url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-the-passing-of-senator-walter-dee-huddleston/,"Yarmuth Statement on the Passing of Senator Walter ""Dee"" Huddleston",2018-10-16,2018,2018-10,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) released the statement below on the passing of former United States Senator Walter ""Dee"" Huddleston. ""Dee Huddleston was a kindhearted and thoughtful man. Though he was a spirited politician, he never quite enjoyed the combative side of politics. His interests remained in serving the people of Kentucky to the very best of his ability. When he was first elected to the Senate in 1973, I was working as a staffer for Senator Cook, and I had the distinct joy of getting to know him and his staff well as we developed a great working relationship and friendship inside the Capitol and out. We stayed in touch over the years, and even compared political notes after I became a Democrat. Dee had an unmatched personality and a heart of gold. His family will be in my thoughts and prayers."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/rep-yarmuth-statement-on-kavanaugh-confirmation/,Rep. Yarmuth Statement on Kavanaugh Confirmation,2018-10-06,2018,2018-10,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) issued the statement below following the Senate's vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States: This will be remembered as a dark day in U.S. history. Today, the Republican Senate majority told survivors of sexual assault everywhere that their stories don't matter, that the truth doesn't matter. They gave a deeply unpopular and blatantly dishonest partisan a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land, under a cloud of credible allegations, for the most political and ideological of reasons. I believe that the American people will refuse to stand for this and the Republican Party will very soon regret their betrayal. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-trump-administrations-proposed-rule-to-scrap-the-clean-power-plan/,Yarmuth Statement on Trump Administration's Proposed Rule to Scrap the Clean Power Plan,2018-08-21,2018,2018-08,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) issued the statement below following the Trump Administration's announcement of its formal plan to roll back President Obama's Clean Power Plan proposal to reduce carbon emissions from power production. Today, the Trump Administration took another dangerous step in its continued assault on clean air, clean water, and a healthy future for Americans. Replacing the Clean Power Plan with this irresponsible plan is a complete giveaway to large corporate polluters and fossil fuel special interests at the expense of American families. It will compromise our environment and the health and wellbeing of future generations, which the EPA's own analysis confirms. I will fight this plan every step of the way. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-submits-formal-comment-on-gov-bevins-failed-medicaid-waiver-request/,Yarmuth Submits Formal Comment on Gov. Bevin's Failed Medicaid Waiver Request,2018-08-15,2018,2018-08,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) submitted formal comments to the federal government regarding their reconsideration of Governor Matt Bevin's controversial Medicaid waiver proposal. Federal officials reopened the comment period last month after a judge struck down Bevin's plan that would impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients, require premiums and co-pays, and make other changesand remanded it back to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for further review. Yarmuth submitted his comments via a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, urging the Secretary to protect the more than 500,000 Kentuckians who rely on expanded Medicaid coverage for life-saving care. Analysis released by the Bevin administration show that some 95,000 people would lose coverage within the first five years alone of the Governor's controversial Kentucky HEALTH proposal. While I appreciate that CMS is allowing additional comments to be made, the fact remains that under Governor Bevin's waiver plan tens of thousands of Kentuckians will be dropped from their health insurance entirely, and hundreds of thousands more will lose access to needed services, Yarmuth wrote. The fact that Governor Bevin is pursuing these dangerous changes for purely political reasons is immoral, and on its own should cause for the rejection of the waiver. But the Governor's waiver plan also clearly violates the law, as it fails, according to Judge Boasberg, to furnish medical assistance to Kentucky's citizens, which is a central objective of Medicaid.' Yarmuth had previously written to Azar in early July following Governor Bevin's decision to terminate vision and dental benefits for Medicaid beneficiaries. Though Bevin ultimately restored benefits after much public outcry, Azar still has not yet responded to Yarmuth's inquiry. Kentucky residents can join Yarmuth in submitting public comments on Governor Bevin's proposal via the CMS website. The current comment period is scheduled to close on August 18 at 11:00pm. Full text of Yarmuth's comment can be found below, and a copy of the letter is available here: August 15, 2018 The Honorable Alex M. Azar II Secretary Department of Health and Human Services Hubert H. Humphrey Building 200 Independence Ave, SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Secretary Azar: I am writing to once again express my strong opposition to Kentucky's Section 1115 Medicaid waiver application and to urge you to protect the health coverage of more than 500,000 Kentuckians. Since I last formally submitted a comment on this proposal, a new