{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"GA\" and year = 2025 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-190-million-for-maine-rural-hospitals-and-providers-through-rural-health-transformation-program", "Senator Collins Announces $190 Million for Maine Rural Hospitals and Providers through Rural Health Transformation Program", "2025-12-29", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that Maine will receive $190 million in first-year funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), a $50 billion initiative that will be awarded over five years that she proposed to support rural health care systems across the country. Maine\u2019s population is the oldest of any state in the nation and is among the most rural, placing unique strains on its rural health care system.\n\n\u201cI proposed $50 billion in funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program to help give rural states like Maine the resources they need to keep health care available close to home,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis funding will help strengthen our rural hospitals and support innovative approaches that can lower costs and improve health outcomes for Mainers no matter where they live. And while this investment will not solve every challenge facing our state\u2019s rural health care system, it represents an important step toward improving access to care for individuals across rural Maine and comes at a time when many rural health care providers are facing significant financial hardship.\u201d\n\nThe Rural Health Transformation Program represents the largest single federal investment in rural health care in more than two decades. Senator Collins proposed the funding during negotiations over amendments to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. She successfully pushed to expand the RHTP to $50 billion and ensure that a broader range of rural providers would be eligible for support, despite voting against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expected to distribute the $50 billion initiative in tranches of $10 billion over each of the next five years.\n\nThe State of Maine\u2019s application for RHTP funding, submitted by the State with the support of the entire congressional delegation, focuses on five core priorities: empowering rural Mainers to achieve their own healthy living goals; strengthening the rural health workforce; adopting health-enabling technologies such as telehealth and electronic medical records; reducing financial and transportation-related barriers to care; and sustaining the long-term viability of Maine\u2019s rural health care ecosystem.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-johnson-fights-protect-low-income-residents-access-sources", "Congressman Johnson Fights To Protect Low-Income Residents\u2019 Access To Sources Of Renewable Energy", "2025-12-26", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Henry C. \"Hank\" Johnson, Jr.", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", "hankjohnson", "https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) led a Georgia delegation letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin pressing him to reinstate funding for the Solar for All program that invested $7 billion in clean-energy grants to 60 state, tribal, municipal, and nonprofit organizations, including $156 million to the Georgia BRIGHT Communities Coalition. The program was designed to help nearly 500 homeowners in Georgia who earn less than 80% of the area median income to install solar panels to help defray energy costs, which have skyrocketed in recent years thanks to six rate hikes since 2022 in Georgia.\n\nIn the letter, the members said: \u201cGeorgia, which faces one of the highest energy burdens in the nation, was on track to establish a stronger, cleaner energy grid. However, the abrupt cancellation of Solar for All grants has forced the Georgia BRIGHT Communities Coalition to pause these programs, delaying the deployment of readily available energy resources and the necessary transition to clean energy. This leaves Georgia families with higher energy bills and fewer job opportunities, while utilities struggle to meet the growing demand for power. We urge your office to approach this matter with transparency and urgency, recognizing the critical role this program can play in supporting a more resilient energy grid, reducing energy costs, and creating economic opportunities for Georgia families.\u201d\n\nTo read the full letter, click HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/bipartisan-election-security-provision-co-authored-by-senator-collins-signed-into-law", "Bipartisan Election Security Provision Co-authored by Senator Collins Signed into Law", "2025-12-23", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C \u2014 Bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Mark Warner (D-VA) to strengthen the security of U.S. election infrastructure was included in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and signed into law.\n\nIn May, Senator Collins joined Senator Warner in introducing the Strengthening Election Cybersecurity to Uphold Respect for Elections through Independent Testing (SECURE IT) Act. A provision of this legislation directing the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to require that election systems seeking certification undergo penetration testing was included in the annual defense bill and is now law. This penetration testing will allow researchers to search for vulnerabilities by attempting to attack a system with the same tools and techniques used by cybercriminals, thus better protecting our election systems from legitimate attacks.\n\n\u201cWe must take every precaution to prevent interference in our elections. This bipartisan legislation will strengthen the integrity of our election process by ensuring that voting systems are safe and secure, and help protect and bolster public confidence in our elections.\u201d said Senator Collins.\n\nSeveral other provisions and amendments authored or co-authored by Senator Collins were included in the final NDAA that passed the Senate last week:\n\nBerry Amendment-Compliant Footwear Report.\n\nAmendment filed by Senator Collins will require the Department of Defense to submit a report on the U.S. boot industrial base and a plan to achieve full Berry Amendment compliance for combat footwear.\n\nPublic Shipyard Apprentice Program.\n\nAmendment filed by Senator Collins will strengthen the skilled trades pipeline at public shipyards like Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.\n\nCounter Act.\n\nCosponsored by Senator Collins, provisions from this bill will expand the Department of Defense\u2019s authority to defend its facilities from illegal drone activity.\n\nThe NDAA also includes several provisions Senator Collins strongly advocated for that will benefit Maine:\n\nSupport for U.S. Troops.\n\nAuthorizes a 3.8 percent pay raise for all service members\u2014including the thousands of Maine men and women serving in uniform.\n\nIncludes reforms to streamline and modernize defense procurement to ensure our military is better equipped and supplied.\n\nDirects a study on behavioral and mental health staffing shortfalls at military medical treatment facilities to improve access to care for service members and their families.\n\nSupport for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.\n\n$227.8 million for power reliability and water resilience upgrades.\n\n$220.8 million for the Multi-Mission Drydock #1 extension.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-attends-ribbon-cutting-for-renovated-runway-at-bangor-international-airport", "Senator Collins Attends Ribbon Cutting for Renovated Runway at Bangor International Airport", "2025-12-22", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos.\n\nBANGOR, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins participated in the ribbon cutting for the renovated runway at Bangor International Airport. The new renovations will help the airport adapt to an unprecedented increase in air traffic. More than half of the funding for this project\u2014$28 million\u2014came from five Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants awarded since 2022.\n\n\u201cBangor International Airport plays a vital role in Maine\u2019s economy, our national defense, and our state\u2019s connectivity to the rest of the world,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis renovated runway will improve safety, accommodate growing air traffic, and ensure that the airport remains prepared to serve both civilian and military operations well into the future.\u201d\n\nIn 2021, Senator Collins was one of 10 senators who negotiated the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that provided $15 billion for FAA airport improvement grant programs to support renovations, new construction, and upgrades at airports nationwide. Since joining the Appropriations Committee in 2009, Senator Collins has helped to secure more than $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for the State of Maine.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-blunt-rochester-merkley-introduce-bill-to-repair-infrastructure-bridge-communities/", "Warnock, Blunt Rochester, Merkley, Introduce Bill to Repair Infrastructure, Bridge Communities", "2025-12-22", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Warnock, Blunt Rochester, and Merkley introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Program Act to help reunite communities divided by transportation infrastructure\n\nThis legislation would expand on theReconnecting Communities Pilot Program (RCP) to allocate $15 billion over five years for projects that serve to create economic opportunity by reconnecting communities and creating new space for housing, jobs, and economic development\n\nConstruction of the Downtown Connecter in Atlanta and the I-16 Flyover in Savannah displaced historically Black communities and business districts, leaving friends and neighbors on opposite ends of the tracks\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cEnsuring Georgians aren\u2019t cut off from accessing jobs and economic opportunity also helps restore the cultural fabric of communities divided by legacy infrastructure\u201d\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Act. The bill would reauthorize and expand the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Program as the REPAIR Infrastructure Program.\n\n\u201cPhysical mobility and economic mobility are inextricably linked,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cEnsuring Georgians aren\u2019t cut off from accessing jobs and economic opportunity also helps restore the cultural fabric of communities divided by legacy infrastructure. I\u2019m proud to partner with my colleagues on this important legislation and look forward to better-connected communities across our state.\u201d\n\nThe REPAIR Infrastructure Act will build on the groundwork laid by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bridge communities separated by transportation and infrastructure barriers, and create new space for economic development. This would ensure more neighborhoods are vibrant and safe, contributing to healthier lives and creating more opportunities for American families. Senator Warnock has long supported reconnecting communities divided by legacy infrastructure projects, and the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was based on legislation led by Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\n\u201cThe City of Savannah is tremendously thankful for Senator Warnock\u2019s leadership and guidance in securing funding for Savannah within the Reconnecting Communities program,\u201d said Savannah Mayor Van Johnson. \u201cThis is a transformative investment in Savannah\u2019s neighborhoods and future which will help repair long-standing physical and social barriers by reconnecting communities and infrastructure to jobs, services, and one another. By prioritizing equity, safety, smart planning, and community input, Savannah is taking an important step toward building a more connected, inclusive, resilient city for all residents.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are supportive of federal investment in critical infrastructure projects like The Stitch, including the \u201cREPAIR\u201d Act introduced by Senator Warnock,\u201d said Stitch Director Jack Cebe.\u201cBuilding The Stitch promises to generate billions of dollars in economic value, create thousands of jobs, and stimulate follow-on private sector investment including the construction of new housing for thousands of families in Georgia.\u201d\n\nBetween fiscal years 2022 and 2024, there was an average of $4.6 billion in unmet funding requests for the Reconnecting Communities Program. During the same period, there were nearly 1,500 applications from communities in all 50 states for projects eligible under the REPAIR Infrastructure Act, demonstrating a desire for this funding across the nation.\n\nThe interstate highway system sought to connect the country, but it also divided America\u2019s historically Black and white communities on racial lines, especially in Georgia. In Atlanta, the 14-lane highway that now joins I-75 and I-85 was constructed through Black communities that were forced to relocate on opposite ends of this concrete barrier. In Savannah, the I-16 flyover was built over and through black-owned businesses and homes.\n\nUltimately, DOT has funded 257 projects in 47 states to reconnect communities divided by legacy infrastructure. Those projects have helped communities redesign streets, spur economic development, address outdated highways, improve multimodal access, and enhance transit options.\n\nThe REPAIR Infrastructure Act would:\n\nReauthorize the REPAIR Infrastructure program out of the Highway Trust Fund at $3B per fiscal year from 2027 through 2031.\n\nCodify language to ensure REPAIR Infrastructure projects promote economic development, increase access to daily destinations, prioritize community involvement, and prevent displacement.\n\nAdd explicit eligibility for REPAIR Infrastructure projects to existing highway formula programs.\n\nThe REPAIR Infrastructure Act is endorsed by Smart Growth America, the National League of Cities, the American Society of Landscape Architects, America Walks, the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the League of American Bicyclists, the Living Streets Alliance, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Rails to Trails Conservancy, Safe Routes Partnership, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and a national coalition of 74 additional organizations.\n\nFull text is available HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401976", "Congressman David Scott Leads Georgia Democrats in Filing Resolution Recognizing Atlanta as the Cradle of the Civil Rights Movement", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", "davidscott", "https://davidscott.house.gov/news", "scraper", "Read Resolution Text\n\nWASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13), led the entire Georgia Democratic Congressional delegation in filing a resolution formally recognizing the City of Atlanta, Georgia, for its historic leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. The measure honors the city\u2019s unparalleled role in shaping one of the most transformative movements in American history and the legacy of its iconic leaders.\n\n\u201cAtlanta has long stood at the center of America\u2019s long struggle for racial justice as a beacon of hope, progress, and justice,\u201d said Congressman David Scott. \u201cFrom the pioneering work of W.E.B. Du Bois to the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., our city has always been a bedrock for students, faith leaders, organizers, and everyday citizens who continue to help lead the nation toward equality and empowerment for Black and Brown communities. This resolution ensures that Atlanta\u2019s central role in the Civil Rights Movement is formally recognized and preserved for generations to come.\u201d\n\nFrom the early labor strikes of Black women in 1881, to the founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Atlanta has been a site of courageous action, historic legislation, and groundbreaking social change. At a time when efforts to rewrite or diminish civil rights history persist, this resolution recognizes Atlanta\u2019s ongoing role as a thriving center of education, culture, innovation, and diversity. More importantly, affirms the importance of preserving an honest and complete account of America\u2019s past.\n\nEvery Democrat in Georgia\u2019s Congressional House delegation cosponsored the resolution, including Nikema Williams (GA-05), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Sanford Bishop (GA-02) and Hank Johnson (GA-04).\n\nFull text of the resolution can be accessed HERE.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-kim-introduce-bicameral-bill-to-expand-participation-in-clinical-trials", "Senators Collins, Kim Introduce Bicameral Bill to Expand Participation in Clinical Trials", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced the bipartisan NIH Clinical Trial Integrity Act to increase demographic representation in clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Companion legislation is also being introduced in the House of Representatives, led by U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) and Robin Kelly (D-IL-2).\n\n\u201cBiomedical research holds tremendous promise for treating many of the most costly and devastating diseases we face. To ensure that the benefits of cutting-edge medical science reach all Americans, it is important that participants in clinical trials reflect our overall population,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cBy encouraging long-term planning and improving demographic representation in clinical studies, this bipartisan legislation would help enhance the effectiveness of critical research that is conducted and sponsored by the NIH.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have a responsibility to ensure Americans of all backgrounds have fair and equal access to treatment and care. This needs to begin with fair and equal representation in the earliest stages of health research and testing, including clinical trials. I hope we can come together to use this legislation as a tool to combat dangerous and persistent health inequities that are putting communities of color and diverse backgrounds at-risk,\u201d said Senator Kim.\n\nSpecifically, the NIH Clinical Trial Integrity Act would:\n\nRequire NIH to work with clinical trial sponsors to develop clear and measurable recruitment and retention goals based on disease/condition prevalence as well as a rationale for specified goals and a recruitment plan;\n\nEnsure the availability of less burdensome follow-ups during clinical trials (e.g. fewer follow ups, phone participation, weekend hours) to increase participation of underrepresented populations; and\n\nLaunch a public awareness campaign across federal agencies related to research participation opportunities.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-petitions-airlines-to-consider-additional-routes-to-africa/", "Warnock Petitions Airlines to Consider Additional Routes to Africa", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock sent letters to Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, and United Airlines asking them to consider opportunities to expand commercial flight service between the United States and the African continent\n\nHome to more than 1.5 billion people, Africa is projected to account for one-quarter of the world\u2019s population by 2050\n\nAfrica represents a long-term opportunity for sustained economic partnership, innovation, and investment\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cWith each new connection, we strengthen the bonds between nations and open new gateways to opportunity\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) issued letters to Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, and United Airlines asking the carriers to consider opportunities to expand commercial flight service between the United States and the African continent in the coming years. Home to more than 1.5 billion people, Africa is projected to account for one-quarter of the world\u2019s population by 2050.\n\n\u201cAs one of the world\u2019s fastest growing regions, Africa presents an extraordinary opportunity for U.S. carriers to shape the future of global commerce, deepen U.S. partnerships with African nations, and connect communities on both sides of the Atlantic,\u201d the Senator writes.\n\n\u201cAfrica is home to more than 1.5 billion people and is one of the most dynamic and consequential regions in the global economy. By 2050, the continent will account for one-quarter of the world\u2019s population and a significant share of global workforce growth\u2026In 2024 alone, total U.S. goods trade with Africa reached an estimated $71.6 billion. Africa represents a long-term opportunity for sustained economic partnership, innovation, and investment,\u201d the Senator continues.\n\n\u201cAs you evaluate your international strategy, I encourage you to consider opportunities for growth in African markets. I remain committed to supporting efforts that deep U.S.-Africa engagement, deepen commercial and cultural ties, and advance our shared economic future,\u201d concludes the Senator.\n\nThe letter to Delta Air Lines can be viewed HERE and is below.\n\nDear Mr. Bastian,\n\nI write to encourage Delta Air Lines to continue exploring opportunities to expand commercial flight service between the United States and the African continent. As one of the world\u2019s fastest growing regions, Africa presents an extraordinary opportunity for U.S. carriers to shape the future of global commerce, deepen U.S. partnerships with African nations, and connect communities on both sides of the Atlantic.\n\nAfrica is home to more than 1.5 billion people and is one of the most dynamic and consequential regions in the global economy. By 2050, the continent will account for one-quarter of the world\u2019s population and a significant share of global workforce growth. Africa already boasts 11 of the world\u2019s 20 fastest-growing economies, a rapidly expanding middle class, and an increasing demand for travel, trade, and commercial connectivity with the United States. In 2024 alone, total U.S. goods trade with Africa reached an estimated $71.6 billion. Africa represents a long-term opportunity for sustained economic partnership, innovation, and investment.\n\nDespite this promise, U.S. travelers and business leaders still face limited direct connectivity to the continent. That is now beginning to change, and I am encouraged by Delta Air Lines pioneering new nonstop routes and driving new economic activity between the United States and the African continent. In 2022, I successfully urged the Department of Transportation to approve Delta Air Lines\u2019 application for nonstop service between Atlanta and Cape Town, South Africa \u2014 a route that now generates up to $150 million annually in local economic activity while deepening our nation\u2019s relationship with a key regional partner. It has also proven the commercial viability of long-haul U.S.-Africa service.\n\nLast year alone, Delta Air Lines carried more than half a million passengers between the U.S. and Africa, reflecting the strength of this market. Independent analyses confirm that passenger demand on many African routes is expanding at double-digit rates year-over-year. As United Airlines and Delta Air Lines expand service to destinations such as Dakar, Senegal, and Accra, Ghana, these investments both meet rising consumer demand and underscore the profitability and competitiveness of U.S.-Africa connectivity.\n\nWith each new connection, we strengthen the bonds between nations and open new gateways to opportunity. These flights reduce travel time and complexity, meet rising consumer demand, and create meaningful economic value for travelers and businesses. Improved air connectivity also advances U.S. national and economic security by positioning American carriers to compete in a region where People\u2019s Republic of China is rapidly expanding its economic and strategic footprint. Our private sector will play a vital role in ensuring the United States\u2014not Beijing and its state-backed competitors\u2014anchors the continent\u2019s aviation and trade networks and sets the standard for transparent, mutually beneficial engagement. In doing so, we can create jobs at home, foster diaspora and cultural exchange, and help forge deeper bilateral ties with emerging African partners.\n\nAs you evaluate your international strategy, I encourage you to consider opportunities for growth in African markets. I remain committed to supporting efforts that deepen U.S.-Africa engagement, deepen commercial and cultural ties, and advance our shared economic future. My office and I stand ready to collaborate with you and other stakeholders as you explore new routes and partnerships on the African continent.\n\nThank you for your continued leadership in connecting Americans to the world. I look forward to seeing how Delta Air Lines helps shape the next chapter of the U.S.-Africa relationship.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7052", "President Trump Signs FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act Into Law", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rick W. Allen", "A000372", "allen.house.gov", "allen", "https://allen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Tonight, President Donald J. Trump signed H. Amdt. to S. 1071, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, into law. The NDAA authorizes annual funding levels for the U.S. Armed Forces and sets expenditures for the Department of Defense (DoD). Congressman Rick W. Allen supported this legislation on the House floor and issued the following statement upon the bill becoming public law:\n\n\"With President Trump's signature, the FY2026 NDAA officially delivers on our peace-through-strength agenda with a generational investment in our national defense. Not only does this bipartisan bill ensure America's warfighters are the most lethal and capable fighting force in the world, but it also improves the quality of life for our servicemembers in the 12th District and nationwide. I was proud to support this bill and will continue to stand with the men and women who make up our nation's Armed Forces,\" said Congressman Allen.\n\nThe FY2026 NDAA:\n\nSecures funding to continue critical missions at the Savannah River Site (SRS)\n\nProvides enlisted servicemembers with a 4% pay raise.\n\nExpands our counter-drone defenses and new technologies.\n\nAdvances the Golden Dome and enhances America\u2019s nuclear deterrent and new nuclear power technologies.\n\nEnacts guardrails to protect America\u2019s long-term investments and economic interests.\n\nFully supports the deployment of National Guard and active-duty troops at the southwest border to intercept illegal aliens and drugs.\n\nEnhances U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific to bolster Taiwan\u2019s defense and support Indo-Pacific allies.\n\nRevitalizes American shipbuilding and expands the Maritime Industrial Base.\n\nStrengthens U.S.-Israel military operations and cooperative missile defense programs.\n\nStrengthens our defense industrial base and supply chains.\n\nReforms the defense acquisition process to eliminate regulatory barriers, enhance speed, and scale capacity for our Warfighters.\n\nAccelerates the development and delivery of space capabilities to counter Chinese and Russian nuclear arsenals and space surveillance.\n\nStreamlines operations by eliminating $20 billion in obsolete weapons, inefficient programs, and Pentagon bureaucracy.\n\nProhibits contracts with advertising firms, like NewsGuard Technologies Inc., that blacklist conservative news sources.\n\nRestores merit-based promotions and admissions to service academies.\n\nCounters antisemitism and eliminates programs that discourage military readiness, like CRT, DEI, and climate initiatives.\n\nFY26 NDAA bill text can be accessed HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bishop-bipartisan-specialty-crop-caucus-urges-equitable-relief-for-specialty-crop-producers", "BISHOP, BIPARTISAN SPECIALTY CROP CAUCUS URGES EQUITABLE RELIEF FOR SPECIALTY CROP PRODUCERS", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", "bishop", "https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Specialty Crop Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21), Rep. David Rouzer (NC-07), and Rep. David Valadao (CA-22), joined by 103 Members of Congress, sent a bipartisan letter to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees urging immediate and equitable relief for specialty crop producers.\n\nThe letter comes in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which allocates $11 billion to row crop producers, and $1 billion is reserved for specialty crops and other commodities, with little clarity on payment structure or timing.\n\nSpecialty crops\u2014including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture products\u2014represent one of the most economically significant and labor-intensive sectors of U.S. agriculture, generating more than $75 billion annually in cash receipts. Yet specialty crop producers continue to face rising costs and market disruptions without receiving proportional relief.\n\nBetween 2020 and 2025, specialty crop growers paid:\n\n25% more for pesticides\n\n31% more for fuel\n\n37% more for fertilizer\n\nNearly 50% more for labor\n\nThese cost increases were not matched by comparable increases in crop prices, placing significant strain on growers across the country.\n\nIn their letter, the Members stress that while USDA has stated that $1 billion will be reserved for specialty crops, details regarding eligibility, payment formulas, and timelines remain unclear. The co-chairs urge the Agriculture Committees to press USDA to ensure these funds are distributed quickly, fairly, and in a manner that reflects the unique structure of specialty crop operations.\n\n\u201cSpecialty crop growers contribute over $75 billion annually to the U.S. economy, yet they continue to face rising input costs, limited access to labor, trade disruptions, and other unprecedented challenges. As USDA rolls out the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, we urge the Agriculture Committees to ensure that the $1 billion set aside for specialty crops is distributed quickly, fairly, and equitably, so growers can continue producing for our nation and remain globally competitive,\u201d said the bipartisan Specialty Crop Caucus Co-Chairs.\n\n\u201cAfter months of uncertainty, specialty crop growers urgently need clarity and meaningful relief, and we appreciate the Specialty Crop Caucus for elevating this issue and making clear that specialty crops must be included in any relief package for American agriculture,\u201d the co-chairs of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance said. \u201cSpecialty crops are both an economic engine and the source of the most nutritious foods in the American diet, but current policies fail to reflect their importance to public health and food security. We strongly support the Caucus\u2019s call for USDA to act swiftly, provide transparency, and build on proven relief models such as the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program (MASC) and CFAP-2 to ensure assistance reaches growers quickly and fairly. Specialty crop growers cannot afford further delay, and we urge congressional leadership and the Administration to move immediately to deliver proportional, transparent, and timely relief that reflects the economic significance and unique cost structures of specialty crop agriculture.\u201d\n\nPrevious programs, including the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-2) and the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program, demonstrated tailored formulas and streamlined delivery systems ensure relief reaches producers efficiently.\n\nThe Members emphasize USDA should build on these proven models as they proceed with implementation of the FBA Program. The Specialty Crop Caucus is calling on congressional leadership and the Administration to prioritize parity, transparency, and urgency, ensuring specialty crop producers receive the support necessary to remain competitive, sustain rural economies, and continue supplying safe, affordable food to consumers nationwide.\n\nBackground: USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance Program Announced December 8, 2025:\n\n$12 billion total in assistance\n\n$11 billion designated for row crops\n\n$1 billion reserved for commodities not covered by the FBA Program; payment timelines and details are still being finalized based on market impacts and economic needs.\n\nPayments for row crops are expected as early as February 28, 2026\n\nFind the full letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://clyde.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3385", "Rep. Clyde Applauds Trump Administration\u2019s Illegal Immigration Crackdown in Northeast Georgia", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Andrew S. Clyde", "C001116", "clyde.house.gov", "clyde", "https://clyde.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congressman Andrew Clyde (GA-09) lauded the actions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for arresting criminal illegal aliens in Georgia\u2019s Ninth Congressional District.\n\nDHS recently launched its Worst of the Worst database to allow the American people to track the criminal illegal aliens that ICE has taken off our streets and out of our communities. The arrests include hundreds of criminal illegals in the Peach State, including 29 in Northeast Georgia \u2014 predominately in Gainesville and Lawrenceville.\n\n\u201cIllegal aliens have no place in the Ninth District, especially those committing violent crimes and bringing lethal drugs into our communities,\u201d said Clyde. \u201cThanks to President Trump, law enforcement officials are once again empowered to remove criminal illegals from our streets \u2014 including right here in Northeast Georgia. I commend DHS and ICE for their swift and decisive action to arrest and deport these dangerous criminals, bringing long-overdue accountability to those who break our laws and threaten public safety.\u201d\n\nHere are just a few examples of the dangerous illegals arrested in Northeast Georgia:\n\nFelipe Perez-Garcia\n\nCountry of origin: Guatemala\n\nArrested in: Gainesville, GA\n\nConvicted of: Battery\n\nDiego Rojas-Bermudez\n\nCountry of origin: Colombia\n\nArrested in: Gainesville, GA\n\nConvicted of: Cruelty Toward Child, Traffic Offense\n\nDagoberto Padilla Raudalles\n\nCountry of origin: Honduras\n\nArrested in: Lawrenceville, GA\n\nConvicted of: Aggravated Assault - Non-family-Strongarm, Dangerous Drugs\n\nCarlos Estrada-Becerra\n\nCountry of origin: Mexico\n\nArrested in: Clayton, GA\n\nConvicted of: Arson\n\nDavid Jimenez Garcia\n\nCountry of origin: Mexico\n\nArrested in: Blue Ridge, GA\n\nConvicted of: Possession of Amphetamine\n\nBackground", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=45A9F35D-1192-4BC7-8B93-2F76D5061EEE", "Ranking Member McBath Statement on Reclassification Executive Order", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Atlanta, GA \u2014 After President Trump signed an executive order starting the drug reclassification process for marijuana, Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, issued the following statement:\n\n\"Today, President Trump signed an executive order to reschedule marijuana, enabling researchers to study its medical benefits more effectively. This order should serve as a critical first step toward meaningful criminal justice reform for marijuana-related offenses, as envisioned in the Clean Slate Act, which I lead.\n\n\"While the order will benefit the legal cannabis industry and medical research, reform cannot stop here. This order does not change the criminal penalties or considerations for marijuana-related offenses. Tens of thousands of individuals remain incarcerated for these offenses, and we cannot, in good faith, advance an industry while denying impacted individuals a clear path home to their families, an opportunity to return to their lives, and a chance to contribute in their communities. I stand ready to put people over profits and advance comprehensive criminal justice reform.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=66646C7D-A5D5-488F-AE20-3EE20DF91E11", "McBath Releases Year in Review, Delivered $40 Million to Georgia Families", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "\u201cAs we reflect on a difficult year for our country, it\u2019s important as ever to me that I continue to bring back as many federal resources to Georgia as possible and push forward policies that support America\u2019s families. During a year when we saw attack after attack on programs that millions count on, I thank my constituents for continuing to voice their concerns and stay up to date with my office,\u201d said Rep. Lucy McBath. \u201cAs always, when I\u2019m working on behalf of Georgia in Congress, my neighbors are top of mind. None of this could be possible without their engagement, so I extend my gratitude to all for being a part of our mission as we work for safe, healthy communities.\u201d\n\nMcBath has earned a reputation as one of the mosteffective lawmakers in Congress and one of themost important voices in the House Democratic Caucus. Her legislation to support veterans was deemed the \u201cbiggest bill\u201d passed by a first term member. During the first session of the 119th Congress, McBath\u2019s legislative accomplishments continued.\n\nRecognized as One of the Most Effective Lawmakers in Congress\n\nMcBath was named one of the most effective Democratic lawmakers in Congress and the #1 most effective House Democrat for Education policy based on legislative effectiveness in areport released May 2025.\n\nLed Successful Push to Release $7 Billion in Withheld Federal Education Funding\n\nMcBath led a coalition of 150 House Democrats in pressuring the Trump Administration to release nearly $7 billion in illegally withheld K-12 education funding, helping to protect school programs, teacher training, and adult education funds. She spoke on the House Floor ahead of the decision.\n\nPrevented New Tax on Scholarships Circulated in Leaked National Republican Memo\n\nRep. Lucy McBath sounded the alarm when a leaked Republican budget document circulated in Congress included a proposal to impose a new tax on scholarship dollars, potentially making funds like Georgia\u2019s HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships taxable income. Her outspoken opposition helped rally fellow lawmakers and community voices against the provision, contributing to its removal from the final legislative package so the new tax on scholarships did not move forward.\n\nSuccessfully Supported and Spotlighted Threatened Head Start Programs\n\nMcBath raised the alarm in the Spring when budget proposals threatened to eliminate federal support for the Head Start program, publicly touring Atlanta-area Head Start sites to highlight the impact on families and urge action to protect the essential early-education services. As the Republican-led shutdown loomed in October, her advocacy helped focus attention on keeping the programs running and visits to local sites helped prevent a pause in services for children and parents reliant on Head Start.\n\nDemanded Answers from Education Department Secretary About Cancelling of Student Support Program\n\nMcBath introduced legislation protecting special education programs from improper restructuring after families were abruptly notified of the ending of an adult support program for students with disabilities. When Education Secretary Linda McMahon testified before Rep. McBath in the House Education Committee, the Secretary seemed to have no knowledge of the program or its cancellation.\n\nSpearheaded Bipartisan, Common-Sense Solutions to End Gun Violence\n\nMcBath has been the lead sponsor of the three biggest gun safety bills in Congress. The Assault Weapons Ban, which she has led since 2023, currently has 182 cosponsors and demonstrates McBath\u2019s commitment to the issue in the name of her slain son, Jordan Davis. Video\n\nCelebrated House Passage of Bipartisan Criminal Code Reform Bill\n\nIn December 2025, Rep. McBath joined Representatives Roy, Biggs, and Cohen in celebrating the House passage of their bipartisan legislation to simplify the federal criminal code, the Count the Crimes to Cut Act.\n\nLed Bipartisan House Bill to Protect America\u2019s Judges and Court System\n\nIn response to the dramatic rise in threats and violence against judges, McBath led the bipartisan Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act in the House. It passed the United States Senate unanimously, emphasizing that no person should fear for their safety while doing their job.\n\nPushed Trump Administration to Restore Community Violence Prevention Funding\n\nMcBath led a group of House Democrats in a letter pushing the White House to restore funding for gun violence prevention programs that had been cut. The community grants were central to helping cities keep people safe and prevent violence.\n\nAdvocated for Workforce Reentry Opportunities\n\nDuring Second Chance Month, Rep. McBath led the Clean Slate Act, a bill that will provide a true second chance to those who have repaid their debt to society for low-level offenses. A step that will not only support our economy, but also give people a chance to live a positive life.\n\nHighlighted Devastating Health Care Impacts During Unprecedented Republican-Led Shutdown\n\nFor 47 days, Speaker Mike Johnson kept members out of Washington and refused to extend health savings for millions of Americans. During the shutdown, McBath publicly called on House leadership to return to Washington, DC, and negotiate rather than prolong the shutdown. Alongside state and federal lawmakers, McBath argued that without extending these tax credits, millions of Americans would face higher insurance costs and even forgo their insurance coverage altogether.\n\nLed Expansion Legislation of $35 Insulin Cap\n\nThe bill would extend the $35 insulin cap for seniors on Medicare to include people who get their health insurance through their workplace. The $35 Medicare insulin cap, also led by McBath, was passed into law through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). As the Education and Workforce Committee lead of this legislation, McBath continues to stand up for America\u2019s families so they can live full, healthy lives.\n\nProtected Patients from Dangerous Drug Alternatives\n\nAfter McBath hosted a bipartisan briefing on Capitol Hill to educate on the dangers of \u201cAlternative Funding Programs,\u201d a CNBC investigation uncovered that some AFPs, which are tied to employer health plans, steer patients towards the illegal importation of life-saving drugs, raising serious safety and legal concerns because the drugs may not be approved or properly vetted.\n\nChampioned Rare Disease Treatment Coverage\n\nIn a strong show of bipartisan support, McBath co-led a bipartisan letter to the FDA with members of Georgia\u2019s congressional delegation, urging the agency to extend access to an experimental treatment for a 4-year-old girl with a rare mitochondrial disease, publicly spotlighting the need for flexibility in rare-disease drug approvals.\n\nDuring 2025, McBath personally advocated for roughly $30 million in local grants for Georgia and her award-winning casework program was responsible for returning nearly $10 million dollars in federal benefits to the district. The office resolved over 1,400 federal casework inquiries. Here\u2019s what constituents had to say about their experience with her office:\n\n\u201cWithout the help I received from you all I would've never been able to get my federal refund resolved. I received no answers about anything for months but you all helped me and I'm so grateful.\u201d - Sukari from Atlanta\n\n\u201cYour office helped me retrieve my husband's Social Security payments after his checking account was compromised. You got me in touch with the correct people at Social Security when I was unable to get anyone to speak to me. I couldn't have achieved my desired results without your office.\u201d - Carolyn from Atlanta\n\n\u201cFor nearly a year my case remained inactive at the U.S. Embassy. It was your intervention that finally moved things forward. Your office helped us receive clear guidance from the Embassy on what they expected next, and you continued to follow up for updates. Your persistence and dedication made a tremendous difference. Through your assistance, I received my immigrant visa just days before its expiration. I flew to the United States that same day. My family and I are truly grateful for your commitment and support.\u201d - Samuel from Fairburn\n\nAny constituent who is in need of federal casework assistance is encouraged to contact McBath\u2019s district office by calling (470) 773-6330 or by visiting mcbath.house.gov/help.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=9E7C1F8E-9FCE-48B3-B932-C88EE8FFB289", "McBath, Frankel Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Antisemitism on College Campuses", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Atlanta, GA\u2014Today, Representatives Lucy McBath (D-GA-6), Lois Frankel (D-FL-22), Don Bacon (R-NE-2), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-6), and Haley Stevens (D-MI-11) introduced the Protecting Students on Campus Act, bipartisan legislation to confront rising antisemitism and other forms of discrimination at colleges and universities.\n\nAt a time when hate is surging domestically and globally\u2014resulting in horrific antisemitic violence, including Sunday\u2019s deadly shooting in Bondi Beach, Australia\u2014this legislation provides meaningful protections to ensure students can learn in safe, inclusive environments.\n\nThe bill increases transparency, oversight, and accountability by enhancing the role of the Department of Education\u2019s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), helping schools identify discrimination early and take action to protect students.\n\nThe urgency is unmistakable. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), 83 percent of Jewish students report witnessing or experiencing antisemitism on campus since October 7. Nationwide, antisemitic incidents have increased nearly ninefold over the past decade.\n\n\"Jewish students deserve better than empty promises when antisemitism erupts on campus. The Protecting Students on Campus Act transforms rhetoric into action by requiring real transparency and giving students the tools to hold their universities accountable,\u201d said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). \u201cIn this climate of rising antisemitic incidents on campus and in Jewish communities around the world, as we\u2019ve seen with the recent, horrific attack at Bondi Beach, this legislation couldn't come at a more urgent time. We thank Reps. Frankel, Bacon, McBath, Ciscomani, and Stevens for their leadership and urge the swift passage of this legislation so that our campuses remain places of learning, not fear.\"\n\n\"American Jewish Committee's (AJC) State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report found that 35% of Jewish college students experienced antisemitism during their time on campus and 48% felt unsafe or avoided expressing their views or Jewish identity. These numbers reflect an alarming reality: Jewish students are being targeted and marginalized in unprecedented ways,\" said Ted Deutch, CEO of American Jewish Committee. \"AJC applauds Representatives Frankel (D-FL), Bacon (R-NJ), McBath (D-GA), Ciscomani (R-AZ), and Stevens (D-MI) for taking action by introducing the Protecting Students on Campus Act, legislation that empowers students to report discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, while providing critical accountability to ensure the U.S. Department of Education responds appropriately to federal complaints.\"\n\nThe Protecting Students on Campus Act:\n\nRequires colleges and universities to post clear, accessible information and conduct public awareness campaigns on how to file a Title VI discrimination complaint with OCR;\n\nRequires colleges and universities to report the number of civil rights complaints they receive and the actions taken to address them;\n\nRequires the Department of Education\u2019s Inspector General to audit institutions that report disproportionately high numbers of discrimination complaints relative to their student population; and\n\nRequires the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to regularly brief Congress on complaints received by OCR and the number pending review.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://mccormick.house.gov/media/press-releases/subcommittee-chairman-mccormick-opens-investigations-and-oversight-hearing", "Subcommittee Chairman McCormick Opens Investigations and Oversight Hearing on Research Security", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Richard McCormick", "M001218", "mccormick.house.gov", "mccormick", "https://mccormick.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, at the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee's hearing, Research Security: Examining the Implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act and NSPM-33, Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rich McCormick delivered opening remarks stressing the importance of reciprocity in global engagement within the American research enterprise.\n\n\"American science has long benefited from global engagement, but that engagement must be reciprocal,\" Chairman McCormick said. \"Every federally funded institution\u2014large or small, public or private\u2014must follow the law, disclose foreign affiliations, manage conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment, and protect its data and infrastructure from theft or manipulation.\"\n\nHis full remarks are available hereand below.\n\nToday\u2019s hearing examines an issue that should transcend party lines: protecting America\u2019s research enterprise from foreign adversaries who seek to steal, exploit, or undermine the innovations that keep our nation secure and competitive.\n\nFor decades, the openness of the U.S. research system has been one of our greatest strengths. But in an era of intensifying global competition\u2014especially from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)\u2014that openness has also become a target. The United States invests billions of taxpayer dollars every year in cutting-edge research. Those investments support our economy, drive technological breakthroughs, and underpin our national defense. They must be protected.\n\nRecognizing these growing threats, the first Trump Administration took critical steps to safeguard research from foreign espionage and undue influence. The National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 on National Security Strategy for United States Government-Supported Research and Development or NSPM-33, issued in January 2021, ordered the federal government to establish a unified national strategy to secure U.S. research and development.\n\nIt was the first comprehensive policy aimed at closing the gaps that foreign actors have exploited for years. The CHIPS and Science Act, passed in 2022, furthered this mandate with additional provisions for agencies and institutions to follow.\n\nUnfortunately, despite these clear directives, implementation has been slow. Guidance was delayed, requirements were left ambiguous, and research institutions were forced to navigate compliance largely on their own. As a result, the burden fell to the current Administration to rapidly implement strict guidance \u2014placing pressure on agencies, universities, and laboratories that should have received clarity much earlier.\n\nIn the past year, we have finally seen progress. The National Science Foundation issued updated research security guidance in July that took effect this October. These policies now require institutions to establish formal research security programs, conduct research security assessments, maintain documentation of foreign affiliations, and implement training for all personnel supported by federal research grants. But there is still much work ahead.\n\nThis Committee has repeatedly heard from universities and research organizations that federal guidance remains confusing, inconsistent, or incomplete. And we know from documented cases that these threats are not theoretical. They are real, they are ongoing, and they demand a coordinated national response.\n\nTo be clear, the CCP is not our only concern. Other malign foreign actors are also seeking to exploit gaps in our research security framework. That is why implementation of these directives must be thorough, timely, and unambiguous, making today\u2019s discussion all the more important.\n\nAmerican science has long benefited from global engagement, but that engagement must be reciprocal. Every federally funded institution\u2014large or small, public or private\u2014must follow the law, disclose foreign affiliations, manage conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment, and protect its data and infrastructure from theft or manipulation.\n\nCongress has a responsibility to ensure that federal agencies enforce these requirements and that institutions receiving taxpayer dollars meet them. These requirements are a starting point. Many institutions may require more robust protections given the nature of the work they conduct. Oversight is not optional; it is essential. The integrity of our research enterprise\u2014and our national security\u2014depends on it.\n\nToday, we will evaluate the progress made in implementing NSPM-33 and the CHIPS and Science Act, identify the barriers that still impede compliance, and determine whether additional legislative or regulatory action is needed. Our objective is clear: to ensure that America\u2019s research remains secure, competitive, and worthy of the trust the American people place in it.", 1, "2026-04-16T05:48:36Z", "2026-04-16T05:50:08Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-responds-to-president-trumps-truth-social-attack-on-his-faith/", "Warnock Responds to President Trump\u2019s Truth Social Attack on his Faith", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock responds to the President\u2019s Truth Social post attacking the Senator\u2019s faith\n\nSenator Warnock is the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the spiritual home of Dr. King, and returns to his pulpit most Sundays\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cMr. President, my faith is not a weapon, it\u2019s a bridge, and I invite you to Bible study. Maybe you can meet the Jesus I know.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) responded to President Trump\u2019s attack on Truth Social following his interview on Meet the Press where the Senator discussed his recent address at the Center for American Progress on healing America\u2019s spiritual crisis by restoring economic opportunity for millions of Americans.\n\nAn excerpt of the President\u2019s Truth Social attack\n\n\u201cSo, Donald Trump just attacked me on Truth Social, claiming that I\u2019m using faith to divide people. He\u2019s got a lot of nerve. Mr. President, my faith is not a weapon, it\u2019s a bridge, and I invite you to Bible study. Maybe you can meet the Jesus I know. In the meantime, I\u2019m going to keep fighting for the people,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\n\nThe Senator also joined MSNOW\u2019s Chris Hayes to discuss the President\u2019s attack on the Senator\u2019s faith. That interview is available HERE.\n\nWATCH the full video response here and find a transcript below:\n\nSo, Donald Trump just attacked me on Truth Social, claiming that I\u2019m using faith to divide people.\n\nHe\u2019s got a lot of nerve.\n\nRemember, this is the same president who literally had peaceful protesters gassed and beaten so he could stand in front of a church holding a Bible up.\n\nHe ought to read that Bible that he was holding up on that day. That Bible says that Jesus came to preach good news to the poor. He came to heal the sick. He never billed them for his services. He stood up for the weak, the marginalized, average, ordinary people.\n\nMr. President, my faith is not a weapon, it\u2019s a bridge, and I invite you to Bible study. Maybe you can meet the Jesus I know.\n\nIn the meantime, I\u2019m going to keep fighting for the people.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-wyden-blast-trump-admin-for-making-it-harder-for-taxpayers-to-get-full-refund/", "Warnock, Wyden Blast Trump Admin for Making it Harder for Taxpayers to Get Full Refund", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, Senators Reverend Warnock and Finance Ranking Member Wyden led an effort urging the Trump administration to stop hiring freezes, reduction-in-force efforts, and other operational strains at the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS)\n\nTAS helps taxpayers resolve their issues at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including with tax refunds, filings, and other issues\n\nAt its current staffing level, TAS may face significant challenges handling its current caseload and helping taxpayers in Georgia and across the country get their full tax refund\n\nSenator Warnock and lawmakers: \u201cTAS ensures the American people have a voice within the IRS. [\u2026] We are concerned that the recent personnel cuts at TAS and the ongoing hiring freeze will greatly hinder these advocates\u2019 ability to provide quality, timely service to taxpayers who need help\u201d\n\nICYMI from 11Alive: Warnock urges Trump administration to restore IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service staffing\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Finance Ranking MemberRon Wyden (D-OR) led an effort, alongside 22 of their Senate Democratic colleagues, urging the Trump administration to help Americans get their full refund by restoring staff and resources at the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), which is an office within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that helps taxpayers resolve any issues within the IRS.\n\nAt its current staffing level, TAS may face significant challenges handling its current caseload and helping taxpayers in Georgia and across the country. The Senators are urging Treasury Secretary and Acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent to stop hiring freezes, reduction-in-force efforts, and properly staff TAS.\n\n\u201cTAS ensures the American people have a voice within the IRS [\u2026] We are concerned that the recent personnel cuts at TAS and the ongoing hiring freeze will greatly hinder these advocates\u2019 ability to provide quality, timely service to taxpayers who need help,\u201d wrote the Senators.\n\n\u201cSince January, the Trump Administration\u2019s deferred resignation programs and efforts to reduce the federal workforce have resulted in nearly one in four TAS advocates departing the IRS [\u2026] According to the National Taxpayer Advocates FY2026 Report to Congress, these losses of IRS customer service personnel have created \u201cvulnerabilities in service delivery\u2026and taxpayer assistance.\u201d We are concerned that the rapid decrease in staff will increase remaining advocate\u2019s case load and taxpayers\u2019 wait times for service,\u201d the Senators continued.\n\nTAS is an independent organization within the IRS and is considered the voice of the taxpayer at the IRS. TAS helps taxpayers with financial issues with tax refunds, filings, and other problems.\n\n\u201cAccording to the January 20, 2025, Presidential Memorandum, the IRS hiring freeze will remain in place until the Secretary of the Treasury determines that ending it is in the \u201cnational interest.\u201d [\u2026] We expect you agree with us that ensuring Americans can access their full tax benefits in a timely manner falls squarely within the \u201cnational interest,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nIn addition to Senator Warnock, the letter was signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (D-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI).\n\nThe letter text can be found HERE and below.\n\nDear Secretary Bessent,\n\nWe write to urge you to lift the freeze on hiring additional staff at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and ensure that both the IRS and the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) have enough staff to ensure they meet the needs of the American taxpayers.\n\nDedicated TAS advocates resolve over 230,000 taxpayer issues with the IRS every year.[1] From helping a disabled first responder receive their refund[2] to resolving a decade-long problem with a taxpayer\u2019s railroad worker\u2019s retirement tax that was holding up his refund,[3] TAS ensures the American people have a voice within the IRS.\n\nAlthough we understand there may be some isolated instances of hiring for internal positions at TAS, we are concerned that the recent personnel cuts at TAS[4] and the ongoing hiring freeze[5] will greatly hinder these advocates\u2019 ability to provide quality, timely service to taxpayers who need help. Moreover, the IRS operating divisions need enough employees to be able to implement TAS\u2019s requests for their assistance in resolving taxpayer problems.[6]\n\nSince January, the Trump Administration\u2019s deferred resignation programs and efforts to reduce the federal workforce have resulted in nearly one in four TAS advocates departing the IRS.[7] To further compound staffing issues, the Trump Administration\u2019s freeze[8] on hiring additional personnel across the IRS remains in place, making it impossible to appropriately backfill TAS staff at the levels needed to address the workload.\n\nAccording to the National Taxpayer Advocates FY2026 Report to Congress, these losses of IRS customer service personnel have created \u201cvulnerabilities in service delivery . . . and taxpayer assistance.\u201d[9] We are concerned that the rapid decrease in staff will increase remaining advocates\u2019 caseloads and taxpayers\u2019 wait times for service.\n\nOur Congressional casework teams are already seeing delays in responses and case resolution. For example, in January, a taxpayer in Georgia reached out to TAS about an issue with a tax return. Despite submitting the correct paperwork in a timely manner and multiple inquiries from Congressional caseworkers, the most recent update as of December was that the case was still being processed. This is too long for a taxpayer to wait for answers.\n\nMany IRS employees who accepted deferred resignation offers were required to stay to support the 2025 tax filing season,[10] so we have not seen the full detrimental effects of the staffing cuts. If these shortages are not addressed, the repercussions will likely be felt during the 2026 tax season.[11]\n\nAccording to the January 20, 2025 Presidential Memorandum, the IRS hiring freeze will remain in place until the Secretary of the Treasury determines that hiring additional IRS employees, including TAS caseworkers, is in the \u201cnational interest.\u201d[12] The complex nature of TAS\u2019s work demands an intense training process[13] and requires current advocates to limit their existing casework to assist.[14] With significant changes to the tax code for this upcoming filing season,[15] hiring for TAS position must begin as soon as possible.\n\nWe expect you agree with us that ensuring Americans can access their full tax benefits in a timely manner falls squarely within the \u201cnational interest.\u201d We urge you to immediately lift the IRS hiring freeze and to respond to the questions below by January 23, 2026, to provide additional clarity to the American people regarding IRS administration and service:\n\nWhat criteria are you using to evaluate what is in the \u201cnational interest\u201d with respect to the TAS hiring freeze? Do these criteria include case backlogs, current wait times, demand on caseworkers, and increased complexity due to new tax laws? If not, why?\n\nWhat is the current average caseload of tax advocates?\n\nWhat is the average wait time for tax advocates to resolve taxpayers\u2019 cases?\n\nAt the end of the last filing season victims of identity theft had to wait 20 months to resolve their cases, on average.[16] What is a reasonable wait time for taxpayers to receive assistance on issues like late tax returns or identity fraud from TAS? What is the current wait time for these cases, and what is the IRS doing to reduce it?\n\nIf TAS is unable to meet its casework demands or if the IRS is unable to process all of TAS\u2019s requests for operational assistance, what cases will be prioritized? Which taxpayers will have longer to wait to have their problems resolved?\n\nThank you for your attention to this important matter.\n\n###\n\n[1] Improvements to Taxpayer Advocate Case Processing Would Result in Better Customer Service, 2025-100-024, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (Jun. 11, 2025), https://www.tigta.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2025-08/2025100024fr.pdf at 3 (Figure 2: Case Advocacy Receipts, Closures, and Cycle Time for FYs 2020 through 2024).\n\n[2] TAS Advocates for a First Responder, Taxpayer Advocate Service (Nov. 18, 2024), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/news/success-stories/tas-advocates-for-a-first-responder/2024/11.\n\n[3] Taxpayer Advocate Service Helps Taxpayer Resolve 15 Years of Hardship, Taxpayer Advocate Service (Sept. 20, 2021), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/news/success-stories/success-story-taxpayer-advocate-service-helps-taxpayer-resolve-15-years-of-hardship/2021/09.\n\n[4] Objective Report to Congress Fiscal Year 2026, National Taxpayer Advocate (Jun. 25, 2025), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/JRC26_FullReport.pdf at 19 (Figure 1.3, IRS Personnel Losses by BOD/Function (as of June 4, 2025)) [FY26 Report to Congress].\n\n[5] Hiring Freeze Presidential Memorandum, White House (Jan. 20, 2025), https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/hiring-freeze.\n\n[6] 2024 Annual Report to Congress, National Taxpayer Advocate (Jan. 8, 2025), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/reports/2024-annual-report-to-congress/full-report at 74 (\u201cDue to underinvestment in the IRS and critically low staffing levels over the past decade, taxpayers have faced: prolonged wait times for assistance; delays in processing returns and refunds; reduced access to knowledgeable IRS employees; and inconsistent application of tax laws and increasing errors.\u201d).\n\n[7] FY26 Report to Congress, supra note 4.\n\n[8] White House, supra note 5.\n\n[9] FY26 Report to Congress, supra note 4, at 30.\n\n[10] Jory Heckman, Some IRS Employees Required to Work Longer Under Deferred Resignation Offer, Federal News Network (May 8, 2025), https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/05/some-irs-employees-required-to-work-longer-under-deferred-resignation-offer (\u201cBut IRS taxpayer services employees and some call center representatives have been told they must remain on the job through June 30\u201d).\n\n[11] National Taxpayer Advocate Issues Mid-Year Report to Congress, IR-2025-71, Internal Revenue Service (Jun. 25, 2025), https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/national-taxpayer-advocate-issues-mid-year-report-to-congress (\u201cBut with the IRS workforce reduced by 26% and significant tax law changes on the horizon, there are risks to next year\u2019s filing season. It is critical that the IRS begin to take steps now to prepare.\u201d).\n\n[12] White House, supra note 5.\n\n[13] TAS is Taking Steps to Better Serve Taxpayers, National Taxpayer Advocate Blog (Sept. 19, 2024), https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/news/nta-blog/tas-is-taking-steps-to-better-serve-taxpayers/2024/09 (\u201cIt takes months, even years, to train newly hired case advocates, because they work cases that involve a wide range of procedural and technical issues, including returns processing, identity theft, audits, collection matters, and Appeals.\u201d).\n\n[14] Id. (\u201cTo compound the challenges, we have to temporarily reassign experienced case advocates to provide training and supervision for the new hires, further straining our resources to work current cases.\u201d).\n\n[15] Ellis Chen and Vanessa Williamson, The New Tax Bill Burdens an Already Overburdened IRS, Brookings (Jul. 17, 2025), https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-new-tax-bill-burdens-an-already-overburdened-irs.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-bishop-opposes-house-republican-bill-that-fails-to-lower-healthcare-insurance-premiums-for-millions-of-americans", "CONGRESSMAN BISHOP OPPOSES HOUSE REPUBLICAN BILL THAT FAILS TO LOWER HEALTHCARE INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", "bishop", "https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) opposed, H.R. 6703, a bill prepared by U.S. House Republican leaders that fails to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. Without Congressional action to extend the credits before December 31, the cost of health insurance could double or triple and make it unaffordable for 20 million Americans. This includes 92,000 people in Georgia\u2019s Second Congressional District who will see their monthly premiums drastically increase next month.\n\n\u201cI have always been open to working across the aisle to improve healthcare for Americans. I know that many Republican colleagues agree that Affordable Care Act tax credits should be maintained for hardworking Americans,\u201d said Congressman Bishop. \u201cUnfortunately, today\u2019s bill is a bait and switch, professing lower costs but really delivering less care. It would allow healthcare plans that destabilize the insurance market, offer patients less protection, and leave patients with big medical bills not covered by insurance.\u201d\n\n\u201cSadly, House Republican leaders forced a vote on today\u2019s bill and prevented Democrats and Republicans from putting forward a bipartisan solution to this crisis. Without extending the ACA tax credits, Georgians are going to be hit with sticker shock as their health insurance costs skyrocket in January,\u201d added Congressman Bishop. \u201cThey will not be able to pay the high cost and will be forced to drop coverage.\u201d\n\nThe much-needed ACA tax credits are being allowed to expire by Republican leaders to help pay for permanent tax breaks for billionaires that were included in H.R. 1, the \u201cbig, ugly bill\u201d which was passed and signed into law by President Trump in July.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-bishop-votes-to-uphold-the-constitution-and-rein-in-unauthorized-military-action-in-the-caribbean-venezuela", "CONGRESSMAN BISHOP VOTES TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND REIN IN UNAUTHORIZED MILITARY ACTION IN THE CARIBBEAN & VENEZUELA", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", "bishop", "https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) voted for two War Powers resolutions that were introduced to halt the ongoing use of military force by the Trump Administration in the Caribbean without Congressional authorization. To date, President Trump has ordered airstrikes on at least 23 vessels, killing at least 86 civilians. He also threatened military action against Venezuela.\n\n\u201cFor many months, Democrats and Republicans in Congress have raised concerns that the Trump Administration is rushing headlong into an illegal war in the Caribbean,\u201d said Congressman Bishop. \u201cPresident Trump and Secretary of Defense Hegseth have stonewalled Congress and delayed or refused to provide fundamental facts, documents, and information that Congress must have to fulfill its responsibilities by law. Under the Constitution, only Congress can declare war and the War Powers Resolution of 1973 was enacted precisely to clarify that the President must consult Congress to prevent endless military action and undeclared wars. These resolutions would prevent the President from continuing these military actions without first complying with the Constitution and existing law.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16049", "ENDORSEMENT ALERT: GOP Doctors Caucus supports Carter bill to reduce prescription drug costs", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The GOP Doctors Caucus this week announced its endorsement of Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter\u2019s (R-GA) bipartisan bill, the PBM Reform Act, which will reduce the cost of lifesaving drugs for patients by protecting patients and pharmacies from the harmful and anticompetitive business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).\n\n\"Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are middlemen that drive up the cost of lifesaving drugs for patients,\" said GOP Doctors Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. & Rep. John Joyce, M.D. \"Reform is long overdue to rein in the abuse of PBMs, which prioritize profits over patients through shady practices such as pushing high-cost drugs, limiting consumer access, monopolizing the market, and reimbursing pharmacies at unacceptable rates. This legislation will make much-needed reforms to put patients first.\"\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s time to bust up the PBM monopoly, which has been stealing hope and health from patients for decades. As a pharmacist, I\u2019ve seen how PBMs abuse patients firsthand, and I believe that the cure to this infectious disease is transparency, competition, and accountability, which is exactly what our bipartisan package provides,\u201d said Rep. Carter. \u201cI thank the GOP Doctors Caucus, of which I\u2019m a proud member, for its endorsement today and urge House floor consideration of this critical bill.\u201d\n\nThe PBM Reform Act will:\n\nBan \u201cspread pricing\u201d in Medicaid and move to a transparent system that ensures pharmacies are fairly and adequately reimbursed for serving Medicaid beneficiaries.\n\nEstablish new requirements for PBMs under Medicare Part D, including a policy to delink PBM compensation from the cost of medications and increase transparency.\n\nPromote transparency for both employers and patients in their prescription drug plans, with semi-annual reporting on drug spending, rebates, and formulary determinations.\n\nRequire the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to define and enforce \"reasonable and relevant\" contract terms in Medicare Part D pharmacy contracts and enforce oversight on reported violations.\n\nRead full bill text here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16050", "Carter-led bill reducing unnecessary animal testing passes Senate", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R-GA) today celebrated passage of the Senate companion to his bipartisan bill, the FDA Modernization Act 3.0.\n\nThis bill will require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fully implement the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, signed into law in 2022, ensuring that safe and effective treatments are developed for patients using advanced and innovative non-animal testing methods.\n\nThe bill now heads to the House for consideration.\n\n\u201cIt is inhumane to rely solely on animal testing of medical products when other, harmless methods exist that are more predictive of human outcomes. The FDA Modernization Act 2.0, and today\u2019s vote by the Senate, have paved the way for modernizing the FDA\u2019s testing methods. This bill will accelerate innovation and get safer, more effective drugs to market quickly by cutting unnecessary red tape,\u201d said Rep. Carter. \u201cThere is no reason for the House to delay its vote on this necessary, bipartisan bill that strengthens recent actions by the Trump administration.\u201d\n\nOriginal co-sponsors of the House bill include: Reps. Nanette Barrag\u00e1n (D-CA), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), and Troy Carter (D-LA).\n\nThe Senate bill is led by: U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rand Paul (R-KY), Angus King (I-ME), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Kennedy (R-LA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), and Roger Marshall (R-KS).\n\nRead full bill text here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16052", "Carter statement on House passage of bill to lower health care costs", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R-GA) today released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 6703, the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, a bill lowering health care costs and providing American citizens with more affordable coverage:\n\n\u201cLiberal politicians like Jon Ossoff want to continue giving handouts to Big Insurance and illegal immigrants, making your health outcomes worse, instead of addressing the heart of the problem, which is that the UnAffordable Care Act isn\u2019t working. Democrats spent years dismantling our health care system and causing an affordability crisis. With this vote, House Republicans began the hard work of undoing more than a decade of harm to patients nationwide. By driving down health insurance premiums, increasing pharmacy benefit manager transparency, and expanding affordable health care options, we are ensuring that American citizens have access to the high-quality health care they deserve at a rate they can afford.\u201d\n\nThe Lower Health Care Premiums for All Act:\n\nLowers Premiums for all Americans\n\nPharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency: Requires PBMs to provide employers with detailed data on prescription drug spending, rebates, spread pricing, and formulary decisions\u2014empowering plans and workers with the transparency they deserve.\n\nAppropriates Cost Sharing Reduction Payments: Provides necessary funding for CSR payments beginning in 2027, lowering premiums and stabilizing the individual market while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. Relief would be better directed towards low-income enrollees that need them.\n\nImproves Health Care Options for America\u2019s Workers\n\nAssociation Health Plans: Expands access to Association Health Plans by allowing employers\u2014including self-employed workers\u2014to band together across industries to purchase affordable, high-quality coverage.\n\nAccess to Stop-Loss Insurance: Ensures small and mid-sized employers can protect themselves from catastrophic claims by clarifying that stop-loss insurance is not \u201chealth insurance coverage.\u201d This would allow small businesses to offer their employees more tailored, affordable care.\n\nCHOICE Arrangements: Codifies and strengthens 2019 rules allowing employers to offer defined contributions for employees to purchase their own coverage\u2014renamed as CHOICE arrangements\u2014and permits employees to pay premiums pre-tax.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401973", "Reps. David Scott and Lucy McBath Introduce a Bill to Cut State Costs and Ensure Children Don\u2019t Go Hungry During Summer", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", "davidscott", "https://davidscott.house.gov/news", "scraper", "Read Bill Text\n\nWASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13) and Congresswoman Lucy McBath (GA-6) introduced the Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act, a bill to protect children from hunger, strengthen states\u2019 fiscal stability, and fight back against the President Trump\u2019s and Congressional Republicans\u2019 attacks on our nation\u2019s nutrition program.\n\nThe Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act directly responds to the damage caused by the Big Ugly Bill, the Republican reconciliation bill that slashed $186 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and dramatically increased the financial burden placed on states. Under the Big Ugly Bill, states are now required to cover 75% of SNAP administrative costs and part of SNAP benefits costs while continuing to pay 50% of Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) administrative costs. This is a sharp increase that has caused uncertainty as to whether states can continue participating in crucial child nutrition programs.\n\n\u201cIn Georgia, more than 1.1 million children would automatically be enrolled in Summer EBT if Governor Brian Kemp opts the state into the program,\u201d said Congressman David Scott. \u201cUnfortunately, he has repeatedly ignored Georgia Democrats\u2019 calls for him to participate in the program. At the same time, Congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration continue their attacks on safety net programs, discouraging states from participating in nutrition programs and walking away from hungry children. This bill chooses the opposite by lowering state costs, expanding access, and making sure kids don\u2019t pay the price for partisan ideology.\u201d\n\n\"Children living in Georgia and the other 12 states that refuse to participate in federal nutrition programs are at risk of going hungry during the summer break,\u201d said Rep. Lucy McBath. \"For years, Georgia Democrats have encouraged Governor Kemp to reverse his decision to opt out of the Summer EBT program that automatically provides an additional $120 dollars in nutrition benefits per child to families in need. There is no reason why any child should wonder where their next meal is going to come from when their state leaders are turning down federal dollars.\"\n\n\"Over the last two years, 21 million children across 37 states have benefited from Summer EBT, said Crystal FitzSimons, president of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). This proven program ensures children have access to the nutrition they need to thrive, and return to school ready to learn, while generating local economic activity. The Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act helps to recognize states that are actively working to decrease childhood hunger and incentivizes all states to opt in to the Summer EBT program. This bill is a win-win for families and for our communities. FRAC urges Members of Congress to co-sponsor this bill.\"\n\n\u201cThe Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act of 2025 is a smart, practical step forward in strengthening access to nutrition for children when school is out,\u201d said Ashanti Lewis, Director of Federal Government Relations at FoodCorps. \u201cBy increasing federal support for state administrative costs, this bill helps states operate Summer EBT more efficiently and reach more families who rely on these benefits. At FoodCorps, we see firsthand how consistent access to healthy food supports learning, well-being, and long-term health. We applaud Representative David Scott for introducing legislation that reduces barriers, improves implementation, and helps ensure no child falls through the cracks during the summer months.\u201d\n\n\u201cFeeding hungry kids over the summer while boosting local food retailers is the ultimate win-win,\" said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America. \"We laud Congressman Scott for leading on this vital issue.\u201d\n\nSummer EBT is a Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides $40 per month, per child during the summer months\u2013$120 total\u2013for children in households that qualify for SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and other safety net programs as well as children who receive free or reduced-price school meals. However, states must opt into Summer EBT. Currently, 13 states, including Georgia, do not participate, preventing over 10 million children from accessing the program, including 1.1 million children in Georgia.\n\nSpecifically, the Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act of 2025 would:\n\n\u00b7 Incentivize state participation in Summer EBT by reducing a state\u2019s administrative cost-share for both SNAP and Summer EBT to 10% for any fiscal year in which the states opt into the program.\n\n\u00b7 Maintain current cost-share requirements for nonparticipating states, keeping SNAP administrative costs at 75% for states that choose not to participate in Summer EBT.\n\n\u00b7 Reduce overall state spending on nutrition program administration, allowing states to reprioritize millions of dollars to other state programs.\n\n\u00b7 Strengthen continuity of nutrition assistance during summer months when school meals are unavailable, ensuring children do not lose access to food when school is out.\n\nList of Endorsing Organizations: Coalition on Human Needs, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), FoodCorps, Hunger Free America, the National Education Association (NEA), NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, and Share Our Strength.\n\nFull text of the bill can be accessed HERE.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401975", "Congressman David Scott Leads Bipartisan Effort to Advance Landmark Housing Package Out of the Financial Services Committee", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", "davidscott", "https://davidscott.house.gov/news", "scraper", "Read Bill Text\n\nThe Housing for the 21st Century Act cleared a key hurdle by passing near-unanimously out of committee with a 50-1 vote. It now heads to the full House Floor for consideration.\n\nWASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13) joined House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (AR-02), and Ranking Member Maxine Waters (CA-43), in passing H.R. 664, the Housing for the 21st Century Act of 2025, a landmark housing package, out of the full committee. The bipartisan measure addresses our nation\u2019s affordable housing crisis and modernizes regulatory challenges impacting homeownership. The final package incorporated several bills filed by Rep. David Scott this year, including his Reforms to Housing Counseling & Financial Literacy Programs Act andStreamlining Rural Housing Act\u2014proposals to tackle Georgia\u2019s housing crisis.\n\n\u201cHousing is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. It is an American issue. Today\u2019s committee markup demonstrates what is possible when leadership on both sides chooses collaboration,\u201d said Congressman David Scott. This bipartisan bill reflects thoughtful, principled compromise. It acknowledges that we can strengthen housing oversight while preserving access. It shows that we can fight to protect consumers, enact real accountability, and ensure that housing policy works for those who have historically been left behind. At a time when far too many working-class Georgians are being priced out of their communities, this bill shows recognition that inaction is not an option. I\u2019m proud to support this legislation and look forward to moving it swiftly to the House floor.\u201d\n\nThe Housing for the 21st Century Act addresses the nation\u2019s housing crisis by:\n\nBroadening access to homeownership, including manufactured housing and small dollar mortgages.\n\nReducing regulatory barriers and streamlining permitting, inspection, and environmental review processes to accelerate housing development.\n\nProtecting borrowers and assisted families and enhancing federal oversight of housing providers; and\n\nStrengthening the development of adorable housing for families in both rural and urban communities.\n\nThe Reforms to Housing Counseling & Financial Literacy Programs Act would:\n\nStrengthen HUD\u2019s authority to review housing counseling agencies and individual counselors.\n\nRequire corrective action, additional training, or retesting when performance standards are not met.\n\nExpand access to HUD-approved foreclosure mitigation counseling for certain delinquent borrowers through the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund.\n\nThe Streamlining Rural Housing Act which:\n\nDirects the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to align housing standards.\n\nCurrently, rural housing projects that utilize both HUD and USDA programs must undergo slightly different but separate environmental reviews and inspections to receive funding.\n\nThis creates unnecessary red tape for developers and drives up costs, ultimately contributing to the affordable housing shortage in rural communities nationwide.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s committee action brings us one step closer to ensuring these counseling services are accurate, effective, and accountable. Advancing this landmark housing package out of the full committee shows Congress can come together to strengthen federal housing programs and better protect borrowers, especially first-generation homebuyers and communities of color who have historically been targeted by predatory practices,\u201d Congressman David Scott continued.\n\nAccess to safe, decent, and affordable housing is foundation to stable employment, educational outcomes for children, health, and the ability for seniors and people with disabilities to age in place. With nearly 12 million homes needed nationwide and housing costs skyrocketing, the Housing for the 21st Century Act represents a meaningful step toward addressing these challenges while ensuring HUD programs work as intended.\n\nFull text of the housing package can be accessed HERE.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=0B969199-F6D1-4C12-B44C-90C3AB18D5DA", "McBath Statement on H.R. 6703", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Atlanta, GA \u2014 Representative Lucy McBath released the following statement this evening:\n\n\"I was not able to be present in Washington due to an urgent health matter with my husband, Curtis. We appreciate the well wishes from those near and far.\n\n\"If I had been able to vote remotely today, I would have voted NO. The Republican-led legislation before the House does not address the rising costs of health care that are burdening American families. As a two-time breast cancer survivor navigating additional health challenges in my own family, I know firsthand how access, affordability, and care determine outcomes.\n\n\"I was proud to be an early signer on the clean Democratic discharge petition for a 3 year extension of life-saving tax credits to make health care more affordable, which today reached the threshold to force a separate bipartisan vote on the House floor in January. As always, I am committed to working across the aisle on solutions that make health care more affordable and accessible for the American people.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=88C0D069-02F4-4C9C-8813-39793F4AD2DD", "Reps. McBath, Foushee, Johnson Introduce Legislation to Prevent Overdose Deaths in Federal Prisons", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC\u2014Today, Congresswoman Lucy McBath (GA-06), Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04), and Congressman Hank Johnson Jr. (GA-04) introduced the Federal Prisons Naloxone Access Act of 2025, legislation to ensure life-saving opioid reversal medications, including naloxone (Narcan), are readily available throughout federal correctional facilities to reverse overdoses and prevent overdose deaths.\n\n\"The opioid crisis does not stop at the prison gate, so it's important that we do what we can as elected leaders to protect the health and safety of all Americans,\" said Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06). \"This bill is about putting prevention over punishment and making sure life-saving emergency treatment\u2014like naloxone\u2014and training are available wherever they may be needed. I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Foushee, for her work on this issue as we work with law enforcement to modernize our federal prison system.\"\n\n\u201cOur country\u2019s opioid crisis does not stop at prison walls, and our commitment to harm reduction should not either,\u201d said Rep. Valerie Foushee (NC-04). \u201cMore people than ever are dying preventable deaths in our federal prisons, and Congress must act. This legislation is a necessary step toward justice and part of a broader effort to invest in mental health and addiction services while treating substance use as a public health crisis, not a criminal one.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=DEC2350B-5324-45A2-9A50-123D97E85CE6", "Representatives Lucy McBath, David Scott Introduce a Bill to Cut State Costs and Ensure Children Don\u2019t Go Hungry During Summer", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Atlanta, GA\u2014Today, Congresswoman Lucy McBath (GA-6) and Congressman David Scott (GA-13) introduced the Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act, a bill to protect children from hunger, strengthen states\u2019 fiscal stability, and fight back against the President Trump\u2019s and Congressional Republicans\u2019 attacks on our nation\u2019s nutrition program.