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://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-announces-winner-of-2021-congressional-app-challenge,Emmer Announces Winner of 2021 Congressional App Challenge,2021-12-31,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MN,Tom Emmer,E000294,emmer.house.gov,emmer,https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.— Today, Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) announced his selection of the app Depression Revolution as winner of the Congressional App Challenge. The app was developed by Aryssa Trotter, a seventh-grader at Central Middle School in Norwood Young America. Depression Revolution is designed to connect Minnesotans suffering from mental illness with resources to help. “Today’s students are learning in a world of rapidly-developing technology. For our next generation of innovators, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills are more important than ever,” said Emmer. “The promise shown by the young coders and developers of Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District is impressive.” Emmer continued, “I am encouraged to see young people recognize the potential of technology to combat our nation’s mental health crisis.” Depression Revolution will be displayed in the United States Capitol Building and featured on the House of Representatives’ website, House.gov. Aryssa has also earned an invitation to the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington, D.C. Background: The Congressional App Challenge is an initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the most prestigious prize in student computer science. Members of Congress can host district-wide contests for students in middle school and high school. The Challenge accepts computer programs (or apps) written in any programming language, for any platform (desktop/PC, web, mobile, raspberry Pi, etc). To learn more about the competition, click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-statement-on-fdic-chairman-mcwilliams-resignation/,Senator Scott Statement on FDIC Chairman McWilliams’ Resignation,2021-12-31,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) released the following statement on Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Jelena McWilliams’ resignation after a politically-motivated attempt to undermine the independence of the agency. “I am thankful for Chairman McWilliams’ service as FDIC chairman,” said Senator Scott. “She played an instrumental role in the implementation of rules to alleviate regulatory burdens on community banks and helped guide the industry through pandemic-related economic uncertainty. Her strong and fair leadership will be greatly missed. “Over the course of her career, Chairman McWilliams has established an impressive reputation as a good faith negotiator and dealmaker, all while staying true to her core principles. Moreover, throughout her FDIC tenure, she has been a consummate consensus builder. The fact that Biden administration regulators have seemingly failed to conduct board business through the standard procedural channels in an open and honest manner with a regulator as well known for her integrity as Chairman McWilliams speaks volumes. I remain deeply concerned that the flagrant, politically-motivated efforts to appropriate the authorities granted by FDIC bylaws to the agency’s Senate-confirmed chairman represent a dangerous attempt to politicize the independent and historically apolitical practice of federal bank regulation.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=4923,"Reps. Allen, Stefanik, Foxx, Banks, Sen. Braun Lead Opposition to Biden Vaccine Mandate in Upcoming SCOTUS Case",2021-12-30,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,GA,Rick W. Allen,A000372,allen.house.gov,allen,https://allen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12), House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (NY-21), House Education and Labor Committee Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks (IN-03), and Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) led over 130 Representatives and over 40 Senators in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in the upcoming case considering the Biden Administration’s top-down Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring private employers with over 100 employees to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine or weekly testing. The brief argues that Congress did not give OSHA the authority to impose a vaccine mandate and urges SCOTUS to stay the mandate. In the brief, the Members write: “Congressional members have an interest in the powers they delegate to agencies not being abused—the legislative authority vested in the federal government belongs to Congress, not the Executive branch. In this case, the promulgation by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) of a sweeping, nationwide vaccine mandate on businesses intrudes into an area of legislative concern far beyond the authority of the agency. And it does so with a Mandate enacted through OSHA’s seldom-used ‘emergency temporary standard’ (ETS) provision that allows for bypass of notice and comment rulemaking under certain circumstances. That