administration has entered the White House, the Section 1115 waiver (Kentucky HEALTH) was approved, and District Judge James Boasberg struck it down. While a lot has changed, one thing remains the same Governor Matt Bevin's waiver puts Kentuckians at risk of losing life-saving health care, and there have been no revisions submitted to his proposal that would change that fact. Instead of expanding coverage and health outcomes for low-income individuals in the state, as is the goal of Medicaid and the 1115 waiver program, Governor Bevin chose to unilaterally reform the law, attempting to turn a health care program into a jobs program contrary to the long-standing intent of Congress. As Judge Boasberg stated in his decision, (to) the extent Congress sought to promote health' and well-being' here, it chose a specific method: covering the costs of medical services. Yet, with your approval, Governor Bevin's waiver request instead took health coverage away from individuals. While there are certainly benefits to employment, work requirements have long been proven ineffective in meeting this goal, and are particularly cruel given the challenges many low-income Kentucky families face in the job market. In fact, as was recently reported in the Wall Street Journal, (taking) medical care away from low-wage workers in unstable jobs is not only ineffective in promoting employment, it may be counterproductive, since losing access to regular treatment can make it harder for people with serious health needs to look for and keep a job. Taking health care away from 95,000 people, as Kentucky HEALTH would do, would not make them healthier or increase their employment prospects. While I appreciate that CMS is allowing additional comments to be made, the fact remains that under Governor Bevin's waiver plan tens of thousands of Kentuckians will be dropped from their health insurance entirely, and hundreds of thousands more will lose access to needed services. The fact that Governor Bevin is pursuing these dangerous changes for purely political reasons is immoral, and on its own should cause for the rejection of the waiver. But the Governor's waiver plan also clearly violates the law, as it fails, according to Judge Boasberg, to furnish medical assistance to Kentucky's citizens, which is a central objective of Medicaid. The Bevin waiver, through its arbitrary red tape and punitive eligibility hurdles, fails to deliver health care in a way consistent with Medicaid law. I, therefore, urge you to follow the law and reject Governor Bevin's 1115 waiver request. The health and well-being of Kentucky residents who rely on Medicaid is at stake. Sincerely, John Yarmuth Member of Congress ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-trumpputin-summit/,Yarmuth Statement on Trump-Putin Summit,2018-07-16,2018,2018-07,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) issued the statement below regarding President Trump's remarks following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin: The President of the United States made his choices clear today in Helsinki. He chose a murderous dictator over his own intelligence community, propaganda and bullying over a Constitutional free press, his own political aspiration over U.S. election security, and frankly, Russia over America. President Trump showed the free world today that they cannot rely on the U.S. as an ally because Vladimir Putin now calls the shots. This is a disgraceful chapter in American history and proof that U.S. interests are not even a factor in the decision making of this president. I don't know what else my Republican colleagues need before they raise their voices in defense of their country against this treachery. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-demands-answers-from-hhs-following-gov-bevins-cuts-in-health-coverage-for-hundreds-of-thousands-of-kentuckians/,Yarmuth Demands Answers from HHS Following Gov. Bevin's Cuts in Health Coverage for Hundreds of Thousands of Kentuckians,2018-07-10,2018,2018-07,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) called for answers from Secretary Alex Azar of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) following Governor Matt Bevin's retaliatory actions last week to eliminate vision and dental coverage for hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians after a judge vacated federal approval of his controversial Medicaid waiver proposal. In a letter to the Secretary, Yarmuth is seeking clarification on what authority Bevin had to make changes to the state's Medicaid program without public notification or HHS approval. In his haste to strip these services away from families across Kentucky, Governor Bevin gave no warning to patients or guidance to providers, resulting in chaos and reports of men, women, and children being denied access to the treatments they need forced to walk away from appointments and scheduled procedures, Yarmuth writes. Given that the federal government covers 94 percent of all Medicaid expansion costs in Kentucky, the dysfunction Governor Bevin has brought to this critical health care system should be of great concern to you and your agency. Text of the letter can be found below, and a copy of the letter is available here: July 10, 2018 The Honorable Alex M. Azar II Secretary Department of Health and Human Services Hubert H. Humphrey Building 200 Independence Ave, SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Secretary Azar: As you are aware, Governor Matt Bevin of my home state of Kentucky submitted a Section 1115 Medicaid waiver application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which was approved in January. Approval of that waiver was vacated on June 29 by United States District Judge James