url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=409099,"Would create ambassador position to combat anti-SemitismSmith anti-Semitism bill headed to Presidents desk",2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, at the very last legislative session of the 116th Congress, the House of Representatives passed legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) that would elevate the State Department's Anti-Semitism Special Envoy positionfirst created by Smith's legislative provisions in 2004to an Ambassadorship, giving more clout to address the alarming rise in anti-Semitism worldwide. As the Senate has already approved the amended legislation, the bill now heads to President Trump's desk to be signed into law. We've seen a rapid rise in anti-Semitic acts and rhetoric in many countries over the past decade: Jews harassed, assaulted and even murdered; synagogues attacked; graves and cemeteries desecrated; anti-Semitic slurs; and targeting the State of Israel with what my friend, the great Soviet refusenik and religious prisoner Natan Sharansky, calls the three Ds' demonization, double-standard, and de-legitimization, said Smith. My new law will raise the Special Envoy to the rank of Ambassador, and enable him or her to report directly to the Secretary of State, Smith said. That will give the Special Envoy more seniority and diplomatic accessboth inside the U.S. Government and when engaging foreign governmentsthat is needed do the job effectively. Especially with the rise of on-line anti-Semitism, we see that hate abroad easily crosses borders and impacts our communities here at home.Now more than ever we need to integrate our efforts both in the United States and abroad to stop the hate and keep our communities safe, said Smith, a founding member of both the House Anti-Semitism Caucus and the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism, which is comprised of legislative-branch members from Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Smith's bill, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act (H.R. 221) will ensure that the U.S. leadership position in fighting anti-Semitism worldwidethe Special Envoy at the State Departmentwould not only be promptly filled, but would be strengthened. The position, as well as the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, was created and required by Smith's original provisionsof theGlobal Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004. Smith's new bill would also mandate the timely nomination of a Special Envoy. Under the bill the Special Envoy position: Would be elevated to the rank of Ambassador at the State Department and report directly to the Secretary of State; Would be the primary advisor to the U.S. government in monitoring and combating anti-Semitism; Would not be saddled with duties irrelevant to combating anti-Semitism, or double-hatted; Must be filled (if vacant) by requiring the President to nominate a Special Envoy within 90 days of the bill becoming law and not later than 120 days after the position becomes vacant. I would like to thank my House colleagues, especially Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL), for working with leadership in both parties to pass this bill. I also would like to thank Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jackie Rosen (D-NV) and Kristen Gillibrand (D-FL), along with their staffs, for their hard work in securing passage on the Senate side.I would also like to acknowledge and thank Special Envoy Elan Carr for his tremendous contribution in fighting anti-Semitism.And finally, I want to thank the many wonderful Jewish groups who fought hard for this legislation. The House voted overwhelmingly to pass Smith's H.R. 221 in 2019. In the previous 115th Congress, Smith introduced identical legislation, H.R. 1911, which passed the House in 2018, but stalled in the Senate. Smith's bill is endorsed by numerous organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, B'nai B'rith International, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the American Jewish Committee, Hadassah, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and the Jewish Federations of North America. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402403,Congressman Griffiths Weekly E-Newsletter 12.31.20,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,VA,Morgan Griffith,G000568,morgangriffith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The year 2020 was a difficult one, but as the year draws to a close, I want to highlight something about the year that went right. Operation Warp Speed accomplished what had been considered nearly impossible: the development, manufacture, and distribution of a safe and effective vaccine to combat COVID-19. President Trump announced Operation Warp Speed in May. His Administration recognized that meeting the challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic would require the investment of Federal Government resources, partnership between the public, private, and scientific sectors, and cutting red tape that would impede delivery of a safe and effective vaccine. This effort was supported by almost $10 billion in funding included in the CARES Act passed by Congress with my support. The project focused on six vaccine candidates. Seven months after Operation Warp Speed was launched and less than one year after COVID-19 began spreading widely around the globe, two vaccine candidates were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use. On December 11, the FDA approved for emergency use the first vaccine created by Pfizer. After clinical trials including over 43,000 participants, the vaccine was found to be 95 percent effective. A vaccine developed by Moderna was subsequently approved for emergency use on December 18. Thirty thousand people participated in its clinical trials, and its efficacy rate is 94.5 percent. These vaccines are the fastest ever produced for a novel pathogen. In fact, the average development timeline for a vaccine is eight to twelve years. Operation Warp Speed reduced the time needed by maximizing the number of participants in Phase 3 trials and manufacturing vaccine doses while waiting for the FDA's emergency use authorization order. While bureaucratic hurdles were lowered, the vaccine development process did not skimp on safety. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over health matters, I was briefed repeatedly throughout the process or involved in hearings featuring public health officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, and the FDA, as well as the vaccine manufacturers. I am confident that they maintained high safety standards as they pursued a vaccine. While the vaccines were under development, the Trump Administration planned ahead for their delivery and administration to Americans. It purchased millions of doses of the prospective vaccines and made agreements with pharmacies that would be able to vaccinate people. While enough vaccine doses will be manufactured to cover most of the population, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the priorities for vaccination while supplies remain limited. It suggested health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities be first in line, followed by older adults and frontline essential workers, all groups with a higher susceptibility to the coronavirus than other parts of the population. The vaccines are broadly safe, but caution is appropriate for people with allergic reactions and certain other conditions. The CDC recommends that you talk to your doctor if you have had a severe allergic reaction to other vaccines or injectable therapies to determine if a COVID vaccine is a safe decision for you. Further, if you have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in a COVID vaccine, the CDC recommends not getting that vaccine. I also believe that vaccinations should not be mandatory. This would be true particularly for people who object to taking it due to their religious principles or as a matter of conscience. I also reject the idea of individuals being required to carry around a vaccination certificate, which is too close to the identification papers of highly restricted societies for my comfort. Operation Warp Speed is just one component of the Federal Government's efforts to combat the coronavirus. Other therapeutics and treatments have also been developed at a rapid pace and are also being deployed as the pandemic still inflicts widespread sickness. The United States has long excelled at scientific innovation, but even among our country's long list of achievements, from the light bulb to the first manned landing on the Moon, Operation Warp Speed stands out for its scale, speed, safety, and ultimately lives saved. Amid all the bad news of 2020, this accomplishment is one worth praising. If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website atwww.morgangriffith.house.gov. Also on my website is the latest material from my office, including information on votes recently taken on the floor of the House of Representatives. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=5539,Sen. Cruz: This Year Highlighted the Resilience of Texas and the Vigor of the American Spirit,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,,,legacy,"HOUSTON, Texas - In a year marked by unique challenges, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) proudly fought for more economic opportunity for millions of Texans, security for America and her allies, and freedom for all Americans to live, work, and worship as they choose. WATCH: Sen. Cruz: This Year Highlighted the Resilience of Texas and the Vigor of the American Spirit Reflecting on the past year, Sen. Cruz said: ""Texans are strong and resilient and the American spirit has always been marked by courage and generosity. That spirit was on full display throughout this year as we dealt with the massive economic and public health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. We dealt with enflamed racial division and a polarized political environment. ""Despite all of these difficulties, Texans and Americans alike rose to the challenge to help our neighbors and those in need by supporting our brave health care workers, first responders, grocery store clerks, and other critical workers on the front lines of this crisis, truly making a difference in our communities. People across this great nation exercised their fundamental rights to further the promises this nation was founded upon - freedom and equality. I am confident that we will come out of these troubled times stronger, more united, and renewed in pursuit of freedom and opportunity for every American. ""As we look ahead to 2021, I am deeply honored to continue representing the great state of Texas, and I will continue fighting to reopen our economy and to get millions of Americans safely back to work, back to school, to strengthen America's national security, and to protect the religious liberty and the constitutional rights of each and every American."" Sen. Cruz's 2020 Highlights: Combatting the Coronavirus Pandemic SIGNED INTO LAW: Helped secure passage of three coronavirus emergency response packages to address the public health crisis and deliver real relief for the American people. Launched the #CombatCOVID19Challenge, a social media challenge to encourage Americans to continue supporting their communities as we all work to combat this pandemic. Sen. Cruz kicked off the challenge by delivering food to the Houston Police Officers' Union. Introduced the Reinvigorating the Economy, Creating Opportunity for every Vocation, Employer, Retiree & Youth or RECOVERY Act, a comprehensive legislative package designed to help small businesses re-hire their employees and create jobs, help kids get back to school safely, allow Americans to catch-up on their retirement savings, and help find cures for COVID-19 while increasing testing. Introduced the Creating Capacity for Communities in Need Act, legislation to increase healthcare capacity and to speed up FDA approval for certain vaccines and therapeutics. PASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Led the fight to pass legislation to enhance partnerships between companies in the United States and Israel to develop innovative medical projects aimed at detecting, treating, and curing COVID-19. Introduced the Equal Access to Care Act and the Right to Test Act, legislation to expand healthcare access and make testing more available. Introduced the Bring Entrepreneurial Advancements to Consumers Here In North America or BEAT CHINA Act to incentivize pharmaceutical, medical device, and supply manufacturers to relocate to the United States. Introduced the Ending Chinese Medical Censorship and Cover Ups Act, legislation to sanction Chinese officials involved in the ongoing suppression of medical experts, journalists, and political dissidents, amid Chinese censorship of its citizens that helped fuel the coronavirus pandemic. Introduced the Coronavirus Emergency Education Grants Act, legislation designed to empower all families with the resources needed to provide for their children's public, private, or homeschool education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Introduced the COVID-19 Vaccine Protection Act to prevent the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) from stealing or sabotaging American COVID-19 vaccine research. Introduced the Addressing Missed-savings Opportunities for Retirement due to an Epidemic or AMORE Act to allow individuals facing financial challenges and who are unable to make contributions to their tax-advantaged retirement accounts in 2020 to make ""catch-up"" contributions to these accounts in the coming years. Delivering for Texas INFLUENCED THE ADMINISTRATION: Protected small and independent refiners facing bankruptcy because of the pandemic by working with the administration to make sure these energy producers had access to critical capital. Sen. Cruz also worked to ensure that banks were not discriminating against energy producers so that they could keep their wells producing, their doors open and their employees on the payroll. INFLUENCED THE ADMINISTRATION: Successfully pushed for the Federal Reserve to establish a new lending facility to provide immediate emergency liquidity for oil and gas businesses, a request they granted by altering their Main Street Lending Program to allow energy companies to qualify for much-needed relief. INFLUENCED THE ADMINISTRATION: Led the fight in the Senate to help secure an agreement for Saudi Arabia and Russia to significantly cut oil production amid this emergency. These efforts held Saudi Arabia and Russia accountable for engaging in predatory oil pricing during the pandemic, which greatly impacted Texas energy producers. SIGNED INTO LAW: Worked to secure passage for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) which was signed by President Trump, a decisive victory for farmers, ranchers, businesses, and manufacturers to ensure greater economic opportunities for all Americans. This trade agreement puts American jobs first, including the 2.2 million jobs in Texas directly dependent on international trade. PASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Led the fight as chair of the Aviation and Space Subcommittee to unanimously pass in the Senate the NASA Authorization Act, legislation that gives NASA the resources it needs to face a new era of space exploration and enhances our presence in low-Earth orbit. The bill will also help Americans safely return to the moon and will bring us closer to an American taking the first step on the surface of Mars. In addition, Sen. Cruz's legislation to permanently protect the Apollo landing sites on the moon also passed the House and Senate. Led efforts to urge the U.S. Air Force to designate Port San Antonio and Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) as the location for the U.S. Space Command Headquarters (USSPACECOM HQ). SIGNED INTO LAW: Led efforts in the Senate to pass legislation authorizing the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to establish a memorial commemorating the Republic of Texas Legation in Washington D.C. which was signed into law in December. Boosting Jobs, Jobs, Jobs Confirming Constitutionalist Judges and Protecting Our Independent Judiciary As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Cruz led the fight to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, the third Supreme Court justice he has helped confirm since 2017. Justice Barrett is a principled constitutionalist with impeccable credentials and her confirmation was a great victory for every American who cares about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and our fundamental liberties. In 2020, the Senate confirmed 48 federal judges, while celebrating the 200th federal judicial nominee confirmed by the Senate since the election of President Donald J. Trump. These 234 judges will faithfully interpret and apply the law as part of an independent judiciary, and their addition to the federal courts will benefit all Americans who value the Constitution and individual liberties for decades to come. Led the fight in the Senate to preserve the integrity and independence of the Supreme Court by introducing two proposals, including the ""Keep Nine"" constitutional amendment, to maintain the number of justices on the bench and protect Americans' constitutional liberties. Standing with the Brave Men and Women of Law Enforcement Took a stand against Antifa and introduced the Restitution for Economic losses Caused by Leaders who Allow Insurrection and Mayhem or RECLAIM Act, legislation to hold state and local officials liable when rioters establish lawless autonomous zones' and officials abdicate their duty to protect their citizens. Sen. Cruz also delivered a speech on the Senate floor condemning the violent groups that hijacked the peaceful and just protests honoring George Floyd, and calling for strong leadership to stop the riots and restore law and order. Signed Heritage Action's Police Pledge to reaffirm his support for the men and women of our nation's law enforcement and his commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our communities. Introduced legislation to rename the U.S. Border Patrol Station in Rocksprings to honor Agent Donna M. Doss, who proudly served in the U.S. Border Patrol for more than 15 years and was killed in the line of duty. Chaired a hearing titled ""The Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble: Protecting Speech by Stopping Anarchist Violence,"" examining how groups like Antifa and other anti-American anarchists exploit peaceful protests and engage in political violence. Took action to protect Americans by re-introducing Kate's law, legislation to impose a mandatory minimum prison sentence on illegal aliens with serious felony convictions who illegally reenter the country. Introduced the National Child Identification Act, legislation that would authorize the use of federal grant funds from the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to provide child identification kits to local law enforcement for distribution to parents of children who attend kindergarten or elementary school. These kits remain with parents, who may provide the kit to law enforcement in the tragic event that their child is missing. SIGNED INTO LAW: Led efforts to rename a U.S. Post Office in Houston, Texas the ""Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office Building,"" to serve as a lasting tribute to Deputy Dhaliwal's trailblazing legacy for Sikh Americans and religious minorities in law enforcement. This legislation passed the U.S. Senate and was signed into law in December. Holding Big Tech Accountable Fought to subpoena both Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on political censorship and election interference and questioned them at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Called for a criminal investigation into Twitter for violating our laws prohibiting Americans from providing services to sanctioned Iranian individuals. Sent two letters - one to Google and one to Facebook - slamming the companies for their separate announcements regarding their decisions to limit or block election advertising. Joined Parler, a pro-free-speech social media platform. Questioned the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook, and Google at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing regarding Big Tech's repeated political censorship and their attempts to interfere in the 2020 election, as well as the need to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Protecting Our Religious Freedom Introduced the Safeguarding Americans from Coronavirus and Religious Exercise Discrimination or SACRED Act, legislation that would block federal funding for COVID relief to state and local governments that discriminate against religious individuals or institutions, violating their First Amendment rights. INFLUENCED THE ADMINISTRATION: Called on the Department of Justice to investigate state and local officials who target and discriminate against religious communities under the guise of protecting public health, which resulted in a rebuke of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Sent a letter urging the Secretary of Defense to protect religious freedom within the Department of Defense after reports that the Army has censored military chaplains and harmed their ability to provide religious services during the coronavirus pandemic - access that is not only essential for many service members, but also mandated by the Constitution. Joined an amicus brief on behalf of 34 Senators supporting the Capitol Hill Baptist Church's lawsuit against Muriel Bowser, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., after she permitted and participated in several mass protests but issued COVID-19 regulations prohibiting a religious gathering of more than 100 individuals outdoors. Penned an op-ed warning against the dangers of ""pandemic authoritarianism"" and urged state and local leaders to protect Americans' civil liberties as we all work together to combat COVID-19. Protecting Life Sent a letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) requesting a full investigation into the 37 Planned Parenthood affiliates who applied for and improperly received a total of $80 million in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Called on the administration to maintain pro-life protections during the search for COVID-19 treatments and cures. Urged the FDA to classify the abortion pill Mifeprex as a hazard to public health. Honoring Our Veterans Introduced the Limiting and Enabling Gathering Awards Commemorating Yesteryear or LEGACY Act to facilitate the repatriation of medals, including the Congressional Medal of Honor (MoH), into the United States for display in museums and for educational purposes. Cosponsored the National Purple Heart Honor Mission Commemorative Coin Act, legislation that would direct the Treasury Department to issue $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar clad coins in 2022 honoring Purple Heart recipients and the work of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. SIGNED INTO LAW: Led efforts in the Senate to pass legislation that would give the president authority to award posthumously the Medal of Honor to Texas's own Sergeant First Class (SFC) Alwyn Cashe. This legislation was signed into law in December. SIGNED INTO LAW: Led efforts to rename a U.S. Postal Office located in Castroville, Texas as the ""Lance Corporal Rhonald Dain Rairdan Post Office,"" as a memorial to Lance Corporal Rairdan and his fellow soldiers who fell in the line of duty. This legislation passed the U.S. Senate and was signed into law in December. Defending Our Second Amendment Rights Urged the ATF to ensure that law-abiding citizens are not deprived of their constitutional right to keep and bear arms during the coronavirus pandemic. Raised concerns to the Attorney General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) about the ATF's practice of relying on non-public standards in its regulation of the importation of ArmaLite Rifle (AR) styled pistols and pistol stabilizing braces. Standing Up to America's Enemies and Adversaries While Standing With Her Allies Russia PASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Led a congressional push to halt construction of Vladimir Putin's Nord Stream 2 pipeline by clarifying and expanding sanctions. If completed, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline would reward Russia's aggressive expansionism and economic blackmail, hold our European allies' energy security hostage to Russia, and undermine America's national security interests. These efforts passed the U.S. Senate. INFLUENCED THE ADMINISTRATION: Led the fight for the United States to exit from Cold War-style treaties that constrain American capabilities while providing advantages to Russia or China, such as the Open Skies Treaty and outdated nuclear treaties. Middle East Attended the White House signing ceremony for the Abraham Accords, historic agreements to normalize relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, the achievement of which validated Sen. Cruz's long-running advocacy that unapologetically standing with Israel would unite our allies across the region. INFLUENCED THE ADMINISTRATION: Led the fight to end the catastrophic Obama-Iran nuclear deal, including by revoking the remaining civil-nuclear waivers stemming from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and calling for the deal to be ended once and for all by invoking UN snapback sanctions, restoring all international sanctions on Iran and preventing the United Nations Arms embargo on Iran from expiring. Introduced the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, a bill that urges the U.S. State Department to use its statutory authority to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Introduced the Stop Sending American Taxpayer Money To Governments Controlled By Terrorists Act aimed at creating accountability related to the use of American funds in Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon. PASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Following the successful mission that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force and a designated terrorist, Sen. Cruz introduced and the Senate passed in February an amendment recognizing and applauding the president and the brave men and women involved in the mission. Fought against and introduced a resolution condemning the International Criminal Court for unjust, politicized prosecutions against American and Israeli citizens. China Sen. Cruz's leadership against the CCP's human rights atrocities and political oppression led to his being repeatedly sanctioned, something he calls ""a badge of honor."" Led efforts to end U.S. dependence on China for rare earth elements and other critical minerals by introducing the Onshoring Rare Earths or ORE Act, legislation that would establish a supply chain in the U.S. for minerals used to manufacture defense technologies and other high-tech products. INFLUENCED THE ADMINISTRATION: Led the fight to combat the CCP's propaganda by introducing the Blocking Evasive Attempts to Manipulate Signals or BEAMS Act, legislation to prevent the CCP from exploiting Federal Communications Commission (FCC) loopholes to propagandize to Americans from radio stations in Mexico or Canada, including through stations entangled with Chinese state-owned media outlets such as Phoenix TV. This legislation resulted in the Trump Administration blocking the license to these stations. Introduced the Stopping Censorship, Restoring Integrity, Protecting Talkies or SCRIPT Act, legislation cutting off Hollywood studios from assistance they receive from the Department of Defense if those studios censor their films for screening in China. Introduced the Sanctioning and Highlighting Authoritarian Medicine and Eugenics or SHAME Act, legislation sanctioning CCP officials for systematic ethnic cleansing, including through forced abortions and other coercive population control measures in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Introduced the Strongly and Unambiguously Sanctioning Proliferators Exploiting Nuclear Diplomacy or SUSPEND Act, legislation imposing sanctions on the defense sectors of China and Russia unless those countries reverse violations of their obligations under international arms control treaties. Introduced the Protecting America from Spies Act, legislation that would allow the Department of State to deny visas to individuals who have committed acts of espionage or intellectual property theft against the United States. Stood with our friends in Taiwan by introducing the Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty Act, allowing diplomats and service members in the Taiwanese military to display their flag and wear their uniforms while in the United States on official businesses, and fighting against the exclusion of Taiwan from international forums such as ICAO at the behest of Communist China. Western Hemisphere Fought to ensure deep and robust relations between the United States and our Mexican partners, including working with the Trump administration to protect supply lines running between the two countries and recently calling on the Departments of State and Justice to prevent the Mexican government from undermining our countries' security and law enforcement relationship. Introduced a bipartisan resolution to rename the street outside the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C. as ""Oswaldo Pay Way,"" casting a light on the Cuban regime's human rights atrocities. Introduced a bipartisan resolution expressing support for the people of Nicaragua. Continued working to bring home Americans unjustly held by the Maduro regime in Venezuela, including calling for sanctions against officials involved in the imprisonment of the CITGO 6. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=video&id=5538,Sen. Cruz: This Year Highlighted the Resilience of Texas and the Vigor of the American Spirit,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Central TX (512) 916-5834 300 E 8th Suite 961 Austin, TX 78701 Email North TX (214) 599-8749 Lee Park Tower II 3626 N. Hall St. Suite 410 Dallas, TX 75219 Email Southeast TX (713) 718-3057 The Mickey Leland Federal Building 1919 Smith Street Suite 9047 Houston, TX 77002 Email South/Cen. TX (210) 340-2885 9901 IH-10W Suite 950 San Antonio, TX 78230 Email East TX (903) 593-5130305 S. Broadway Suite 501 Tyler, TX 75702 Email South TX (956) 686-7339 200 S. 10th St Suite 1603 McAllen, TX 78501 Email Washington, D.C. (202) 224-5922 127A Russell Washington, DC 20510 Contact",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.feinstein.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=29C073CE-C8B5-41CD-B359-EB69F9831D94,Feinstein to Park Service: Restart Lease Negotiations for San Franciscos Iconic Cliff House,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Dianne Feinstein,F000062,www.feinstein.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WashingtonSenator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today called on the National Park Service to negotiate a lease extension of the Cliff House building for use as a restaurant. I regret that an agreement has not yet been reached to extend the contract to use San Francisco's historic Cliff House building as a restaurant. This is an important San Francisco landmark, and the National Park Service should immediately renew negotiations to maintain its role in the community. A building has stood on this site for more than 150 years and has long served as a gathering place. That role should persist the building should not be converted to an office building. I urge the National Park Service, the Hountalas family and their proposed partner to return to the negotiation table. I encourage the National Park Service to explore all possible opportunities to maintain the historic role of this building as a restaurant and visitor destination. Our history is too important to set aside so readily. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.mcconnell.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=B71E096B-03CB-4A08-BA59-8732EF16266E,"McConnell Supports NDAA, Opposes Pelosi Plan for Socialism for Rich People",2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding NDAA and COVID-19 relief: Yesterday, the Senate was finally able to proceed to this year's National Defense Authorization Act. A few of our Democratic colleagues have pulled out all the stops to hold back this crucial bill. But last night, a big, bipartisan majority of 80 Senators voted to proceed. There should be nothing controversial about giving our brave men and women in uniform the tools and training they need to stay safe. There should be nothing controversial about continuing the work of rebuilding and modernizing our capabilities. It should be a nonpartisan proposition that America should keep pace with Russia and China rather than slip behind. We have enacted an annual NDAA for 59 straight years and counting. In the next few days, the easy way or the hard way, we're going to do our job once again. This body will fulfill our responsibility to the men and women who protect our country. The Senate will be here until we finish this bipartisan legislation. *** Now, for several days, we've heard some Senators say Congress must send more cash to high-earning households who haven't seen any income disruption during COVID-19. Our colleagues who purport to be the champions of vulnerable Americans now say that what struggling people really need is for Congress to stop focusing on targeted relief for them specifically, and to instead send thousands of dollars to people who don't need the help. Experts from across the political spectrum agree that our colleague from Vermont is dead wrong on this. Socialism for rich people is a terrible way to help the American families that are actually struggling. Let me say that again. Borrowing from our grandkids to do socialism for rich people is a terrible way to get help to families who actually need it. Washington Democrats took President Trump's suggestion and skewed it so the checks would benefit even more high-earning households. Imagine a family of five where the parents earn $250,000 per year and have not seen any income loss this past year. Speaker Pelosi and Senator Sanders want to send them $5,000 from Uncle Sam. They make a quarter of a million dollars; nobody's out of work; but our so-called progressive friends say that household needs, quote, survival checks.' In fact, they believe a family of five should have to earn $350,000 before the spigot of government money would stop entirely. Socialism for rich people. That's what Speaker Pelosi and Senator Sanders have sketched out. A terrible way to help those who need it. And experts across the political spectrum agree. The liberal editors of the Washington Post have blasted so-called progressives demanding a non-targeted giveaway that would huge amounts' to perfectly comfortable families.' Larry Summers, who ran the Treasury Department for President Clinton and the National Economic Council for President Obama, says there is no good economic argument' for more non-targeted checks with no linkage to need. The liberal New York Times reported this morning that a majority' of the households that get non-targeted checks do not end up spending them on urgent needs, but rather, just add to their savings. We know where the pockets of need are,' said one economist, and putting [money] there would be a much more efficient use.' Fortunately, though some of our colleagues seem to have forgotten, that is exactly what we did less than a week ago. It has been less than five days since President Trump signed into law another historic, bipartisan rescue package targeted to Americans who actually need help. We passed an entire second round of PPP loans to save small business jobs, targeted to the hardest-hit. We renewed multiple kinds of additional federal benefits for unemployed workers, including an extra $300 supplement every week. There are billions for targeted food assistance. Billions for targeted rental assistance. And many billions of dollars for vaccine distribution, so we can finally beat this virus and reopen the economy in full. These are the kinds of targeted emergency programs that directly help the most vulnerable. And we just poured almost another trillion dollars into them, less than five days ago. Along with more direct checks that are already arriving in households' accounts. That's what we did less than five days ago. *** This crisis has not affected everyone equally. The data show that many upper-middle-class Americans have kept their jobs, worked remotely, and remained totally financially comfortable. On the other hand, some of our fellow citizens have had their entire existences turned upside down and continue to suffer terribly. We do not need to let the Speaker of the House do socialism for rich people in order to help those who need help. Our duty, both to struggling Americans and to taxpayers, is to focus on targeted relief that will have the maximum impact and help people who need help the most. That's what the experts say we should do. That's where there is broad, bipartisan support. And that's exactly what we did less than one week ago when nearly $900 billion in more targeted relief was signed into law for our people.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatzs-medical-tele-training-bill-signed-into-law,Schatzs Medical Tele-Training Bill Signed Into Law,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,HI,Brian Schatz,S001194,www.schatz.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Schatz's Medical Tele-Training Bill Signed Into Law Schatz's Medical Tele-Training Bill Signed Into Law Thursday, December 31, 2020 WASHINGTON This week, the Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes (ECHO) 2019 Act was signed into law as part of the annual government funding bill. The bipartisan legislation, authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), establishes a $10 million per year grant program for fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to promote the use of technology to connect health care providers and deliver high-quality care in hard-to-reach regions. Technology hasn't just transformed how doctors care for patients, it has helped health care providers work and learn from with each other, said Senator Schatz. This new law will help connect more primary care providers in rural areas with specialists from across the country so that more families have access to the critical health care services they need."" The new law will expand the use of the ECHO model an innovative medical education program that deploys interactive videoconferencing to link specialist teams with primary care providers in rural areas. This helps hard-to-reach communities access the health care services they otherwise would not be able to receive. During the pandemic, the ECHO model has been important to the public health response, used by states across the country to share best practices for treating COVID-19 patients as well as improve testing and contact tracing. In 2016, Schatz authored the first ECHO Act, which was signed into law and initiated a study of the model. The resulting report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that the ECHO model addresses important gaps in health care for underserved populations and recommended its expansion. Acting on this recommendation, Senator Schatz authored the current ECHO Act, which creates a program to provide grants and technical assistance to further develop the ECHO model and other similar models and expand their use nationwide. These grants will be used for: Equipment to support the use and expansion of the models, including for the secure exchange of electronic health information; Support for health care providers that provide services under these models; Instructional programming and training; and Information collection and evaluation activities to study the impact of such models. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bass.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-bass-lead-letter-president-elect-biden-combating-aircraft-noise,"Norton, Bass Lead Letter to President-Elect Biden on Combating Aircraft Noise",2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Karen Bass,B001270,bass.house.gov,,,legacy,"The disruption to human health and local economies by aircraft noise has long been overlooked or altogether ignored by the FAA, said Congresswoman Bass. I urge the Biden administration to appoint FAA officials who will finally address this issue that has plagued many of my constituents. The letter was also signed by Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA), Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA), Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), Congressman Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Congressman Ed Case (D-HI), Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA), Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL), Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA). The full text is below. December 28, 2020 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President-elect of the United States Office of the Biden-Harris Transition Washington, DC 20500 Dear President-elect Biden: You will soon name several new appointees to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including the Deputy FAA Administrator, the Chief Operating Officer of the Air Traffic Organization, the Associate Administrator for Airports, and the Assistant Administrator for Policy, International Affairs, and Environment. While the FAA and the aviation industry face many high-profile challenges, as Members of the Quiet Skies Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives, we write to bring to your attention the overlooked problem of the disruption to human health and local economies from aircraft noise. We urge you to appoint officials who will include creative approaches to solving noise problems in the work ahead. We represent Americans from diverse locales across the country, united by grave concern over the toll that noise can take on the people living with a constant drone of aircraft. Planes fly low or late at night, near homes and schools; flights arrive and depart within minutes of each other; and the FAA's NextGen project has concentrated flight paths without consideration of the people below. As a result of these policies, millions of Americans suffer from sleep disruption; exacerbation of high blood pressure and other chronic diseases; learning loss in schools; and economic losses to businesses ranging from tourism to technology to entertainment. For decades the agency has consistently downplayed and overlooked the toll of noise disruption on human lives and communities. The NextGen project to update the technology used to control air traffic has brought foreseeable problems that could have been headed off if the agency, early in its planning stages, had considered what happens on the ground as well as what happens in the skies and included in the process business owners, local elected officials, airport noise roundtables, health advocates, and others likely to be affected. As Members of Congress, we all fly as part of our work. We agree that the FAA's mission to maintain the safety and efficiency of our airspace is paramount. But we also believe that better noise control and full participation from all involved and affected can only enhance that safety and efficiency, not detract from it. The new appointees at the FAA should be committed to inventive problem-solving, to listening and bringing all affected parties into the discussion, and to finding win-win solutions. These leaders should embrace bold ideas, work in good faith with the Quiet Skies Caucus and Congress, and pledge to alleviate noise disruption on the ground, with a renewed focus on inclusiveness. We look forward to learning of your choices for the FAA and to working with your administration in the 117th Congress to combat aircraft noise. Thank you for your leadership, and congratulations on your presidency. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://clayhiggins.house.gov/media/press-releases/higgins-will-object-certification-electoral-college-votes,Higgins Will Object to Certification of Electoral College Votes,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,LA,Clay Higgins,H001077,clayhiggins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) issued the following statement today after announcing that he will object to the certification of Electoral College votes on January 6, 2021. I will object to the certification of electoral votes on January 6th. Reports of voter fraud and actions by some states to alter election processes in an unlawful manner have not been properly reviewed. Evidence that a crime has been committed leads to an investigation. That standard is reasonable suspicion. Investigation into an alleged crime produces evidence either exculpatory or condemning. Investigations crossing multiple jurisdictional authorities are particularly complex and require time. Our Constitutional requirement to inaugurate a President on January 20th does not abrogate our Constitutional requirement to investigate reasonable suspicion of election fraud and violation of election laws within several of the sovereign states. I believe those actions of fraud and illegal election processes thwarted the true will of We, the People, and flipped the Presidential election to career politician Joe Biden. America is not a confederacy of states. We are a Union of States. We are a Representative Republic. Therefore, each sovereign state has a deep obligation to follow its own written election laws when that state participates in a federal election. Otherwise, the Union itself is violated, and the federal election is compromised. I warned of this prior to November 3rd, 2020. Six weeks ago, I instructed my Congressional staff to begin preparing for my formal objection to Electoral slates of several sovereign states. While the mainstream media and establishment forces want to ignore election irregularities that began coming to light in the days following the election, We, the People, will not stand idly by. For over a month now, I have been examining and researching the various allegations that have come forth, and I will take every legal and Constitutionally-available action to ensure a righteous outcome. That includes objecting to the electoral slates from disputed states. There is sufficient evidence, at a minimum, to investigate criminal acts, which may have compromised the integrity of our election. This effort and action to safeguard our election systems must continue, even beyond January 20th, 2021.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://graves.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/we-will-object,We Will Object,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,,,legacy,"Next week, your 117th United States Congress will convene for the first time. After the election of Speaker and the adoption of the Rules of Congress, theaction will quickly move to reading aloud the electoral votessubmitted by each state from this past November'selection - counting them, and declaring the vote tally for President and Vice President. During that process, the question will be put before your elected officials - does anyone object to the certificationof electoral votes of a state. We will object. Our hope is that others will join us. We don't take this decision lightly, but we must protect the integrity of each vote cast by every law-abidingMissourian. For every instance of Georgia failing to follow its own state law in verifying signatures, of Pennsylvania accepting mail ballots after the legal deadline set by its state legislature, or folks from outside Nevada casting a ballotin that state - the value of every Missourians' vote is diminished. That's not right. And we cannot simply look the other way. The right to freely cast yourvote in elections is a sacred privilegeafforded to us as Americans because of the sacrificesof the patriots who fought for that right. When that process is spoiled and abused by officials not following their own state law, it violates that right and jeopardizes the entire integrity and foundation of 'free and fair' elections. In such instances, where voting process changes are made without the consent of the voter, we know it is our duty and our obligation to serve as a backstop to protect the power of one person, one vote - to protect your vote as a Missourian. We must be able to have confidence in not only the agreement and expectation that this election would follow the law, but future ones will as well. We take the responsibilityof upholding the Constitutionseriously, and that is why we feel compelled to object to the electoral count taking place on January 6th. The reported results of this past November's Presidential election don't even pass the most basic eye test. Republicans were projected to lose seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, we gained more than a dozen. Republicans were supposed to lose control of several state legislatures, we picked up multiple. We were projectedto lose control of the United States Senate - we didn't, and we won't. All of this occurred on the same night President Trump lost? It's hard to believe. Combined with the daily reports of voting irregularities where state election laws were discarded and not followed, something doesn't add up. President Trump won over 74 million votes, Obama - 69 million. President Trump won 2586 counties, Obama - 873 counties, Joe Biden - 527 counties. The numbers, the evidence, and the abnormalities all speak for themselves. We have joined lawsuits, called for a Special Counsel and demanded accountability and integrity, now we finally get to cast our vote. We have no illusions about the outcome, at the end of the day, this is still Nancy Pelosi's House. Our only hope is that more will join us - that more will value protecting the vote of every American living in their state as much as we do fighting for yours.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://higgins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/56th-inauguration-ceremony-information,56th Inauguration Ceremony Information,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Brian Higgins,H001038,higgins.house.gov,,,legacy,"Every four years, as has been for the past two-hundred and thirty-two years, the President and Vice President of the United States are sworn in before the American people. This remarkable ceremony in which the President swears an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, to bear true faith and allegiance to the nation, and to faithfully discharge the duties of the office is the foundation of our republic's commitment to the rule of law and the peaceful transition of power. On January 20th, 2021 President-elect Joseph R. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will take this very oath before the American public, as have so many before them. While this momentous and historic event is cause for celebration, the government has a mandate to act responsibly and protect the public from the present health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. On December 16th, 2020 the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) announced guidelines for attendance at 59th Inaugural Ceremony. Unlike in previous years, Congressional offices will not receive any tickets to distribute to the public. The decision was reached by the JCCIC in consultation with the Presidential Inaugural Committee and public health officials in response to the global pandemic. As such, my office will be unable to provide in-person tickets to 59th Inaugural Ceremony. While I share your disappointment, this decision should not diminish the ceremony nor its importance. The United States of America, in its times of existence, has managed one of the most impressive, continuous, and peaceful democratic transitions of power in civilized history. The pandemic cannot take that from us. This inauguration will proceed like all before it, and the United States will begin the hard work of tackling the challenges facing our great nation and building a better future. Please continue to monitor the JCCIC's official website and social media for updates on where to view the 59th Inaugural Ceremony. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this decision, please do not hesitate to contact my office.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://keller.house.gov/media/press-releases/pennsylvania-members-congress-release-statement-regarding-certification,Pennsylvania Members of Congress Release Statement Regarding Certification of Electors,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Fred Keller,K000395,keller.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) and seven Pennsylvania members of Congress released the following statement regarding the certification of electors on January 6, 2020: The United States Constitution is unambiguous in declaring that state legislatures are the entity with authority to set election procedure Article 1, Section 4, Clause 1: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof' Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2: Each state shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors' Unfortunately, the many unlawful actions undertaken by the Pennsylvania Governor's office, the Secretary of State, and what has been described as a rogue Pennsylvania Supreme Court exceeded and circumvented the state legislature's clear constitutional authority. The unlawful actions include, but are not limited to: Accepting ballots past 8:00 pm on Election Day. Not properly requiring signatures to match those on mail-in ballots or requiring dates. Meanwhile, the matching of signatures was required at a polling site. Authorizing the curing of mail-in ballots with less than a 24-hours' notice. Only some counties were informed and adhered to this order leaving voters treated unequally from county to county. Authorizing the use of unsecure drop boxes, which is not permitted in statute. Prohibiting certified poll watchers overseeing the canvassing of ballots in Philadelphia. These unlawful actions were taken without the authority or consent of the Pennsylvania state legislature. These are facts, and they are indisputable. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Attorney General did nothing with regard to these unlawful activities. Not one inquiry, no questioning, and certainly no investigations. Not to mention that hundreds, if not thousands, of affidavits outlining election complaints and potential fraud were documented, submitted, and ignored. The Pennsylvania election could be summed up as a free-for-all with no oversight and different standards applied throughout the Commonwealth. It is also very apparent that the unlawful actions described were concentrated in heavily populated, Democrat-led counties. By definition, such unlawful, unregulated, and inconsistent activities resulted in a highly questionable and inaccurate vote total. The scope of these inaccuracies cannot be known until the legal ballots are identified and counted, and the illegal ballots are disqualified. This has not been done. Therefore, the state's official certification of electors was based upon a flawed system and an inaccurate vote count. Thus, very possibly resulting in an erroneous certification. Until these unlawful practices are acknowledged and corrected, we, as members of the U.S. House of Representatives, cannot agree to support electors chosen based upon an inaccurate total vote count. The voters of Pennsylvania deserve integrity in the election process and equal protection under the law. This very unfortunate, volatile, and distressing situation is due to the lack of respect and regard for the law and the U.S. Constitution as well as the Pennsylvania State Constitution. Additionally, the failure of Pennsylvania's justice system to seek the truth, rather than stay silent, allowed these irregular, unlawful actions to create a high level of mistrust in the process as well as a potentially flawed outcome. The one thing that all voters, regardless of party affiliation, can all agree upon is that we must have election integrity. That is the only way to ensure trust in our elections and it is accomplished by adhering to our Constitution and the law. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kelly.house.gov/press-release/pennsylvania-us-house-members-release-statement-certification-electors,Pennsylvania U.S. House Members Release Statement on Certification of Electors,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Representative Mike Kelly (PA-16) today released this joint statement with Representatives Dan Meuser (PA-9), Glenn GT' Thompson (PA-15), Scott Perry (PA-10), Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), John Joyce (PA-13), and Fred Keller (PA-12) regarding their intent to vote against certification of Pennsylvania's electors on January 6: The United States Constitution is unambiguous in declaring that state legislatures are the entity with authority to set election procedure - Article 1, Section 4, Clause 1: The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2: Each state shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors Unfortunately, the many unlawful actions undertaken by the Pennsylvania Governor's office, the Secretary of State, and what has been described as a rogue Pennsylvania Supreme Court exceeded and circumvented the state legislature's clear constitutional authority. The unlawful actions include, but are not limited to: Accepting ballots past 8:00 pm on Election Day; Not properly requiring signatures to match those on mail-in ballots or requiring dates.Meanwhile, the matching of signatures was required at a polling site; Authorizing the curing of mail-in ballots with less than a 24-hour's notice.Only some counties were informed and adhered to this order leaving voters treated unequally from county to county; Authorizing the use of unsecured drop boxes, which is not permitted in statute Prohibiting certified poll watchers overseeing the canvassing of ballots in Philadelphia; These unlawful actions were taken without the authority or consent of the Pennsylvania state legislature. These are facts, and they are indisputable. