, and the Biden administration must do everything it can to secure his release.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-cruz-britt-introduce-legislation-to-bar-non-citizens-from-voting-in-federal-elections", "Sens. Cruz, Britt Introduce Legislation to Bar Non-Citizens from Voting in Federal Elections", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.), members on the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, joined together with their colleagues on the committee to introduce the Citizen Ballot Protection Act. This bill would ensure states have the authority to verify that only American citizens are voting in federal elections. The bill specifically amends Section 6 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993, to explicitly allow states to put in place a proof of citizenship requirement for both the federal mail voter registration form, and any state mail voter registration forms they might develop.\n\nUpon introducing the bill, Sen. Cruz said, \u201cVoting is a privilege and right reserved for American citizens to participate democratically in deciding the leadership of our country. Under Joe Biden\u2019s watch, the integrity of our electoral process has been compromised. Democrat-run jurisdictions have violated our electoral process by granting an open invitation to any non-citizen or illegal alien to unconstitutionally participate in voting in local elections. This presents an unreasonable risk of cross-contamination of ballots and voting by non-citizens in federal elections. We must uphold the integrity of our electoral system by requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship before casting a vote at the ballot box.\u201d\n\nCosigners of the bill include Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Rules Committee Ranking Member Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Sens. Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.).\n\nRead the full text of the bill here.\n\nBackground:\n\nSen. Cruz has spearheaded several efforts to block non-citizens from voting in elections including:\n\nIntroducing legislation to prohibit the Washington D.C. city government from using federal funds to facilitate non-citizen voting in elections in our nation\u2019s capital;\n\nIntroducing a joint resolution pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to fight a measure passed by the D.C. Council that would allow illegal aliens to vote in local D.C. elections.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-cruz-coons-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-resolution-urging-steps-to-restore-deterrence-against-iran-proxies-attacking-us-troops", "Sens. Cruz, Coons, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Urging Steps to Restore Deterrence Against Iran Proxies Attacking U.S. Troops", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), joined by 12 additional cosponsors, this week introduced a resolution urging the Biden administration to take all necessary steps to restore deterrence against Iran and Iranian proxies targeting Americans and American interests in the Middle East. American troops in the region have been targeted by Iran and Iranian proxies more than 115 times since mid-October. Iran provides financing, training, and other support to terrorist groups throughout the region, including the Houthis.\n\nSen. Cruz said, \u201cThe Iranian regime is attacking Americans, our allies, and our interests across the Middle East. They are not only launching attacks and massacres against our Israeli and Arab allies, but their Houthi proxies are now trying to shut down freedom of navigation that is vital to the American and global economies. It is clear that they are not deterred, and it is long past time for the Biden administration to take all necessary steps to deter and counter these activities. Enough is enough.\u201d\n\nSen. Coons said, \u201cAttacks on American troops are reprehensible, and Iranian support for these attacks has rightfully earned a swift and forceful response from the Biden administration. I join Senator Cruz in introducing this resolution to condemn these attacks, increase pressure on Iran to cease its support for violent militia groups, and support efforts to deter Iranian-backed militia attacks on U.S. troops and the international community. I also commend the resiliency and bravery of American service members across the Middle East and hope this resolution makes clear Congress\u2019 support for U.S. Central Command\u2019s mission of countering terrorism and maintaining stability across the region.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Sens. Coons and Cruz, the resolution is cosponsored by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.).\n\nThe text of the full resolution is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/senate-passes-tillis-bill-to-equip-law-enforcement-with-trauma-kits", "Senate Passes Tillis Bill To Equip Law Enforcement With Trauma Kits", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "NC", "Thom Tillis", "T000476", "www.tillis.senate.gov", "tillis", "https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Senate recently passed the American Law Enforcement Sustaining Aid and Vital Emergency Resources(SAVER) Act, legislation co-sponsored by Senator Thom Tillis to equip law enforcement officers with quality trauma kits to immediately respond to civilian or first responder injuries during emergency calls.\n\n\u201cAs a strong supporter of our brave men and women in law enforcement, I was proud to co-introduce this legislation which would equip law enforcement with the tools they need to keep our communities safe,\u201d said Senator Tillis. \u201cEnsuring law enforcement officers have effective trauma kits will save countless lives. I am proud the American Law Enforcement SAVER Act passed the Senate and look forward to quick passage in the House to ensure our law enforcement agencies have the resources they need.