\n\nThe Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act directly responds to the damage caused by the Republican reconciliation bill that slashed $186 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and dramatically increased the financial burden placed on states. Under the Big Ugly Bill, states are now required to cover 75% of SNAP administrative costs and part of SNAP benefits costs while continuing to pay 50% of Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) administrative costs. This is a sharp increase that has caused uncertainty as to whether states can continue participating in crucial child nutrition programs.\n\n\"Children living in Georgia and the other 12 states that refuse to participate in federal nutrition programs are at risk of going hungry during the summer break,\u201d said Rep. Lucy McBath. \"For years, Georgia Democrats have encouraged Governor Kemp to reverse his decision to opt out of the Summer EBT program that automatically provides an additional $120 dollars in nutrition benefits per child to families in need. There is no reason why any child should wonder where their next meal is going to come from when their state leaders are turning down federal dollars.\"\n\n\u201cIn Georgia, more than 1.1 million children would automatically be enrolled in Summer EBT if Governor Brian Kemp opts the state into the program,\u201d said Rep. David Scott. \u201cUnfortunately, he has repeatedly ignored Georgia Democrats\u2019 calls for him to participate. At the same time, Congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration continue their attacks on safety net programs, discouraging states from participating in nutrition programs and walking away from hungry children. This bill chooses the opposite by lowering state costs, expanding access, and making sure kids don\u2019t pay the price for partisan ideology.\u201d\n\n\"Over the last two years, 21 million children across 37 states have benefited from Summer EBT, said Crystal FitzSimons, president of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). This proven program ensures children have access to the nutrition they need to thrive, and return to school ready to learn, while generating local economic activity. The Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act helps to recognize states that are actively working to decrease childhood hunger and incentivizes all states to opt in to the Summer EBT program. This bill is a win-win for families and for our communities. FRAC urges Members of Congress to co-sponsor this bill.\"\n\n\u201cThe Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act of 2025 is a smart, practical step forward in strengthening access to nutrition for children when school is out,\u201d said Ashanti Lewis, Director of Federal Government Relations at FoodCorps. \u201cBy increasing federal support for state administrative costs, this bill helps states operate Summer EBT more efficiently and reach more families who rely on these benefits. At FoodCorps, we see firsthand how consistent access to healthy food supports learning, well-being, and long-term health. We applaud Representative David Scott for introducing legislation that reduces barriers, improves implementation, and helps ensure no child falls through the cracks during the summer months.\u201d\n\n\u201cFeeding hungry kids over the summer while boosting local food retailers is the ultimate win-win,\" said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America. \"We laud Congressman Scott for leading on this vital issue.\u201d\n\nSummer EBT is a Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides $40 per month, per child during the summer months\u2013$120 total\u2013for children in households that qualify for SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and other safety net programs as well as children who receive free or reduced-price school meals. However, states must opt into Summer EBT. Currently, 13 states, including Georgia, do not participate, preventing over 10 million children from accessing the program, including 1.1 million children in Georgia.\n\nSpecifically, the Bridge to Summer Nutrition Act of 2025 would:\n\nIncentivize state participation in Summer EBT by reducing a state\u2019s administrative cost-share for both SNAP and Summer EBT to 10% for any fiscal year in which the states opt into the program.\n\nMaintain current cost-share requirements for nonparticipating states, keeping SNAP administrative costs at 75% for states that choose not to participate in Summer EBT.\n\nReduce overall state spending on nutrition program administration, allowing states to reprioritize millions of dollars to other state programs.\n\nStrengthen continuity of nutrition assistance during summer months when school meals are unavailable, ensuring children do not lose access to food when school is out.\n\nList of Endorsing Organizations: Coalition on Human Needs, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), FoodCorps, Hunger Free America, the National Education Association (NEA), NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, and Share Our Strength.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/12/17/2025/bill-to-strengthen-national-defense-with-provisions-championed-by-senator-collins-to-be-signed-into-law", "Bill to Strengthen National Defense with Provisions Championed by Senator Collins to be Signed into Law", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes $900.6 billion, has passed both chambers of Congress, with votes of 77 to 20 and 312 to 112 in the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively. The FY26 NDAA now heads to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\nThis annual defense bill authorizes spending levels and sets policy for the military and critical national defense priorities, while the defense appropriations bill, which is under the jurisdiction of the Senate Appropriations Committee, appropriates the funding for the Department of Defense (DOD) each fiscal year. The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced the FY26 Defense funding bill in July by a vote of 26-3.\n\n\u201cWith this legislation heading to the President\u2019s desk, Congress has fulfilled one of its most important Constitutional responsibilities\u2014providing for our national defense,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThe NDAA addresses the many national security threats facing our nation today and better supports the brave men and women of our armed forces. Additionally, the bill authorizes funding that will support the hardworking Mainers of our state\u2019s defense industrial base, who make invaluable contributions to our national defense.\u201d\n\nSeveral provisions and amendments authored or co-authored by Senator Collins were included in the final bill that passed the Senate today:\n\nBerry Amendment-Compliant Footwear Report.\n\nAmendment filed by Senator Collins will require the Department of Defense to submit a report on the U.S. boot industrial base and a plan to achieve full Berry Amendment compliance for combat footwear.\n\nPublic Shipyard Apprentice Program.\n\nAmendment filed by Senator Collins will strengthen the skilled trades pipeline at public shipyards like Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.\n\nCounter Act.\n\nCosponsored by Senator Collins, provisions from this bill will expand the Department of Defense\u2019s authority to defend its facilities from illegal drone activity.\n\nThe NDAA also includes several provisions Senator Collins strongly advocated for that will benefit Maine:\n\nSupport for U.S. Troops.\n\nAuthorizes a 3.8 percent pay raise for all service members\u2014including the thousands of Maine men and women serving in uniform.\n\nIncludes reforms to streamline and modernize defense procurement to ensure our military is better equipped and supplied.\n\nDirects a study on behavioral and mental health staffing shortfalls at military medical treatment facilities to improve access to care for service members and their families.\n\nSupport for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.\n\n$227.8 million for power reliability and water resilience upgrades.\n\n$220.8 million for the Multi-Mission Drydock #1 extension.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-demands-coast-guard-immediately-abandon-reclassification-of-hate-symbols", "Senator Collins Demands Coast Guard Immediately Abandon Reclassification of Hate Symbols", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem calling on the Coast Guard to immediately abandon a policy change that made certain displays, such as swastikas and nooses, no longer classified as hate symbols. After originally stating in a November 20 memo that such symbols would remain prohibited, recent reporting indicates that the Coast Guard has implemented a policy that downgrades these symbols from hate symbols to \u201cpotentially divisive.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe U.S. Coast Guard\u2019s decision to categorize swastikas and other Nazi symbols as merely \u2018potentially divisive\u2019 is an affront to the memory of the millions of Jews murdered during World War II and the Allied Forces who fought, and in many cases died, to liberate Europe from the Nazi regime,\u201d Senator Collins wrote. \u201cThe symbols and images associated with Nazism are blatantly antisemitic and employed by criminals to express hatred toward Jewish individuals and racial minorities.\u201d\n\n\u201cAntisemitic attacks against the Jewish community have risen in this country and worldwide since the violent terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported that in the three months following the attack, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. skyrocketed by 361 percent,\u201d she continued. \u201cPrior to the October 7 attacks, hate crimes against the Jewish community were already on the rise. According to data from the Department of Justice (DOJ), in 2023, of 2,699 reported hate crime incidents based on religion, more than half of these (1,832) were driven by anti-Jewish bias.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe U.S. Coast Guard should be adopting policies to assist with the quick and lawful removal of divisive symbols, and any ambiguity about the Coast Guard\u2019s intent should be immediately rectified and reflected in its policy. The U.S. Coast Guard should be clear: the display of Nazi iconography, symbols of racial bigotry and intimidation, and any hate-motivated representations will not be tolerated,\u201d Senator Collins concluded.\n\nThe complete text of the letter is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-passes-defense-legislation-supporting-georgia-servicemembers-and-military-communities/", "Warnock Passes Defense Legislation Supporting Georgia Servicemembers and Military Communities", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Today, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), annual legislation that sets defense policy and priorities, authorizes defense spending\n\nThe defense policy package includes numerous priorities Senator Reverend Warnock pushed for, including provisions strengthening military housing, supporting military families when they move, and authorizing funding for military construction projects across Georgia\n\nThe legislation now goes to the White House to be signed into law\n\nThe priorities Senator Warnock secured in the NDAA ensure Georgia and its military bases remain at the cutting edge of our national defense and play a critical role in America\u2019s military strategic planning in the years to come\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cOur servicemembers are the best among us, and it is paramount that our admiration for their service is reflected in our budgets and laws. These are polarizing times, but we should always be able to work together in a bipartisan way to support our troops who defend our freedoms\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 77-20, with many of his priorities included to support Georgia\u2019s servicemembers, military families, and bases. The bipartisan defense bill will improve military housing, raise servicemember pay, authorize $295 million for Georgia military construction projects, and more. The priorities Senator Warnock secured in the legislation will strengthen quality of life for servicemembers and military families and ensure Georgia and its military bases remain at the cutting edge of our national defense. The bill will now go to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cOur servicemembers are the best among us, and it is paramount that our admiration for their service is reflected in our budgets and laws. These are polarizing times, but we should always be able to work together in a bipartisan way to support our troops who defend our freedoms,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cGeorgia servicemembers, their families, and our base communities are the winners of this legislation with new investments in base housing, servicemember pay, and infrastructure projects across the state. When we invest in our servicemembers and their families, we boost their morale and quality of life and bolster our national security.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy vote today does not indicate my support for the President\u2019s misuse and politicization of our servicemembers, including potential war crimes in Latin America or deploying servicemembers to police American cities,\u201d continued Senator Warnock. \u201cAs the representative for over 100,000 servicemembers, I will continue to use the oversight tools to keep this President from unnecessarily putting our troops in harm\u2019s way while ensuring our troops and their families have the resources they deserve.\u201d\n\nIn addition to authorizing critical funding for important military construction projects across Georgia, Senator Warnock secured key bipartisan provisions in the defense bill.\n\nSenator Warnock is continuing his efforts to increase transparency and accountability of privatized military housing conditions on bases across the country. The Senator secured a version of his bipartisan Military Housing Performance Insight (MHPI) Act in the NDAA. This provision will help improve military housing conditions for servicemembers by requiring DOD to provide an annual report on privatized housing metrics for on-base family housing. This expanded transparency will empower lawmakers to hold DOD and housing companies accountable and ensure safer homes for servicemembers and their families. Despite numerous initiatives and improvements over the past five years due to focused Congressional and DOD oversight, continued vigilance is necessary to sustain these housing condition improvements. The frequent movement of local military installation leaders, mandated by the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) process, often disrupts institutional knowledge and can reduce command attention to housing problems.\n\nSenator Warnock also secured a bipartisan provision to support military families when they are ordered to relocate to a new base. The Assuring Navigation of Compact Help for Ongoing Relocation (ANCHOR) for Military Families Act (or ANCHOR for Military Families Act) will require the DOD to give military families clear, timely information about relocation resources when they receive orders to relocate.\n\nAdditionally, Senator Warnock successfully passed an amendment that would enshrine into law Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations regarding how DOD determines housing availability in locations near bases for the purposes of making housing decisions, such as investing in new on-post housing or determining Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates.\n\nSee below for a detailed summary of the Georgia priorities Senator Warnock secured:\n\nServicemember pay raise: Provides a 3.8% pay raise to servicemembers, building on last year\u2019s 4.5% raise.\n\nFort Benning Elementary School: Authorizes $22 million to construct Dexter Elementary school at Fort Benning in Columbus for 400 students. Senator Warnock secured a $500,000 authorization for the initial design in the FY24 NDAA and an additional $14 million for design in the FY25 NDAA.\n\nMoody AFB 23rd Security Forces Squadron Operations Facility: Authorizes $35 million for a new base Security Forces headquarters.\n\nA-10 Minimum Inventory Requirement: Includes an A-10 minimum inventory requirement, protecting the Moody AFB A-10 mission until it can transition to the F-35 in the late 2020\u2019s.\n\nF-35 Support: Authorizes $9 billion to continue investing in the F-35 Lightning II program. This is crucial to Moody AFB receiving the F-35 in the 2030\u2019s.\n\nRobins AFB Air Traffic Control Tower: Authorizes $28 million to build a 10-story Air Traffic Control Tower to replace the cramped 52-year-old air traffic control tower at Robins AFB, which is currently posing a safety risk to both aircraft and tower personnel and hindering training capabilities.\n\nFort Gillem Evidence Storage Facility: Authorizes $45 million to build an evidence storage building supporting DOD law enforcement agencies.\n\nSavannah Combat Readiness Training Center Barracks: Authorizes $3.8 million to design a new 172-person barracks facility at the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC).\n\nSavannah CRTC C-130 Corrosion Control Facility: Authorizes $11.4 million to build a new facility for the Georgia Air National Guard at the Savannah CRTC to reapply paint to the new C-130J transport aircraft, which the base secured thanks to Senator Warnock.\n\nSavannah Waste Disposal: Authorizes $1.06 billion for the Department of Energy to continue operations to remove Cold War-era liquid radioactive waste at the Savannah River Site located near Savannah. An additional $52.5 million is being authorized for the Department of Energy to continue constructing Saltstone Disposal Units to support the overall removal of liquid nuclear waste at the Savannah River Site.\n\nHBCU Research and Collaboration Development: Establishes three Research and Development solicitations, which include HBCUs, Tribal Colleges, and all other Minority Serving Institutions, to increase access to R&D funding for Tribal Colleges and HBCUs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://loudermilk.house.gov/2025/12/17/rep-loudermilk-advances-three-key-pieces-of-legislation/", "Rep. Loudermilk Advances Three Key Pieces of Legislation", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Barry Loudermilk", "L000583", "loudermilk.house.gov", "loudermilk", "https://loudermilk.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. (December 17, 2025) | \u2013 Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) issued the following statement after the House Committee on Financial Services passed three of his bills, The New BANK Act (H.R. 6551), the American FIRST Act (H.R. 6550), and the Respect State Housing Laws Act (H.R. 1078).\n\n\u201cContinuing my longstanding commitment to Georgian\u2019s freedom to choose between a broad array of financial institutions, and to have those institutions free from foreign influence, I introduced the New BANK Act and the American FIRST Act. These bills, which have just passed the House Committee on Financial Services, will help protect a competitive banking market that places Americans first.\n\n\u201cDuring the Covid pandemic, Congress passed legislation that included a provision which overrides state eviction-notice laws. This federal regulation was supposed to provide a singular grace period during the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act eviction moratorium, which has since ended, but a drafting error caused the provision to remain in place permanently. This federal overreach has negatively affected Georgians, especially veterans, retirees, and families who depend on rental income to make ends meet. My Respect State Housing Laws Act, which has passed the House Committee on Financial Services, will remove the federal government from these proceedings and return housing policies back to the states, where they belong.\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nNew BANK Act:\n\n\u2013 Strengthen accountability and improve clarity in how federal banking regulators operate by requiring annual reports on the bank charter application process.\n\n\u2013 Congress will be more equipped to detect inefficiency and favoritism in the banking sector, in the interest of providing the American borrower with a multitude of fair options across national banks, state banks, and credit unions.\n\nAmerican FIRST Act:\n\n\u2013 Increase transparency, accountability, and congressional oversight of U.S. regulators\u2019 involvement in global standard-setting bodies.\n\n\u2013 Require the annual reporting of interactions between federal banking supervisory agencies and global financial regulatory or supervisory forums.\n\n\u2013 This legislation is necessary, as recent international regulatory regimes have threatened the independence of the American banking sector.", 1, "2026-06-27T20:01:11Z", "2026-06-27T22:31:39Z"], ["https://loudermilk.house.gov/2025/12/17/rep-loudermilk-on-passage-of-lower-health-care-premiums-for-all-americans-act/", "Rep. Loudermilk on Passage of Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Barry Loudermilk", "L000583", "loudermilk.house.gov", "loudermilk", "https://loudermilk.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. (June 23, 2026) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) issued the following statement following passage of...\n\nFriends, I hope you have had a great week! As your Representative in Congress, it\u2019s a priority to keep you informed...\n\nWashington, D.C. (June 9, 2026) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) issued the following statement following the U.S....\n\nFriends, I hope you have had a great week! As your Representative in Congress, it\u2019s a priority to keep you informed...\n\nFriends, I hope you have had a great week! As your Representative in Congress, it\u2019s a priority to keep you informed...\n\nWashington D.C. (May 22, 2026) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) issued the following statement following the...\n\nFriends, I hope you are doing well. As your Representative in Congress, it\u2019s a priority to keep you informed of how...\n\nFriends, I hope you are doing well. As your Representative in Congress, it\u2019s a priority to keep you informed of how...\n\nFriends, I hope you are doing well. As your Representative in Congress, it\u2019s a priority to keep you informed of how...\n\nFriends, I hope you are doing well. As your Representative in Congress, it\u2019s a priority to keep you informed of how...\n\nWashington D.C. (April 30, 2026) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) issued the following statement following the...", 1, "2026-06-27T20:01:11Z", "2026-06-27T22:31:39Z"], ["https://loudermilk.house.gov/2025/12/17/rep-loudermilk-to-close-congressional-offices-on-friday-in-observance-of-former-staffers-funeral-service/", "Rep. Loudermilk to Close Congressional Offices on Friday In Observance of Former Staffer\u2019s Funeral Service", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Barry Loudermilk", "L000583", "loudermilk.house.gov", "loudermilk", "https://loudermilk.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. (December 17, 2025) | \u2013 Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) issued the following statement regarding office closure on Friday, December 19, 2025, to honor a former member of his staff, Mrs. Claire Bartlett, who passed away on Sunday, December 13.\n\n\u201cMy family and staff were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Claire Bartlett. Claire was a true patriot, a dear friend, and a trusted member of my Congressional staff for several years. She was a pillar of the community, highly respected in the many organizations and areas in which she served. Claire will be greatly missed, but her legacy will continue to impact many across our great state. In observation of her funeral services, our Congressional offices will be closed Friday, December 19, 2025. May the peace of God be with Darrell and her entire family during this very difficult time.\u201d", 1, "2026-06-27T20:01:11Z", "2026-06-27T22:31:39Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-highlights-lyme-disease-efforts-kay-hagan-tick-act-at-roundtable", "Senator Collins Highlights Lyme Disease Efforts, Kay Hagan Tick Act at Roundtable", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE and HERE for full-resolution images.\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins\u2019 remarks at the event.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins participated in a roundtable discussion at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Lyme disease research and innovation. The roundtable included public health officials, researchers, and patient advocates who discussed current gaps in Lyme disease research, the need for improved diagnostics, and opportunities to strengthen collaboration across federal agencies. Dr. Kristen Honey of Long Island, Maine, a public health expert with firsthand experience of a Lyme disease diagnosis, also participated in the discussion.\n\nSenator Collins highlighted her longstanding efforts to address tick-borne diseases. Earlier this year, she introduced the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act, which supports coordinated research, prevention, and education efforts across HHS and other agencies. Senator Collins discussed how resources from the original Kay Hagan Tick Act (KHTA), which was signed into law in 2019, have led to exciting developments such as the first-ever clinical trial for a Lyme disease vaccine for humans, which is underway at the MaineHealth Institute for Research. In addition to her work on the KHTA, Senator Collins has secured millions in funding for tick-borne disease research at the University of Maine Tick Lab.\n\n\u201cMaine reached a new Lyme disease record last year with 3,218 reported cases. The projections are that this year's total will be even greater. I commend HHS for hosting this conversation,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cWe need a comprehensive approach to finding next generation diagnostics and treatment for Lyme disease. As the author of the Kay Hagan Tick Act, which supports coordinated research, prevention, and education efforts across HHS and other agencies, I will continue to support and highlight this critical work, much of which is happening in the State of Maine.\u201d\n\nAs part of today\u2019s event, HHS also announced the revival of the LymeX Innovation Accelerator (LymeX) with the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. LymeX is the largest public-private partnership ever built to improve Lyme disease diagnostics and care. The $10 million initiative will advance artificial intelligence tools that support earlier and more accurate detection across stages of infection. Senator Collins advanced $5 million in federal funding for LymeX as part of the FY26 Senate Labor, Health and Human Services Bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-praises-addition-of-duchenne-muscular-dystrophy-to-hhs-list-of-recommended-newborn-screenings", "Senator Collins Praises Addition of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy to HHS\u2019 List of Recommended Newborn Screenings", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins today praised the decision from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to approve the addition of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP). The RUSP is a list of disorders that HHS recommends states screen for as part of their newborn screening programs. Early detection of DMD will allow children to receive FDA-approved therapies when they have the greatest chance of effectiveness in slowing the progression of the disease.\n\nThis announcement follows a bipartisan letter that Senator Collins and a group of nine members of Congress sent last month to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., requesting that Duchenne muscular dystrophy be added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel.\n\n\u201cMost boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy are diagnosed at four or five years old, when meaningful muscle loss has already occurred, so this decision from HHS will allow families to get answers at birth and take advantage of approved therapies when they can make the greatest difference,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThroughout my Senate service, supporting research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy has been one of my highest priorities, and I am pleased that this important step will help ensure children receive timely diagnoses and access to care that can slow the progression of this devastating disease.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) being added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, families of newborns identified with this condition will have early guidance for appropriate medical care, including the growing list of approved therapies. My family and I are grateful for Senator Collins\u2019 influence in DMD being added to the RUSP as well as her consistent support of federal research funding that led to the development to new therapies to treat the condition,\u201d said Brian Denger of Biddeford, Maine, whose son, Patrick, has DMD.\n\nAs Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins has secured millions of dollars in yearly funding bills to advance Duchenne muscular dystrophy research. Specifically, she secured a funding increase of $500,000 for the CDC Muscular Dystrophy program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill and $10 million for medical research dedicated to Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the FY 2024 Defense appropriations bill.\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Collins was honored by the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne for her leadership in securing this research funding. Senator Collins received this recognition at the Foundation\u2019s 25th annual \u201cDining Away Duchenne\u201d event.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-kaine-demand-answers-on-hhs-policy-targeting-cdc-workers-with-disabilities/", "Warnock, Kaine Demand Answers on HHS Policy Targeting CDC Workers with Disabilities", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In a letter, Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Tim Kaine press HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for answers on new agency guidance rescinding telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities\n\nUnder the new policy, disabled employees are required to report to their duty stations while waiting for their disability accommodation to be approved by senior political leadership. Employees who previously received approved accommodation requests would be required to reapply under the new policy\n\nWorkers unable to return to their duty station will be required to take another form of leave, such as paid time off or sick leave\n\nUnder Secretary Kennedy\u2019s failed leadership, the CDC has seen a mass dismissal of its personnel \u2013 actions that have been deeply damaging to the agency\u2019s ability to fulfill its mission\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Warnock called on President Trump to fire Secretary Kennedy\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) asked Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for an explanation on new agency guidance rescinding telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities. The new policy would make it nearly impossible for staff with disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and across HHS to access telework as a reasonable accommodation.\n\n\u201cHHS is the leading federal agency tasked with preserving the health of Americans, including those with disabilities. One in four Americans live with a disability, and they not only benefit from various federal programs and services but also meaningfully contribute to the functioning of the federal government,\u201d the Senators write.\n\nFederal employees\u2019 disability rights are governed by Section 501 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, which works similarly to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under the law, disabled employees have a right to a reasonable accommodation, like telework, unless it places an undue burden on the employer. The new HHS guidance has disrupted existing telework accommodations for employees with disabilities and stalled review of pending accommodation requests. Previously approved reasonable accommodation requests will need to be resubmitted and reapproved by agency leadership. All new requests must be reviewed and approved at the assistant secretary level or above.\n\n\u201cThe HHS guidance rescinds telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities, resulting in a pause on all new and renewing telework requests in at least one HHS operational division. This policy has already inflicted distress on employees whose approved telework accommodations or requests for telework accommodations were unexpectedly revoked. Further, recent reporting suggests HHS will require requests for telework, including accommodations for employees with disabilities, be approved by an official at the level of Assistant Secretary or above. This would constitute an extraordinary hurdle for civil servants,\u201d the Senators continue.\n\nSince the CDC and its employees became a target of this administration, Senator Warnock has led several efforts defending their employment and the crucial role they play in keeping the nation safe. In August, Senator Warnock reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Georgia\u2019s CDC employees following the shooting at the CDC that claimed the life of a DeKalb County police officer. Senator Warnock pushed for accountability after the firing of CDC Director Monarez and the attack at the Atlanta campus in a September 5 hearing, subsequently calling on President Trump to fire Secretary Kennedy. Earlier this year, Senator Warnock voted against Secretary Kennedy to lead HHS, the agency that oversees the CDC, due to concerns over disturbing comments and long-held beliefs of Kennedy that would threaten health care costs, quality, and access for millions of Georgians and Americans.\n\nRead full text of the letterHEREand below:\n\nDear Secretary Kennedy:\n\nWe write to express our concern regarding recent policy changes at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) affecting federal employees with disabilities. HHS is the leading federal agency tasked with preserving the health of Americans, including those with disabilities. One in four Americans live with a disability, and they not only benefit from various federal programs and services but also meaningfully contribute to the functioning of the federal government.\n\nYet on August 13, 2025, the HHS Office of Human Resources (OHR) issued guidance that will inflict outsized harm on workers with disabilities, including people living with chronic disease or illness, people with compromised immune systems, and disabled veterans. The HHS guidance rescinds telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities, resulting in a pause on all new and renewing telework requests in at least one HHS operational division. This policy has already inflicted distress on employees whose approved telework accommodations or requests for telework accommodations were unexpectedly revoked. Further, recent reporting suggests HHS will require requests for telework, including accommodations for employees with disabilities, be approved by an official at the level of Assistant Secretary or above. This would constitute an extraordinary hurdle for civil servants.\n\nThe federal government is a major employer of people with disabilities. It is bound by law not to discriminate against those workers and to take steps to increase employment of workers with disabilities. Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 501) prohibits discrimination in federal employment against any qualified individual with a disability. It requires federal agencies to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities. These are simple changes in the normal places and processes of work that allow employees with the requisite skills, knowledge, and aptitude to do the job. It ensures the full and equal participation of all Americans committed to public service, regardless of disability status.\n\nResearch has shown again and again that reasonable accommodations for qualified employees increase satisfaction, retention, and, importantly, productivity, while frequently posing no cost. A study funded by the Department of Labor found that almost two-thirds of reported accommodations cost nothing. Of those with a price, the median cost amounted to a one-time expense of $300. Furthermore, 85 percent of employers reported increased employee retention, and half saw increased productivity, enhanced job attendance, and cost savings in training and onboarding.\n\nTelework or hybrid work arrangements are low-cost accommodations. Millions of Americans became acquainted with telework when remote arrangements allowed many American businesses to maintain operations during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers and employees both overwhelmingly tout the advantages of flexible work arrangements: employees spend less time and money commuting, employers reduce costly overhead, and both benefit from a broader pool of talent and opportunities. We know telework increases productivity. One cross-sector analysis of American firms associates a one percent increase in productivity for every 10 percent increase in remote workers. Further, telework and similar reasonable accommodations increase overall participation in the labor force. The percentage of working-age individuals with disabilities who were employed increased from 4.3 million in 2020 to 6.3 million in 2024, in large part due to increasing opportunities for telework. That represents two million people entering the workforce because of this reasonable accommodation.\n\nThese benefits redound to the advantage of both the federal government and the private sector. The Telework Enhancement Act of 20108 required federal agencies to establish policies permitting telework. In subsequent reports to Congress, 70 percent of agencies indicated that telework enhanced their resilience during emergency events, and 60 percent said remote flexibility was key to employee retention. While agencies have used various metrics to calculate savings, all agree: telework arrangements have saved the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars since 2010.\n\nSection 501 and the Telework Enhancement Act work in tandem with the Veterans Preference Act of 1944, which prioritizes veterans in federal hiring, to ensure that people with disabilities have full and equal participation in the workforce. As of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, veterans comprise 28 percent of all federal employees, and nearly 60 percent of veterans in civilian federal employment are disabled. Of all new federal hires in FY 2023, 21 percent were veterans. While approximately five percent of the civilian population in the United States has a disability, the rate among veterans is 30 percent. Overall, in FY 2023, 21 percent of the federal workforce identified as having a disability. Accommodating qualified employees with disabilities is an operational and moral imperative of federal agencies, and any indiscretion in this duty has outsized consequences on employees with disabilities, including disabled veterans.\n\nThis is why we are particularly concerned about HHS\u2019 recent decision to prohibit telework as a reasonable accommodation for qualified employees with disabilities. On January 27, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidance on the \u201cAgency Return-to-Office Plan,\u201d which resulted in disorganized and disoriented efforts to bring federal employees back to offices that were often unprepared and over-occupied. On August 13, 2025, HHS OHR issued Instruction 990-3, HHS Telework, outlining the agency\u2019s new telework program. This document does not mention the word \u201cdisability.\u201d Ambiguities in this guidance have forced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) OHR to pause approvals for new and renewing reasonable accommodations for telework. Approving reasonable accommodations at the level of the Assistant Secretary will only exacerbate the adversity to which employees with disabilities will be subject: many will be intimidated from requesting accommodations, and those who do will wait in expanding backlogs.\n\nAlready, federal employees have been harmed by these decisions. We have received reports of:\n\nAn employee with a telework accommodation due to a high-risk pregnancy who, on the same day they were told to report to the office, was rushed to the emergency room by ambulance.\n\nA disabled veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which was exacerbated by the August 8, 2025, attack on CDC headquarters, whose telework accommodation was fitfully denied, approved, and denied again, leaving them without direction or guidance.\n\nAn employee who sought a telework accommodation for PTSD following the August 8, 2025, attack, who was threatened with demotion from their supervisory position if they pursued the request, despite previously performing the job duties successfully via telework accommodation.\n\nA veteran hired as a fully-remote employee, now directed to report to the office, who cannot even check the status of their telework accommodation because the personnel in OHR and the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity have been terminated following a reduction in force.\n\nIn light of these harmful policies, we request HHS immediately reverse this guidance which has affected employees with disabilities, including disabled veterans, and ask HHS to answer the following questions by January 16, 2026:\n\nHow many existing telework accommodations were canceled following the January 27, 2025, issuance of the Agency Return-to-Office Plan? Please provide a breakdown by agency.\n\nHow many new and renewing applications for telework accommodation are currently pending review at HHS? Please provide a breakdown by agency.\n\nHow many veterans, and how many veterans with service-related disabilities, had telework accommodations in place on January 27, 2025? How many veterans, and how many veterans with service-related disabilities, have telework accommodations in place currently? Please provide a breakdown by agency.\n\nHow has Instruction 990-3, HHS Telework been tailored to prevent undue harm to qualified employees with disabilities in hiring and employment?\n\nWhat recourse is available to HHS employees whose mental health, physical health, or workplace productivity are adversely affected by revocations, denials, or delays in processing reasonable accommodations for telework?\n\nCDC OHR requested clarification on Instruction 990-3, HHS Telework. What clarification did or will HHS provide to CDC OHR?\n\nDoes HHS currently, or will HHS in the future, require all telework accommodations be approved by officials at the level of Assistant Secretary or higher? If so, what training, guidance, or additional resources will HHS provide to these officials to equip them to make determinations regarding reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities?\n\nIs it permissible at HHS to demote, discipline, or otherwise demoralize employees who request telework options as a reasonable accommodation?\n\nHow does HHS plan to recruit exceptional talent to preserve the health and wellbeing of Americans without offering reasonable accommodations such as telework to qualified employees with disabilities?\n\nWe appreciate your prompt cooperation in this matter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401972", "David Scott, Joyce Beatty, and Cleo Fields Introduce Legislation to Strengthen HUD Oversight of Housing Counselors and Protect Homebuyers", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", "davidscott", "https://davidscott.house.gov/news", "scraper", "Read Bill Text\n\nWASHINGTON D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13), was joined by Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) and Congressman Cleo Fields (LA-06), all senior members of the House Financial Services Committee, in introducing new legislation to bolster the quality, accountability, and effectiveness of housing counseling services nationwide. The Reforms to Housing Counseling & Financial Literacy Programs Act of 2025 would provide the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with enhanced authority to review the performance of housing counseling agencies and individual counselors\u2014ensuring that families who rely on these services receive the highest standard of guidance on homeownership, foreclosure prevention, and financial stability.\n\nHousing counseling agencies approved by HUD play a critical role in helping families navigate the road to responsible homeownership. Housing counselors are often the first line of defense for homeowners to avoid foreclosure, repair credit health, and build long-term financial stability. Unfortunately, current statutory authority limits HUD\u2019s ability to rigorously review counselor performance, intervene when counselors underperform, and ensure consistent quality across the national housing counseling network.\n\n\u201cWhen housing counseling is low-performing, inaccurate, or poorly supervised, it does not simply fail to help\u2014it actively increases default risk, erodes household wealth, and undermines the integrity of our federal housing programs,\u201d said Congressman David Scott. \u201cWe are doing a disservice to the borrowers who accept higher interest rates or are steered toward higher-cost, riskier products despite qualifying for safer government-backed options. Congress has a responsibility to ensure counseling services for homebuyers remains high-quality, data-driven, and accountable. Our bill ensures that the federal government is investing in counseling programs that work\u2014and intervening when they don\u2019t. Stronger oversight means stronger outcomes for Georgia families, first-generation homebuyers, and communities striving to close the racial wealth gap.