OSHA exceeded its authority in enacting the ETS Mandate is not a ‘particularly hard’ question.” The Members continue: “Moreover, congressional members—as representatives of the people of their States and districts—have an interest in the citizens they represent being able to craft local solutions to problems facing their States and districts. Federalism concerns should be addressed before requiring federally-imposed solutions. And this is especially true when the question at issue involves an area typically reserved to the States (such as vaccine mandates). At the least, Congress should be forced to make clear any delegations of authority into areas of State control.” Full text of the brief is available here. The brief was signed by: Reps. Rick W. Allen, Elise Stefanik, Virginia Foxx, Jim Banks, Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Robert Aderholt, Mark Amodei, Kelly Armstrong, Jodey C. Arrington, Brian Babin, Don Bacon, James R. Baird, Troy Balderson, Andy Barr, Jack Bergman, Andy Biggs, Dan Bishop, Mo Brooks, Vern Buchanan, Ted Budd, Michael C. Burgess, M.D., Kat Cammack, Earl “Buddy” Carter, Steve Chabot, Ben Cline, Michael Cloud, Andrew Clyde, James Comer, Eric A. “Rick” Crawford, Dan Crenshaw, Warren Davidson, Rodney Davis, Jeff Duncan, Neal Dunn, Ron Estes, Pat Fallon, A. Drew Ferguson, IV, Michelle Fischbach, Scott Fitzgerald, Brian Fitzpatrick, Chuck Fleischmann, Jeff Fortenberry, Russ Fulcher, Matt Gaetz, Mike Gallagher, Bob Gibbs, Louie Gohmert, Bob Good, Lance Gooden, Paul Gosar, Kay Granger, Garret Graves, Mark Green, Marjorie Taylor Greene, H. Morgan Griffith, Glenn Grothman, Michael Guest, Brett Guthrie, Andy Harris, M.D., Diana Harshbarger, Vicky Hartzler, Yvette Herrell, Jody Hice, French Hill, Ashley Hinson, Richard Hudson, Darrell Issa, Ronny L. Jackson, Chris Jacobs, Bill Johnson, Dusty Johnson, Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan, John Joyce, M.D., Fred Keller, Trent Kelly, David Kustoff, Doug LaMalfa, Doug Lamborn, Jake LaTurner, Debbie Lesko, Billy Long, Barry Loudermilk, Nancy Mace, Nicole Malliotakis, Tracey Mann, Thomas Massie, Brian Mast, Lisa McClain, Tom McClintock, Patrick McHenry, David B. McKinley, P.E., Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Dan Meuser, Mary Miller, Carol D. Miller, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D., John Moolenaar, Alexander X. Mooney, Barry Moore, Blake Moore, Markwayne Mullin, Gregory F. Murphy, M.D., Dan Newhouse, Ralph Norman, Jay Obernolte, Burgess Owens, Steven Palazzo, Gary Palmer, Scott Perry, August Pfluger, Bill Posey, Mike D. Rogers, John Rose, David Rouzer, Chip Roy, John Rutherford, Austin Scott, Adrian Smith, Jason Smith, Lloyd Smucker, Victoria Spartz, Michelle Steel, W. Gregory Steube, Claudia Tenney, Glenn “GT” Thompson, Beth Van Duyne, Ann Wagner, Tim Walberg, Jackie Walorski, Randy Weber, Bruce Westerman, Roger Williams, Joe Wilson, Robert J. Wittman Sens. John Barrasso, Marsha Blackburn, Roy Blunt, John Boozman, Mike Braun, Richard Burr, Shelley Moore Capito, Bill Cassidy, Tom Cotton, John Cornyn, Kevin Cramer, Mike Crapo, Ted Cruz, Steven Daines, Joni Ernst, Deb Fischer, Lindsey O. Graham, Chuck Grassley, Bill Hagerty, Josh Hawley, John Hoeven, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Jim Inhofe, Ron Johnson, John Kennedy, James Lankford, Cynthia Lummis, Michael S. Lee, Roger Marshall, Mitch McConnell, Jerry Moran, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Rob Portman, James E. Risch, Mike Rounds, Marco Rubio, Ben Sasse, Rick Scott, Tim Scott, Richard C. Shelby, Dan Sullivan, John Thune, Thom Tillis, Patrick Toomey, Roger Wicker, Todd Young Background: On December 17, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lifted the Fifth Circuit’s stay of the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate for large employers. The Department of Labor has stated it will begin enforcing the ETS on January 10, 2022. The Department will also give employers acting in good faith until February 9, 2022 before it will begin issuing citations for violations of the mandate’s testing requirements.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3318,Rep. Estes Announces 2021 4th District Congressional App Challenge Winner,2021-12-30,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WICHITA – Today Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) announced the Kansas 4th District winner of this year's Congressional App Challenge, Lily DeHaven. ""Technological advances continue to shape the way we work and interact with others, and the Congressional App Challenge is a great way for students to showcase their coding talent and hone their tech skills,"" said Rep. Estes. ""Now more than ever, we're seeing the need for STEAM education as demand grows for tech-based jobs. Lily's app not only highlights her technical abilities, but it is a helpful, practical browser extension for everyday lives."" This was the third year the 4th District participated in the national Congressional App Challenge. The competition offers middle school and high school students an opportunity to showcase their creativity and technical skill by submitting the app of their choosing that they have created in the last calendar year, either for a class project, extracurricular or specifically for the App Challenge. Students living in or attending school in Kansas' 4th District were eligible to compete as individuals or teams of up to four. The winning app will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building and featured on House.gov. First place winner Lily DeHaven's Focus City is a focus timer browser extension that encourages users to stay focused on important tasks. DeHaven used JavaScript and other languages to develop the app. She says her mother's experience with a mobile-based app that could also introduce distractions inspired her to build the web-based extension. DeHaven is a student at Andover eAcademy.