Boasberg largely on the grounds that CMS failed to consider the dramatic loss in coverage that would result from Governor Bevin's plan. That same day, Governor Bevin's administration abruptly announced that they would immediately end dental and vision coverage for the Commonwealth's entire Medicaid expansion, which includes more than 500,000 Kentuckians. The Bevin administration blamed the court's ruling as the reason for this retaliation. I write to you today to seek clarification regarding these changes. Specifically: Can Governor Bevin restrict or eliminate coverage for services provided under Medicaid without explicit approval from CMS, and without any prior notification to the public? Did CMS approve a State Plan Amendment for Kentucky eliminating vision and dental services for our Medicaid expansion population prior to Governor Bevin's announcement that coverage for those services would be eliminated? The court ruling vacated the waiver in its entirety, explicitly maintaining existing coverage while the waiver is remanded back to CMS for further review. Given the Court's continuation of the status quo, how can the funding mechanism for dental and vision benefits that were already part of the current State Plan and Alternative Benefit Plan be eliminated? Has CMS approved any other requests by the Bevin Administration to restrict or end coverage for Medicaid services in Kentucky? In his haste to strip these services away from families across Kentucky, Governor Bevin gave no warning to patients or guidance to providers, resulting in chaos and reports of men, women, and children being denied access to the treatments they need forced to walk away from appointments and scheduled procedures. Given that the federal government covers 94 percent of all Medicaid expansion costs in Kentucky, the dysfunction Governor Bevin has brought to this critical health care system should be of great concern to you and your agency. Kentucky's Medicaid expansion was once a national model of success, so I hope you can provide answers to the questions above. Health care coverage for the people of Kentucky is too important to be jeopardized by politics and dysfunction. Thank you for your attention to this request. I will await your response. Sincerely, John Yarmuth Member of Congress ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-ruling-striking-down-governor-bevins-medicaid-work-requirements/,Yarmuth Statement on Ruling Striking Down Governor Bevin's Medicaid Work Requirements,2018-06-29,2018,2018-06,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) issued the statement below following a Federal judge's ruling to block Governor Bevin's Medicaid work requirements. Governor Bevin's efforts to severely limit health care access to Kentucky families hit a welcome roadblock today. The question now is will it drive him to the even more extreme position of terminating health care coverage for more than half a million Kentuckians as he threatened to do. Even the most conservative among us should hope not. In addition to increasing hardships on vulnerable Kentuckians and causing our state to become sicker, making good on his threat would cost the Commonwealth $30 billion in federal funding and tens of thousands of jobs. This is hardly a fiscally responsible position, particularly when you consider that the federal government covers 94 percent of all costs of our Medicaid expansion this year, 93 percent next year, and will cover 90 percent of all costs going forward. Now we'll see if Governor Bevin is truly guided by any semblance of principles, or if he is using the governorship as only a tool to serve his own partisan political ambitions. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/budget-committee-republicans-vote-to-protect-millionaires-over-gold-star-families-and-surviving-military-spouses/,Budget Committee Republicans Vote to Protect Millionaires Over Gold Star Families and Surviving Military Spouses,2018-06-21,2018,2018-06,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"VIDEO LINK:https://youtu.be/I7KU7eJeBS0 WASHINGTON Today, 18 Republicans on the House Budget Committee voted in opposition to an amendment from Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) that would have fixed an egregious penalty that prevents approximately 64,000 surviving military spouses from receiving full death benefits. The fix would have been funded by repealing less than one percentage of the GOP's tax cuts for millionaires and big corporations. The amendment failed by a vote of 14-18, with three Republicans and all Democrats present voting for it. Yarmuth was alerted to the penalty by a constituent, Ellen, whose husband died during military training in 2002. Her benefits have been significantly reduced because of this offset. Current law requires survivors of deceased military members to forfeit part or all of their Department of Defense Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity when they receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the Department of Veterans Affairs. There are an estimated 64,000 people impacted by the SBP-DIC offset, which reduces surviving spouses' benefits by an average of $1,250 per month, or $15,000 annually. The brave men and women of our armed forces who are killed in action or die as a result of their service to our nation should be able to count on us to take care of their loved ones after they're gone, said Yarmuth. Eighteen of my Republican colleagues were unwilling to honor that commitment and defeated my amendment. The fact that they could not bring themselves to set aside less than 1 percent of the trillions of dollars in tax cuts they just gave to millionaires and big corporations to protect survivors of military servicemembers