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs co-chair of the Financial Literacy and Wealth Creation Caucus, I have long advocated for housing counseling to ensure hardworking families and first-time homebuyers have the financial skills they need to understand their mortgage terms, prevent foreclosure, and maintain stable housing,\u201d said Congresswoman Beatty. \u201cThis commonsense bill advances that effort by expanding foreclosure mitigation counseling to borrowers who are 30 days or more delinquent on mortgage payments. As families across the country face an affordability crisis, we must give them more tools\u2014not less\u2014to weather the storm.\u201d\n\n\u201cLouisiana families deserve quality housing counseling, especially as we continue rebuilding from past disasters,\u201d said Congressman Cleo Fields. \u201cThis bill ensures that counselors meet consistent standards while protecting access to these critical services in underserved communities. I'm pleased this legislation provides funding through the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund to ensure delinquent borrowers can access foreclosure mitigation counseling. For families on the brink of losing their homes, cost should never be a barrier to getting help.\u201d\n\nThe Reforms to Housing Counseling & Financial Literacy Programs Act of 2025 amends Section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 to give HUD enhanced authority to review the performance of housing counseling agencies and individual counselors. Under the proposal:\n\nHUD would be empowered to conduct periodic on-site reviews and evaluate whether counseling agencies and counselors are meeting program requirements.\n\nIf a counselor\u2019s performance falls short, HUD could require additional education, establish a probationary period to demonstrate improvement, and mandate retesting when persistent deficiencies are found.\n\nCounselors who remain out of compliance after multiple opportunities to improve could face enhanced oversight or permanent loss of certification.\n\nBorrowers with certain federally insured or guaranteed mortgages who become delinquent would be provided an opportunity, through the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, to access HUD-approved counseling.\n\nIf adopted, the proposal would significantly strengthen HUD\u2019s capacity to identify underperforming programs early, direct resources where they are most needed, and improve outcomes in communities disproportionately harmed by predatory lending, high foreclosure rates, and limited access to trustworthy financial guidance.\n\nFull text of the bill can be accessed HERE.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://clyde.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3377", "Rep. Clyde Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge Winners", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Andrew S. Clyde", "C001116", "clyde.house.gov", "clyde", "https://clyde.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "GAINESVILLE, GA \u2014 Today, Congressman Andrew Clyde (GA-09) announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for Georgia\u2019s Ninth District.\n\nThis year\u2019s competition featured six talented student submissions from across the District, each creating original software applications that reflect creativity, problem-solving, and a commitment to innovation. After a competitive evaluation process, the following winners were selected:\n\nFirst Place: Krish Tripathy\u2019s \u201cPulmo Lens \u201d | Woodward Academy\n\nSecond Place: Michael Wang\u2019s \u201cTen8Link\u201d | North Gwinnett High School\n\nThird Place: Linh Do\u2019s \u201cAce AP STEM\u201d | Fulton Science Academy\n\n\u201cCongratulations to Krish on winning first place in this year\u2019s Congressional App Challenge! His innovative design provides an effective way for patients and health care professionals to improve detection of pneumonia, showcasing how coding can address real-world challenges,\u201d said Clyde. \u201cI\u2019d also like to congratulate Michael and Linh for their impressive skills and creativity, as well as to thank the team at Strategic Logix for serving as this year\u2019s judges for the Ninth District.\u201d\n\nFirst Place: Pulmo Lens by Krish Tripathy\n\nKrish Tripathy, a Sugar Hill resident and senior at Woodward Academy, was inspired to create Pulmo Lens when a family member was hospitalized for pneumonia after the infection had gone undetected. Pulmo Lens is a deep learning-based web application that helps health care professionals detect pneumonia from chest X-rays faster and more accurately. When a user uploads an image, the app processes it in seconds and displays both the original X-ray and a heatmap that highlights the areas most likely to contain pneumonia.\n\n\u201cPulmo Lens represents my vision of combining coding and compassion,\u201d said Tripathy. \u201cPulmo Lens strives to help doctors act sooner, save more lives, and make early detection easier and reliable for everyone.\u201d\n\nTripathy\u2019s app will be exhibited at the 2025 #HouseOfCode celebration in Washington, D.C., where students from across the country gather to share their work with Members of Congress, technology leaders, and industry professionals.\n\nSecond Place: Ten8Link by Michael Wang\n\nLinh Do, a Buford resident and junior at Fulton Science Academy, designed Ace AP STEM to help high school students taking AP STEM courses. The platform not only helps students solve individual problems, but it also strengthens their conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and long-term mastery of AP STEM subjects.\n\nBackground\n\nFirst launched in 2014, the Congressional App Challenge is the official computer science competition of the U.S. House of Representatives. The competition encourages students to create and submit their own app for the opportunity to receive national recognition.\n\nStudents may participate as individuals or in teams of up to four. Congressional App Challenge winners will have their app featured on a display in the U.S. Capitol and put on the U.S. House of Representatives\u2019 website. Additionally, winners will receive an invitation to the #HouseOfCode celebration on Capitol Hill.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401965", "Reps. David Scott and Emanuel Cleaver File Landmark Proposal to Expand African American Participation in Registered Apprenticeships", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", "davidscott", "https://davidscott.house.gov/news", "scraper", "Read Bill Text\n\nWASHINGTON D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13) and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), re-introduced the Jobs, On-the-Job \u2018Earn-While-You-Learn\u2019 Training, and Apprenticeships for Young African Americans Act, legislation designed to grow and expand minority participation in America\u2019s Registered Apprenticeship (RA) system. RAs are among the most effective tools for upward mobility, offering hands-on job training, industry-recognized credentials, and virtually zero student debt. Expanding their reach can significantly contribute to the economic stability of young Americans entering the workforce.\n\n\u201cRight now, in communities across America, far too many young African Americans face steep barriers to entering the workforce\u2014high unemployment rates, fewer paid training opportunities, and limited access to modern, in-demand skills,\u201d said Congressman David Scott. \u201cIn Georgia\u2019s thirteenth district, African Americans face an unemployment rate of almost 5%, a rate that is nearly double that of other workers. This gap isn\u2019t just a statistic; it represents lost wages, closed doors, and dreams deferred\u2014locking out opportunities and creating barriers that keep too many young people of color out of high-paying, high-demand careers. Employers are desperate for skilled workers. Young people are eager to work. Our bill meets that challenge by connecting the two with urgency and purpose. Investing in Georgia\u2019s youth with real tools to strengthen our workforce and secure a brighter economic future is a national imperative.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Trump administration\u2019s reckless economic policies are killing good-paying jobs and driving up the unemployment rate across the country\u2014and Black workers are bearing the brunt of the pain,\u201d said Congressman Cleaver. \u201cThis legislation will help bring relief by providing young African Americans nationwide with the opportunity to gain valuable skills in high-earning industries as they earn a paycheck, all while strengthening our pipeline of quality workers in critical industries. I\u2019m proud to introduce the Jobs, On-the-Job \u2018Earn While You Learn\u2019 Training, and Apprenticeships for Young African Americans Act with Congressman Scott as we seek to ensure every worker has a pathway to opportunity and the tools to succeed.\u201d\n\nHistorically, African American workers have experienced disproportionately high unemployment rates and unequal access to stable, well-paying jobs. National data shows that Black unemployment remains two to three times higher than unemployment among white Americans, even during periods of economic growth. During economic downturns, African American households are more likely to face higher rates of foreclosure, food insecurity, and loss of wages\u2014circumstances that often lead to a cycle of poverty for millions of Black families.\n\nTo curtail the barriers faced by young minority workers in employment and apprenticeships, our bill uses the existing RA system as a proven workforce development solution to lead young minority men and women into stable, long-term careers. Specifically, the Jobs, On-the-Job \u2018Earn While You Learn\u2019 Training, and Apprenticeships for Young African Americans Act of 2025:\n\nEstablishes a Diversity and Inclusion Administrator within the Office of Apprenticeship at the DOL\u2019s Employment and Training Administration responsible for promoting and assisting greater minority participation in the national apprenticeship system.\n\nSupports the Recruitment, Employment, and Retention of youth and other non-traditional apprenticeship populations in programs under the national apprenticeship system in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations.\n\nTargets High-Earnings Occupations in construction, welding, electrical engineering, plumbing, information technology, energy, green jobs, advanced manufacturing, health care, and cybersecurity.\n\nUpdates the Registered Apprenticeship Application requiring new sponsors to include a plan to boost minority participation in apprenticeships.\n\nEstablishes a Competitive Grant Program for eligible RAs to create, increase, and expand African American and minority participation in traditional and non-traditional apprenticeship industries.\n\nList of Endorsing Organizations: International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), International Brotherhood of Electrical Engineers (IBEW), Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council, Institute for Policy Studies' Black Worker Initiative (IPS-BWI), and 100 Black Men of Atlanta\n\nList of Original Cosponsors: David Scott (GA-13), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), Wesley Bell (MO-2), Joyce Beatty (OH-3), Sanford Bishop (GA-2), Andre Carson (IN-7), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Yvette Clarke (NY-9), Madeleine Dean (PA-4), Suzan DelBene (WA-1), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-3), Cleo Fields (LA-6), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Al Green (TX-9), Jahana Hayes (CT-5), Glenn Ivey (MD-4), Jonathan Jackson (IL-1), Hank Johnson (GA-4), Robin Kelly (IL-2), Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Gregory Meeks (NY-5), Kweisi Mfume (MD-7), Gwen Moore (WI-4), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Ilhan Omar (MN-5), Frank Pallone (NJ-6), Mark Pocan (WI-2), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5), Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Marylin Strickland (WA-10), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-2), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Frederica Wilson (FL-24)\n\nFull text of the bill can be accessed HERE.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=FA6D0107-A822-4B2D-85F6-9EE3CA5472C5", "McBath Announces Sixth District Winners of 2025 Congressional App Challenge", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Atlanta, GA \u2014 Today, Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06) announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for Georgia\u2019s Sixth Congressional District. The Congressional App Challenge invites middle and high school students to design and execute original apps, inspiring young students to explore an education and future career in STEM.\n\n\u201cEach year, I am impressed by the talent displayed by young people who are driven to use technology to solve pressing challenges right here in our community,\u201d McBath said. \u201cI commend this year\u2019s winners, and I encourage every student who participated in this year\u2019s competition to continue pursuing an education that will enable them to take their ideas to greater heights. Congratulations to these amazing app designers!\u201d\n\nWinning third place in the competition was an app called \u201cPRISM.\u201d This app was created by Mount Paran Christian School student Pria Johnson.\n\nWinning second place in the competition was an app called \u201cTimbre: Music Education through Science and Math.\u201d This app was created by The Westminster Schools student Celeste Roselli.\n\nWinning first place in the competition was an app called \u201cAffordable Smart Glasses for Blind and Visually Impaired People.\u201d This app was created by Atlanta International School student Utshaho Gupta. Utshaho\u2019s app will be eligible for display in the U.S. Capitol.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/12/12/2025/senators-collins-king-celebrate-passage-of-wreaths-across-america-day-resolution", "Senators Collins, King Celebrate Passage of Wreaths Across America Day Resolution", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Collins and Angus King designating Saturday, December 13, 2025, as \u201cWreaths Across America Day.\u201d The annual event honors our nation\u2019s fallen heroes with commemorative Maine-made balsam wreaths laid by millions of volunteers across the globe, including by a convoy that travels from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.\n\n\u201cThis annual tradition unites so many Americans to honor our heroes by laying wreaths at locations across the country,\u201d said Senators Collins and King. \u201cWe are proud to recognize this important day and the steadfast support of those who help honor the legacies of our servicemembers.\u201d\n\nWreaths Across America coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 4,200 locations across the United States and abroad. Each wreath is crafted in Maine.\n\nThe general public can register to participate in Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery at 12:00 p.m. on December 13th here.\n\nThe complete text of the resolution can be read here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-joins-call-for-correcting-exclusion-of-graduate-nursing-degrees-in-professional-degree-definition", "Senator Collins Joins Call for Correcting Exclusion of Graduate Nursing Degrees in \u201cProfessional Degree\u201d Definition", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins and bipartisan and bicameral group of more than 140 members of Congress sent a letter to Department of Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent, calling on the Department to correct the previous exclusion of post-baccalaureate nursing degrees from the regulatory definition of \u201cprofessional degree.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers\u2019 letter follows a recently proposed framework from the Education Department\u2019s Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee that omits post-baccalaureate nursing degrees from the regulatory definition of \u201cprofessional degree,\u201d meaning they would be classified as a \u201cgraduate degree.\u201d If this framework is adopted during the upcoming rulemaking, the proposed definition would not meet the need for post-baccalaureate nursing students, as student loans are currently capped for new borrowers at $20,500 annually and $100,000 in the aggregate for \u201cgraduate\u201d programs and $50,000 annually and $200,000 in the aggregate for \u201cprofessional\u201d programs.\n\n\u201cThe RISE Committee\u2019s proposed definition will make it more difficult for nurses to join the health care workforce because post-baccalaureate nursing degrees are excluded from the list of health care degrees in the definition of a \u2018professional degree,\u2019\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cThis list includes Pharmacy (PharmD), Dentistry (DDS or DMD), Medicine (MD), and Clinical Psychology (PsyD or PhD), but it omits post-baccalaureate nursing degrees such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and a PhD in nursing.\u201d\n\n\u201cHowever, the proposed definition describes a professional degree as a degree that \u2018signifies both completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor\u2019s degree.\u2019 The definition also states that a professional degree \u2018generally requires professional licensure to begin practice,\u2019\u201d they continued. \u201cPost-baccalaureate nursing degrees satisfy these criteria, as all registered nurses must pass the National Council Licensure Examination to enter the profession. Similarly, all Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) must have a graduate degree, such as an MSN or a DNP, and require national certification and state licensure to practice.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt a time when our nation is facing a health care shortage, especially in primary care, now is not the time to cut off the student pipeline to these programs. According to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), fifty-seven percent of Medicare beneficiaries received a primary care service from an NP or physician associate (PA), and sixty-six percent of rural Medicare patients received a primary care service from an NP or PA. Consequently, we believe that post-baccalaureate nursing degrees should be included in the department\u2019s definition of a \u2018professional degree,\u2019\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nThe complete text of the letter is available here.\n\nIn June, Senators Collins, Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan bill that would help strengthen the nursing workforce by reauthorizing critical programs that support nursing education, expand access to clinical training, and help schools prepare more students for careers in nursing.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-the-three-year-anniversary-of-the-respect-for-marriage-act-becoming-law", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on the Three-Year Anniversary of the Respect for Marriage Act Becoming Law", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins\u2019 remarks on the Senate floor prior to the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement prior to the three-year anniversary of the Respect for Marriage Act\u2014a bill she co-authored with Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)\u2014being signed into law, codifying same-sex and interracial marriage in federal law:\n\n\u201cThree years ago, the Respect for Marriage Act, which I proudly co-authored with Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, was signed into law. This historic, bipartisan legislation enshrined in federal law that same-sex and interracial marriages must be recognized, providing certainty for couples across the country that they will continue to enjoy the freedoms, rights, and responsibilities afforded to all other marriages, regardless of future court decisions.\n\n\u201cThe law also maintained\u2014and indeed strengthened\u2014important religious liberty and conscience protections. By pairing these protections with clear federal recognition of same-sex marriage, the Respect for Marriage Act struck a careful balance that reflects both equality under the law and respect for religious freedom.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-secures-over-300-million-in-outstanding-helene-payments-for-georgia-vows-to-continue-fighting-for-funding/", "Warnock Secures Over $300 Million in Outstanding Helene Payments for Georgia, Vows to Continue Fighting for Funding", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Funding comes after pressure from Senator Reverend Warnock and as Georgia localities were readying for lawsuits from contractors seeking payment for work done in the wake of Hurricane Helene\n\nIn September, Senator Warnock released a report finding the Trump Administration was shortchanging Georgians half a billion dollars in disaster relief aid\n\nFollowing the Senator\u2019s September report, the Senator found the number increased to $600 million\n\nFollowing this announcement, localities in Georgia are still waiting for nearly half of the outstanding payments the federal government said it would cover; Senator Warnock will continue fighting until the administration delivers Georgia the recovery funding they were promised\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cAfter months of putting pressure on this administration to deliver for Georgians, I am proud to have secured over $300 million in federal funding owed to Georgia\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) announced he secured $314 million in federal funding for outstanding payments owed to Georgia counties and entities in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The money was released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following months of pressure from Senator Warnock to get Georgia communities, particularly in rural parts of the state, the money they were promised for recovery efforts following Helene\u2019s destruction.\n\n\u201cAfter months of pressuring this administration to deliver for Georgians, I am proud to have secured over $300 million in federal funding owed to Georgia. Hurricanes and natural disasters are not political; they do not care if you voted red or blue, and Georgia counties and cities went right to work recovering from Helene\u2019s destruction with the understanding the federal government would fulfill its promises and pay their share,\u201d said Senator Warnock.\u201cIt should not have gotten to this point, and there is still more work to be done. I will continue fighting until Georgia\u2019s communities, particularly in rural Georgia, get every cent they are owed.\u201d\n\nThis month, Senator Warnock released a statement after new evidence emerged showing that the Trump Administration owed $600 million in Hurricane Helene recovery aid to Georgians. In September, the Senator released a report finding that nearly $500 million in promised federal funding for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts remained unpaid. The funding, part of a disaster recovery bill championed by Senator Warnock in 2024, is meant to reimburse local communities for funds spent on recovery. Despite bipartisan Congressional support for the immediate delivery of disaster recovery funds, the distribution of aid has been stifled by bureaucratic red tape and chaos in the Trump Administration.\n\nA list of Georgia counties and localities receiving federal funding can be found below (this is not a comprehensive list of entities receiving funding):", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-bishop-helps-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-lower-prescription-drug-costs-protect-healthcare-access", "CONGRESSMAN BISHOP HELPS INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS, PROTECT HEALTHCARE ACCESS", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", "bishop", "https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) called on the U.S. House of Representatives to take up the Pharmacists Fight Back Act to rein in the abusive practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), the middlemen of drug pricing. The bipartisan legislation is led by Congressman Jake Auchincloss (MA-04) and Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (TN-01).\n\nCongressman Bishop was joined by Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01) as well as Nikki Bryant, owner of Adams Family Pharmacy in Preston, Georgia, in speaking at a press conference in support of the legislation.\n\nThey were joined by over 50 independent pharmacists and pharmacy owners from across America, including Texas, California, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee, Ohio, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, New York, Michigan, Arkansas, and Virginia, all who have shared their stories about fighting to keep pharmacies from closing. On average, one independent pharmacy closes each day in the United States.\n\n\u201cThe largest PBMs today exercise significant power over what drugs are available, at what price, and what pharmacies that patients can use to access their prescribed medications \u2013 all with very little accountability or transparency,\u201d said Congressman Bishop during his remarks at the event.\n\nCongressman Bishop added, \u201cThe bipartisan Pharmacists Fight Back Bills that we have introduced will provide fair and predictable reimbursement for pharmacies and fight drug pricing manipulation by providing market-based index pricing. These bills will prevent the PBMs from steering patients towards PBM-owned pharmacies, allowing patients to use the pharmacists of their choice and expanding access to prescription drug care. With the high cost of prescription drugs, it is important that when we can get savings, these are shared with patients and providers, not just pocketed by the middlemen. These bills do that by reforming PBM rebate practices. Finally, these bills have teeth, and they include robust enforcement mechanisms to ensure that the PBMs comply.\u201d\n\nWATCH: Bishop Calls on Congress to Move Legislation to Help Lower Prescription Drug Costs\n\nWATCH: Nikki Bryant of Adams Family Pharmacy in Preston, GA, Tell Congress to take Action\n\nWATCH: The Full Press Conference Announcing the Pharmacists Fight Back Act\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401963", "Congressman David Scott Introduces Bill to Restore $30 Million in Local Tax Revenue to Clayton County and the Clayton County Public Schools", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", "davidscott", "https://davidscott.house.gov/news", "scraper", "Read Bill Text\n\nWASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Congressman David Scott (GA-13), introduced the Airport Revenue Clarity Act, a bill that will return $30 million in tax revenue to Clayton County and the Clayton County Public Schools (CCPS). The measure addresses rules created by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that prevents the county from collecting revenue from local general sales taxes on aviation fuel.\n\n\u201cClayton County and its schools lose more than $30 million every single year because of this unfair sales tax loophole,\u201d said Congressman David Scott. \u201cThese are funds that need to be supporting our students, strengthening our classrooms, and ensuring our teachers have the money they need to help our students succeed. Our students deserve the full benefit of the tax revenue generated in their own community. I am working with both Democrats and Republicans to pass this legislation.\u201d\n\n\"Our community has watched as revenue generated at the world\u2019s busiest airport left our county while our schools and services stretched to do more with less,\u201d said Clayton County Commissioner Tash\u00e9 Allen. \u201cRegaining the right to collect and invest those tax dollars where they belong isn\u2019t just a policy fix, it affirms that Clayton County matters and ensures that revenue generated here is reinvested in our schools, infrastructure, and public services.\"\n\nIn 2014, the FAA created regulations restricting the use of revenues for local and state general sales tax on aviation fuel\u2014requiring funds to be used only for capital or operating costs of local airports. Clayton County had levied general sales taxes long before the 2014 FAA rule. However, since the regulations\u2019 implementation, the county has lost over $30 million in tax revenue annually, half of which is dedicated to Clayton County Public School (CCPS)\u2014even as the county does not directly sponsor nor provide oversight of Hartsfield-Jackson. These restrictions have diverted significant funds away from the community, money that Clayton County voters approved, and local leaders allocated to improve public schools, transportation infrastructure, and other local essential services.\n\nThe Airport Revenue Clarity Act would:\n\nExempt Clayton County, CCPS, and the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport from federal restrictions on the use of revenue collected through local sales taxes on aviation fuel.\n\nEliminate outdated federal requirements that force grant applicants to submit duplicative written assurances regarding how revenue is used in order to qualify for airport development projects.\n\nFull text of the bill can be accessed HERE.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/nomination-of-judge-andrew-benson-to-serve-as-us-attorney-for-the-district-of-maine-advances-out-of-committee", "Nomination of Judge Andrew Benson to Serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine Advances Out of Committee", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced the nomination of Andrew Benson, an experienced Maine District Court Judge and former homicide prosecutor, to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine by a bipartisan vote of 19 to 3. His nomination now moves to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body.\n\n\u201cI am pleased that the Judiciary Committee has advanced the nomination of Judge Andrew Benson, who has devoted more than three decades to public service in Maine. His many years of experience as a senior homicide prosecutor and his long tenure on the Maine District Court give me great confidence that he will serve our state well as U.S. Attorney,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cAt a time when Maine is confronting serious challenges, including illegal Chinese marijuana grow houses and increasing drug trafficking from out-of-state gang members, it is especially important that we promptly fill this seat with a highly qualified nominee who is prepared to address these threats.\u201d\n\nA native of Bethel and current resident of Unity, Judge Andrew Benson served as a Judge on the Maine District Court from 2014-2025. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Benson was a senior homicide prosecutor for the Office of the Maine Attorney General from 1999-2014. On October 22, 2025, Judge Benson was appointed to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine, pending confirmation of his nomination by the Senate. Judge Benson received his bachelor\u2019s degree from the University of Maine and his J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law.\n\nAs the senior Republican member of Maine\u2019s congressional delegation, Senator Collins is advising the Trump Administration as it evaluates candidates for federal positions in the state. As part of that process, Senator Collins established a Federal Appointments Advisory Committee comprised of community leaders and experienced attorneys from across the state. Judge Benson was one of the applicants the Committee assessed for Senate-confirmed vacancies in Maine.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-votes-on-alternatives-to-address-expiration-of-aca-enhanced-premium-tax-credits", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on Votes on Alternatives to Address Expiration of ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement after voting to proceed to consideration of both the Democratic- and Republican-sponsored health care proposals:\n\n\u201cFor months, I have said I support extending the enhanced premium tax credits. Families in Maine and across the country are struggling with the high cost of health insurance, and I want to prevent an unaffordable spike in health insurance premiums for many Americans who rely on these COVID-era subsidies.\n\n\u201cI voted to proceed to both bills, but neither is the perfect solution to this problem. Therefore, I filed amendments to both bills with changes that would protect the vulnerable Americans who are receiving these enhanced premium tax credits, protect the taxpayer, and reform this system to protect against fraud.\n\n\u201cThese taxpayer-funded credits must be reformed to ensure they are going to the low- and middle-income families and individuals who need them. It is not fair for the average taxpayer to subsidize the insurance premiums of individuals who are making hundreds of thousands of dollars. The pre-COVID law did not have this flaw. I filed an amendment to protect low- and middle- income families with a phaseout at $100,000 for single enrollees and $200,000 for couples and families.\n\n\u201cIn addition to voting for a clean extension of these enhanced premium tax credits, I also voted for the alternative health care proposal filed by Chairmans Crapo and Cassidy. While their bill is not the solution to the problem at hand, it contains many important provisions that ought to be considered in a longer-term reform.\n\n\u201cMy votes today reflect my understanding that two things can be true at once: the Affordable Care Act has proven itself to be unaffordable; it is a broken system that must be fixed\u2014and it cannot be fixed overnight. The families that rely on it now, however, cannot be left facing huge premium increases with inadequate assistance.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-baldwin-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-support-organic-farmers-and-producers", "Senators Collins, Baldwin Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Organic Farmers and Producers", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation to give organic producers tools to increase capacity, modernize their operations, and expand their businesses to meet growing demand. The bipartisan Domestic Organic Investment Act would make a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program permanent that helps solve supply chain gaps for the organic market by providing grants to farmers and businesses. While certified organic sales have grown to over $71.4 billion in 2024, domestic organic acreage has not kept pace with demand for organic products. U.S. Representatives Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03) and Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cMaine\u2019s organic agriculture industry continues to grow at a rapid pace with the support of federal investments and strong market demand. However, many organic producers still face challenges in expanding their operations and accessing new markets,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation would make permanent the USDA\u2019s Organic Market Development Grant program and help organic food producers in Maine and across the country modernize their operations, expand their capacity, and better compete in today\u2019s global marketplace.\u201d\n\n\u201cWisconsin is America\u2019s Dairyland, and to keep that legacy, we need to support our farmers and make sure they can meet the demands of families. With the demand for organic foods continuing to skyrocket, we need to make sure that any farmer who wants to grow their business, has the tools and resources to do it,\u201d said Senator Baldwin. \u201cI\u2019m working with Democrats and Republicans so more organic farmers can expand their operations, support good paying jobs, and continue to be the beating heart of our rural communities.\u201d\n\nThe Domestic Organic Investment Act would codify the USDA\u2019s Organic Market Development Grant program administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service. The development program will:\n\nincrease the capacity of the domestic organic product supply chain for producers, handlers, suppliers, and processors of certified organic products;\n\nmodernize manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems;\n\nimprove the capacity of eligible entities to comply with applicable regulatory requirements or quality standards required to access markets;\n\nexpand capacity for processing, aggregation, and distribution of certified organic products to create more and better markets for producers of certified organic products; facilitate market development for domestically produced certified organic products;\n\nconduct feasibility studies and market viability assessments to inform organic transition strategies and opportunities;\n\naddress barriers to entry to organic product certification for historically underserved entities; and\n\nsupport market and promotional activities that help build commercial markets for certified organic products in the United States.\n\nThe Domestic Organic Investment Act is endorsed by Organic Valley, the Organic Trade Association, and the International Fresh Produce Association.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply grateful to the sponsoring lawmakers for introducing this important and timely DOIA legislation,\u201d said Matthew Dillon, Co-CEO of Organic Trade Association. \u201cThese infrastructure investments will remove long-standing barriers to give organic producers and manufacturers the capacity and resources they need to meet the rapidly growing consumer demand for the benefits of organic.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe U.S. organic marketplace is poised for significant growth, but right-sized processing and distribution capacity remains a notable challenge. Over the past year, we\u2019ve seen disruptions in our co-manufacturing network and the loss of fluid dairy processing, underscoring the need for strategic investments. This infrastructure bill is a step toward leveraging more processing capacity, ensuring more organic food reach American families, and delivering greater opportunities for U.S. farmers. The leadership provided by Senators Tammy Baldwin and Susan Collins as well as Representative Derrick Van Orden and Andrea Salinas are greatly appreciated \u2013 it is encouraging to see both bipartisan and bicameral support for organic agriculture in America,\u201d said Shawna Nelson, Organic Valley, CEO.\n\n\u201cAmong our membership, IFPA has numerous organic fruit and vegetable producers across the nation and the bipartisan legislation brought by Reps. Salinas and Van Orden provides exactly the kind of strategic investment the fresh produce industry needs to strengthen our supply chain. The Domestic Organic Investment Act invests in modern infrastructure, reduces long-standing supply chain bottlenecks, and most importantly, ensures that U.S. producers can meet rising consumer demand while keeping more economic opportunity in our rural communities. We\u2019re proud to champion legislation that supports growers, expands markets, and builds a stronger, more resilient organic supply chain for the future. We are grateful to Senator Baldwin and Collins for their commitment to advancing this bill,\u201d said Cathy Burns, International Fresh Produce Association, CEO.\n\nThe complete text of the bill is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-warnock-to-senate-gop-after-health-care-vote-who-are-you-working-for/", "VIDEO: Warnock to Senate GOP After Health Care Vote, \u201cWho Are You Working For?\u201d", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senator Reverend Warnock condemned the Senate GOP for killing legislation to keep health care premiums from doubling for 22 million Americans\n\nWATCH: Senator Warnock minutes after GOP kills bipartisan legislation to keep health care premiums from doubling\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cFirst, you kick 15 million Americans off of their health care in order to give billionaires a tax cut. And then, after doing that, you double the premiums on some 22 million additional Americans. For some people, you triple the premiums, quadruple the premiums. Who are you working for?\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) spoke out after GOP Senators killed the 13th attempt to block premiums from doubling for 22 million Americans. These premium spikes are set to go into effect January 1st, 2026 after Senate Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law, which provided generous tax cuts to billionaires.\n\n\u201cAfter today\u2019s vote, I really only have one question: who do the Washington Republicans work for? Who are they working for?\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201c First, you kick 15 million Americans off of their health care in order to give billionaires a tax cut. And then, after doing that, you double the premiums on some 22 million additional Americans. For some people, you triple the premiums, quadruple the premiums. Who are you working for? These are people who are disproportionately in red districts.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd we have tried time and time again\u2026 to get the Republicans to make a different choice. And here we are today. 15 million Americans have lost their health care. 22 million Americans, on average, will see their premiums double\u2026,\u201d continued Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201c And so here we are. Republicans have demonstrated who they are working for. Certainly they\u2019re not working for you\u2026 We know that the status quo certainly has its problems. There\u2019s nobody who\u2019s saying health care in America is terrific, but Republicans today have taken a system that\u2019s already struggling and broken it down even more and the consequences for ordinary people, many of them in their own red districts, will be that they will have to delay response to their health care. They will have to find a way to pay higher premiums, and for many people, they will literally pay with their lives.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-and-marshall-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-strengthen-workforce-pipeline/", "Warnock and Marshall Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Workforce Pipeline", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The Pathways to Prosperity Act would allow more technical college students to \u201cearn while they learn,\u201d incentivizing business and technical colleges to partner to create high-wage career pathways, align job training curriculum, and scale apprenticeship programs for students\n\nThe Senator\u2019s efforts will ensure new good-paying Georgia jobs go to hard-working Georgians\n\nICYMI from the AJC: Warnock renews push for enhanced job training with bipartisan bill\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cThis legislation will allow workers to have access to jobs with better pay, help our community and technical colleges stay on the cutting edge of what industry needs through strengthened partnerships, and aid businesses in finding workers to fill open roles. That\u2019s a win-win-win\u201d\n\nWashington \u2013 Last week, U.S. Senators Reverand Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Roger Marshall (R-KA) introduced the bipartisan Pathways to Prosperity Act. The bill focuses on strengthening the nation\u2019s workforce development pipeline by bridging the gap between community and technical colleges and local industry via career training and apprenticeship programs that allow students to \u201cearn while they learn.\u201d This legislation ensures a strong pathway from vocational degree to a good-paying job. It also codifies the successful Strengthening Community Colleges Grant Program, a critical initiative that provides competitive grants for community and technical colleges to partner with employers and align training programs with local industry needs.\n\n\u201cEach year, employers come to the Peach State excited to hire Georgia workers into good-paying jobs, but are having a hard time finding workers with the education they need. That\u2019s why we must continue to invest in educating the next generation of skilled Georgia workers so they\u2019re ready to take those good paying jobs,\u201d said Senator Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m proud to reintroduce the bipartisan Pathways to Prosperity Act alongside Senator Marshall. By allowing Georgians to earn while they learn, we are strengthening the pipeline from the classroom to the workforce and making higher education more attainable for Georgians. This legislation will allow workers to have access to jobs with better pay, help our community and technical colleges stay on the cutting edge of what industry needs through strengthened partnerships, and aid businesses in finding workers to fill open roles. That\u2019s a win-win-win.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe skills learned at our community and technical colleges are critical for America\u2019s workforce. These students power our local industries, bolster our local communities, and keep our economy moving,\u201d said Senator Marshall. \u201cWith this legislation, we\u2019re ensuring students are career-ready, competitive, and equipped with the real-world training employers are looking for. This is a smart investment in our future.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the bill will support local workforce needs by providing one-time funding to:\n\n1. Enhance the quality of educational and career-training initiatives at community colleges.\n\n2. Expand opportunities for individuals to attain nationally or regionally recognized postsecondary credentials in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations;\n\n3. Develop or scale up career training, career pathways, or work-based learning options like apprenticeships;\n\n4. Assist individuals with barriers to employment in accessing programs; and\n\n5. Provide support services to help participants complete education and training.