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases/kustoff-announces-january-mobile-office-hours-1,Kustoff Announces January Mobile Office Hours,2021-12-30,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,TN,David Kustoff,K000392,kustoff.house.gov,kustoff,https://kustoff.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman David Kustoff (TN-08), announced mobile office hours for the month of January. Mobile office hours will be held on Tuesday, January 4 and Thursday, January 6. ""If you need assistance with a federal agency such as the Small Business Administration, Social Security Administration, or the Department of Veterans Affairs, I encourage you to visit our mobile office sites across West Tennessee,"" said Rep. Kustoff. ""Our office will help you get the answers you need."" Tuesday, January 4, 2022 Tipton—1:00 – 3:00PM Covington City Hall 200 West Washington Ave. Covington, TN 38019 Lake—9:00 - 11:00AM Lake County Courthouse 116 S. Court St. Tiptonville, TN 38079 Obion—1:00 – 3:00PM Obion County Mayor's Office 316 S. Third Street Union City, TN 38261 Henry—1:00 – 3:00PM Henry County Courthouse, Basement Conference Room 101 W. Washington Street Paris, TN 38242 Thursday, January 6, 2022 Fayette—9:00 – 11:00AM Fayette County Courthouse 1 Court Square Somerville, TN 38068 Crockett—9:00 – 11:00AM Crockett County Chamber 25 North Bells Street Alamo, TN 38001 Haywood—1:00 – 3:00PM Haywood County Courthouse 1 North Washington Avenue Brownsville, TN 38012 Carroll— 9:00 – 11:00AM Huntingdon City Hall 19801 E Main Street Huntingdon, TN 38344 Gibson—1:00 – 3:00PM Milan City Hall-Board Room 1061 S. Main Street Milan, TN 38358 Please note, Congressman Kustoff will not be present at these mobile office hours. For a full list of constituent's services, you can visit Congressman Kustoff'swebsite.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-tracey-mann-host-town-hall-listening-tour-across-big-first-district,Rep. Tracey Mann to Host Town Hall Listening Tour Across Big First District,2021-12-30,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Representative Mann will host 11 town hall meetings next week to hear from Kansans. Below are the meeting dates, times, and locations. More town halls in other counties within the First Congressional District will be scheduled in the coming months. MEDIA RSVP: Media is welcome at all the meetings below. Please contact Michaela Todd at Michaela.Todd@mail.house.gov to RSVP and for further information. Wednesday, January 5, 2022 Town Hall Schedule Ellis County Where: Hays Public Library Gallery 1205 Main Street | Hays, KS Time: 8:00 AM CT Rooks County Where: Plainville Memorial Library 200 1st Street SW | Plainville, KS Time: 9:45 AM CT Phillips County Where: Huck Boyd Community Center 860 Park Street | Phillipsburg, KS Time: 11:15 AM CT Norton County Where: Heaton Building 112 South State Street | Norton, KS Time: 1:30 PM CT Decatur County Where: Gateway Civic Center – Rooms 1 & 2 1 Morgan Drive | Oberlin, KS Time: 3:00 PM CT Rawlins County Where: Rawlins County Courthouse – Courtroom 607 Main Street East | Atwood, KS Time: 4:30 PM CT Cheyenne County Where: Majestic Service Truck Stop & Restaurant – Back Dining Room 510 West U.S. Highway 36 | St. Francis, KS Time: 6:00 PM CT Thursday, January 6, 2022 Town Hall Schedule Sherman County Where: Goodland Public Library 812 Broadway Avenue | Goodland, KS Time: 8:45 AM MT Thomas County Where: Colby Event Center – Meeting Rooms 1200 South Franklin Avenue | Colby, KS Time: 11:15 AM CT Sheridan County Where: Sheridan County Library – Meeting Room 801 Royal Avenue | Hoxie, KS Time: 3:00 PM CT Graham County Where: Average Joes’ 222 North Pomeroy Avenue | Hill City, KS Time: 4:30 PM CT ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/newhouse-names-winners-2021-congressional-app-challenge,Newhouse Names Winners of 2021 Congressional App Challenge,2021-12-30,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,WA,Dan Newhouse,N000189,newhouse.house.gov,newhouse,https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) announced the winners of the 2021 Central Washington Congressional App Challenge, an app competition for middle and high school students. Three 8th graders from the West Valley Innovation Center – Andrew Modine, Torin Rauch, and Tyler Iverson – have been named the competition winners. Their winning app, Beating Heart Health, aims to promote teen health and wellness by offering tools to practice and improve mindfulness and healthy sleep habits. Click here to see a preview of the winning app. “Congratulations