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nThe effectiveness of a law enforcement trauma kit program depends in part on the contents and the quality of the kits. Medical professionals recommend that a kit include bleeding control supplies like tourniquets, bandages, non-latex gloves, scissors, and instructions. However, there is enormous variation in the products available on the market. The American Law Enforcement SAVER Act would:\n\nEstablish baseline standards in consultation with law enforcement and medical professionals for trauma kits purchased using grant funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG);\n\nRequire the development of optional best practices that law enforcement agencies can adapt for training law enforcement officers to use trauma kits and for deployment and maintenance of the kits in vehicles and government facilities.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police, Louisiana Sheriffs\u2019 Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, National Criminal Justice Association, The Wounded Blue, American Trauma Society, Society of Trauma Nurses, American College of Surgeons, and American College of Emergency Physicians.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/tillis-colleagues-slam-dhs-decision-to-suspend-rail-commerce-at-border-to-process-more-migrants", "Tillis, Colleagues Slam DHS Decision to Suspend Rail Commerce at Border to Process More Migrants", "2023-12-21", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "Senate", "NC", "Thom Tillis", "T000476", "www.tillis.senate.gov", "tillis", "https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues recently sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding the BidenAdministration re-open railway commerce at the Southern border. Earlier this week, the Administration closed the railways to process migrants illegally crossing the border.\n\n\u201cWe write today to express our serious concern with the Customs and Border Protection\u2019s (CBP) recent actions to suspend international railway crossings and rail operations in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. On December 18, 2023, CBP pulled personnel from those operations and redirected them to assist with the migrant surges at the southwest border. In recent weeks, CBP has suspended vehicle processing at Eagle Pass International Bridge 1 and operations at California\u2019s San Ysidro Pedestrian West and Arizona\u2019s Lukeville Port of Entry. Without putting real policies in place to cut the increasing flow of illegal immigration, our national security and economy will continue to pay the price,\u201d the senators wrote.\n\n\u201cCBP\u2019s decision to suspend rail service and close international crossings at Eagle Pass and El Paso directly and immediately impacts our carriers\u2019 ability to move goods across the North American rail network and to the North American consumers who rely on them. The success of our trade partnership with Mexico relies on the successful operation of these international railway crossings. U.S. goods and services trade with Mexico totaled an estimated $855.1 billion in 2022. Eagle Pass and El Paso accounted for a total of $33.95 billion or 35.8% of all cross-border rail traffic to and from Mexico in the last year,\u201d the senators continued.\n\n\u201cThe crisis at our nation\u2019s southern border is unprecedented and is the worst it has ever been in our country\u2019s history. Only smarter and effective policies will guide us out of it, and without a real plan, this Administration will hardly address the substantial challenges that currently exist. Redirecting a small group of CBP personnel away from these rail entries will not do anything to get us closer to a solution. We urge you to re-open the rail ports of entry at Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. Further, we urge you to take this humanitarian, security, and economic crisis seriously and engage with Congress to enact real policy change that stops the flow of illegal migration,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nRead the full letter HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/bilirakis-porter-re-introduce-bills-reduce-carbon-emissions-trucking-maritime", "Bilirakis & Porter Re-Introduce Bills to Reduce Carbon Emissions from Trucking, Maritime Transport", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Gus M. Bilirakis", "B001257", "bilirakis.house.gov", "bilirakis", "https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC- Earlier today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA) reintroduced a package of two bills that would encourage hydrogen, a cleaner fuel source, in heavy-duty transportation. The Hydrogen for Trucks Act would incentivize heavy-duty vehicle owner-operators to purchase hydrogen trucks and fueling infrastructure, while the Hydrogen for Ports Act would promote the use of hydrogen-fueled equipment at ports and in shipping applications.\n\n\"As we grapple with energy affordability and our responsibilities to the future, we need to encourage energy innovation and pursue an \u2018all-of-the-above' approach,\" said Bilirakis. \"Hydrogen fuel cell technology is a promising solution, and our bipartisan bill will better enable Americans and small businesses to harness the full potential of this reliable resource.