\n\nSenator Warnock has championed workforce development since coming to the Senate. He successfully bolstered the workforce development pipeline for aviation workers in previous Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization legislation. Additionally, the Senator has introduced legislation to address shortages in education professionals to staff Head Start classrooms. Lastly, Senator Warnock secured funding for regional tech hubs in the CHIPS and Science Act after bringing Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to a pilot region tech hub at Georgia Tech.\n\nThe Pathways to Prosperity Act has earned strong backing from a diverse coalition of national and regional organizations committed to strengthening America\u2019s workforce. Supporters include Jobs for the Future, the National Skills Coalition, the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Council for Professional Recognition, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber.\n\nRead the full bill text HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-calls-affordability-crisis-a-spiritual-crisis-in-landmark-speech/", "Warnock Calls Affordability Crisis a \u201cSpiritual Crisis\u201d in Landmark Speech", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "In a speech at the Center for American Progress, Senator Reverend Warnock offered a unique spiritual perspective on the affordability crisis\n\nThe Senator argued that cost-of-living increases over the past few decades have led to a deeper spiritual crisis in our country\n\nWarnock urged stronger executive action to address affordability and pushed his own party to propose more creative and aggressive policy solutions\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cDecades of this low-grade fever left untreated has brought us to where we are today, a nation in crisis, a nation that has become disconnected from the values that make us who we are, a nation where we no longer see our neighbors as crucial to our own success, but as competitors in a competition for scarce resources. These deficits in a wealthy nation and on a plentiful planet speak to a spiritual deficit that at its core is a lapse in the covenant that we have with one another\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) offered a unique perspective on the twin spiritual and affordability crises plaguing the United States. The Senator spoke at the Center for American Progress as part of the Path Forward Speaker Series. In his speech, Senator Warnock argued that the ongoing affordability crisis has created a spiritual crisis in America, saying that decades of politicians failing to center the people they serve has undermined the American dream, created a cycle of division and despair, and ultimately led to the deep divisions and economic disparity we see today.\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cPeople are working harder and harder but are seeing less and less from the work they\u2019re putting in. Young people are wondering if they\u2019ll ever be able to afford a home. Older people are wondering if they will be able to retire with dignity. Those of us who live in the middle are trying to take care of our children, take care of our parents who are dealing with the blessings and burdens of aging. Workers are seeing that they\u2019re creating wealth for others, yet they are barely able to get by. When you have that kind of increasing disconnect between the American promise and the lived reality of everyday people, not only is it a problem for your material wellbeing, I submit that it is a drag on the spirit, a gnawing feeling that things are amiss.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock criticized his own party for being too influenced by corporate interests: \u201cHowever, we cannot be successful unless we reckon with the deeply uncomfortable truth that corporate interests have too much influence over both parties\u2026 When I first got to the Senate, one of my biggest accomplishments was allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time\u2026 I\u2019m glad we did it. But even as we did that, and I\u2019m proud of that work, the truth is we allow too many concessions to Big Pharma. We started with only 10 negotiated drugs in 2022 and those savings do not go into effect until 2026, four long years just to get us started. It was a lesson for me as a new senator about the ways in which corporate lobbyists have far too much influence in our politics. Too often we have the best politicians that money can buy, and this has consequences for ordinary people.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock pushed the President to use executive authority to raise wages saying, \u201cWhat if, instead of bullying powerful corporations to build himself a ballroom, the President could push companies to pay their workers a living wage? For example, the President could ask corporations to share their record profits with their employees, before they reward their shareholders, in the form of a bonus or a raise.\u201d\n\nHe also called for called for urgent action to tackle housing costs: \u201cIf local governments want federal money to build roads, those roads had better lead to homes. And if they won\u2019t build, the federal government has built homes before. It could put shovels in the ground again today, building and selling homes directly to Americans at a lower cost.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock pushed both parties to champion more creative and aggressive policy solutions to the affordability crisis adding that, \u201cFor too long, politicians in both parties have failed to center the people and the cycle of despair has led us further and further into the spiritual abyss. Part of the reason, if we are honest, we got here is that our politics has only operated in the narrowest realm of the possible.\u201d\n\nA transcript of Senator Warnock\u2019s speech can be found below:\n\nIt\u2019s great to be here at the Center for American Progress.\n\nIndeed I stand here as an example and an embodiment of that very idea of the promise of American progress, the belief that we can build a future where each does a little bit better than their parents. I stand here knowing that I have lived that dream.\n\nI love America because we always have a path to make this country better, yet I and all of us are living through a time when we honestly feel that dream slipping away. And we all feel it, regardless of our politics, people on the left and the right, Democrats, Republicans, Independents. Here\u2019s what we have in common: we all feel it. We may not agree on how to fix it, but we know it\u2019s real, and the stakes could not be higher, because the question is whether we can build together a future worthy of our children.\n\nIn my work, I always try to center our children in these conversations, because regardless of whatever fancy titles I may have, my most important job is father of two precious children. They are my North Star. And long before the people of Georgia sent me to be a voice for them in the United States Senate, long before I was called to serve as senior pastor and preacher at Ebenezer Baptist, where Dr. King served, I was just a kid growing up in the housing projects of Savannah, Georgia, number 11 out of 12 children. Clearly my folks, who were Pentecostal preachers, read the Scripture: be fruitful and multiply.\n\nThere was not a lot of money in our house, but I feel like I hit the jackpot. There was a lot of love in my house, a lot of laughter and deep faith. I learned lessons like the importance of hard work from my father and my mother. And my family and my community convinced that kid growing up in the housing projects on Cape Street that I could fly. That\u2019s why I decided I was going to Morehouse College. I often say that I went to college on a full faith scholarship. That\u2019s when you don\u2019t have enough money for the first semester. But at 17 years old, I was so captivated by the faith and the spirit of Dr. King, who died a year before my birth, that I was going to Dr. King\u2019s alma mater no matter what.\n\nGod always has a dream bigger than the dream we\u2019ve been dreaming for ourselves. I just wanted to go to Dr. King\u2019s college. I didn\u2019t know that one day I\u2019d lead the church. But with hard work, discipline, and determination, I graduated four years later. I got it done.\n\nBut the truth is that for all my hard work and discipline, I did not accomplish it alone. I was able to earn that degree and three others after it because of Pell Grants, low interest student loans, and working a job on the side. It wasn\u2019t easy, but I had a path to progress. Also, you\u2019re looking at a Head Start baby. I know what that program does. I know what good federal public policy looks like. And then Upward Bound, another federal program part of TRIO, put a kid from the projects on a college campus during the summer and on Saturdays for academic enrichment. And so I did not have to wonder if I belonged in college. I was already on the campus. All good federal policy that provided for me a path to progress. But what keeps me up at night these days is the recognition that coming from where I\u2019m from, it would be much harder for me to achieve that now than it was back then.\n\nI submit that all of these federal policies, which allowed a kid from public housing to go on to get four degrees, to build a life, and to make a living, to make a contribution, were not simply government programs in the pejorative sense in which that word is flown around these days, but rather a manifestation of the covenant we share with one another as an American people. That is my children cannot truly succeed unless my neighbor\u2019s children succeed. My children are not saved unless my neighbor\u2019s children are saved.\n\nIt\u2019s the idea that, in the words of Dr. King, we are tied together in a single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.\n\nSo I stand this morning worried about that kid, that kid today who lives on Cape Street and all the Cape Streets across our country where everyday superheroes live, hidden in plain sight. From Atlanta to Appalachia, the big cities and rural towns, the promise of American progress is slipping away, and understandably, it leads to a deep frustration and anger that bubbles up in our politics, our public life, and also in the everyday interactions between citizens. Have you flown on a plane lately? Been stuck in traffic? There is this anger that\u2019s beneath the surface. There is a sense that something is wrong, something is broken and in need of repair. Over the last 50 years, real wages for working families have been stagnant. Today, the price of everything from health care to housing to energy bills to child care is becoming more expensive.\n\nPeople are working harder and harder but are seeing less and less from the work they\u2019re putting in. Young people are wondering if they\u2019ll ever be able to afford a home. Older people are wondering if they will be able to retire with dignity. Those of us who live in the middle are trying to take care of our children, take care of our parents who are dealing with the blessings and burdens of aging. Workers are seeing that they\u2019re creating wealth for others, yet they are barely able to get by.\n\nWhen you have that kind of increasing disconnect between the American promise and the lived reality of everyday people, not only is it a problem for your material wellbeing, I submit that it is a drag on the spirit, a gnawing feeling that things are amiss.\n\nA whole country has what I call a low-grade fever. You know when you wake up and something doesn\u2019t feel right? You can\u2019t quite put your finger on it, but you know you don\u2019t feel too good. The ache, the fogginess, and the fatigue that does not allow you to show up in your full strength, to be your best self. We\u2019ve all been there, but if you wake up like that every day, it takes its toll. It suggests that something deeper is wrong.\n\nAnd so decades of this low-grade fever left untreated has brought us to where we are today, a nation in crisis, a nation that has become disconnected from the values that make us who we are, a nation where we no longer see our neighbors as crucial to our own success, but as competitors in a competition for scarce resources. These deficits in a wealthy nation and on a plentiful planet speak to a spiritual deficit that at its core is a lapse in the covenant that we have with one another.\n\nHope is the infrastructure, it is the vaccine that protects our humanity. And when you lose hope, you get sick, [inaudible]. Your vision is unclear.\n\nSuddenly, using your tax dollars towards some program to help some kid you\u2019ll never meet doesn\u2019t feel like a priority when you\u2019re struggling to set your own children up for success.\n\nIf people can\u2019t believe in the promise of opportunity, they may choose to put their faith in \u201cstrong men\u201d who make false promises and provide targets for our anger. People who have no vision traffic in division. They do not know how to lead us, so they are trying to divide us.\n\nThis is how President Trump is able to take health care away from 15 million Americans and double the health care premiums of some 22 million Americans, while calling it waste, fraud, and abuse. The question we ought to ask ourselves is, what is he saying about those Americans? Are our neighbors waste? Meanwhile, we are witnessing the largest transfer of wealth from the bottom to the top. We saw it in one fell swoop.\n\nImmigration raids near schools and churches. We see armed and masked federal agents and members of the military patrolling the streets of American cities. Propelling down apartment buildings of American cities, zip tying children. Mean spirited operations where it seems that cruelty is the point. And it\u2019s all being carried out in our name, and often in the name of religion. While some religious leaders aid and abet that claim or cosign it by their conspicuous silence, I remind them that King is right. There comes a time when silence is betrayal. My faith is not a weapon. My faith is a bridge, and I refuse to give in to those who are trying to convince us that we are at war with one another. Trumpism is a plague on the American conscience. And his ascendance to power is symptomatic of a nation that is soul weary and in the throes of a deep spiritual crisis.\n\nI did not come to this conclusion lightly. It is a conclusion I come to as a pastor who has spent decades with people in the dim places, dark places where they can barely see light, counseling people drowning in deep cynicism and loneliness in a hyperconnected society. Despair.\n\nI prayed with families in hospital waiting rooms as they make critical decisions around the care of their loved one, while also worrying how they are going to pay the bill. As a pastor and as a senator, I\u2019ve delivered aid to people who work every day but still can\u2019t pay the rent because the housing is unaffordable.\n\nThis low-grade fever didn\u2019t just appear; it has been festering for decades as the American Dream has felt further and further out of grasp. For too long, politicians in both parties have failed to center the people and the cycle of despair has led us further and further into the spiritual abyss.\n\nPart of the reason, if we are honest, we got here is that our politics has only operated in the narrowest realm of the possible. Strange thing, perhaps for someone in elected office to say, but I think that the vocabulary of our politics is too puny a language for the crisis that confronts us.\n\nWhat can get 60 votes? What can get past corporate special interests and lobbyists? What won\u2019t hurt us in the very next election? So focused on the next election that we cannot think about the next generation. In that sense, we suffer not from a poverty of resources, but a poverty of moral imagination and moral courage.\n\nAnd Americans are smart, they can sniff it out. They know it when politicians are obsessed with self-preservation. They know when folks in power are more focused on themselves than the people who sent them to Washington. That is why neither party enjoys high levels of favorability with the public.\n\nBut if we center the people, our policies will finally start to address the stress that working families are feeling under the weight of structural inequities. There\u2019s a growing chasm between how hard folks are working and the lives they\u2019re able to provide for themselves and their families. It\u2019s led to people feeling alienated from work and, in a real sense, from their purpose.\n\nI believe in work. I had a hardworking dad, hardworking mom. Jobs give people a sense of dignity and a sense of pride. People don\u2019t mind working, despite the rhetoric we hear today, particularly as it is aimed towards the working poor. People don\u2019t mind working if they can get to share in some of the prosperity that they are creating for others, because sharing in that prosperity gives their work meaning. We must find a way to awaken that sense of purpose in people by centering the dignity of work. We\u2019re facing real obstacles in that goal, largely because many corporations are raking in record profits year after year, but many workers haven\u2019t seen real wage growth in decades. Folks in Washington seem to just fight for the wealthy and well-connected as working people get dealt a bad hand time and time again.\n\nIn this very moment, the President is using all the levers of government to benefit powerful corporations and his well-connected friends. If a corporation wants a tariff exemption, patent, approval on a merger, or a federal contract, they need only to bow to the President, kiss the ring, and bend to his self-serving policies. Right now we have naked, unadulterated, unabashed corruption. They\u2019re saying the quiet part out loud, no shame at all.\n\nBut what if those levers of government\u2014those immense powers\u2014were leveraged for working families instead?\n\nWhat if, instead of bullying powerful corporations to build himself a ballroom, the President could push companies to pay their workers a living wage? For example, the President could ask corporations to share their record profits with their employees, before they reward their shareholders, in the form of a bonus or a raise.\n\nThe cashiers, the line cooks, the accountants, the machinists: Every worker adds value, and their pay should reflect that. That\u2019s not just about raising the minimum wage, which we absolutely must do. It\u2019s about respecting the dignity of work.\n\nPeople should feel pride in what they do. They should share in the success of what they create. And they should be able to afford their families\u2019 basic needs with what they get paid for their work.\n\nHowever, we cannot be successful unless we reckon with the deeply uncomfortable truth that corporate interests have too much influence over both parties. The voices of ordinary people are being squeezed out of the house of their own democracy.\n\nI knew this as an activist pastor, now as a member of the Senate, I know it more than ever. I\u2019ve seen it up close. When I first got to the Senate, one of my biggest accomplishments was allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time.\n\nI want you to think about that, the fact that we had to fight, we had to pass a law in a capitalist society to get the power to negotiate with the seller, something they\u2019re trying to sell us tells you everything you need to know about the outsized impact of corporate interest in our politics.\n\nI\u2019m glad we did it. But even as we did that, and I\u2019m proud of that work, the truth is we allow too many concessions to Big Pharma. We started with only 10 negotiated drugs in 2022 and those savings do not go into effect until 2026, four long years just to get us started. It was a lesson for me as a new senator about the ways in which corporate lobbyists have far too much influence in our politics. Too often we have the best politicians that money can buy, and this has consequences for ordinary people.\n\nI met a woman a few years ago, I think of her often. Her name is Lacy McGee. She was putting herself through grad school to become a physical therapist, and she couldn\u2019t afford her school\u2019s health insurance. Because she had no other option, she resorted to buying insulin off Facebook Marketplace and meeting strangers in dimly lit parking lots to buy the medicine she needed to live. Georgians have told me about how they\u2019ve had to get insulin from friends who had some leftover from their deceased relatives. Insulin is a 100 year old drug, the patent sold for $1. It shouldn\u2019t be expensive in the first place. It\u2019s unacceptable; it\u2019s immoral.\n\nI\u2019m proud of my work capping the cost at $35, but that struggle reveals Big Pharma, rich insurance companies have had a veto over health care policy in this country, which has resulted in a broken health care system that\u2019s dangerously unaffordable and leaves too many families deep in medical debt.\n\nWhat if instead of letting rich insurance companies kill lifesaving health care ideas like a public health insurance option, we told them to lower their prices for families or face new competition from an affordable public health care plan?\n\nAnd what if we also told Big Pharma that their days of bankrupting Americans with drugs developed with federal dollars are over?\n\nSome states are already finding ways to make lifesaving drugs affordable. Why can\u2019t the federal government do the same? People desperately need inhalers, generics for EpiPens, and cholesterol drugs, but find them too expensive to afford.\n\nImagine if we could create good-paying jobs manufacturing life-saving drugs. And that\u2019s not the only way we could put folks back to work making and building things. What if we put the awesome powers of the government towards a massive home improvement project?\n\nYou know, when families come to me as a pastor, and they\u2019ve been having a difficult time, having an argument, everybody\u2019s at each other\u2019s throats, they don\u2019t remember what the arguments are about. Believe it or not, here\u2019s my advice. I listen, and then I tell them to go to the local hardware store. Find something that needs upgrading in their home, work on the space you share together. Sometimes the cure to a good argument is some paint, plywood, and some tools where you get started on building and improving the common space that you share. While you\u2019re focused on building something, working on something rather than working on each other, maybe you can build back some trust. While you\u2019re fixing something, maybe you can fix some of the long term issues, or at least find the grace to work on them together. America needs a home improvement project.\n\nWhat if we used the power of the federal government towards building five million new homes for homeownership, which will finally make the dream of building generational wealth real for millions of Americans?\n\nIf local governments want federal money to build roads, those roads had better lead to homes. And if they won\u2019t build, the federal government has built homes before. It could put shovels in the ground again today, building and selling homes directly to Americans at a lower cost.\n\nIncreasing the housing supply does more than make monthly mortgage payments more affordable; more supply means lower rent for renters too. And it\u2019s a way for young adults to create wealth and pave a path for a prosperous life for them and their families.\n\nWe can ensure everyone feels a sense of ownership in this great American improvement project by investing in technical apprenticeships for our children, for our young people. This would do more than just solve our catastrophic housing shortage; it would make thousands of young people a part of this great American project all while building a workforce that won\u2019t soon be replaced by AI.\n\nWe can also apply the same logic to childcare, to eldercare, the things that machines can\u2019t do. I believe that public policy is a letter we write to our children about the kind of nation we want to be. And the path out of our spiritual crisis begins with renewing the covenant we have for one another, of celebrating the variegated beauty of our diverse humanity, of giving every child a chance, of fulfilling the promise that if you work hard, you fulfill the good life for yourself and your children, that a child\u2019s outcome is not based on their parents income.\n\nNone of this will be easy. Times are tough. Those who traffic in bigotry and xenophobia and division are trying to flood the zone. They\u2019re trying to weaponize despair; they are trying to wear us down. They want us to give up. We must never give up. We must never give in. Here\u2019s the thing that I know about evil. And I say this not demonizing anybody, even my political opponents, but I\u2019m talking about the moment that we are in. Evil always goes too far, therefore it contains within itself the seed of its own destruction.\n\nUltimately, truth will triumph. Love and justice will win if we faint not. Besides, who are we to give up. Every now and then when I feel like giving up, I think about my parishioner, John Lewis. When we think about the Civil Rights Movement, those victories feel inevitable when in fact they were quite improbable.\n\nJohn Lewis had no reason to think that he could win crossing that Edmund Pettus Bridge with brute force under the color of law on the other side of that bridge, but he kept on marching. By some stroke of grace mingled with human resilience and determination, he not only crossed the bridge, but built a bridge, and a kid growing up in public housing crossed that bridge into the United States Senate.\n\nI keep thinking about that kid and his kids, because the thing even mortal enemies have in common is we all want the best for our children. And the spiritual work we must do in this moment is to remind ourselves, not only in our public rhetoric, but through our public policy, that my children\u2019s success is tied to my neighbor\u2019s success.\n\nAs I close, and nobody believes a Baptist preacher when he says as I close. I\u2019m inspired by the memory of my late father. He was a preacher and a junk man. Monday through Friday, he picked up old cars and lifted them onto the back of a rig mechanism of which he built himself. I don\u2019t know how he did it without an engineering degree or degree in physics, and that\u2019s how he took care of his family. But on Sunday morning, the junk man became the preacher man, and the man who lifted broken cars during the week, lifted broken people and told him that they were somebody. My dad discovered strength in the broken places of power made perfect in weakness.\n\nI\u2019m convinced that we can lift the broken even as we climb. We can heal sick bodies. We can heal the wounds that divide us. We can heal the land. We the people can do it, but we must do it together, so don\u2019t let them wear you down. Keep the faith and keep looking up.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-finds-fema-withholding-600-million-in-disaster-relief-from-georgians/", "Warnock Finds FEMA Withholding $600 Million in Disaster Relief from Georgians", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Following the Senator\u2019s September report finding the Trump Administration was shortchanging Georgians half a billion dollars in disaster relief aid, the Senator has now found the number INCREASED to $600 million\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cAfter over a year of delays, the Trump admin has STILL not released $600 million+ in disaster funds to Georgia counties rebuilding from Hurricane Helene. There is NO excuse for this. I\u2019m calling on the admin to release these funds immediately.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after new evidence emerged showing that the Trump Administration owes $600 million in Hurricane Helene recovery aid to Georgians. In September, the Senator released a report finding that nearly $500 million in promised federal funding for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts remained unpaid. The funding, part of a disaster recovery bill championed by Senator Warnock in 2024, is meant to reimburse local communities for funds spent on recovery. Despite bipartisan Congressional support for the immediate delivery of disaster recovery funds, the distribution of aid has been stifled by bureaucratic red tape and chaos in the Trump administration.\n\n\u201cAfter over a year of delays, the Trump admin has STILL not released $600 million+ in disaster funds to Georgia counties rebuilding from Hurricane Helene,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock.\u201cThere is NO excuse for this. I\u2019m calling on the admin to release these funds immediately.\u201d\n\n\u201cI released a report exposing $500 million in delayed payments months ago. The bills are piling up and that number has only grown. They\u2019re abandoning Georgians and crippling local economies,\u201d Senator Warnock continued.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://collins.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-representatives-passes-rep-collins-permitting-reform-package", "House of Representatives Passes Rep. Collins' Permitting Reform Package", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "collins.house.gov", "mikecollins", "https://collins.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, the United States House of Representatives passed Rep. Collins' (R-GA) H.R. 3898, the PERMIT Act, to cut red tape, streamline review processes, and make permitting under the Clean Water Act (CWA) more efficient and transparent.\n\nThis bill will have an immediate impact on energy producers, the agriculture industry, home and road builders, water utilities, and everyday Americans regulated under the CWA by allowing critical infrastructure projects to be built more quickly and efficiently. These reforms are designed to reduce burdensome regulatory requirements, protect against frivolous lawsuits, and increase transparency, while ensuring clean water protections.\n\nRep. Collins released the following statement after the bill's passage:\n\n\u201cAs we enter a new era with a renewed focus on domestic energy production and growth, this legislation delivers the tools that our country needs to build faster, smarter, and safer,\u201d said Subcommittee Chairman Collins. \u201cWhen I was appointed as Chairman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, I put myself on a mission to make our government more efficient and productive for the American people. I am proud to say that we are doing just that with the PERMIT Act.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is supported by over 100 national manufacturing, small business, agricultural, and energy groups, as well as the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Ports Authority, Oglethorpe Power, Georgia Power, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, and the Georgia Forestry Association.\n\nGeorgia Farm Bureau: \"We are proud to support the PERMIT Act (HR 3898). This bill ends EPA overreach, cuts red tape and keeping family farms competitive with less regulated competitors. HR 3898 aligns with Sackett, ends unnecessary permits on ditches & prior converted cropland, and saves Georgia farmers millions in compliance costs. We urge swift passage to protect family farms.\"\n\nOglethorpe Power: \"During this time of unprecedented growth and planning, it is imperative that federal permitting programs, including those under the CWA, are implemented as intended by Congress and do not unnecessarily delay or hinder critical energy projects, or burden the homes, businesses and farms our member EMCs serve with unreasonable costs.\"\n\nJackson Electric Membership Corporation: \"The PERMIT Act would reduce overly burdensome regulatory requirements, protect against frivolous lawsuits, and increase certainty, transparency and efficiency in the CWA permitting process while maintaining important environmental protections.\"\n\nBackground\n\nThe PERMIT Act:\n\nCuts the red tape that drives up utility and service costs, letting communities build faster and keep prices down.\n\nHelps speed up building approvals that hold housing hostage, lowering construction costs, and getting homes built sooner.\n\nMoves to end permitting gridlock that stalls road and bridge projects, saving money and delivering safer, faster travel.\n\nProvides needed clarity and certainty to assist with dredging and construction to facilitate ports moving goods cheaply and efficiently, strengthening supply chains and lowering costs.\n\nClears out delays that block upgrades to failing water systems, protecting communities, and keeping clean water reliable.\n\nSolidifies long-standing Clean Water Act practices, providing predictability and consistency to farmers and protection from frivolous lawsuits.\n\nThis is the third bill that Rep. Collins has passed through the House of Representatives in his two terms in Congress, with the previous being the Laken Riley Act to deport illegal criminal aliens and the TRANQ Act to remove deadly synthetic drugs from our streets, which were both signed into law.\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:31:39Z"], ["https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=FA876ABE-1324-4722-942F-64247429D683", "Rep. Austin Scott on Final House Passage of FY26 NDAA", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", "austinscott", "https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.-- U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released the below statement regarding S. 1071, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 312-112 with his support, sending it to the floor of the U.S. Senate, enroute to the President's desk for his signature. The NDAA sets Department of Defense (DoD) policies and authorizes funding levels for defense programs.\n\n\"The entire state of Georgia plays a key role in implementing President Donald Trump\u2019s strategy of Peace Through Strength,\"Rep. Scott said. \"The FY26 NDAA strengthens the U.S. military, provides a pay raise to our service members, saves taxpayer dollars, and enhances the quality of life for our warfighters and their families. I am proud of my work on this important piece of legislation to support our armed forces in their mission of defending the United States.\"\n\nRep. Scott authored (13) different initiatives that will now become law following Senate passage and the President's signature:\n\nExtended the authority for an additional three years that would allow for retired members of the Armed Forces to be appointed to competitive or excepted service positions in the Department of Defense without a waiver. This will allow more retired military personnel to continue to serve our country as civilians at Robins Air Force Base.\n\nExtended the authority for depot working capital funds, like Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC), to be used for unspecified minor military construction from September 30, 2025 to September 30, 2027. This will enable WR-ALC to continue to modernize their facilities.\n\nDelayed the full retirement of the A-10C \u201cWarthog\u201d aircraft, several dozen of which are based at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, GA. The Scott amendment requires the Air Force to maintain a minimum of 93 A-10 aircraft in FY 26. The A-10C provides close air support and combat search-and-rescue capabilities unmatched by any other aircraft in the Air Force\u2019s inventory.\n\nExtended the intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) pilot program until September 30, 2030.Moody AFB has benefitted greatly from partnership tools, particularly the IGSA. The agreements provide additional flexibility in some areas for the base and keeps funds local. Moreover, Moody enjoys tremendous support from the Lowndes County community and government to include three IGSAs signed between Moody and Lowndes County.\n\nEstablished a pilot program to provide service personnel with a voluntary option to enroll in a low-premium supplemental insurance plan to help protect against uncovered out-of-pocket expenses resulting from a cancer diagnosis in the family.\n\nModified and extended annual reporting on military and security developments involving the Russian Federation to include Russia's strategic goals, force posture, and military spending.\n\nAuthorized the Baltic Security Initiative to strengthen the armed forces of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to deter Russian aggression, increase interoperability, and support modernization;\n\nDirected the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a strategy by January 1, 2030, to eliminate the acquisition of computer displays by the Department of Defense from nations such as Russia or China;\n\nEstablished the United States Navy, Air Force, and Space Force Museum systems;\n\nEnhanced congressional oversight of the U.S. Africa Command to prohibit the use of funds to modify or combine the responsibilities or lower the rank of the Commander of any geographic combatant commanduntil the Secretary of Defense submits a report to the congressional defense committees.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-bishop-supports-bipartisan-defense-bill-that-strengthens-national-security-and-delivers-military-pay-raise", "CONGRESSMAN BISHOP SUPPORTS BIPARTISAN DEFENSE BILL THAT STRENGTHENS NATIONAL SECURITY AND DELIVERS MILITARY PAY RAISE", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", "bishop", "https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, the Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). The bill received bipartisan support and was approved by a vote of 312-112. The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.\n\nThe bill provides critical investments in national defense, supports America\u2019s service members, and enhances global security at the time of growing challenges around the world.\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s defense bill provides our service members with the tools, resources and respect they deserve, including a well-earned 3.8% pay increase,\u201d said Congressman Bishop. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation responsibly strengthens our national security, supports our troops, and invests in the readiness and wellbeing of military families. It ensures the United States remains strong both at home and alongside our allies abroad.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will continue to fight to ensure we take care of our military families as well as our servicemembers who protect our country across the world and here at home,\u201d added Congressman Bishop, who also serves as the co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Military Family Caucus.\n\nThe FY26 NDAA authorizes $890 billion for the Department of Defense and related national security programs, reflecting months of bipartisan work in the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The bill includes the most significant overhaul of the defense acquisition system in a generation, major investments in science and technology, and key quality-of-life improvements for service members and Defense Department civilian employees.\n\nGeorgia\u2019s Second Congressional District is home to some of the nation\u2019s most important military installations, including Fort Benning, Robins Air Force Base, and Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany. The 3.8% military pay increase will directly benefit thousands of service members and families across the Second Congressional District, strengthening local communities and bolstering military readiness.\n\nThe bill also supports improvements to housing, childcare, education, mental health services, and military health care, all vital to Georgia\u2019s military families and the missions of the state\u2019s military installations. This past August, Congressman Bishop hosted the 2025 Military Family Summit at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center next to Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia. Many of these topics were addressed during the day-long symposium.\n\nEarlier this year, Congressman Bishop co-led the introduction of legislation to improve military housing as well as promote family stability by helping make moves in the line of duty less frequent and more efficient by working with the Republican co-chair of the Congressional Military Family Caucus, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans of Virginia.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16038", "Carter introduces bill awarding Congressional Gold Medal to the fallen patriots of Thiokol", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R-GA) today introduced the Thiokol Memorial Gold Medal Act, a bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Thiokol Memorial Museum in honor of the 30 fallen patriots of Thiokol.\n\nOn February 3, 1971, the Thiokol plant in Woodbine, Georgia, which manufactured trip flares during the Vietnam War, suffered a catastrophic explosion killing 29 people and injuring 50 others, many of whom were African American women. In a separate tragedy in May 1973, another worker who served two tours in Vietnam died in a mortar shell explosion at the same facility.\n\n\u201cThese 30 men and women were unsung heroes of the Vietnam War, dying in service to their country. The tragedy at Thiokol claimed too many innocent lives too soon, and it is our responsibility to keep their memories alive. By awarding the fallen a Congressional Gold Medal, we are honoring their legacy, thanking them for their patriotic service, and remembering those who gave their lives in defense of our freedoms,\u201d said Rep. Carter.\n\n\u201cI extend my sincere appreciation to Congressman Carter for his support in advancing this legislation. Honoring the sacrifices of these patriots ensures that the voices of the fallen, their families, and our community are recognized at the highest levels,\u201d said Jannie Everette, CEO/President of the Thiokol Memorial Project.\n\nOriginal co-sponsors of this bill include: Reps. Rich McCormick (R-GA), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), and Lucy McBath (D-GA).\n\nThe fallen patriots of Thiokol are:\n\nCelia A. Alberta \u2014 Woodbine, GA\n\nEthel L. Banks \u2014 Woodbine, GA\n\nAnnie C. Booth \u2014 Kingsland, GA\n\nGloria W. Booth \u2014 Kingsland, GA\n\nBertha Walker Brunswick \u2014 Woodbine, GA\n\nBettie Dawson Burch \u2014 Kingsland, GA\n\nCharles Burch \u2014 Kingsland, GA\n\nJames L. Chapman \u2014 Marshall, TX\n\nYvonne Marie Connelly \u2014 Kingsland, GA\n\nJack Cox \u2014 Longview, TX\n\nMae Hazel Davis \u2014 St. Marys, GA\n\nMildred Davis \u2014 Blackshear, GA\n\nHoward Ellis, Sr. \u2014 Woodbine, GA\n\nWillie Mae Austell-Fuller \u2014 Kingsland, GA\n\nPearlie Mae Young-Hutchinson \u2014 White Oak, GA\n\nAnnie Mae Hutchinson-James \u2014 Woodbine, GA\n\nMack Kennedy \u2014 White Oak, GA\n\nEssie Diana Green-King \u2014 Kingsland, GA\n\nGracie Mae Small-Life \u2014 White Oak, GA\n\nBertha Mae Hill \u2014 Woodbine, GA\n\nCharles T. Monak \u2014 Montgomery, AL\n\nJames Parland \u2014 Woodbine, GA\n\nSandra Regina Rauls \u2014 Kingsland, GA\n\nCyrus Emory Roberson \u2014 Nahunta, GA\n\nBetty Jean Roberts \u2014 Yulee, FL\n\nLillie Bell Spells \u2014 St. Marys, GA\n\nCheryl N. Sullivan \u2014 Woodbine, GA\n\nMae Alice Taylor \u2014 Yulee, FL\n\nAnnie Loise Williams \u2014 St. Marys, GA\n\nJoseph Eugene Wainwright \u2014 White Oak, GA\n\nRead the full bill text here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16040", "Carter brings home more than $320 million for GA-01 in NDAA", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R-GA) today supported the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included more than $320 million in funding for military projects and installations in Georgia\u2019s First Congressional District.\n\nThe bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.\n\n\u201cCoastal Georgia is a strong military community, and it\u2019s important that we have the world-class resources that our world-class troops deserve. I\u2019m proud to have advocated for and supported this funding, which will cement our district\u2019s leadership in President Trump\u2019s peace through strength agenda,\u201d said Rep. Carter.\n\nThe funding includes:\n\n$105 million for Fort Stewart Barracks (extended)\n\n$22 million for Fort Stewart 10-megawatt plant (extended)\n\n$25.4 million for joint power generation and grid funding at Hunter Army Airfield and Fort Stewart (extended)\n\n$119 million for Trident refit facility expansion project at Kings Bay\n\n$11.2 million for Kings Bay Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition modernization (extended)\n\n$3.8 million for Air Guard Savannah Combat Readiness Troop Camp Design\n\n$11.4 million for Savannah Hilton Head International Airport\u2019s corrosion control facility\n\n$27 million for Savannah Hilton Head International Airport\u2019s Dining Hall and Services Train Facility\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401961", "Congressman David Scott Statement Regarding Trump\u2019s $12 Billion Farm Aid Announcement", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", "davidscott", "https://davidscott.house.gov/news", "scraper", "WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Congressman David Scott released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration\u2019s farm aid plan.\n\n\u201cFarmers across the country are hurting because of this administration\u2019s tariffs and trade war that have inflicted billions of dollars in losses on American producers. Now, the Administration is providing only $12 billion in farm aid, rather than reversing the policies that are actively harming the farm economy in the first place.\n\nThis comes immediately after the Trump Administration committed $40 billion to backstop Argentina\u2019s collapsing currency, exposing U.S. taxpayers to extraordinary risk!\n\nIn October, I sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding this bailout, highlighting that the Administration\u2019s trade war has pushed international markets away from American producers and towards Argentina.\n\nAmerican farmers are being told to do more with less support and no long-term plan. Our farmers, workers, and rural communities need real relief and a trade agenda that strengthens America!