to Andrew, Torin, and Tyler on their winning app, Beating Heart Health!” said Rep. Newhouse. “Ensuring American students are equipped with the necessary tools to succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy is of paramount importance. Each year, I am impressed by the enthusiasm for STEM exhibited by Central Washington students who make submissions to the App Challenge, and I am confident that our region will continue to cultivate young professionals who will be leaders in the field.” The winning app was selected by a panel of expert judges from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The winners will receive a computer science mentorship session with scientists from the laboratory. The winning app will be featured on a video display in the U.S. Capitol building, as well as House.gov and the Congressional App Challenge website. Background: The CAC was created because Congress recognized that STEM and computer-based skills are essential for economic growth and innovation and that the U.S. has been falling behind on these fronts. By some estimates, the U.S. may be short by as many as 1 million programmers by 2021. These are high-paying, high-demand jobs. To maintain American competitiveness, it’s crucial that the United States invests in our youth now and helps them acquire these valuable skills. The CAC encourages students to pursue those skills and recognizes them for their efforts.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-presses-biden-administration-answers-monoclonal-rationing-leaves-sick,Rep. Roy presses Biden administration for answers as monoclonal rationing leaves sick Texans without potential treatment,2021-12-30,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,TX,Chip Roy,R000614,roy.house.gov,roy,https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra Wednesday demanding answers about why department's rationing of monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments for COVID has left Texans without potential treatment against the latest COVID strain. The letter comes after the state of Texas' treatment sites ran out sotrovimab — the only authorized mAb treatment that appears to be effective against the Omicron variant. ""The decisions your Department made surrounding mAb treatment supply chain changes caused immediate disruptions to mAb treatment access, and disruptions have only gotten worse as COVID-19 has continued to circulate through our communities,"" the letter explains. ""The fallout of these decisions could prove fatal. This, while your Department has not even at a minimum been transparent about the manufacturing capabilities and supply levels of various mAb treatments whilst denying commercial purchase to block separate recourse to a life-or-death situation."" ""In Texas, including in Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, San Antonio and the Houston area, sites have completely run out of Sotrovimab and have no choice but to wait without recourse because your Department has taken full control of the supply chain,"" the letter explains. ""As you know, I have previously sent multiple inquiry letters to your Department due to foreseeable consequences of supply and access issues for mAb treatments due to your Department's changes,"" the letter explains. ""On September 13, 2021 I sent your Department a letter inquiring about changes made to the acquisition and distribution of mAb treatments – a change that moved the entire mAb supply chain into the control of HHS. I also sent a letter on November 16, 2021 with colleagues inquiring about troubling reports of individuals being turned away from treatment due to racial biases. These inquiries have gone unanswered."" ""It is essential your Department releases restrictions to purchasing mAb treatments for all variants,"" the congressman concludes. Full text of the letter isavailable here. Text of Rep. Roy's previous letters to HHS on this matter can be foundhereandhere.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/thompson-issues-2021-year-end-report,Thompson Issues 2021 Year-End Report,2021-12-30,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,thompson,https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"BELLEFONTE, Pa. – U.S. Representative Glenn ""GT"" Thompson today issued a 2021 Year-End Report, providing a snapshot of the work he focused on in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. during the year. ""Throughout 2021, we faced unforeseen challenges and tackled them head on. In addition to continuing as a senior leader of the House Committee on Education & Labor, I was promoted by my colleagues into a new role as Republican Leader of the House Agriculture Committee. This has allowed me to better work toward creating a robust rural economy in America,"" Rep. Thompson said. ""Thanks to my dedicated staff, together we have continued to provide constituent services and helped solve problems when people have nowhere else to turn."" Also included in the report are metrics for key areas, such as how many meetings Rep. Thompson hosted, the number of constituent cases resolved, the amount of constituent correspondence received and legislative bills sponsored and cosponsored. Click here to review the full report. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://amodei.house.gov/news-releases/amodei-statement-harry-reid-passing,AMODEI STATEMENT ON HARRY REID PASSING,2021-12-29,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,NV,Mark E. Amodei,A000369,amodei.house.gov,amodei,https://amodei.house.gov/news-releases,scraper,"CARSON CITY — U.S. Representative Mark Amodei (NV-02) today issued the following statement on the passing of Harry Reid: “The ultimate Nevada advocate again gets to talk boxing with Mike O’Callaghan. Rest In Peace Mr. Leader.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-demands-answers-hhs-and-fda-pfizer-vaccine-data,Congressman Biggs Demands Answers from HHS and FDA on Pfizer Vaccine Data,2021-12-29,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Andy Biggs sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) demanding answers on their claim to need 75 years to answer FOIA requests on the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine data. “It is ridiculous to assert the need for 75 years to process FOIA requests concerning information on the vaccine that Biden and the Far Left are mandating for Americans,"" said Congressman Andy Biggs. ""There must be transparency about the vaccines that American taxpayers subsidized. But, once again, the Biden administration is demonstrating the complete ineptitude of federal bureaucracy and why it has no place in dictating the private healthcare decisions of the American people.” Read full letter here. And read Congressman Biggs’s previous work on stopping COVID-19 mandates below: Freedom from Mandates Act",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://blakemoore.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-congressman-blake-moore-statement-enactment-national-medal-honor,ICYMI: Congressman Blake Moore Statement on Enactment of the National Medal of Honor Monument Act,2021-12-29,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,UT,Blake D. Moore,M001213,blakemoore.house.gov,blakemoore,https://blakemoore.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Congressman Blake Moore issued the following statement after President Biden signed the National Medal of Honor Monument Act into law earlier this week: “Signed, sealed, and delivered to our heroic Medal of Honor recipients across the nation, Congressman Marc Veasey’s and my National Medal of Honor Monument Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden. This is a great bipartisan win that will immortalize the sacrifices of America's brave servicemembers. Thank you to all who made this possible!” “Recognition in our nation’s capital for those who received our country’s highest award for valor in combat is long overdue. We’re tremendously grateful for the bill’s sponsors – Reps. Moore and Veasey and Senators Cornyn and Kaine – for championing this bipartisan legislation from the beginning, and for President Biden for swiftly signing it into law,” said Chris Cassidy, National Medal Medal of Honor Monument Foundation president and CEO. “We are ready to recognize the valor of these great heroes and all those they served alongside with a place of inspiration on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. More importantly, this monument will be a beacon for the enduring values the Medal of Honor represents: courage and sacrifice, commitment and integrity, citizenship and patriotism.” Introduced by Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) and Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), the National Medal of Honor Monument Act is bipartisan legislation that authorizes the creation of a monument that will pay homage to the values the Medal of Honor represents—courage, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, commitment, and sacrifice—and the less than 4,000 brave individuals who earned it in service to their country. The Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest military decoration and is awarded to U.S. service members who have distinguished themselves with extraordinary acts of valor. It is awarded very rarely and only to those whose service and sacrifice far exceed the call of duty. In addition to this memorial, a museum is currently being built in Arlington, Texas. The mission of the National Medal of Honor Museum is to commemorate the stories of our Medal of Honor recipients, unite Americans around the common ideals embodied by the medal, and inspire every citizen to look for ways to serve and create a lasting impact in their own communities.