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Attorney General did nothing with regard to these unlawful activities. Not one inquiry, no questioning, and certainly no investigations. Not to mention that hundreds, if not thousands, of affidavits outlining election complaints and potential fraud were documented, submitted, and ignored. The Pennsylvania election could be summed up as a free-for-all with no oversight and different standards applied throughout the Commonwealth. It is also very apparent that the unlawful actions described were concentrated in heavily populated, Democrat-led counties. By definition, such unlawful, unregulated, and inconsistent activities resulted in a highly questionable and inaccurate vote total. The scope of these inaccuracies cannot be known until the legal ballots are identified and counted, and the illegal ballots are disqualified. This has not been done. Therefore, the state's official certification of electors was based upon a flawed system and an inaccurate vote count. Thus, very possibly resulting in an erroneous certification. Until these unlawful practices are acknowledged and corrected, we cannot agree to support electors chosen based upon an inaccurate total vote count. The voters of Pennsylvania deserve integrity in the election process and equal protection under the law. This very unfortunate, volatile, and distressing situation is due to the lack of respect and regard for the law and the U.S. Constitution as well as the Pennsylvania State Constitution. Additionally, the failure of Pennsylvania's justice system to seek the truth, rather than stay silent, allowed these irregular, unlawful actions to create a high level of mistrust in the process as well as a potentially flawed outcome. If there is an American ideal that all citizens, regardless of party affiliation, can agree upon it is that we must have election integrity. Election integrity is the only way to ensure trust in our elections and it is accomplished by adhering to our Constitution and the law."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/long-awaited-moynihan-train-hall-opens-within-historic-post-office-building,Long-awaited Moynihan Train Hall opens within historic post office building,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Carolyn Maloney,M000087,maloney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced the grand opening of Moynihan Train Hall, a 255,000-square-foot train hall withing the historic James A. Farley Building that will be a new gateway into Penn Station. The new train hall is expected to increase the existing Penn Station rail complex's concourse space by 50 percent. Thestation serves Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and Long Island Rail Road trains and connects to several subway lines. The facility is slated to go into service on New Year's Day. Carlo Scissura, president and CEO of the New York BuildingCongress and former head of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, commented, Friday is a transformative day in NewYork City. The highly anticipated opening of the Moynihan Train Hall demonstrates the power of successful public private partnerships to accomplish great infrastructure projects. The Moynihan Train Hall has safely supported workers throughout the pandemic and stimulated the economy, and its opening will increase public transit capacity and accessibility in the city. The idea of converting the post office into a train hall was first proposed by the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.Cuomo said, Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan was a man of true vision. He saw the potential in an underutilized post office and knew that if done correctly, this facility could not only give New York the transit hub it has long deserved, but serveas a monument to the public itself. The train hall's design is a unique blend of classical and contemporary, and featuresa one-acre sky-lit atrium, a signature clock, cutting-edge technology, clear wayfinding, full accessibility and museum-caliber public art. It also provides immediate benefits at this critical time while profoundly enhancing the convenience, health, and dailyexperience of hundreds of thousands of passengers, neighbors, and visitors, according to the Governor's Office. Led by Empire State Development (ESD), the $1.6 billion project was accomplished through a public-private partnership between ESD, Vornado Realty Trust, The Related Companies, Skanska, the MTA, the Long Island Rail Road, Amtrak, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It utilized a design-build approach to streamline construction and expedite completion. Construction of Moynihan Train Hall has generated an estimated economic impact of $5 billion, supporting more than5,000 construction jobs and 11,000 indirect jobs, the Governor's Office added. Moynihan Train Hall reshapes the travel experience of Penn Station, the busiest passenger transportation facility in theUnited States, used by more than 700,000 passengers per day, according to the Governor's Office. In partnership with the Public Art Fund, Moynihan Train Hall also features a program of ambitious permanent art installations from three leading artistsStan Douglas, Kehinde Wiley, and artistic duo Elmgreen & Dragset. In addition, a suspended 6-foot by 12-foot clock designed by Pennoyer Architects evokes nostalgia for the golden age of rail travel. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said, After decades of work, today we pop the New Year's cork early to celebrate theopening of the gorgeous Moynihan Train Halla grand, skylit, modern transit portal for LIRR and Amtrak riders that will leave the Penn Station of the past in the dust. Senator Moynihan recognized [the establishment of such a train hall] as a unique opportunity to both correct a historic mistakethe tragic demolition, a half century ago, of McKim, Mead andWhite's original Pennsylvania Station and to create a beautiful, new, user-friendly public space that New Yorkers andall Americans can once again enjoy and be proud of.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/maloney-mail-2020-in-review,Maloney Mail: 2020 in Review,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Carolyn Maloney,M000087,maloney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Dear Friend, 2020 has certainly been a challenging year for our country, our city, and our families and my thoughts are with all those who lost loved ones to COVID-19. As we close out the year, and look forward to the start of the 117th Congress and Biden presidency, I am also taking a look back at all that we accomplished together in 2020. Even in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic and economic hardship, we accomplished important wins for the American people some of which are highlighted below. It has been an honor and privilege to serve our city and represent you in Congress this year and I look forward to our continued work together in 2021. Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy and Healthy New Year. Protecting the United States Postal Service (USPS) Watch Congresswoman Maloney's floor speech on the Delivering for America Act here. In 2020, as Americans across the country became more reliant on the USPS for essential mail delivery, the Oversight Committee worked to ensure that the Postal Service received the support and funding it needed and continues to need to serve the American people and our democracy. I believe that the Postal Service should not become an instrument of partisan politics, but instead must be protected as a neutral, independent entity that focuses on one thing and one thing only delivering the mail.Millions of people rely on the Postal Service every day to communicate, access critical medications, and vote. A once-in-a-century pandemic is no time to enact changes that threaten service reliability and transparency. In August, following unprecedented changes proposed by the new Postmaster General to the operations and organizational structure of the Postal Service, I introduced the Delivering for America Act. It passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 257-150. Following this vote, I chaired an Oversight Committee hearing during which Postmaster General DeJoy testified, for the first time, that massive delays in mail and delivery of medication and other critical supplies caused by his sweeping changes are far worse than he anticipated or previously disclosed to Congress and the American people. Protecting the Postal Service remains a priority for the Oversight Committee in the new year. Ensuring a Fair & Accurate 2020 Census Count Throughout 2020, the Trump Administration announced last minute changes to the 2020 Census that census professionals and experts warned could threaten the accuracy of the data. As Chairwoman of the Oversight Committee, I held emergency hearings and released documents to counter the risk of serious errors in the data if the Census Bureau is forced to complete its count without proper funding and the time needed to ensure a fair and accurate count. To make sure that all New Yorkers were counted, and that our city and state will receive the federal funding and representation we need and are owed, I teamed up with community organizations and government officials to get out the count and make sure that every single New Yorker was counted in the 2020 Census. A report authored by the Oversight Committee showed that just a 1% undercount could cost our city $7.3 million per year in federal funding for public education and $3.7 million per year for critical jobs programs. We simply cannot afford an undercount. Holding Big Pharma Accountable Watch Chairwoman Maloney's opening statement from the December 17 hearing with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler familyhere. The ongoing fight to hold Big Pharma accountable for their role in unsustainable drug prices is far from over. This fall, I held two days of hearings with top executives of major drug companies to examine their pricing practices for some of the costliest drugs in the United States. These companies sell medications that are critical to our health and well-being, but their skyrocketing prices are simply unsustainable. For nearly two years, the Oversight Committee has aggressively investigated why drug companies continuously increase prices, how they use their massive profits, and what steps can be taken to make prescriptions more affordable for the American people. And on December 17, I chaired an Oversight Committee hearing to examine the role of Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family in fueling the nationwide opioid epidemic for decades by pushing Purdue executives to flood the market with the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. As I said at the end of the hearing, the Sacklers have played a critical, active role in sparking and fueling the opioid epidemic. They approved and monitored dangerous marketing plans, directed sales representatives to focus on the highest-volume prescribers and the strongest versions of OxyContin, and targeted vulnerable populations with misleading messages. Now, they have the ability to mitigate at least some of the damage they caused. They must stop hiding and offshoring their assets, stop nickel and diming the negotiators, make a massive financial contribution that leaves no doubt about their commitment, and finally acknowledge their wrongdoing. The families whose lives they and this drug have ruined deserve at least that much. Cracking Down on Anonymous Shell Companies Just this month, my bipartisan Corporate Transparency Act passed the House and Senate after more than a decade of coalition building. This bill will make our country safer and will also lower housing costs for New Yorkers. This legislation would require companies to disclose their true, beneficial owners at the time the company is formed, and will prevent bad actors from using anonymous shell companies to thwart law enforcement and hide their illicit activities. The U.S. is one of the easiest places in the world to set up anonymous shell companies, because no state in the U.S. currently requires companies to disclose their true, beneficial owners. Anonymous shell companies have become the vehicle of choice for terrorist financing, money laundering, and organized crime. When a terrorist cell wants to move their money, or a criminal syndicate wants to launder money, they usually do it right here in the U.S., with a shell company. Beyond cracking down on criminal activity, this bill will directly affect us here at home by lowering housing costs in New York City. Kleptocrats and criminals routinely park their ill-gotten funds in luxury real estate in New York City, limiting the availability of housing and driving up housing costs for ordinary New Yorkers. There are too many buildings with no lights on at night, because no one actually lives in these apartments; they were purchased purely to hide money, and to act as a bank account. But this law will put an end to this practice, once and for all. Fashion for the Frontlines and Preparing for Future Pandemics Watch the press conference introducing the Made in America Act here. In the midst of a global pandemic, having strong domestic production of personal protective equipment (PPE) is absolutely essential to keeping Americans safe. I'm so proud that New York City's fashion industry answered the call of duty by working quickly to get PPE to our frontline healthcare workers.Fashion for the Frontlines grew out of a coalition I formed of New York City designers, manufacturers, and industry leaders to support the city's garment industry and understand the nexus between technology and fashion. In March and April, when New York City needed PPE, this group quickly transformed their manufacturing capabilities to aid our city at that critical moment. Fashion for the Frontlines mobilized Garment District factories - that would have otherwise been forced to close - to manufacture and distribute masks and gowns to frontline medical professionals throughout New York City. This coalition is a testament to the strength, resiliency, and compassion of New York City's fashion industry, whose members have shown our entire nation what it means to be New York Strong. I admire the grassroots effort to produce and distribute vital PPE during the COVID-19 crisis, but in preparation for future pandemics we must ensure that the United States has a sufficient national stockpile and a strong operation to produce our own PPE. That is why I introduced the Made in America: Preparation for a Pandemic Act. This bill will secure our nation's critical stock of PPE and promote a stronger manufacturing base for medical equipment. Having strong domestic production of PPE is absolutely essential to keeping Americans safe in the midst of a global pandemic. Too many lives have been lost unnecessarily because broken global supply chains left our essential workers without the equipment they needed. The Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Healthcare Workers Act Watch the press conference introducing the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Healthcare Workers Act here. In May, I introduced the Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Healthcare Workers Act to alleviate the burden of student loan debt for frontline healthcare workers and help attract medical professionals in various specialties to lend their expertise to the response to COVID-19. Frontline healthcare workers are delivering care to the sickest patients and putting their own safety at great risk in order to keep doing their jobs. In return, I believe that we have an obligation to ensure that they are relieved of the debt they incurred to train for this critical work in graduate degree programs or other professional certification. Healthcare workers are worrying about their own health and how it will affect their families they should not have to worry about their financial security after the crisis has passed. That is a burden that we can lift right now. I am continuing to work to build support for this bill in Congress and will be reintroducing it in the 117th Congress. Pandemic Heroes Compensation Act Watch the press conference introducing the Pandemic Heroes Compensation Act here. In May, I introduced the bipartisan Pandemic Heroes Compensation Act. Modeled after theSeptember 11thVictim Compensation Fund (VCF), this new fund would provide compensation for injuries to any individual deemed an essential worker and required to leave their home to perform their duties and who have become ill or died as a result of COVID-19. Family members of essential workers would also be eligible for compensation. On September 11th, it was the firefighters and officers who ran into the burning buildings to save lives. Today, it is hospital workers nurses, doctors, EMS, janitorial staff, pharmacists, technicians and all essential workers. In this fight against the coronavirus, it is the first responders, retail workers, transit workers, grocery store clerks, delivery workers, janitorial staff, sanitation workers, mail carriers, hospitality workers, and federal, state, and local employees who are on the frontlines, walking into the fire every day as they risk their health to make sure we are safe, fed, and healthy. They need to know that if they or their loved ones get sick because of this work, we will be there for them. Protecting Small Businesses: The Pandemic Risk Insurance Act Watch the press conference introducing the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act here. As our city and nation contend with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis, I've been fighting in DC for federal support for New York City's small businesses. I was a proud supporter of the CARES Act and Heroes Act and have called for extensions and expansions of the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Following conversations with NY-12 constituents, small business owners, and leaders in our city, I recognized the vital need for business interruption insurance that covers pandemics and introduced the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act (PRIA). The legislation is based on my successful post-9/11 Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. PRIA provides a Federal backstop for the pandemic insurance market and creates a framework in which the public and private sectors split the losses in the event of a pandemic or other public health emergency. My view has always been that we need a two-pronged approach to this crisis for small businesses. First, we need additional short-term relief to help keep our great small businesses alive which Congress has now done by approving an additional $284 billion in forgivable PPP loans to small businesses. Second, we need a framework to provide relief in the future when a pandemic like COVID-19 hits. My Pandemic Risk Insurance Act provides that long-term framework by ensuring that small businesses can quickly get the relief they need, without having to wait for Congress to pass another emergency bill. Our city and nation depend on it. Standing up for NYC's Arts & Cultural Nonprofit Community In September, I introduced the Culture, Arts, Libraries, and Museums Emergency Relief (CALMER) Act, to provide emergency relief funding to the arts and culture nonprofit community, encourage charitable giving, and expand CARES programs to include nonprofit organizations. New York's vibrant arts and culture community cannot get back on its feet without immediate and comprehensive assistance from Congress. Our nation's museums, libraries, concert halls, and arts and cultural nonprofit organizations were among the first businesses to close because of COVID-19, and they will be the last to reopen. While arts and cultural nonprofits across the country have worked tirelessly to create digital content and support their communities through online programming, there is no way they can account for the loss in revenue resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which is upwards of $6 billion and continues to grow. This bill will give libraries, museums, and arts groups the assistance they need to pull through and continue enriching our communities nationwide. Protecting Immigrants' Health In September, I requested that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari launch an emergency investigation into troubling allegations of medical neglect, unsanitary conditions, and abuse raised by a nurse at the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC) and by ICDC detainees in a whistleblower complaint. Among other allegations, the ICDC nurse alleged that women who were detained at the ICDC were sent to an outside medical provider to undergo gynecological proceduresincluding but not limited to hysterectomieswithout providing informed consent. She has also alleged that there was repeated disregard for the safety of employees and detainees in violation of protocols recommended by federal authorities to control the spread of coronavirus. The Oversight Committee launched our own investigation in partnership with the Homeland Security Committee. In October, the House passed H. Res 1153 Condemning unwanted, unnecessary medical procedures on individuals without their full, informed consent. This resolution, sponsored by Congresswoman Jayapal, lays out the terrible history of unwanted, forced medical procedures amid recent allegations of such horrendous actions in ICE detention. Also in September, the Oversight Committee released astaff reportwith the findings of a 14-month investigation into the Administration's for-profit contractor-run ICE detention facilities. This reportbased on the review of thousands of pages of internal documents from the Department of Homeland Security and contractors GEO Group and CoreCivicfound that multiple ICE detainees died in recent years after receiving inadequate medical care. The report also found that, for years, there have been numerous documented instances of poor sanitation and mismanagement of infectious diseases in immigration detention facilities, potentially contributing to the spread of coronavirus cases in ICE detention. Investigation into Customs and Border Patrol Secret Facebook Groups In October, I issued a subpoena to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for documents it is withholding about dozens of CBP employees who engaged in misconduct in secret Facebook groups that I believe were racist, sexually violent, dehumanizing, and abhorrent. The Oversight Committee first requested these documents in July 2019, under the leadership of then-Chairman Cummings. The Trump Administration has not set forth any valid legal basis to withhold this information. One of the most recent reasons the Administration has given for its overt obstruction is a fear that the identities and abuses of these employees could become public. In communications with the Committee, the Trump Administration has expressed more concern about protecting the reputations of employees who made these posts than the wellbeing of the children and families they interact with on a daily basis. D.C. Statehood Watch Chairwoman Maloney's opening remarks from the markup of the Washington, D.C Admission Act here. On February 11, 2020, I presided over Oversight Committee passage of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. This was the first time that a Congressional committee voted to pass a D.C. statehood bill since 1993. The bill was then passed by the full House on June 26, 2020 the first time that the House or Senate has passed such a bill. This was an extraordinary, once-in-a-generation step towards granting basic democratic rights to more than 700,000 Americans who live in Washington, D.C. The bill would create a new state known as the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth represented by two Senators and one House Member. The federal district would continue to include the White House, U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court, National Mall, and other federal properties adjacent to the National Mall. Fighting Antisemitism Through Education This May, the Never Again Education Act (H.R.943), my legislation to support Holocaust education across the country, was signed into law. This bill bolsters the already expansive educational resources at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) to make sure that all educators have the tools they need to teach their students about the Holocaust and the dangers of antisemitism and hate. I'm proud that Congress came together to make clear that antisemitism cannot and will not be tolerated. Our children are not born with hate in their hearts, and by providing educators with the tools they need to teach about the Holocaust, we can ensure they never learn it. Teaching our children about the dangers of antisemitism and hate is a proactive way to stop antisemitism before it even starts. This bill passed in the House of Representatives by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 393-5 on January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It passed the Senate by unanimous consent on May 13. Securing Paid Parental Leave for All Federal Workers This year, the House and Senate voted for a provision I authored to provide paid leave for the birth, fostering, or adoption of a child for FAA and TSA employees, medical professionals working in VA facilities, and DC courts and public defender employees. This correction honors the original intent of Congress when we passed paid parental leave for federal employees in 2019. No one should be made to choose between being home with a new child and a paycheck. Paid family leave improves productivity, reduces turnover, boosts morale, and attracts and retains more talent, which is exactly what our federal workforce deserves right now. I first introduced paid leave legislation for federal employees in the 106th Congress, then titled H.R. 4567, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2000, and continued to garner support for this transformative law over the years. I introduced H.R. 1534, The Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA), on March 5, 2019. The paid parental leave program created by this bill went into effect on October 1, 2020. Getting NYCHA Communities the Repairs They Need During my time on the City Council, NYCHA repairs were handled by on-site teams at each community. This system was then replaced by the current centralized system which has resulted in an immense backlog of work orders and residents living without the repairs their homes need. For several years, I have advocated for returning to that original model and decentralizing the work order process. After making a formal request of NYCHA Chairman Russ this summer, that project came to fruition as a pilot program at Queensbridge, Astoria Houses, and Ravenswood. This program has assigned dedicated skilled trade workers to each of these three communities with the goal of making repairs more timely and efficient. Each of these developments now have dedicated, full-time carpenters, painters, and plasterers Monday through Friday, with plumbers and electricians assigned to work specific days at each development. The pilot runs through January 2021, at which point NYCHA plans to roll out a version of the skilled trades decentralization plan throughout the five boroughs. This plan will result in skilled trade workers spending more time completing much needed repairs by eliminating the need for them to constantly travel between distant NYCHA campuses. We have heard some good feedback from residents, and also some areas where there is still room for improvement. I am in contact with Chairman Russ to convey these concerns and working to make this program more effective and efficient. Turning the Gas Back on At Astoria Houses While we had hopedAstoriaHousesresidents would have their gas restored before Thanksgiving, I'm glad that it was restored in early December, in the midst of the holiday season. In the middle of a pandemic, this gas outage was an undue burden especially on working families and seniors. Thanks to the residents' advocacy, resiliency, and patience, we were able to get NYCHA and Con Edison to complete this project before the end of the year and I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to restore this critical service and provide food and resources, like slow cookers, to these residents during the repairs. Securing a Stable Presidential Transition Process A recent NPR report noted that the President's actions may have jeopardized the preservation of official documents and records. A similar story from Politico in 2018 reported that career records officers were using scotch tape to put important documents back together. Given this track record, I'm deeply concerned that President Trump and his aides may attempt to conceal or destroy important White House materials during their last remaining days in office and so I led other House Committee Chairs in directing the White House and more than 50 federal agencies within their jurisdictions to comply with federal record-keeping laws and preserve information responsive to congressional subpoenas and investigations. I am also concerned that the Administration may implement last-minute rules and regulations, circumventing the review process. To prevent this, I joined with my colleagues to introduce the Midnight Regulations Review Act. This bill would require the Government Accountability Office to create a list of the regulations that the outgoing administration promulgates during the lame duck session, which will allow Congress and the incoming Biden Administration to review whether they are based on evidence and research or whether they should be considered for amending or elimination. The Fair Access to Co-Ops for Veterans Act In February, I introduced the Fair Access to Co-Ops for Veterans Act to permanently expand the Veterans Affairs' Home Loan Guaranty Program to include cooperative housing (co-ops). In New York City, co-ops are ubiquitous, and our veterans shouldn't be priced out of these housing options because they're excluded from the VA's loan program. Wherever veterans want to buy a home whether in rural or urban areas they should have equal loan support from the VA. This legislation also directs the VA to advertise the program to eligible veterans, participating lenders, and interested realtors. Serving Mothers: PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act In January, I introduced PUMP (Providing Urgent Maternal Protections) for Nursing Mothers Act. This bill will close unintentional gaps in the Break Time for Nursing Mothers Act to ensure that millions of working mothers have the access and protections they need to breastfeed should they choose to do so. As the first woman to give birth while serving on the New York City Council, I know firsthand the difficulties new mothers face in the workplace. Those difficulties should not include breastfeeding and yet, millions of nursing mothers are still without a clear right to pump at work. Without these protections, nursing mothers face serious health consequences, including the risk of painful illness and infection, diminished milk supply, or inability to continue breastfeeding. This bill would strengthen the 2010 Break Time law by making sure more working moms are guaranteed the right to pump at work. I am working to make this a reality in the next Congress. Creating a Smithsonian Women's History Museum A Smithsonian Women's History Museum is finally going to be a reality. My bill, H.R. 1980, to create this museum was included in the year-end omnibus spending package, a must-pass bill. Building a Smithsonian Women's History Museum, a testament to the women who helped build and shape this nation, has been years in the making and I am thrilled that we are finally set to enact this historic legislation. For too long, women's stories have been left out of the telling of our nation's history, and we can now begin to rectify that. Americans of all ages deserve to see and be inspired by the remarkable women who helped shape this nation seeing role models doing the thing to which we aspire can change the course of someone's life. How fitting that we passed this bill as we mark the centennial of the 19th Amendment and in the year in which we elected our first woman vice president. Renaming Manhattan VA This month, both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed my bill to rename the Manhattan VA the ""Margaret Cochran Corbin Campus of the New York Harbor Health Care System. Once signed into law, this would make the Manhattan VA the first in the country to be named after a woman veteran. This will ensure that American Revolutionary War hero Margaret Corbin's legacy of service endures in the tradition of empowering all veterans, regardless of gender. Although women have fought for our nation since its founding, women service members rarely receive the same recognition as their male counterparts. New Yorkers will be able to take great pride in leading the nation by having the first VA hospital named for a woman veteran right here in Manhattan. As always, your concerns still and always will remain my top priority. Please do not hesitate to email me through my website. If you would like to continue to receive shorter, weekly updates in 2020, make sure you're signed up for my newsletter here. This year has been challenging in many ways, but there is still so much to celebrate. It is because of you that I have had a meaningful and fulfilling 2020. I wish you, your family, and friends a safe and Happy Holidays and all the best in the New Year.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congress-passes-maloneygillibrand-legislation-to-rename-manhattan-va,Congress Passes Maloney/Gillibrand Legislation to Rename Manhattan VA After Revolutionary War Hero Margaret Corbin,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Carolyn Maloney,M000087,maloney.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Both the House of Representatives and Senate have passed H.R.1925/S.898 to rename the Manhattan VA the ""Margaret Cochran Corbin Campus of the New York Harbor Health Care System. The bill was introduced in the House by Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) and in the Senate by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Once signed into law, this would make the Manhattan VA the first in the country to be named after a woman veteran. I cannot wait until New York becomes the home of the first VA named after a woman veteran,said Congresswoman Maloney. This will ensure that American Revolutionary War hero Margaret Corbin's legacy of service endures in the tradition of empowering all veterans, regardless of gender. Although women have fought for our nation since its founding, women service members rarely receive the same recognition as their male counterparts. New Yorkers will be able to take great pride in leading the nation by having the first VA hospital named for a woman veteran right here in Manhattan. Margaret Corbin's legacy is a testament to all that women veterans have given to our country since its founding, said Senator Gillibrand. Corbin is an iconic New Yorker, who until now, has received little recognition for her sacrifices as a soldier on the battlefield. While we have a long way to go to ensure that women veterans get the same treatment and benefits that their male counterparts receive, I am proud to say that New York will soon be home to the first VA named after a woman veteran in the United States. Margaret Corbin was born in Pennsylvania on November 12, 1751. She accompanied her husband when he joined the Revolutionary Army and supported the Army's efforts by caring for injured and sick soldiers, cooking, cleaning, and helping her husband load his cannon. On November 16, 1776, Corbin took her husband's place at the Battle of Fort Washington in Manhattan after he was fatally wounded, where she was then shot by enemy fire and severely wounded. In recognition of her service and injuries, Corbin was awarded a lifelong pension, making her the first woman to receive a pension from the United States through military service. Corbin passed away in 1789 in Highland Falls, New York, and she is honored nearby at West Point as a hero of the Revolutionary War. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/maloney-closes-out-2020-with-legislative-wins,Maloney Closes Out 2020 with Legislative Wins,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Carolyn Maloney,M000087,maloney.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, with the FY21 pandemic relief omnibus bill and H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, becoming law, and with the passage of H.R. 1925, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) closed out 2020 with four legislative wins. Included in the FY21 pandemic relief omnibus bill is the Congresswoman's H.R. 1980, the Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act, and included in the FY21 NDAA are the Congresswoman's Corporate Transparency Act and a provision she authored securing paid leave for the birth, fostering, or adoption of a child for FAA and TSA employees, medical professionals working in VA facilities, and DC courts and public defender employees. H.R. 1925, now passed by both the House and Senate, would rename the Manhattan VA the ""Margaret Cochran Corbin Campus of the New York Harbor Health Care System. The Congresswoman issued the following statement on these accomplishments. Building a Smithsonian Women's History Museum, a testament to the women who helped build and shape this nation has been years in the making, and I am thrilled that we finally passed this legislation. It is so fitting that we passed this bill as we mark the centennial of the 19th Amendment and in the year in which we elected our first woman vice president. While I did not vote for the underlying bill, I am proud that the FY21 NDAA includes my Corporate Transparency Act, which is a critically important bill that will strengthen our national security by cracking down on anonymous shell companies that are used by terrorists and money launderers around the world. Also importantly, this package includes a correction to my paid parental leave bill that will give FAA and TSA employees, medical professionals working in VA facilities, and DC courts and public defender employees up to 12 weeks of paid leave in the event of the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child. Congress intended to guarantee paid parental leave for all Federal employees, and this bill honors that commitment. And finally, we rounded out the last week of 2020 with the passage of my bill to rename the Manhattan VA the Margaret Cochran Corbin Campus of the New York Harbor Health Care System.' This will be the first VA in the country to be named after a woman veteran. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-maloney-gives-end-of-year-update-on-nycha-skilled-trades-pilot,Rep. Maloney Gives End of Year Update on NYCHA Skilled Trades Pilot Program,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Carolyn Maloney,M000087,maloney.house.gov,,,legacy,"NEW YORK, NY Today, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) joined Tenants' Association Presidents of Queensbridge and Astoria Houses; and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to give an end of year update on the NYCHA Skilled Trades Pilot Program. NYCHA's Skilled Trades Pilot Program, launched on October 26, 2020 and set to run through mid-January, decentralizes the work order process with the goal of making repairs more timely and efficient. After two months of this three month pilot program, I am happy to report that 5,588 individual tasks have been completed across the pilot locations, with an 18% increase in overall productivity performance for Maintenance and Skilled Trades, said Congresswoman Maloney. I am proud to have worked with NYCHA to improve the repair process and thank them for agreeing to launch the NYCHA Skilled Trades Pilot Program at three developments in my district. The NYCHA Skilled Trades Program aims to make sure residents get the repairs they need effectively and efficiently. Throughout the pilot program, I've spoken with residents through telephone town halls and in-person socially distanced meetings about their experiences with this program and how we can work to make things even better as NYCHA rolls out this new decentralized process across all five boroughs. I look forward to continuing my work with residents, the Residents' Associations, and NYCHA to make this program successful and ensure that NYCHA residents are given the safe and well-maintained homes they deserve. ""NYCHA's Skilled Trades Pilot Program is central to our Blueprint for Change Transformation Plan and is already demonstrating improved staff performance and repair response time, resulting in better service for residents, said Greg Russ, Chair and CEO, NYCHA. NYCHA developed the pilot after rigorous engagement with residents, elected officials and other stakeholders, who provided their ideas and feedback to ensure the program's success. By assigning painters, plasterers, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians at each development, and reforming our work order system, NYCHA is working to transform its operations model and how we do business. There is more work to be done, but we are grateful to NYCHA residents, our staff, Congresswoman Maloney, and all of our partners, for their continued support. The NYCHA Skilled Trades Pilot Program has been effective for Astoria Houses residents, said Claudia Coger, Residents' Association President, Astoria Houses. Residents are getting old plumbing issues fixed and painting and plastering jobs are being completed. The NYCHA Skilled Trades Pilot Program is a plus in our community. The NYCHA Skilled Trades Pilot Program is a step in the right direction to get residents the repairs they need, said April Simpson, Residents' Association President Emeritus, Queensbridge Houses. In the New Year, I look forward to working with Congresswoman Maloney and NYCHA to build upon the new repair structure to ensure that residents are served in the most effective and efficient way possible. This is a partnership I look forward to, and as residents are spending more time indoors due to the pandemic, the NYCHA Skilled Trades Pilot Program will ensure that every apartment gets needed repairs. BACKGROUND: The Congresswoman had been advocating for this change for several years and formally proposed the idea of a decentralized maintenance system in June in a letter to Chairman Russ. She followed up in July in another letter to Chairman Russ. The NYCHA Skilled Trades Pilot Program began on October 26, 2020. It assigns dedicated skilled trades workers to three developments in Congresswoman Maloney's district; Queensbridge, Astoria Houses, and Ravenswood. This comes on the heels of much needed repairs at developments in Congresswoman Maloney's district and across the city. The NYCHA Skilled Trades Pilot Program has placed dedicated, full-time carpenters, painters, and plasterers at each of these communities Monday through Friday, with plumbers and electricians assigned to work specific days at each development. In 2021, NYCHA plans to roll out a version of the decentralization plan throughout the five boroughs. This plan will result in skilled trades workers spending more time completing much needed repairs by eliminating the need for them to constantly travel between distant NYCHA campuses. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-bass-lead-letter-to-president-elect-biden-on-combating-aircraft,"Norton, Bass Lead Letter to President-Elect Biden on Combating Aircraft Noise",2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,DC,Eleanor Norton,N000147,norton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), co-chair of the Quiet Skies Caucus, and Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) led a letter this week urging President-elect Joe Biden to appoint Federal Aviation Administration officials who will use creative approaches to solve noise problems from aircraft. Norton has long led the effort in the House to combat airplane and helicopter noise in the nation's capital and across the country. Norton's community meetings on airplane and helicopter noise and residents' stories of interrupted sleep patterns, homes shaking and difficulty having conversations have guided Norton's efforts to quell airplane and helicopter noise. The disruption to human health and local economies by aircraft noise has long been overlooked or altogether ignored by the FAA, said Congresswoman Bass. I urge the Biden administration to appoint FAA officials who will finally address this issue that has plagued many of my constituents. The letter was also signed by Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA), Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA), Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), Congressman Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Congressman Ed Case (D-HI), Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA), Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL), Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA). The full text is below. Congress of the United States Washington, D.C. 20515 December 28, 2020 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President-elect of the United States Office of the Biden-Harris Transition Washington, DC 20500 Dear President-elect Biden: You will soon name several new appointees to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including the Deputy FAA Administrator, the Chief Operating Officer of the Air Traffic Organization, the Associate Administrator for Airports, and the Assistant Administrator for Policy, International Affairs, and Environment. While the FAA and the aviation industry face many high-profile challenges, as Members of the Quiet Skies Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives, we write to bring to your attention the overlooked problem of the disruption to human health and local economies from aircraft noise. We urge you to appoint officials who will include creative approaches to solving noise problems in the work ahead. We represent Americans from diverse locales across the country, united by grave concern over the toll that noise can take on the people living with a constant drone of aircraft. Planes fly low or late at night, near homes and schools; flights arrive and depart within minutes of each other; and the FAA's NextGen project has concentrated flight paths without consideration of the people below. As a result of these policies, millions of Americans suffer from sleep disruption; exacerbation of high blood pressure and other chronic diseases; learning loss in schools; and economic losses to businesses ranging from tourism to technology to entertainment. For decades the agency has consistently downplayed and overlooked the toll of noise disruption on human lives and communities. The NextGen project to update the technology used to control air traffic has brought foreseeable problems that could have been headed off if the agency, early in its planning stages, had considered what happens on the ground as well as what happens in the skies and included in the process business owners, local elected officials, airport noise roundtables, health advocates, and others likely to be affected. As Members of Congress, we all fly as part of our work. We agree that the FAA's mission to maintain the safety and efficiency of our airspace is paramount. But we also believe that better noise control and full participation from all involved and affected can only enhance that safety and efficiency, not detract from it. The new appointees at the FAA should be committed to inventive problem-solving, to listening and bringing all affected parties into the discussion, and to finding win-win solutions. These leaders should embrace bold ideas, work in good faith with the Quiet Skies Caucus and Congress, and pledge to alleviate noise disruption on the ground, with a renewed focus on inclusiveness. We look forward to learning of your choices for the FAA and to working with your administration in the 117th Congress to combat aircraft noise. Thank you for your leadership, and congratulations on your presidency. Sincerely, Karen Bass Eleanor Holmes Norton Member of Congress Member of Congress /s/ /s/ Donald S. Beyer Jr. Ed Case Member of Congress Member of Congress /s/ /s/ Judy Chu Ro Khanna Member of Congress Member of Congress /s/ /s/ Ted W. Lieu Alan Lowenthal Member of Congress Member of Congress /s/ /s/ Stephen Lynch Gregory W. Meeks Member of Congress Member of Congress /s/ /s/ Grace Meng Mike Quigley Member of Congress Member of Congress /s/ /s/ Jamie Raskin Jan Schakowsky Member of Congress Member of Congress /s/ /s/ Adam Smith Jackie Speier Member of Congress Member of Congress /s/ Thomas R. Suozzi Member of Congress Cc: Pete Buttigieg, Nominee for Secretary of Transportation",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://pelosi.house.gov/news/press-releases/pelosi-statement-on-house-filing-amicus-brief-in-gohmert-v-pence,Pelosi Statement on House Filing Amicus Brief in Gohmert v. Pence,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Nancy Pelosi,P000197,pelosi.house.gov,,,legacy,"Contact: Speaker's Press Office, 202-226-7616 Washington, D.C. Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement after the House of Representatives filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in the case of Gohmert v. Pence, which attempts to unconstitutionally grant the Vice President the power to personally choose presidential electors, against the results of the popular vote and the certified Electoral College results: President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris decisively won the 2020 election, with a record number of votes and an historic margin of victory. Yet, President Trump and Republicans in Congress have refused to respect the will of the American people and instead have spread dangerous conspiracy theories and brought over fifty extreme, failed lawsuits in a brazen attempt to overturn the certified results of the 2020 election. The Gohmert lawsuit has zero legal merit and is yet another sabotage of our democracy. There is no doubt that, despite this desperate unpatriotic charade, on January 6, Joe Biden will be confirmed by the acceptance of the vote of the Electoral College as the 46th President of the United States. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-raskin-announces-loss-son-tommy-raskin,Congressman Raskin Announces Loss of Son Tommy Raskin,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"TAKOMA PARK, M.D. With profound sorrow, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Sarah Bloom Raskin today announced the loss of their son Thomas (Tommy) Bloom Raskin, 25, who was a second-year student at Harvard Law School and a graduate of Amherst College. Tommy was pure magic. His brilliance and compassion knew no bounds. He passionately loved his family, friends, and animals, and was devoted to the cause of the global poor. We are devastated and demolished to be without him. Tommy is survived by his beloved sisters Hannah and Tabitha, dozens of loving aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and grandparents Arlene Bloom and Lynn Raskin. The family is grateful for the outpouring of support and love from neighbors, constituents, and friends but asks everyone to observe strict COVID-19 protocols during this time of grief. Funeral and memorial service arrangements will be released in due course. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-introduces-legislation-to-refurbish-the-pillars-of-american,King Introduces Legislation to Refurbish the Pillars of American Exceptionalism,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,IA,Steve King,K000362,steveking.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Steve King introduced a significant, capstone piece of legislation, The Refurbishing the Pillars of American Exceptionalism Act. The legislation, if enacted, would amend and improve Federal law in the areas of immigration, health care, the Constitution, education, trade, veterans' affairs, welfare, and tax, among numerous other areas. This large, comprehensive Act contains many of the bills Congressman King has championed during his nearly quarter century in the public service of Iowans and all Americans, including: H.R. 490, the Heartbeat Protection Act (the Heartbeat Bill) H.R. 140, the Birthright Citizenship Act H.R. 997, the English Language Unity Act H.R. 185, the ObamaCare Repeal Act H.R. 385, Sarah's Law H.R. 902, the Protect American IPR Act H.R. 904, the New Illegal Deduction Elimination Act (New IDEA) H.R. 1319, the Davis-Bacon Repeal Act H.R. 1320, the Census Accuracy Act H.R. 4651, the American Future Healthcare Act King's legislation also includes the FAIR Tax, repeal of the 16th Amendment, and a prescription for substantive welfare reform, among many other important provisions. From the start of my service in elected office, I committed to my constituents that I would work tirelessly for them and stay true to my principles, said King. This legislation is a capstone of my legislative work to make good on those promises to my constituents, while always simultaneously endeavoring to refurbish the pillars of American Exceptionalism. It is significant because it not only includes a comprehensive selection of the most important bills I've worked on and spent countless hours advocating for, but moreover because I have no doubt that if enacted, this legislation would set the United States on a path of cultural and economic growth that perhaps is unparalleled in the life of our nation. I encourage new Members of Congress and leaders across our nation to never allow fear, opposition or lies to stop you from being a thought leader and standing on principle. Our nation is greatly in need of those leaders who would stay true to their convictions, no matter the cost. In addition to this Act, Congressman King also introduced three other measures today, including a resolution nullifying the impeachment of President Trump, his No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, and a bill to require agencies of the Federal Government to define the term service animal in accordance with the regulations of the Department of Justice.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://steveking.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/king-introduces-resolution-to-nullify-the-sham-impeachment-of-president,King Introduces Resolution to Nullify the Sham Impeachment of President Donald J. Trump,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,IA,Steve King,K000362,steveking.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Steve King introduced a resolution which nullifies the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump, as if such impeachment had not occurred, due to a lack of a constitutional basis, the House of Representatives having failed to substantiate its allegations of Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors, which is required by the U.S. Constitution. With this resolution, I reiterate and emphasize my following statement from this past February, I commend the United States Senate for voting to acquit President Trump. The House impeachment effort was illegitimate from the outset, and President Trump was correct to describe it as a witch hunt' brought by bitter partisans who never accepted that Americans preferred him to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Since the Senate rightly acquitted President Trump last winter, subsequently released information, such as documents demonstrating no substantive basis for the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation into the Trump Campaign's very much nonexistent Russian collusion, has only reinforced the utter innocence of the President, his campaign staff and administration. As I stated in the complaint I submitted to the Ethics Committee before Christmas, the Constitution does not allow the people's House to be used as a cover for party machines and bosses. Using power and position to manufacture and perpetrate dishonest political narratives, complete with distortions and outright lies camouflaged as facts under the cover of official congressional business, is a gross and repugnant violation of the American people who are the very constituent parts of this government. President Trump has made great personal and professional sacrifices to lead our nation at this pivotal point in history when every objective standard, even truth itself, is being attacked, by those who continually seek to consolidate their own power and control through the devices of division, manipulation, fraud and outright lies. In his pursuit to provide the strong and bold leadership our nation needs, Congressional Democrats and Never Trumpers, bankrolled and spurred on by their billionaire class donors, repaid him with a rapid succession of deceitful attacks, perhaps none more baseless than the sham impeachment. He has been exonerated in fact, and now this scourge on our Constitutional Republic needs to be nullified, as if it had never happened, because in a Constitutional body, committed to the Rule of Law, it never would have happened.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/carper-epa-s-censoring-science-rule-is-the-trump-administration-s-last-gasp-of-science-denial,Carper: EPAs Censoring Science Rule is the Trump Administrations Last Gasp of Science Denial,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,DE,Thomas Carper,C000174,www.carper.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its rule todrastically undermine the use of science in agency decision-making. In the final days of the Trump Administration, EPA has finalized its rule that will suppress scientific research and censor scientists and experts. It's just one last gasp of science denial. Amid an ongoing public health crisis a time when accessing the latest scientific research and embracing scientific advancements is a critical function of protecting human health the Trump EPA is trying to limit the use of scientific data, even data that could be used to address the growing link between exposure to air pollution and adverse outcomes of COVID-19. It's as absurd as it sounds. As I said earlier this year, it's hard to imagine a time when our nation needed to embrace science more than we do at this very moment. Almost a year into our battle against the coronavirus pandemic, that's even truer today. While I continue to be amazed by this administration's penchant for science denial, I am confident that this irresponsible rollback finalized in the last few days of the Trump Administration will not impede the incoming administration's efforts to restore the use of science in rulemaking. President-elect Biden has made clear that his administration will be guided by science. In March, Senator Carperasked the EPA Inspector General (IG)to open an investigation into potentially unlawful efforts and procedural problems related to the preparation and review of this supplemental proposal. Later that month, Senator Carper asked EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler towithdraw the rule, describing how thesweeping policy would limit the use of science in EPA rulemaking. As Senator Carper described in hisMarch 24letter to Administrator Wheeler, examples abound of research that would now at minimum require considerable review time to determine whether or not they meet the requirements of the Secret Science Rule, or considerable review time to determine whether or not they would require an exemption from the rule's applicability before being used for EPA decision-making purposes. Some examples include: ThisMarch 2020 survey of existing research describes the interaction of several coronaviruses on surfaces with biocidal agents. EPA isresponsiblefor recommending disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens. ThisNovember2003 paper includes a statistical correlation between SARS fatalities in China and higher exposure to air pollution, information that could be relevant to EPA air officials as new criteria pollutant standards are developed. ThisOctober 2015 paper describes the challenges associated with the sterilization and disposal of medical waste contaminated by Ebola.EPAworked jointlywith CDC to develop disposal and sterilization guidelines and could be called on to do the same for COVID-19. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/legislation-protect-patients-surprise-medical-bills-now-law,Legislation to Protect Patients from Surprise Medical Bills is Now Law,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,www.collins.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that bipartisan legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills was signed into law as part of the government funding package. Americans increasingly pay more out-of-pocket for their health care, so it is crucial that they have access to the information they need to make informed decisions. The health and economic crisis we are currently experiencing due to COVID-19 has underscored the need for Congress to come together to increase the affordability and accessibility of medical care. Far too many Americans are struggling with the skyrocketing cost of health care, which places severe strain on family budgets and threatens access to the care and medications they need. The last thing patients should have to worry about while they are sick or recovering is receiving an unexpected bill because they were unaware they were receiving out-of-network care,said Senator Collins. Increasing the affordability and accessibility of health care is one of my highest priorities, and this new law ending the unfair practice of surprise medical billing will help provide significant relief. The proposal to end surprise medical billing will also allow approximately $18 billion in savings to be used to fully fund Community Health Centers, Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education, and Special Diabetes Programs for three years. As the lead sponsor of theTraining the Next Generation of Primary Care Doctors Act, Senator Collins has long worked to bolster and expand this successful training program. As the founder and co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, she has championed the Special Diabetes Program, which has been instrumental in promoting advances in diabetes care such as the artificial pancreas system. The bipartisan, bicameral agreement protects patients and establishes a fair payment dispute resolution process including: Holds patients harmless from surprise medical bills, including from air ambulance providers, by ensuring they are only responsible for their in-network cost-sharing amounts, including deductibles, in both emergency situations and certain non-emergency situations where patients do not have the ability to choose an in-network provider. Prohibits certain out-of-network providers from balance billing patients unless the provider gives the patient notice of their network status and an estimate of charges 72 hours prior to receiving out-of-network services and the patient provides consent to receive out-of-network care. Creates a framework that takes patients out of the middle, and allows health care providers and insurers to resolve payment disputes without involving the patient. Under the agreement, insurers will make a payment to the provider that is determined either through negotiation between the parties or an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process. There is no minimum payment threshold to enter IDR, and claims may be batched together to ease administrative burdens. If the parties choose to utilize the IDR process, both parties would each submit an offer to the independent arbiter. When choosing between the two offers the arbiter is required to consider the median in-network rate, information related to the training and experience of the provider, the market share of the parties, previous contracting history between the parties, complexity of the services provided, and any other information submitted by the parties. Following an IDR process, the party that initiated the dispute may not take the same party to arbitration for the same item or service for 90-days following a determination by the arbitrator. However, all claims that occur during the 90-day period are eligible for IDR after the 90-days. Provides additional consumer protections when insurance companies change networks, including a transition of care for people with complex care needs and appeal rights for consumers. Empowers consumers by providing a true and honest cost estimate that describes which providers will deliver their treatment, the cost of services, and provider network status. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-announces-more-500000-maine-housing-authorities-0,"Senator Collins Announces More Than $500,000 for Maine Housing Authorities",2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,www.collins.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.- U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that nine housing authorities in Maine will receive a total of $509,826 through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS). Maine's housing authorities provide an array of vital services to seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families,said Senator Collins. As the Chairman of the Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, I am committed to ensuring that the housing needs of all Mainers are met. By supporting public housing agencies, this funding will help connect individuals with the resources they need to achieve economic independence. The funding will be allocated as follows: Augusta Housing Authoritywill receive $32,484. Bangor Housing Authoritywill receive $63,709. City of Caribouwill receive $57,446. Housing Authority of Brewerwill receive $60,978. Housing Authority of Old Townwill receive $47,944. Lewiston Housing Authoritywill receive $58,873. Maine State Housing Authoritywill receive $62,467. Portland Housing Authoritywill receive $78,659. Westbrook Housing Authoritywill receive $47,266. As the Chairman of the Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Collins has worked hard to preserve and modernize affordable housing units across the State of Maine. Earlier this month, sheannounced$120,000 for housing authorities in Aroostook and Sagadahoc Counties. In addition, Senator Collins helped to secure a total of $46.5 million in HUD's CARES Act funding to help communities throughout Maine respond to COVID-19 by protecting affordable housing, providing housing assistance for the homeless, and supporting community development. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/qa-counterfeit-vaccines-and-pandemic-fraud,Q&A: Counterfeit Vaccines and Pandemic Fraud,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,IA,Charles Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Q&A: Counterfeit Vaccines and Pandemic Fraud With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Q: What are you doing to protect taxpayer dollars included in the pandemic relief laws? A: Iowans work hard for their money. I work hard to protect hard-earned tax dollars from waste, fraud and abuse. In times of emergency, such as natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government provides urgently needed support and resources to help Americans who have lost homes, farms, livelihoods and paychecks. 2020 has produced one crisis after another. The virus has killed more than 300,000 Americans. Too many families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. Congress approved $4 trillion this year to accelerate vaccine production and send emergency assistance to help health care professionals, unemployed workers, student borrowers, foster youth, farmers, households and small businesses struggling to stay afloat. This historic federal spending will add to the nation's $27 trillion debt. As a fiscal conservative, it's a tough pill to swallow. Iowans don't want to pass the buck on to our children and grandchildren. Borrowing money means every dollar consumed by interest payments means one less dollar for national security, infrastructure, health care and tax relief. The same goes for money lost to waste, fraud and abuse. For example, in the most recent $900 billion pandemic relief package, Congress approved $26 billion to help fight hunger and replenish food assistance programs. Starting Jan. 1, recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will get a 15 percent bump in benefits. Lawmakers owe it to taxpayers to ensure this money is spent to feed hungry kids and their families who have fallen on hard times. Rooting out corruption, theft and fraud tied to pandemic spending is as important as ever. When Congress passed the CARES Act in March, I worked to sharpen the federal government's anti-fraud and oversight tools. I introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure the federal watchdog tasked to oversee pandemic spending could hit the ground running. The good news is Congress approved a Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery in the CARES Act. The bad news is my bill that would allow this office to get fully staffed and operational as quickly as possible wasn't included in the most recent pandemic package. Taxpayers don't want a dog and pony show in charge of oversight. Taxpayers deserve a watchdog with teeth and a bite to match. From my leadership posts in the U.S. Senate, I'll keep tabs on the public purse and exercise my constitutional oversight responsibilities as rigorously as ever. Q: Do you have pandemic fraud on your radar that Iowans ought to be watching out for? A: It's no secret that bad actors and fraudsters troll federal spending at every turn to take advantage of bloated bureaucracies and pluck the golden goose. My crusade against wasteful spending began at the Department of Defense four decades ago. I soon discovered the Pentagon was only the tip of the iceberg. More lawmakers need to join the oversight bandwagon and invest time and effort to cut fat and fraud from the federal ledgers. In December, I led a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers with Sens. Joni Ernst, Thom Tillis and Chris Coons to commend the Department of Homeland Security and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their pro-active efforts to combat pandemic-related fraud, including scams targeting unemployment benefits, illicit personal protective equipment and counterfeit vaccines. Operation Stolen Promise was launched in April by HSI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to combat fraud and criminal trafficking of COVID-19 goods. In the first eight months, the anti-fraud operation seized 1,654 items, such as counterfeit test kits, counterfeit masks and banned pharmaceuticals, netting $27.8 million in illicit proceeds. As Americans await their turn to get immunized and roll up their sleeves for the COVID-19 vaccine, it's vital to reinforce confidence in the safety and integrity of the vaccine. That means the federal government must take decisive steps to stop the spread of misinformation about counterfeit vaccines and stop the sale of fake vaccines in the United States. I'll continue robust oversight throughout the New Year to ensure America puts its best foot forward in the pandemic recovery and that the public health is protected. I advise Iowans to be wary of scams and fraud. Always consult your health care provider and listen to public health officials so that you and your loved ones get immunized with the vaccines authorized by the FDA when it's your turn. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/speeches?ContentRecord_id=7A188C6A-2DBE-4730-AC33-225D07FF5E1C,Gov. Gary Herberts Retirement,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,UT,Mike Lee,L000577,www.lee.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Mr./Madam President, I rise today to honor my friend, Gary Herbert, Governor of the State of Utah for the last 12 years, who after a long career in public service is embarking on a well-earned retirement. He has served the state of Utah with enthusiasm, dedication, and spirit; and I am grateful to have worked alongside him throughout his tenure. Gary was born in American Fork, Utah, and grew up in Orem. He served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the East Coast, and later attended Brigham Young University. He first began his public service after college, serving in the Utah Army National Guard for six years and becoming a staff sergeant. After his time in the National Guard, he set up a real estate firm, and eventually became president of the Utah Association of Counties and Utah Association of Realtors. Starting in 1990, he served as a commissioner on the Utah County Commission for 14 years, and then began his service at the state level. In 2004, when Jon Huntsman ran for the Governor's seat, Gary became his running mate for Lieutenant Governor, with the pair going on to win the race that November. It was then that I first got to know him myself, when I was hired to be the general counsel for Governor Huntsman. One of my first memories of him was when we began to move into the governor's office suite. The day before he was sworn in, Gary came and gave a warm welcome to all the staff, along with sound advice about the importance of staying grounded as we entered the political fray. I soon learned that he was not only a skilled politician, but also a formidable ping pong player. Right after he and Governor Huntsman were sworn in, the staff got together as a team several times at the governor's mansion, where there was a ping pong table in the basement. I then learned the hard way that Gary's table-tennis skills are off the charts. While serving Governor Huntsman, I always found Gary to be friendly, approachable, and willing to tackle every assignment with eagerness and poise. Whenever Governor Huntsman's schedule became chaotic or would change unexpectedly, Lieutenant Governor Herbert would routinely be dispatched to speak on his behalf often to remote corners of the state, and often at inconvenient times. He never once complained; and was not only willing, but always eager and happy to help. Likewise, whenever there was an issue that needed to be addressed and the Governor was unable to meet with a particular group, Gary was assigned the case. He would meet with all the different stakeholders, legislators, and people from different sides of an issue, bringing them all together and wading through the intricate details of the matter. What's more, he had the skill of figuring out the best path forward for all parties involved, and for making everyone feel heard and understood. The same traits I saw in him as Lieutenant Governor would go on to make him an effective and beloved Governor himself. In office since 2009, he is currently the nation's longest-serving governor. And our state has seen exciting achievement and prosperity with Governor Herbert at the helm. In the last eight years, Utah has seen continued, steady growth in our economy with improvement in our GDP, number of jobs, and unemployment rate. We have seen the boom of Silicon Slopes. We celebrated the centennial of the driving of the Golden Spike, when it was an honor to stand alongside him at the celebratory reenactment. And so too was it an honor to join Gary when President Trump shrank Bears Ears National Monument, when we could stand together and celebrate reclaiming the land back for the people of Utah. Through his enthusiasm and zeal, Gary has championed our state and the things that we stand for. He can rattle off figures and metrics about Utah at the drop of a hat; and is a compelling spokesman for our values. His spirit has helped Utah to attract talent and investment, and to make it the good place that it is to live. Not only that, but Gary has been an instrumental partner in supporting initiatives that reflect and strengthen the values of our state. To champion the reclamation of our lands, he signed into law the Utah Transfer of Public Lands Act. He also signed into law innovative criminal justice reforms in Utah, making a far-reaching impact across the state; and paving the way for the work Congress and President Trump were able to do at the federal level. He has been a strong supporter of Utah's family culture, and was helpful in the Senate's work promoting the child tax credit during tax reform. And on a more personal note, he had the wisdom to put my brother, Tom Lee, on the Utah Supreme Court. For all his public achievements, Gary is most proud, however, of his own role as husband, father, and grandfather. He and his wife Jeanette have six children together, as well as 16 grandchildren; and he is known to encourage them to follow in his footsteps and marry up. In a myriad of ways, Governor Gary Herbert has been a champion and a spokesman for all that is good about our state. It has been an honor to serve the people of Utah with him, and I wish him all the best as he embarks on his retirement.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatzs-medical-tele-training-bill-signed-into-law,Schatz’s Medical Tele-Training Bill Signed Into Law,2020-12-31,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,HI,Brian Schatz,S001194,www.schatz.senate.gov,schatz,https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – This week, the Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes (ECHO) 2019 Act was signed into law as part of the annual government funding bill. The bipartisan legislation, authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), establishes a $10 million per year grant program for fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to promote the use of technology to connect health care providers and deliver high-quality care in hard-to-reach regions. “Technology hasn’t just transformed how doctors care for patients, it has helped health care providers work and learn from with each other,” said Senator Schatz. “This new law will help connect more primary care providers in rural areas with specialists from across the country so that more families have access to the critical health care services they need."" The new law will expand the use of the ECHO model — an innovative medical education program that deploys interactive videoconferencing to link specialist teams with primary care providers in rural areas. This helps hard-to-reach communities access the health care services they otherwise would not be able to receive. During the pandemic, the ECHO model has been important to the public health response, used by states across the country to share best practices for treating COVID-19 patients as well as improve testing and contact tracing. In 2016, Schatz authored the first ECHO Act, which was signed into law and initiated a study of the model. The resulting report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that the ECHO model addresses important gaps in health care for underserved populations and recommended its expansion. Acting on this recommendation, Senator Schatz authored the current ECHO Act, which creates a program to provide grants and technical assistance to further develop the ECHO model and other similar models and expand their use nationwide. These grants will be used for: Equipment to support the use and expansion of the models, including for the secure exchange of electronic health information; Support for health care providers that provide services under these models; Instructional programming and training; and Information collection and evaluation activities to study the impact of such models. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z http://jhb.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402050,Herrera Beutlers Legislation to Strengthen Grid Security and Increase Energy Efficiency Signed into Law,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,WA,Jaime Herrera Beutler,H001056,jhb.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, the president signed into law two bipartisan bills led by Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler to strengthen grid security and improve energy efficiency in Southwest Washington. The Better Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Act and Grid Modernization Research and Development Act were included in the funding package approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. These energy solutions I'm leading tackle two important needs: improving security of our energy grid from cyberattacks and natural disasters, and improving the durability of our energy sources, Herrera Beutler said. I'm pleased that Congress has approved these two critical pieces of bipartisan legislation to increase the security, reliability, and affordability of energy for Southwest Washington residents, which will help lead our region to a more secure energy future. Details on Herrera Beutler's legislation: Grid Modernization Research and Development Act, H.R. 5428. Refines and expands research and development programs aimed at increasing reliability and security of the grid. It also extends the Smart Grid Regional Demonstration initiative and authorizes a research, development, and demonstration program focused on: Enhancing grid resilience and emergency response; and Designing and developing advanced controls, operations, monitoring and visualization tools for the grid BEST Act, H.R. 2986. Authorizes the Department of Energy to establish a grid-scale storage research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) program to advance energy storage technologies and creates specific objectives for energy RD&D projects, and bolsters research with federal agencies and national labs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=5537,"Sen. Cruz Condemns Jailing of Chinese Journalist Who Documented Wuhan Coronavirus Outbreak, Vows to Reintroduce Sanctions Bill Against Chinese Medical Censorship",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,,,legacy,"HOUSTON, Texas - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement in response to reports that China will jail journalist Zhang Zhan for four years, in retaliation for Zhan's efforts in early 2020 to document the emergence and spread of COVID-19, and announced his intention to reintroduce the ""Ending Chinese Medical Censorship and Cover Ups Act,"" legislation to sanction Chinese officials involved in the ongoing suppression of medical experts, journalists, and political dissidents trying to disseminate medical information: ""In the early days of the pandemic, the Chinese Communist Party did everything it could to cover up the severity of the outbreak, from lying about the origin of the virus and how it was being transmitted, to destroying evidence, to silencing the brave whistleblower doctors, scientists, journalists, and activists who tried to warn the world and prevent a global public health crisis. Had the CCP acted responsibly, there's a very real possibility the coronavirus could have been contained as a regional outbreak. Almost a year later, the CCP is continuing and deepening its repression of those whistleblowers. ""The consequences of this censorship continuing are deadly - not just for those in China but for Americans and people around the world. That's why at the start of the next Congress I will reintroduce a version of my bill from the 116th Congress, the Ending Chinese Medical Censorship and Cover Ups Act, legislation to impose visa bans and asset blocks on those who punish or censor Chinese citizens for reporting accurate information about a disease. COVID-19 went global because of this sort of malign behavior, and it is imperative that those who conduct it are held accountable."" Sen. Cruz has been leading the charge in the Senate to fundamentally reassess the U.S.-China relationship and counter Chinese censorship in the wake of the CCP coronavirus coverup. In May, Sen. Cruz first introduced the ""Ending Chinese Medical Censorship and Cover Ups Act"" after he delivered remarks on the Senate Floor highlighting the acute need to counter Chinese propaganda and hold China accountable for the types of medical and political censorship that helped fuel the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Sen. Cruz has: Led efforts to end U.S. dependence on China for rare earth elements and other critical minerals by introducing the Onshoring Rare Earths or ORE Act, legislation that would establish a supply chain in the U.S. for minerals used to manufacture defense technologies and other high-tech products. Introduced the Blocking Evasive Attempts to Manipulate Signals or BEAMS Act, legislation to prevent the CCP from exploiting Federal Communications Commission (FCC) loopholes to propagandize to Americans from radio stations in Mexico or Canada, including through stations entangled with Chinese state-owned media outlets such as Phoenix TV. This legislation resulted in the Trump Administration blocking the license to these stations. Introduced the Stopping Censorship, Restoring Integrity, Protecting Talkies or SCRIPT Act, legislation cutting off Hollywood studios from assistance they receive from the Department of Defense if those studios censor their films for screening in China. Introduced the Sanctioning and Highlighting Authoritarian Medicine and Eugenics or SHAME Act, legislation sanctioning CCP officials for systematic ethnic cleansing, including through forced abortions and other coercive population control measures in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Sen. Cruz's leadership against the CCP's human rights atrocities and political oppression led to his being repeatedly sanctioned, something he calls ""a badge of honor."" READ: Sen. Cruz on FoxNews.com: China Is Expanding Its Malign Influence All Over the World ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/columns?ContentRecord_id=F6699444-A32D-4656-8087-B6B30C56D44D,"Joni Ernst: As we head into the New Year, I will always put Iowa first.",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,,,legacy,"2020 has presented unique challenges for folks all across our state. The global pandemic coupled with a devastating derecho has been tough, but through it all we've witnessed the resilient spirit of Iowans. As I safely and responsibly traveled Iowa on my sixth annual 99 County Tour visiting every county in our beautiful state I continued to listen to your stories, challenges, and successes to take your voices back to Washington. COVID-19 was certainly top of mind for so many, and that's why I prioritized getting relief to families, workers, small businesses, farmers, and folks in all walks of life. I worked swiftly with Democrats and Republicans to secure billions in relief for more than 60,000 of our small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). And in the newest COVID-19 relief package, I again worked across the aisle to bolster the PPP. I've continued to be a strong advocate for our families; fighting to expand access to child care services, provide financial relief for family caregivers, crackdown on scammers targeting our seniors, and support our nursing homes and senior care facilities. Through the bipartisan CARES Act, I helped secure nearly $32 million in relief for Iowa child care centers and pushed for more assistance for Iowa's diaper banks. In the newest aid package, I worked in a bipartisan way to make sure our child care industry continues to have support. When it comes to health care, I've also worked hard with Democrats and Republicans to support Iowa's hospitals and health care systems throughout this pandemic including expanded telehealth and mental health treatment to push for lower health care and drug costs, and to expand access to care, especially for rural Iowans. Having grown up on a farm in rural Iowa, the same community I still live in to this day, I understand the challenges our hardworking farmers face. With the pandemic and devastating derecho, things were that much tougher this year. That's why I pushed to secure immediate COVID help for our pork producers and strengthen our food supply chain. I successfully helped provide support for Iowa's dairy, turkey, egg, and cattle producers and in the newest COVID-19 aid package, deliver more agriculture support. In the immediate aftermath of the derecho, I met directly with Iowans and local leaders on the ground to help ensure recovery resources were available, including assistance for farmers and cooperatives impacted by the storm. Most recently, my bipartisan bill to provide tax relief to communities, families, and businesses hurt by the derecho was signed into law. When it comes to trade, I helped finalize the USMCA, supported getting the Phase One trade deal with China done, and pushed for a new deal with the U.K. And, of course, I've kept up the fight for our biofuel producers always pushing to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). I helped get the gap year small refinery waivers thrown out, secured a commitment from the president to allow E15 at E10 pumps, and helped push the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow ethanol to be used for hand sanitizer.And just recently, after pushing Congressional leadership, we successfully made COVID relief accessible to renewable fuel producers. While there was a significant portion of this year focused on pandemic and derecho recovery, there was also a lot of other really important work we were able to get done for Iowans. As a combat veteran, and subcommittee chair on the Armed Services Committee, I take very seriously my duty to support our servicemembers and veterans. Throughout the year, I've continued my work to combat sexual assault in our military and military academies, and have taken action to prevent abuse at the VA. I've also built on my bipartisan efforts to ensure quality care for our vets, combat veteran suicide, and help veterans transition to civilian life. Through the annual defense bill, I helped military women have proper-fitting body armor and equip our troops for the battlefield with modern technology, including military systems built and developed right here in Iowa. Whether it was securing critical COVID relief, working to rebuild from the derecho, fighting tooth and nail to defend the RFS, or continuing to be accessible to Iowans across our statein 2020 I never stopped fighting relentlessly and delivering for all Iowans. As we head into the New Year, I'll continue to be your voice in Washington and to always put Iowa first. Joni Ernst, a native of Red Oak and a combat veteran, represents Iowa in the United States Senate.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.mcconnell.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=5AE9ABDD-1AEB-4DD0-9D61-9EDF34F20AB0,Were Going to Continue Delivering on the Needs of Our Nation,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding NDAA and COVID-19 relief: Today, the Senate was supposed to finish legislation securing critical tools, training, and support for America's armed forces. But the junior Senator for Vermont had other ideas. Remember, Senator Sanders spent this past summer literally trying to defund our military. Not my words, but the title of a piece he published: Defund the Pentagon: The liberal case. Our colleague authored an amendment to strip 10% of funding from our servicemembers and decimate our defense budget. The Russians aren't cutting military funding. China isn't cutting funding. But last summer, Senator Sanders and fellow Democrats, including the Democratic Leader, voted to make America unilaterally disarm and cut ours. The left took a break from trying to defund the police to try to defund our Armed Forces. Their amendment went down in a landslide. But now our colleague from Vermont is again putting political stunts before the needs of our men and women in uniform. Our colleague says he will slow down this vital bill unless he gets to muscle through another standalone proposal from Speaker Pelosi that would add roughly half a trillion dollars to the national debt. Which does not align with what President Trump has suggested. And which has no realistic path to quickly pass the Senate. Well, as I've said, the Senate will not let our national security be shoved off course. Certainly not by Senators who have spent years trying to gut America's capabilities while our adversaries continue ramping up. The Senate will stay on this important bill until we complete it, one way or another. *** Now let's talk about COVID-19 relief. Four days ago, President Trump signed the second-largest rescue package in American history. The largest one was the CARES Act in March. Due to this pandemic and our massive response, we now have a national debt far larger than our entire economy for the first time since World War II. But we knew our people needed more help. So Congress just passed another nearly $900 billion in emergency relief, targeted to those who need help most. A second round of payroll support to save small-business jobs. More unemployment aid. Vaccine distribution money. Funding for safe schools. And much more. In addition to historic amounts of targeted help, at the request of President Trump and his team, the package also included another round of direct relief checks to households -- whether or not each household needs the help, whether or not their finances have changed dramatically this past year. Yesterday, Secretary Mnuchin announced households should begin receiving those payments as early as today and this week. That is more good news for a lot of people. *** After Congress and the Administration finalized the bipartisan bill, the President expressed interest in further expanding the non-targeted direct payments. So, to ensure the President was comfortable signing the bill into law, the Senate committed to beginning one process that would combine three of the President's priorities: Larger direct checks; a repeal of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act; and further efforts to review the integrity of our democracy. Three of the President's priorities in one Senate process. That was the commitment, and that's what happened yesterday when I introduced text reflecting just what the President had requested. Now, House and Senate Democrats want something very different. As they have tried to do countless times in the past four years, Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer are trying to pull a fast one on the President and the American people. First of all, they are hoping everyone just forgets about election integrity and Big Tech. They are desperate to ignore those two parts of President Trump's request. Draw your own conclusions. And even on the question of larger checks, the Democrats have tried to warp what President Trump laid out. Look, it's no secret that Republicans have a diversity of views about the wisdom of borrowing hundreds of billions more to send out more non-targeted money, including to many households that have suffered no loss of income during this crisis. COVID-19 has not affected all households equally. Not even close. It is hardly clear that the federal government's top priority should be sending thousands of dollars to, for example, a childless couple making well into six figures who have been comfortably teleworking all year. Our duty is to get help to the people who need help. Like we did to an historic degree just four days ago. *** But above and beyond that discussion, the Democratic leaders have broken from what President Trump proposed. They quietly changed his proposal in an attempt to let wealthy households suck up even more money. Speaker Pelosi structured her bill so that a family of four would have to earn more than $300,000 in order not to qualify for more cash. A family of three could pull in $250,000 per year a quarter of a million dollars and still qualify for some money. And Democratic leaders want to call this scheme, quote, survival checks. Only my friends Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic Leader could look at households in New York and California who make $300,000 in households where nobody has been laid off where earnings did not even drop this past year and conclude these rich constituents of theirs need survival checks financed by taxpayer dollars and borrowed money. Everyone sees the game here. These are the same Democrats who proudly block the entire aid package for months because they tried to hold out for special tax cuts for rich people in blue states. Now they say it's a matter of survival to send another boatload of cash to people making $300,000, regardless of whether they have experienced any disruption at all this past year. *** Even the liberal Washington Post editorial board is laughing at the political left for demanding more huge giveaways with no relationship to need. Here's what they wrote: Especially wrongheaded is the progressive left, spearheaded by Sen. Bernie Sanders, who depicts the $2,000 as aid to desperate' Americans despite the huge amounts destined for perfectly comfortable families.' That's from the editors of the Washington Post. The Wall Street Journal, usually their opposite number, agrees. These non-targeted checks are unnecessary,' and struggling households can access targeted support like expanded jobless benefits, food stamps, child-care subsidies and much more.' The liberal economist Larry Summers, President Clinton's Treasury Secretary and President Obama's NEC director, says, quote, there is no good economic argument' for universal $2,000 checks at this moment. He points out the CARES Act and the brand-new law will already have boosted overall household income, relative to the economy, back to its pre-pandemic levels, if not higher. If specific struggling households need still more help after the huge, historic package that was just signed into law four days ago has taken effect, then what they will need is smart, targeted aid. Not another firehose of borrowed money that encompasses other people who are doing just fine. In my view, colleagues like Senator Cornyn from Texas and Senator Toomey from Pennsylvania have pointed this out persuasively. *** But, more broadly, here's the deal: The Senate is not going to split apart the three issues that President Trump linked together just because Democrats are afraid to address two of them. The Senate is not going to be bullied into rushing out more borrowed money into the hands of the Democrats' rich friends who don't need the help. We just approved almost a trillion dollars in aid a few days ago. It struck a balance between broad support for all kinds of households and a lot more targeted relief for those who need help most. We are going to stay smart, we're going to stay focused, and we're going to continue delivering on the needs of our nation.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-releases-new-covid-19-federal-resource-guide-to-help-hawaii-small-businesses-access-new-funding-programs,"Schatz Releases New COVID-19 Federal Resource Guide To Help Hawaii Small Businesses Access New Funding, Programs",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,HI,Brian Schatz,S001194,www.schatz.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Schatz Releases New COVID-19 Federal Resource Guide To Help Hawaii Small Businesses Access New Funding, Programs Updated Resource Guide Includes Information On New Relief Funding, New Program To Support Live Venue Operators, Museums, Independent Movie Theaters; Schatz's Resource Guide Available At Schatz.Senate.Gov/Coronavirus/Small-Businesses Wednesday, December 30, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) today released an updated resource guide to help Hawaii small businesses better understand how to access federal loans and new federal funding. The new $900 billion relief package, which is the second largest aid package in American history and was signed into law on Sunday, includes a new round of federal funding for small businesses and nonprofits and a new program to support live venue operators, including museums and independent movie theaters. The new round of funding will help Hawaii small businesses meet their payroll and provide people with paychecks, said Senator Schatz. As more federal help becomes available, we'll continue to work to provide more information about how Hawaii families and businesses can access these new resources. The new COVID-19 relief funding includes $15 billion nationwide to a new Small Business Administration (SBA) grant program for live venues impacted by the public health crisis. Eligible grant recipients include live venue operators, promoters or theatrical producers, independent movie theatre operators, museum operators, and talent representatives. Of the total amount, $2 billion is set aside for eligible entities that employ fewer than 50 full-time employees. The new relief package also provides an additional $20 billion of targeted funding for the SBA's economic injury disaster loans (EIDL) emergency advance grants program and extends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to March 31, 2021, providing $284 billion nationwide for additional first- and second-round PPP loans to small businesses and nonprofits. The full small business resource guide is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-statement-fy21-ndaa,Rep. Austin Scott Statement on FY21 NDAA,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"TIFTON, GA Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released the below statement on his vote to override President Trump's veto of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA), which authorizes spending for the Department of Defense. The NDAA is one of the most important pieces of legislation our body passes each year, as it pays our warfighters and provides them with the resourcesthey need to tackle their missions and return home safely. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and as the grandson of a World War II POW, this is a task I take very seriously, said Rep. Austin Scott. President Trump ultimately vetoed the measure due the package not addressing concerns over Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which created federal immunity for providers and users of social media companies and generally prevents them from being held liable for hosting content that someone else created. While I believe the President is founded in his concerns over Section 230, it is in our nation's best interest to pass the NDAA to deliver much-needed resources to our men and women in uniform, including a 3% pay raise and critical resources for installations like Robins and Moody Air Force Bases in Georgia's Eighth District, said. Rep. Scott. Social media companies should be held accountable for their selective censorship and bias that in many cases impedes the First Amendment of American citizens, but this issue can and should be addressed separate from the defense bill. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and President Trump to address this measure. In November, Rep. Scott was chosen to serve on a conference committee which was charged with working through differences of the House and Senate versions of FY21 NDAA to comprise a final bill for passage. The final bill provided resources for Robins and Moody Air Forces Bases in Georgia's Eighth District, as well as a 3% pay raise for troops and resources to help the Department of Defense combat COVID-19. Click here to read more. In July, Rep. Scott joined FOX and Friends First to discuss the FY21 NDAA and the President's intention to veto the legislation and the importance of deliver a defense bill for the Department of Defense. You can click here to watch the interview. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://brooks.house.gov/media-center/news-releases/bam-fight-americas-republic-senator-josh-hawley-r-mo-joins-congressman-mo,"Bam! The Fight for America's Republic is On! Senator Josh Hawley (R, MO) Joins Congressman Mo Brooks' Effort to Block Untrustworthy Electoral College Votes!",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,AL,Mo Brooks,B001274,brooks.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DCWednesday, Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05) praised Senator Josh Hawley's (R, MO) announcement to object to untrustworthy electoral college submissions on January 6th. Congressman Brooks said, ""I thankSenator Hawley for joining dozens of Congressmen's fight for an honest and accurate election system that is the underpinning of America's Republic! With America's Republicat stake,we are fortunate to have leaders like Senator Hawley stand up and do what is right to ensure America remains the greatest nation in world history."" Brooks continued,""AsMissouri's former Attorney General,an experiencedlitigator,and renowned legal and constitutional scholar,Senator Hawley understands that Congress (not federal courts) is the final and ultimate judge, jury and arbiter of all contested federal elections."" Brooks concluded,""Too many states have blatantly violated Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, violated federal election statutes, or willfully failed to obey their own state election laws, thereby opening the door to massive voter fraud, casting of illegal ballots, and election theft. These combined failures render some states' election results untrustworthy. With a Senatecosponsornowjoiningthis fight, Congressmen and Senators will face an easy vote: you can either acquiesce to and support voter fraud and election theft, or you can stand and fight for an honest and accurate election system that is the underpinning of America's Republic. On January 6, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I choose to fight!!!"" Senator Hawley's December 30th statement follows: ""Following both the 2004 and 2016 elections, Democrats in Congress objected during the certification of electoral votes in order to raise concerns about election integrity. They were praised by Democratic leadership and the media when they did. And they were entitled to do so. But now those of us concerned about the integrity of this election are entitled to do the same. I cannot vote to certify the electoral college results on January 6 without raising the fact that some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own state election laws. And I cannot vote to certify without pointing out the unprecedented effort of mega corporations, including Facebook and Twitter, to interfere in this election, in support of Joe Biden. At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections. But Congress has so far failed to act. For these reasons, I will follow the same practice Democrat members of Congress have in years past and object during the certification process on January 6 to raise these critical issues."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cohen.house.gov/taxonomy/story-type/enewsletters/voting-increase-direct-payments-coronavirus-relief,Voting to Increase Direct Payments for Coronavirus Relief,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,TN,Steve Cohen,C001068,cohen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Many constituents received my end-of-year postcard in the mail. The card featured a powerful photograph of the airport by Memphis photographer Jeffrey Jacobs but the artist was not properly credited as he is here. Thanks to Mr. Jacobs for such fine work representing our city. Dear Friend, This week, I voted to increase economic impact payments under our coronavirus relief measure passed earlier this month from $600 to $2,000 per individual ($4,000 per couple and $2,000 for each dependent). I voted to override the President's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, which provides assistance to Vietnam-era victims of Agent Orange and mandates the removal of names that honor the Confederacy from military installations; offered some guidance about the new coronavirus vaccines; appeared on national television to discuss the relief bill and the horrific bombing on Second Avenue in Nashville; and announced a significant sickle cell research grant to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what I'm doing as it happens. Voting to Increase Direct Payments for Coronavirus Relief Voting to Override Presidential Veto of the Defense Bill Offering Guidance about Access to Coronavirus Vaccine Addressing Relief Bill and Nashville Bombing on MSNBC Announcing a Significant Grant for Sickle Cell Research to St. Jude Wishing Everyone a Happy New Year 2021 Quote of the Week Voting to Increase Direct Payments for Coronavirus Relief On Monday, the House convened to pass a bill increasing direct payments to individuals from $600 to $2,000 under the coronavirus relief measure that passed both Chambers last week to deal with the pandemic and its dire financial consequences. This means that those eligible will receive $2,000 for each person, including children and non-child dependents. Democrats have consistently pushed for larger relief checks, but Republicans refused to accept it before voting for the original bill. It remains unclear at the moment whether the Senate will take up this crucial bill. It would have been nice if the President had been more engaged in the negotiations in the weeks leading up to the relief bill's passage, and had let us know his position, so that this relief could have reached millions before the holidays. I think we're all looking forward to a more competent and coherent response to this crisis under President Biden. Voting to Override Presidential Veto of the Defense Bill Earlier this month, I voted for the National Defense Authorization Act, a bipartisan measure containing vital provisions for our service members, supporting Vietnam-era veterans dealing with exposure to Agent Orange, authorizing a $2 million multi-drone intelligence program that will be housed at the University of Memphis and beginning the process for removing the names of Confederate officials in the Civil War from our military installations, among its important provisions. It also includes paid parental leave for federal civilians and a 3 percent wage increase for service members. The President vetoed the measure over misguided objections to the Confederate names provision, among others, and the House overwhelmingly overrode that veto Monday night on a 322 to 87 vote. The law will pass once the Senate takes a similar override vote. Offering Guidance about Access to Coronavirus Vaccine With more than 336,000 of our fellow Americans dead from the coronavirus and cases surging, particularly in Tennessee, I urge everyone to be especially vigilant as winter weather forces us to retreat indoors. The bright spot on the horizon is the eventual availability of effective vaccines, now rolling out to health care workers, first responders, those 18+ who cannot live independently and elderly residents of long-term care facilities. Memphians who believe they qualify in the current phase should contact the Shelby County Health Department at 901-222-9000. Please consult the Tennessee Department of Health's website here for the very latest on vaccination protocols and availability and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's FAQs here if you have questions about the vaccines themselves. Though taking a vaccine is not a cure, it is one of the most important steps we can take as a community to end this devastating pandemic. Please continue to observe CDC guidelines, including wearing masks, keeping a safe social distance from others, avoiding crowds and foregoing holiday parties. We can see a better future. Let's get there together. Addressing Relief Bill and Nashville Bombing on MSNBC On Sunday morning, I went on MSNBC to talk about the prospects for passing the bill providing $2,000 coronavirus relief checks and, sadly, the Christmas Day suicide bombing that shook Nashville. See my remarks during that appearance here. Announcing a Significant Grant for Sickle Cell Research to St. Jude On Monday, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital received a significant grant from the National Institutes of Health for sickle cell disease research. See that release here. Wishing Everyone a Happy New Year 2021 Many are expressing relief that this terrible year is coming to a welcome end. We have all endured unexpected disappointments large and small in 2020 but there are good reasons to be hopeful about 2021, not least the vaccine and a more thoughtful and compassionate leader in the White House. I wish everyone a delightful, safe and prosperous New Year. Quote of the Week Cheers for a New Year and another chance to get it right. Oprah Winfrey. As always, I remain. Most sincerely, Steve Cohen Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dankildee.house.gov/media/press-releases/coronavirus-daily-update-december-30,Coronavirus Daily Update: December 30,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MI,Dan Kildee,K000380,dankildee.house.gov,,,legacy,"Wednesday, December 30, 2020 Dear Constituent The coronavirus pandemic is developing very quickly, and I know many people have questions and concerns. I will try to answer some of them below. These are incredibly stressful times for all Michiganders. I am working, along with my staff, around the clock, seven days a week to answer your questions, provide community resources and provide up-to-date, accurate information. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office anytime by calling (810) 238-8627. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has updated the epidemic order that restricts indoor social gatherings and other group activities, to allow indoor activities where Michiganders can remain masked, including in-person learning at high schools and indoor entertainment venues. Indoor dining is still prohibited. This order is effective December 21, 2020 through January 15, 2021. More information can be foundhere. The Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiativewill provide $10 million in grants to meet the needs of Michigan small businesses impacted the COVID-19 virus. Applications for businesses to apply will open on December 15, 2020. Grants will be awarded in the amount of up to $15,000 per eligible business. More information can be foundhere. The Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) provided additional guidance to workers and employers who may be affected COVID-19. Michiganders who were on unemployment, went back to work, and are now temporarily unemployed again due to COVID-19 can reopen their claim online. More information can be foundhere. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE On December 21, Congress passed theConsolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which includes a nearly $1 trillion emergency relief packageto support American workers, families and small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. More information can be foundhere. On October 1, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an updatedversionThe Heroes Act. Thesenewprovisions are essential to supporting our schools, small businesses, restaurants, performance spaces, airline workers and others.More information can be foundhere. On August 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passedThe Delivering for America Act, to fund the U.S. Postal Service and prohibit changes to operations until the pandemic has ended. More information can be foundhere. On May 12, the U.S. House of Representatives passedThe Heroes Act.TheHeroes Actincludes a number of key policies I have advocated for, including additional direct payments to families and seniors, expanding unemployment insurance, increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, and funding to prevent water shutoffs. More information can be foundhere. On May 15, I introduced a bipartisan bill,TheRecharge and Empower Local Innovation and Entrepreneurs Fund for Main Street Act(RELIEF for Main Street Act), with Reps. Evans (D-PA), Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Upton (R-MI). The billcreates a $50.5 billion Small Business Local Relief Program to provide direct federal support to cities, counties and states in order to seed and scale local relief funds and target smallbusinesses with 20 employees or fewer, orwith 50 employees or fewer located in low-income neighborhoods. More information can be foundhere. Congress has also passedtheCoronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act,TheCARES Act,Families First Coronavirus Response Actand thePaycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Actto help families and health care facilities respond to the coronavirus pandemic. CORONAVIRUS TESTING UPDATE The Governor has expanded testing opportunities for Michiganders to access testing in their own backyards. More information can be foundhere. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a website and app with a coronavirus screening tool and resources to help people protect their health. The website can be foundhereand the app can be accessedhere. UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE RESOURCES UPDATE Governor Whitmer signed bipartisan bills restoring many unemployment provisions from her previous executive orders, including extending state unemployment benefits for Michiganders who have lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic from 20 to 26 weeks until the end of the year. More information can be foundhere. UIA is now offering telephone appointments for customers with specific claim issues. By scheduling a phone appointment, customers will be able to get assistance with issues at their convenience. Phone appointments are available Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. 4:25 p.m. More information can be foundhere. The last federal $600 weekly unemployment benefit was paid to Michiganders on July 25. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) provided the state funding to provide six weeks of an additional $300 per week unemployment benefit, covering dates July 26 through September 5. To qualify, claimants must self-certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to COVID-19.More information can be foundhere. Additionally, unemployed Michiganders who have exhausted their regular and extended weeks of unemployment eligibility will receive up to 20 weeks of additional benefits, through the Federal Extended Benefits program. More information can be foundhere. On May 1, I introducedTheStrengthening UI for COVID Impacted Workers and StudentsActto expand unemployment insurance for American workers, which was included inThe Heroes Act. For more information, visithere. Unemployment Insurance Benefits: Individuals should apply online atwww.Michigan.gov/UIAor call 866-500-0017 and are encouraged to follow afiling schedulebased on last name and use off-peak times (8 p.m. 8 a.m). The UIA offersresourcesto help workers resolve online technical issues with their account. More information can be foundhere. HOUSING UPDATE Governor Whitmer created the Eviction Diversion Program, which outlines a process for renters to get fast rental assistance or establish a manageable payment plan to help them stay in their homes. The program also includes assistance to landlords. More information can be foundhere. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have a website to help renters and homeowners understand their housing assistance options. This includes information on mortgage and rental relief as well as resources for additional help that may be needed. More information can be foundhere. The CFPB has also put out a step by step videoherefor homeowners that are interested in mortgage forbearance. The CDC has issued a moratorium on evictions of renters through December 31, 2020 based on non-payment of rent. For individuals that have questions on how this moratorium works or how they can access help, the National Low Income Housing Coalition has put together an overview of the orderhere, while Michigan Legal Help has more tools and informationhere. COMMUNITY RESOURCES UPDATE The Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiativewill provide $10 million in grants to meet the needs of Michigan small businesses impacted the COVID-19 virus. Applications for businesses to apply will open on December 15, 2020. Grants will be awarded in the amount of up to $15,000 per eligible business. More information can be foundhere. The SBA has put out a step by step guide for businesses with a PPP loan on how to apply for loan forgiveness. More information can be foundhere. The Governor launched the Futures for Frontliners' program, a tuition-free path to community college for essential, frontline workers who continued working during the COVID-19 Stay Home, Stay Safe orders between April June 2020. Those eligible must apply for this scholarship before the end of the year. More information can be foundhere. The Governor announced low-income residents, seniors, schools and homeless shelters will benefit from the MI Mask Aid partnership that is part of the Mask Up Michigan Campaign. More information can be foundhere. Personal Protective Equipment: The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has launched a platform to help re-opening businesses acquire PPE. More information can be foundhere. Michigan's Virtual Food Bank:Seniors in need of food support cansign up for assistance, including meal delivery, delivery of non-perishable food items, and daily wellness-check calls, through the MDHHS coronavirus website, or by contacting their localArea Agency on Aging. More information on the virtual food bank can be foundhere. Flint Cares Help Centers: The city of Flint is offering resources and services including bottled water and food assistance. Services will continue to be provided from two semi-trailers staged in church parking lots across the city to distribute items directly to cars as residents drive through. For more information please call 810-410-2020 or visithere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://hartzler.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hartzler-statement-cash-act,Hartzler Statement on the CASH Act,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Vicky Hartzler,H001053,hartzler.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) issued the following statement on the CASH Act. A coronavirus relief bill should be directed to helping those who have been negatively impacted by the virus. The bill passed last week accomplishes this by helping struggling businesses, families, and individuals without work due to the pandemic. It also sends $600 to every person in a household who makes under $75,000 whether or not they have been impacted by the virus. This was a reasonable compromise. Increasing these across the board payments to $2000 without even having to demonstrate a need would further America's out of control debt. With a debt of $27 trillion, our focus should remain on getting people back to work and defeating the virus.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://higgins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/higgins-leads-effort-calling-on-fda-to-end-discriminative-blood-donor,Higgins Leads Effort Calling on FDA to End Discriminative Blood Donor Guidelines,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Brian Higgins,H001038,higgins.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) and fellow colleagues on the Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus, Congressmembers Judy Chu and Jose Serrano, are calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remove guidelines barring men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating plasma and other blood products. In a letter to the FDA Commissioner, Reps. Higgins, Chu and Serrano write, Outdated and arbitrary guidelines that discriminate against people attempting to donate plasma unnecessarily constrains its supply during a time when it is more important than ever to increase the donor pool. Plasma donation is an act of generosity that helps save lives, and FDA's policies should be informed by the best science available to ensure that the maximum number of people who can donate safely can do so. During the COVID-19 pandemic doctors are using convalescent plasma plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID to treat people currently fighting COVID. Plasma is also regularly used as an effective tool to treat trauma, burns, hemophilia, and other clotting factor deficiencies. As a comprehensive cancer center where patients rely on donated blood products to help them endure their cancer treatments and rebuild strength, Roswell Park knows firsthand that the need for plasma is higher than ever. Thank you to Congressman Higgins for calling on the FDA to end this discriminatory rule, says Candace S. Johnson, PhD, President and CEO of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, which operates an onsite Donor Center. Blood product donations have decreased due to the ongoing pandemic and recent winter storms which have forced the cancellation of blood drives and outreach events.The demand for plasma far exceeds donations. On December 10, 2020 the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), American Red Cross and America's Blood Centers issued a joint statement warning: the country's supply of COVID-19 convalescent plasma is depleting and indicating the demand for plasma has exceeded collections by between 1,000 and 1,500 units per day over the past month. In 1983, during the initial wave of the AIDS epidemic, the FDA implemented a policy which banned blood and plasma donations from gay and bisexual men. Since then, the FDA has revised the guideline twice, first changing the lifetime ban to a 12-month deferral from last same-sex sexual contact, and more recently changing it to a 3-month deferral. All donated blood and plasma is tested for HIV, hepatitis, COVID-19 and other infectious diseases before it is deemed acceptable and released to hospitals. ""While a three month ban is progress compared to the longstanding lifetime ban, it still remains discriminatoryto gay and bisexual men and to many people of trans experience, said Matthew Crehan Higgins, Associate Vice President, Specialty Care at Evergreen Health. We know a great deal more now than was known in 1983 about HIV transmission, testing, treatment, and prevention and it is long past the time to move past these discriminatory practices."" Founder of Blood is Blood, Jordan Moll-Vigrass said, ""The FDA continues to ignore the best science available resulting in discrimination which prevents many from receiving healthy life saving blood/plasma donations. This is a problem as it leaves many gay and bi-sexual men unwilling to ever donate as they face a double standard. No other one group of individuals have to remain celibate from sex for 3 months before they could donate. I call on theFDA to update its policies to reflectthe best science available to ensure that the maximum number of people who can donate safely do so and finallyend the years of stigma and discrimination. Congressman Higgins has long sought to end blood and plasma donor discrimination within the FDA's guidelines. In December 2014 Higgins joined other Members of Congress in sending a letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services urging action on changing the blood donation criteria. In 2015, Congressman Higgins joined Blood is Blood founder Jordan Moll Vigrass and Matthew Crehan Higgins, who previously served as Senior Director for the Pride Center of Western New York for a rally against the FDA's ban. The following week the FDA issued a final guidance changing its previous lifetime ban to a new policy of a 12-month deferral. On World Blood Donor Day in 2016 Higgins joined Members on Capitol Hill to again argue the importance of moving away from a reliance on harmful stereotypes, and allow all healthy adults who wish to donate to do so. On December 14th, the United Kingdom lifted its blanket restrictions on blood donations from MSM donors, implementing the same standards as those that exist for heterosexual donors.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://jeffduncan.house.gov/media/press-releases/duncan-plans-object-electoral-college-certification,Duncan Plans to Object to Electoral College Certification,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Jeffrey Duncan,D000615,jeffduncan.house.gov,,,legacy,"Laurens, S.C. Congressman Jeff Duncan (SC-03) plans to formally object to the Electoral College certification in the House of Representatives on January 6, 2021. He released the following statement: I swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States as a Member of Congress, and with that oath comes the vital role of ensuring the legality and integrity of our free and fair election system. The 2020 election saw unprecedented institutional issues like states changing their voting systems in violation of their state constitutions, unelected bureaucrats changing election law instead of lawmakers themselves, poll watchers prohibited from doing their jobs, failure to properly scrutinize the validity of mail-in voting, and the list goes on. We need to shed light on the issues that took place during the 2020 election to preserve our electoral system for generations to come. Our mission is simple: Count every legal vote, throw out every illegal vote, and investigate every irregularity and allegation. All Americans should be on board with this mission. On January 6, 2021, I plan to object to the Electoral College certification from states that experienced these unprecedented issues like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. I plan to object for the people of the Third District of South Carolina and the millions of Americans who are demanding transparency into the 2020 election. We the People know this is a pivotal decision for our great country. May God bless the United States of America. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-krishnamoorthi-hails-passage-2021-government-funding-and-covid-19,"Congressman Krishnamoorthi Hails Passage of the 2021 Government Funding And COVID-19 Stimulus Bill, Which Included His Priority Provisions",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,IL,Raja Krishnamoorthi,K000391,krishnamoorthi.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Krishnamoorthi hailed the $900 billion COVID-19 stimulus bill and the $1.4 trillion fiscal 2021 Appropriations bill that passed Congress and were signed into law by President Trump this week. I am thankful that Congress was able to negotiate a bipartisan COVID-19 stimulus package that will provide much needed relief to Americans across the country and that the 2021 omnibus spending bill was signed into law as well, which will allow our government agencies and services to continue operations uninterrupted, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said. The country has been awaiting the passage of this crucial legislation, and I'm proud to have supported it. Some of the main provisions included in the COVID-19 Emergency Relief package include: Economic Impact Payments: $166 billion Payments of $600 for individuals making up to $75,000 per year, $1,200 for couples making up to $150,000 per year, and $600 payment for each child dependent. Small Business: $325 billion Provides first and second forgivable PPP loans, dedicated set-asides for very small businesses and lending through community-based lenders like Community Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions, and expanded PPP eligibility for 501(c)(6) nonprofits New EIDL Grants for businesses in low-income communities, continued SBA debt relief payments, and enhancements to SBA lending. Unemployment Insurance: $120 billion Provides an additional $300 per week for all workers receiving unemployment benefits, through March 14, 2021. Extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, with expanded coverage to the self-employed, gig workers, and others in nontraditional employment Extends the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, which provides additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment benefits to individuals who exhaust their regular state benefits. Vaccines, Testing and Tracing, Community Health and Health Care Provider Support: $69 billion Schools: $82 billion Rental Assistance For Landlords and Tenants: $25 billion Establish emergency federal rental assistance program An extension of the existing CDC eviction moratorium through January 31, 2021 Transportation: $45 billion Airline payroll support and airline contractor payrolls Funding for transit, state highways, airports and airport concessionaires, private motorcoach, school bus, ferry industries, and Amtrak Child Care: $10 billion Emergency funds for Child Care Development Block Grants (CCDBG) program Funding for Head Start providers who serve low-income children and families Nutrition and Agriculture: $26 billion Increases SNAP benefits Allocates emergency funds for school and day care feeding programs Direct payments, purchases and loans to farmers and ranchers who have suffered losses due to the pandemic Broadband: $7 billion Provisions which Congressman Krishnamoorthi championed which were a part of the packages included: Extending the time period over which states and localities may spend aid from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) Funding for vaccine public service announcements and education in order to increase awareness of the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine to support universal inoculation Increased funding for e-cigarette prevention programs to combat the youth vaping epidemic Funding programs to curb distracted driving to reduce motor vehicle injuries and deaths Reestablishing a national council of educators, researchers, and security professionals to protect American technology and intellectual property from foreign adversaries and intelligence agencies Directing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to finalize rules to ensure that car seats are properly tested for side-impact crashes. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a tragic public health crisis while creating a period of enormous hardship for millions of American families, said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. With the passage of this package, we will be able to lend a helping hand to those families and small businesses in need while working to bring this epidemic to an end. Though this is a crucial step in our efforts, it must be far from the last.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-applauds-announcement-former-chief-staff-lee-slater-named-special,"Larson Applauds Announcement that Former Chief of Staff, Lee Slater, is Named as Special Assistant to President-elect Biden",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hartford, CT Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) applauded the announcement that his former Chief of Staff, Lee Slater, has been named as a Special Assistant to President-elect Biden. I am thrilled that Lee Slater as been named as a Special Assistant to President-elect Biden. I've had the pleasure of knowing Lee for more than a decade and having him as my Chief of Staff for nearly five years. Over the course of his career, Lee has earned the respect of members throughout the Caucus who turn to him for advice on the floor and in the Ways and Means Committee. Lee embodies what it means to be a public servant from his work in the House, his tours in Afghanistan and Iraq in the Army, and now onto the White House. I know Lee will serve President-elect Biden and the American people well, said Larson. Slater has served on Larson's staff from 2008 to 2017. He served as his Chief of Staff from March 2012 to January 2017. Since 2017, Slater has served Director of Outreach and Member Services for the Ways and Means Committee, on which Larson sits. He previously worked for Congressman Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania, and served in the United States Army Reserves, including deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://larson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/larson-presents-glastonbury-student-congressional-award-0,Larson Presents Glastonbury Student with Congressional Award,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CT,John Larson,L000557,larson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hartford, CT - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) presented Jay Srivastava, a student from Glastonbury, CT with a Bronze and Silver Congressional Award Medal. I'm honored to congratulate Jay and present him with the Bronze and Silver Congressional Award today. Jay has proven to be selfless and resilient. His dedication in continuing to challenge himself and his commitment to community service is inspiring to see in someone so young. I'm proud to have Jay in the First Congressional District. I am excited to see all the wonderful things he will continue to do in the future, said Larson. Jay is receiving the Bronze and Silver Congressional Award medal for achieving his goals in voluntary public service, personal development, personal fitness, and expedition/exploration. To complete his Voluntary Public Service, Jay volunteered through the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) to serve his community and honor the service of our veterans. He also volunteered helping middle school children with their homework and Math and English work. Jay has also accomplished his personal goals by participating in aircraft build project to learn about aviation, improved his speed for the 5K, and took the lead on planning a family trip to Ecuador where he had to organize his return home when his trip was interrupted by the COVID19 pandemic. The Congressional Award was established by Congress in 1979. It recognizes students who have committed to bettering and challenging themselves and to give back to their local communities.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/12-times-celebrities-fought-for-equal-pay-in-their-starring-roles,12 times celebrities fought for equal pay in their starring roles,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Carolyn Maloney,M000087,maloney.house.gov,,,legacy,"On January 1, 2018, spurred by the revelation of Harvey Weinstein's widespread sexual misconduct and the #MeToomovement, celebrities came together to protest sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination in Hollywood and beyond. They founded a movement of their own calledTime's Upto fight for safer workplaces and equal pay in the entertainment industry. Even before the Time's Up movement, women in Hollywood have spoken out about being paid less thantheir male co-stars. Sometimes, they have been able to negotiate fair compensation. Other times, they didn't even know they werebeing paid less until after the fact. Here are 12 times actors fought for the equal pay they deserved. Even after Patricia Arquette's viral Oscars acceptance speech, in which she called out America's gender pay gap, she told The Daily Beast that she's still offered less for her work than men. Arquette's2015 Oscars acceptance speechgalvanised women everywhere to demand equal pay. To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else's equal rights, it's our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America,she said to thunderous applause. She took her activism to Capitol Hill, as well. In 2016, Arquettemarked Equal Pay Day with Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D- NY)by highlighting the results of a Congressional report that found women make $US10,800 less per year than men. She also testified in front of the House Judiciary Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee about the Equal Rights Amendment in 2019. Still, Arquette finds herself fighting for equal pay in her acting work. I've walked away from several jobs because they were giving me really bullsh** deals that were really sh**** anddifferent from men in a really f***** up way, she told The Daily Beast in 2018. [...]",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/maloney-applauds-housing-and-rent-relief-provisions-in-covid-relief-and,Maloney Applauds Housing and Rent Relief Provisions in COVID Relief and Omnibus Spending Bill,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Carolyn Maloney,M000087,maloney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, today highlighted the importance of provisions in the COVID-19 relief and omnibus spending package to provide direct assistance to renters and extend the CDC's eviction moratorium. Housing is a human right and no New Yorker no American should be worried about keeping a roof over their head in the midst of a pandemic. In a city filled with renters, I am relieved that House Democrats were able to establish a $25 billion emergency rental assistance program to help renters pay their rent and utility bills. By providing this relief directly to renters, we are also making sure that small property owners can continue to cover their costs, including those necessary to ensure residents' health and safety. Importantly, on the federal level, we have extended the CDC's eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021 helping to ensure that millions of renters across America are not evicted while waiting to receive the additional assistance we are fighting for. I'm grateful that New York State also acted this week to extend our eviction mortarium for at least another 60 days. House Democrats were also able to secure $43.4 million in new, targeted vouchers to reduce homelessness among families with children, individuals, the unsheltered, veterans, and survivors of domestic violence. I am hopeful that we can build on these programs under the Biden-Harris Administration and ensure that housing is not a cause for concern during this unprecedented crisis. Background Congresswoman Maloney secured a moratorium on all foreclosures and evictions from properties owned, insured, or overseen by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) in March after making a request to these agencies, in which she was joined by 106 of her House colleagues. Emergency Rental Assistance Program Eligible renters would be able to receive assistance with rent and utility payments, unpaid rent or utility bills that have accumulated since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and other housing expenses that were incurred due, directly or indirectly, to the pandemic. Eligible renters would also have access to services, such as case management and tenant-landlord mediation, to help them remain stably housed. A household may receive up to 12 months of assistance but may receive an additional three months of assistance only if it is necessary to ensure the household remain stably housed and funds are available. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mcnerney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-mcnerney-announces-2020-congressional-app-challenge-winner,Rep. McNerney Announces 2020 Congressional App Challenge Winner,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Jerry McNerney,M001166,mcnerney.house.gov,,,legacy,"Stockton, CA Today, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) announced that the winner of the 2020 Congressional App Challenge for the 9th Congressional District is Mountain House High School student, Advithi Kethidi. Advithi's app, HourShop, enables students to receive community service hours and help those in need. Advithi came up with the idea for her app during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she realized the danger and difficulty high-risk populations encounter when running typical errands, such as getting groceries. She also found that students were being deprived of the opportunities to collect volunteer hours because of stay-at-home orders. Advithi designed her app as a solution for both of these situations: to provide an efficient way for students to earn community service hours during the pandemic while allowing high-risk individuals and families to stay home and stay safe. The promise of technology and this generation's acute familiarity with these tools opens a world of possibilities to address our most pressing issues, while also presenting people with new opportunities, said Congressman McNerney. Advithi saw a need in our community one that many are currently facing and she designed a solution to not only connect people, but to provide a new way to give back. That is the beauty of technology: it can be harnessed to expand access to much needed services and revolutionize how members of our community engage with one another. I commend her for her thoughtfulness and hard work throughout the development of this award-winning app. The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition intended to engage students' creativity and encourage their participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. Students compete with peers by creating and exhibiting their software application for web, PC, tablet, mobile, raspberry Pi or any other platform of their choice. The contest was open to all middle school and high school students who reside in California's 9th Congressional District. You can watch Advithi's explanation of her app here: https://youtu.be/LK70vsb424g ### Rep. Jerry McNerney proudly serves the constituents of California's 9th Congressional District that includes portions of San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Sacramento Counties. For more information on Rep. McNerney's work, follow him on Facebook and on Twitter @RepMcNerney.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://meng.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/meng-helps-make-co-ops-and-condos-eligible-for-coronavirus-relief-funds,Meng Helps Make Co-ops Eligible for Coronavirus Relief Funds,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,NY,Grace Meng,M001188,meng.house.gov,,,legacy,"QUEENS, NY U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) announced today that she helped make housing co-ops and condominiums eligible to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which is the Small Business Administration's (SBA) signature coronavirus relief initiative to assist struggling small businesses during the national health crisis. This change was included in the $900 billion coronavirus relief package that was signed into law on December 27. In March, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act created PPP which provides forgivable loans provided certain conditions are met, but SBA subsequently rendered housing co-ops and condominiums ineligible to participate in the program. Since then, Meng worked with her congressional colleagues and the President's Co-op & Condo Councilto reverse this omission. Financial relief is finally available to housing co-ops and condominiums in Queens who have faced declining revenues and increasing costs during COVID-19. I am relieved that they will soon be able to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program and get the assistance they need, said Meng. COVID-19 has placed an unprecedented strain on the over 100,000 affordable cooperative and condominium housing units in New York City alone. Leaving out co-ops and condominiums from PPP was a disservice to them despite their economic hardship. I was proud to press the Administration on this issue, and to help secure language in the Heroes Act and Heroes Act 2.0, which passed the House in May and October, respectively. While the Senate Republicans needlessly held up for months any relief for working families, I am glad that we finally secured eligibility for co-ops and condos in the recent coronavirus relief package. Cooperatives remain a critical source of affordable housing for Queens and New York families and they must be made whole in the midst of this unprecedented public health and economic crises. Opening up the PPP to these entities will give them this lifeline. I want to thank my congressional colleagues and the President's Co-op & Condo Council for their partnership on this issue. I encourage all to apply once the program resumes, and I will continue to push for more assistance to help families and workers in Queens in the coming months. The inclusion of Coops eligibility for forgivable PPP loans in the Stimulus Package will have a profound impact on the Coop community. The many Coop groups partnering with Congresswoman Meng on this important issue was a model of how good government is supposed to work, said Geoffrey Mazel, Esq., Legal Advisor, President's Coop & Condo Council (PCCC). In April, Meng and Suozzi led Members of the New York congressional delegation in a letter to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Carranza urging them to make co-ops and condominiums eligible to participate in PPP. In May, Meng along with Senator Schumer, Reps. Velzquez and Engel, and other New York lawmakers called on SBA to clarify guidance on PPP eligibility for co-ops and condominiums. The House passed the Heroes Act in May and the updated Heroes Act 2.0 in October that expanded PPP eligibility to include co-ops and condominiums. PPP provides forgivable loans if 60 percent is used for payroll and 40 percent is used for non-payroll expenses like rent, mortgage interest payments, or utilities. The program closed on August 8 despite over $130 billion remaining. The $900 billion coronavirus relief measure reopens PPP and expands eligible expenses to also include personal protective equipment, supplier costs, and business operations software and human resources needs. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://pelosi.house.gov/news/press-releases/pelosi-announces-creation-of-select-committee-on-economic-disparity-fairness-in,Pelosi Announces Creation of Select Committee on Economic Disparity & Fairness in Growth,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Nancy Pelosi,P000197,pelosi.house.gov,,,legacy,"Contact: Speaker's Press Office, 202-226-7616 Washington, D.C. Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement announcing the creation in the 117th Congress of the new Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth: As House Speaker, I am proud to announce the creation of the new, bipartisan Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, which will be an essential force in Congressional Democrats' action to combat the crisis of income and wealth disparity in America. It is molded after the mission of the Temporary National Economic Committee, founded by President Roosevelt and the Congress after the Great Depression to study and combat the concentration of wealth in America and its role in triggering economic collapse. As President Roosevelt said before founding this Committee, The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself the liberty of a democracy is not safe if its business system does not provide employment and produce and distribute goods in such a way as to sustain an acceptable standard of living.' The past several decades have shown with devastating clarity the marked imbalance between the financial fortunes of CEOs and workers. The reverence of those who amass profits by stagnating wages has seriously undermined the lives and livelihoods of many Americans, while slowing economic growth in our country. This year, the disturbing, dangerous trend of economic disparity has also been accelerated by the coronavirus economic crisis. The devaluing of work has had a negative impact on consumer confidence, job creation and economic growth. And the situation of families no longer believing that their children will have a brighter future than they is seriously damaging and demoralizing to our society. That is why we are creating this Select Committee, which will be a resource to the Congress to make policy related to economic fairness, access to education and workforce development. Working with the Committees of Jurisdiction, the Select Committee will study and recommend proposals to make our economy work for everyone, powering American economic growth while ensuring that no one is left out or left behind in the 21st Century Economy. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://pelosi.house.gov/news/press-releases/transcript-of-pelosi-weekly-press-conference-today-90,Transcript of Pelosi Weekly Press Conference Today,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Nancy Pelosi,P000197,pelosi.house.gov,,,legacy,"Contact: Speaker's Press Office, 202-226-7616 Washington, D.C. Speaker Nancy Pelosi held her weekly press conference today in the Capitol Visitor Center. Below are the Speaker's remarks: Speaker Pelosi. Good morning. Welcome to the last weekly of this year of this year, of this session of Congress and of this Congress. Until next week, when we'll be in a new Congress. I wish you a Happy New Year as we go forward. Sadly, the Congress received the news last evening of the passing of a new Member of Congress, Luke Letlow from Louisiana, due to be sworn in this Sunday, but taken by the coronavirus yesterday. He leaves his wife and two babies, and we extend great sympathy to his family. So sad. Forty-one years old, coronavirus, blood clot complication. Could happen to anyone. And it has happened to nearly 350,000 Americans. Many of those deaths could have been avoided. As we go forward, we must, we must make sure that we are scientific and determined to crush the virus in whatever form it takes. In the meantime, though, let us extend deepest sympathy to their family and to to those little babies who have lost their daddy. So, here we are in time, as I mentioned, the last meeting of the year for us. Let's just talk about the last week or so. In the last week or so, we sent to the President the legislation, it took some time for it to be enrolled because it was a lot a big bill. He received it on Christmas Eve, 3:30 in the afternoon. He did sign it on Sunday evening and we were very pleased with that because it had very strong bipartisan vote in the House and in the Senate. In the course of, though, of that week, the President announced his support for the $2,000 direct payment, which we madly embraced, and said, We join with the President in supporting this,' came in on Christmas Eve, were blocked by the Republicans for having a Unanimous Consent to bill bring up that legislation. But on Monday, in regular session, we brought it forth and it passed with strong bipartisan support. We were very pleased then to send that over to Mitch McConnell and the Senate. The President of the United States has expressed his support for the $2,000. The Democrats and Republicans in the House have passed that legislation. Who is holding up that distribution to the American people? Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans. Democratic Leader Schumer, yesterday, asked for Unanimous Consent to bring it up in the Senate, which was blocked by Mitch McConnell and the Republicans in the Senate. In blocking it, they are in denial of the hardship that the American people are experiencing now. Health wise, financially, in every way. Their lives and livelihood in many cases are on the brink. So, they're in denial of that need in denying this benefit. I do hope that in the days ahead we only have a few days left in this session that they will see the light and understand what the suffering the suffering that is going on in our country. Now, I've said before, it's amazing to see the patience that some people have with other people's suffering. These Republicans in the Senate seem to have an endless tolerance for other people's sadness. We urge Mitch McConnell to stop his obstruction and to bring that legislation to the Floor of the Senate. And we urge Republicans in the Senate to encourage him to do so. It's really important to note though how important this money in the pockets of American people are. If they have the resources, they spend it. They inject demand into the economy. That is job-creating. It's important to note that with the bill that we passed last week, that the President signed that we sent over last week and that the President signed on Sunday evening, brought us up to a, nearly a trillion dollars for small businesses in our country a trillion and just about $950 billion, and we support that. We know that small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. The most optimistic thing you can do is to start a small business, your hopes and dreams, your ideas, your vision. But for those small businesses to take advantage of that money, they have to have customers. It's not enough to keep the doors open if nobody's walking through. And that's why these direct payments are so necessary. And for those small businesses to thrive, they must have services provided by state and local government. Our health care providers, our heroes: health care providers, transportation, sanitation, first responders, police and fire, our teachers, our teachers, our teachers. And that's why in this next session of Congress, in the new Congress with the new President, we must pass legislation that not only honors our heroes, but recognizes the services that they provide enable our lives to function, our businesses to thrive, our economy to prosper and our people to be healthy. So, that will be a very important part of what we do next. But you would think that there would at least be the immediate recognition that the money in the pockets of the American people helps those small businesses thrive. Just for I've had the poster here before. It's a bigger number now than before: about $950 billion, nearly a trillion dollars to small business. $160 billion, $160 billion to state and local government. 950, 160. State and local government: health care workers, police and fire, teachers, sanitation, transportation, food workers. 160, 950. But we need more here to exploit the opportunity that is here. And, in the meantime, this $2,000 will go a long way, not only to sustain the financial security of America's working families, but will help small business to thrive as well. So, these things are all connected At the same time, as we had a good day on Monday passing, in bipartisan fashion, the CASH Act. The CASH Act, Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help Caring for Americans with Supplemental [Help], the CASH Act. We also, that day, had an overwhelming vote to override the President's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA. Overwhelming, overwhelming vote: [322]-87. One hundred and nine Republicans voted to override the President's veto. We hope that the Senate will follow suit. They had a big, strong vote in the Senate in favor of this bill. Hopefully, they will stand by their votes there and sustain the veto, excuse me, overturn the veto of the President. We'll see. Okay, so that's what happened in the past week. In the past week, we have also seen reports of the vaccine distribution not measuring up to what we need to have a fair, equitable distribution of the vaccine that is free. I support what President-elect Joe Biden said yesterday, that in his Administration, the 100 million vaccinations in a short period of time, that he would engage the national Defense Production Act to make sure that we not only have the vaccines, but the means to make the inoculation. It's one thing to be in the lab, another thing to be in the arm. There's a lot in between in terms of logistics, in terms of administration, in terms of materials. And one of the things that is holding up the further vaccinations in the country is this Administration, the Trump Administration's lack of cooperation on the distribution of syringes and other things that go into that, and holding up some of the vaccine as well. So, this has to be done better. This has to be done better. And let's hope in the last few weeks of the Trump Administration, that they will follow the science, that they will make the vaccines available, that they will make the syringes and other materials available, so that you can have many more people vaccinated even before the inauguration. This vaccine this pandemic is horrible. I mean, in every way, the lives and livelihoods of the American people are affected by it in a massive way. However, it has also pulled back the curtain to reveal further disparities in our economy and in our society. They have become come into sharper focus because of the pandemic. And that is why I have asked the Rules Committee that we will be taking up the new rules package on Monday, or Sunday night if the schedule allows, but following the vote for Speaker, I will have them announce in the next day or so, when they put forth the rules package, a Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth. As we go into this new Congress, we have to have a scientific start on crushing the virus. We have to honor heroes, state and local government, and we have to put money into the pockets of the American people. Hopefully, we can do this on this side of the weekend, rather than waiting until later, the third point, direct payments. That has always been our goal: crush the virus, honor our heroes, money in the pockets of the American people. Clearly, the disparities in income and equity in our country are vast. We've known that. They've only gotten worse, and the pandemic, again, puts it in sharper focus. And that's why I'm proud to announce the creation of a new bipartisan Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, which will be a central force for the Congress to combat the crisis of income and wealth disparity in America. Our Members are full of exuberance and many suggestions, on both sides of the aisle. Yesterday, some proposed to me, $2,000 a month as this as we go through this bad time. Others, Congresswoman Jayapal, has a wage guarantee legislation. Others have, Congresswoman Murphy, has the income the [Employee] Retention Tax Credit, which is in which is in the bills that the President just signed, somewhat. But there are others: sovereign wealth funds to give the profit the benefit the income to poor families in America, other bonding issues to try to address the fact that the middle class is the backbone of our democracy. When that is weakened, so is our democracy. So, this is to address not only the middle class, but those who aspire to the middle class. But the disparity has only grown and so I, as a model for this, as you may recall, when we did Mr. Clyburn's committee, we used the Truman Committee as a reference to how to save money, save lives. This is something that it's modeled after the mission of the Temporary National Economic Committee founded by President Roosevelt and the Congress after the Great Depression to study and combat the concentration of wealth in America and its role in triggering economic collapse. This is what President Roosevelt said at the time. He said, The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself the liberty of a democracy is not safe if its business system does not provide employment and produce and distribute goods in a way as to sustain an acceptable standard of living.' That is why we are creating this Select Committee, which will be a resource to the Congress to make policy related to economic fairness, access to education and workforce development, et cetera. And, again, we'll work with the committees of jurisdiction. This is not a legislative committee. It is a committee to make recommendations. The committees of jurisdiction, have all done a great job, our Education and Labor Committee, Ways and Means Committee, Energy and Commerce Committee, Financial Services, the list they have done a great job in trying to address these concerns legislatively. We need a bigger spotlight on the problem, and on some of the solutions so that we can all participate in the very worthy suggestions that are made. And again, we will empower American economic growth, while ensuring that no one is left behind in the 21st century economy that we are putting forth. So, we have a we're very excited about our new President-elect, and that in three weeks, we will have a new president. It's pretty exciting, President and Vice President making history, that we have the gavel, that we have held the Congress. We look forward to what's happening in Georgia on Tuesday. So, every day is action packed. But I just wanted to review some of what happened in the past week to take us to this point. This point, $2,000 direct payment to the American people being held up by Mitch McConnell, the same person who put $160 billion tax break for the wealthiest people and firms in America in the CARES Act. $160 billion in the CARES Act for the wealthiest in our country, refusing $2,000 to those who need it most, the same Republicans in the Congress who eagerly passed the tax bill that gave 83 percent of the benefits to the top one percent, taking us well into debt. Nearly $2 trillion for our children to pay off so that they could have a tax break for the wealthy with a mythology that it would trickle down. And it has not, nor has it ever. Mitch McConnell, remove the obstacle that you have the American people having the opportunity to have that direct payment, and do it now. * * * Any questions? Yes ma'am. Q: Madam Speaker, do you plan to seat Ms. Miller-Meeks on Sunday, and are you confident that you're going to have a Dem Majority present? Speaker Pelosi. Yes, and yes, definitely. Yes. Q: On the stimulus checks, we're hearing on the Senate side that time is running out. Are you going to commit to bringing this idea back, the $2,000 checks, next week if it does die in this Congress? Speaker Pelosi. Well, let us let us be hopeful that it can happen this week, because the sooner it happens, the sooner the checks go out. So, we're not giving up on it. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, is advocating for it. The Congress, in a bipartisan way in the House, has voted for it. It would have bipartisan support in the Senate if Mitch McConnell would only allow it to come to the Floor, instead of being an obstruction to those checks going to the American people. Q: One additional question, we're just hearing from Josh Hawley that he's going to object on January 6th and force a debate on Electoral College votes. Could you comment on that move from the Republican? Speaker Pelosi. I have no doubt that on next Wednesday, a week from today, that Joe Biden will be confirmed by the acceptance of the vote of the Electoral College as the 46th President of the United States. Yes, ma'am. Q: Madam Speaker, an overview from you: you've kept your Caucus together with a fighting spirit this year through very hard times. Did the events of 2020 help keep your Caucus cohesion? And secondly, what are your thoughts on a slimmer Majority next year, next week? Speaker Pelosi. Well, we are very excited about having won the House. We have the gavel, the Speaker's gavel. We also have 132 other gavels of chairs and subcommittees, and they are again, many of them in the hands, this past term of Freshmen and newer Members of Congress. And we're excited about that. Eighteen Freshmen had gavels, that was historic. There has been nothing even close to that before. The I have every confidence. Our Caucus is unified around our common ethical belief in our responsibility to America's working families. That's what brings us together. Of course, we have our differences in approach, and some other ideas. And that's our vitality. I would not want to be a leader of a party that was rubber stamp, lockstep. That's called Republicans. We, the Democratic Party, are democratic in every way, including respecting the views of all in our Caucus. So, I have I have great confidence that on an agenda that is there for America's working families, we will have the unity that we need to proceed under the leadership of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, the Biden-Harris Administration, and hopefully with the Democratic Senate. We'll see what next week brings. Okay, thank you all. Thank you all very much. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://pelosi.house.gov/news/press-releases/transcript-of-pelosi-weekly-press-conference-today-91,Transcript of Pelosi Weekly Press Conference Today,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Nancy Pelosi,P000197,pelosi.house.gov,,,legacy,"Contact: Speaker's Press Office, 202-226-7616 Washington, D.C. Speaker Nancy Pelosi held her weekly press conference today in the Capitol Visitor Center. Below are the Speaker's remarks: Speaker Pelosi. Good morning. Welcome to the last weekly of this year of this year, of this session of Congress and of this Congress. Until next week, when we'll be in a new Congress. I wish you a Happy New Year as we go forward. Sadly, the Congress received the news last evening of the passing of a new Member of Congress, Luke Letlow from Louisiana, due to be sworn in this Sunday, but taken by the coronavirus yesterday. He leaves his wife and two babies, and we extend great sympathy to his family. So sad. Forty-one years old, coronavirus, blood clot complication. Could happen to anyone. And it has happened to nearly 350,000 Americans. Many of those deaths could have been avoided. As we go forward, we must, we must make sure that we are scientific and determined to crush the virus in whatever form it takes. In the meantime, though, let us extend deepest sympathy to their family and to to those little babies who have lost their daddy. So, here we are in time, as I mentioned, the last meeting of the year for us. Let's just talk about the last week or so. In the last week or so, we sent to the President the legislation, it took some time for it to be enrolled because it was a lot a big bill. He received it on Christmas Eve, 3:30 in the afternoon. He did sign it on Sunday evening and we were very pleased with that because it had very strong bipartisan vote in the House and in the Senate. In the course of, though, of that week, the President announced his support for the $2,000 direct payment, which we madly embraced, and said, We join with the President in supporting this,' came in on Christmas Eve, were blocked by the Republicans for having a Unanimous Consent to bill bring up that legislation. But on Monday, in regular session, we brought it forth and it passed with strong bipartisan support. We were very pleased then to send that over to Mitch McConnell and the Senate. The President of the United States has expressed his support for the $2,000. The Democrats and Republicans in the House have passed that legislation. Who is holding up that distribution to the American people? Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans. Democratic Leader Schumer, yesterday, asked for Unanimous Consent to bring it up in the Senate, which was blocked by Mitch McConnell and the Republicans in the Senate. In blocking it, they are in denial of the hardship that the American people are experiencing now. Health wise, financially, in every way. Their lives and livelihood in many cases are on the brink. So, they're in denial of that need in denying this benefit. I do hope that in the days ahead we only have a few days left in this session that they will see the light and understand what the suffering the suffering that is going on in our country. Now, I've said before, it's amazing to see the patience that some people have with other people's suffering. These Republicans in the Senate seem to have an endless tolerance for other people's sadness. We urge Mitch McConnell to stop his obstruction and to bring that legislation to the Floor of the Senate. And we urge Republicans in the Senate to encourage him to do so. It's really important to note though how important this money in the pockets of American people are. If they have the resources, they spend it. They inject demand into the economy. That is job-creating. It's important to note that with the bill that we passed last week, that the President signed that we sent over last week and that the President signed on Sunday evening, brought us up to a, nearly a trillion dollars for small businesses in our country a trillion and just about $950 billion, and we support that. We know that small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. The most optimistic thing you can do is to start a small business, your hopes and dreams, your ideas, your vision. But for those small businesses to take advantage of that money, they have to have customers. It's not enough to keep the doors open if nobody's walking through. And that's why these direct payments are so necessary. And for those small businesses to thrive, they must have services provided by state and local government. Our health care providers, our heroes: health care providers, transportation, sanitation, first responders, police and fire, our teachers, our teachers, our teachers. And that's why in this next session of Congress, in the new Congress with the new President, we must pass legislation that not only honors our heroes, but recognizes the services that they provide enable our lives to function, our businesses to thrive, our economy to prosper and our people to be healthy. So, that will be a very important part of what we do next. But you would think that there would at least be the immediate recognition that the money in the pockets of the American people helps those small businesses thrive. Just for I've had the poster here before. It's a bigger number now than before: about $950 billion, nearly a trillion dollars to small business. $160 billion, $160 billion to state and local government. 950, 160. State and local government: health care workers, police and fire, teachers, sanitation, transportation, food workers. 