\u201d", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/12/10/2025/senators-collins-and-king-announce-maine-nominees-to-the-united-states-military-service-academies", "Senators Collins and King Announce Maine Nominees to the United States Military Service Academies", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced their nominees to the United States Military Academies. To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress. Admission to the United States Coast Guard Academy, also a federal service academy, does not require a congressional nomination.\n\n\u201cWe are proud to have the honor to nominate such an impressive group of Maine students to our nation\u2019s distinguished service academies,\u201d said Senators Collins and King. \u201cThe young people we have nominated have earned this honor through a commitment to strong scholarship, leadership, and character.\u201d\n\nThe following students from Maine have received nominations as candidates to the service academies from Senators Collins and King:\n\nUnites States Military Academy - West Point\n\nName Hometown High School\n\nJacob Biberstein Orrington Bangor High School\n\nAlexis Blue Bangor Bangor High School\n\nTheodore Bluhm Belfast Belfast Area High School\n\nPeter Bonaparte Monticello Houlton Middle High School\n\nAndrew Carroll Raymond Solebury School\n\nGreyson Creamer Durham Freeport High School\n\nElaina Gagnon Lebanon Noble High School\n\nZachary Lattanzi Yarmouth Yarmouth High School\n\nAnika Manning Saco Thornton Academy\n\nCooper Manser Berwick Noble High School\n\nThomas McLellan Eliot Marshwood High School\n\nJaden Mizera Palermo Erskine Academy\n\nIsaiah Morgan Cumberland Center Greely High School\n\nHarlow O\u2019Leary Saco Thornton Academy\n\nAshton O\u2019Roak Hampden Hampden Academy\n\nSamuel Poulin Scarborough Cheverus High School\n\nJoshua Pratt Rockland Oceanside High School\n\nJasper Wills Bethel Gould Academy\n\nUnited States Naval Academy \u2013 Annapolis\n\nName Hometown High School\n\nJacob Biberstein Orrington Bangor High School\n\nIan Britt Topsham Mt. Ararat High School\n\nAlberto Cutone Kennebunk Maine Connections Academy\n\nElaina Gagnon Lebanon Noble High School\n\nElliot Irving Bangor John Bapst Memorial High School\n\nCooper Manser Berwick Noble High School\n\nThomas McLellan Eliot Marshwood High School\n\nJaden Mizera Palermo Erskine Academy\n\nIsaiah Morgan Cumberland Center Greely High School\n\nThomas Ocampo Scarborough Scarborough High School\n\nHarlow O\u2019Leary Saco Thornton Academy\n\nAshton O\u2019Roak Hampden Hampden Academy\n\nSamuel Poulin Scarborough Cheverus High School\n\nJoshua Pratt Rockland Oceanside High School\n\nReed Proscia Freeport Freeport High School\n\nOtto Schoenthal Southport Lincoln Academy\n\nAiden Surran Hampden Hampden Academy\n\nCole Tomuschat Scarborough Scarborough High School\n\nJasper Wills Bethel Gould Academy\n\nUnited States Air Force Academy \u2013 Colorado Springs\n\nName Hometown High School\n\nDerek Barbie Yarmouth Carrabassett Valley Academy\n\nJacob Biberstein Orrington Bangor High School\n\nIan Britt Topsham Mt. Ararat High School\n\nKayden Daviault Cape Elizabeth Cape Elizabeth High School\n\nPatrick Delaney Gorham Gorham High School\n\nElaina Gagnon Lebanon Noble High School\n\nElliot Irving Bangor John Bapst Memorial High School\n\nCooper Manser Berwick Noble High School\n\nAiden McKenna Skowhegan Skowhegan High School\n\nThomas McLellan Eliot Marshwood High School\n\nLeonardo Mlynski Hampden Hampden Academy\n\nIsaiah Morgan Cumberland Center Greely High School\n\nCooper Neely Old Town Old Town High School\n\nHarlow O\u2019Leary Saco Thornton Academy\n\nAshton O\u2019Roak Hampden Hampden Academy\n\nSamuel Poulin Scarborough Cheverus High School\n\nJoshua Pratt Rockland Oceanside High School\n\nSeth Starkey Lebanon Noble High School\n\nUnited States Merchant Marine Academy - Kings Point\n\nName Hometown High School\n\nJacob Biberstein Orrington Bangor High School\n\nKaitlyn Dostie Hope Camden Hills Regional High School\n\nElliot Irving Bangor John Bapst Memorial High School\n\nIsaiah Morgan Cumberland Center Greely High School\n\nHarlow O\u2019Leary Saco Thornton Academy\n\nAshton O\u2019Roak Hampden Hampden Academy\n\nWallace Pooler South China The Hill School\n\nSamuel Poulin Scarborough Cheverus High School\n\nJasper Wills Bethel Gould Academy\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-questions-retirement-policy-experts-on-family-caregiving", "Senator Collins Questions Retirement Policy Experts on Family Caregiving", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE for a full-resolution image.\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins\u2019 questioning.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Hearing, U.S. Senator Susan Collins questioned retirement policy and financial planning experts on the challenges facing family caregivers and highlighted two bipartisan bills she plans to reintroduce to strengthen caregivers\u2019 retirement security. Senator Collins emphasized that millions of caregivers provide essential, uncompensated care to parents, spouses, and children, often at a significant personal financial sacrifice. When caregivers leave their jobs, they lose not only wages, but also time contributing to Social Security and retirement savings, which can have long-term consequences on their ability to comfortably retire.\n\nSenator Collins highlighted the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act and the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act, two bills she introduced with Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) last Congress that are designed to help individuals who leave the workforce to care for a loved one better prepare for retirement. The former would allow caregivers to contribute to a Roth IRA even if they have no earned income, while the latter would permit additional catch-up retirement contributions to make up for years spent out of the workforce.\n\nLast month, Senator Collins was awarded the Care In Action Congressional Award from the National Alliance for Caregiving at the organization\u2019s Caregiver Nation Summit in Washington. Senator Collins received the award in recognition of her work on the Lifespan Respite Act and her longstanding support for our nation\u2019s caregivers.\n\nA transcript of Senator Collins\u2019 questioning is as follows:\n\nSenator Collins: Mr. Williams, you mentioned in your testimony legislation that I've introduced in the last Congress and hope to be reintroducing soon with Senator Warner, called the Improving Retirement Security for Family Caregivers Act and the Catching Up Family Caregivers Act. The first of the two bills would allow caregivers to save for retirement in a Roth IRA, even if they are not working for pay, since most caregivers are uncompensated. The second would allow caregivers to make additional retirement catch-up contributions to compensate for those years that they couldn't contribute due to leaving their jobs to take care of a loved one.\n\nFamily caregivers play such an essential role, as you know, and when a loved one is no longer to care for him or herself, it often falls on an adult child to step in and take care of a parent or a disabled spouse or sometimes a child. Oftentimes, they do so because they simply can't find professional help to come into the home, or it's too expensive, or they aren't comfortable with an outsider taking care of their loved one, or the loved one may resist that, and they really don't want to place a beloved parent or spouse in a long-term care facility, which also is extremely expensive, unless it is covered under Medicaid.\n\nSo, not only do many of these uncompensated caregivers have to leave the workforce, but they also are foregoing their contributions to Social Security, to their IRA, to their retirement plans, so they suffer economically when the time comes to retire. Could you comment further on this issue based on your own experience with serving your clients? And what do you think of the bills that we've introduced?\n\nChad Williams, CFP \u2013 Financial Advisor, Edward Jones: Senator Collins, I see this everywhere I go\u2014my clients, my family, friends, neighbors. It is a critical issue, and one that I personally am incredibly passionate about. In my practice, there is not a single financial plan that we draft that doesn't have some sort of caregiving component or long-term care to it. And caregiving is a profound act of love, but it often comes at a high personal cost. It is the intersection between financial security and health security. And at our firm, we partnered with Age Wave in 2025 and found that 92% of caregivers expressed concerns about their own retirement\u2014it is a prevailing issue. Your bills would provide much-needed security, retirement security tools, for caregivers to make up not being in the workforce, so that they can contribute more when they're able to. As a financial planning practitioner, I want tools, like what your bills have, to be able to offer to support clients of this deserving community. And for caregivers in my practice that have little to no earned income, it would allow them to be able to defer in tax-advantaged accounts, and they wouldn't have otherwise been able to. So, we welcome bipartisan efforts and discussions to advance legislation that provides tools for this important community.\n\nSenator Collins: Thank you so much. I think that's a really overlooked but growing segment of the population. And here, they're doing the right thing. They're taking care of a beloved parent or spouse who is definitely housebound, and at times they simply cannot get the care other than from a relative. And yet, the relative who leaves the workforce to care for that beloved relative is penalized later in life because they've lost out on a year, or two, or maybe three, or more, when they would have been in the workforce. It's not that they don't want to be in the workforce. And believe me, I've seen it firsthand, caregiving is a 24-hour-a-day job. And yet, this is totally uncompensated. I only have 10 seconds left. Mr. Copland, I saw you nodding. If you could very quickly make whatever point you would like to make.\n\nJames Copland \u2013 Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute: Certainly. I also think your bills are good ideas. And I'm caring for an 85-year-old father. You know, we've had to do it both ways. He's in long term care now, but he wasn't until less than a year ago, and it's difficult. So, I applaud you for this effort.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-receives-award-for-excellence-in-hiv/aids-prevention", "Senator Collins Receives Award for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Prevention", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE and HERE for individual photos.\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins receiving the award.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, U.S. Senator Susan Collins was awarded the 2025 Award for Excellence in HIV/AIDS by the Global AIDS Policy Partnership and the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership. Senator Collins was recognized for her strong advocacy and leadership in protecting the President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program from proposed funding cuts earlier this year.\n\n\u201cWe have made significant progress in combating HIV/AIDS thanks to programs like PEPFAR, which has saved an estimated 26 million lives globally since 2003,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI am proud to accept this award in recognition of my efforts to protect the PEPFAR program from proposed funding cuts, and I remain committed to strengthening this lifesaving program for years to come.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://loudermilk.house.gov/2025/12/10/rep-loudermilk-announces-2025-congressional-app-challenge-winners/", "Rep. Loudermilk Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge Winners", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Barry Loudermilk", "L000583", "loudermilk.house.gov", "loudermilk", "https://loudermilk.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. (December 10, 2025) | \u2013 Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) issued the following statement announcing the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for Georgia\u2019s 11th Congressional District. The competition is designed for students who aspire to learn computer coding and may have an interest in the STEM fields. Wheeler High School student, Aarav Balaji won first place with his CognifyAI App.\n\n\u201cte ouAs medical science continues to advance rapidly, it is vital that the products of this innovation remain accessible to all who need them. The App Challenge winners in my district recognized this and used this Challenge to display creative ways to address this issue. Contests like this serve as an incredible way for students to use their critical thinking skills to address the challenges of today, and to present unique solutions through technology. The talent of the students in Georgia\u2019s 11th Congressional District continues to inspire, and I am proud to know that there are exceptional young people pursuing their interests in the fields of technology. I appreciate all who participated in this challenge and congratulate our winners.\u201d\n\nThe Congressional App Challenge is a nonpartisan Initiative that encourages students\u2019 interest in computer science, coding, or careers in STEM fields. Established in 2013 as a result of the Academic Competition Resolution passed by Congress, it has increased Congressional dialogue on the subjects of computer science and coding by about two thousand percent. Students can compete individually or in groups of up to four, and are tasked with designing an application (app) of their choosing. Each winning app is featured in the U.S. Capitol, and on the House of Representatives official website (House.gov), which has ten million visitors per year.\n\n11th Congressional District \u2013 2025 Congressional App Challenge Winners\n\n1st Place\n\nAarav Balaji\n\nApp: CognifyAI\n\nSchool: Wheeler High School\n\n2nd Place\n\nAaditya Kulkarni\n\nApp: KnowYourMeds\n\nSchool: Walton High School\n\n3rd Place\n\nVidya Sinah\n\nApp: TrueHue\n\nSchool: Wheeler High School\n\nApp Backgrounds\n\nCognigyAI\n\nAddresses the challenge of early-identification of cognitive decline by integrating structured cognitive assessments and machine-learning concepts.\n\nKnowYourMeds\n\nAssists with medication safety and comprehension by interpreting essential information on medication.", 1, "2026-06-27T20:01:11Z", "2026-06-27T22:31:39Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16036", "Carter defends Christians against corrupt Ethiopian government in new resolution", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R-GA) today introduced a resolution condemning the Ethiopian government for its many human rights violations, including the persecution of Christians, and urging the Secretary of State to use all available diplomatic tools to protect innocent civilians against their abusive, corrupt government.\n\nThe resolution condemns Ethiopia for \u201cactions that threaten regional stability, violate fundamental human rights, and undermine the strategic interests of the United States in the Horn of Africa,\u201d citing \u201cacts of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide,\u201d and the targeting by \u201cviolence, intimidation, and persecution\u201d of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and other religious institutions.\n\n\u201cPracticing your Christian faith is not a crime. Terrorists are running Ethiopia into the ground, and with it the lives of countless innocent people, particularly religious minorities. From intimidation to famine and genocide, the Ethiopian government has given the United States no option but to limit their power by using every tool available to hold them accountable for these, and many other, abuses,\u201d said Rep. Carter.\n\nThe resolution has support from the Amhara Association in Georgia and the American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee.\n\n\u201cFor the past five years, as documented by human rights organizations, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, multiple international media outlets, the United Nations, and the U.S. Department of State\u2019s 2025 human rights reports, countless innocent civilians\u2014women, children, and the elderly among them\u2014have endured brutal acts of violence, including rape used as a weapon of war, arbitrary detention, torture, and mass displacement. Churches have been burned, religious leaders assassinated, and entire villages destroyed when the community rejected itsethnically driven ideology,\u201d said the Amhara Association in Georgia. \u201c[Rep. Carter\u2019s] resolution to invoke all appropriate internationally available tools, including the Global Magnitsky Act, is both timely and essential. Holding perpetrators accountable through targeted sanctions\u2014such as travel bans, asset freezes, and diplomatic isolation\u2014will send a powerful message that the United States will not tolerate crimes against humanity, sexual violence, or religious persecution committed with impunity.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (AEPAC) strongly supports Congressman Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter\u2019s resolution calling for targeted sanctions against Ethiopian officials responsible for widespread atrocities, sexual violence, and religious persecution. The measure\u2014anchored in the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act\u2014responds to mounting evidence, including recent BBC and U.S. State Department findings, documenting mass rapes, extrajudicial killings, and attacks on places of worship across Ethiopia\u2019s Amhara region. AEPAC commends Congressman Carter\u2019s moral clarity and leadership in standing with the Ethiopian people and urges swift bipartisan action to ensure that perpetrators of these crimes face justice and that the United States continues to champion human rights, religious freedom, and accountability in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa,\u201d said the American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee.\n\nRead the full bill text here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-king-announce-more-than-65-million-for-economic-development-projects-across-maine", "Senators Collins, King Announce More Than $6.5 Million for Economic Development Projects Across Maine", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins\u2014Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee\u2014and Angus King announced that 10 Maine organizations will receive a total of $6,541,337 to support important development projects. The funding comes from the Northern Border Regional Commission\u2019s (NBRC) Fiscal Year 2025 Catalyst Program, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act (IIJA). Senator Collins was one of 10 senators who negotiated the IIJA.\n\n\u201cThe NBRC has long helped provide rural regions with the economic tools they need to prosper,\u201d said Senators Collins and King. \u201cThis funding will help improve critical infrastructure in communities across our state while strengthening our workforce and creating economic opportunities for Mainers.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the funding is allocated as follows:\n\nBangor YMCA - $1,000,000\n\nCaribou Utilities District - $1,000,000\n\nMonmouth Water Association - $1,000,000\n\nOutdoor Sports Institute - $1,000,000\n\nTown of Jonesport - $799,615\n\nFriends of Veterans Memorial Library - $606,691\n\nMaine Development Foundation - $500,000\n\nCenter for Entrepreneurial Studies - $499,869\n\nEastern Maine Healthcare Systems - $100,000\n\nHancock County Planning Commission - $35,162\n\nA detailed description of all funded projects can be read here.\n\nThe NBRC was established by Congress in 2008, with Senator Collins\u2019 and King\u2019s support, to fund a broad range of development projects in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York aimed at alleviating economic distress and encouraging private sector job creation. In 2023, Senator Collins introduced and Senator King co-sponsored legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the NBRC.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-urges-commerce-department-to-provide-tariff-relief-for-maines-wild-blueberry-producers", "Senator Collins Urges Commerce Department to Provide Tariff Relief for Maine\u2019s Wild Blueberry Producers", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins wrote to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer requesting that the Commerce Department provide targeted relief from the tariff imposed on steel and aluminum for the wild blueberry industry in Maine. In her letter, she highlighted how wild blueberry producers in Maine have already seen more than $28 million in losses this year due to severe drought conditions, putting this iconic Maine industry at risk. She also highlighted that the ramifications of tariffs have not been exclusive to Maine\u2019s wild blueberry industry and have reverberated across Maine\u2019s agricultural economy.\n\n\u201cThe wild blueberry industry is vital to Maine\u2019s economy, contributing $361 million annually. Last year, Maine produced approximately 85 million pounds of wild blueberries, representing nearly 100 percent of all wild blueberries and 10 percent of all blueberries grown in the United States,\u201d Senator Collins wrote. \u201cWild blueberries are an antioxidant rich superfood widely lauded for their health benefits, and Maine is the only U.S. producer of this important wild fruit.\u201d\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, the 50 percent tariff on steel and aluminum has significantly increased the cost of the equipment used to harvest the wild blueberry crop in Maine. This specialized equipment, which harvests approximately 90 percent of Maine\u2019s wild blueberry crop, is only available in Canada,\u201d she continued. \u201c[\u2026] Without access to affordable parts, and with no U.S.-based manufacturer that produces specialized wild blueberry equipment, Maine\u2019s wild blueberry producers will see significant increases to their costs.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs the Administration continues to work on trade negotiations with Canada, I request that you exempt wild blueberry harvesting, processing, and mowing equipment from the tariff imposed on steel and aluminum from Canada. I understand the Administration terminated the exclusion process for steel and aluminum earlier this year \u2013 a decision I encouraged the Administration to reverse in an earlier letter. Nevertheless, it is critical that Maine\u2019s wild blueberry industry receive targeted relief,\u201d Senator Collins concluded.\n\nThe complete text of the letter can be read here.\n\nLast month, Senator Collins wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the Department to provide disaster assistance to Maine\u2019s specialty crop and livestock producers. In her letter, Senator Collins highlighted the serious toll that extreme weather, high production costs, and labor shortages have taken on Maine\u2019s wild blueberry, apple, and livestock producers. She called on the USDA to ensure that these producers are included in any federal relief efforts.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-moreno-unveil-legislation-to-extend-and-reform-enhanced-aca-premium-tax-credits", "Senators Collins, Moreno Unveil Legislation to Extend and Reform Enhanced ACA Premium Tax Credits", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins joined Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) in introducing the Consumer Affordability and Responsibility Enhancement (CARE) Act to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits for two years, cap income eligibility for these subsidies, and eliminate zero-premium plans under the ACA.\n\n\u201cFamilies in Maine and across the country are struggling with the high cost of health care, and we need to pursue practical solutions that increase affordability without creating sudden disruptions in coverage,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis bill would help prevent unaffordable increases in health insurance premium costs for many families by extending the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits for two years and putting a reasonable income cap on these subsidies to ensure they are going to the individuals who need them.\u201d\n\nThe CARE Act, which is led by Senator Bernie Moreno, extends the enhanced ACA premium tax credits and gradually phases out the COVID-era enhancements over two years to prevent sudden coverage disruptions. The bill would also eliminate zero-premium plans by requiring a minimum monthly premium of $25 to promote the long-term sustainability of the program.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-on-the-presidents-dangerous-assault-on-aviation-safety-regulators/", "Warnock on the President\u2019s Dangerous Assault on Aviation Safety Regulators", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Unanimously confirmed Alvin Brown was illegally fired from the independent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)\n\nNTSB investigates transportation accidents, including the tragic DCA collision that killed 68 in January\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on the illegal firing of Alvin Brown, a unanimously Senate-confirmed member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Brown\u2019s replacement will be voted on today in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation despite pending litigation on the legality of Mr. Brown\u2019s firing.\n\n\u201cWe rely on our federal aviation regulators to keep millions of Georgians safe during air travel,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cI\u2019m deeply troubled by the illegal firing of Brown. Americans feel confident boarding flights every day in part because of the independent work of the NTSB safety investigators. The President\u2019s move to replace board members without cause undermines the board\u2019s ability to investigate transportation accidents like the DCA crash and ensure these kinds of tragedies never happen again.\u201d\n\nThe President also fired Robert Primus from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board without cause. Both men have filed lawsuits challenging their dismissals.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7032", "Rep. Allen's Bill Preserving Consumer Choice for Household Appliances Advanced by Committee", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rick W. Allen", "A000372", "allen.house.gov", "allen", "https://allen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Yesterday, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, of which Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) is a proud member, advanced H.R. 4626, the Don't Mess With My Home Appliances Act.\n\nThis legislation, introduced by Congressman Allen, implements necessary reforms to the Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA) to prevent future administrations from prioritizing a radical rush-to-green agenda over the affordability and availability of reliable household appliances that Americans rely on every day.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-johnson-leads-letter-cdc-advisory-panel-urging-hepatitis-b", "Congressman Johnson Leads Letter To CDC, Advisory Panel Urging Hepatitis B Vaccine Schedule For Newborns Remain In Place To Save Lives", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Henry C. \"Hank\" Johnson, Jr.", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", "hankjohnson", "https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) and Congresswoman Kim Schrier MD (WA-08) sent a letter to Centers for Diseases Control & Prevention (CDC) Acting Director James O'Neill and the advisory panel it oversees urging them to maintain the existing recommendations in support of the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. The advisory panel is scheduled to discuss and vote on the hepatitis B birth dose recommendation during its two-day meeting starting Dec. 4, potentially limiting children's access to the life-saving vaccine.\n\nIn the letter, the members said: \u201c[we] are very concerned that the Committee may vote to remove this longstanding recommendation this month as part of its larger focus on altering childhood vaccinations. There is no data to support delaying the first immunization to one-month, four years, or 12 years of age. Since the implementation of the birth dose recommendation in 1991, there has been an astonishing 99% reduction in childhood hepatitis B infections. In the last 30 years, this vaccine schedule is estimated to have saved over 90,000 lives, prevented 6 million infections, and nearly 1 million hospitalizations. Further, a model by the Center for Disease Analysis Foundation found that removing the universal birth dose in favor of later vaccination initiation would result in 99,000 new hepatitis B infections that could have been prevented. To protect children from hepatitis B, we strongly urge you to maintain the existing ACIP recommendation in support of the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine.\u201d\n\nTo read the full letter, click HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=C9285A4F-038B-4DD0-ADB2-76A38F3D4169", "McBath Announces Sixth District Service Academy Nominations for Class of 2030", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Atlanta, GA \u2014 This week, Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06) announced Sixth District students who were nominated by her office to attend a United States military service academy. In total, 26 students from the Sixth District received nominations to the following academies: 11 students received a nomination to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, 15 students received a nomination to attend the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, 11 students received a nomination to attend the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, and 3 students received a nomination to attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.\n\n\u201cHelping identify and nominate future generations of leadership in our nation\u2019s military is one of the most incredible privileges of my job in Congress,\u201d McBath said. \u201cI am so proud of each student who received a nomination, and I am grateful to their families, their teachers, and their community mentors for preparing them to be successful in their pursuit of a career in military service. Congratulations to these 26 young people who have courageously chosen to serve our country in such an honorable way.\u201d\n\nAll students who received a nomination from McBath\u2019s office must now be selected by the service academy for a formal appointment to attend in the fall of 2026. The following students* received a congressional nomination to attend a United States military service academy in the 2026-2027 academic year:\n\n*This list does not contain all Sixth District students who received a congressional nomination to a U.S. service academy.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/12/04/2025/maine-delegation-introduces-bill-to-support-farmers-affected-by-pfas", "Maine Delegation Introduces Bill to Support Farmers Affected by PFAS", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In a bipartisan, bicameral effort to provide vital assistance to farmers affected by toxic \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), U.S. Senator Susan Collins and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree reintroduced the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act. The legislation would authorize grants for states to provide financial assistance to affected farmers, expand monitoring and testing, remediate PFAS, or even help farmers relocate. U.S. Senator Angus King and Congressman Jared Golden are original cosponsors of the legislation.\n\nPFAS are man-made chemicals that are used in industry and consumer products and can lead to serious health effects, including cancer, reproductive and developmental harms, and weakened immune systems. In Maine, there have been more than 30,000 records of PFAS at close to 250 sites across the state. Maine farmers have had their livelihoods disrupted due to PFAS contamination, which originated in sludge that was spread as fertilizer by farmers who were told by the government that it was safe to use.\n\n\u201cUSDA must provide support to our nation\u2019s farmers, who through no fault of their own are at risk of losing their livelihoods,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cIn the past, the federal government\u2019s response has failed to keep pace with this growing problem. Our bipartisan legislation would direct USDA to help by providing financial assistance and expanding PFAS monitoring and testing where it is needed most.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe PFAS crisis isn\u2019t some theoretical or distant problem. It\u2019s here, it\u2019s growing, and it\u2019s putting real pressure on farmers in Maine and across the country,\u201d said Representative Pingree, a longtime farmer and senior member of the House Agriculture Committee. \u201cFor farmers already navigating thin margins, discovering \u2018forever chemicals\u2019 on their land can mean lost income, unusable land, and questions about the safety of their crops and livestock. They deserve federal support that matches the scale of the crisis. Our Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act creates a dedicated USDA program to test for contamination, compensate affected farmers, and advance the research and remediation strategies we need to protect our food supply and rural economies. This bill is a critical step in giving farmers the tools to safeguard their operations while federal and state agencies work to fully confront PFAS.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaine\u2019s hardworking farmers are losing crops, land, and their livelihoods to \u2018forever chemicals\u2019 at an alarming rate,\u201dsaid Senator King. \u201cThe Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act is a crucial step towards creating a federal safety net that provides impacted farms with financial relief. The monitoring, testing, and remediation provisions would be a gamechanger in our work to protect Maine\u2019s agricultural communities from PFAS contamination. The state of Maine has been on the forefront of these efforts, but additional federal investments are vitally needed. I hope this bipartisan, bicameral legislation receives broad support across Congress to protect the future of Maine farming.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs awareness of PFAS contamination has increased, Maine farmers have borne heavy costs to protect consumers from harmful chemicals,\u201d said Representative Golden. \"The Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act will provide local farmers with the support they need to keep their lights on while continuing to mitigate risk and protect the public from a health issue that isn\u2019t farmers\u2019 fault.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the funds authorized by the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act could be used for a variety of purposes at the state level, including:\n\nProviding financial assistance to affected farmers;\n\nBuilding capacity for PFAS testing for soil or water sources;\n\nMonitoring blood for individuals to make informed decisions about their health;\n\nUpgrading or purchasing equipment to ensure a farm remains profitable during or after known PFAS contamination;\n\nDeveloping alternative production systems or remediation strategies;\n\nDeveloping educational programs for farmers experiencing PFAS contamination; and\n\nResearching soil and water remediation systems, and the viability of those systems for farms\n\nThe bill would also create a task force at USDA charged with identifying other USDA programs to which PFAS contamination should be added as an eligible activity. This would help bring even more resources to farmers through existing programs. Additionally, the task force would provide technical assistance to states to help them coordinate their responses effectively.\n\n\u201cMaine farmers, residents and policymakers are leading the country on tackling PFAS contamination in our food and water,\u201d said Sarah Alexander, executive director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA). \u201cMaine has created essential policies to help farmers who have suffered consequences of forever chemicals through no fault of their own. Senator Collins\u2019 and Congresswoman Pingree's bill signals a critical opportunity for the federal government to coordinate a response so that farmers across the country will have the support they need to address PFAS contamination.\u201d\n\n\u201cPFAS contamination of agricultural land is a nationwide challenge that has been met with an inconsistent patchwork of policy and program responses to date. What is needed in response to the challenge of PFAS contamination of agricultural land is dependable and comprehensive support so that farm families, the agricultural sector, and our food system are not in jeopardy. This bill seeks to do just that. Maine Farmland Trust is grateful for the introduction of the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act and the strong federal safety net of support that it would provide. Maine farmers stand with farmers nationwide who deserve comprehensive support and solutions,\u201d said Shelley Megquier, Policy and Research Director of Maine Farmland Trust.\n\n\u201cFarmers do not use PFAS. They take seriously the health of America\u2019s families, and they share the concerns over forever chemicals,\u201dsaid American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. \u201cMaking farmers responsible for PFAS remediation threatens the economic sustainability of family farms and puts an incredible financial burden on victims of contamination. We appreciate Senator Collins and Representative Pingree for their work to protect farm families through the Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerican Farmland Trust (AFT) applauds the reintroduction of the bipartisan Farmers Hit with PFAS Act,\u201d said Tim Fink, Vice President of Policy for AFT. \u201cThe discovery of PFAS contamination can be devastating for farms, farmers, and their families \u2013 all through no fault of their own. However, the experience of the Maine relief program has shown that with the right financial and technical support, most farms can return safely to operation. It\u2019s time that this essential financial, technical, healthcare, and research support be available to impacted farmers across the nation.\u201d\n\n\"PFAS contamination poses a significant threat to our farms, wildlife, and food,\" said Rebecca Meuninck, Ph.D., Great Lakes regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation. \"Farmers are being put out of business because they unknowingly spread biosolids containing PFAS on their land or had their water contaminated from neighboring military or industrial sites. The reintroduction of this legislation is a big step forward in supporting farmers and ensuring their resilience against the impacts of PFAS.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-jackson-laboratory-to-receive-maines-first-arpa-h-grant", "Senator Collins Announces Jackson Laboratory to Receive Maine\u2019s First ARPA-H Grant", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced today that The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) in Bar Harbor is the first-ever research institution in Maine to be awarded a grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Specifically, JAX\u2019s grant of up to $30.6 million over three years was awarded through ARPA-H\u2019s Computational ADME-Tox and Physiology Analysis for Safer Therapeutics (CATALYST) program.\n\nThe CATALYST program supports research partners across the country and seeks to develop computer models that mimic real human biology to study the safety and effectiveness of Investigational New Drug (IND) candidates, helping to ensure more prompt approval of promising medicines.\n\nThis funding will support JAX\u2019s efforts to create digital heart models rooted in both mouse and human biology that reflect a wide range of human cardiovascular differences. These models will allow researchers to better predict the safety and effectiveness of drugs across many genetic backgrounds and physiological variations, thus reducing the need for early-stage clinical trials.\n\n\u201cARPA-H seeks transformative biomedical breakthroughs happening all across the country to support with significant research funding. This more than $30 million grant is a testament to the incredible work happening at The Jackson Laboratory that has the potential to dramatically reduce the time and cost of drug development,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI have been so proud to watch The Jackson Laboratory grow so much throughout my service in the Senate and cannot wait to see and continue to support the exciting progress this new ARPA-H grant will bring.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins has been a longtime supporter of The Jackson Laboratory and other research institutions in Maine through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Since the return of Congressionally Directed Spending in 2021, Senator Collins has secured $11.5 million to support facility and equipment improvements at JAX, as well as construct a new facility for rare disease research. This funding allows JAX to continue to service biomedical researchers worldwide who require precision engineered and experimentally reliable models to advance understanding of human disease.?\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-calls-for-continued-bipartisan-support-for-alzheimers-biomedical-research", "Senator Collins Calls for Continued Bipartisan Support for Alzheimer\u2019s, Biomedical Research", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE and HERE for individual photos.\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download the full interview.\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer\u2019s Disease, took part in an event with the Alzheimer\u2019s Association and Punchbowl News where she discussed her work to increase federal investments in Alzheimer\u2019s research and biomedical innovation. Senator Collins spoke about the toll of Alzheimer\u2019s on families, the need for greater support for caregivers, and bipartisan action she has taken in Congress to protect NIH and other research agencies from significant proposed funding reductions.\n\nLast month, Senator Collins introduced the bipartisan Alzheimer\u2019s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act. This bill would require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to create a pathway to cover blood biomarker tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the early detection of Alzheimer\u2019s disease, giving patients and their families more time to plan, seek support, and pursue the best options for care for their loved ones.\n\nSenator Collins has long led successful legislative efforts to advance Alzheimer\u2019s research, prevention, and treatment. In the 118th Congress, there were 1,868 standalone health care bills introduced in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. Of those bills, only 15 passed both chambers and were signed into law. U.S. Senator Susan Collins led or co-led 5 of those 15 bills to passage with strong bipartisan support, and 3 of those 5 bills dealt directly with brain health and Alzheimer\u2019s: the National Alzheimer\u2019s Project Act (NAPA), the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer\u2019s Act, and the Alzheimer\u2019s Accountability and Investment Act.\n\nSenator Collins on the Importance of Alzheimer\u2019s Research\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of this exchange\n\nAndrew Desiderio: I want to shift now to the topic of the day, Alzheimer's disease, research, prevention, and funding, critically, because you are the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, so you have a really big role in all of this. But I want to step back a little bit. So, you are the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease. How did you first get involved in working on this issue in the Senate?\n\nSenator Collins: Well, like many people, my family has been harmed by this devastating disease. I lost my father, my grandfather, my two uncles, and a brother-in-law recently to Alzheimer's. So, I've seen firsthand how absolutely devastating it is, not only for the person who has Alzheimer's, but also for the caregivers, which are usually family members. And it is just a horrific disease. It's also one of our nation's most costly diseases. Last year alone, we've spent $360 billion caring for people with Alzheimer's. If the current trajectory continues, we'll spend a trillion dollars on Alzheimer's by the year 2050. So, it's something that, whether you look at it from a humanitarian perspective or a fiscal perspective, that warrants our paying a lot more attention to it.\n\n[\u2026]\n\nAndrew Desiderio: Senator, I want to note that the Administration has requested a funding increase specifically for Alzheimer's funding. So, does that give you some optimism here, that despite the actions the Administration has taken to cut back on NIH funding, to lay off employees, that they at least maybe recognize the need to get behind something like this, which you guys have done in your appropriations bills as well.\n\nSenator Collins: I do think it's a very good sign. If I were the President, I would embrace this and do a \u201cWarp Speed\u201d approach, the way we did with COVID. And I think this is something that affects so many families. And it's absolutely devastating to look into the eyes of a loved one and receive no sign of recognition in return. You lose the person before you physically lose the person. And it's just heartbreaking. And it also puts a tremendous toll on the caregivers. My mother took care of my father at home for years before he spent the last part of his life in the Veterans' Home in our hometown of Caribou. And it takes a tremendous toll. And think of people who leave their jobs to take care of a parent with Alzheimer's. We have a shortage of professional caregivers, and sometimes there's a resistance to having an outside caregiver come in and provide that care. And that's why, when you ask, what else am I working on? Caregivers\u2014providing assistance to caregivers, providing some sort of tax incentive so that they can afford\u2014they bear a lot of costs themselves. It's uncompensated care. And we need respite care. It would have been so helpful to families if they have a place to take their loved one so they just get a bit of a break from the 24-hour, around-the-clock care. So, in addition to pushing forward on approval by CMS without delays, the ASAP bill, continuing our exciting investment in research that's paying off, I'm also focused on helping caregivers.