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-colleagues-call-on-president-biden-to-withdraw-nomination-of-dr-david-weil-for-wage-and-hour-administrator/,"Senator Scott, Colleagues Call on President Biden to Withdraw Nomination of Dr. David Weil for Wage & Hour Administrator",2021-12-29,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) in urging President Biden to formally withdraw the nomination of Dr. David Weil to be Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage & Hour Division. In a letter, the senators cited that the Senate’s HELP Committee was unable to report Dr. Weil’s nomination favorably when it was considered this year and listed concerns with actions Dr. Weil took while serving as Wage & Hour Administrator during the Obama administration, including implementing job-killing rules, arbitrarily constricting the standard for who is considered an independent contractor, and presiding over a 93% increase in litigation due to an expansion of the “joint employer” definition. “Small business entrepreneurs in this country deserve a Wage and Hour Division Administrator that will work constructively alongside them,” the senators wrote. “The Senate has spoken this year that Dr. Weil is not the right fit for this position. We appreciate your responsiveness to this request, and ask for prompt confirmation that the nomination of Dr. David Weil is formally withdrawn.” Click here to download or read the full text of the letter below: Dear Mr. President, We write to urge you to formally withdraw the nomination of Dr. David Weil, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor, vice Cheryl Marie Stanton. Dr. Weil’s track record is hostile to employers, unproductive to the employees served by such employers, and the actions he took at the federal level were mired in costly litigation. The United States Constitution divides the responsibility for populating top positions in the federal government between the President and the United States Senate. The appointments clause (Article II, Section 2) empowers the President to nominate “by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate”. The role of the Senate to give advice and consent is an integral part of the process for populating top officials in our government. The Senate received Dr. Weil’s nomination on June 8, 2021. The Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) carefully considered the merits of his nomination, actions that included a full committee hearing. The HELP Committee was unable to favorably report Dr. Weil’s nomination to the full Senate during an August 3, 2021 business meeting, lacking the necessary votes to do so. In the nearly five months that followed this failed business meeting, no action was taken by the full Senate to discharge or otherwise consider his nomination. On December 21, 2021, this nomination was formally returned to the White House, as the Senate did not give consent to hold over Dr. Weil’s nomination. The lack of sufficient support for Dr. Weil’s nomination is not surprising considering the actions he took during the Obama administration as Wage & Hour Administrator. Chief among the concerns with his record: promulgation of a job-killing overtime rule in 2016 that overstepped and was therefore struck down by the U.S. District Court; an arbitrarily strict standard for classification of independent contractors in 2015; and a destructive expansion of “joint employer” definition in 2016 that led to a 93 percent increase in litigation. Additionally, both Dr. Weil and the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have refused to provide all the documents regarding Weil’s actions with the Labor Advisory Board in Massachusetts. Requests to both by the Ranking Member’s staff have been stonewalled and public records requests have been unnecessarily delayed. These are not the actions of an individual committed to transparency and accountability in government service. His nomination has raised sincere concerns on behalf of many of the constituencies we represent. Small business entrepreneurs in this country deserve a Wage and Hour Division Administrator that will work constructively alongside them. The Senate has spoken this year that Dr. Weil is not the right fit for this position. We appreciate your responsiveness to this request, and ask for prompt confirmation that the nomination of Dr. David Weil is formally withdrawn. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=836,BACON STATEMENT AFTER FY22 NDAA SIGNED INTO LAW,2021-12-28,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,NE,Don Bacon,B001298,bacon.house.gov,bacon,https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"WASINGTON, DC – Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02), member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was signed into law: “It was good for America’s national security that the President signed the FY22 NDAA into law, a major milestone that restores our military readiness, strengthens relations with our allies, and provides the necessary assistance and support to our military and their family members. While we have made tremendous strides, this is just the beginning. Our allies and enemies are watching our every move, and our national security strategy is being tested. As we look to 2022, we need to remain vigilant. I will continue to work diligently on both sides of the aisle and with both Chambers to keep crafting defense legislation that ensures our Armed Forces can deter aggression and dominate in every domain.” A summary of the FY22 NDAA can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://comer.house.gov/2021/12/communities-come-together-in-tornado-aftermath,Communities Come Together in Tornado Aftermath,2021-12-28,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,KY,James Comer,C001108,comer.house.gov,comer,https://comer.house.gov/media,scraper,"In the wake of the devastating tornados which recently hit parts of western and central Kentucky, our commonwealth’s