\"\n\n\u201cCalifornia leads the nation in clean energy research, so Californians know firsthand how investing in the technology of tomorrow strengthens our economy while safeguarding our environment for future generations,\u201d said Rep. Porter. \u201cHydrogen is a promising, clean fuel source for industries that struggle to find reliable clean-energy alternatives, like trucking and maritime shipping. Our bipartisan bills would advance innovation in hydrogen technologies, making our economy more resilient and globally competitive.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://blakemoore.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-moore-lamborn-and-newhouse-co-lead-bill-protect-american-mining", "Congressmen Moore, Lamborn, and Newhouse Co-Lead Bill to Protect American Mining", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "UT", "Blake D. Moore", "M001213", "blakemoore.house.gov", "blakemoore", "https://blakemoore.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON -- House Republican Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore, Natural Resources Vice Chairman Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05), and Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) introduced a bill to block the Biden administration from damaging vital mining and mineral refining in the United States.\n\nRecently, the Biden administration proposed a new rule limiting the scope of the minerals that are eligible for coverage and expedited permitting under Title 41 of the Fixing America\u2019s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41). Limiting the scope to critical minerals will harm America\u2019s ability to quickly and effectively produce minerals like copper, iron, and host minerals from which we derive critical minerals.\n\n\u201cThe Biden administration\u2019s proposed rule will prevent the U.S. from meeting our domestic mining production goals and reducing our reliance on China,\u201d said Congressman Moore. \u201cUtah\u2019s mining industry consists almost entirely of materials that are not on the Department of Energy\u2019s critical minerals list, yet it supports over 43,000 jobs and contributes over $5.2 billion to the state\u2019s GDP every year. At a time when legacy mineral demand has never been higher, the federal government needs to leverage every tool to meet our energy manufacturing and infrastructure needs rather than sending the wrong signal to industry. I\u2019m proud to co-sponsor this bill that would overturn President Biden\u2019s rule and ensure Utah mining projects qualify for FAST-41 status.\u201d\n\nAs China works to put a chokehold on mining and refining of minerals, the Biden administration\u2019s latest action to slow down the mining permitting process will only put U.S. supply chains at further risk. To read the full text of the legislation Congressmen Moore, Lamborn, and Newhouse introduced to block this action, click here.\n\n\u201cAs Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, I have consistently pushed back against the Biden administration to protect American energy production,\u201d said Congressman Lamborn. \u201cOur bill will ensure a secure domestic mineral supply chain and push back against China\u2019s chokehold on the production and refinement of minerals.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt a time when America should work to secure domestic supply chains, the Biden Administration is redefining the process to make starting new projects harder for minerals not listed as \u2018critical\u2019 by USGS,\u201d said Congressman Newhouse. \u201cThis rule change would make the United States even more reliant on Communist China for minerals, putting our national and economic security at risk. I\u2019m proud to join Western Caucus Vice Chair Lamborn on this legislation to overturn the Administration\u2019s changes to FAST-41 that will slow down project approval for certain new mines, such as copper mines. The Western Caucus is committed to securing and strengthening America\u2019s domestic mineral production.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy severely limiting the mining sector\u2019s ability to utilize the benefits of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC), the Biden administration is contradicting its own stated goal of streamlining permitting,\u201d said the National Mining Association. \u201cMineral demand is at its highest in history \u2013 and growing \u2013 and we need to jumpstart more domestic, responsible mining; instead, the proposed FPISC rule would increase our dependence on minerals sourced from countries like China and Russia. This bill, combined with other bipartisan congressional efforts urging the FPISC to rescind its proposed rule, will support and enable greater investments in domestic energy, defense, and manufacturing supply chains essential to U.S. economic and national security.\u201d\n\nFAST-41 Background\n\nThe Fixing America\u2019s Surface Transportation Act was enacted on December 4, 2015. Title 41 of the act (FAST-41) established new coordination and oversight procedures for infrastructure projects being reviewed by federal agencies.\n\nFAST-41 is intended to:\n\nImprove early consultation and coordination among government agencies;\n\nIncrease transparency through the publication of project-specific timetables with completion dates for all federal authorizations and environmental reviews; and\n\nIncrease accountability through consultation and reporting on projects.\n\nIn 2021, mining was added as a sector under FAST-41, and projects could then work through the 18 possible criteria to be expedited. These range from renewable and conventional energy production to semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Many of these projects are critical to America\u2019s leadership in the economic and energy sectors.