\n\n+++\n\nSenator Collins on Protecting Biomedical Research Funding\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download video of this exchange\n\nAndrew Desiderio: We talk a lot about your role on the Appropriations Committee playing a crucial role in all of this. The committee has approved NIH funding increases for the next fiscal year for research, for example. But, as you know, that the Trump Administration has sought to rescind or pause NIH funding in general this year. How confident are you that, if and when this is actually signed into law, the Administration will adhere to it?\n\nSenator Collins: Well, we've put a number of guardrails in the bill to try to protect against the possibility of grants being rescinded, despite our rejection of the 41% cut that the Administration's budget proposed for NIH. It's not just NIH, it's also National Science Foundation, it's DoD medical research. There were a lot of cuts in medical research. Instead of cutting medical research by 41%, we were able to increase it by $400 million, and I'm really proud of that. And that bill was approved by a vote of 26 to 3 in the Appropriations Committee. Shelley Moore Capito and Tammy Baldwin are the Chair and Ranking Member of that subcommittee. Patty Murray is my counterpart at the full committee. We all worked as a team to make sure that didn't go through it. The bill also includes language requiring us, the Appropriations Committee, to be notified if grants are being clawed back or paused, so that we can evaluate whether or not it's justified, or whether or not it's an attempt to get around the increased funding that we have. So, that's an important guardrail as well.\n\nAndrew Desiderio: You mentioned the 26 to 3 vote in the Appropriations Committee. I think what a lot of people don't realize is that it's actually been Republicans in the Senate taking the lead in pushing back against the Administration on some of these rescissions and proposed funding cuts. When you see a piece of legislation pass by that big of a margin in any Senate committee, I think that represents some pretty strong pushback to the Administration.\n\nSenator Collins: It definitely does, and I'm really proud that we could put together that strong a vote. Now, we're trying to bring the bills to the floor, a five-bill package. Right now, we have a few problems that we're trying to work through, but I think that this is very exciting. Listen, from my perspective, there's no investment that is more worthwhile than our investment in biomedical research. And that is why the very first hearing that I held as the new Chair of the Appropriations Committee was entitled, \"Biomedical Research: Keeping America's Edge In Innovation.\" And that's what we need to do.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-cut-red-tape-fast-track-transit-projects-in-georgia/", "Warnock, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Cut Red Tape, Fast Track Transit Projects in Georgia", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Warnock and Lee introduced the bipartisan Streamline Transit Projects Act to speed completion of transit projects and improve the transit ridership experience\n\nThe legislation helps states address construction challenges typically associated with traffic congestion and air quality by providing greater flexibility to state agencies to shorten project timelines\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cBy delivering transit projects faster, we can continue to invest in a brighter, more connected future for all who call Georgia home\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and John Curtis (R-UT) introduced the bipartisan Streamline Transit Projects Act to speed completion of transit projects and improve the transit ridership experience. The legislation will help states address construction challenges typically associated with traffic congestion and air quality by providing greater flexibility to state agencies to shorten protect implementation timelines.\n\n\u201cThis bipartisan legislation will give transit agencies new tools to more quickly deliver projects that meet local needs and improve the ridership experience,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cBy delivering transit projects faster, we can continue to invest in a brighter, more connected future for all who call Georgia home.\u201d\n\n\u201cUtah\u2019s transit projects will be better off without the federal government meddling in every decision and holding up construction,\u201d said Senator Mike Lee. \u201cRight now, our local officials take responsibility for environmental reviews on highway construction \u2013 but are forced to use the federal government when it comes to transit. My Streamline Transit Projects Act will give this authority back to the states to make construction timelines faster and quality better. Don\u2019t tread on our TRAX!\u201d\n\n\u201cRight now, simple transit projects can get tied up in years of red tape. Arizonans shouldn\u2019t have to wait that long for basic upgrades,\u201dsaid Senator Mark Kelly.\u201cOur bill cuts needless delays for low-impact projects by letting qualified local agencies handle routine environmental work, so commuters see the benefits sooner.\u201d\n\n\u201cUtah is growing\u2014and for good reason,\u201d said Senator John Curtis.\u201cPeople are drawn here by our strong economy, vibrant communities, and healthy environment. But with that growth comes challenges we must face head-on. The Streamline Transit Projects Act gives transit agencies the flexibility to meet local needs more efficiently. In Utah, that means we can move faster on projects that connect people, reduce traffic, and protect the environment we all treasure.\u201d\n\n\u201cMARTA appreciates Senator Warnock\u2019s leadership in co-leading this important bipartisan legislation,\u201d said Jonathan Hunt, MARTA Interim General Manager and CEO.\u201cReducing unnecessary administrative hurdles will help us accelerate project approvals and deliver high-quality transit to the metro Atlanta region more efficiently. We strongly support efforts to modernize federal processes, streamline environmental reviews, and strengthen program flexibility. These commonsense updates will help transit agencies such as MARTA move projects forward faster, expand mobility options, and enhance safety and security for the customers we serve.\u201d\n\nSenator Warnock has consistently pushed for expanded transit access in the state of Georgia and nationwide. Senator Warnock secured key provisions in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to update and improve a key federal transportation grant program that will help strengthen public transportation in Georgia and bolster essential efforts to expand transit in communities across the state.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://clyde.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3366", "Rep. Clyde, Sen. Lee Introduce Bill to Repeal D.C.\u2019s Shield Law", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Andrew S. Clyde", "C001116", "clyde.house.gov", "clyde", "https://clyde.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congressman Andrew Clyde (GA-09) introduced the D.C. Shield Law Repeal Act to nullify Washington, D.C.\u2019s dangerous interstate shield law, the Human Rights Sanctuary Amendment Act of 2022, in order to hold D.C. providers accountable for undermining states\u2019 pro-life and pro-child laws. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.\n\n\u201cBoth abortion and cross gender hormone drugs have serious, irreversible consequences,\u201d said Clyde. \u201cWe cannot allow the Left\u2019s woke ideology, under the guise of \u2018bodily autonomy,\u2019 to infiltrate our states through the shipping of these drugs with zero legal repercussions. Congress must use its constitutional authority over our nation\u2019s capital to hold D.C. providers liable for undermining state laws and to protect women, children, and the unborn.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur nation\u2019s capital should not be a refuge for people who take the lives of children or wreck their bodies with illegal drugs\u201d said Lee. \u201cCriminals on the lam can escape to DC after performing abortions in states where they are illegal, because they know DC will let them get away with it. This bill will repeal DC\u2019s safe harbor for illegal abortionists and peddlers of drugs for transexual procedures, restoring the rule of law to Washington.\u201d\n\nBill text of the D.C. Shield Law Repeal Act is available HERE.\n\nRead the Daily Caller\u2019s exclusive on the legislation HERE.\n\nOriginal co-sponsors include (25): Reps. Sheri Biggs (SC-03), Mike Bost (IL-12), Tim Burchett (TN-02), Jeff Crank (CO-05), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Brandon Gill (TX-26), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Michael Guest (MS-03), Harriet Hageman (WY-At-Large), Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Pat Harrigan (NC-10), Mark Harris (NC-08), Andy Harris (MD-01), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), Mark Messmer (IN-08), Mary Miller (IL-15), Barry Moore (AL-01), Riley Moore (WV-02), Ralph Norman (SC-05), John Rose (TN-06), and Marlin Stutzman (IN-03).\n\n\u201cShield laws fly in the face of constitutional legality and basic morality,\u201d said Rep. Stutzman. \u201cD.C. providers prescribing chemical abortion pills and transgender therapy should not be protected from interstate investigations especially since the door is wide open for them to provide some of these drugs to minors. I am proud to cosponsor Congressman Clyde\u2019s bill which will end this madness immediately.\u201d\n\nThe D.C Shield Law Repeal Act is supported by the following organizations: Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), Concerned Women for America (CWA), Family Research Council (FRC), and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America (SBA).\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to Rep. Andrew Clyde for introducing this bill to repeal the so-called shield laws in Washington, D.C. These unconstitutional \u2018shield laws\u2019 open the door for the illegal and illicit flow of dangerous abortion drugs into prolife states, harm women and their unborn children, and protect abortion drug traffickers from legal liability. We commend Rep. Clyde for his leadership to repeal these pernicious laws that undermine the unalienable right to life,\u201d said Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Matt Sharp.\n\n\u201cShield laws are an evil loophole created for abortion providers to free themselves from accountability. Not only do these harmful laws undermine state law, they leave women and children helpless and alone with dangerous drugs and no protections. Representative Clyde\u2019s D.C. Shield Law Repeal Act is a necessary step to hold abortion providers accountable for protecting women and children,\u201d said Penny Nance, CEO and President, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee.\n\n\u201cFRC is grateful to Rep. Clyde and Sen. Lee for introducing the D.C. Shield Law Repeal Act. Those who harm women and children via abortion or gender transition procedures should not be shielded from the repercussions of violating the law. This bill puts the victims first and helps ensure they can get justice. Washington, D.C. cannot be allowed to shield abortionists and \u2018gender transition\u2019 providers from being investigated and, if necessary, prosecuted for trafficking dangerous drugs in violation of state laws. Eleven percent of users experience serious complications, such as hemorrhage and life-threatening infections, after taking the abortion pill. If a woman in a pro-life state receives drugs that will kill her child from D.C. via the mail, the abortionist must be held accountable. If a young person in a pro-family state receives cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers, which can cause blood clots, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, destabilization of certain psychiatric disorders, sterilization, and more, from D.C. via the mail, the provider must be held accountable. D.C. does not have a right to override state laws. States have a right to protect their citizens, and victims must be protected.\u201d said FRC\u2019s Director of Federal Affairs MaryBeth Waddell.\n\n\u201cSo-called Shield laws protect abortionists, not women. DC's shield law gives broad immunity to abortionists, shielding them from criminal, civil, and professional consequences even when they violate other state pro-life laws. This includes allowing DC abortionists to prescribe and ship dangerous abortion drugs to people living in pro-life states where they are not licensed. Thank you, Rep. Clyde, for working to protect babies and their mothers by introducing the D.C. Shield Law Repeal Act to repeal this extremely reckless law,\u201d said Marilyn Musgrave, Vice President of Government Affairs, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.\n\n\u201cOur forefathers fought arduously to bring to life the Declaration of Independence and the 14th amendment in order to promise that any state should not deprive any person of life and liberty without due process- nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law. There\u2019s no asterisk that declares a person must be in a special location, certain age, race or ethnicity for this to be their birthright. To be able to deny children access to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is declaring the fight from our forefathers null and void. Life begins with the right to exist. Repealing shield law will just be the beginning of providing accountability to those who are trying to take away fundamental rights set forth by our United States government. Our center has seen first-hand the impact shield laws weaponization has had to deny life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These laws strip women and families of the ability to make informed decisions regarding each one of these founding principles,\u201d said Beth Thomason, Director of Operations for Choices Pregnancy Center Rabun County.\n\nBackground\n\nIn the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women\u2019s Health Organization, liberal states have drafted \u201cshield laws\u201d for abortion providers who perform abortions or prescribe abortion medication and cross gender hormone drugs to individuals in states where these actions are now prohibited. Each law varies slightly, but they all ultimately seek to allow the shield state to refuse to comply with another state's investigation or penalization of a provider. Currently, 22 states and Washington, D.C. have similar laws.\n\nIn 2022, the D.C. Council introduced the Human Rights Sanctuary Amendment Act to protect individuals and providers in Washington, D.C. from being held legally accountable in other states for engaging in or providing abortions and cross gender hormone drugs. Specifically, the measure prohibits D.C. officials from cooperating with out-of-state investigations or legal actions targeting these activities and allows individuals, including providers, to sue for damages if they are targeted by such out-of-state lawsuits. Additionally, it requires that any out-of-state subpoena seeking information or testimony must include a sworn statement confirming it is not related to these protected \u201cbodily autonomy\u201d activities before it can be enforced in D.C. The bill became law in 2023, serving as D.C.\u2019s interstate shield law.\n\nRep. Clyde\u2019s D.C. Shield Law Repeal Act repeals the radical D.C. Council\u2019s Human Rights Sanctuary Amendment Act in order to protect women, children, and the unborn by delivering commonsense accountability to D.C. providers that undermine states with pro-life and anti-\u201cgender affirming\u201d laws, such as Georgia.\n\nIn fact, D.C.\u2019s shield law has directly impacted Rep. Clyde\u2019s rural District in Northeast Georgia. In 2024, a volunteer for a crisis pregnancy center obtained mifepristone via mail, despite the online request being in clear violation of Georgia law. The dangerous pills came in a plain brown envelope, postmarked from Washington, D.C. The effort was meant to showcase the radical, unlawful, and widespread access to abortion drugs. Yet if these pills had harmed one of Rep. Clyde\u2019s constituents, the provider could not be held legally responsible due to D.C.\u2019s shield law.\n\nArticle 1, Section 8, Clause 17 of the Constitution grants Congress exclusive legislative authority to manage Washington, D.C.\u2019s affairs.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-questions-health-insurance-experts-on-fixes-for-aca-subsidies", "Senator Collins Questions Health Insurance Experts on Fixes for ACA Subsidies", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, at a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, U.S. Senator Susan Collins questioned health insurance experts on the growing affordability challenges within the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace and the need for bipartisan reforms.\n\nSenator Collins underscored that current enhanced premium tax credits, which were enacted during the Biden Administration and were intended to be temporary, come with significant unintended consequences for American families, including excessively high deductibles and subsidy eligibility thresholds. Senator Collins also emphasized that addressing these issues will require both short- and long-term solutions.\n\nHearing witnesses discussed potential solutions such as reinstating a meaningful income cap for premium tax credits, adding guardrails to prevent high-income or high-asset households from being eligible for subsidies, and shrinking the gap between the increase in both coverage costs and average worker earnings.\n\nSenator Collins\u2019 Introductory Comments on ACA Subsidies\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download\n\nSenator Collins: I feel compelled to respond to the Ranking Member's remarks about whether or not Republicans care about this issue. It is obvious that we care deeply about the affordability of health care for our constituents. I would point out that the Chairman of this committee is a Republican. He's the one who has convened this important hearing. He is also the one who has worked night and day, with many of us, to talk about solutions.\n\nBy contrast, the policy that we're talking about, during the Biden era, was rammed through with no Republican support, and it was supposed to sunset so that we could have a more thoughtful approach, and it's now placed working Americans in a terrible bind.\n\nMr. White, in his written testimony, refers to the affordability gap, the growing difference between the high price of coverage and workers\u2019 earnings, and that's why we should be putting partisan politics aside and trying to work together to come up with solutions.\n\nThe so called \u201cfree\u201d bronze plans have huge out of pocket deductibles, enormous, unaffordable deductibles. That is an untenable situation, which is why our Chairman has talked about health savings accounts, has talked about cost sharing reductions. I want to bring up another issue, and let me say, I think there's a limit to what we can do in this first year. I think we're going to need a two-year plan. Senator Murkowski and others have proposed multi-year plans as well.\n\n+++\n\nQ&A on Solutions to Runaway Health Care Costs\n\nClick HERE to watch and HERE to download\n\nSenator Collins: I want to ask Mr. White about a short-term solution that could be added this year, and then a longer-term solution that I'd like to hear the panel's views on. First, there is no income cap on the enhanced premium tax credits. That means, according to our calculations, that a family of four living in Augusta, Maine, making $325,000 a year\u2014which I can tell you, would cover very few people in Augusta, Maine\u2014qualify for a taxpayer funded subsidy. Mr. White, do you think we should put a reasonable cap\u2014phase it out so we don't have a cliff\u2014on who qualifies for these enhanced premium tax credits?\n\nJoel White, President of the Council for Affordable Health Coverage: Absolutely, yes. We need to understand that those subsidies above 400% of poverty are financed, in part, by taxes on working Americans. Someone working in a bakery, a gas station, a lower income family is paying taxes to subsidize the subsidies for someone making $200,000, $300,000, $400,000 a year. That is not fair. So there needs to be some kind of recognition that we can't tax low-income people to pay for high-income people's subsidies. The second point I\u2019ll make is there's no asset test on these enhanced subsidies. And so, as an early retiree, I might have a sizable nest egg, maybe a million dollars, and have an income of $200,000 and still qualify for a subsidy paid for by a lower working-class American\u2014that's not fair either.\n\nSenator Collins: Thank you. Ms. Strouse, same question.\n\nMarcie Strouse, Owner and Partner of Capitol Benefits Group: Yeah, I agree that if we are going to keep the subsidies in place, that we would need to have some sort of an income cap on there. And then also for those people that potentially are underestimating their income to receive subsidies, they should be required to pay subsidies back at the time that they verify their taxes at the end of the year. So, there should be some sort of safety net that makes sure that they're paying the appropriate amount that they should be paying.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-the-passing-of-charles-norman-shay", "Senator Collins\u2019 Statement on the Passing of Charles Norman Shay", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE for a full-resolution image\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement on the passing of Charles Norman Shay, a decorated World War II and Korean War veteran and member of the Penobscot Nation, at the age of 101:\n\n\u201cI am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Charles Norman Shay, a remarkable hero who made countless sacrifices to protect our country during World War II and the Korean War. A proud member of the Penobscot Nation and a graduate of Old Town High School, Charles embodied the very best of our state.\n\n\u201cI had the privilege of meeting Charles on several occasions, including in Normandy during the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Meeting Charles, I was struck by his humility and the profound sense of duty to his fellow soldiers that guided him throughout his service.\n\n\u201cMaine and our nation have lost an extraordinary patriot. I send my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, the Penobscot Nation, and all who were inspired by his remarkable life. We will forever honor his service, his sacrifice, and his unwavering devotion to his fellow veterans and our country.\u201d\n\n+++\n\nAs a 19-year-old Army medic, Private Shay was assigned to an assault battalion in the first wave of attack at the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. For his valor on the battlefield, having rescued drowning and wounded comrades under enemy fire, he received the Silver Star. After additional frontline duty in the Battle of the Bulge and the Rhine, he was captured in the Sieg Valley. Spending nearly a month in German prison camps, Shay was liberated on April 18. In 1945, after World War II had ended, he was awarded four bronze battle stars and demobilized.\n\nShay went on to serve as a medic in the Korean War, where he received the Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters for Valor and was nominated for a second Silver Star. Six months after his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, Shay joined the Air Force Reserve in February 1952. In the summer of 1964, after more than twenty years in the U.S. military, Master Sergeant Shay retired and, a year later, obtained a position with the International Atomic Energy Agency, where he worked for 20 years.\n\nIn his later years, Charles dedicated himself to ensuring that the courageous stories of Native American veterans were told. The Charles Shay Indian Memorial overlooking Omaha Beach in France stands as a lasting tribute to his life and to all the Native American soldiers who served our country with distinction in World War II.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7029", "Allen, Arrington Fight to Lower Health Care Costs, Increase Transparency", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rick W. Allen", "A000372", "allen.house.gov", "allen", "https://allen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) recently joined House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) in introducing the Healthy Competition for Better Care Act. This bipartisan legislation promotes transparency in health care, cracks down on anti-competitive practices, and removes restrictions preventing competition in health care markets.\n\n\"I have often said that the best way to lower health care costs for hardworking Americans is to enhance competition in the marketplace. For too long, anti-competitive practices have driven up premiums and out-of-pocket costs while simultaneously limiting consumers\u2019 ability to choose the health care plan that meets their needs,\" said Congressman Allen. \"The Healthy Competition for Better Care Act proposes comprehensive reforms to improve our flawed system by increasing transparency, fostering greater competition, expanding access to quality care, and lowering skyrocketing health care costs. I thank Representative Arrington for his leadership on this legislation and look forward to its consideration by the Education and Workforce Committee.\"\n\n\"Americans are paying too much for too little health care,\" said Chairman Arrington. \"My Healthy Competition for Better Care Act cracks down on anti-competitive practices, removes unnecessary restrictions, and gives patients the freedom to find better-quality and lower-cost care. This bipartisan legislation puts hardworking families first, ensures fair competition, and puts patients, not bureaucrats, back in charge of their health care.\"\n\n\"ERIC strongly supports the 'Healthy Competition for Better Care Act' because it promotes transparency, eliminates anti-competitive barriers, and empowers patients to choose high-quality, lower-cost care,\" said Melissa Bartlett, Senior Vice President of Health Policy at The ERISA Industry Committee. \"Encouraging these value-driven provider partnerships is essential to helping employers and employees access the best care at the best prices. We applaud Representatives Arrington, Davis and Allen for introducing the legislation and look forward to working with them to advance more affordable health care solutions.\"\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nThe legislation promotes transparency in health care, cracks down on anti-competitive practices, and removes restrictions preventing competition in health care markets. In all, making health care better for patients and lowering health care costs.\n\nThe legislation enables more group health plans and health insurance issuers to enter into agreements with providers that guide enrollees to high-value providers and provide incentives to encourage enrollees to seek higher-quality, lower-cost care.\n\nThe legislation was scored by the Congressional Budget Office last Congress to save an estimated $4.9 billion over 10 years.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16027", "E&C holds hearing on Carter's bill protecting kids' online safety", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The Energy and Commerce Committee (E&C) today held a Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee hearing entitled \u201cLegislative Solutions to Protect Children and Teens Online,\u201d which included Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter\u2019s (R-GA) bipartisan bill, Sammy\u2019s Law.\n\nSammy\u2019s Law is a bill safeguarding children online by informing parents about dangerous interactions on social media. The bill, which gives parents the choice to use third-party safety software to protect their children from harmful situations on social media, is named after Sammy Chapman, who, at the age of 16, was approached by a drug dealer on Snapchat and was unknowingly a victim of fentanyl poisoning.\n\n\u201cOur children are being victimized by bad actors on social media,\u201d said Rep. Carter. \u201cAs a father and a grandfather, my heart aches for Sammy\u2019s parents and any others who have lost a child too soon. No parent should have to endure that pain. I believe Sammy\u2019s Law is essential to addressing this silent epidemic that is in homes across America, as it would offer effective barriers against drug abuse, human trafficking, mental health crises, eating disorders, and other harmful situations before they endanger our children. I thank the Energy and Commerce Committee for holding this hearing today and urge continued bipartisan support for this critical, life-saving legislation.\u201d\n\nRead full bill text here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://jack.house.gov/media/press-releases/major-arenas-endorse-congressman-brian-jacks-bipartisan-muhammad-ali-american", "Major Arenas Endorse Congressman Brian Jack\u2019s Bipartisan Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Brian Jack", "J000311", "jack.house.gov", "jack", "https://jack.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\nContact: Regan Hinson\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Brian Jack (GA-03) announced that five of the largest arena operators in the United States have endorsed the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (H.R. 4624), bipartisan legislation that seeks to establish regulatory certainty and encourage innovation to reverse the steady decline of professional boxing in America.\n\nThe arena operators which have expressed their support in letters to the U.S. House Committee on Education & Workforce include AEG, Legends Global, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp., MGM Resorts International, and Oak View Group.\n\nCollectively, these companies represent many of the most prestigious venues in the United States, including:\n\n\u25cf State Farm Arena (Atlanta)\n\n\u25cf Madison Square Garden (New York City)\n\n\u25cf Chartway Arena (Norfolk)\n\n\u25cf Little Caesars Arena (Detroit)\n\n\u25cf Target Center (Minneapolis)\n\n\u25cf T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)\n\n\u25cf Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles)\n\n\u25cf Prudential Center (Newark)\n\n\u201cOver the last two decades, boxing in America has faced a steady decline. The number of marquee boxing fights held at American venues is a fraction of what it used to be, with many of boxing\u2019s premier events now taking place overseas,\u201d said Congressman Brian Jack. \u201cAs these boxing matches have migrated outside of the United States, they have also taken away the economic benefits our local communities once enjoyed during the golden age of boxing. Passage of the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act will revitalize this once-great American sport, and drastically increase the number of professional boxing events held in communities across the United States.\u201d\n\nMajor boxing events create enormous economic success for the host communities. Local workers are employed in event operations, hospitality, security, and across many other functions. In addition, neighboring businesses outside of the arenas, such as restaurants, bars, and hotels, all experience revenue spikes due to the increase in consumer spending from local fans and out-of-town visitors.\n\nPassage of the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act will increase the number of professional boxing matches in the United States by encouraging and incentivizing new promotions to produce such events.\n\nMAABRA preserves the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (the \"Ali Act\") that was codified in 2000, and enhances the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 by adding supplemental provisions to improve the safety and well-being of boxers.\n\nThe bill establishes a national minimum payment-per-round for all professional boxers ($150 per round), which prevents up-and-coming fighters from being exploited. In addition, all professional boxers would have access to better health insurance, including a first-time national minimum of $25,000 of coverage for injuries sustained during a bout \u2013 higher than the current minimum in 43 states.\n\nMAABRA allows for the creation of alternative systems called Unified Boxing Organizations (UBOs), which would provide boxers with better health and safety protections, greater compensation, and more choice and opportunities. UBOs would not replace the current sanctioning organizations. Instead, UBOs would exist side-by-side and operate independently, with UBO events regulated by state athletic commissions.\n\nBoxers would have the freedom to choose which of the two systems \u2013 the existing sanctioning organizations model or the new UBO model \u2013 is most advantageous to them.\n\nThis legislation represents the first update to boxing in a quarter-century and will revive a once-great American sport.", 1, "2026-04-11T05:33:44Z", "2026-04-11T05:34:52Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=A389C298-82D0-4E13-9CD7-3ED3C8CF66F5", "Representatives McBath, Roy, Biggs, and Cohen Celebrate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Simplify Federal Criminal Code", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC\u2014Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06), Chip Roy (TX-21), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), and Steve Cohen (TN-09) issued the following statement after the House passage of the Count the Crimes to Cut Act, H.R 2159. This legislation requires the Department of Justice to produce a public report and database outlining all federal criminal statutory offenses and directs federal agencies to do the same for all criminal regulatory offenses.\n\nCongresswoman McBath, Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, said: \u201cAs elected officials, it\u2019s our duty to maintain an effective criminal justice system on behalf of the American people. With this bill, our constituents will no longer have to fear being excessively punished and criminal justice professionals can fulfill their mission\u2014protecting the public. I was proud to see the Count the Crimes to Cut Act pass the House unanimously, and I thank my colleagues for their collaboration in the fight for common-sense, bipartisan solutions to update our legal code.\u201d\n\nCongressman Roy, Chairman on the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government, said: \u201cI am proud that the House of Representatives passed the Count the Crimes to Cut Act on a bipartisan basis. There are at least hundreds of thousands of criminal federal laws and regulations on the books, but no one even knows how many we actually have. And many of these laws and regulations are outdated and unnecessary, if not outright ridiculous. At any time, someone could be held criminally liable for something they don\u2019t even know about \u2014 this is absurd and it\u2019s far past time we get a full understanding of the federal criminal tapestry to ensure no American is caught in the crosshairs of overcriminalization. I urge the Senate to take up this bill as soon as possible so we can get to work counting the crimes.\u201d\n\nCongressman Biggs, Chairman on the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, said: \u201cThe passage of the Count the Crimes to Cut Act is a major step toward restoring the rule of law. Overcriminalization is one of the most destructive features of the modern federal leviathan, and Americans deserve a government that doesn't hide criminal offenses in a maze of statutes and regulations. This bill brings us closer to peeling back the layers of federal crimes that have become ridiculous and burdensome for the American people. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to advance this legislation swiftly so we can get it to President Trump's desk.\u201d\n\nCongressman Cohen, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, said: \u201cNo one knows how many federal criminal offenses there are. Our founders warned us against having laws too \u2018voluminous\u2019 or \u2018incoherent\u2019 to be understood by the people. The Count the Crimes to Cut Act makes a simple request of the Department of Justice: list out the federal criminal offenses, their elements, and how often they are used. We have a lot of work to do to make criminal justice more fair and responsive to the challenges we face today. This is how we start. I am pleased to work with Congressman Roy as the first Democratic cosponsor and with others on both sides of the aisle to pass this necessary legislation.\u201d\n\nThe Count the Crimes to Cut Act of 2025 would:\n\nRequire the Attorney General, in cooperation with the agency heads, to produce a full report of all federal criminal statutes and federal regulations with criminal penalties. For each offense, the report is required to provide the following details:\n\nThe elements of each offense.\n\nThe potential penalties for each offense.\n\nThe number of prosecutions brought in the last 15 years for each offense.\n\nThe mens rea required for each offense.\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by Families Against Mandatory Minimums, the Due Process Institute, the National District Attorneys Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the R Street Institute, and Right on Crime.\n\nRead the full legislation here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://mccormick.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-mccormick-castro-olszewski-and-fitzpatrick-introduce-global-child-thrive", "Reps. McCormick, Castro, Olszewski, and Fitzpatrick Introduce Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Richard McCormick", "M001218", "mccormick.house.gov", "mccormick", "https://mccormick.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C \u2014 Today, Congressman Rich McCormick (GA-07), Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressman Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), introduced the Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would strengthen the implementation of policies that advance early childhood development internationally.\n\n\u201cI am proud to cosponsor the reauthorization of the Global Child Thrive Act. This initiative enhances America's leadership on the global stage by ensuring that vulnerable children receive the support they need to grow and succeed,\u201d said Congressman Rich McCormick. \u201cBy extending this program for another six years and establishing a Special Advisor to oversee it, we are making a smart investment that promotes stability and delivers a strong return for American taxpayers. I am grateful for the ongoing bipartisan support this initiative has received since it was first championed by leaders like Senator Marco Rubio.\u201d\n\n\u201cReauthorizing the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020 means continuing to support the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional health of vulnerable children and their families,\u201d said Congressman Castro. \u201cThe early years of childhood are crucial, and U.S. foreign assistance programs provide critical support. Thank you to my colleagues for their efforts in supporting these important policies.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery child deserves the chance to grow, learn, and reach their full potential \u2014 no matter where they\u2019re born,\u201d said Congressman Johnny Olszewski. \u201cThe Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act puts that belief at the heart of America\u2019s work around the world. I\u2019m proud to help lead this bipartisan effort to support early childhood development, protect vulnerable children, and strengthen families and communities. It\u2019s the right thing to do \u2014 and it helps build healthier societies, reduce poverty, and advance America\u2019s values and security for years to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe applaud Representatives Castro, McCormick, Fitzpatrick, and Olszewski for their bipartisan leadership in ensuring that the world\u2019s most vulnerable children are able to grow up to their full potential, protected from abuse, neglect and trafficking. The Global Child Thrive Act is a bipartisan recognition that every child, regardless of where they are born, has the right to grow up safe, healthy, and supported. The Global Child Thrive Act ensures early childhood development is a priority, not an afterthought,\u201d said Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children.\n\n\u201cThe earliest years of life are the most critical for healthy brain development.\u201d stresses Michael J. Nyenhuis, UNICEF USA CEO and President. \u201cEnsuring that early childhood development remains a strong component of U.S. foreign assistance will help to support the growth and development of hundreds of millions of children under the age of 5 globally who currently face extreme poverty and stunting. We\u2019re thrilled to support the bipartisan reauthorization of the Global Child Thrive Act so that these children have an equitable chance to not only survive, but thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Global Child Thrive Act is an important step to reach vulnerable children with the basics they need, like good nutrition and responsive family care. Prioritizing the needs of young children and their families leads to far-reaching benefits in health, education, and much more. The Global Child Thrive Act is key to making this impact possible,\u201d said Mishelle Rudzinski, Executive Director, SPOON.\n\nThe Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025 reauthorizes the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020, landmark legislation that was enacted in early 2021 that strengthened the prioritization of supporting early childhood development in foreign assistance.\n\nThe Global Child Reauthorization Act of 2025 would:\n\nRequire the Secretary of State to appoint a new Special Advisor for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, a position that coordinates all United States foreign assistance programs for orphans and vulnerable children.\n\nThis position has traditionally resided at the United States Agency for International Development and is currently unfilled.\n\nRequire the administration to issue new guidelines to implement the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020.", 1, "2026-04-16T05:48:36Z", "2026-04-16T05:50:08Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-release-of-nearly-40-million-in-federal-home-heating-aid-for-mainers", "Senator Collins Announces Release of Nearly $40 Million in Federal Home Heating Aid for Mainers", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Community Services has released $39,780,472 in Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding, with $38,321,610 being allocated for the State of Maine and $1,458,862 for the Indian Township and Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet, and Mi\u2019kmaq Tribes in Maine. LIHEAP funding will help low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes in Maine afford their energy bills this winter.\n\nLast month, Senators Collins, Jack Reed (D-RI), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) along with a bipartisan group of 28 other Senators urged HHS to swiftly distribute LIHEAP dollars that had been delayed following the recent federal government shutdown. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins helped advance a $20 million increase in funding for LIHEAP in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which passed the Committee with strong bipartisan support earlier this year. The bill is awaiting consideration by the full Senate.\n\n\u201cLIHEAP funding provides vital relief to thousands of Mainers, helping them avoid the constant worry of having to choose between heating their homes and covering other basic necessities,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI am glad that following our outreach, HHS has released funds for this critical program. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to support this program and work to ensure that households in Maine and throughout the country can afford to heat their homes this winter.\u201d\n\nAccording to a new forecast from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, home heating costs are estimated to rise nearly 8 percent over last winter on average, with costs for heating with electricity forecasted to increase even higher\u2013to 10 percent above last year. Nationwide, an estimated 6.2 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP over the last year. In Maine, households received $41.6 million in FY 2025 LIHEAP funding.\n\nEligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources. While eligibility varies by state, most applicants must have a household income below 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline or 60 percent of the state median income. LIHEAP applications are now open for all income-eligible households. Senior citizens and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply as early as possible, but applications will be open to everyone through spring of 2026, or until the funding is exhausted.\n\nMaine residents can click here to apply.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-substance-use-and-mental-illness-provisions-signed-into-law", "Senator Collins\u2019 Substance Use and Mental Illness Provisions Signed into Law", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The President signed into law the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan bill that strengthens prevention, treatment, and recovery services for Americans with substance use disorders and mental illness. The legislation contains several provisions authored and supported by Senator Collins.