is a disgrace. The Yarmuth amendment is based on bipartisan legislation, H.R. 846, the Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, that is cosponsored by 266 House members. Nine Republican members of the Budget Committee who are cosponsors of this legislation voted against the Yarmuth amendment. They include Chairman Steve Womack (AR-03) and Reps. Diane Black (TN-06), Tom Cole (OK-04), Tom McClintock (CA-04), Dave Brat (VA-07), Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Jason Smith (MO-08), Lloyd Smucker (PA-18), and Drew Ferguson (GA-03). Republican Committee members Lt. Gen. Jack Bergman (MI-01), Rep. Matt Gaetz (FL-01), and Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-06) are cosponsors of the legislation and voted for the Yarmuth amendment. Text of Yarmuth's amendment can be found here. Text of Ellen's email to Rep. Yarmuth can be found below: I am writing requesting Mr. Yarmuth's support for an issue affecting 1000s of surviving military spouses (most of which are women). The issue is covered in H.R. 846, which has over 200 bipartisan co-sponsors of which Mr. Yarmuth is one. While Mr. Yarmuth is a cosponsor, given his position as the ranking member on the Committee on the Budget, I need to ask further help from Mr. Yarmuth to find funding to end this unfair offset. Given Mr. Yarmuth's position on the Committee on the Budget, given this issue has bipartisan support, and given the funding required is minimal when compared to the overall budget, I am hoping Mr. Yarmuth can help find a solution to end this inequity. On March 9 Mr. Yarmuth, as the ranking member of the Committee on the Budget, received a copy of a letter from the chairman of the Committee of Armed Services where Mr. Thornberry lined out his committee's priorities for the NDAA FY19. Page 10 of the letter is where the issue affecting me and 1000s of other surviving military spouses is described. I'll be honest; I'm not sure how all these committees are connected. What I do know is that surviving military spouses are impacted unfairly by an offset that only affects surviving military spouses whose spouses die from a service-connected condition/incident. Additionally, the offset has been recognized as unfair because a partial replacement was established called SSIA. That is what makes the situation so frustrating. The fact that it's not fair has been acknowledged. The problem is finding someone in Congress to make it a priority to fund and to legislate and that is what I'm requesting Mr. Yarmuth work to do. I'm going to spare you additional details because the details can be found in HR846. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me for further details. There is an entire Facebook group of over 1500 members dedicated to finding a solution to this unfair offset. Thank you for your time and thank you to Mr. Yarmuth for his continued service. Sincerely, Ellen Louisville, KY ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-democratic-colleagues-introduce-legislation-to-halt-separation-of-immigrant-families/,"Yarmuth, Democratic Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Halt Separation of Immigrant Families",2018-06-19,2018,2018-06,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) joined House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler and 188 Congressional Democrats to introduce legislation to keep immigrant families together by preventing the Department of Homeland Security from separating children from their parents at the border. The legislation, entitled the Keep Families Together Act, is the House companion bill to Senator Dianne Feinstein's S. 3036, which has the support of all Senate Democrats. The Trump administration's zero tolerance' policy has created a humanitarian crisis along our own border, with children being kept in cages and crying for their parents. It is utterly heartbreaking, said Yarmuth. President Trump could end this crisis with one call, yet he has chosen not to. The Keep Families Together Act legislation I've cosponsored today alongside Ranking Member Nadler is our formal attempt to force the Trump administration to end this cruel practice. Families belong together, and this administration's inhumane actions must stop immediately. Additionally, the legislation would: Keep Families Together: The bill promotes family unity by prohibiting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from separating children from their parents, except in extraordinary circumstances. In these limited circumstances, separation could not occur unless parental rights have been terminated, a child welfare agency has issued a best interest determination, or the Port Director or the Chief Border Patrol agent of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have approved separation due to trafficking indicators or other concerns of risk to the child. It requires an independent child welfare official to review any such separation and return the child if no harm to the child is present. It imposes financial penalties on officials who violate the prohibition on family separation. Limit Criminal Prosecutions for Asylum Seekers: The majority of the parents separated at the border are being criminally prosecuted for illegal entry or re-entry. This bill restricts the prosecution of parents who are asylum seekers by adopting the recommendation of the DHS Office of Inspector General. The bill delays prosecutions for illegal entry or re-entry for asylum seekers and creates an affirmative defense for asylum seekers. It also codifies our commitment to the Refugee protocol prohibiting the criminal punishment of those seeking protection from persecution. Increase Child Welfare Training: The bill requires all CBP officers and agents to