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://brecheen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=250", "2023 Wrapped: Congressman Brecheen\u2019s Legislative Work Highlights", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "Josh Brecheen", "B001317", "brecheen.house.gov", "brecheen", "https://brecheen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 As we reach the conclusion of Congressman Brecheen\u2019s first year in office, here are some of the top legislative highlights of the year in case you might have missed it.\n\nTop Amendments:\n\n\u00b7 Passed an amendment to Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations that would block a Biden rule from requiring foster care families to affirm children\u2019s LGBT identity.\n\n\u00b7 Passed an amendment to the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations bill to bring down to pre-pandemic levels the General Service Administration (GSA) Real Property Activities of the Federal Buildings Fund.\n\nTop Bills Introduced:\n\n\u00b7 Introduced H.R.4727, the No Obamacare for Illegal Aliens Act, which if enacted, would save the taxpayer $136 million annually.\n\n\u00b7 Introduced H.R.4964, the Thrifty Food Plan Accountability Act, which if enacted, would save the taxpayer $25 billion annually.\n\n\u00b7 Introduced the Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen-Wheelers (DRIVE) Act, which would prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from implementing any rule or regulation requiring vehicles over 26,000 pounds that are engaged in interstate commerce to be equipped with a speed limiting device set to a maximum speed. The bill so far has 32 cosponsors.\n\n\u00b7 Introduced the Patriotism Not Pride Act, which would prohibit federal agencies from using taxpayer resources to promote Pride Month or any similar event. The bill also prohibits the display of flags representing gender identity or sexual orientation by agencies on federal property. The bill so far has 21 cosponsors.\n\n\u00b7 Passed out of the Homeland Security Committee H.R.4467, the DHS Border Services Contracts Review Act, which demands accountability for the use of American taxpayer dollars used to fund services caused by Biden\u2019s open-border policies.\n\n\u00b7 Introduced H.R.6177, the No Taxpayer Funding for Researchers Who Prey on Children Act, after conducting oversight into NIH research and uncovering $30.8 million in taxpayer funded research to affirm LGBT identities in children.\n\nTop Committee Activity:\n\n\u00b7 Questioned Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Director, Raul Ortiz, about President Biden\u2019s decision to stop construction of a border wall to which he admitted he disagreed with President Biden.\n\n\u00b7 Participated in the 16-hour markup and helped pass out of the Homeland Security Committee H.R.2, the strongest border security bill ever passed by the House.\n\nSpending Cuts:\n\n\u00b7 Requested $55.3 billion in cuts, voted for amendments that would cut $35.7 billion, and introduced and cosponsored bills that would cut $360 billion of annual federal spending.", 1, "2026-04-07T14:30:38Z", "2026-04-07T14:34:10Z"], ["https://cole.house.gov/media/press-releases/cole-slams-colorado-supreme-court-decision-blocking-trump-ballot", "Cole Slams the Colorado Supreme Court Decision Blocking Trump from Ballot", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "Tom Cole", "C001053", "cole.house.gov", "cole", "https://cole.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Moore, OK \u2013 Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement slamming the Colorado Supreme Court\u2019s recent decision to block former President Donald Trump from being on the state\u2019s 2024 presidential election ballot.\n\n\u201cThe Colorado Supreme Court\u2019s outrageous and unprecedented decision to deny a credible candidate and former president access to the ballot is the exact opposite of allowing for a free and fair election,\u201d said Cole. \u201cThis tramples on our country\u2019s founding democratic principles; we should always let the voters decide. I urge the U.S. Supreme Court to quickly take up and overturn this shameful action.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/2023-financial-services-year-in-review", "2023 Financial Services Year in Review", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "MN", "Tom Emmer", "E000294", "emmer.house.gov", "emmer", "https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "2023 has been a year of action and progress in the House Financial Services Committee. Under Republican leadership, we have moved legislation to bolster our capital markets, promote innovation, and hold unelected bureaucrats accountable.\n\nHere is a quick look back at some key milestones:\n\nIn April, our office passed three bills out of the Financial Services Committee:\n\nThe CFPB Dual Mandate and Economic Analysis Act prioritizes competition, consumer choice, and transparency at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).\n\nThe CFPB Whistleblower Incentives and Protection Act empowers whistleblowers to expose wrongdoing in the financial industry.\n\nThe Small Business Entrepreneurs Empowerment and Development (SEED) Act makes it easier for small businesses to access capital, fueling American entrepreneurship.\n\nIn July, we helped pave the way for digital asset innovation in the United States with:\n\nThe Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act will streamline money transmission regulations, removing a major roadblock for digital asset innovators.