\n\n\u201cThe opioid and mental health crises continue to devastate families and communities nationwide, including right here in Maine. This bill expands the options and resources available for local communities to support individuals battling addiction and mental illness,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cI\u2019d like to congratulate my friend and colleague Senator Cassidy for his leadership that was instrumental in getting this bill signed into law. I\u2019m especially proud that several of my provisions, which support recovery, research, maternal and child health, and loan repayment for substance use disorder professionals, are included in this legislation.\u201d\n\nSeveral provisions championed by Senator Collins that will directly benefit Mainers are included in this law:\n\nPeer Support Services Center of Excellence: Reauthorizes the National Peer-Run Training and Technical Assistance Center for Addiction Recovery Support. The Center provides technical support to recovery organizations and peer networks across the country and now includes a pilot program to provide additional technical support in specific regions. Senator Collins created the National Peer-Run Training and Technical Assistance Center, which was inspired by the work of the Bangor Area Recovery Network in Brewer, as part of the original SUPPORT Act.\n\nMedication Assisted Treatment and Education Act Technical Correction: Updates training requirements for opioid prescribers, ensuring that professionals such as dentists, family physicians, and other clinicians are not required to repeat duplicative or irrelevant continuing education courses.\n\nMaternal and Child Health Programs: Reauthorizes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) programs to prevent substance use disorders among pregnant and postpartum women. These programs are critical in addressing the high rate of neonatal abstinence syndrome in Maine and supporting the health of mothers and infants.\n\nSubstance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment: Extends the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) STAR Loan Repayment Program through fiscal year 2029 and increases funding from $25 million to $40 million. This program offers loan repayment for substance use disorder professionals who agree to serve in underserved areas with high overdose rates, including at hospitals and facilities in Maine.\n\nFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Programs: Reauthorizes federal programs under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that support prevention, early identification, intervention, and research on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.\n\nCommunities of Recovery Grant Program: Expands the Building Communities of Recovery grant program, increasing funding from $5 million to $16 million annually to strengthen recovery services.\n\nThe SUPPORT Act also strengthens workforce training for first responders, protects the 9-8-8 Suicide Prevention Lifeline from cybersecurity threats, and helps individuals in recovery reenter the workforce.\n\nLast year, Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured more than $23 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for mental health and substance use disorder treatment programs and facilities in Maine through the Fiscal Year 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senators-collins-introduces-bipartisan-bill-to-improve-federal-workers-access-to-injury-compensation", "Senator Collins Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Federal Workers\u2019 Access to Injury Compensation", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins introducing the bill on the Senate floor\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the bipartisan Improving Access to Workers\u2019 Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act. This legislation would allow Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to certify injuries and oversee treatment for federal workers with injuries or illnesses that occurred on the job, when doing so is consistent with the scope of their practice under state law.\n\n\u201cIn a large, rural state like Maine, finding access to health care close to home can be a challenge,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cNurse practitioners and physician assistants help to fill in this gap by providing quality medical services to local communities. By allowing injured federal workers to be treated by these professionals, our bipartisan bill would help prevent the need for long and difficult travel, reduce wait times for care, and improve employees\u2019 overall health and wellbeing.\u201d\n\nFederal employees can already select a PA or a NP as their primary health care provider within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. However, the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) permits only a physician to make the diagnosis, certify the injury and extent of the disability, and oversee the patient\u2019s treatments and care when the federal employee is injured on the job.\n\nThe Improving Access to Workers\u2019 Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act would amend FECA to allow injured workers to receive treatment for work-related injuries from state-licensed physician associates/physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Current law prohibits federal workers from being treated by PAs and NPs for worker compensation cases.\n\nThe bill has been endorsed by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the American Academy of Physician Associates, and the National Association of Letter Carriers.\n\n\u201cThe American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), on behalf of the over 431,000 nurse practitioners nationwide, commends Senators Collins and Blumenthal for their leadership on the Improving Access to Workers\u2019 Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act of 2025,\u201d said AANP President, Valerie J. Fuller, PhD, DNP. \u201cThis legislation will ensure injured federal employees receive the care they need from their chosen and trusted health care provider. By authorizing NPs to certify workplace injuries and oversee the patient\u2019s treatment and care, federal employees will return to work sooner.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) applauds Senators Collins and Blumenthal for championing this commonsense legislation. Too many federal workers still face outdated barriers that delay or deny the care they need when they get injured on the job,\u201d said AAPA President Todd Pickard, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, FASCO. \u201cWith more than 190,000 PAs practicing nationwide and delivering high-quality care across every specialty, the reintroduction of this bill is an important step toward modernizing our system and ensuring federal employees can get timely, expert care without unnecessary roadblocks.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen a letter carrier, or any federal employee, is injured on the job, finding quality, convenient, and timely care is essential. The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) appreciates Senator Collins and Senator Blumenthal\u2019s leadership in introducing this bill and urges Congress to pass it,\u201d said NALC President Brian L. Renfroe.\n\nThe complete text of the bill can be read here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16026", "WATCH: Carter supports research and development to improve outcomes for children with rare diseases", "2025-12-01", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R-GA) today spoke on the House floor in favor of H.R. 1262, the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act, which boasts bipartisan support and invests in research and development of cures and treatments for children with rare diseases, including cancer.\n\nWatch and read his full speech here:\n\n\u201cMr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the bipartisan Give Kids a Chance Act, which supports research and development of drugs for children with cancer and other rare diseases.\n\n\u201cNearly 70% of rare diseases start in childhood, and most still have no approved treatments. The Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher program has been a catalyst for developing therapies for these vulnerable populations.\n\n\u201cThanks to this program, treatments have reached children suffering from nearly 40 rare diseases, many of which previously had no FDA-approved options and often led to severe disability or death before adulthood.\n\n\u201cSince 2012, the Rare Pediatric Disease PRV Program has helped bring more than 60 new treatments to market and has driven investment in hundreds of additional therapies for rare pediatric diseases that would otherwise be financially unviable.\n\n\u201cThe Give Kids a Chance Act restores this critical program, ensuring that we continue to spur innovation, improve outcomes for young patients, and close gaps in pediatric drug research.\n\n\u201cMr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://jack.house.gov/media/press-releases/mike-tyson-endorses-congressman-brian-jacks-bipartisan-muhammad-ali-american", "Mike Tyson Endorses Congressman Brian Jack\u2019s Bipartisan Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act", "2025-12-01", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Brian Jack", "J000311", "jack.house.gov", "jack", "https://jack.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\nContact: Regan Hinson\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Brian Jack (GA-03) announced Mike Tyson\u2019s endorsement of the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (H.R. 4624), bipartisan legislation that provides professional boxers with more opportunities, better pay, and greater safety protections.\n\n\u201cI am honored to earn the support of Mike Tyson, one of the greatest boxers of all time. Mike Tyson\u2019s unprecedented success in the sport enabled him to transcend his accomplishments in the ring, and become an American cultural phenomenon,\u201d said Congressman Brian Jack. \u201cMike Tyson supports the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act because it protects boxers and offers more choice and new career opportunities for fighters to reach the same level of success that he once earned.\u201d\n\nMike Tyson joins Lonnie Ali, the wife of Muhammad Ali, the Association of Boxing Commissions, and dozens of health and safety experts who support the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (MAABRA).\n\nIn his letter to the U.S. House Committee on Education & Workforce, Mike Tyson wrote, \u201cMuhammad Ali has always been my hero, both inside and outside the ring. Supporting these revisions honors the spirit of the original Ali Act by closing loopholes that have allowed some promoters to regain monopolistic control over fighters\u2019 careers. This new legislation restores balance \u2013 allowing boxers to choose their own path while preserving the integrity of the sport. The Act does not alter the opportunities of those who are comfortable with the current system; it simply adds options for fighters who wish to pursue a different path that better suits their career goals.\u201d\n\nIn addition, Mike Tyson underscored the greater protections and compensation MAABRA offers boxers: \u201cThe proposed reforms provide meaningful benefits for fighters. Establishing a per-round minimum ensures that every athlete who steps into the ring receives fair compensation for the risks they take with their body and mind. The requirement for mandatory health insurance is equally critical \u2013 no fighter should ever have to choose between paying medical bills and pursuing their career. I\u2019ve seen too many of my peers face that impossible decision.\u201d\n\nMAABRA preserves the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (the \u201cAli Act\u201d) that was codified in 2000, and enhances the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 by adding supplemental provisions to improve the safety and well-being of boxers.\n\nThe bill establishes a national minimum payment-per-round for all professional boxers ($150 per round), which prevents up-and-coming fighters from being exploited. In addition, all professional boxers would have access to better health insurance, including a first-time national minimum of $25,000 of coverage for injuries sustained during a bout \u2013 higher than the current minimum in 43 states.\n\nMAABRA allows for the creation of alternative systems called Unified Boxing Organizations (UBOs), which would provide boxers with better health and safety protections, greater compensation, and more choice and opportunities. UBOs would not replace the current sanctioning organizations. Instead, UBOs would exist side-by-side and operate independently, with UBO events regulated by state athletic commissions.\n\nBoxers would have the freedom to choose which of the two systems \u2013 the existing sanctioning organizations model or the new UBO model \u2013 is most advantageous to them.\n\nThis legislation represents the first update to boxing in a quarter-century and will revive a once-great American sport.\n\nRead the full bill text here.", 1, "2026-04-10T05:46:57Z", "2026-04-10T05:48:19Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-ossoff-announce-over-300-million-for-georgia-broadband-expansion/", "Warnock, Ossoff Announce\u00a0Over\u00a0$300 Million for Georgia Broadband Expansion", "2025-12-01", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Warnock and Jon Ossoff announced $300 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program\n\nThe funding will help close the digital divide in Georgia and our state closer to 100% connectivity for the first time in history\n\nSenator Warnock: \u201cThis federal investment means life gets easier for hundreds of thousands of Georgians, and it provides the tools and infrastructure our communities need to be competitive in today\u2019s economy,\u201d\n\nSenator Ossoff: \u201cOur historic bipartisan infrastructure law continues to deliver for Georgia. This is a major next step toward ensuring every Georgia family and business has high-speed Internet\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) announced over $300 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The program works to expand broadband access in Georgia\u2019s unserved and underserved communities, strengthening access to affordable, high-speed internet across our state, particularly for the estimated 15% of Georgians who currently lack reliable broadband access. The funding will be distributed to various local contractors by the Georgia Technology Authority to build out the state\u2019s broadband network.\n\n\u201cThis federal investment means life gets easier for hundreds of thousands of Georgians, and it provides the tools and infrastructure our communities need to be competitive in today\u2019s economy,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cYou need a broadband connection to do just about anything, you can\u2019t even farm without a broadband connection. That is why I am glad to see Georgia finally get the federal funding it needs to close the digital divide despite unnecessary delays and disruptions from the current administration. I will continue to push this administration to release all federal resources available to get Georgians online quickly and efficiently.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur historic bipartisan infrastructure law continues to deliver for Georgia. This is a major next step toward ensuring every Georgia family and business has high-speed Internet,\u201d said Senator Ossoff.\n\nSenator Warnock is a champion for strengthening broadband access for Georgians across the state. In 2024, Senator Warnock visited the Georgia-based optical fiber manufacturer OFS Fitel with former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. He also led an effort urging the FCC to expand the E-Rate program, which would allow schools and libraries to provide Wi-Fi hotspots to students and educators. Additionally, in 2022 the Senator hosted former FCC Chair Rosenworcel in Jackson County. Senator Warnock has also worked with Senator Luj\u00e1n to urge the FCC to prevent digital discrimination by facilitating equal access to broadband internet through its rulemaking process. In June 2023, Senators Warnock and Ossoff announced $1.3 billion in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. In May 2025, the senators demanded the Trump Administration release funding for states under the BEAD program.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-bishop-statement-on-the-passing-of-bishop-reginald-jackson", "CONGRESSMAN BISHOP STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF BISHOP REGINALD JACKSON", "2025-11-26", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", "bishop", "https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "COLUMBUS, Ga. \u2013 Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) shared the following statement upon the passing of Bishop Reginald Jackson:\n\n\u201cBishop Reginald Thomas Jackson was a revered leader and a steadfast advocate for justice, equality, and compassion. His unwavering commitment to serving both our faith community and the broader society has left an indelible mark on countless lives both in Georgia and beyond.\n\n\u201cHe tirelessly pursued social justice, education, and community service and was instrumental in addressing the pressing challenges of our time.\n\n\u201cThough we are deeply saddened by his loss, we take comfort in his legacy which will continue to inspire future generations.\n\n\u201cMy wife, Vivian, and I extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his ministry. May his soul rest in peace, and may we honor his memory by continuing the work he so passionately championed.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401959", "David Scott and Hank Johnson Demand Answers from Georgia EPD Regarding the Division\u2019s Failure to Hold Chronic Environmental Polluters Accountable", "2025-11-25", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", "davidscott", "https://davidscott.house.gov/news", "scraper", "Read Letter PDF\n\nATLANTA, GA \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman David Scott (GA-13) and Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-4), sent a letter to Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Director, Jeff Cown, calling on him to hold chronic environmental polluters accountable and take decisive action to revoke the permits of repeat offenders. The letter highlights EPD\u2019s inability to conduct meaningful oversight of companies who routinely fail to comply with state and federal environmental laws as they continue to jeopardize the health and safety of our metro-Atlanta communities.\n\nThe lawmakers pointed to multiple incidents across Georgia where industrial facilities, including those operated by D\u00e9riv\u00e9s R\u00e9siniques et Terp\u00e9niques (DRT) and BioLabs, have repeatedly violated state and federal clean air and water laws\u2014as evidence of a systemic breakdown in enforcement within EPD. They emphasize that Georgia\u2019s environmental enforcement lag continues to expose neighborhoods\u2014particularly vulnerable and low-income communities\u2014to dangerous levels of air pollution and contaminated waterways.\n\n\u201cGeorgians deserve clean air, safe water, and an environmental regulator that puts their health and safety first,\u201d said Congressman David Scott. \u201cFor too long, chronic polluters have operated with minimal accountability, and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division\u2019s inaction has allowed dangerous practices to continue unchecked. These failures don\u2019t fall evenly. Black and brown communities are too often the ones forced to bear the brunt of toxic air, contaminated water, and the constant fear of industrial accidents. No community should live with these preventable threats because oversight fell short.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor years, corporate polluters have endangered Georgia communities with fires, toxic releases, and repeated violations,\u201d said Congressman Johnson. \u201cThis pattern of disregard for public health and safety is unacceptable. No company is entitled to operate in our state if it cannot follow the law. EPD must act decisively and revoke these permits until these facilities can demonstrate they are no longer a threat to the health and safety of our residents.\u201d\n\nBoth DRT and BioLabs have amassed years of serious violations, including dangerous chemical leaks in Effingham County and multiple fires and toxic releases at the BioLabs facility in Rockdale County. Additionally, a disastrous 2024 explosion forced 17,000 evacuations and sent over 1,000 Georgians to emergency rooms with serious injuries. However, the EPD has repeatedly failed to issue timely penalties, conduct rigorous inspections, enforce consent decrees, or provide the public with transparent and accessible information. In addition to calling for the revocation of all active permits held by DRT and BioLabs until they can demonstrate full, sustained compliance, the letter requests Director Cowan provide detailed responses regarding:\n\nCriteria the EPD uses to determine when a \u201cpattern of violations\u201d warrants stronger enforcement, and why that threshold is rarely met.\n\nConcrete changes EPD is making to ensure companies with a long record of repeated violations are not allowed to expand or continue operations without proving long-term compliance.\n\nSupport for the creation of a publicly available \u201crepeat violators list\u201d for Georgia industries, including a comprehensive review of historical company violations, corrective actions, and risk management practices, similar to other states.\n\nSteps EPD has taken to establish a clear enforcement timeline and improve communication with impacted communities; ensuring Georgians have a voice when the Division reviews environmental permits for repeat offender.\n\nEfforts to strengthen internal EPD transparency around investigations, penalties, and interagency coordination with federal partners.\n\nThe letter was endorsed by: Georgia WAND, Science for Georgia.\n\nFull letter can be accessed HERE.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-capito-lead-bipartisan-drive-safer-sunday-resolution-ahead-of-thanksgiving-holiday/", "Warnock, Capito Lead Bipartisan Drive Safer Sunday Resolution Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday", "2025-11-25", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "GA", "Raphael G. Warnock", "W000790", "www.warnock.senate.gov", "warnock", "https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Reverend Warnock and Capito are introducing the bipartisan Drive Safer Sunday resolution ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is typically one of the busiest and most dangerous driving weekends of the year\n\nThe resolution urges Americans traveling on roads and highways this Thanksgiving holiday to drive safer to reduce death and injury that can result from motor vehicle crashes\n\nNearly 82 million Americans are projected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, making Thanksgiving the single busiest holiday for travel\n\nSenator Reverend Warnock: \u201cWe know safer streets require each of us to play our part, so I implore Georgians and all Americans to exercise caution amid the busy holiday season\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) led the introduction of the bipartisan Drive Safer Sunday resolution to encourage Americans nationwide to exercise greater caution in their holiday travels. Nearly 82 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period, making it the single busiest holiday for travel in the U.S.\n\n\u201cDriving with patience and focus is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and the people you care about,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cWe know safer streets require each of us to play our part, so I implore Georgians and all Americans to exercise caution amid the busy holiday season.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith so many Americans on the road to visit loved ones, the Sunday after Thanksgiving consistently ranks as one of the busiest travel days of the year,\u201d said Senator Capito. \u201cI\u2019m proud to help reintroduce the Drive Safer Sunday resolution, which encourages everyone to exercise greater caution so they can return home safely.\u201d\n\nThe Drive Safer Sunday resolution encourages all Americans to exercise greater caution in their holiday travels during a period of historically increased traffic incidents and fatalities. This year\u2019s domestic travel forecast includes an additional 1.6 million travelers compared to last Thanksgiving, setting a new overall record. The resolution introduced by the Senators also designates the Sunday after Thanksgiving as \u201cDrive Safer Sunday.\u201d\n\nFirst introduced in 2005, The Drive Safer Sunday resolution has historically been a bipartisan effort led by one of Georgia\u2019s U.S. Senators. The effort was started by Steve and Susan Owings, board members of the Institute for Safer Trucking from Atlanta, whose son Cullum was tragically killed in a truck crash after returning to college from their family Thanksgiving in 2002. Since Cullum\u2019s passing, Steve and Susan Owings have advocated for safer trucking and have worked with Georgia\u2019s Congressional delegation to introduce this resolution.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16016", "Carter donates salary during shutdown to Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia", "2025-11-24", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "SAVANNAH, GA \u2013 Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R-GA) today announced that he has donated his congressional salary for the 43 days that the government was shut down to America\u2019s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia.\n\nThis donation comes after Rep. Carter sent a letter requesting that his pay be withheld during the duration of the shutdown, a time when Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia stepped up to assist Georgia families on SNAP, WIC, and other government services that lapsed in funding, including those service members and federal employees who missed paychecks or had them threatened.\n\n\u201cSecond Harvest helped many Georgians through the uncertainty of the shutdown; however, its impact has been felt in our area for many years, and countless families have been touched by its service and generosity. This donation will help ensure it and its volunteers can continue their great work through the holiday season, and I thank Second Harvest for being a valuable partner in Coastal Georgia,\u201d said Rep. Buddy Carter.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply grateful to Rep. Earl \u2018Buddy\u2019 Carter for his gracious donation to Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia,\u201dsaid Dan Umbel, President of the Board of Directors. \u201cAt a time when many families are facing heightened need, Rep. Carter\u2019s support strengthens our ability to fight hunger across our region and reflects a true commitment to the well-being of every neighbor we serve.\u201d", 1, "2026-04-07T15:46:19Z", "2026-04-07T20:18:39Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-attends-maine-veterans-homes-35th-anniversary-open-house", "Senator Collins Attends Maine Veterans\u2019 Homes 35th Anniversary Open House", "2025-11-23", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos\n\nCaribou, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins attended the Caribou Maine Veterans\u2019 Home\u2019s (MVH) 35th anniversary open house yesterday and celebrated alongside residents and their families, staff, community partners, and board members.\n\n\u201cThe incredible staff at MVH Caribou provide dedicated and skilled care for the heroes who have sacrificed to defend our freedom. It was a pleasure to join the MVH community as this wonderful organization marks 35 years of caring for Maine veterans in Aroostook County,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cAs Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for funding to ensure Maine\u2019s veterans have access to the benefits and resources they have earned through their service.\u201d\n\nSenator Collins secured $6.6 million through Fiscal Year 2023 and 2024 appropriations legislation for MVH facilities and has advanced more than $3.6 million in legislation that is currently pending in the Senate.\n\nThrough her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion in Congressionally Directed Spending for 534 local projects across Maine in the last five years, including investments that support law enforcement and first responders, improve access to health care, strengthen rural infrastructure, and support childcare and workforce development.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-northern-light-ar-gould-hospital", "Senator Collins Visits Northern Light AR Gould Hospital", "2025-11-23", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos\n\nPresque Isle, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited Northern Light AR Gould Hospital yesterday to meet with staff and see the new Linear Accelerator (LINAC) radiation therapy equipment for cancer patients.\n\nSenator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured $3.016 million through Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations legislation for the purchase of this machine, which will help to improve care for cancer patients across Aroostook County.\n\n\u201cThe health care professionals of Northern Light AR Gould Hospital provide critical and compassionate care for their patients, and I\u2019m delighted to join in celebrating this great advancement in cancer care for Mainers in the County,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cAs Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for funding to support rural health care providers and the care of cancer patients throughout the State of Maine.\u201d\n\nThrough her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion in Congressionally Directed Spending for 534 local projects across Maine in the last five years, including investments that support law enforcement and first responders, improve access to health care, strengthen rural infrastructure, and support childcare and workforce development.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16015", "Watch: Carter denounces the horrors of socialism", "2025-11-21", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R-GA) today spoke in favor of Representative Maria Elvira Salazar's (R-FL) resolution, Denouncing the Horrors of Socialism, which overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives.\n\nWatch Rep. Carter's remarks here\n\nRead Rep. Carter's full remarks, as prepared for delivery, in favor of this resolution:\n\n\"Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution denouncing the horrors of socialism, and there are horrors.\n\n\"Socialism has no place in our country.\n\n\"Unfortunately, the so-called 'woke' liberals in New York City don\u2019t seem to understand that socialism is nothing more than mutually assured poverty and recently voted to bring these failed policies to their own once great city.\n\n\"While I am saddened that New Yorkers will be willing victims of Zohran Mamdani\u2019s designed-to-fail socialist policies, I have filed legislation ensuring not one dime goes to fund his un-American agenda.\n\n\"The rest of the country should not be forced to subsidize one mayor\u2019s destructive actions.\n\n\"Today\u2019s resolution builds on those efforts, making it clear that the United States does not stand for, does not support, does not condone a system of government that makes people poorer, less free, and less safe.\n\n\"With this resolution, we reiterate our nation\u2019s commitment to remaining a free, a prosperous society.\n\n\"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back.\"", 1, "2026-04-07T15:46:19Z", "2026-04-07T20:18:39Z"], ["https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?ID=115B5E93-F59E-4624-8AF5-F94F7E703BA1", "Representatives McBath, Craig, Landsman, Horsford, Schrier Introduce Bill to Extend $35 Per Month Insulin Cost Cap", "2025-11-21", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Lucy McBath", "M001208", "mcbath.house.gov", "mcbath", "https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC\u2014During Diabetes Month, Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06) joined Angie Craig (MN-02), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Steven Horsford (NV-04), and Kim Schrier (WA-08) to introduce the Affordable Insulin Now Act to help Americans with private insurance afford insulin.\n\nThe bill would extend the $35 insulin cap for seniors on Medicare\u2014also led by McBath\u2014that was passed into law through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). As the Education and Workforce Committee lead of this legislation, McBath continues to stand up for America\u2019s families so they can live full, healthy lives.\n\n\u201cNo person should be forced to skip or ration medication because they cannot afford it,\u201d said Rep. McBath. \u201cWith health care affordability concerns more relevant than ever, we must work with urgency to address some of the most common medical expenses that strain American household budgets. I am grateful to my colleagues for our continued work to drive down the cost of insulin for all who need it.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor years, pharmaceutical companies have raked in record profits by price gouging consumers \u2013 forcing everyday Minnesotans to make the impossible choice between picking up lifesaving prescriptions and putting food on the table,\u201d said Rep. Craig. \u201cWe have seen over time that the pressure we\u2019ve put on Big Pharma is working, and this bill is the next step in our fight to make insulin affordable for every American who needs it.\u201d\n\n\u201cInsulin is a lifesaving medication, but every day in this country people are forced to make drastic financial decisions just to afford it,\u201d said Rep. Landsman. \u201cAmericans deserve affordable healthcare, and we have to finish the job of capping insulin costs, so no one has to struggle to survive.\u201d\n\n\u201cHigh insulin prices can cost someone their life,\u201d said Rep. Horsford. \u201cI\u2019m proud to partner with Representatives Craig, Landsman, McBath, and Schrier to make sure this critical medication is accessible and affordable to all who need it. State lawmakers in Nevada passed a bill ensuring affordable insulin prices earlier this summer, and the bill we\u2019re introducing today will expand that effort nationally. As tens of millions of Americans stand to lose health care coverage from Republican \u2018Big Beautiful\u2019 bill cuts and their refusal to extend health care tax credits, there has never been a more important time to pass the Affordable Insulin Now Act into law.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a doctor and someone who has lived with type 1 diabetes for over four decades, I have seen how the price of insulin has skyrocketed over the years and know firsthand the pressure that these price hikes have put on patients,\u201d said Rep. Schrier, M.D. \u201cUnaffordable insulin has even forced some to ration or go completely without the medication their lives depend on, with deadly consequences. I was proud to work with my colleagues to cap the cost of insulin for those on Medicare, and I am thrilled to continue our work to lower the price of this lifesaving medication for millions more.\u201d\n\nThe bill is also endorsed by Protect Our Care, the American Diabetes Association, Social Security Works and Breakthrough T1D.\n\n\u201cNo one should go bankrupt buying the insulin that keeps them alive,\u201d said Protect Our Care Director of Policy Programs Vaishu Jawahar. \u201cBy capping what privately insured Americans pay out-of-pocket for insulin, the Affordable Insulin Now Act extends a critical lifeline to diabetics and their families. While Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress continue driving up drug costs and padding drug company profits, this legislation will save lives and make health care more affordable for everyday Americans.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe ADA supports the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would limit out-of-pocket cost for insulin at $35 a month for individuals with private health insurance,\u201d said Catherine Ferguson, Vice President for Federal Advocacy, the American Diabetes Association. \u201cThis bill is a critical step to ensure people with diabetes who need insulin to live can afford it.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo one should suffer, go bankrupt, or die because big pharma billionaires are price gouging the insulin they need to survive,\u201d said Alex Lawson, Executive Director, Social Security Works. \u201cThis bill is a critical step towards ensuring that insulin is affordable and protecting Americans from the criminally high prices that pharmaceutical companies charge.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-visits-central-aroostook-ambulance-service", "Senator Collins Visits Central Aroostook Ambulance Service", "2025-11-21", "2025", "2025-11", "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\nBlaine, ME \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited the Central Aroostook Ambulance Service (CAAS) in Blaine to meet with the crew, board members, and local town managers, and to see the new ambulance CAAS purchased with the support of $454,000 that Senator Collins secured through Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations legislation.\n\n\u201cThe emergency responders, paramedics, and drivers of the Central Aroostook Ambulance Service work hard to provide Mainers in Blaine, Bridgewater, and Mars Hill with access to reliable and high-quality emergency medical services when they need them most.\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cAs Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for funding to support Maine\u2019s EMS and rural health care providers.\u201d\n\nThrough her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion in Congressionally Directed Spending for 534 local projects across Maine in the last five years, including investments that strengthen rural infrastructure, improve access to health care, and support childcare and workforce development.\n\nThis month, Senator Collins received the Legislator of the Year Award from the American Ambulance Association for her work on the Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act and the Comprehensive Alternative Response to Emergencies (CARE) Act.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bishop-kiggans-introduce-bipartisan-stay-act-to-improve-military-family-stability-by-reducing-moves", "BISHOP, KIGGANS INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN STAY ACT TO IMPROVE MILITARY FAMILY STABILITY BY REDUCING MOVES", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", "bishop", "https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "PHOTO: Congressman Bishop welcomes presenters and audience members to the 2025 Military Family Summit hosted by the Congressional Military Family Caucus at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center in Georgia in August.\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Yesterday, Representatives Jen Kiggans (R-VA) and Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Military Families Caucus, introduced H.R. 6146, the Stabilizing Tours to Advance Readiness (STAY) Act, a bipartisan bill to reduce unnecessary Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves and improve quality of life for military families.\n\nMilitary families move every 2\u20133 years, often with little predictability. This creates challenges for retention, spouse employment, children\u2019s education, and community stability. These frequent moves also impose substantial costs on the Department of Defense.\n\nThe STAY Act requires the Department of Defense to conduct a comprehensive review of PCS frequency and Navy sea\u2013shore rotations, and to identify opportunities to extend tour lengths where mission readiness would not be affected.\n\n\u201cOur servicemembers put themselves in harm\u2019s way and make huge sacrifices in defense of our country. By instructing the Defense Department to review PCS frequency, not only are we ensuring that we do our best to reduce waste and improve efficiency as well as retention, but also we are creating greater stability for our military families so that they can live, learn, work, and enjoy stronger ties to the communities in which they live,\u201d said Rep. Bishop.\n\n\u201cAs a Navy veteran, military spouse, and mom of a servicemember, I know how disruptive constant PCS moves can be,\u201d said Rep. Kiggans. \u201cFrequent relocations strain families, impact children\u2019s education, and make it harder for military spouses to build stable careers. The STAY Act takes a data-driven approach to reduce unnecessary moves, strengthen family stability, and help the services retain the talented people they need to win.\u201d\n\nAbout the STAY Act\n\nThe bill requires the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to submit a report to Congress evaluating ways to reduce unnecessary moves and rotations. Specifically, the report must:\n\nAnalyze PCS and sea\u2013shore rotation costs and the potential savings of reducing move frequency;\n\nAssess the impacts of frequent PCS moves on retention, spouse employment, and children\u2019s education;\n\nIdentify billets and duty stations where longer tours would be feasible without harming readiness or career progression;\n\nRecommend any legislative or policy changes needed to pilot or implement longer tour lengths.\n\nWhy It Matters\n\nFrequent PCS moves create well-documented challenges for military families, including:\n\nSpouse unemployment rates consistently 3\u20135 times the national average;\n\nSchool transitions that disrupt academic achievement and special education continuity;\n\nLoss of community ties and support networks;\n\nSignificant relocation costs borne by DoD and taxpayers.\n\nVirginia\u2019s Second Congressional District is home to thousands of Navy families and NAS Oceana and Georgia\u2019s Second Congressional District, home to a multitude of Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps families at Ft. Benning, Robins AFB, and Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany. Reducing unnecessary moves for these communities, as well as the hundreds of others across the country and world that are home to U.S. military installations, would provide greater stability for local schools, employers, and service members.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16012", "Carter calls for increased ICE presence in Atlanta to address criminal illegal immigration problem", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", "buddycarter", "https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (R-GA) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons calling for increased ICE and DHS resources to address safety concerns in Atlanta, Georgia, by enhancing federal enforcement of immigration laws.\n\nRecent reports find that Georgia is home to 479,000 illegal immigrants, making it the sixth highest state in the nation for illegal immigration.\n\nIn the letter, Rep. Carter writes, \u201cRising levels of illegal immigrants and increasing threats to public safety in Georgia highlight the urgent need for an enhanced ICE presence in Atlanta. Recently, ICE arrested Salvador Rodriguez-Mendoza, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico with an active arrest warrant for murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by the Clayton County Sheriff\u2019s Office. Additionally... a mother of five children was brutally murdered by a criminal illegal alien from Honduras.\u201d\n\nRep. Carter continues, \u201cEvery single person who is here illegally has broken the law and must be treated accordingly; anything less invites a culture of not just mass illegal immigration, but mass crime\u2026Without the increased assistance of federal agents with local law enforcement, more of these criminals will\u2026never face justice.\u201d\n\nRep. Carter notes that under President Trump\u2019s leadership, the southern border is secure, \u201cwith apprehensions at their lowest level in fifty years.\u201d While this progress represents a landmark achievement for the nation, significant work remains to address the lasting, disastrous impacts of the Biden-Harris border crisis, supported by Senator Jon Ossoff.\n\nRead the full letter here.", 1, "2026-04-07T15:46:19Z", "2026-04-07T20:18:39Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1036, "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 \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "GA", "p1": "2025"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 621, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025&party=Republican", "selected": false}, {"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 415, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 794, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025&chamber=House", "selected": false}, {"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 242, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "GA", "label": "GA", "count": 1036, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2025", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "2025", "label": "2025", "count": 1036, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2025-11-20,https~3A~2F~2Fbuddycarter~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fdocumentsingle~2Easpx~3FDocumentID~3D16012", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2025&_next=2025-11-20%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fbuddycarter~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fdocumentsingle~2Easpx~3FDocumentID~3D16012&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 249.4025151245296, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}