160, 950. But we need more here to exploit the opportunity that is here. And, in the meantime, this $2,000 will go a long way, not only to sustain the financial security of America's working families, but will help small business to thrive as well. So, these things are all connected At the same time, as we had a good day on Monday passing, in bipartisan fashion, the CASH Act. The CASH Act, Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help Caring for Americans with Supplemental [Help], the CASH Act. We also, that day, had an overwhelming vote to override the President's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA. Overwhelming, overwhelming vote: [322]-87. One hundred and nine Republicans voted to override the President's veto. We hope that the Senate will follow suit. They had a big, strong vote in the Senate in favor of this bill. Hopefully, they will stand by their votes there and sustain the veto, excuse me, overturn the veto of the President. We'll see. Okay, so that's what happened in the past week. In the past week, we have also seen reports of the vaccine distribution not measuring up to what we need to have a fair, equitable distribution of the vaccine that is free. I support what President-elect Joe Biden said yesterday, that in his Administration, the 100 million vaccinations in a short period of time, that he would engage the national Defense Production Act to make sure that we not only have the vaccines, but the means to make the inoculation. It's one thing to be in the lab, another thing to be in the arm. There's a lot in between in terms of logistics, in terms of administration, in terms of materials. And one of the things that is holding up the further vaccinations in the country is this Administration, the Trump Administration's lack of cooperation on the distribution of syringes and other things that go into that, and holding up some of the vaccine as well. So, this has to be done better. This has to be done better. And let's hope in the last few weeks of the Trump Administration, that they will follow the science, that they will make the vaccines available, that they will make the syringes and other materials available, so that you can have many more people vaccinated even before the inauguration. This vaccine this pandemic is horrible. I mean, in every way, the lives and livelihoods of the American people are affected by it in a massive way. However, it has also pulled back the curtain to reveal further disparities in our economy and in our society. They have become come into sharper focus because of the pandemic. And that is why I have asked the Rules Committee that we will be taking up the new rules package on Monday, or Sunday night if the schedule allows, but following the vote for Speaker, I will have them announce in the next day or so, when they put forth the rules package, a Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth. As we go into this new Congress, we have to have a scientific start on crushing the virus. We have to honor heroes, state and local government, and we have to put money into the pockets of the American people. Hopefully, we can do this on this side of the weekend, rather than waiting until later, the third point, direct payments. That has always been our goal: crush the virus, honor our heroes, money in the pockets of the American people. Clearly, the disparities in income and equity in our country are vast. We've known that. They've only gotten worse, and the pandemic, again, puts it in sharper focus. And that's why I'm proud to announce the creation of a new bipartisan Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, which will be a central force for the Congress to combat the crisis of income and wealth disparity in America. Our Members are full of exuberance and many suggestions, on both sides of the aisle. Yesterday, some proposed to me, $2,000 a month as this as we go through this bad time. Others, Congresswoman Jayapal, has a wage guarantee legislation. Others have, Congresswoman Murphy, has the income the [Employee] Retention Tax Credit, which is in which is in the bills that the President just signed, somewhat. But there are others: sovereign wealth funds to give the profit the benefit the income to poor families in America, other bonding issues to try to address the fact that the middle class is the backbone of our democracy. When that is weakened, so is our democracy. So, this is to address not only the middle class, but those who aspire to the middle class. But the disparity has only grown and so I, as a model for this, as you may recall, when we did Mr. Clyburn's committee, we used the Truman Committee as a reference to how to save money, save lives. This is something that it's modeled after the mission of the Temporary National Economic Committee founded by President Roosevelt and the Congress after the Great Depression to study and combat the concentration of wealth in America and its role in triggering economic collapse. This is what President Roosevelt said at the time. He said, The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself the liberty of a democracy is not safe if its business system does not provide employment and produce and distribute goods in a way as to sustain an acceptable standard of living.' That is why we are creating this Select Committee, which will be a resource to the Congress to make policy related to economic fairness, access to education and workforce development, et cetera. And, again, we'll work with the committees of jurisdiction. This is not a legislative committee. It is a committee to make recommendations. The committees of jurisdiction, have all done a great job, our Education and Labor Committee, Ways and Means Committee, Energy and Commerce Committee, Financial Services, the list they have done a great job in trying to address these concerns legislatively. We need a bigger spotlight on the problem, and on some of the solutions so that we can all participate in the very worthy suggestions that are made. And again, we will empower American economic growth, while ensuring that no one is left behind in the 21st century economy that we are putting forth. So, we have a we're very excited about our new President-elect, and that in three weeks, we will have a new president. It's pretty exciting, President and Vice President making history, that we have the gavel, that we have held the Congress. We look forward to what's happening in Georgia on Tuesday. So, every day is action packed. But I just wanted to review some of what happened in the past week to take us to this point. This point, $2,000 direct payment to the American people being held up by Mitch McConnell, the same person who put $160 billion tax break for the wealthiest people and firms in America in the CARES Act. $160 billion in the CARES Act for the wealthiest in our country, refusing $2,000 to those who need it most, the same Republicans in the Congress who eagerly passed the tax bill that gave 83 percent of the benefits to the top one percent, taking us well into debt. Nearly $2 trillion for our children to pay off so that they could have a tax break for the wealthy with a mythology that it would trickle down. And it has not, nor has it ever. Mitch McConnell, remove the obstacle that you have the American people having the opportunity to have that direct payment, and do it now. * * * Any questions? Yes ma'am. Q: Madam Speaker, do you plan to seat Ms. Miller-Meeks on Sunday, and are you confident that you're going to have a Dem Majority present? Speaker Pelosi. Yes, and yes, definitely. Yes. Q: On the stimulus checks, we're hearing on the Senate side that time is running out. Are you going to commit to bringing this idea back, the $2,000 checks, next week if it does die in this Congress? Speaker Pelosi. Well, let us let us be hopeful that it can happen this week, because the sooner it happens, the sooner the checks go out. So, we're not giving up on it. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, is advocating for it. The Congress, in a bipartisan way in the House, has voted for it. It would have bipartisan support in the Senate if Mitch McConnell would only allow it to come to the Floor, instead of being an obstruction to those checks going to the American people. Q: One additional question, we're just hearing from Josh Hawley that he's going to object on January 6th and force a debate on Electoral College votes. Could you comment on that move from the Republican? Speaker Pelosi. I have no doubt that on next Wednesday, a week from today, that Joe Biden will be confirmed by the acceptance of the vote of the Electoral College as the 46th President of the United States. Yes, ma'am. Q: Madam Speaker, an overview from you: you've kept your Caucus together with a fighting spirit this year through very hard times. Did the events of 2020 help keep your Caucus cohesion? And secondly, what are your thoughts on a slimmer Majority next year, next week? Speaker Pelosi. Well, we are very excited about having won the House. We have the gavel, the Speaker's gavel. We also have 132 other gavels of chairs and subcommittees, and they are again, many of them in the hands, this past term of Freshmen and newer Members of Congress. And we're excited about that. Eighteen Freshmen had gavels, that was historic. There has been nothing even close to that before. The I have every confidence. Our Caucus is unified around our common ethical belief in our responsibility to America's working families. That's what brings us together. Of course, we have our differences in approach, and some other ideas. And that's our vitality. I would not want to be a leader of a party that was rubber stamp, lockstep. That's called Republicans. We, the Democratic Party, are democratic in every way, including respecting the views of all in our Caucus. So, I have I have great confidence that on an agenda that is there for America's working families, we will have the unity that we need to proceed under the leadership of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, the Biden-Harris Administration, and hopefully with the Democratic Senate. We'll see what next week brings. Okay, thank you all. Thank you all very much. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-congratulates-governor-lemanu-and-lieutenant-governor-talauega,Amata Congratulates Governor Lemanu and Lieutenant Governor Talauega,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,AS,Amata Radewagen,R000600,radewagen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Wednesday, Congresswoman Uifaatali Amatareleased a statement of congratulations for the inauguration of Governor Lemanu Peleti Sialega Mauga and Lieutenant Governor Talauega Eleasalo Va'alele Ale. American Samoa is adding a new chapter in our history. Each successive administration strengthens our tradition of governing ourselves, and choosing our own leadership and representation from among our own people that began a generation ago. I appreciate the collected experience of the new administration that will guide American Samoa Government for this four year term. I also want to thank Governor Lolo Moliga for his dedication. In Governor Lemanu, the people chose a Governor who served in the military and has built experience as Lieutenant Governor. Serving with him, the next Lieutenant Governor has a lawyer's expertise and experience as Attorney General. Congratulations to them both as they take on these important responsibilities and decisions. As always, I am optimistic about our beautiful island home and all we can see accomplished together. Congratulations to the people of American Samoa as we exercised our freedom to vote and decide together the direction of our islands' government. I look forward to working with the American Samoa Government as I represent the people in Congress. As Members of Congress meet the first few days of January to begin the next session, I remain in Washington. I join you in prayer for guidance and blessing for our government at all levels so that our people can live in health and happiness. Once again, my warmest congratulations to Governor Lemanu and Lieutenant Governor Talauega upon this special occasion. May God bless American Samoa, and the United States. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://raskin.house.gov/media/press-releases/raskin-recognizes-40-local-heroes-2020-announces-local-hero-year,"Raskin Recognizes 40 Local Heroes in 2020, Announces Local Hero of the Year",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,Jamie Raskin,R000606,raskin.house.gov,,,legacy,"ROCKVILLE, M.D. This year, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) launched a weekly video series featuring Marylanders across the 8thDistrict who are acting creatively and bravely to help others through the coronavirus crisis.Today, he honors the 40 constituents that he recognized as2020 Local Heroesover the course of the year. He is also proud to announce theLocal Hero of the Year: everyone in the 8th District and beyond for their exemplary resilience and solidarity in a challenging year. Since April 2020, Rep. Raskin has highlighted 8thDistrict Local Heroes every week for their critical efforts to support Maryland during this time of public health crisis and upheaval. He has interviewed a wide range of community members, including medical professionals; first responders; frontline workers such as letter carriers, grocery store clerks, and bus drivers; small business owners and more. To view all of Rep. Raskin's 2020 Local Heroes, clickhere. To view a video playlist of all of Rep. Raskin's interviews with Local Heroes, clickhere. I'm grateful beyond measure to be representing the remarkable people of Montgomery, Frederick and Carroll Counties who we have honored this year,said Rep. Jamie Raskin.From doctors and nurses to frontline workers and teachers, from firefighters and postal personnel to students and champions of human rights, my constituents have shown great vision, unyielding service and exemplary dedication to our community and nation in this year of trial and dread. Whether tending to sick patients through the night, delivering food to the hungry or standing up against corruption and tyranny, these local heroes have helped us surpass the challenges of COVID-19 in extraordinary ways. I look forward to continuing this video series in 2021 and working with our people to see our country and state through the end of the pandemic. As the nation and the Administration carry the fight against the coronavirus into the new year, Rep. Raskin will continue recognizing and honoring 8thDistrict Local Heroes in 2021. To nominate a Local Hero, clickhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://scalise.house.gov/media/press-releases/scalise-reflects-tragic-loss-congressman-elect-luke-letlow,Scalise Reflects on Tragic Loss of Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,LA,Steve Scalise,S001176,scalise.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Fox News Channel'sFox and Friendsto reflect on the tragic loss of Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow. Whip Scalise remembered Luke as a friend and highlighted his positive spirit and excitement to begin serving the people of Louisiana in Congress. Scalise offered his prayers to Luke's wife, Julia, and their two young children during this incredibly difficult time. Clickhereor on the image above to watch the interview. On the passing of Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow: It's just such devastating news last night. I know I've been talking to Luke the last few days. He's been fighting, he was battling in the hospital up in Shreveport and, you know, had taken a turn for the worse right before Christmas. It was going up and down. And, you know, it was just heartbreaking. I mean, Luke is a young guy, 41 years old, in great health, and looking forward to a bright future. He had just gotten elected to Congress three weeks ago. We would talk a lot about the things he wanted to do, the committees he wanted to get on. Boy, talk about a loss of someone with so much energy. He's got a beautiful young family. I know my prayers are with Julia, his two young kids. You know, everything about this is just heart breaking. Our whole delegation is devastated. Luke is just, you know, one of those people that everybody liked and, boy, he was really looking forward to the opportunity to serve in Congress and just a tragic loss. On reforming Section 230: ""Well, first of all, I'm very encouraged that Mitch and the Senate are working on reforms to Section 230. This is a law that's been abused by the Big Tech companies shielding themselves with legal protections while they go out and this was intended for any social media platform, it was a town square if you just let people post whatever their thoughts are, the company would be protected from liability. And yet some of these tech companies are censoring data. Primarily conservative data, by the way, where they now would be considered publishers. That was not the intent of Section 230. So, I think it's very important that the Senate look at that. I hope they get something out."" On election reform legislation: ""Election reform as we've seen, I mean, look at all the different states that went against their own state laws that said how election day was supposed to work. And, yet, whether it was their Secretary of State or a Supreme Court in the state, making up a new law when the legislature framed a different law. We need some standards, especially when you think about election night. We ought to know in America what the results are on election night. Whoever wins or loses, look at a state like Florida, very large state, they were able to get their results in by 10:00 at night. Then you have other states New York is still counting votes right now in a Congressional race. Claudia Tenney is up by about 25 votes and they're still counting votes or finding ballots. I mean, that's really what undermines public trust when, you know, it's 3:00 in the morning and they kick everybody out of a room when you're legally supposed to be able to watch what's going on in that room and then you wake up the next morning and hundreds of thousands of votes swung a different direction. That's what undermines public confidence. I hope they get that right and get a bill out that will address those problems that we saw."" [...] ""Well, obviously you want to see what they come up with. If they come up with something that actually fixes those problems these problems have been identified. Courts don't like getting in the middle of that. But again, you go look at some of the state Supreme Courts, Pennsylvania, their law says a ballot that comes in after 8:00 on election night when the polls close, that shouldn't be counted because the polls close at 8:00. By the way, other states do that, and their state law said that and yet [their] Supreme Court just said, 'You know what? We'll just let ballots come in for days later and selectively count what happens.' That's not what a fair system is about. You want to know what the rules are, play by the rules. But when somebody changes the rules in the middle of the game at halftime or something, it creates, again, it breeds a lot of distrust in the election that you still see right now. Millions of people have been asking these questions. I hope they're able to get a bill out.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/carper-celebrates-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-clean-air-act,Carper Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Air Act,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,DE,Thomas Carper,C000174,www.carper.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WILMINGTON, Del. Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act on December 31, 2020. Signed into law in 1970, the Clean Air Act created a national framework to reduce pollution and improve air quality, entrusting the Environmental Protection Agency with leading efforts to ensure everyone in this country has clean air to breathe. For fifty years, this landmark law has ushered in dramatic improvements in air quality. It has saved hundreds of thousands of lives from deadly air pollution while improving the health of millions more. During that same time, our economy has expanded and more than tripled its gross domestic product while EPA has worked with states and businesses alike to dramatically reduce harmful emissions. The progress made under the Clean Air Act is proof that improvements in public health and environmental quality goes hand in hand with economic growth and job creation. In fact, the benefits of the Clean Air Act outweigh its costs by a margin of 30 to one. This sweeping law will continue to endure because its regulations can adapt and evolve with the latest science to help us meet the most pressing air quality challenges of our day. For example, advances in science continue to elucidate the link between air pollution and human health. As our country continues to suffer from the scourge of the coronavirus pandemic, research shows that stronger safeguards for clean air can protect people from pollution that is causing more severe and even deadlier cases of COVID-19. Stronger Clean Air Act regulations can help us better protect public health. As our nation reckons with decades of systemic racism, stronger air protections can also help us address the air pollution that is disproportionately harming communities of color and reinforcing unjust disparities in health and environmental quality. Stronger Clean Air Act regulations can help us further the cause of environmental justice and, finally, fifty years later, make good on the promise of ensuring clean air for everyone in this country. Over the last fifty years, the Clean Air Act has helped our nation confront some of the toughest problems impeding our efforts to protect clean air issues like interstate pollution, which was once considered too complex and complicated to address. Fortunately, the flexible framework provided by the Clean Air Act gives EPA the tools and authorities it needs to address complicated problems, which is why the law will be critical in the fight against the climate crisis. Through the clear authorities of the Clean Air Act, EPA will be able to lead the nation in our nationwide transition to a clean economy. On this special anniversary, we are reminded that our work to ensure clean air for everyone is far from over, but we are also reminded to be hopeful. In 1970, the gigantic strides in air quality we have made over the last fifty years would have seemed daunting, perhaps even unfeasible. But by working together Democrats and Republicans, the environmental community and industry, the federal government and states we achieved monumental progress that once seemed impossible. With the Clean Air Act as our guide, we can continue that progress. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/collins-hassan-protect-funding-nearly-200-rural-low-income-school-districts,"Collins, Hassan Protect Funding for Nearly 200 Rural, Low-Income School Districts",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,www.collins.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) announced that they successfully reversed a Department of Education decision that jeopardized funding for nearly 200 rural, low-income school districts. A provision they negotiated that was included in the year-end government funding bill that was signed into law prevents a funding cliff for the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), the only dedicated federal funding stream to support rural schools. The Department of Education's abrupt change in eligibility for REAP funding would have forced many ruralschools in Maine and throughout the country to forgo essential activities and services,said Senator Collins.REAP helps deliver an equitable and enriching education to thousands of students living in rural America. This bipartisanprovisionI pushed forwill ensure that students in rural communities continue to have access to these critical programs. Rural schools in New Hampshire rely on this critical funding coming every year so that they can serve their students, and the bipartisan provision that Senator Collins and I worked on will help ensure that these resources aren't pulled out from under them,said Senator Hassan.This funding is particularly important now amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has presented unprecedented challenges to remote and in-person learning. REAP was created in 2002 by Senator Collins and former Senator Kent Conrad to help rural schools overcome the increased expenses caused by geographic isolation. It consists of two programs the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program and the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program. Many states have qualified for RLIS because the Department of Education has allowed school districts to measure poverty by the percentage of students receiving free lunch. Earlier this year, however, the Department abruptly announced that it would no longer accept the poverty measurements it had received from participating states in years past, threatening the eligibility and funding for schools without any notification to Congress. This change would have excluded nearly 200 school districts from the RLIS program, creating a funding cliff for rural schools already balancing tight budgets. In Maine alone, more than 100 of the 149 schools were eligible for RLIS program funding last year. Without this provision, they could have lost a total of $1.2 million in RLIS funding due to the Department of Education's decision.In New Hampshire, 43 school districts received funding this year. Without this provision, more than 30 districts would have lost funding a nearly $600,000 funding loss statewide. Senator Collinsfirst raised this problemwith SecretaryDeVosin February. Additionally, Senator Collins and members of the Maine Delegationsent a follow-up letterto SecretaryDeVosurging her to restore this vital funding. In March, Senators Collins and Hassanled a letterto SecretaryDeVosthat was signed by 19 of their colleagues, expressing their strong opposition to this abrupt decision. Following that effort, the Department announced it would delay the change and prevent these cuts from taking effect this year.Earlier this month, SenatorsCollinsand Hassanled a bipartisan letterurging the Appropriations Committeeto support their request to protect state and school district participation in REAP in the government funding bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/provision-senator-collins-championed-prevent-medicare-physician-payment-cuts-signed-law,Provision Senator Collins Championed to Prevent Medicare Physician Payment Cuts Signed into Law,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,www.collins.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Newsroom Provision Senator Collins Championed to Prevent Medicare Physician Payment Cuts Signed into Law Posted Wed, 12/30/2020 - 09:18 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that the year-end government funding bill that was signed into lawincludesaprovision based onbipartisanlegislation sheco-authoredto prevent the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) planned physician payment cuts scheduled to begin January 1, 2021. These reimbursement cutswould have fallenprimarily on the backs of health care providers across non-primary care specialties from radiology to physical therapy toorthopaedicsurgery andcould have hada devastating effect on health care practices and, most important, patient access to care,said Senator Collins. I am pleased that this provisionincluded in the government funding billwill halt theseill-timedpayment cuts from going into effect at the start of the New Year, helping to ensure that we do not further burden our health care system that is already struggling due to the pandemic. Senator Collins has long been a champion of improving access to health care, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Inaddition tosponsoring legislationto avert destabilizing cuts to medical providers that would have harmed patients' access to health care, Senator Collinssent a letterto Senate leaders in October, urging them to advance legislation to prevent these sharp reductions in payment. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-marks-policy-oversight-accomplishments-2020,"Grassley Marks Policy, Oversight Accomplishments in 2020",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,IA,Charles Grassley,G000386,www.grassley.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today marked a series of policy and oversight accomplishments of 2020. While this past year has been challenging for us all, serving the people of Iowa is my first priority and it's an honor that I take seriously. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and through my extensive oversight efforts, my work focuses on making the government more transparent, efficient and accountable to Iowans and all Americans, Grassley said. Grassley holds at least one question-and-answer session in each of Iowa's 99 counties every year to hear concerns and answer questions on any subject from Iowans. In 2020, Grassley completed his annual county meetings for the 40th year in a row. Grassley holds meetings in a variety of settings to ensure that a broad cross-section of Iowans can participate, including businesses, schools, town hall meetings, hospitals and factory floors. While the COVID-19 pandemic may have made some of Grassley's meetings look a little different this year, the format remained the same: Iowans set the agenda. Grassley moved forward with his meetings in a safe and responsible way while following public health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the state of Iowa. In addition to his annual meetings, Grassley attended or convened a variety of events and forums, including: In 2020, Grassley continued his annual social media series called #CornWatch and #SoybeanWatch. These give followers an inside look at farming operations and to track the progression of corn and soybean crops grown on the Grassley family farm in New Hartford, Iowa, from planting through harvest. When the Senate is in session, Grassley sets aside at least eight 15-minute meetings every Monday through Thursday to meet with Iowans in Washington, D.C., including advocacy groups, associations, chambers of commerce and local business leaders, students and families. While there were limitations this year due to the pandemic, Grassley was able to meet with Iowans virtually. Throughout 2020, Grassley met with more than 800 groups of Iowans and discussed a variety of policy issues such as trade, tax reform, prescription drug pricing as well as the many issues that have arisen during the pandemic. Grassley also joined Iowa schools for Q&As via video conferencing and, as an avid fan of Iowa universities, cheered on dozens of student-athletes at sporting events. This year, Grassley became the 10th longest-serving U.S. Senator in history and continued his constitutional duty serving as the Senate president pro tempore, a position historically bestowed upon the most senior member of the majority party in the upper chamber of Congress. Upon his swearing in, Grassley became third in the line of presidential succession following the vice president and the speaker of the House of Representatives. An Iowan has not held this position since Senator Albert B. Cummins in 1919. In his capacity as president pro tempore, Grassley aided in the selection process of the new Architect of the Capitol and nominated an Iowan to the U.S. Senate Curatorial Advisory board. He also played a role in many historic events this year including welcoming President Donald Trump into the chamber of the House of Representatives for the 68th annual State of the Union address and signing the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Highlights of Grassley's legislative and oversight work follow here: Agriculture: This year was particularly tough on the farming industry due to commodity prices taking a hit from the novel coronavirus, drought across West Central Iowa and an intense windstorm known as a derecho that caused widespread damage across central Iowa. However, through it all, farmers continued to plow ahead and support their communities. As the senior senator of one of the top agricultural states in the country and a family farmer, Grassley has been an outspoken advocate for farmers and Rural America.Throughout the various spending negotiations in Congress, Grassley was a staunch defender of family farms. He led the Iowa Congressional delegation in urging Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to ensure funds for the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) were replenished in the next government funding bill. He exposed Democrats for blocking crucial coronavirus relief, which included billions of dollars in assistance for farmers and agribusiness employees.When COVID-19 began affecting our meat supply chain, Grassley immediately raised concerns with his colleagues. Grassley has long focused on consolidation in the meatpacking industry and pressed USDA to protect independent producers. In May, Grassley introduced bipartisan legislation that would foster efficient markets and improve competition and transparency among packers that purchase cattle. Grassley first introduced this bill in 2002. The bill will require a minimum of 50 percent of a packer's weekly volume of beef slaughter to come as a result of purchases made on the open or spot market.While many around the country noticed higher prices at the grocery store due to these market disruptions, many cattle producers across the country could not get a bid on their animals. Grassley was one of the first lawmakers to seek an investigation to bring more transparency to the cattle industry. He called on the Departments of Justice and Agriculture to investigate potential market manipulation and other illegal activity by large meat packing companies in the cattle industry. President Trump echoed this call for an investigation into possible anticompetitive behavior in the beef industry.In June, Grassley sent a letter to USDA Secretary Perdue relaying the frustration of farmers about the lack of enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act, and called for the report on the Holcomb, Kansas, fire to be released by August 9, 2020, or he would seek an audit of the USDA's enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Division. USDA took this issue seriously and released its report echoing the need for more transparency in the industry. Additionally, he partnered with Sen. Tester in sending a letter to Secretary Perdue recommending the department clarify an ambiguous proposed rule regarding the undue and reasonable preferences provision of the Packers and Stockyards Act.This year, Grassley also joined Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce the Securing All Livestock Equitably (SALE) Act. Quick turnaround between the purchase and resale of cattle by a dealer often leaves the rancher who originally owned the cattle with little recourse if a dealer defaults on a purchase because the livestock has often already been resold. The SALE Act would establish dealer statutory trusts, mimicking existing packer statutory trusts, for the purpose of ensuring that cattle sellers receive payment should a livestock dealer become insolvent. Grassley joined 30 members of Congress on a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging USDA Secretary Perdue to take immediate action to assist pork producers and maintain the pork food supply chain. As the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, Grassley led his colleagues in sending an additional letter to USDA to recommend additional funding for farmers being forced to depopulate their livestock herds. Farmers faced an animal welfare crisis due to overcrowding and the challenge of providing enough feed and water available to each animal. Grassley also joined Iowa leaders, Sen. Joni Ernst, Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig in sending a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and requested additional support from the Administration for the state's pork producers.In addition to livestock farmers, Grassley urged his colleagues to support dairy farmers around the country. Additionally, he joined Sen. Ernst, Gov. Reynolds, and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Naig in requesting the USDA to include egg producers and turkey producers in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). In the second round of CFAP payments, both egg and turkey producers were eligible.To make sure tax dollars are spent as intended to benefit the farmers who actually work the land instead of managers or corporations, Grassley has been a longtime advocate for farm payment limitations. This year, USDA initially announced a final rule on the implementation of payment limitations and the definition of actively engaged in farming as part of the 2018 Farm Bill, which would have required additional family members to provide either 25 percent of the total management hours required by the operation on an annual basis or perform at least 500 hours of management annually. Unfortunately, USDA recently reversed this rule. Prior to this reversal, Grassley requested an additional GAO review of the program. The GAO report concluded that while USDA has improved its completion of eligibility compliance review, additional oversight is needed. Grassley will continue his fight to close loopholes that have allowed some operations to exploit federal farm payments at taxpayer expense.Grassley joined the only other farmer in the U.S. Senate, Jon Tester (D-Montana), to address farmer mental health. Grassley and Tester authored the Seeding Rural Resilience Act which aims to curb growing rates of suicide in Rural America by implementing a voluntary stress management training program, creating a public service announcement campaign to raise awareness and directing the Secretary of Agriculture to work with state and local groups to identify best practices when responding to farm mental stress. This bill was successfully voted out of the Senate this summer and later became law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.Diseases like African swine fever have the potential to devastate entire sectors of U.S. agriculture. With that in mind, Grassley cosponsored the Protecting America's Food & Agriculture Act of 2019 to address the shortage of agricultural inspectors who protect the nation's food supply and agricultural industries at the border. This legislation was signed into law by President Trump earlier this year.This year, the Trump administration kept its promise and successfully rolled back the harmful Obama-era Waters of the United States or WOTUS rule and replaced it with a workable rule that clearly defines what waters fall under federal jurisdiction. Grassley was a steadfast opponent of the original rule, which would have regulated 97 percent of Iowa farmland as a navigable waterway. This regulatory certainty will continue to help spur economic growth in Iowa and around the country while also ensuring individual property rights are protected.Enhancing water quality is critical to meeting the goals of Iowa's Nutrient Reduction Strategy and making improvements to Iowa's river and stream health. With that in mind, Grassley joined Sen. Ernst and a bipartisan group of senators to urge the USDA to make several changes to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to maximize the program's ability for producers to use the program to enhance both soil health and water quality. Antitrust: Grassley joined Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) to introduce the Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act. This bill would require the Federal Trade Commission to go through the same procedures that the Department of Justice (DOJ) must go through when enforcing antitrust law, and would require the Federal Communications Commission to issue merger review decisions expeditiously.Grassley also partnered with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) in introducing the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act which extends whistleblower protections for employees who provide information to DOJ related to criminal antitrust violations. The Senate unanimously passed a similar version of the legislation in 2013, 2015 and 2017. This year, the legislation passed in both the House and Senate and was signed into law by President Trump in December. COVID-19: In February, when the world was just learning about COVID-19, oversight and investigations staff for Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), received a classified briefing from the HHS Office of National Security (ONS) regarding the coronavirus threat and the status of U.S. government efforts to combat the spread of the deadly virus. Grassley also was named to the bipartisan task force focused on safely re-opening America following the public health crisis. The task force includes Democrat and Republican members of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.Grassley was an original proponent of an emergency supplemental appropriations bill providing funding to combat the spread of COVID-19. The funding package amounts to an $8.3 billion surge in resources to combat COVID-19 and provides comprehensive funding for efforts on the local, state, national and international levels.In March, Governor Reynolds declared a State of Public Health Emergency as confirmed COVID-19 cases rose. Grassley sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking that he promptly grant the Governor's request for an expedited review of the major disaster declaration for the State of Iowa as a result of multiple cases of COVID-19 detected in the state. Small businesses across the country were hit particularly hard by associated COVID-19 restrictions. To address this, Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in the CARES Act to help keep workers on the payroll by providing small businesses forgivable loans to cover payroll expenses. As the pandemic worsened, Grassley worked with his colleagues to provide additional funding to this program. While the Senate Democrats originally tried to block it, the additional funding later successfully went through. Grassley also worked with the Department of Treasury and the Small Business Administration on clarifying terms and eligibility of the program for Iowa businesses and bankers.For example, Grassley partnered with Finance Committee Ranking Member, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) urging the Department of Treasury to allow small businesses to deduct expenses associated with PPP loans that are ultimately forgiven. Ultimately, Grassley and many of his colleagues disagreed with Treasury's final guidance.Grassley worked with his colleagues to ensure the rural economy reaped the benefits of the CARES Act including additional funding for rural health centers, providers, programs, telehealth services and related infrastructure. Grassley also worked to secure relief for American agriculture. He worked to include $23.5 billion in the CARES Act to send emergency temporary relief to farm country to help survive the fall-out caused by the pandemic. Specifically, it set aside $9.5 billion for the USDA to directly support farmers and ranchers. The CARES Act also replenishes the Commodity Credit Corporation with $14 billion. Grassley called upon USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to use some of these additional funds to help support the biofuels industry, including resources for higher blends infrastructure at filling stations and to leverage the purchasing power of the federal government to buy excess farm commodities and replenish food pantries and nutrition programs across the nation. He then introduced legislation with Sen. Amy Klobuchar to make this a requirement. On December 21, the Senate passed an additional large legislative package including COVID-19 relief and economic stimulus, tax and health care policy extensions and government funding. As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley championed several provisions including expanding unemployment insurance benefits, additional economic impact payments for individuals and families and extension of certain expiring provisions for families as well as small- and medium-sized businesses around the country. Additionally, under the Senate Finance Committee's jurisdiction, this package extends a number of important Medicare, Medicaid and other health policies, including boosting payments to doctors in Iowa and other rural areas. It also provides permanent coverage for mental health telehealth visits, which are helpful during the pandemic and will remain critical for many Americans afterward. And, it extends the period over which state and local governments can use money from the Coronavirus Relief Fund provided under the CARES Act by one year, giving more flexibility to state and local governments as they face spending challenges caused by the pandemic. It also provides additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program. Grassley's full statement on the legislative package and further details on what is included can be found HERE.Grassley joined Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) to introduce the bipartisan State and Local Coronavirus Relief Fund Extension Act to extend the year-end deadline for states to use federal CARES Act assistance, as well as any future funding to state and local governments, through 2021. The goal of this bill is to provide flexibility in uses of Coronavirus Relief Fund resources by allowing spending by states, localities, territories, and tribes on coronavirus responses to be covered over a longer period of time. Throughout the funding negotiations, Grassley worked to ensure the COVID-19 relief funds would go to those who actually needed it. With that in mind, Grassley introduced the COVID-19 Funding Accountability Act. This legislation would impose strict congressional oversight over the implementation of various funding in the CARES Act as well as create bipartisan oversight boards.Grassley criticized his Democratic colleagues when they wanted to impose a quarter of a trillion dollar retroactive tax increase on businesses in need of cash to restart their operations as states began to lift shut-down orders.Grassley also worked with Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) in introducing a bill to protect recovery payments provided in the recent CARES Act pandemic response legislation from garnishment by private debt collectors.Grassley has been a longtime watchdog of waste, fraud and abuse. Unfortunately, throughout this pandemic, fraudsters have taken advantage of the American public through a variety of scams. Grassley wrote to the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) encouraging the IRS watchdog to engage in a public awareness and education campaign informing Americans of scams and frauds related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the federal government's response.Grassley also partnered with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to call on DOJ to take vigorous action to protect consumers from price gouging during the coronavirus pandemic and help prevent the hoarding of essential medical supplies. Although Grassley took all of the appropriate and recommended precautions, the senator tested positive for COVID-19 after learning of an earlier exposure. Grassley quarantined per CDC and local public health guidelines and at the recommendation of his doctors. Due to his quarantine, Grassley was unable to cast votes on the Senate floor for the first time in 27 years. Grassley has cast 8,927 consecutive votes and continues to hold the record for longest length of time without missing a vote in the history of the Senate. Ultimately, Grassley was asymptomatic throughout his quarantine and was cleared to return to work by his doctors. Crime and Criminal Justice: All Americans have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including inmates in the state and federal prison system. Grassley and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the lead authors of the bipartisan First Step Act (FSA), led 12 of their colleagues in a bipartisan letter pressing DOJ and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to take necessary steps to protect the health and wellbeing of federal prison staff and inmates in Federal custody. They urged the release or transfer of the most vulnerable inmates to home confinement as permitted under the FSA. The senators called on BOP and DOJ to review and expedite current cases where the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program would allow for an early transfer where appropriate of terminally ill and eligible elderly inmates to home confinement. In April, Grassley and Durbin sent a follow up letter to the DOJ Inspector General's (IG) regarding its decision to assess whether facilities housing BOP inmates are complying with available guidance and best practices regarding preventing, managing, and containing potential COVID-19 outbreaks and asked them to expand the probe. As a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley also participated in a hearing titled, Examining Best Practices for Incarceration and Detention During COVID-19, where he pressed DOJ and BOP officials on the use of home confinement and adherence to CDC guidelines on social distancing, use of personal protective equipment, and other risk mitigation efforts in correctional facilities. Also, in an effort to protect the most vulnerable inmates in our society, Grassley and Durbin introduced the COVID-19 Safer Detention Act. This bill expands eligibility for and provides judicial review of the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program, and also provides for the compassionate release of federal prisoners based on COVID-19 vulnerability and shortens the waiting period of judicial review during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Grassley also led a letter to the Justice Department about its handling of COVID-19 in juvenile detention facilities. Along with Sens. Whitehouse and Ernst, Grassley urged the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to equip the juvenile justice system with consistent, reliable, and transparent information to help mitigate the impact of the virus on vulnerable youth.Grassley continued his work to protect children from predators online through his co-sponsorship of the EARN IT Act. This bill creates incentives for the tech industry to address online child sexual exploitation, by removing blanket immunity in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. It also establishes a National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention that will be responsible for developing voluntary best practices. Defense Oversight: Grassley's extensive oversight work throughout his career has included a dogged pursuit for answers from the Pentagon over decades of wasteful spending and its inability to produce a clean financial audit.Grassley has conducted oversight to hold the DoD accountable for over four decades. He continued to press the Department on the new Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) program, alleged conflicts of interest pertaining to those charged with creating its bid and reported disputes between bidders and the Department. This comes after the Department's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) completed a review and provided recommendations in response to Grassley and members of Congress raising concerns about the JEDI program. Last year, Grassley sent a letter to then Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, seeking information on Department policies intended to mitigate conflicts of interest and prevent the tailoring of procurement requests to match a specific vendor, as alleged in the JEDI program procurement process. Grassley and several of his colleagues sent a letter to GAO in July 2018 requesting the agency conduct an independent review of the reasons behind the DoD's failure to acquire modern financial information technology systems capable of generating reliable information and supporting credible financial statements. The report was released in September and reaffirmed Grassley's longtime concerns about financial mismanagement and waste at the DoD. The Department is working towards a clean audit and updating its financial management systems. However, it's clear from this report the Pentagon has a long way to go. Grassley, along with the other requestors of the GAO report and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), also sent a letter earlier this year to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, urging them to include in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2021 certain provisions that would make progress towards a clean audit, including more detailed reporting to Congress on DoD financial management systems. Both of the provisions were ultimately included in the final version of the NDAA.Earlier this year, Grassley renewed inquiries into potential wasteful and inappropriate travel spending at the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), specifically seeking full and complete answers to prior questions about multiple trips to Hawaii.Grassley joined Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to reintroduce the Military Justice Improvement Act in response to reports of mishandling military sexual assaults.Grassley and Gillibrand also introduced bipartisan legislation to require the military to establish a Safe to Report policy. According to a Department of Defense report, in fiscal year 2018, only 30% of sexual assaults in the military were reported. Studies show more survivors are empowered to come forward without the threat of retaliation, and the Safe to Report Act empowers survivors of sexual violence to report these incidents without fear of collateral misconduct charges for minor offenses. This legislation was included in the final version of the NDAA.Also included in the NDAA was a provision that Grassley championed along with other members of the Iowa and Illinois delegation that seeks to improve Army real-estate management. The provision establishes a pilot program to create an online real-estate management system at several Army installations, with the goal of helping the military and federal government use existing resources more efficiently.Additionally, Grassley expanded his probe into the Department's Office of Net Assessment's (ONA) contract compliance after reviewing troubling documents related to contracts awarded to Professor Stefan Halper. Those documents call into question ONA's stewardship of taxpayer dollars as well as its contract management and internal controls. In early 2019, Grassley requested the DoD Inspector General (IG) review allegations of mismanagement by ONA contracts for political, improper or wasteful activities. Grassley later sought information about ONA contracting processes following a DoD IG audit of the program, which found ONA could not provide sufficient documentation that Halper conducted all of his work in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The Pentagon issued a corrective action plan for ONA in August.On January 23, 2020, Grassley sought an inspector general investigation into the manufacturing practices of Lockheed Martin's C-130J aircraft after whistleblower reports alleged a lack of oversight by the DoD has resulted in significant health and safety concerns. On October 8, 2020, Grassley sought additional information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding the manufacturing practices of Lockheed Martin's C-130J after learning of discrepancies in the initial investigation. Derecho Recovery: From year to year, natural disasters take place across the country. In August, many Iowans experienced a historic derecho. Immediately after the storm hit, Grassley visited Cedar Rapids to survey damage, meet with residents affected by the storm and visit a local nonprofit assisting in relief efforts. Grassley and Ernst also participated in a roundtable discussion with 20 nonprofit leaders and the Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. The local nonprofits assisted with housing, case management, mental health, volunteer coordination, food access and legal assistance. Iowa's agricultural community faced significant damage and new challenges resulting from the storm. Grassley led the Iowa congressional delegation in sending a letter to USDA Secretary Perdue urging a prompt approval of Gov. Reynolds Secretarial Disaster Designation request for 57 Iowa counties that suffered losses as a result of the derecho. Following this request, Grassley and Ernst sent an additional letter to USDA requesting it provide additional support for Iowa farmers impacted by the derecho and severe drought. They also sent a letter requesting additional funding for Iowa agricultural cooperatives.In addition to tens of millions of acres of damaged crops, grain bins across the state were destroyed. Grassley and Ernst requested the U.S. Department of Commerce lift Section 232 tariffs on steel that will be used in Iowa's derecho recovery, especially on steel used for rebuilding grain bins and machine sheds. Grassley worked with Ernst to file legislation to provide tax relief to Iowans affected by the derecho. The legislation would provide certain employers a tax credit for retaining employees, enhance the tax deduction for disaster-related personal casualty losses, and facilitate enhanced access to tax-exempt retirement plans, among other benefits. Additionally, Grassley and Ernst worked to ensure Iowans affected by the derecho weren't victims of fraud. They sent a letter to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate price-gouging scams. DOJ/FBI: Grassley and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) continued their investigation into the fatal shooting of Bijan Ghaisar by U.S. Park Police in 2017. Grassley first contacted the FBI in December 2018 about its investigation into the shooting, and the FBI responded in March with little information, prompting a follow-up letter from Grassley. Since then the senators also have pressed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide details on specific reforms being implemented to avoid a repeat of its drawn-out and opaque investigation of U.S. Park Police's fatal shooting of Bijan Ghaisar.This legislative session, Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, persistently contacted U.S. Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray to investigate the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation, code-named Crossfire Hurricane, to bring transparency to FBI mismanagement. Grassley has long been skeptical of the FBI's justification to spy on Carter Page, including its reliance on the debunked anti-Trump dossier, which was compiled by a former British spy, sub-sourced to Russian officials and paid for by then-candidate Trump's Democrat political opponents. The DOJ inspector general determined the dossier to be central and essential to the FBI's Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant application. The inspector general also determined the FBI's applications included at least 17 errors and omissions and over 50 errors and omissions in the Woods File. After further reviewing the DOJ OIG report on Crossfire Hurricane, Grassley and Johnson sent Barr a follow up letter requesting the declassification of four footnotes in the report on FISA abuses in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Those footnotes were later declassified and showed how Russian disinformation infected the Steele Dossier.On April 25, 2019, Grassley and Johnson wrote to the DOJ regarding the FBI and how it may have used a counterintelligence briefing to conduct surveillance on the Trump transition team during Crossfire Hurricane.In April, Grassley and Johnson requested additional Crossfire Hurricane records after the declassified footnotes revealed the Steele Dossier contained reported Russian disinformation.On May 12, 2020, Grassley and Johnson requested a list of Obama-era officials that unmasked Lt. Gen. Flynn. In response, the Intelligence Community provided a list that included then-Vice President Biden as one of the Obama-era officials that requested to unmask Flynn.In November, Grassley and Johnson also sent a letter to Barr requesting the full declassification of briefing notes for then-Director James Comey summarizing the FBI's investigative efforts regarding Crossfire Hurricane.On October 13, 2020, Grassley and Johnson also sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray warning the bureau's recent production of limited text messages from former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was unacceptable and the FBI must produce all records in compliance with previous requests.On October 15, 2020, Grassley and Johnson sent another letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe seeking an unredacted version of a spreadsheet created to attempt to corroborate allegations made in the discredited Steele Dossier.Grassley and Johnson also released a majority staff report detailing how the FBI and Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Office secretly sought and received access to the private records of Donald J. Trump's presidential transition team, Trump for America, Inc., despite an agreement between the Trump transition team and the General Services Administration that those records were the transition team's private property that would not be retained at the conclusion of the transition. Grassley also pressed DOJ for details on steps taken to recover material deleted from mobile devices assigned to Mueller's team, and investigate potential violations of federal record keeping laws. Many of those deletions occurred after the agency watchdog discovered anti-Trump texts on then-FBI agent Peter Strzok's government-issued phone, and after the DOJ IG began reviewing the Crossfire Hurricane investigation.On December 1, 2020, news broke that Barr had appointed U.S. Attorney John Durham to be special counsel in his ongoing review of the origins of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Grassley praised this decision.On December 3, 2020, Grassley and Johnson released over 400 pages of records acquired from the DOJ, FBI and State Department during their investigation into the FBI's mishandling of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. The production includes recently declassified material that illustrate the flawed decision-making process by federal officials during Crossfire Hurricane.As part of Grassley's ongoing FARA oversight, he called on the Justice Department to evaluate whether Hunter and James Biden should have registered as foreign agents for their business arrangements with the Chinese government-back energy company CEFC, in compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The company was actively seeking to build influence in the United States when it partnered with the Bidens. Drug Prices: Grassley has long raised concerns about lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry and the prescription drug supply chain. This year, he also highlighted high prescription drug prices and the concerning trend that the price of many medications are increasing faster than inflation. As researchers around the world are racing to find a vaccine to combat COVID-19, Grassley welcomed news from Pfizer and Operation Warp Speed accelerating the response to end the pandemic.As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley and Wyden also partnered on a bipartisan investigation into insulin prices. They sent letters to leading insulin manufacturers, seeking information regarding recent price increases of up to 500% or more for insulin, a treatment available for diabetes for nearly 100 years. This year, they expanded that investigation and warned those companies that were not cooperating.Grassley also joined several of his colleagues in introducing the PRICE Transparency Act. This legislation would codify the two health care price transparency rules that came out of President Trump's Improving Price and Quality Transparency in American Healthcare Executive Order which requires hospitals and insurers to reveal their low, discounted cash prices and negotiated rates to consumers before they receive medical care. On June 2, 2020, Grassley chaired a hearing titled, COVID-19 and Beyond: Oversight of the FDA's Foreign Drug Manufacturing Inspection Process. The hearing was based on Grassley's oversight work on the FDA's foreign drug manufacturing facility inspection process and highlighted the risks associated with drugs manufactured in foreign countries, especially China, and imported to the United States. At the hearing, Grassley introduced into the Committee record thousands of pages of records that he acquired during his FDA investigation relating to China- and India-based drug manufacturing facilities.Over the years, Grassley has called on pharmaceutical companies to list prices of their prescription drugs in direct-to-consumer advertisements. In 2019, HHS made good on the promise and finalized a rule requiring price disclosure on TV ads for prescription drugs. However, that rule was challenged by pharmaceutical companies in court and recently overturned. Grassley will continue working to increase transparency from pharmaceutical companies. Education: Grassley continued to confront the issue of academic freedom this year. In 2019, he sent letters to the presidents of Duke University, Harvard University, Sarah Lawrence College and Villanova University, seeking information on the current culture of academic freedom on campus. This fall, Grassley followed up on that issue by sending a letter to his colleagues discussing the responses of those colleges and universities. In that letter, he stated the mission of colleges and universities should be to develop the character of young adults by challenging them with new ideas rather than making them feel safe. Grassley concluded his letter by stating, [O]ur colleges and universities must ensure that their professors can freely teach their students and that students are free to learn, without retribution. While working in Washington, Grassley highlighted Iowa's academic excellence for his colleagues. He praised the state's highest four-year graduation rate in Iowa's history, at 91.6 percent. He also applauded the University of Iowa's independent newspaper, The Daily Iowan, which was named the Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper by the Society of Professional Journalists. Election Integrity: With another presidential election in 2020, the spotlight was once again on Iowa and the first in the nation caucuses. The Iowa caucuses are an example of grassroots democracy. While not every part of the caucus went according to plan this year, Grassley joined Ernst and Gov. Reynolds in supporting the integrity of the process and demonstrated the seriousness Iowans take in their civic duty.The COVID-19 pandemic presented many unique challenges in 2020. However, election officials around the country worked diligently to ensure a safe and secure election this November. In Iowa, Secretary of State Paul Pate mailed an absentee ballot request form to every registered Iowa voter for the November election and the state saw a record turnout. Congress in March unanimously approved a $10 billion loan for the U.S. Postal Service to respond to pandemic-related uncertainties. However, the USPS assured lawmakers that it had enough cash on hand to maintain operations through next year even without that loan. In fact, the USPS reported a record amount of cash on hand due to the increase in package deliveries during the pandemic. Even with this additional bipartisan funding, many Democrats continued to undermine faith in the electoral process. Grassley strongly condemned such statements on the Senate floor. Energy: As a champion of renewable fuels and an all-of-the-above American energy policy, Grassley continued his extensive work to enact responsible energy policies throughout 2020. Grassley was a leader in the effort to allow the sale of year-round E15.Grassley has continued to lead the fight to maintain a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). He led efforts to pressure the EPA to stop issuing hardship waivers to obligated refiners as well as make the waiver process more transparent and highlighted the importance of the RFS to President Trump. Grassley joined Ernst in voting against Mark Menezes, nominated to be Deputy Secretary of Energy due to lack of transparency among the agencies.Much of Grassley's energy agenda focused on the RFS. Grassley worked extensively with Senate colleagues, President Trump and the EPA to expand renewable energy and fulfill congressional intent on the RFS. This year, Grassley slammed the proposed Zero-Emission Vehicles Act which would require 50 percent of sales for new passenger vehicles to be all electric by 2025 and mandate 100 percent of new sales for the U.S. passenger transportation fleet by 2035. Grassley joined his partner in the Senate, Ernst, in sending a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting clarification on its temporary policy for the manufacture of alcohol-based hand sanitizer products during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than wait for the economy to rebound, biofuel producers across Iowa shifted production to manufacture hand sanitizer to help meet the needs of their communities across the state.Last year, Grassley and Ernst fought hard to include the biodiesel tax credit in the year-end funding package. In February, the two Iowa senators called on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to promptly process 2018-2019 biodiesel tax credit claims.In addition to ethanol and biodiesel, Grassley highlighted the importance of wind energy in Iowa and around the country. Federal Judiciary: As a former chairman and senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley rigorously vetted and reviewed judicial nominations to ensure our federal judges will interpret and apply the law as written, not legislate from the bench based on policy preferences.President Trump has made an effort to nominate constitutionalist and textualist judges who understand the role of the judiciary in our constitutional system. Under Grassley's leadership, the Judiciary Committee oversaw the confirmation of a record 30 circuit court judges, which is the most circuit court confirmations in the first two years of any presidency in history, and in 2020, the Senate has confirmed a record number of circuit court nominees. These confirmations will have an important impact on our country for decades to come.Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away in September, leaving behind a historic legacy that will live on for generations. With an opening on the highest court in the land, Grassley supported Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in moving forward to fill the vacancy. In 2016, citing a divided government, then-Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley and his committee colleagues exercised their constitutional authority to withhold consent on any nominee prior to the completion of the election. The circumstances were different in 2020, where the American people elected a Republican President and Senate in 2016 and expanded the Republican Senate majority in 2018.Later that month, President Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court. Grassley met with Judge Barrett and vetted her credentials. Grassley strongly supported Judge Barrett in the hearings and urged his colleagues to support her in the final vote before the full senate. In late October, the Senate approved Judge Barrett's nomination by a vote of 52-48. As Senate President pro tempore, Grassley presided over the vote.Throughout Justice Barrett's confirmation process, he admonished Democrats who were threatening to pack the courts with partisan judges.Throughout the pandemic, the Supreme Court allowed live audio streams of oral arguments conducted via teleconference following pandemic-induced lockdowns. The unprecedented live audio feed broadened access to real-time proceedings far beyond the Court's limited seating capacity even in normal times. The move sparked widespread praise from transparency advocates and the general public. Grassley and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) renewed their push to allow live video coverage of court proceedings even after the pandemic restrictions are lifted. Foster youth, adoption, families and elder care: Throughout his congressional career, Grassley has advocated for children and families. He continued his work on these issues in 2020 by developing policies aimed at protecting special needs children, preventing elder abuse, encouraging elder independence and promoting funding for programs to improve family health.Grassley has long been a leader in the effort to protect older Americans, especially those living in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Grassley has helped lead congressional oversight of nursing homes and their response to the deadly pandemic.In April, Grassley wrote to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma regarding several issues related to the outbreak of COVID-19 at long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the country. Grassley expressed concerns about testing capacity, inconsistencies in data tracking, a lack of PPE and transparency in federal spending. Following Grassley's call on CMS to require nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to report all cases of COVID-19 to the federal government, the agency took such steps to ensure transparency and usable data.In July, Grassley and Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) introduced the Emergency Support for Nursing Homes and Elder Justice Reform Act of 2020, which would improve existing programs to protect older Americans and provide help to nursing homes and their staff providing care for vulnerable residents. The legislation includes several provisions to help nursing homes manage COVID-19 outbreaks, including the establishment of specialty regional strike teams and extends COVID-19 related reporting requirements through the end of 2020. The bill calls on states receiving federal relief assistance to devote some funding to tele-visitation programs so nursing home residents aren't isolated from family throughout the pandemic. It also renews and reauthorizes funding for several programs enacted in the Elder Justice Act of 2009 and boosts transparency and accountability measures for underperforming nursing homes.Following the Trump administration's announcement that it would require weekly testing of nursing home staffers and the disbursement of an additional $5 billion in funding to these facilities, Grassley praised the action as a big step in the right direction, which will help further protect the lives and health of both the residents of nursing facilities and the dedicated staff who care for them.As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley continued his oversight work and released a comprehensive report on care in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in the United States during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The report, titled COVID-19 and Nursing Homes: What Went Wrong and Next Steps, reviews U.S. nursing home performance during the first eight months of the pandemic.He also sent a letter to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) at HHS requesting the OIG initiate an investigation into whether or not five states California, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania violated federal guidance in pressuring nursing home facilities to accept patients who tested positive for COVID-19. Grassley partnered with Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), to protect seniors with dementia from harm and exploitation. The Promoting Alzheimer's Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act successfully passed out of the Senate and would ensure the Department of Justice's elder abuse training materials take into account individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Grassley, in his capacity as Senate Finance Committee Chairman, convened a bipartisan working group to address federal paid family leave policies. The working group considered ideas and principles relating to the issue of paid family leave and reviewed existing legislation introduced by several senators on and off the committee and from both parties.In the year-end COVID-19 economic relief and funding legislative package, Grassley advocated for additional support for the elder community. This legislation included $100 million to support elder justice initiatives, including 50 million for state adult protective service agencies as they cope with unique challenges of serving vulnerable populations during the pandemic. Good Government and Transparency: Grassley has been a longtime advocate for inspectors general and government oversight regardless of political party and administration. On April 8, 2020, Grassley led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling on President Trump to provide a detailed written explanation for his decision to remove an inspector general. In the letter, the lawmakers underscore the important role inspectors general play in holding agencies accountable and outline the removal procedures, which are designed to prevent political interference. This comes after two inspectors generals were terminated this spring.On April 14, 2020, Grassley and Wyden wrote to Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz, in his role as chair of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), regarding CIGIE's role in the inspector general nominating process. They inquired about the CIGIE recommendation process, the consistency of its advice to the White House, the rate at which its advice is taken by the White House and how often CIGIE has expressed concerns about IG vacancies.Following complaints from dozens of whistleblowers, Grassley and his colleagues also continued their investigation into whistleblower allegations of low morale and low productivity at the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General. On October 6, 2020, Grassley led a bipartisan letter to the House and Senate Armed Services Committee Conference urging the protection of the work of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). The Senate-passed version of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included language that would have limited SIGAR's jurisdiction to just six reconstruction funds and severely restricted SIGAR's oversight of reconstruction spending, to exclude oversight authority over internationally monitored trust funds like the World-Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, military construction, human rights and anti-corruption assistance, and certain counternarcotics programs. This section was removed from the House and Senate Conference NDAA, preserving SIGAR's oversight authority over crucial overseas funds.Grassley joined his colleagues, Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) to change the authority of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) to conduct a thorough and rigorous review of independent agencies' regulations. Currently, independent agencies are not required to undergo a review by OIRA. They wrote, in part, Although these agencies have been created with certain protections designed to insulate them from the political process, they are not a fourth branch of government that is exempt from Congressional and Executive oversight.On February 5, 2020 Grassley and Johnson sought records of Hunter Biden's travel while he was under U.S. Secret Service protection as part of their investigation into potential conflicts of interest among the Biden family when Joe Biden was Vice President.Grassley and Johnson faced unhelpful challenges from their Democratic colleagues regarding their oversight work. In February they rebuked their colleagues who attempted to undermine legitimate oversight by selectively leaking information from their Biden investigation. In August, they urged their colleagues to stop falsely claiming the Ukraine/Biden investigation was subject to Russian disinformation.On September 23, 2020, Grassley and Johnson released a report that revealed millions of dollars in questionable financial transactions between Hunter Biden and his associates and foreign individuals, including individuals with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. They later released a supplemental report with new information which confirmed connections between the Biden family and the communist Chinese government, as well as the links between Hunter Biden's business associates and the Russian government.In October, news broke referencing an alleged Hunter Biden laptop with additional pertinent information relating to Grassley and Johnson's investigation. They immediately sent a letter to United States Secret Service Director James Murray highlighting references to Hunter Biden's travel from recently published emails that appear to align with Secret Service records previously produced to the committees. The chairmen also requested records to verify whether the Secret Service traveled with Hunter Biden after he apparently discontinued his protective detail.Grassley joined Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) in introducing bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal financial management by updating the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act of 1990. The CFO Act created a new foundation for federal financial management and established a fiscal management reporting and leadership structure.Additionally, Grassley partnered with Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) to introduce bipartisan legislation to increase transparency and accountability within the federal government. The Oversight.gov Authorization Act would formally authorize the establishment and maintenance of a website to help the public more easily access reports that have been generated by the independent work of Inspectors General.Grassley, and Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) requested information about the federal government's ability to timely respond to public records requests in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to the Justice Department's Office of Information Policy (OIP), the senators, all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, noted reports of decreased capability to process Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and other concerning developments, including the FBI's decision to stop accepting electronic requests altogether. The senators also released the findings of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report titled Freedom of Information Act: Federal Agencies' Recent Implementation Efforts.Grassley continued his work to ensure Social Security remains strong for generations to come. Along with House Ways and Means Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-Texas), Grassley wrote to the Chief Actuary of Social Security regarding the use of his office for political purposes and pushed for public clarifications to recently published analysis that has allowed for partisan misinformation to be spread by Democrats. As the leading Republican tax writers, Grassley and Brady argued that Social Security's actuaries should not be used for political purposes. The Chief Actuary of Social Security promptly responded with a letter and affirmed that he was not aware that anyone has proposed legislation like Senate Democrats outlined in a recent request, which they subsequently used to spread false and misleading partisan messaging. Grassley took to the Senate floor to set the record straight and urged his Democratic colleagues to stop spreading misinformation to scare Social Security beneficiaries.In October, Grassley and Brady again reached out to request more information on how the Office of the Chief Actuary functions, particularly in responding to requests from outside groups, using taxpayer dollars. Given the finite resources available and the important services the SSA provides to Americans, it is essential that the agency's budget is used wisely. For that reason, we are seeking additional information regarding practices of the Office of the Chief Actuary for information, analysis, and/or technical assistance requested by non-government individuals and organizations, the members wrote.In December, Grassley and Brady requested that the Chief Actuary of Social Security explain misleading testimony that the actuary presented before a congressional committee in July. In that testimony, the Chief Actuary appeared to have been attempting to provide justification for lack of prior action on an important issue in Social Security by Congress. As the letter from Grassley and Brady to the Chief Actuary identified: It is not the job of anyone at the Social Security Administration to justify decisions made by Congress and we are concerned by your recent attempt to do so. Health Care: With the COVID-19 pandemic, families faced unique challenges accessing health care services. Recognizing this, Grassley introduced the bipartisan Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act to help families access life-saving care for children with complex medical conditions. The legislation aims to facilitate access to care while retaining program safeguards and reducing regulatory burdens on providers. This legislation builds off the Grassley-sponsored Advancing Care for Exceptional (ACE) Kids Act, which was signed into law in 2019, which makes it easier for the many providers who treat children with complex conditions to coordinate care and improve outcomes.In September, Grassley fought to include the Medicare Part B Premium Adjustment provision in the Senate appropriations bill. This will protect Medicare beneficiaries from an expected spike in the Part B premium for 2021 caused by economic conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grassley also authored a provision to address concerns with the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program. This provision delays the date on which hospitals and other providers must start to repay Medicare Accelerated and Advance payment loans and makes other changes to relax repayment terms, while protecting the Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund. Throughout the pandemic, Grassley worked with the Trump administration on a variety of health care policies. He praised the Administration's reforms to the Medicaid program which will allow more flexibility for states while they continue to care for and protect individual Americans and communities at most risk.Grassley also followed up with the FDA this year to ensure Americans can access over-the-counter hearing aids without delay. Grassley's Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act, which was signed into law in 2017 to remove outdated regulations blocking consumer access to affordable hearing aids, required the FDA to issue these proposed regulations no later than August 18, 2020, but the FDA has yet to do so.Grassley partnered with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) to introduce a bipartisan resolution designating the week of October 5 through October 9 2020, as Malnutrition Awareness Week. The resolution recognizes the impact the pandemic has had on vulnerable populations and supports emergency funding for federal nutrition programs to combat malnutrition. Grassley also highlighted mental health awareness month and the services available to Iowans during this difficult time.Over the years, Congress has considered a number of initiatives aimed at addressing maternal health. Grassley and Ranking Member Wyden asked stakeholders to submit data and findings on factors contributing to poor maternal health outcomes in the United States. The Senate Finance Committee leaders also requested specific, evidence-based solutions to address those factors and improve maternal health. In addition, in June 2020, Grassley wrote a letter to every member of the Senate Finance Committee soliciting ideas for how to address racial and ethnic health disparities.Grassley also continued his oversight work into the nation's organ donation and procurement system. In October, he sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This probe comes after numerous inspector general audits and news reports raised questions about the adequacy of patient safety standards, suggested thousands of available organs are not being used and highlighted questionable financial practices of some organ procurement organizations (OPOs). This letter is part of the ongoing investigation into the conduct of the nation's organ procurement organizations, and the oversight gaps present in the U.S. organ donation and procurement system. In February, Grassley and Wyden jointly initiated this bipartisan investigation with Senators Young and Cardin when they sent an expansive request for information and data to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which was contracted by Congress nearly four decades ago to oversee the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). This investigation is ongoing.In April 2019, Grassley and Wyden jointly began investigations of organizations in their home states that provide services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). This December, they released two investigative reports regarding the performance and efficacy of providers REM Iowa and MENTOR Oregon, which receive significant federal funding through Medicaid to provide care for individuals with I/DD. Grassley's review of REM Iowa found that the company has had and continues to face problems, including failures to report abuse or neglect, failures to follow an individual's particular care plan and failures to adhere to clients' medication schedules. Grassley's report makes three specific recommendations to REM Iowa: improve training practices for employees, improve access to data and establish a process to track and monitor critical incidents using electronic databases. Grassley's report also recommends that the federal and state governments improve oversight, outreach and support for facilities facing systemic issues.On December 2, 2020, Grassley wrote a letter to every member of the Senate Finance and Judiciary Committees about the need for new attention to the tax laws governing non-profit hospitals. In late 2019, Grassley announced he was renewing his probe of non-profit, tax-exempt hospitals. It's time for Americans to have more financial information available to them when going to the hospital and working with their insurance companies. It's time for Congress to empower Americans to shop for healthcare in a competitive, functional market so as to reduce the costs of care and coverage, and save individuals and businesses hundreds of billions of dollars, Grassley wrote. Housing: Grassley joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce legislation to protect property owners whose assets are seized by the federal government. An earlier version of the bill was introduced in 2016, following a Judiciary Committee hearing that examined several concerns associated with law enforcement asset seizure policies and practices. The hearing identified gaps in procedural protections for property owners whose assets were seized despite the absence of criminal charges or convictions. Additionally, many individuals whose assets are seized don't know their rights and don't know how to proceed to challenge the seizure. Illegal, illicit drugs, and opioids: In 2020, Grassley continued his longtime work addressing illegal and illicit drug manufacturing and addiction in the U.S. He joined Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in introducing the Methamphetamine Response Act, a bill declaring methamphetamine an emerging drug threat which would require the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to develop, implement and make public a national plan to prevent methamphetamine addiction and overdoses from becoming a crisis. This bill passed the Senate on November 16, 2020 but wasn't considered for final passage in the House of Representatives.Grassley also cosponsored the Temporary Reauthorization and Study of the Emergency Scheduling of Fentanyl Analogues Act. President Trump signed this bill into law in February, which extends a Drug Enforcement Administration temporary scheduling order to proactively control deadly fentanyl analogues. Fentanyl-related overdose deaths continue to rise and sophisticated drug trafficking organizations manipulate dangerous substances to skirt the law, so this critical law placed fentanyl substances in Schedule I so that they can be better detected and criminals can be held accountable for their actions. This Grassley supported law sunsets in May of 2021. Grassley and Ernst once again urged Iowans to participate in National Drug Take-Back Day. Unused, unneeded and expired prescription medicines present risk for misuse and theft. Responsible disposal can help prevent accidental poisoning, addiction and overdose deaths.As Chairman of the Senate Finance Finance Committee, Grassley initiated a bipartisan investigation with Ranking Member Ron Wyden, and sent letters to 10 tax-exempt organizations requesting information about their financial relationship with opioid manufacturers. This is a continuation of the investigation Grassley started in 2012, when he was Ranking Member of Judiciary. This investigation requested payme",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/portman-brown-announce-bipartisan-legislation-rename-nasas-plum-brook,"Portman, Brown Announce Bipartisan Legislation to Rename NASAs Plum Brook Station Test Facility After Neil Armstrong Signed Into Law",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Portman, Brown Announce Bipartisan Legislation to Rename NASA's Plum Brook Station Test Facility After Neil Armstrong Signed Into Law December 30, 2020 | Press Releases WASHINGTON, DC Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that President Trump has signed into law their bipartisan legislation to rename NASA's Plum Brook Station, the agency's test facility in Sandusky, Ohio, after Neil Armstrong. Portman and Brown introduced the legislation last year. Plum Brook is part of the NASA Glenn Research Center. Ithouses unique world-class facilities that conduct critical and innovative ground tests for the international aerospace community. From his service as a Navy fighter pilot, to his courageous experiments as a test pilot, to his space exploration and first step on the surface of the Moon, Neil Armstrong left an indelible mark in mankind's history of flight.In all his accomplishments, he considered himself first and foremost a test pilot who pushed the boundaries of what was possible in the air and in space, Senator Portman said. Neil was a humble and patriotic Ohioan who believed the honor of serving his country was a reward in and of itself. That's why, when I asked him the year before he passed away whether he wanted me to pursue naming Plum Brook after him, he demurred. But he was a strong supporter of Plum Brook Station and the important simulations and testing being done there, and I believe it is precisely because of his humility, coupled with his unparalleled accomplishments, that the renaming is appropriate.In consultation with his family and NASA, Senator Brown and I introduced this legislation last year and I applaud President Trump for signing this legislation into law as a fitting tribute to Armstrongs amazing accomplishments in air and in space. Before Neil Armstrong became the first person to step foot on the moon, he was an up-and-coming test pilot in northeast Ohio at what is now known as the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center. I'm pleased to join Sen. Portman in honoring Ohio-native Neil Armstrong by renaming NASA Glenn's Plum Brook Station in Sandusky for a man who inspires future Ohioans to continue our state's tradition of breaking barriers in space,said Senator Brown, who nowoccupiesthe late Ohio Senator and astronaut John Glenn's old office in Washington, DC. NOTE: In July of 2019, in advance of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Portman and Brown announced their intention to rename the facility. Prior to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Portman paid tribute to his friend, Ohio-native Neil Armstrong in a video, as well as on the Senate floor. In August of 2019, Portman accompanied NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a visit to NASA's Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland and Plum Brook Station in Sandusky to view progress on the agency's Artemis Program -- its multi-year plan to return American astronauts to the Moon and eventually send manned missions to Mars. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.portman.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/portman-votes-support-national-defense-bill,Portman Votes to Support National Defense Bill,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,OH,Rob Portman,P000449,www.portman.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Portman Votes to Support National Defense Bill December 30, 2020 | Press Releases WASHINGTON, DC Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement in support of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act: The defense bill provides needed resources that build on President Trump's successful efforts to restore our military after years of underfunding and deterioration of our readiness.It also supports the National Defense Strategy, gives a needed pay raise to our troops, and provides critical upgrades and support to Ohio's defense installations. Ohio is home to Wright-Patterson Air Force base, the Lima tank plant, and other important military facilities that help support our troops around the globe.This legislation directly impacts our Ohio defense community. I agree with President Trump that we need to take a serious look at Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, but a defense bill isn't the place for those reforms. Our country faces significant security threats around the world, and this bipartisan legislation will help ensure that our soldiers, airmen, sailors, Marines and space professionals have the vital resources they need to accomplish their national security missions.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-releases-new-covid-19-federal-resource-guide-to-help-hawaii-small-businesses-access-new-funding-programs,"Schatz Releases New COVID-19 Federal Resource Guide To Help Hawai‘i Small Businesses Access New Funding, Programs",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,HI,Brian Schatz,S001194,www.schatz.senate.gov,schatz,https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released an updated resource guide to help Hawai‘i small businesses better understand how to access federal loans and new federal funding. The new $900 billion relief package, which is the second largest aid package in American history and was signed into law on Sunday, includes a new round of federal funding for small businesses and nonprofits and a new program to support live venue operators, including museums and independent movie theaters. “The new round of funding will help Hawai‘i small businesses meet their payroll and provide people with paychecks,” said Senator Schatz. “As more federal help becomes available, we’ll continue to work to provide more information about how Hawai‘i families and businesses can access these new resources.” The new COVID-19 relief funding includes $15 billion nationwide to a new Small Business Administration (SBA) grant program for live venues impacted by the public health crisis. Eligible grant recipients include live venue operators, promoters or theatrical producers, independent movie theatre operators, museum operators, and talent representatives. Of the total amount, $2 billion is set aside for eligible entities that employ fewer than 50 full-time employees. The new relief package also provides an additional $20 billion of targeted funding for the SBA's economic injury disaster loans (EIDL) emergency advance grants program and extends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to March 31, 2021, providing $284 billion nationwide for additional first- and second-round PPP loans to small businesses and nonprofits. The full small business resource guide is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://zeldin.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-zeldin-local-elected-officials-and-environmental-stakeholders,"Rep. Zeldin, Local Elected Officials and Environmental Stakeholders Celebrate New Federal Law to Save Plum Island",2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,NY,Lee Zeldin,Z000017,zeldin.house.gov,,,legacy,"SOUTHOLD, NY - On Tuesday, December 29, 2020, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), hosted a virtual press conference via Zoom with Southold Supervisor Scott Russell, Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski, Riverhead Supervisor Yvette Agular, Shelter Island Supervisor Gerry Siller and Deputy Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams, Southampton Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, Assemblywoman-Elect Jodi Giglio, John Turner of the Plum Island Coalition, Louise Harrison, Chris Cryder and Leah Schmalz of Save the Sound, Greg Jacob of The Nature Conservancy, Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Bob DeLuca of Group for the East End, and others to celebrate the repeal of a 2008 federal law that required Plum Island to be sold to the highest bidder. Senator Ron Johnson (R, WI), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, had opposed reversing this federal law due to long standing opposition by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In the past three weeks, as Congressional funding was being negotiated, Congressman Zeldin worked closely with Senator Johnson and White House and DHS leadership to successfully advocate for their assistance to remove the opposition and get this extremely high priority over the finish line for the First Congressional District of New York. Due to Congressman Zeldin's efforts, the 2008 federal law has now been reversed. Congressman Zeldin also worked with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D, NY) who maintained direct contact with Congressman Zeldin during this effort. ""Not only does Plum Island offer diverse wildlife, a precious ecosystem and critical habitat for migratory birds, marine mammals, and rare plants, but it is an essential cultural and historical resource as well, said Congressman Lee Zeldin following passage of this legislation. The law which mandated the sale of the island to the highest bidder was the wrong path forward. It's an honor to deliver this huge win that reversed that law and preserves Plum Island's rich history and taps into its limitless potential for generations to come. I would like to thank my colleagues in government for their support and the tireless Plum Island advocates throughout our region for their tenacity all along the way. It's been an honor to lead this fight, and I'm looking forward to continuing to fight for the future of Plum Island. In 2008, Congress created a new law to mandate the sale of Plum Island to the highest bidder. Since coming to Congress, Congressman Zeldin has secured House passage of 6 of his proposals to preserve Plum Island as a world-renowned research facility, historical site and conservation area, and secured $1.5 million in federal funds last year to stabilize and restore its iconic lighthouse. Last year, Congressman Zeldin authored and secured enactment of legislative language to halt the sale of the island for Fiscal Year 2020. Additionally, this Congress, he introduced the Plum Island Preservation Act of 2019, which would permanently repeal the law mandating the sale of Plum Island and require any further use of the island be for conservation, education and/or research purposes.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://burgess.house.gov/blog/?postid=403002,Burgess: Presidents should be in command of our troops,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Michael Burgess,B001248,burgess.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), a member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, released the following statement after voting against overturning President Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The President of the United States is the Commander in Chief and should have the ability to bring our troops home. President Trump committed to America that he would end the endless wars our country has been fighting. Over the last four years, he has kept his promise. The NDAA placed restrictions on the President's ability to bring troops home from commitment overseas. Rather than restrict the President's authority, Congress should do more to see how we can support our troops as they defend this great country while evaluating how to swiftly remove them from harm's way, said Burgess.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://burgess.house.gov/blog/?postid=403003,Burgess: Vote puts Americans First,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Michael Burgess,B001248,burgess.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), a member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, released the following statement after voting in support of the CASH Act. Americans are hurting. This Coronavirus has affected more than our physical health. Americans have suffered from job and financial losses. When putting together the appropriations for this year and the next COVID-19 response legislation, the priority should have been to help the American people. Congress should have gone through each of the appropriation bills in a bipartisan way so that we were not left at the end of the year having to cram everything in one bill. When Speaker Pelosi decided to combine the two bills, there should have been cuts to other parts of our budget to ensure we could have included more money going directly to Americans first. Through this pandemic, Congress' focus should be America's needs, said Burgess.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401221,"Huizenga Celebrates Completion of $6.6 Million Great Lakes Restoration Project in Muskegon, $2.9 Million Project in Detroit",2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga, Co-Chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force, released the following statement after the EPA announced the completion of a $6.6 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Project in Muskegon as well as the completion of a $2.9 million project on the Detroit Riverwalk. The Ryerson Creek Outfall is a 12-acre site located on the shores of Muskegon Lake that has been contaminated with petroleum, metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This GLRI funded project successfully dredged 10,600 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, removed over 2,000 tons of mill debris, and covered a two-acre area with clean sand.Along the Detroit River, EPA dredged approximately 13,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment just downstream of the MacArthur Bridge that leads to Belle Isle. The EPA then isolated and stabilized the contaminated sediment with a cap made of clean material. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative continues to successfully rehabilitate areas impacted by legacy pollution, said Congressman Bill Huizenga, Co-Chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force. Today's announcement by the EPA marks another critical step forward in the efforts to restore Muskegon Lake and the Detroit riverfront. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has played a leading role in strengthening the ecology as well as the economy of communities across Michigan. The continued recovery of Muskegon Lake and the Detroit Riverwalk is not only great news for Muskegon and Detroit, it is great news for Michigan and the entire Great Lakes Region. This is another great example of how effective this agency has been following the priorities of this Administration the completion of these Great Lakes Legacy Act projects demonstrate that when federal, state, local, and industry partners work together collaboratively, we can solve complex environmental problems and get the job done, said Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Kurt Thiede. These cleanups in the Muskegon Lake and Detroit River AOCs will significantly advance our efforts to restore water quality in these two important waterways. In August, Grand Valley State University released new research detailing how efforts to restore Muskegon Lake through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative have led to $27.9 million in additional recreational spending per year, increased property values by $7.9 million, and increased the total number of visits to Muskegon Lake by 11%. Overall, the GVSU study found that restoring Muskegon Lake has led to a 4% increase in recreational spending in Muskegon County. This study was conducted prior to the successful clean up at the Ryerson Creek Outfall. In addition to the Grand Valley State University Study, a 2018 study by the University of Michigan found that every $1 invested from the GLRI between 2010 and 2016 will generate $3.35 in additional economic activity through 2036. In cities such as Detroit and Buffalo that investment will yield a return of over $4 for every $1 invested according to the U of M Study. The EPA provided $4.3 million through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) provided $1.2 million in cash and in-kind contributions for the cleanup of Muskegon Lake. This successful cleanup of legacy pollution utilizing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative follows the removal of 50,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment in 2018 from the former Zephyr Oil Refinery in Muskegon Township. The $2.9 million Detroit Riverwalk cleanup was funded through the GLRI's cost-sharing partnership with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (DRFC). DRFC covered the sediment cap with stone rip rap, which stabilized an aging seawall and provided geophysical support for the future Detroit Riverwalk extension, which will connect Mt. Elliott and Gabriel Richards parks. EPA also collaborated with the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, EGLE, and the City of Detroit to complete this project.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://jhb.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402048,Herrera Beutler-Led Measure to Provide Hardship Waivers for Unemployed Workers Signed into Law,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,WA,Jaime Herrera Beutler,H001056,jhb.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, the president signed into law COVID relief legislation that included a Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler led bipartisan measure to issue hardship waivers for congressionally-approved Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) overpayments by state unemployment agencies. With Herrera Beutler's bill now law, states may waive PUA overpayments when the individual receiving the jobless benefits is not at fault and in which the collection of overpayments would create further financial harm. Folks who are already struggling to make ends meet should not find themselves in debt or have paychecks garnishedbecause of Washington's Employment Security Department's own mistakes in issuing unemployment benefits, Herrera Beutler said. I'm pleased this legislative effort to give struggling residents relief from this type of financial burden is now law and I will keep working to assist Southwest Washington citizens with unemployment benefits however I can.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://jhb.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402049,Herrera Beutlers Columbia River Infrastructure Projects Signed into Law,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,WA,Jaime Herrera Beutler,H001056,jhb.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, the president signed into law the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA) that included a Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler-authored provision to construct a turning basin navigation improvement project in the Columbia River. Herrera Beutler's provision will authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct the necessary feasibility study of establishing a turning basin on the Lower Martin Bar near Kalama, as well as the improvement of two turning basins near Longview and Vancouver. The addition of the turning basin near the Lower Martin Bar and improvements of the two existing turning basins will increase cargo volume capacity and spur economic development in the region. The Columbia River supports millions of tons of cargo each year and thousands of local jobs, which is why it's important to invest in and upgrade the river's infrastructure. I was pleased to help champion the construction of the Kalama turning basin which is going to support those vital jobs, and I'm pleased this infrastructure bill I helped shape has now been signed into law, said Herrera Beutler. The Port of Kalama appreciates the determined efforts by Congresswoman Herrera Beutler and our Senators to include the Columbia River Turning Basin language in the WRDA legislation.The Lower Martin Turning Basin is an important Columbia River asset to the Port of Kalama as well as all commercial traffic on the river, said Mark Wilson, Executive Director of the Port of Kalama. ""Establishing a new federal turning basin near Kalama and improving the existing turning basins near Longview and Vancouver will enable more efficient operations for our lower Columbia River ports and terminals, making them even more productive gateways for U.S. goods headed overseas. We appreciate Congresswoman Herrera Beutler's continued leadership on these projects, which are so important to our trade competitiveness and our regional and national economy, said Kristin Meira, Executive Director of Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA). The Columbia River is the largest wheat export gateway in the nation, second in the nation for soybeans, and the third largest gateway in the world. The channel supports over 50 million tons of cargo valued at $24 billion each year, and over 40,000 local jobs are dependent on commerce that runs through the Columbia River. Traffic is expected to grow, increasing the need for additional locations for large, deep-draft vessels to safely turn and park on the lower river. Background on Columbia River Turning Basins: Turning basins along the Columbia River allow large, deep-drafting ships to turn around in the event of severe weather or emergencies. Currently, there are a limited number of areas for vessels to safely turn on the Columbia River. Frequently, several ships will form a caravan spaced approximately two to three miles apart. There can be upwards of four or five ships in the caravan ranging from 750 to 1000 feet in length, carrying a wide variety of product, and loaded as deeply as possible to maximize the 43-foot channel. Additionally, intense storms from autumn through spring necessitate closures on the Columbia River Bar which can require the caravans to turn around and return to an anchorage location as far as the Vancouver/Portland area. With very few places on the lower Columbia River to safely turn vessels of this size, it is vital another federal turning basin be established at the Lower Martin Bar.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.ernst.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=0221051A-F1E6-43CF-B61D-00D023FE4CE3,"In 2020, Joni Keeps Fighting, Delivering for Iowa",2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,IA,Joni Ernst,E000295,www.ernst.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON From securing critical, bipartisan COVID relief for Iowa families, small businesses, hospitals, and farmers, to continuing to hear directly from and be accessible to Iowans across the state on her annual 99 County Tour, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) continued to fight relentlessly and deliver for her home state of Iowa in 2020. This past year, we Iowans have experienced trying times, but we've also seen the resilient spirit of our state. Whether securing critical COVID relief, fighting tooth and nail to defend the RFS, or continuing to be accessible to Iowans across our statethroughout it all, I've never stopped fighting relentlessly and delivering for all Iowans. Of course, the work doesn't stop here, and as we head into the New Year, I'll continue fighting for our families, farmers, and small businesses, being your voice in Washington, and always putting Iowa first said Senator Joni Ernst, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate. Click here or on the image above to watch my video. Some highlights of 2020: Fighting for Iowa Small Businesses Delivered billions of dollars of COVID relief to more than 60,000 Iowa small businesses through the first installment of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP); pushed Congress and delivered additional support for Iowa small businesses. Accessibility and the 99 County Tour Completed her sixth 99 County Tour; has held a public town hall or event in every county in Iowa from the most populated county, Polk County, to the smallest, Adams County. Standing Up for Farmers, Securing Trade Deals Fought tooth and nail for Iowa pork producers by securing immediate COVID assistance and strengthening the supply chain; successfully pushed for support for Iowa dairy, turkey, egg, and cattle producers; worked across the aisle to bolster support for farmers through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC); and finalized the USMCA, supported the Phase One China trade deal, and pushed for a trade deal with the UK. Defending the RFS, Fighting for Biofuels Delivered key provisions in the latest COVID relief package to provide support for Iowa biofuel producers; after blocking a key EPA nominee, Ernst successfully pushed EPA to throw out the gap year waivers; secured a commitment from the president to allow E15 at E10 pumps and, at her urging, applauded USDA's investment in renewable fuel infrastructure in Iowa; called for and commended the ethanol agreement with Brazil; and, earlier in the year, pushed for COVID relief for biofuel producers and pushed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow ethanol to be used for hand sanitizer. Supporting Iowans Hurt By the Derecho Met directly with Iowans on the ground and with local leaders immediately after the storm hit and helped make resources available; called on USDA to provide assistance for farmers and cooperatives impacted by the storm; took action to go after scammers and price-gougers who were targeting Iowans; and pushed for tax relief for Iowans impacted by the storm. Caring for Veterans, Bolstering the Military Demandedanswers about sexual misconduct at U.S. military academies, worked across the aisle to combat assault in the Coast Guard, and took action to prevent abuse at the VA; pushed for equipment and policies to better prevent traumatic brain injury (TBI) and pressed for answers about conditions leading to TBI in veterans; built on her bipartisan work for veterans to ensure quality care for our veterans, combat veteran suicide, and help veterans transition to civilian life; and fought the bureaucracy to get female servicemembers proper-fitting body armor. Making em Squeal Pushed back on Washington waste and frivolous spending with her monthly Squeal Award; called for unused government cash to go toward emergency PPE and medical equipment; worked to ban U.S. tax dollars from being spent at China's wet markets and the Wuhan lab; fought to eliminate a taxpayer-funded presidential campaign fund; and worked to ban taxpayer funding of anarchy in U.S. cities. Supporting Hospitals, Lowering Health Costs, Expanding Access to Care Delivered vital relief for Iowa hospitals and rural health care providers in the latest COVID relief package; secured support for Iowa's hospitals, including those in rural areas, and pushed to ensure hospitals' access to the Paycheck Protection Program; continued her bipartisan work to lower health care costs for Iowans and increase transparency to reduce drug prices; called for expanded telehealth services; and continued working with Senator Grassley to drive down Rx drug costs. Delivering for Families, Seniors Continued be a strong advocate for expanding child care services; secured $32 million in COVID relief for Iowa child care centers and additional funding for centers in the latest COVID package; called for additional support for diaper assistance amid COVID; continued supporting family caregivers; called for a crackdown on scammers targeting seniors during COVID; pushed for support for nursing homes and senior care facilities. Promoting Women, Conservative Values Voted to confirm Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, who Ernst described as an inspiration for working moms and young girls across the country; was unanimously reelected to serve as Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Conference; led the effort to eliminate female genital mutilation and fully denounce it as a human rights violation; and helped create the law to safeguard the resources for investigating sexual abuses of Olympic and amateur athletes. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.feinstein.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=4D9828DA-9F91-4640-8A66-6267AB268F90,Washington has to help with L.A.'s meth addiction,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Dianne Feinstein,F000062,www.feinstein.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Originally published in the Los Angeles Times By Dianne Feinstein Although opioids especially oxycodone and fentanyl dominate addiction news, another deadly drug has been lurking in the background, causing tens of thousands of fatalities: methamphetamine. Meth addiction isn't new, but it has quickly emerged in recent years as a particularly deadly threat, and Los Angeles has been hard-hit. Between 2008 and 2018, meth-related deaths in L.A.increased tenfold, from 43 to 435, according to county statistics. By 2018, meth was involved in 44% of all drug overdose deaths in Los Angeles County. Last summer, Mark Casanova, of Homeless Health Care Los Angeles,told The Timesthat meth accounted for 70% of drug use among L.A.'s homeless population. Between 2005 and 2019, according to county data, more than 185,000 individuals who entered publicly funded treatment programs in Los Angeleswere admitted for meth. It's way cheaper [than many other street drugs], it lasts longer, you can smoke it or inject it, it's easy to get, Casanova said. In September, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and I introduced the Methamphetamine Response Act. The bill, which would direct the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to develop and implement a plan to address the growing use of meth, passed the Senate in November. Unfortunately, the House has not yet addressed the bill and likely will not pass it before the 116th Congress ends. What did pass the House and Senate, as part of the massive omnibus end-of-year legislation that was signed into law Sunday, was a directive to the drug control policy office to finalize regulations for designating emerging drug threats. The office began the process in May; now it should finish that work as quickly as possible. The meth surge isn't confined to California, of course. According to ananalysisby researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2008 and 2017, the number of people admitted nationwide for meth-related treatment rose from 260,000 to 373,000, a 43% increase. And the number admitted for meth treatment who were also using heroin increased from nearly 14,000 to more than 88,000, a stunning 530% increase. Such multiple-substance use exacerbates the dangers. By the end of 2019,Drug Enforcement Administration data showmeth availability was growing as street prices declined. Those increases continued this year even as prices started to rise again and much of the country faced public health restrictions due to COVID-19. And between March and May of this year, one lab found that nationwide urine drug testing positivity rates for methincreasedby approximately 20%. We're also seeing larger drug busts again particularly in California, where the majority of meth interdictions at ports of entry occur. In October, U.S. Customs and Border Protectionseized3,000 pounds at the port of Otay Mesa, and the DEAseized2,224 pounds of meth in Riverside County. Both seizures are among the largest on record for the agencies and indicate growing demand for the drug. What Washington must do to address this crisis was laid out in the Methamphetamine Response Act. First, the drug control policy office should declare meth an emerging drug threat. Based on the use and death statistics, it's clear that it meets the criteria, and as such, it should trigger a government-wide response. Second, the office must develop and implement a plan that is specific to meth. Addiction is complex, and while a crucial component of the overall U.S. strategy is to reduce the flow of drugs, the problem cannot be solved through law enforcement efforts alone. That's why, in addition to providing an assessment of the current availability of meth, the policy office must set short- and long-term goals focused on reducing demand, which means expanding prevention and treatment programs, as well as on reducing supply. To ensure accountability, the meth plan should also include performance measures related to those goals. We know that fentanyl and other opioids are ravaging our country and that we must do all we can to prevent this, but we can't ignore the risks that other drugs pose in the process. We must act now to prevent methamphetamine from turning into a full-blown national epidemic. This is a problem that won't go away on its own. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, is the senior U.S. senator from California.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.mcconnell.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=D8C20728-AB93-4D18-9A39-9A9391888F92,McConnell on NDAA: I Urge My Colleagues to Support This Legislation,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding NDAA and COVID-19 relief: Congress has returned to work this week to enact the 60th annual National Defense Authorization Act into law. Yesterday, a bipartisan supermajority in the House voted to reapprove the conference report of this must-pass legislation. Today, the Senate will set up a final vote for tomorrow Wednesday for this chamber to follow suit. Soon this important legislation will be passed into law. President Trump has rightly noted this year's defense bill doesn't contain every provision that we Republicans would have wanted. I'm confident our Democratic colleagues feel the same way. But that is the case every year. And yet, for 59 consecutive years and counting, Washington has put our differences aside, found common ground, and passed the annual defense bill. Not once in six decades has a Congress let its differences prevent it from completing this work for our national security and our men and women who wear the uniform. This year's NDAA will continue our momentum in rebuilding and modernizing our armed forces. It will authorize the personnel, equipment, tools, and training we need to reinforce the National Defense Strategy and deter great-power rivals like China and Russia. It will cement our advantage on the seas, on land, in the air, in cyberspace, and in space. And the bill will help us continue to recruit, retain, and support the men and women who keep us safe. It provides a pay raise for the troops, improvements for military housing, childcare, and more. For the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces, failure is not an option. So when it is our turn in Congress to have their backs, failure is not an option here either. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation one more time when we vote tomorrow. *** On Sunday, President Trump signed into law another historic, bipartisan rescue package. It will provide major support to American families through what we hope will be the home stretch of our fight with the coronavirus. Congressional Republicans, congressional Democrats, and President Trump's senior team had all worked together to push hundreds of billions more dollars in urgent assistance to the people who need help most. This new law will set up a targeted second round of the Paycheck Protection Program to save jobs. It will renew and continue federal programs that have helped laid-off workers endure this crisis. It will send more cash to households. It will invest billions in vaccine distribution so the success of Operation Warp Speed kills this pandemic as fast as possible. And much more. This bipartisan compromise was our shot at getting help to working families on the urgent timeline that they need. Once again, I want to applaud President Trump for signing the bill and getting this much-needed assistance into the pipeline. *** During this process, the President highlighted three additional issues of national significance he would like to see Congress tackle together. First, as he's explained, the President would like further direct financial support for American households. Second is the growing willingness on both sides of the aisle to at least reexamine the special legal protections afforded to technology companies under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, including the ways it benefits some of the most prosperous, most powerful Big Tech firms. And the third subject since every American, regardless of their politics, should feel the integrity of our democracy is beyond reproach is exploring further ways to protect the sanctity of Americans' ballots, while continuing to respect the federal government's limited role in standing behind the state and local elections authorities who run elections. Those are the three important subjects the President has linked together. This week, the Senate will begin a process to bring these three priorities into focus.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-provision-to-begin-process-for-stronger-protection-national-marine-sanctuary-designation-for-papahanaumokuakea-signed-into-law,"Schatz Provision To Begin Process For Stronger Protection, National Marine Sanctuary Designation For Papahanaumokuakea Signed Into Law",2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,HI,Brian Schatz,S001194,www.schatz.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Schatz Provision To Begin Process For Stronger Protection, National Marine Sanctuary Designation For Papahanaumokuakea Signed Into Law Tuesday, December 29, 2020 WASHINGTON On Sunday, the president signed a bipartisan government funding bill which included a provision authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) that will strengthen protections for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument by starting the process to designate it as a National Marine Sanctuary. A new sanctuary designation means more resources and stronger protections for Papahanaumokuakea, said Senator Schatz. This will give us more opportunities to better understand and conserve one of our most important natural resources. The Schatz provision directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to commence the process to designate Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument as a National Marine Sanctuary. Following this initiation, NOAA can begin public meetings and the formal legal process to complete the requirements to finalize an official designation. Sanctuary status for the Monument would make it more difficult to weaken the protections in the Executive Orders signed by Presidents Obama and Bush. Schatz also secured $1.2 million for research and management activities at the marine monument in this year's appropriations bill, which is a $200,000 increase from last year. The funding is subject to a 100 percent non-federal match and will bring new resources to keep the Hawaiian archipelago healthy and productive. Past uses of the funding have included research to understand the impact of climate change on the ecosystem, and the removal of marine debris. Papahanaumokukea was first established as a marine national monument in 2006. It was expanded by President Obama in 2016 following a formal proposal from Senator Schatz. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.thune.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=BE3D2463-5C2C-44AD-906A-88A0BE03A55C,Delegation Bill to Allow Tribal Grant Schools to Devote Additional Resources to Improving Education Signed Into Law,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) applauded the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives for passing theirlegislationthat will allow tribal grant schools to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Federal Employees Group Life Insurance programs and cover at least the employer's share of the premiums. This change will free up resources to improve recruiting and retention efforts for professional educators in tribal communities by allowing schools to spend less on health insurance and more on education-specific items. The bill was included in the broader COVID-19 relief and government funding package, which was signed into law earlier this week. As the son of two educators, I understand how critical it is to have adequate resources available to schools and how it can have a positive effect on their success, said Thune. I'm glad that our bill to ensure tribal grant schools can participate in federal health insurance programs is now law and that these schools will soon be able spend more of their money on our top priority the students. Our legislation will enhance teacher benefits at South Dakota's 19 tribal grant schools and, at the same time, save the schools thousands of dollars annually, said Rounds. This will not only help improve teacher and administrator retention rates at tribal grant schools, it will allow these schools to redirect resources to the students in the classroom. It's a commonsense law that benefits everyone. Tribal schools have enough challenges without having to deal with unnecessary red tape, said Johnson. Ensuring this fix is made has been a longtime coming, and I'm grateful to Cecelia Fire Thunder for working for years to get this done. The Tribal School Federal Insurance Parity Actprovides a simple fix that allows funding to flow directly to the students instead of healthcare costs. Currently, tribal schools are operated either directly by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE); by tribes, through Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance (ISDEA) Act contracts; or through Tribally Controlled Schools Act grants, which help support tribal grant schools. As of December 2018, 128 schools nationwide operate as tribal grant schools, including nearly 20 in South Dakota, and three schools operate through an ISDEA contract. BIE operates 52 tribal schools across the nation.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bass.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-bass-issues-statement-regarding-arrest-international-boxer-justin,Rep. Bass Issues Statement Regarding Arrest of International Boxer Justin Juuko,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Karen Bass,B001270,bass.house.gov,,,legacy,"""The Ugandan government must stop unlawfully arresting, detaining, and beating citizens who have opposing views. This action is clearly trying to intimidate Ugandans who oppose the government before the upcoming presidential elections. ""On December 12th, the government arrested international boxer Justin Juuko, a Ugandan citizen and California resident. Reportedly, Juuko was arrested along with Garrypaul Mayanja, an FDC activist in Masaka, a district in south-central Uganda. The two were were reportedly conducting training for polling agents ahead of the general election on January 14. The charges must be investigated, and the government should release Mr. Juuko unharmed at once. ""Just last week, international human rights activist and attorney Nicholas Opiyo was arrested and is still being unjustly held in custody until January 11th. Opiyo's work on human rights has earned him numerous international awards. He founded Chapter Four Uganda, an organization that advocates for legal protections to human rights, provides training and support for other Ugandan human rights law organizations, and coordinates legal responses to civil rights violations. Mr. Opiyo is being targeted and denied bail for his tireless efforts in advancing human rights and must be released immediately. ""Both of these men are being detained simply for their human rights advocacy and their right to peacefully challenge the current government. The Ugandan government must make the safety of all activists and opposition of the current regime a priority. The continued repression of civil society ahead of the upcoming elections cannot be tolerated. ""I urge the Ugandan government to release Mr. Juuko, Mr. Opiyo, and all other activists and opposition leaders at once, listen to the will of the people, and have free and fair presidential elections in January.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://bustos.house.gov/116th-congress-in-review-bustos-delivers-historic-accomplishments-in-unprecedented-term/,116th Congress in Review: Bustos Delivers Historic Accomplishments in Unprecedented Term,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,IL,Cheri Bustos,B001286,bustos.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington Over the course of the 116th Congress, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos worked to deliver historic accomplishments in an unprecedented Congressional term. From delivering hundreds of millions in federal funding for the communities she serves to helping Illinois navigate a global pandemic to giving the Heartland a seat at the House leadership table, Congresswoman Bustos has been a tireless advocate for Northwestern and Central Illinois over the past two years. Whether working to increase access to affordable health care or prioritizing rebuilding our economy in the midst of the largest economic downturn since the Great Depression, it has been my honor to fight for our corner of Illinois during these last two historic years, said Congresswoman Bustos. The fact is that whether you are an underserved family living in an urban community or an underserved family living in a rural community, we all want the same thing the chance to work hard and earn a good living. That's why, this Congress, I was proud to have worked to invest in our infrastructure, help our Gold Star families and injured veterans, work to lower prescription drug costs and help our communities navigate an unprecedented global pandemic. INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE Beginning with helping to pass legislation to protect Illinoisans with pre-existing conditions, Congresswoman Bustos has worked tirelessly to increase access to health care. In 2019, the Congresswoman convened local roundtable discussions in Peoria and Rockford and lifted up the stories of Illinoisans (VIDEO) to highlight the need for lower prescription drugs, worked to include a permanent repeal of the Cadillac Tax in a year-end spending bill, secured millions in federal funding for rural health centers and helped pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act (VIDEO) to rein in skyrocketing drug prices and allow Medicare to negotiate prescription costs. For rural communities, the Congresswoman pushed the USDA to hire their first-ever Rural Health Liaison, whose sole focus is to improve health outcomes in rural America and introduced legislation to address rural health workforce challenges. In 2020, Congresswoman Bustos secured a first-of-its-kind $3 million pilot program, modeled after her Social Determinants Accelerator Act, as part of Congress' year-end spending bill. This new program will help local governments create plans to empower communities to fight the social factors that harm long-term health, such as health care provider shortages, food deserts, unsafe and insecure housing and other environmental factors. Throughout the year, Congresswoman Bustos utilized her position on the powerful House Appropriations Committee to advocate for COVID-19 help for rural communities (VIDEO) and address disparate impacts of the Coronavirus on communities of color (VIDEO). Partnering with Congresswoman Lauren Underwood of Illinois, she convened a roundtable to discuss Black maternal health. And as mental health struggles reached epidemic levels in the midst of state and local shutdowns, Congresswoman Bustos introduced the Crisis Care Improvement and Suicide Prevention Act to help states upgrade crisis care programs and strategies. This legislation was passed as part of the year-end package. In Rockford, when Mercyhealth refused the insurance of Medicaid patients and downgraded the community's access to critical health services in the midst of a pandemic, Congresswoman Bustos stood up to CEO Javon Bea, calling on House leadership to limit federal support unless Bea restored service to all Medicaid patients and protesting the institution's mental health unit closure. EXPANDING OUR FARMERS' ACCESS TO MARKETS Access to markets is critical for the survival of our growers and producers. When negotiations began on an update to North American Free Trade Agreement, Illinois' farmers and workers deserved the strongest trade deal possible. In 2019, Congresswoman Bustos worked to create a path forward that would provide a seat at the table for labor and agricultural stakeholders, including convening a meeting in Illinois with the Speaker of the House, the Illinois Farm Bureau and Farmers for Free Trade. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which delivered real progress for labor, farmers and manufacturers, was passed and signed into law (VIDEO). Congresswoman Bustos also worked to make sure that our region's goods can continue to get to market efficiently by pushing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide the first funding in a decade for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP). In FY20, the Corps invested $4.5 million for preconstruction engineering and design for NESP, which would modernize and expand seven outdated locks and restore ecosystems along the Upper Mississippi River. DELIVERING FOR OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES In rural Illinois, one in four people do not have access to high speed internet. Congresswoman Bustos helped pass the Moving Forward Act, a funding package and an infrastructure bill that included nearly $1 billion for rural broadband. In 2019, Congresswoman Bustos introduced the Rural Green Partnership a framework of principles and policies to combat climate change, spur economic growth and lift farmers' voices in the conversation on climate. The Rural Green Partnership details a set of policies that work with federal, local and state governments, producers, businesses, unions, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to lower greenhouse gas emissions in every economic sector of rural America. In 2020, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released their Climate Crisis Action Report, which included critical aspects of the Rural Green Partnership. Voluntary incentives for farmers, utilization and expansion of carbon capture, ongoing roles for biofuels and increased deployment of other renewables like wind and solar were included as key recommendations on how we can best tackle the climate crisis head-on. To bring an environmental lens to biofuels production, Congresswoman Bustos introduced the Next Generation Fuels Act, a bill to leverage greater fuel octane to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, improve air quality by reducing the use of harmful aromatics and increase demand for biofuels. Named bold and innovative by stakeholders, this legislation continues to gain support from producers and industry leaders. To address severe nationwide shortages of early childhood and K-12 teachers that disproportionately impacts students from low-income backgrounds and students of color, Congresswoman Bustos introduced the bicameral Retaining Educators Takes Added Investment Now (RETAIN) Act, which would create a fully refundable tax credit for teachers and other education professionals to encourage recruitment and retention in rural communities and communities of color. The legislation has earned the support of local school officials in Rockford, Peoria, Monmouth and Rock Island. SUPPORTING OUR SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS AND HONORING OUR HEROES This Congress, Congresswoman Bustos was honored to hold two different ceremonies to rename our post offices after local heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation: the Alpha Post Office after Captain Joshua E. Steele and the Pekin Post Office after Lance Cpl. Jordan Bastean, and introduced and passed a bill to rename the Galesburg Post Office in honor of Senior Airman Daniel Miller (VIDEO). Congresswoman Bustos spearheaded support for Gold Star families and spouses of catastrophically injured service members through her bipartisan, bicameral Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers Leasing Relief Expansion Act, which was signed into law as part of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In the 2020 NDAA legislation passed this December, the Congresswoman worked to include provisions to establish a Zillow-style real estate online tool for the Army, provide a pay raise for our military, enhance student loan benefits for National Guard and Reserve members and require the Department of Defense to provide answers for its inconsistent and troubling record on National Guard COVID-response funding. As cash-strapped states faced cuts to federal support for pandemic response efforts, Congresswoman Bustos urged the Administration stop playing political games, restore full funding and extend National Guard deployments for the duration of the pandemic. After re-introducing her All American Flag Act last year, to ensure that all American flags purchased with taxpayer funds are made in America (VIDEO), Congresswoman Bustos secured a provision in the final Congressional package to encourage all federal agencies to purchase only American flags made in America and with American products. This was passed this month. WORKING TOWARD RACIAL JUSTICE Following the national outcry after George Floyd's death, Congresswoman Bustos attended listening sessions and meetings with religious leaders and members of communities of color throughout Northern and Central Illinois. As an original co-sponsor of the bill, she helped introduce and pass the historic George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (VIDEO), an important step toward comprehensive reform that aims to protect civil rights at the federal level, increase accountability and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. To address ongoing segregation in our educational institutions, and provide support to school districts that are developing, implementing and expanding school diversity initiatives, Congresswoman Bustos helped pass the Strength in Diversity Act and the Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act. When minority-owned businesses faced additional barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congresswoman Bustos hosted virtual small business roundtables for Latino and Black small business owners from across the region to provide resources at the state and federal level, featuring special guests Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Chair of the House Small Business Committee, and House Majority Whip Congressman Jim Clyburn (SC-06). ENSURING THE ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL'S SUCCESS FOR THE FUTURE Congresswoman Bustos worked across the aisle to prioritize support for the Rock Island Arsenal's success, including advocating for the Arsenal during key Appropriations Committee hearings and securing over $50 million in funding for much needed building repairs on the Island. As part of a major 2019 funding package, Congresswoman Bustos included millions for the Rock Island Arsenal's Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center (JMTC), the conversion of Humvees into service trucks and future projects. In addition to increased federal investment in the Arsenal, the Congresswoman joined her colleagues in the Senate to announce 50 new jobs at the Arsenal in 2019. After the Congresswoman's continued advocacy, a total of 65 new human resources professionals were hired in 2020. After the pandemic hit, she joined Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy to visit the Arsenal to discuss their ability to pivot to produce desperately-needed personal protective equipment. SUPPORTING THE CHICAGO ROCKFORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT With a long track record of supporting the Chicago Rockford International Airport, Congresswoman Bustos founded the Air Cargo Caucus in 2019 to allow members of Congress and industry leaders the opportunity to collaborate, share ideas and foster relationships. In May, Congresswoman Bustos announced $9 million in federal funding for the airport, and later announced additional $11 million in grant funding to rehabilitate the airport's taxis and runways. Congresswoman Bustos also helped secure $10 million for aviation workforce development grants for the aircraft pilot workforce and aviation maintenance workforce, in order to address the skills gap in the industry and in 2020, announced another $2.6 million to reconstruct a de-icing containment facility. Last year, Congresswoman Bustos joined Senator Duckworth in introducing the bipartisan, bicameral Promoting Aviation Regulations for Technical training (PART) 147 Act to update the decades-old federal regulations for training aviation maintenance workers and make sure those regulations align with work that more accurately reflects what is actually done on the job. This critical aviation legislation was passed as part of the Congressional year-end package. SUPPORTING THE QUAD-CITIES RAIL ROUTE Congresswoman Bustos believes in investing in public transportation infrastructure that's why in 2019, she was proud to announce an extension of $177 million in Federal Railroad Administration funding for the Amtrak route between Chicago and Moline, through December 31, 2024. Support for this critical rail funding passed the House as part of a major funding package in December. SAVING THE PEORIA AG LAB AND FIGHTING FOR OUR NATIONAL GUARD Congresswoman Bustos has spent this Congress tirelessly working to support the Peoria Ag Lab and Air National Guard Project's successes. She ensured that the President's budget included funding for the program after it was proposed to be eliminated. A 2019 legislative package included a requirement that the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service fill its vacant staff positions with permanent scientists, in order to help the Peoria Ag Lab fully staff up. Congresswoman Bustos also worked to protect and secure funding for the construction of a new fire station at the Peoria Air National Guard base after the funding was threatened to be diverted to construction of a Southern border wall. After fighting to save funding for the National Guard base, the Congresswoman pushed the Department of Defense to commit to leaving the Fire House funds untouched and later announced the award of a $7.8 million contract for the construction of a new Fire Crash Rescue Station at the Peoria Air National Guard. Congresswoman Bustos worked to include $79 million for engine enhancement packages for C-130H aircraft in a 2019 year-end package. In the 2020 NDAA bill, she worked to include authorization for continued propulsion and propeller upgrades for C-130H aircraft, such as those in operation at the 182nd Air National Guard squadron. CLEANING UP CORRUPTION AND STRENGTHENING OUR DEMOCRACY At the beginning of this term, Congresswoman Bustos helped introduce and pass H.R. 1 the For the People Act (VIDEO), to strengthen ethics laws, end the dominance of big money in elections and make it easier for Americans to vote. Building on the For the People Act, she passed legislation to protect the sanctity of the election process, strengthen our voting infrastructure and combat foreign interference in our elections. This year, she introduced a resolution to recognize the critical role election workers played in the historic Presidential election. Last year, Congresswoman Bustos introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would save significant taxpayer dollars by cutting down on wasteful government payments to people who have passed away or are otherwise ineligible to continue receiving these benefits. After news broke this June that the Administration had been sending stimulus checks to deceased people, Congresswoman Bustos continued to advocate for federal agencies to share data in order to avoid wasteful spending. A compromise version of this legislation passed this year as part of the year-end Congressional package. NAVIGATING THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congresswoman Bustos helped pass the most significant series of relief packages in American history. These packages invested in our health care infrastructure; supported federal, state and local public health agencies and health centers; provided billions for research and the development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics; and supported the procurement of pharmaceuticals, masks, personal protective equipment and other medical supplies. Legislation included: Coronavirus Supplemental Legislation, Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, the CARES Act and the final pandemic relief package signed into law this week. Despite Senate Republicans' failure to act, Congresswoman Bustos also worked to pass both the Heroes Act and Heroes 2.0 in May and October, as well as legislation increasing direct payments to $2,000 yesterday. Congresswoman Bustos also brought resources and information directly to constituents throughout the months following the first COVID-19 cases. She hosted multiple tele-town halls with public health experts, held regional webinars for small businesses, and virtual meetings with local stakeholders, including Farm Bureaus, postal workers, child care providers, public health experts, public health departments, hospital administrators, emergency management agencies, school superintendents, faith leaders and ministers, nursing homes and food banks. As frontline and essential workers faced a lack of critical child care services, Congresswoman Bustos also helped pass two major pieces of legislation to support and stabilize access to child care the Child Care is Essential Act and the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act. Together, these critical bills work to ensure child care providers can remain open, cover increased costs, operate safely, retain employees, expand access to care and support hardworking families. At Thomson and Pekin prisons, both staff and inmates faced unique challenges in navigating how the pandemic would impact each of their locations. After Thomson was initially included in a list of prison quarantine sites, Congresswoman Bustos joined Senators Durbin and Duckworth to push back and was successful in having the site removed from the list altogether. Later, when COVID-19 cases were confirmed both at Thomson and at Pekin, the Congresswoman worked to fight for testing and pressed the BOP Director on testing practices in a Congressional hearing (VIDEO). She also worked to help secure a new 25 percent relocation and recruitment incentive for Thomson Prison, in order to address long-standing understaffing at the site. Finally, when the USPS was threatened, putting veterans, seniors and small business owners at risk, Congresswoman Bustos met with local letter carriers (VIDEO) and helped pass the Delivering for America Act (VIDEO). BY THE NUMBERS 201 (2019) + 352 (2020) = 553 Total events in the district hosted or attended by Congresswoman Bustos, including teleconferences, virtual town halls, webinars, supermarket visits, business and organization tours, Cheri on Shifts, roundtable discussions and rural library visits, in addition to book donations. Congresswoman Bustos is proud to maintain strong outreach in Peoria, Rockford, the Quad-Cities and the many communities in between. 605 (2019) + 1,088 (2020) = 1,693 Constituent cases resolved. Congresswoman Bustos is fighting to make sure the government works for the people and is dedicated to helping Illinoisans cut through red tape at the VA, IRS and other federal agencies. $319,593.90 (2019) + $669, 183.48 (2020) = $988,777.38 Nearly $1 million in constituent money recovered from the Social Security Administration, the IRS and the VA, and returned to constituents in the district. Constituents having problems with any of these agencies are encouraged to reach out to one of our offices in Peoria, Rock Island or Rockford. Congresswoman Bustos' office was also proud to be recognized as a 2020 Democracy Awards Finalist for Constituent Services, one of only eight House offices in the nation. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cleaver-votes-to-override-president-s-veto-of-the-ndaa,Congressman Cleaver Votes to Override Presidents Veto of the NDAA,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MO,Emanuel Cleaver,C001061,cleaver.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Last night, the House of Representatives voted to override the President's veto of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA) by a vote of 322-87. With the requisite two-thirds majority supporting the measure, the President's veto has been overridden in the House of Representatives. United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of the legislation, which will provide a 3% pay raise for servicemembers, authorize and increase hazardous duty pay for servicemembers in harm's way, provide long-overdue benefits to Vietnam-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange, strengthen our nation's cybersecurity, remove all names and symbols honoring the Confederacy from Department of Defense installations, and more. The NDAA will become law if the Senate also votes to override with a two-thirds majority. For 59 consecutive years, the U.S. Congress has passed the NDAA to ensure the needs of our military personnel and their families are met so that they have the tools necessary to continue defending the freedoms we hold so dearly, said Congressman Cleaver. While there are certainly provisions I would have personally taken out and others I would have liked to see included, this year's NDAA is a solid compromise that provides our military members with the pay raise and hazard pay they deserve, some critical benefits that are long-overdue, and the means to protect our nation in every field from the seas to the latest cyber threats. Despite the President's latest temper-tantrum, I'm pleased we were able to pass this critical legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support. Included in this year's NDAA was the Coordinating Oversight, Upgrading and Innovating Technology, and Examiner Reform (COUNTER) Act, a bill introduced by Congressman Cleaver to update and overhaul the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), which dictates banks' responsibilities to help the government detect and root out illicit financial transactions from nefarious actors domestically and abroad. The COUNTER Act would be the largest overhaul of the BSA since we cracked down on illicit financing following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, said Congressman Cleaver. This is critical to preventing money laundering and other illicit financial activity that funds nefarious actors within the United States and abroad, which has exploded with the introduction of digital banking and digital currencies. I'm proud of the work we were able to do in a bipartisan fashion that will bring our financial security infrastructure into the 21st Century and help defund the bad actors who wish to do our country harm by taking advantage of outdated safeguards. The COUNTER Act would empower the U.S. Treasury Department to protect our national security and safeguard our financial systems by codifying an information-sharing program between law enforcement, financial institutions, and the Treasury Department, which will better ensure the detection and capture of illicit financial activity. In addition, the bill would close a number of loopholes that have long enabled financial crimes, positioning our national security apparatus to face the financial security challenges of tomorrow. Finally, the COUNTER Act will provide much-needed relief to small banks and credit unions by bringing outdated regulations weighing on smaller institutions into the 21st century while still reinforcing our national security. Some noteworthy provisions advocated by Rep. Cleaver in the FY21 NDAA include: Authorizing a 3% pay raise for servicemembers; Providing a long sought after health benefit for tens of thousands of Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange Removing all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America from all military installations; Extending paid parental leave to approximately 100,000 federal civilians who were inadvertently excluded in the FY20 NDAA, including employees at the VA, TSA, FAA, and more; Setting limits on the use of Defense Department emergency construction funds to prevent future Presidents from attempting to reallocate military construction accounts for projects which Congress has declined to appropriate funds; Creates a Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of Defense as well as a Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion for each military service; Creating a Task Force on Domestic Violence and enabling victims of sexual harassment to make confidential reports outside the chain of command; Creation of an alternative fuel vehicle pilot program, which would require the Department of Defense to expand the use of hybrid and electric vehicles; Requiring the Department of Defense to submit a report on its greenhouse gas emissions from the last 10 years; and Requiring steps to ensure the Department of Defense's consumption of fossil fuels is reduced by 30% in 25 years. The COUNTER Act was endorsed by the following organizations: the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, Bank Policy Institute, National Association of Federal-Insured Credit Unions, Credit Union National Association, Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America, Financial Accountability & Corporate Transparency Coalition, American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, One Campaign, Financial Services Forum National Association of Realtors, Institute for International Finance, American Land Title Association, and Bankers Association for Finance and Trade. Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or Matthew.Helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cole.house.gov/media-center/weekly-columns/delivering-safe-and-effective-vaccines,Delivering Safe and Effective Vaccines,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,OK,Tom Cole,C001053,cole.house.gov,,,legacy,"While 2020 has certainly been one of the most challenging years in modern history and recent memory, there is hope on the horizon that better days are ahead. Although the world is still reeling from the destruction caused by the coronavirus pandemic, glimmers of hope are brightening more each day with the discovery, development and delivery of safe and effective vaccines to save lives and eliminate COVID-19's stranglehold on society. Indeed, this scientific achievement is coming faster than any other time in human history, and for that, we can and should be exceedingly grateful. As you might know, vaccines to fight infectious diseases normally take several years to develop and distribute. However, thanks to Operation Warp Speed (OWS), the United States has miraculously been able to race toward discovery of lifesaving vaccines, treatments and therapeutics for COVID-19 in a matter of months. Initiated by the Trump Administration in mid-May, OWS established a public-private partnership between relevant federal agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense and pharmaceutical companies. Since it was created, OWS has not only supported some of the scientific research but it has enabled more rapid development and testing of vaccine candidates, allowing promising candidates to undergo clinical trials at essentially the same time as regulatory approval and preparation for mass production. Delivering a vaccine in record time has led some to have concerns about safety. However, I want to assure you that the accelerated turnaround is not the result of cutting corners or ignoring the existing safety standards required by statute. Indeed, from research and development to clinical trials to emergency use authorization (EUA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has remained closely involved every step of the way. In fact, clinical trials on promising vaccine candidates cannot even proceed without the FDA's clearance to do so. Moreover, a Data Safety Monitoring Board advises pharmaceutical companies and oversees results throughout clinical trials. If testing reveals that a vaccine candidate is effective by the end of phase three, a company can then request an EUA from the FDA. Before an EUA for a vaccine can be granted, an FDA advisory committee must undergo a rigorous and fully transparent review of research and testing data in a public setting before making a recommendation. Moreover, for a vaccine candidate or any other unapproved medical product to receive an EUA from the FDA, it must meet certain conditions required by law under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act. First, a life-threatening illness must exist. Second, it must be reasonable to believe that the illness can be prevented, diagnosed or treated by using the product. Third, the known and potential benefits of using the product must outweigh the known and potential risks. Fourth, there must be no adequate, approved and available alternative to the product. While there are vaccine candidates for COVID-19 still in development or undergoing clinical trials, two have already received FDA's authorization for emergency use in the United States. And since the federal government contracted with pharmaceutical companies to pre-purchase hundreds of millions of doses of promising candidates through OWS, vaccines could be manufactured at the same time as clinical trials and made ready to distribute immediately but only if approved by the FDA. The vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was the first one approved and deployed nationwide, and Moderna's followed about a week later. During testing with thousands of volunteers, the results were remarkable, with vaccines proving at least 94 percent effective in preventing sickness from exposure to COVID-19. In fact, this data is even better than the efficacy of annual vaccines to protect against influenza. Neither COVID-19 vaccine has live coronavirus in it. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains on their website, these messenger RNA vaccines trigger an immune response, which produces antibodies and then protects against infection if the real virus enters the body. At the recommendation of the Office of the Attending Physician and to demonstrate my total confidence in our nation's vaccine efforts, I recently received my first dose of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine. While vaccinations are a personal decision, defeating this terrible coronavirus is a war we must fight and win together. We can all do our part by taking the free-of-charge vaccine as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, please continue taking the same practical precautions we have learned this year to slow the spread of COVID-19. Please continue to wear a mask, social distance and frequently wash your hands. For details and ongoing updates on Oklahoma's four-phase vaccine distribution plan, please visit oklahoma.gov/covid19/vaccine-information.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dankildee.house.gov/media/press-releases/coronavirus-daily-update-december-29,Coronavirus Daily Update: December 29,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MI,Dan Kildee,K000380,dankildee.house.gov,,,legacy,"Tuesday, December 29, 2020 Dear Constituent The coronavirus pandemic is developing very quickly, and I know many people have questions and concerns. I will try to answer some of them below. These are incredibly stressful times for all Michiganders. I am working, along with my staff, around the clock, seven days a week to answer your questions, provide community resources and provide up-to-date, accurate information. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office anytime by calling (810) 238-8627. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has updated the epidemic order that restricts indoor social gatherings and other group activities, to allow indoor activities where Michiganders can remain masked, including in-person learning at high schools and indoor entertainment venues. Indoor dining is still prohibited. This order is effective December 21, 2020 through January 15, 2021. More information can be foundhere. The Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiativewill provide $10 million in grants to meet the needs of Michigan small businesses impacted the COVID-19 virus. Applications for businesses to apply will open on December 15, 2020. Grants will be awarded in the amount of up to $15,000 per eligible business. More information can be foundhere. The Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) provided additional guidance to workers and employers who may be affected COVID-19. Michiganders who were on unemployment, went back to work, and are now temporarily unemployed again due to COVID-19 can reopen their claim online. More information can be foundhere. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE On December 21, Congress passed theConsolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which includes a nearly $1 trillion emergency relief packageto support American workers, families and small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. More information can be foundhere. On October 1, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an updatedversionThe Heroes Act. Thesenewprovisions are essential to supporting our schools, small businesses, restaurants, performance spaces, airline workers and others.More information can be foundhere. On August 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passedThe Delivering for America Act, to fund the U.S. Postal Service and prohibit changes to operations until the pandemic has ended. More information can be foundhere. On May 12, the U.S. House of Representatives passedThe Heroes Act.TheHeroes Actincludes a number of key policies I have advocated for, including additional direct payments to families and seniors, expanding unemployment insurance, increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, and funding to prevent water shutoffs. More information can be foundhere. On May 15, I introduced a bipartisan bill,TheRecharge and Empower Local Innovation and Entrepreneurs Fund for Main Street Act(RELIEF for Main Street Act), with Reps. Evans (D-PA), Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Upton (R-MI). The billcreates a $50.5 billion Small Business Local Relief Program to provide direct federal support to cities, counties and states in order to seed and scale local relief funds and target smallbusinesses with 20 employees or fewer, orwith 50 employees or fewer located in low-income neighborhoods. More information can be foundhere. Congress has also passedtheCoronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act,TheCARES Act,Families First Coronavirus Response Actand thePaycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Actto help families and health care facilities respond to the coronavirus pandemic. CORONAVIRUS TESTING UPDATE The Governor has expanded testing opportunities for Michiganders to access testing in their own backyards. More information can be foundhere. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a website and app with a coronavirus screening tool and resources to help people protect their health. The website can be foundhereand the app can be accessedhere. UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE RESOURCES UPDATE Governor Whitmer signed bipartisan bills restoring many unemployment provisions from her previous executive orders, including extending state unemployment benefits for Michiganders who have lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic from 20 to 26 weeks until the end of the year. More information can be foundhere. UIA is now offering telephone appointments for customers with specific claim issues. By scheduling a phone appointment, customers will be able to get assistance with issues at their convenience. Phone appointments are available Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. 4:25 p.m. More information can be foundhere. The last federal $600 weekly unemployment benefit was paid to Michiganders on July 25. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) provided the state funding to provide six weeks of an additional $300 per week unemployment benefit, covering dates July 26 through September 5. To qualify, claimants must self-certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed due to COVID-19.More information can be foundhere. Additionally, unemployed Michiganders who have exhausted their regular and extended weeks of unemployment eligibility will receive up to 20 weeks of additional benefits, through the Federal Extended Benefits program. More information can be foundhere. On May 1, I introducedTheStrengthening UI for COVID Impacted Workers and StudentsActto expand unemployment insurance for American workers, which was included inThe Heroes Act. For more information, visithere. Unemployment Insurance Benefits: Individuals should apply online atwww.Michigan.gov/UIAor call 866-500-0017 and are encouraged to follow afiling schedulebased on last name and use off-peak times (8 p.m. 8 a.m). The UIA offersresourcesto help workers resolve online technical issues with their account. More information can be foundhere. HOUSING UPDATE Governor Whitmer created the Eviction Diversion Program, which outlines a process for renters to get fast rental assistance or establish a manageable payment plan to help them stay in their homes. The program also includes assistance to landlords. More information can be foundhere. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have a website to help renters and homeowners understand their housing assistance options. This includes information on mortgage and rental relief as well as resources for additional help that may be needed. More information can be foundhere. The CFPB has also put out a step by step videoherefor homeowners that are interested in mortgage forbearance. The CDC has issued a moratorium on evictions of renters through December 31, 2020 based on non-payment of rent. For individuals that have questions on how this moratorium works or how they can access help, the National Low Income Housing Coalition has put together an overview of the orderhere, while Michigan Legal Help has more tools and informationhere. COMMUNITY RESOURCES UPDATE The Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiativewill provide $10 million in grants to meet the needs of Michigan small businesses impacted the COVID-19 virus. Applications for businesses to apply will open on December 15, 2020. Grants will be awarded in the amount of up to $15,000 per eligible business. More information can be foundhere. The SBA has put out a step by step guide for businesses with a PPP loan on how to apply for loan forgiveness. More information can be foundhere. The Governor launched the Futures for Frontliners' program, a tuition-free path to community college for essential, frontline workers who continued working during the COVID-19 Stay Home, Stay Safe orders between April June 2020. Those eligible must apply for this scholarship before the end of the year. More information can be foundhere. The Governor announced low-income residents, seniors, schools and homeless shelters will benefit from the MI Mask Aid partnership that is part of the Mask Up Michigan Campaign. More information can be foundhere. Personal Protective Equipment: The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has launched a platform to help re-opening businesses acquire PPE. More information can be foundhere. Michigan's Virtual Food Bank:Seniors in need of food support cansign up for assistance, including meal delivery, delivery of non-perishable food items, and daily wellness-check calls, through the MDHHS coronavirus website, or by contacting their localArea Agency on Aging. More information on the virtual food bank can be foundhere. Flint Cares Help Centers: The city of Flint is offering resources and services including bottled water and food assistance. Services will continue to be provided from two semi-trailers staged in church parking lots across the city to distribute items directly to cars as residents drive through. For more information please call 810-410-2020 or visithere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/washington-dc-wric-americans-are-hopeful-covid-19-vaccines-will-make-2021,ABC News8: Congressman calls for FDA to continue vaccine trials,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. (WRIC) Americans are hopeful that the COVID-19 vaccines will make 2021 a better year than 2020. However, there are concerns that Pfizer and Moderna will stop their clinical trials and immediately treat everyone in their placebo group. Some scientists, doctors and now a Congressman argues that can be dangerous because they said there is still so much unknown about the vaccines. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas wrote a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging for the clinical trials to continue. the continuation of clinical trials is critical to our understanding of the efficacy and length of immunity the vaccines offer, Doggett wrote. In the letter, Doggett said while the initial results received from Pfizer and Moderna are showing positive results, it's not definitive given the limited data. Clinical trials have suffered from a lack of diverse participant enrollment and evaluation of subpopulations, Doggett said. Including individuals with comorbidities, children, pregnant and breastfeeding patients, long-term care residents and individuals with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Diana Zuckerman, President of the National Center for Health Research, a non-partisan think tank in Washington D.C., agrees that the clinical trials should continue. She said healthcare workers who volunteered for the clinical trials should have immediate access to the vaccine if they want it. Like most public health experts, I've been very concerned that Pfizer and Moderna told the FDA that they want to stop their clinical trials of the COVID vaccine and instead immediately inoculate everyone in their placebo groups, Zuckerman said. While I understand the desire to reward the clinical trial volunteers for their service, it would be a huge loss of information from a public health point of view. Losing the placebo group means we'd have no way to scientifically determine which of the vaccines if any have 95% efficacy rates that last more than 2 or 3 months. Or how long the vaccine works on people over 75. Zuckerman added the people who volunteer for the clinical trials shouldn't be vaccinated before those in priority groups such as teachers, essential workers, etc. Since many of the study volunteers are young and healthy, it also seems unfair for them to cut in line for a vaccine while healthcare workers and others at high risk are still waiting their turn, she said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://kelly.house.gov/press-release/rep-kelly-votes-override-presidential-veto-ndaa,Rep. Kelly Votes to Override Presidential Veto of NDAA,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives today voted to override President Trump's veto of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA is enacted annually to set the policy and spending priorities of the United States military. Representative Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) voted to pass the NDAA over the president's objection and issued this statement: ""The NDAA outlines the budget and policies the Department of Defense uses to plan for the next year. While I support the president's goal of amending or abolishing Section 230, that debate must not delay military planning for 2021."" #####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-votes-override-trump-veto-defense-bill,Langevin Votes to Override Trump Veto of Defense Bill,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jim Langevin,L000559,langevin.house.gov,,,legacy,"WARWICK, R.I. Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and a member of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, today voted to override President Trump's veto of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The measure passed the House by a vote of 322-87. The following statement may be attributed to Congressman Langevin: For sixty consecutive years, members of Congress have reached across the aisle to pass a bipartisan defense bill to ensure our country is protected against threats and that our service members and their families are adequately supported. This year's national defense authorization bill contains critical provisions to provide well-deserved pay raises for troops, support programs vital to national security like the Virginia-class submarines built in Rhode Island, and promoteinclusiveness and diversity among our armed forces. In the wake of what could be one of the most consequential cyber intrusions in our nation's history, this bill also contains several provisions I authored to better defend Americans and our systems against evolving cyber threats. Most notably, this bill will establish a National Cyber Director to ensure there is someone leading cyber policy andstrategy development and coordinating incident response in the Executive Office of the President. Having someone in charge of cybersecurity at the highest levels of government is critical to help prevent an incident of significant consequence that could impact our economy and our way of life. Unfortunately, despite these important victories, the President chose to veto this bill. By vetoing the National Defense Authorization Act, the President offered a parting gift to our adversaries. Tonight, Congress has voted to override the President's veto because we won't allow him to undermine our nation's readiness and because we refuse to turn our backs on our troops who sacrifice so much. I'm glad that the House could once again put politics aside and prioritize the common defense.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://mikethompson.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/thompson-releases-end-of-congress-report,Thompson Releases End of Congress Report,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,CA,Mike Thompson,T000460,mikethompson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington Today Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) released a report on the 116th Congress, outlining important constituent service and legislative milestones over the last two years. A statement from Thompson is below. It's the greatest honor of my life to represent my community in Congress and I work hard every day to ensure that my staff and I are serving our district. Despite the tough year we have all had, I am proud to have continued my work solving problems for people and responding to their concerns and questions. Through our outstanding casework operation, we resolved more than 3,000 cases for constituents and returned over $5.3 million to them in the 116th Congress, critical funding in such a hard economic year. This includes over $40,000 in economic impact payments to constituents who did not initially receive their payments as intended from the CARES Act. On the legislative side, 13 of my bills were signed into law.From expanding access to telehealth during the pandemic, to providing low-income tax credits, to expanding access to affordable housing in our disaster counties, my legislation is helping our constituents confront the multiple disasters facing our communities.As Chair of the Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee, I was able to move legislation to help green the tax code, create incentives to hires veterans and disadvantaged employees and support the hardworking men and women in our district.I look forward to continuing to serve our district and provide the best service possible through my legislative and casework operations. Thompson reported 13 bills signed into law, 175,843 responses to constituent mail, 39 Town Halls and 657 Capitol and White House tours in the 116th Congress. He also was able to resolve 3,017 constituent cases and return $5,378,754.33 to constituent through the casework process over the past two years. ### Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means where he chairs the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. Rep. Thompson is Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He is also Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus and a member of the fiscally-conservative Blue Dog Coalition.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-congratulates-john-iosefo-prestigious-rangel-fellowship,Amata Congratulates John Iosefo on Prestigious Rangel Fellowship,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,AS,Amata Radewagen,R000600,radewagen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Tuesday, Congresswoman Uifaatali Amatais delighted to congratulate John Iosefo of American Samoa upon the announcement of the prestigious Charles B. Rangel Fellowship in International Studies from Howard University. Congratulations to John upon earning this superb opportunity, said Congresswoman Amata. We're always so happy to see one of our own succeeding and taking on new challenges. John served in the American Samoa congressional office as an intern, and did an excellent job. Now he's making American Samoa proud with this new educational step into diplomatic public service with the U.S. State Department. Congratulations also to his parents Tauiliili Silivelio and Juliana Ah-Ching Iosefo, and his many teachers, professors and influencers along the way. Congresswoman Amata and Rangel Fellowship winner John Iosefo (file photo) This highly regarded Fellowship is part of a career and academic path to becoming a Foreign Service Officer and to earning a Master's degree in security studies. As part of the Rangel Program, John will intern with a Member of Congress on issues related to foreign affairs in summer 2021. In summer 2022, the U.S. Department of State will send him overseas to intern in a U.S. Embassy or Consulate to get hands-on experience in U.S. foreign policy and the work of the Foreign Service. Upon successful completion of the program, John will become a U.S. diplomat in summer 2023, embarking on one of the most challenging and rewarding careers of service to his country. John is from Tafuna and Lauli'i villages of American Samoa, and graduated Tafuna High School. He is the youngest of eight children. John now attends the University of San Francisco, and is completing his final year of undergraduate studies. He also serves in student government as President of the ASUSF Senate. The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program, administered by Howard University, selects outstanding Fellows yearly in a highly competitive nationwide selection process, then supports them through two years of graduate study, internships, mentoring and professional development activities. Graduates of the program now serve as diplomats around the world. The program is named for the late Congressman Charles Rangel, who had a long and influential career in Congress that included chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ruppersberger.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-issues-statement-following-vote-to-increase-covid-19-stimulus,Ruppersberger Issues Statement Following Vote to Increase COVID-19 Stimulus Checks to $2000,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,MD,C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger,R000576,ruppersberger.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives last evening passed legislation boosting COVID-19 stimulus checks authorized in a previous relief package from $600 to $2000: Last night's bipartisan vote, if upheld in the Senate, will help sustain our economy as we continue to claw our way through this worsening pandemic. It puts money into the pockets of struggling Americans and builds on the relief package signed into law by President Trump Sunday night. Calls to offset' economic stimulus efforts by reducing annual expenditures like direct foreign aid, which were passed in routine appropriations bills simultaneously last week, are misguided. These are mostly funds that President Trump requested in his annual budget and fall within spending parameters adopted by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. In fact, Democrats had to convince the White House to commit to spending at least an equal amount on domestic programs here at home at the height of a pandemic as we do on defense funds primarily utilized overseas. If Congress does not pass our annual spending bills, the government shuts down. The President knows this, which is why he ultimately signed the bill. In addition to direct aid to Americans, we need to invest in recovery efforts like keeping Americans in their homes, keeping small businesses open and distributing the vaccines as fairly and quickly as we can. I look forward to supporting any legislation to that end, including desperately-needed relief to our state and local governments, which are on the frontlines of this pandemic.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://scalise.house.gov/media/press-releases/louisiana-delegation-statement-passing-congressman-elect-luke-letlow,Louisiana Delegation Statement on the Passing of Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,LA,Steve Scalise,S001176,scalise.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-La.), Congressman Ralph Abraham (R-La.), Congressman Garret Graves (R-La.), Senator John Kennedy (R-La.), Congressman Clay Higgins (R-La.), and Congressman Mike Johnson (R-La.) released the following statement on the passing of Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow: ""We are devastated to hear of Luke Letlow's passing. Luke had such a positive spirit, and a tremendously bright future ahead of him. He was looking forward to serving the people of Louisiana in Congress, and we were excited to welcome him to our delegation where he was ready to make an even greater impact on our state and our Nation. More than anything, Luke was a loving husband, father, brother, and son, and his family like so many others who have been affected by this evil disease needs our prayers. ""We all join in sending our strongest support to Luke's wife Julia and their young family, and are keeping them in our prayers.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sensenbrenner.house.gov/2020/12/sensenbrenner-announces-2021-academy-nominees,Sensenbrenner Announces 2021 Academy Nominees,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,WI,F. Sensenbrenner,S000244,sensenbrenner.house.gov,,,legacy,"BROOKFIELD, WI Today,Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner(WI-05) announced the nomination of 31 candidates from Wisconsin's Fifth Congressional District for appointment to the U.S. service academies. Rep. Sensenbrenner:This year Wisconsin's Fifth Congressional District yielded another outstanding group of students interested in attending the academies. They have demonstrated the ability to serve our nation, and I wish them all tremendous success. I would like to thank our Academy Selection Committee for the work they put into interviewing and assessing this year's applicants. Their efforts play a vital role in this process. As I approach my retirement from Congress in a few short days, I can say the ability to nominate students to our nation's service academies has been one of the highest honors. This year, Congressman Sensenbrenner nominated a total of 31 students, including six principal nominees. They are as follows:Principal Nominees Jocelyn Heckenkamp of Delafield has been named a principal nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Jocelyn, daughter of Jason and Jennifer Heckenkamp, attends the University of Texas at Dallas, and is a graduate of Kettle Moraine High School. Jane Yoo of Menomonee Falls has been named a principal nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Jane, daughter of Chang and Eun Yoo, is a senior at Menomonee Falls High School. Allyson Davis of Pewaukee has been named a principal nominee to the US Military Academy in West Point, NY. Allyson, daughter of Michael and Nicole Davis, is a senior at Arrowhead High School. Kye Yu of New Berlin has been named a principal nominee to the US Military Academy in West Point, NY. Kye, son of Ben and Karen Yu, is a senior at New Berlin Eisenhower High School. Alec Malone of Pewaukee has been named a principal nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Alec, son of Dan and Trudy Malone, is a senior at Marquette University High School. Timothy Rauh of Hartland has been named a principal nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Timothy, son of Jeffery and Ann Rauh, is a senior at Brookfield Academy. Competing Alternate Nominees and United States Merchant Marine Academy Nominees Kyle Anthes of New Berlin has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Kyle, son of Brian and Jennifer Anthes, is a senior at New Berlin Eisenhower High School. Anthony Bigari of Summit has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Anthony, son of Bryan and Tracy Bigari, is a senior at Pewaukee High School. David Crosby of Pewaukee has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO and US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and a nominee to the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. David, son of David, Sr. and Seleny Crosby, is a senior at St. John's Northwestern Military Academy. Arno Crowley of Whitewater has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Arno, son of Alexander and Holly Crowley, is a senior at Whitewater High School. Jack Dedrick of Menomonee Falls has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, US Military Academy in Annapolis, MD and US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Jack, son of Craig and Jennifer Dedrick, is a senior at Menomonee Falls High School. Jack Ganos of Oconomowoc has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Jack, son of Michael and Rachel Ganos, is a senior at Arrowhead High School. Nicholas Hansen of Elm Grove has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, US Military Academy in Annapolis, MD and US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Nick, son of Michael and Shelly Lynn Hansen, is a senior at Marquette University High School. He and his twin brother, Will, received nominations to the same academies. William Hansen of Elm Grove has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, US Military Academy in Annapolis, MD and US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Will, son of Michael and Shelly Lynn Hansen, is a senior at Marquette University High School. He and his twin brother, Nick, received nominations to the same academies. Morgan Holley of Watertown has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Morgan, daughter of Allen and Katherine Holley, attends the US Air Force Prep School, and is a graduate of Watertown High School. Conall Hospidales of Oconomowoc has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Conall, son of Christopher and Sheila Hospidales, is a senior at Oconomowoc High School. Julian Jones of Brookfield has been named an alternate nominee to the US Military Academy in West Point, NY. Julian, son of Kent Jones and Christina Tilbury, is a senior at Brookfield East High School. Derek Kaiser of Delafield has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD and a nominee to the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. Derek, son of William Kaiser and Angela Belsha, attends Kettle Moraine Global. Ahna Kammer of Jefferson has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Ahna, daughter of Scott Kammer and Terese Wenkman, is a senior at Jefferson High School. Brandon Lee of Brookfield has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Branson, son of Yonggon and Yuna Lee, attends the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is a graduate of Brookfield Central High School. Joseph Lynch of Menomonee Falls has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Joseph, son of Patrick and Jean Lynch, is a senior at Menomonee Falls High School. Ethan Megal of Elm Grove has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Ethan, son of Phillip and Sara Megal, is a senior at Brookfield East High School. Patrick Merkel of Pewaukee has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Patrick, son of Charlie and Sandy Merkel, is a senior at Pewaukee High School. Halle Quadracci of Hartland Pewaukee has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO and US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and a nominee to the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. Halle, daughter of Joel and Caran Quadracci, is a senior at Devine Savior Holy Angels. Tyler Rhode of Brookfield has been named an alternate nominee to the US Military Academy in West Point, NY. Tyler, son of Tim and Jana Rhode, is a senior at Brookfield East High School. Aubrey Schmutzler of Watertown has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Aubrey, daughter of Brent and Maria Schmutzler, is a senior at Watertown High School. Collin Schulz of Fort Atkinson has been named an alternate nominee to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Collin, son of Todd and LaRae Schulz, attends the US Air Force Prep School and is a graduate of Lakeside Lutheran High School. Amelia Sitzberger of Ixonia has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Amelia, daughter of Robert Sitzberger and Heidi Graf, is a senior at Oconomowoc High School. Kady Stigler of Menomonee Falls has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Kady, daughter of Chad and Lisa Stigler, is a senior at Menomonee Falls High School. Natalie Tesch of New Berlin has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Natalie, daughter of Walter and Barbara Tesch, is a senior at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. Haley Wolff of Waukesha has been named an alternate nominee to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Haley, daughter of Peter and Christine Wolff, is a senior at Devine Savior Holy Angels.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/reps-action-dec-29-2020,"Reps in Action: Dec. 29, 2020",2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"December 29th, 2020 Press Republican",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/stefanik-votes-bigger-stimulus-checks-trump-veto-override,"Stefanik votes for bigger stimulus checks, Trump veto override",2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"December 28th, 2020 NCPR",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://stefanik.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/stefanik-votes-boost-stimulus-checks-override-trump-military-veto,"Stefanik votes to boost stimulus checks, override Trump military veto",2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,NY,Elise Stefanik,S001196,stefanik.house.gov,,,legacy,"December 28th, 2020 WWNY",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/bipartisan-improving-hope-alzheimer%E2%80%99s-act-signed-law,Bipartisan Improving HOPE for Alzheimers Act Signed into Law,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,ME,Susan Collins,C001035,www.collins.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Shelley MooreCapito(R-WV)and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) announced that theImproving HOPE (Health, Outcomes, Planning, and Education) for Alzheimer's Actpassed Congress as part of the year-end omnibus package and has been signed into law. Following the lawmakers' successful bipartisan push in 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced in November 2016 that Medicare would begin covering new care plans in 2017. TheImprovingHOPE for Alzheimer's Actwill require the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct outreach to make more health care providers aware of this important benefit and to report back on rates of utilization and barriers to access. ""It is imperative that those living with Alzheimer's disease and their families receive the resources they need, including information about treatment options and what medical and community services are available,said Senator Collins.Fortunately, following our advocacy, CMS implemented a new rule in 2018 that allows Medicare beneficiaries to receive a care planning session.Our legislation will expand access to this service by increasing awareness of this policy change among physicians.As the Co-Chair of the Senate Alzheimer's Task Force, I will continue to support those living with Alzheimer's diseaseand their caregivers. Care plans are an important tool to ensure that those living with Alzheimer's disease and their loved ones who help care for them every day have the support they need to cope with this devastating disease,said Senator Stabenow.TheImproving HOPE for Alzheimer's Actwill help make sure patients, their families, and their health care providers know about and can take advantage of the available resources. While we work towards the goal of finding a cure for Alzheimer's by 2025, we must also ensure seniors with Alzheimer's get the best care possible. Developing care plans that assist families, caregivers, and seniors understand diagnosis and available treatments helps make that happen. Enacting the Improving HOPE for Alzheimer's Act will mean more seniors will benefit for these plans. This is an important step forward for those suffering from Alzheimer's,said Senator Markey. Delivering accessible care to those struggling with Alzheimer's is crucial to the foundation of our families and gives hope to our loved ones. Now that certain care plans are offered, we must make sure this information is properly relayed to eligible families. The HOPE for Alzheimer's Act successfully strengthens our outreach strategy and makes resources available to those who need it most. I'm proud to have been part of this movement since 2015 and that our legislation was included in the year-end package,said SenatorCapito. I know how devastating it can be, not only for our loved ones struggling with Alzheimer's like my mother did -- but for families trying to understand how to provide the best care possible. Although we fought to provide patients and their caregivers important services like help in understanding a diagnosis, available treatments, and ways to manage the challenges ahead -- far too many seniors and their doctors have no idea the benefit is available. I'm thrilled to see our bill enacted so we can change that and ensure patients get the resources they need,said Senator Menendez. Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, and more than 16 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer's. TheHOPE for Alzheimer's Actrequires Medicare to pay for an individual care plan for newly diagnosed Alzheimer's patients. This benefit encourages doctors to give a clear diagnosis to patients with Alzheimer's disease, including information about treatment options and what medical and community services are available. In 2017, less than one percent of seniors living with Alzheimer's disease received the care planning benefit. TheImproving HOPE for Alzheimer's Actrequires HHS to conduct outreach to health care practitioners about comprehensive Alzheimer's disease care planning services, including education initiatives and materials on appropriate diagnostic evaluations and explanations of the requirements for eligibility. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-provision-to-begin-process-for-stronger-protection-national-marine-sanctuary-designation-for-papahanaumokuakea-signed-into-law,"Schatz Provision To Begin Process For Stronger Protection, National Marine Sanctuary Designation For Papahanaumokuakea Signed Into Law",2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,HI,Brian Schatz,S001194,www.schatz.senate.gov,schatz,https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – On Sunday, the president signed a bipartisan government funding bill which included a provision authored by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) that will strengthen protections for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument by starting the process to designate it as a National Marine Sanctuary. “A new sanctuary designation means more resources and stronger protections for Papahanaumokuakea,” said Senator Schatz. “This will give us more opportunities to better understand and conserve one of our most important natural resources.” The Schatz provision directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to commence the process to designate Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument as a National Marine Sanctuary. Following this initiation, NOAA can begin public meetings and the formal legal process to complete the requirements to finalize an official designation. Sanctuary status for the Monument would make it more difficult to weaken the protections in the Executive Orders signed by Presidents Obama and Bush. Schatz also secured $1.2 million for research and management activities at the marine monument in this year’s appropriations bill, which is a $200,000 increase from last year. The funding is subject to a 100 percent non-federal match and will bring new resources to keep the Hawaiian archipelago healthy and productive. Past uses of the funding have included research to understand the impact of climate change on the ecosystem, and the removal of marine debris. Papahanaumokukea was first established as a marine national monument in 2006. It was expanded by President Obama in 2016 following a formal proposal from Senator Schatz. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=BE3D2463-5C2C-44AD-906A-88A0BE03A55C,Delegation Bill to Allow Tribal Grant Schools to Devote Additional Resources to Improving Education Signed Into Law,2020-12-29,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) applauded the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives for passing their legislation that will allow tribal grant schools to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Federal Employees Group Life Insurance programs and cover at least the employer’s share of the premiums. This change will free up resources to improve recruiting and retention efforts for professional educators in tribal communities by allowing schools to spend less on health insurance and more on education-specific items. The bill was included in the broader COVID-19 relief and government funding package, which was signed into law earlier this week. “As the son of two educators, I understand how critical it is to have adequate resources available to schools and how it can have a positive effect on their success,” said Thune. “I’m glad that our bill to ensure tribal grant schools can participate in federal health insurance programs is now law and that these schools will soon be able spend more of their money on our top priority – the students.” “Our legislation will enhance teacher benefits at South Dakota’s 19 tribal grant schools and, at the same time, save the schools thousands of dollars annually,” said Rounds. “This will not only help improve teacher and administrator retention rates at tribal grant schools, it will allow these schools to redirect resources to the students in the classroom. It’s a commonsense law that benefits everyone.” “Tribal schools have enough challenges without having to deal with unnecessary red tape,” said Johnson. “Ensuring this fix is made has been a longtime coming, and I’m grateful to Cecelia Fire Thunder for working for years to get this done. The Tribal School Federal Insurance Parity Act provides a simple fix that allows funding to flow directly to the students instead of healthcare costs.” Currently, tribal schools are operated either directly by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE); by tribes, through Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance (ISDEA) Act contracts; or through Tribally Controlled Schools Act grants, which help support tribal grant schools. As of December 2018, 128 schools nationwide operate as tribal grant schools, including nearly 20 in South Dakota, and three schools operate through an ISDEA contract. BIE operates 52 tribal schools across the nation.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-28T00:42:23Z http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=409097,"Rep. Smith votes 'YES' to increase COVID-19 relief assistance checks to $2,000",2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today said: The increase of COVID-19 relief checks to $2,000 coupled with yesterday's extension of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), expanded unemployment benefits and other assistance are justified and necessary to assist tens of millions of people devastated by the pandemic and like previous COVID relief packages are a bridge to a post-COVID world. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=406003,"Rep. Cuellar Votes to Increase Economic Impact Payments to $2,000",2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Cuellar Votes to Increase Economic Impact Payments to $2,000 Washington, D.C.Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) voted for the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help (CASH) Act of 2020 to increase the amount of money struggling Americans receive in a second round of direct payments to $2,000. Millions of Americansare struggling to put food on the table, to pay their rent or mortgage, or to keep up with medical bills that they have accumulated over this difficult year, said Congressman Cuellar. I voted to pass the CASH Act to put $2,000 into the pockets of Americans in need and help alleviate some of the economic hardship they are currently facing. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to bring this important legislation to the floor before the legislative session ends. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fight for the additional support that Americans require as we continue to battle the COVID-19 crisis. After the President changed his mind last week and decided to support Democrats' call for increasing direct payments to $2,000, HouseDemocrats immediately went to the Floor to askfor Unanimous Consent to bring a stand-alone bill to increase the payments. On Christmas Eve, House Republicans blocked the request depriving the American people of the increased $2,000 check that the President supported. The CASH Act: Increases the value of the economic impact payments (EIPs) provided in the end-of-year COVID relief package so that each eligible family member receives $2,000, up from $600. Applies the same, broader eligibility established in the end-of-year package to mixed-status families where one spouse has a Social Security Number (SSN). As specified in the latest COVID relief legislation, these families are eligible for the EIP amount for each family member with an SSN, and can claim the corresponding amount for the first round of economic impact payments when they file their 2020 taxes.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399897,Rep. Gohmert Issues Statement on Pence Lawsuit,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Louie Gohmert,G000552,gohmert.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Louie Gohmert (TX-01) released the following statement regarding the lawsuit filed against the Vice President: The 2020 presidential election was one we'd expect to see in a banana republic, not the United States of America. In fact, the rampant fraud and unconstitutional actions that took place were so egregious that seven contested states-- Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin all sent dueling slates of electors to Congress. This puts Vice President Mike Pence in a position where some argue he has to choose between morality and the law. That is not the case. It is also critical to note that as many formerly in the mainstream media, now the Alt-Left media, continue to say that every court has said there is no evidence of fraud. That is disingenuous, deceitful, and flat out dishonest. The truth is that no court so far has had the morality and courage to allow evidence of fraud to be introduced in front of it. We continue to hold out hope that there is a federal judge who understands that the fraud that stole this election will mean the end of our republic, and this suit would insure that the Vice-President will only accept electors legitimately and legally elected. There must be an opportunity for a day in court when fraud was this prevalent. It is for this reason that I and other plaintiffs have filed a complaint for expedited declaratory and emergency injunctive relief to seek judgement from the court on the Vice President's authority when presiding over the Senate during the Joint Session of Congress. We are asking the court to uphold the powers laid out in the United States Constitution which grant the Vice President the exclusive authority and sole discretion in determining which electoral votes to count. As outlined in the filing, the Electoral Count Act is unconstitutional because it directs Vice President Pence to legitimize electoral votes in violation of the Electors Clause and limits or eliminates his Twelfth Amendment authority to determine which slates of electors should be counted and which, if any, may not be counted. This is fundamental because no statute can constitutionally supply rules to the extent that such statute violates the U.S. Constitution. Thanks to spineless politicians, corrupt state officials and a coordinated effort to undermine the will of the American people in favor of business as usual in the D.C. swamp, we now find ourselves in a place where a stolen election becomes just another one of the miscarriages of justice this town refuses to remedy. The D.C. elites want to sweep these electoral injustices under the rug, just as they have done with countless other scandals such as the Russia-collusion hoax, the Biden-Ukrainian quid-pro quo, and Hillary Clinton's mishandling of classified information, to mention only a few. For the sake of the future of our Republic, come January 6th, Vice President Pence must be authorized to uphold the legal votes of millions of Americans and preserve our nation's great experiment in self-governance.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401220,"Huizenga Discusses Supporting Troops, American Families, and Fiscal Responsibility",2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Huizenga Discussing Supporting Troops, American Families, and Fiscal Responsibility Tonight, Congressman Bill Huizenga spoke in a Facebook Live conversation with constituents across West Michigan to explain his support for our men and women in uniform. In the live video, Congressman Huizenga also explains why he did not support an additional $464 billion in COVID relief because he believes those dollars should be offset by reductions in federal spending. The video is embedded below.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=402402,Griffith Statement on CASH Act,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,VA,Morgan Griffith,G000568,morgangriffith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement regarding the CASH Act of 2020: Yesterday, the President signed the more than $2.3 trillion Omnibus, which includedCOVID relief. After signing it, the President issued a statement calling on Congress to increase the amount of money going to individuals AND to cut bloated government spending. Today, the Democrats in the House put forward a bill to increase the size of the individual checks, BUT did not put forward any of the President's cut suggestions OR cuts to spending that they preferred. This is a typical Democrat compromise. We will give you increased spending, but we will not give you the cuts requested. Accordingly, I could not support this increased spending, at this time, without legitimate cuts as requested by the President. Hopefully with vaccines being distributed, our businesses and our economy will be back in operation soon. If not, we will have to examine additional relief in the new year. Background Congressman Griffith supported the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations (HR 6074), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (HR 748), and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (HR 266). Click here for his statement on the Omnibus spending bill for Fiscal Year 2021. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://schrader.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=392831,"Schrader, McKinley Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Spur Innovation, Reduce Power Sector Emissions",2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,OR,Kurt Schrader,S001180,schrader.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Reps. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-W.Va.) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) today introduced theClean Energy Future through Innovation Act of 2020,a bipartisan proposal to accelerate the development and commercialization of clean energy technologies and establish clear and durable standards for their use in the electric power sector. The legislation would make significant investments in energy innovation and infrastructure, including carbon capture, advanced nuclear, renewables, efficiency, and storage. After a decade of innovation, it establishes a technology-neutral clean energy standard that would reduce CO2 emissions 80% by 2050. America needs energy policy that can endure, rather than one that changes after each election and judicial decision,said Rep. McKinley.No policy can succeed without certainty, and certainty requires bipartisan consensus. Our approach will reduce carbon emissions while ensuring affordable and resilient power generated from all sources. Furthermore, by positioning America as a leader in innovation it will allow us to export technology to the rest of the world and provide a global solution to this problem. Climate change puts us all at risk, including the rural, coastal, and agricultural communities in my district,said Rep. Schrader.Americans are tired of the partisan fighting; they want and deserve a government that solves problems. We need a climate bill that can pass the Senate, be signed into law, and make a real differenceand the legislation that Rep. McKinley and I have introduced is it. We can keep fighting each other, but I'd rather tackle some problems. This bill will cut carbon emissions quickly, it will invest in a better energy system, and it will empower entrepreneurs and industry to create new technologies and new jobs. The bill introduction comes after Reps. McKinley and Schrader released a discussion draft in September and solicited input from a broad array of stakeholders. They are continuing to receive feedback and will be refining the bill further, before reintroducing next year. Background: Earlier this year, Reps. McKinley and Schrader outlined their approach inan opinion piece in the USA Today's Hidden Common Ground Sectionurging a new, more pragmatic legislative approach. The plan calls for a decade of public and private investments in clean energy innovation and infrastructure development, followed by new regulatory standards to ensure environmental and energy goals are met. Innovation alone isn't enough. We must clarify what federal law will (and will not) require, to provide a stable and predictable policy framework for investors and electric utilities in the decades ahead. Executive orders and administrative actions that prolong the political and legal battles won't solve this problem but bipartisan legislation can. Click to see the bill text here. Click to see a section by section here. What They're Saying about the McKinley-Schrader Bill: Representatives McKinley and Schrader should be applauded for recognizing that durable climate policy must come from Congress, and the approach must be bipartisan from the start. The business community is investing heavily in technologies that will reduce emissions and improve the environment, and we welcome good faith proposals like this to further these goals. U.S. Chamber of Commerce I am very appreciative of Congressmen McKinley and Schrader for developing this legislation, because it fills a critical need at a critical time for our nation and the world. The rapid development and deployment of CCS technology on a worldwide scale is a must if we are going to do something that actually addresses global climate emissions, while preserving as many traditional energy jobs as possible. This bill will give our scientists and researchers the means to step on the accelerator in their efforts to get this technology to a point where it can be widely available. The UMWA is in full support, and we urge others in Congress who are developing legislation associated with addressing climate change to consider this bill a beacon for what can and must be done. Cecil Roberts, President of the United Mine Workers of America The McKinley-Schrader proposal marks an important milestone along the road to developing climate legislation. It is a bipartisan effort that wisely addresses roles for both forward-looking energy innovation policy and for regulatory authority as needed. EnergyForward is committed to clean-energy transition and the technological breakthroughs needed to make it a reality. We look forward to working with Mr. McKinley and Mr. Schrader as they refine and advance the bill. Scott Segal, director, EnergyForward and partner at Bracewell LLP.EnergyForwardis a coalition of utilities that includes Ameren, Duke, DTE Energy, Southern, Salt River Project and Vistra. Representatives McKinley and Schrader have developed a thoughtful and bipartisan approach to tackling a key element of our climate challenge. Investments focused on innovative technologies for clean energy coupled with the certainty of a clean energy standard, stand to move the power sector toward net zero emissions. Significant investments in technology and infrastructure would help rebuild and grow the U.S. economy, while its clean energy standard would help put us on pathway to carbon neutrality. Representatives McKinley and Shrader are to be commended for building a bipartisan bridge that is essential for the creation of durable climate policies. Bob Perciasepe, President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions American Electric Power (AEP) commends Representatives David McKinley and Kurt Schrader for proposing legislation that focuses on clean energy technology development, including an all-encompassing program for the demonstration and deployment of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), combined with a new federal regulatory framework that requires low- and zero-emitting generation. AEP is committed to a low- to no-carbon energy future and is focused on diversifying our resource portfolio, deploying technologies to reduce emissions, and modernizing the grid to help us get there. Preserving and enhancing our transmission and distribution system, in addition to technological advances, including energy storage and CCUS, will determine how quickly AEP can achieve zero emissions while continuing to provide reliable, affordable power for customers. American Electric Power The scientific evidence is overwhelming that we must rapidly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero. Effectively combatting the climate crisis will require significant deployment of both clean energy technologies and natural climate solutions, as well as a solid regulatory structure to provide a predictable framework for power producers to achieve emission reductions. We appreciate the leadership of Reps. McKinley and Schrader to develop this bipartisan, innovative approach to cutting energy sector climate pollution, and we look forward to working with them and other climate and energy leaders to create durable, equitable policy solutions that meet the urgency of the climate crisis. Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation As one of our nation's largest energy providers, Duke Energy is committed to taking a leadership role in addressing the serious issue of climate change. Building on our significant progress of reducing CO2 emissions by 39% below 2005, we continue to work toward our ambitious goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Doing so while maintaining affordability and reliability for our customers is critical, particularly as we work with our customers and communities through this challenging time. Bipartisan efforts like this are critical in helping our industry deliver a clean energy future for all Americans. While Duke Energy understands and respects that there are different perspectives on how to achieve this future, we applaud Rep. McKinley and Rep. Schrader for their leadership on such a critical issue, and we remain committed to engaging in efforts that help develop a path forward. Tom Craig, Vice President of Federal Government Affairs, Duke Energy ACEEE is supportive of the McKinley-Schrader effort as it seeks to advance innovation while providing a backstop that ensures that substantial greenhouse gas emissions reductions take place. We appreciate how this bill includes a number of energy efficiency provisions and look forward to working with the sponsors to build upon these provisions going forward. Steve Nadel, Executive Director, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) The fastest path to an affordable, reliable, decarbonized electricity system will include nuclear energy alongside wind, solar, and energy storage. Therefore, any policy focused on reducing emissions must support the long-term operation of our nation's 94 nuclear power reactors by appropriately valuing the emissions-free attributes of nuclear energy. Establishing technology-neutral policies and investing in low-carbon technology innovation would foster a level playing field for all clean energy generators, including nuclear energy. We are therefore grateful that Representatives McKinley and Schrader have developed draft legislation that would both support the nuclear reactors we operate today and accelerate the deployment of potentially game-changing new nuclear technologies to power a cleaner energy future. Maria Korsnick, president and CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute Reps. McKinley (R-WV) and Schrader (D-OR)'s proposal is an encouraging step forward for federal energy and climate policy. Notably, the proposal combines immediate clean energy innovation programs with long-term national decarbonization targets for the power sector. We look forward to working with Congress to advance this important bipartisan effort. Sasha Mackler, Bipartisan Policy Center Energy Project For more than a century, Southern Company has been building the future of energy and developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, advancedcarbon capture technologies, natural gas, renewables, energy efficiency and storage technology. We continue our industry-leading research and development, focusing on technologies that benefit customers and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Representatives McKinley and Schrader have come together with a pragmatic approach for investment in clean energy innovation and infrastructure development. We appreciate the opportunity to engage in stakeholder outreach and agree technology innovation is the solution to continued decarbonization for the economy. Southern Company Below is an excerpt from ablog postfrom NRDC: There's a new and noteworthy bipartisan partnership on Capitol Hill pushing for action on climate. In an op ed published in USA Today, Reps. David McKinley, Republican of West Virginia, and Kurt Schrader, Democrat of Oregon, write, We have to end the partisan battle over climate change by building a new framework that is fair to the workers, to communities, and to all American families while protecting our environment. Doing this, they write, will show the nation that Congress can still come together to meet the great challenges of our time. This bipartisan collaboration is an important step. The concept they are proposing would advance clean energy in the power sector by combining a major federal investment in low carbon technologies with national standards that ensure we reduce the carbon pollution that is driving dangerous changes in our climate. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://schrader.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=392832,Rep. Schrader Issued the Following Statement,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,OR,Kurt Schrader,S001180,schrader.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Schrader Issued the Following Statement f t # e Washington, December 28, 2020 For Immediate Release December 28th, 2020 Contact:Larkin Parker, 202-225-5711 WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05) issued the followingstatement today: This is an ineffective and poorly targeted approach to aiding Americans in distress. It is clearly a last-minute political maneuver by President Trump and extremists on both sides of the political spectrum who have been largely absent during months of hard negotiations. These funds would be better used for programs like PPP and unemployment insurance that directly benefit small businesses and hardworking families who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.This is a gratuitous political gesture that threatens our children's future for short term political gain. I feel for all of those who are suffering today due to financial hardship and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on a bipartisan, bicameral basis to find ways to provide relief during these difficult times.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=5536,Sen. Cruz Applauds Trump Administration for Providing Emergency Learning Scholarships,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement applauding the administration's move to expand educational opportunity: ""With far too many Democrat officials flexing their authoritarian instincts, millions of families across the country are hurting right now. Arbitrary shutdowns of public and private K-12 schools have left a generation of students behind. I'm grateful the administration has taken this step to provide emergency learning scholarships for students, empowering parents with the resources they need to support their children's education during these unprecedented times. I'll continue working with my colleagues to reopen the economy, and get Americans safely back to work and school."" Read the executive order here. Sen. Cruz has fought to provide American families with the resources needed to provide for their children's public, private, or homeschool education during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, Sen. Cruz introduced the School Choice Now Act with Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), legislation that ensures all students will return to their pre-pandemic educational institutions. In September, three of Sen. Cruz's education proposals were included in the Senate Republicans' targeted COVID-19 relief bill. Throughout his career, Sen. Cruz has led the fight to expand school choice and educational opportunities for American students. Learn more about his efforts here and here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/emergency-coronavirus-spending-bill-signed-into-law-includes-hirono-backed-education-priorities,Emergency Coronavirus Spending Bill Signed Into Law Includes Hirono-Backed Education Priorities,2020-12-28,2020,2020-12,Democrat,Senate,HI,Mazie Hirono,H001042,www.hirono.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 28, 2020 Emergency Coronavirus Spending Bill Signed Into Law Includes Hirono-Backed Education Priorities Bill includes substantial funding for K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and early childhood programs to respond to COVID-19 HONOLULU Senator Mazie K. Hirono successfully advocated for education programs in the emergency coronavirus relief bill that will support K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and early childhood programs as they respond to COVID-19. The bill also includes provisions from Senator Hirono's Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act to strengthen and expand the federal Pell Grant program and improve financial aid for students. Students and educators in Hawaii and elsewhere need support as they continue to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. This legislation includes provisions I have worked on to strengthen and expand the federal Pell Grant program, which will improve college affordability for lower income students. It also includes funding to support K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and early childhood providers,Senator Hirono said.While this bill provides much-needed funding, the scope of this pandemic means that we will need to take further action, and I stand ready to work with my colleagues to provide additional investments in education and child care. The legislation includes the following funding for education priorities; the Hawaii-specific estimates below were calculated by the Congressional Research Service using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Education: K-12 Schools: $183.6 million for Hawaii schools to address the pandemic's consequences on K-12 schools, with flexibility to address learning loss for at-risk and marginalized students through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSERF).The legislation provides $54.3 billion in total funding for the ESSERF, and includes flexibility for schools to address learning loss in low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care. In October, Senator Hirono introduced theLearning Opportunity and Achievement Act, which provides funding for states, school districts, teachers, school leaders, and others to address learning loss due to COVID-19. She also cosponsored the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act (CCCERA), which included $175 billion for the ESSERF, and requirements to measure and address learning loss. $14.2 million for Hawaii to support K-12 schools, colleges and universities, early childhood programs, and other programs through the Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEERF).The legislation provides $4.1 billion in total funding for the GEERF, which states can use to support studentsincluding through innovation grants. CCCERA included $33 billion for the GEERF. E-Rate:$3.2 billion to expand broadband connectivity for teachers and students across the country. Higher Education: $56.8 million to provide support for institutions of higher education in Hawaii and their students through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).The legislation provides $23.0 billion in total funding for the HEERF. Federal Pell Grant Program:Several parts of Senator Hirono'sPell Grant Preservation and Expansion Actto strengthen and expand the Pell Grant program were included in the end-of-year package, including provisions to restore eligibility for incarcerated individuals, students who have been defrauded, and students with drug-related offenses, raise the auto-zero threshold, and increase the income protection allowanceimproving the program for students. Earlier this year, Senator Hirono led a letter with 43 Senate colleagues requesting expanded eligibility and support for the Pell Grant program in Fiscal Year 2021. Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs):Nationally, the bill included $1.7 billion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges (TCUs), and other MSIsincluding Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions like the University of Hawaii. Earlier this year, Senator Hirono led a letter with 18 colleagues requesting strong and continued support for HBCUs, TCUs, and other MSIs in Fiscal Year 2021. Early Childhood: $34.1 million for Hawaii through the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG).The total program funding is set at$10 billion for child care providers to promote healthy and safe learning environments for workers, students, and families, and to provide financial assistance for low-income families through CCDBG. Earlier this year, Senator Hirono led a letter with Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and 39 other colleagues, requesting strong support for early childhood programs, including CCDBG, Head Start/Early Head Start programs, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act early childhood services, and Preschool Development Grants in Fiscal Year 2021. ### Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z