\n\nThe Securities Clarity Act (embedded in the FIT for the 21st Century Act) laid the foundation for the Ripple decision, clarifying that a token itself isn\u2019t automatically a securities contract.\n\nBoth bills passed out of the Financial Services Committee and are awaiting a vote in the House of Representatives.\n\nIn September, we took a stand in defense of privacy and individual liberty with the:\n\nCBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act which prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) directly to anyone.\n\nThe CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act passed out of the House Financial Services Committee and is awaiting a vote on the House floor.\n\nIn November, we sent a strong message to Gary Gensler and the SEC:\n\nThe House of Representatives passed our appropriations amendment barring the SEC from using taxpayer dollars on its crypto enforcement tirade until Congress passes legislation giving the SEC jurisdiction over this budding industry.\n\nAnd this is just the beginning. In 2024, we will build on this momentum, bringing these reforms to the House floor and delivering real results for the American people. We are committed to fostering a dynamic and transparent financial system that empowers innovators, protects consumers, and fuels economic growth.\n\nRest assured my friends, a new day is coming.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T22:34:08Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2023/12/rep-tony-gonzales-issues-statement-on-the-release-of-american-hostages-from-venezuela", "Rep. Tony Gonzales Issues Statement on the Release of American Hostages in Venezuela", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "EL PASO, TEXAS \u2013 Today, Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) released the below statement following the release of Americans Eyvin Hernandez, Jerrel Kenemore, and Joseph Cristella, who were wrongfully detained in Venezuela.\n\n\u201cToday, Americans who were wrongfully detained in Venezuela were released, and have arrived safely back on U.S. soil. Among them were Eyvin Hernandez, Jerrel Kenemore, and Joseph Cristella, who had been wrongly imprisoned in Venezuela since last year by the Maduro regime,\u201d said Congressman Tony Gonzales. \u201cLast week, I sent a letter with bipartisan support alongside members of the For Country Caucus urging the Biden administration to secure their release as soon as possible. I am grateful Eyvin, Jerrel, Joseph, and the other American hostages who were detained have made it home safely.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-keating-and-17-bipartisan-members-send-letter-secretary-blinken-wrongful", "Kean, Keating and 17 Bipartisan Members Send Letter to Secretary Blinken on Wrongful Detention of Alsu Kurmasheva", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Contact: Dan Scharfenberger\n\n(December 20, 2023) WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe Chairman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) and Ranking Member Bill Keating (MA-08) sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva to be designated as wrongfully detained under the Levinson Act.\n\nMs. Kurmasheva, a U.S. citizen, was detained multiple times before the Russian government brought unjust charges against her \u2013 charges she has promptly denied. U.S. citizens Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich continue to remain wrongfully detained in Russia.\n\n\u201cRussia continues its flagrant abuse of the rule of law, and it is vital Ms. Kurmasheva is deemed wrongfully detained to ensure her and her family receive the necessary resources to ensure her release,\u201d said Chairman Kean and Ranking Member Keating. \u201cWe call on Russia to immediately release Ms. Kurmasheva and all other wrongfully detained U.S. citizens in Russia including Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich. We also call for the immediate release of RFE/RL journalists who remained imprisoned in Belarus and Russia-occupied Crimea for simply doing their job.\u201d\n\nCongressman Kean serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.\n\nYou can read the full letter HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://kelly.house.gov/media/press-releases/kelly-colleagues-introduce-restore-protections-dialysis-patients-act", "Kelly, colleagues introduce Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Mike Kelly", "K000376", "kelly.house.gov", "kelly", "https://kelly.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. -- This week, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), along with Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Neal Dunn, M.D. (R-FL), Danny Davis (D-IL), John Joyce (R-PA), and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) introduced the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, bipartisan legislation which aims to ensure that individuals with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) continue to have equitable access to private healthcare and to provide protection of the Medicare Trust Fund.\n\nThe legislation follows a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that has allowed private health plans to prematurely force ESRD patients onto Medicare, creating disruption in coverage for patients and their families and shifting a significant financial burden onto taxpayers.\n\n\"This legislation is critical for Americans living with End Stage Renal Disease and who rely on dialysis,\" said Rep. Kelly. \"Patients deserve to know their benefits will be in place when they need them. This legislation will improve both patient care and patient outcomes. I want to thank my House colleagues for joining me on this vital legislation.