resiliency has been tested like never before. But after a natural disaster that killed 77 Kentuckians, destroyed countless homes and wiped out entire communities, caring citizens have responded with unbelievable compassion. Private charities and individuals have been on the ground cleaning up debris and providing warm meals, in addition to supplying financial and material assistance. Various Kentucky school districts have sent school buses full of supplies to affected communities. And Americans from coast to coast have contributed monetarily to the relief and cleanup efforts. In the very communities affected by the storm, unsung heroes have stepped up to help their friends and neighbors. First responders have pulled bodies out of rubble. Electric crews have pulled long hours restoring power to residents. And many people have volunteered by setting up relief funds, coordinating local donation centers, and much more. All of these efforts have been essential to getting communities back on their feet, and represent the very best that America has to offer. In terms of size and volume, this tornado was unlike anything we’ve ever seen. After touring damaged sites all over the 1st Congressional District, I’m heartbroken to see such devastation hit so many our small towns. I’m thankful to all the local leaders and concerned citizens who are working tirelessly to restore the beauty of their communities. I am committed to using my office as a resource for anyone in need of assistance from the federal government for cleanup and relief efforts. While the work of private charitable organizations and community leaders have been instrumental, there are also government disaster assistance programs to help those in need. The White House has approved a major disaster declaration for 14 Kentucky counties, making these areas eligible for federal aid programs designed to cover basic needs not covered by private insurance. This can include rental payments for temporary housing, home repairs, low-interest loans (for losses not fully covered by insurance), counseling, farm assistance, and more. For more information on these various programs available, as well as how people can access them, you can visit my website resource page at comer.house.gov/tornados. Please do not hesitate to also call my office if we can answer any questions. We will never forget the 77 Kentuckians lost to such grave tragedy. Gone but not forgotten, their families remain in my thoughts and prayers as they navigate such tremendous loss. Likewise, the communities affected by this disaster will remain at the top of our hearts and minds as we conclude a year that is unfortunately ending on a sad note. But even in the wake of such devastation, we can be inspired by the resilience that Kentuckians have shown to help their friends and neighbors - and come together to rebuild all that was lost. Rep. James Comer is a United States Congressman for the 1st Congressional District, which spans from south central Kentucky to the river counties of far western Kentucky. Contact him with any questions or concerns in his Washington D.C. office at (202) 225-3115, in the Tompkinsville Office at (270) 487-9509, in the Paducah Office at (270) 408-1865, or schedule an appointment in the Madisonville Office by calling (270) 487-9509.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-announces-upcoming-staff-mobile-offices,Smith Announces Upcoming Staff Mobile Offices,2021-12-27,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,NE,Adrian Smith,S001172,adriansmith.house.gov,adriansmith,https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Constituents of Third District Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) are invited to meet with a representative of his office at an upcoming Mobile Offices in Harrison, Alliance, Rushville, and Chadron. At mobile offices, Third District residents can meet directly with one of Smith's staff members about federal issues and take advantage of the services available through his office. Smith, who has offices in Grand Island and Scottsbluff, will provide his mobile office and a staff member at the following times and locations: Monday, January 3rd Sioux County Courthouse 325 Main Street, Harrison 2:00pm to 3:00pm MT Wednesday, January 5th Box Butte County Courthouse 515 Box Butte Avenue, Alliance 11:00am to 12:00pm MT Tuesday, January 18th Sheridan County Courthouse 303 East 2nd Street, Rushville 11:30am to 12:30pm MT Tuesday, January 25th Dawes County Courthouse 451 Main Street, Chadron 10:00am to 11:00am MT",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://buchanan.house.gov/2021/12/buchanan-gets-another-win,Buchanan Gets Another Win!,2021-12-27,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,FL,Vern Buchanan,B001260,buchanan.house.gov,buchanan,https://buchanan.