complete child welfare training on an annual basis. Port Directors and Chief Border Agents, those who are authorized to make decisions on family separations, must complete an additional 90 minutes of annual child-welfare training. Establish Public Policy Preference for Family Reunification: The bill establishes a preference for family unity, discourages the separation of siblings, and creates a presumption that detention is not in the best interests of families and children. Add Procedures for Separated Families: The bill requires DHS to develop policies and procedures allowing parents and children to locate each other and reunite if they have been separated. Such procedures must be public and made available in a language that parents can understand. In cases of separation, it requires DHS to provide parents with a weekly report containing information about a child, and weekly phone communication. Establish Other Required Measures:In order to inform Congressional oversight and promote public understanding of the use family separation, the bill requires a report on the separation of families every six months. The House version of the Keep Families Together Act is endorsed by the ACLU, Kids in Need of Defense, Human Rights First, Washington Office on Latin America, Women's Refugee Commission, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Latin American Working Group, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, New York Immigration Coalition, Third Way, Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights, Indivisible, Public Counsel's Immigrants' Rights Project, MomsRising, America's Voice, Legal Aid Justice Center, Al Otro Lado, Amnesty International USA, Anti-Defamation League, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, UnidosUS, Hispanic Federation, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Church World Service, Main Street Alliance, Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, Kino Border Initiative, National Immigrant Justice Center, The Children's Partnership, SchoolHouse Connection, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, National Hispanic Leadership Agenda and more. Text of the legislation can be found here:",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-governor-bevins-takeover-of-jcps/,Yarmuth Statement on Governor Bevin's Takeover of JCPS,2018-04-30,2018,2018-04,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) issued the statement below following the announcement of the Bevin Administration's planned takeover of Jefferson County Public Schools: Governor Bevin's announced takeover of the largest public school district in the Commonwealth is the latest and most disconcerting assault in his ongoing war on public education. Rather than working with Dr. Pollio and experienced educators on the progress being made and providing the resources necessary to improve our schools, Bevin has instead decided to pursue a personal agenda that demands our schools do more with less. The governor has spent the last several months trying to cheat our teachers out of their promised benefits, and now he has shown his intent to cheat more than 100,000 Jefferson County students as well. Louisville families want a voice in securing better futures for their children, and their governor has snatched that from them. I share the concern and outrage of parents in our community over this betrayal and will continue to work in any way I can to protect our schools from this reckless political ideology that seeks to divert money from public schools at the expense of Louisville's children. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/house-democrats-release-statement-on-violence-in-gaza/,House Democrats Release Statement on Violence in Gaza,2018-04-26,2018,2018-04,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Representatives John Yarmuth (KY-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), David Price (NC-04), Lloyd Doggett (TV-35), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Peter Welch (VT-AL), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), and Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) released the statement below regarding the ongoing violence in Gaza: We are deeply concerned by the violence and the tragic loss of life along the border of Gaza. As strong supporters of Israel and advocates for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we respect Israel's right to defend itself. However, short of a threat to human life, we call on the Israeli Defense Forces to immediately stop using deadly force against unarmed protestors. Likewise, we respect the Palestinians who are advocating for change through peaceful means. However, we call on the Palestinian demonstrators to renounce the violence and inflammatory rhetoric expressed by Hamas. With demonstrations expected to last into May, we urge both Israelis and Palestinians to refrain from any actions that would further escalate tensions and cause further bloodshed. Both the Israelis and Palestinians have a right to a just, safe, and secure future, which can only be achieved through diplomacynot military action. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/reps-yarmuth-reichert-denham-introduce-runaway-and-homeless-youth-trafficking-prevention-act/,"Reps. Yarmuth, Reichert, Denham Introduce Runaway and Homeless Youth Trafficking Prevention Act",2018-03-20,2018,2018-03,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressmen John Yarmuth (KY-3), Dave Reichert (WA-8), and Jeff Denham (CA-10) introduced H.R. 5339, the Runaway and Homeless Youth Trafficking Prevention Act (RHYTPA). This bipartisan legislation will reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Actcurrently the only federal program targeted solely to help runaway youth. In addition, the legislation includes new protections for youth victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. There are approximately 4.2 million young people between the ages of 13 and 25 in the United States who experience homelessness annually, including 700,000 unaccompanied youth age 17 or younger. More must be done to combat youth homelessness and make sure that young people in America know theyll always have a place they can turn to for shelter and safety, said Rep. Yarmuth. Im proud Reps. Reichert and Denham are joining me in introducing this important legislation and for creating strong bipartisan support for this effort. When young people become homeless, they arent just losing the security of a safe place to sleep, theyre also losing out on opportunities for future success. Often overseen and left behind, runaway children and homeless youth are some of the most vulnerable in our society, said Rep. Reichert. Having run away and lived out of my car when I was a teenager, I know just how important it is to have a place to go, and help to turn to. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation to provide opportunities and support when these youth need it most. This is the help that can make all the difference in their lives and set their future path toward success. Homelessness and human trafficking are two of the biggest problems we face in Californias Central Valley, saidRep. Denham. Im working with programs in my community to improve the lives of at-risk youth, and this bill will further empower them to do that especially when it comes to strengthening trafficking prevention efforts and victim assistance. RHYTPA will reauthorize vital programs administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Basic Center Program, to provide short-term emergency shelter and family reunification services to runaway and homeless youth; the Transitional Living Center, which provides longer-term residential services and life skills, education, and employment supports to older homeless youth; and the Street Outreach Program, which provides crisis intervention and service referrals to runaway and homeless youth at street locations and drop-in centers. Additionally, the measure includes a provision to improve support for family reunification and intervention, which can be critical to successful youth outcomes. Runaway and homeless youth programs provide life-saving services to youth all across America, and the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act makes necessary updates to improve the critical community-based care, housing and counseling that homeless youth and young adults in crisis need to prevent or address homelessness, avoid or leave victimization, reconnect with education and achieve long-term success as adults, said Darla Bardine, Executive Director of the National Network for Youth, a public education and policy advocacy organization dedicated to the prevention and eradication of youth homelessness in America. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-urges-kentucky-general-assembly-passage-of-hb166/,Yarmuth Urges Kentucky General Assembly Passage of HB166,2018-03-13,2018,2018-03,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) released the statement below urging the Kentucky General Assembly to adopt House Bill 166 to legalize medical cannabis: I am proud to stand with Rep. Sims, Sec. Grimes, and others throughout Kentucky in support of House Bill 166 to legalize medical cannabis in the Commonwealth. From Parkinsons disease, to multiple sclerosis, to veterans battling PTSD, and others fighting a range of debilitating illnesses, we need to make sure that all Kentuckians have access to effective medical treatments, and that includes medical cannabis. Kentucky has the opportunity to join with 30 other states and the District of Columbia in being a leader on this important health issue, and I will do all I can at the federal level to ensure that this Congress and the Trump Administration respects that work. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/rep-yarmuth-colleagues-introduce-assault-weapons-ban-of-2018/,"Rep. Yarmuth, Colleagues Introduce Assault Weapons Ban of 2018",2018-02-26,2018,2018-02,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) joined Congressman David Cicilline (RI-01) and more than 150 of their Democratic colleagues in introducing the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018, legislation that would improve upon the previous Assault Weapons Ban to prohibit the sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of both semi-automatic weapons and ammunition feeding devices capable of accepting more than 10 rounds. Yarmuth is an original cosponsor of the bill. These semi-automatic weapons and high capacity magazines belong on our battlefields, not our classrooms, concert venues, or anywhere else in our communities, said Yarmuth. As the teenage survivors of the Parkland shooting have so eloquently reminded us, it will take the courage and action of elected officials to save lives. Im proud to join so many of my colleagues in taking this action today. We now need the Republican Leadership to find some courage. The Assault Weapons Ban of 2018 will prohibit the sale, transfer, production, and importation of semi-automatic rifles and pistols with a military-style feature that can accept a detachable magazine; semi-automatic rifles with a fixed magazine that can hold more than 10 rounds; semi-automatic shotguns with a military-style feature; any ammunition feeding device that can hold more than 10 rounds; and 205 specifically-named and listed firearms. Assault weapons were made for one purpose. They are designed to kill as