\"\n\n\"Nearly 40 million Americans live with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk deserve our support in their fight against kidney disease \u2014 from prevention through post-transplant living,\" said Congresswoman Clarke. \"Unfortunately, far too many patients affected with the disease, which disproportionately impacts communities of color, have complex health care needs that create incentives for plans to discourage enrollment. I\u2019m proud to join my colleague, Congressman Kelly, to introduce the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, a bipartisan bill which seeks to ensure people on dialysis receive the care they need.\"\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve access to adequate health care coverage, especially those who need dialysis,\u201d said Congressman Dunn. \u201cESRD patients who rely on dialysis should not see their benefit disappear overnight. We must renew the safeguards that protect dialysis patients and ensure their access to care.\u201d\n\nWHAT THEY'RE SAYING\n\nLeading patient and physician groups are also hailing the introduction of this critical legislation as a vital and necessary step to improve patient care.\n\n\u201cAs the leading voice for the nation\u2019s kidney care community, Kidney Care Partners is devoted to ensuring that all ESRD patients can access safe, effective care with coverage of their choice,\u201d said John P. Butler, Chair of Kidney Care Partners. \u201cWe thank House lawmakers for introducing the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, which will protect patient access to private insurer coverage for life-sustaining dialysis treatments.\u201d\n\n\u201cPeople with ESRD are more likely to be low-income and from historically marginalized communities, making premature loss of health coverage and related cost increases particularly devastating,\u201d said LaVarne Burton, President and CEO of the American Kidney Fund (AKF). \u201cThankfully, the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act will ensure that people with kidney failure won\u2019t be singled out based on their disease or forced to pay higher costs.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe thank Representatives Kelly, Clarke, Dunn, Davis, Joyce and Ruiz for introducing this pivotal legislation, which will preserve patient choice and incentivize health plans to detect and treat chronic kidney disease (CKD). Unfortunately, my health insurance plan continues to restrict my access to the therapies that my nephrologist has prescribed to delay my kidney disease progression. Without action by Congress, millions of Americans could see their insurers follow suit, as the sooner they can push CKD patients like me into Medicare without paying any cost for doing so, the more likely we are to progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD),\u201d said Hrant Jamgochian, J.D., LL.M., CEO of Dialysis Patient Citizens.\n\n\u201cPrivate insurance can be vital to patients\u2019 access to care and plays a critical role in ensuring the stability of the Medicare system,\u201d said Keith A. Bellovich, DO, President of the Renal Physicians Association. \u201cI urge House lawmakers to swiftly advance this legislation, which will make a meaningful difference for the more than 800,000 patients living with kidney failure.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Marietta v. DaVita decision will force people who have kidney failure off their private insurance into Medicare,\" said Lori Hartwell, Founder and President of the Renal Support Network. \u201cHealth plans should not be able to decide they don\u2019t want to cover you when your kidneys fail, a critical time when you need your insurance and care team the most. It is an unfair, discriminatory policy and a slippery slope for other chronic conditions.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1111", "CONGRESSMAN MIKE LAWLER RELEASES A STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO COLORADO SUPREME COURT DECISION", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "NY", "Michael Lawler", "L000599", "lawler.house.gov", "lawler", "https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, Congressman Lawler released the following statement following the Colorado Supreme Court\u2019s decision to remove former President Donald Trump from the ballot last night.\n\n\u201cSimilar to the Court of Appeals in New York trying to throw out fair, impartial and competitive congressional district maps, the Colorado Supreme Court is attempting to put their thumb on the scale of our elections, and subvert the will of the voters. In America, people should decide elections, not the courts,\u201d said Congressman Lawler. \u201cIgnoring former President Trump\u2019s constitutional right to due process and unilaterally removing him from the ballot is an egregious overstep of their judicial authority and will only fan the flames of division and anger in the country, which is the last thing we need.\u201d\n\nNew York's 17th Congressional District is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-participates-grand-opening-hays-community-based-outpatient-clinic", "Rep. Mann Participates in Grand Opening of Hays Community-Based Outpatient Clinic", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "KS", "Tracey Mann", "M000871", "mann.house.gov", "mann", "https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HAYS, KS \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) attended the grand opening of the Hays Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). The clinic, which is the fourth of its kind in the Big First District alongside facilities in Dodge City, Salina, and Hutchinson, will serve 35,000 veterans.\n\n\u201cI am proud to have this new Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in our district, where American heroes receive the care, attention, and respect they deserve,\u201d said Rep. Mann. \u201cIn America, we support the brave men and women who defend our freedoms in the armed forces, and that support must not stop once they take off their uniforms. Of the 20 million veterans living in America, 4.4 million live in rural areas, where it can be difficult to recruit and retain health care professionals. As a result, millions of veterans in rural America struggle with access to health care. This clinic meets an immediate need and is a welcomed addition to our state.\u201d\n\nThe CBOC in Hays has served veterans continuously since it was originally opened in 1999. The new location, which has additional exam rooms and dedicated space for group therapy and mental health care, offers primary care, and laboratory, pathology, pharmacy, and telehealth services.\n\n\u201cI will always remain committed to supporting America\u2019s heroes in Congress,\u201d said Rep. Mann. \u201cVeterans have served all of us selflessly - this clinic is about serving them and ensuring that they receive the highest quality of care.\"\n\nClick here to view Rep. Mann\u2019s Commitment to the Big First.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/exclusive-rep-troy-nehls-biden-mayorkas-sheer-neglect-blame-international", "Exclusive \u2014 Rep. Troy Nehls: Biden, Mayorkas \u2018Sheer Neglect\u2019 to Blame for International Railway Crossing Closures", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Troy E. Nehls", "N000026", "nehls.house.gov", "nehls", "https://nehls.house.gov/media", "scraper", "Breitbart News\n\nBy: Bradley Jaye\n\nRep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) is criticizing Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for rail bridge closures in Texas in response to the border invasion.\n\nThe Congressman from Texas sent a letter to Mayorkas blasting him for closures by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the international railway crossings at Eagle Pass and El Paso, accusing the Biden Administration of failing to understand how the border operates.\n\nNehls says illegal aliens are not using the rail crossings in any significant numbers to enter the United States, and that while they often hitch rides to traverse the landscape in Mexico, they depart from the trains prior to entering the United States on foot.\n\n\u201cThe Biden Administration\u2019s sheer neglect to secure our nation\u2019s borders has resulted in not only a national security crisis, but a humanitarian crisis,\u201d Nehls told Breitbart News. \u201cOnce again, rail traffic between the United States and Mexico has been disrupted, resulting in the strain of our nation\u2019s supply chains, which will cause a ripple effect throughout our economy during the holiday season.\n\n\u201cThis is all because President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas have failed to secure our homeland. The consequences of the Biden Administration\u2019s actions, or lack thereof, will be felt around the country.\u201d\n\nUnion Pacific and BNSF have been forced to halt their operations in Eagle Pass and El Paso, the second time in four months that the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (USCBP) has suspended rail operations at critical U.S.-Mexico international railway crossings. Nehls says these closures prevent legitimate trade, will supercharge inflation, and will cripple our nation\u2019s agricultural producers.\n\nOn October 5, Nehls sent a letter to Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller warning that unless immediate steps are taken to address this humanitarian crisis, it remains \u201cvery possible that CBP, or other relevant decision makers, will again close Eagle Pass rail gateway to freight traffic.\u201d\n\nHis warning appears to have fallen on deaf ears inside the Biden Administration.\n\nThe border crisis has reached historic proportions under Biden and Mayorkas. Border Patrol agents assigned to the southwest U.S. border with Mexico apprehended approximately 121,000 migrants during the first 15 days of December, according to unofficial Border Patrol reports reviewed by Breitbart Texas. Another 11,000 migrants are listed as \u201cgot-aways.\u201d\n\nNehls is Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials and has also been a leader in Congress calling for tougher border security. Prior to serving in Congress, Chairman Nehls served in law enforcement for nearly 30 years and was the Sheriff of Fort Bend County, Texas.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"], ["https://nunn.house.gov/2023/12/20/nunn-introduces-bipartisan-bills-help-iowas-farmers-improve-environmental/", "Nunn Introduces Bipartisan Bills to Help Iowa\u2019s Farmers, Improve Environmental Conservation", "2023-12-20", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Zachary Nunn", "N000193", "nunn.house.gov", "nunn", "https://nunn.house.gov/category/news/press-releases/", "scraper", "Ottumwa, Iowa \u2014 U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today introduced two bipartisan bills to assist Iowa\u2019s farmers in improving water quality, preventing soil erosion, and protecting critical wildlife habitat. The Conservation Innovation Act, introduced by Rep. Nunn and co-led by U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), will establish an Office of Conservation Innovation within the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act, introduced by Rep. Spanberger and co-led by Rep. Nunn, will strengthen NRCS by providing for increased public input.