many people as possible in a short amount of time. They do not belong in our communities, said Cicilline, the bills primary sponsor. I am proud to introduce the Assault Weapons Ban with the support of leaders in law enforcement. Its on all of us to end this carnage. Full text of the legislation as introduced can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-the-trump-fy19-budget/,Yarmuth Statement on the Trump FY19 Budget,2018-02-12,2018,2018-02,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, issues the following statement on the release of President Trumps FY19 budget: The Trump budget proposal makes clear his desire to enact massive cuts to health care, anti-poverty programs, and investments in economic growth to blunt the deficit-exploding impact of his tax cuts for millionaires and corporations. These cuts to critical federal investments are so extreme they can only reflect a disdain for working families and a total lack of vision for a stronger society.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-president-trumps-state-of-the-union-address/,Yarmuth Statement on President Trump's State of the Union Address,2018-01-30,2018,2018-01,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) released the statement below following President Donald Trumps first State of the Union address: The state of our union is anxious. The American people have understandably found it hard to have faith or confidence in the words of a man who promises one thing one day and does the complete opposite the next. As a result, it is likely that few minds will be changed by tonights State of the Union address. Our nation needs a President who will not only offer a plan to invest in our infrastructure, advance comprehensive immigration reform, and provide a realistic long-term strategy to fund our government, but also has the ability to deliver. We are still waiting for that President. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-announces-guest-for-2018-state-of-the-union-address/,Yarmuth Announces Guest for 2018 State of the Union Address,2018-01-26,2018,2018-01,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) announced that his guest for the State of Union Address next week will be Leo Salinas Chacn, a University of Louisville student and DREAMer who was brought to the United States from El Salvador when he was 3 years old. Im thrilled to welcome Leo as my guest for this address and Im glad to know that he will be among those staring back at this President, reminding him that we are a nation built by and for individuals of all ethnicities and nationalities, representing every race, color, and creed, said Yarmuth. Ill continue to urge President Trump and my Republican colleagues to bring the bipartisan fix for DACA recipients to the floor for a vote so the voices of these brave individuals can be heard and they will no longer have to live their lives in fear of deportation. In September, the Trump Administration announced it would end the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program that allowed minors brought to the United States deferred action on deportation provided they meet rigorous standards. An estimated 800,000 individuals in the U.S. qualify for the program. Salinas is a graduate of Eastern High School and is currently a Junior at the University of Louisville, pursuing degrees in Economics and Spanish. He serves as President of the Latin American Hispanic Student Organization and is a Fellow in UofLs Martin Luther King Scholars Program. The State of the Union address will be delivered on January 30, 2018 at 9:00pm. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-senate-agreement-to-temporarily-fund-government-operations-through-february-8/,Yarmuth Statement on Senate Agreement to Temporarily Fund Government Operations Through February 8,2018-01-22,2018,2018-01,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) released the statement below regarding his opposition to an agreement made in the Senate to temporarily fund government operations through February 8, conditional on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells promise to take up legislation to address the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program: We should be doing far more for the American people than this short-term, short-on-leadership spending gap bill. But the responsibility now lies with Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan to not just help DREAMers by ending the DACA crisis that President Trump created, but also show whether or not theyre capable of fulfilling their primary responsibility as the majority party in power: passing a budget that adequately funds our government for the remainder of the fiscal year. On four separate occasions so far, Congressional Republicans have shown they are incapable of completing this task of governing. They now have 17 days to learn how to do their job and keep the promise theyve made to the American people. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-introduces-constitutional-amendment-to-get-big-money-out-of-politics/,Yarmuth Introduces Constitutional Amendment to Get Big Money Out of Politics,2018-01-19,2018,2018-01,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON As the 8th anniversary of the Supreme Courts disastrous Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision approaches this weekend, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) has introduced a Constitutional amendment to override key elements of recent Supreme Court decisions that have opened the floodgates for unlimited individual and special interest spending on campaigns. The measure, H. J. Res. 126, would amend the Constitution so financial expenditures and in-kind contributions would no longer qualify as forms of protected speech under the First Amendment. First introduced by Yarmuth in 2011, the amendment would also enable Congress to establish a public financing system for campaigns that would be the sole source of all campaign funding, diminishing the influence of wealthy donors on elections and expanding opportunities for citizens to run for office. With huge sums of money pouring into our election system cycle after cycle, the American people are losing their basic fundamental right to meaningful and fair representation in government, said Yarmuth. Elections, referendums, and ballot initiatives are being bought and sold to the highest bidders, with anonymous donors and deceivingly-named special interest groups willing to lie, cheat, and steal to win out. Well never be able to tackle the important issues that the public rightly demands from its elected officials until we restore the principles of our democracy and put people back in power. That is why I am introducing this Constitutional Amendment and look forward to continuing to fight to ensure a basic level of honesty and integrity in our electoral system. Eight years ago, in its decision on Citizens United, the Supreme Court lifted limits on corporate and special-interest spending in federal elections. In 2014, the Courts decision in McCutcheon v. FEC overturned aggregate limits, allowing a single individual to contribute millions of dollars to political parties and candidates campaigns. Combined with the continued absence of stronger disclosure requirements, the decisions have led to unprecedented outside spending on campaigns all with less accountability. Super PACs and other outside groups spent more than $1.3 billion to influence the 2016 elections alone, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. That total is a conservative estimate that does not include political spending that goes unreported due to disclosure loopholes. A copy of Yarmuths Constitutional Amendment can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-federal-approval-of-gov-bevins-dangerous-medicaid-waiver/,Yarmuth Statement on Federal Approval of Gov. Bevin's Dangerous Medicaid Waiver,2018-01-12,2018,2018-01,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"LOUISVILLE Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) issued the statement below following the Trump Administrations approval of Governor Matt Bevins Medicaid waiver that would limit access to preventive care, impose misguided work requirements, and end health care coverage for tens of thousands of Kentuckians. By approving Governor Bevins dangerous and irresponsible Medicaid waiver the Trump administration has agreed to end health coverage for 95,000 Kentuckians. During the campaign, Bevin pledged to end Kentuckys highly successful Medicaid expansion, but as governor, he did not have the courage to do it. Instead he is sabotaging it by raising premiums for families who cant afford them and creating new barriers to coverage that willby the Governors own admissionforce tens of thousands of Kentuckians to lose access to life-saving health care. Make no mistake: people will die because of this. Thousands of Kentucky families will face financial ruin. Governor Bevin and President Trump are creating an entirely unnecessary crisis in our Commonwealth for entirely political reasons. It is an unconscionable attack on our states health, and I will continue to fight for every Kentuckian to get the health care they need and deserve. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://yarmuth.house.gov/press/yarmuth-statement-on-trump-administrations-medicaid-work-requirement-announcement/,Yarmuth Statement on Trump Administration's Medicaid Work Requirement Announcement,2018-01-11,2018,2018-01,Democrat,House,KY,John Yarmuth,Y000062,yarmuth.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) released the statement below following the release of a new policy guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that will allow states to impose work requirements on Medicaid beneficiaries for the first time in history. Today, the Trump administration implemented a new policy that will jeopardize the health care of far too many Americans based on a cynical and insultingly erroneous belief that receiving Medicaid is synonymous with being lazy. The majority of individuals enrolled in Medicaid are the elderly, people with disabilities, children, students, and working families struggling to get ahead. Many others are family members caring for a sick or elderly parent, grandparent, or other family member. Those remaining are largely enrollees who are too sick to work, but do not meet the strict requirements to qualify as disabled or medically frail. They will now have nowhere to turn for health care at all. The fact remains that work requirements do not make it more likely low-income individuals will find employment, but they will result in struggling families becoming poorer and sicker. This will be clearly evident in Kentucky, which will soon be the unfortunate poster child of this dangerous policy. It is now expected that Governor Bevins misguided Medicaid waiver request, which includes work requirements, will be approved by the Trump Administration. This will be the first waiver of its kind approved in the country, andby the Governors own admissionwill take life-saving health care coverage away from more than 90,000 Kentuckians. My only hope is that the chaos caused by this policy and the desperation of the Kentucky families who will soon lose their only access to health coverage will force Governor Bevin to demonstrate some level of compassion and reverse this disgraceful policy. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z