\n\n\u201cThere is no better steward of our land than farmers,\u201d said Rep. Nunn. \u201cAs producers prepare for the future, it\u2019s important they have the tools and resources they need to succeed. No one understands the needs of their land better than farmers, so we must also ensure Iowa\u2019s producers are in the driver\u2019s seat as new conservation practices are developed.\u201d\n\nAccording to the USDA, approximately 500,000 farmers across the United States work with the agency to implement conservation practices. Current conservation practices are determined through a process that starts with recommendations through state committees that are then sent to the USDA NRCS. The process allows for little engagement from stakeholders, such as Iowa\u2019s farmers, and is overly cumbersome. Often, by the time new practices are implemented, the standards use outdated technology and do not keep up with the latest advancements.\n\n\u201cAs the only Virginian on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, I\u2019ve heard from farmers and producers across our Commonwealth who utilize voluntary conservation practices to improve their yields and boost their bottom lines,\u201d said Rep. Spanberger. \u201cFarmers are constantly innovating to find new best practices to further their conservation goals \u2014 but bureaucracy is delaying the approval of these practices that farmers and producers could use to their advantage. By cutting unnecessary red tape and making the process more transparent, our bipartisan bill would help make sure that farmers are able to benefit from the most up-to-date, efficient practice standards.\u201dThe two bipartisan bills from Reps. Nunn and Spanberger will address this issue to ensure the most cutting-edge technology is utilized and input from farmers is taken into account:\n\nThe Conservation Innovation Act would establish an Office of Conservation Innovation within NRCS to ensure the utilization of the most effective new technology during the revision of current conservation standards and development of new standards.\n\nThe Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act would require the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to provide a process for stakeholder input on each conservation practice during the review process, review all conservation practice standards on a rolling basis every five years, and establish an expedited review process for new conservation practices.\n\nText of the Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act can be found here. Text of the Conservation Innovation Act can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 13853, "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, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "2023"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 13853, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2023", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 9276, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&chamber=House", "selected": false}, {"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 4577, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023", "results": [{"value": "TX", "label": "TX", "count": 1233, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=TX", "selected": false}, {"value": "FL", "label": "FL", "count": 1051, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=FL", "selected": false}, {"value": "NY", "label": "NY", "count": 657, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=NY", "selected": false}, {"value": "ND", "label": "ND", "count": 619, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=ND", "selected": false}, {"value": "NC", "label": "NC", "count": 596, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=NC", "selected": false}, {"value": "KY", "label": "KY", "count": 592, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=KY", "selected": false}, {"value": "PA", "label": "PA", "count": 521, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=PA", "selected": false}, {"value": "SC", "label": "SC", "count": 472, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=SC", "selected": false}, {"value": "GA", "label": "GA", "count": 470, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=GA", "selected": false}, {"value": "IA", "label": "IA", "count": 449, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=IA", "selected": false}, {"value": "WI", "label": "WI", "count": 425, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=WI", "selected": false}, {"value": "NE", "label": "NE", "count": 421, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=NE", "selected": false}, {"value": "AK", "label": "AK", "count": 401, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=AK", "selected": false}, {"value": "AR", "label": "AR", "count": 396, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=AR", "selected": false}, {"value": "WV", "label": "WV", "count": 389, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=WV", "selected": false}, {"value": "IN", "label": "IN", "count": 388, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=IN", "selected": false}, {"value": "SD", "label": "SD", "count": 380, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=SD", "selected": false}, {"value": "ID", "label": "ID", "count": 354, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=ID", "selected": false}, {"value": "TN", "label": "TN", "count": 323, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=TN", "selected": false}, {"value": "KS", "label": "KS", "count": 311, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2023&state=KS", "selected": false}, {"value": "CA", "label": "CA", "count": 296, "toggle_url": 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