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Congressman Vern Buchanan today announced that his proposal to implement a series of sweeping new military training reforms has been signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This marks Buchanan’s 24th legislative initiative to be signed into law since he first came to Congress in 2007. Buchanan has been a leading advocate in Congress for reforming our current training procedures and improving emergency response capabilities after the tragic death of Army Specialist Nicholas Panipinto of Bradenton. Panipinto died in a vehicle training accident in South Korea in 2019. “The death of Specialist Panipinto is a tragedy that never should have happened,” said Buchanan. “That’s why I’m committed to doing everything I can to make sure that no other family has to endure similar heartache. The greatest tribute we can pay to Nick is to ensure that future and entirely preventable military training accidents never happen again.” Specifically, the legislation requires the Pentagon to: Implement more realistic training practices Develop stricter enforcement standards And ensure better oversight to prevent future military training accidents and deaths. Buchanan introduced the legislation as a standalone bill (H.R. 5268) and as an amendment to the NDAA following a report from the government’s top watchdog office that found a lack of driver training and failures to properly oversee and implement key safety procedures were largely to blame for several fatal training accidents. Buchanan’s proposal closely mirrors a provision included in the final version of the NDAA, which President Biden signed into law on Monday. The NDAA overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House and Senate by votes of 363-70 and 88-11, respectively. According to Panipinto’s mother, Kimberly Weaver, Panipinto did not have a license, the required amount of driver training or any classroom instruction before beginning his road-test. “The devastating loss of Nicholas was compounded by the fact that it was totally preventable,"" said Weaver. ""I am hopeful that when implemented these reforms will help prevent another tragic loss. In the meantime, I am forever grateful to Congressman Buchanan for continuing to push for necessary military training reforms to protect service members.” This is the second Buchanan measure related to military training accidents that Buchanan has had signed into law. Last year, Buchanan successfully offered another amendment to the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act that required the Department of Defense to examine emergency response capabilities and services currently available at U.S. bases around the world, and to report to Congress on the potential benefits and feasibility of requiring bases to have properly functioning MedEvac helicopters and fully stocked military ambulances. Last Congress Buchanan had six of his legislative initiatives enacted into law, bringing the total number of legislative initiatives he has passed since taking office in 2007 to 24. Buchanan has also authored three amendments that successfully passed the U.S. House earlier this year that he will continue to push to be enacted into law. The three amendments would curb veteran suicides, examine surging manatee deaths and combat drug overdoses.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/2021-year-end-wrap-up,2021 Year End Wrap-up,2021-12-27,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MN,Tom Emmer,E000294,emmer.house.gov,emmer,https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"This year, my office introduced nearly thirty bills and dozens of letters ranging from the hyper-local to the national. Some of the highlights include: A letter signed by more than 200 of my colleagues opposing efforts to spy on American’s bank accounts. Legislation to fix our broken budget process and prevent future government shutdowns A bill to set clear and consistent regulations for crypto investors. An amendment requiring an Inspector General’s oversight in the distribution of $35 million in American Rescue Plan funding A letter urging Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall in support of the Minnesota Air National Guard’s C-130 fleet. This effort led to the continuation of the 133rd Airlift Wing’s mission in Minnesota. A bill to make the St. Cloud Police Department’s hugely successful COP House program nationwide. In addition to curbing reckless government spending, it is my goal to ensure as much taxpayer money as possible is allocated to projects in the Sixth District. My office also brings money back to the district through casework, which can help secure federal benefits or tax returns owed to constituents. Some highlights of my work to bring money back to CD6 include: $3.7 million in funding for the St. Cloud airport More than $245,000 in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants to build a new park in St. Francis. $19,022 in disability compensation for a veteran family from the Department of Veterans Affairs. $51,000 in owed Social Security disability payments for a constituent who had been waiting for months. Some of my office’s most direct work to support Sixth District constituents is through our casework services. My dedicated casework team assists constituents in navigating their Veterans Administration and Social Security benefits, immigration concerns, tax issues and more. You can read more about their work and get help here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://turner.house.gov/2021/12/turner-secures-wins-for-southwest-ohio-in-final-defense-authorization-bill,Turner Secures Wins for Southwest Ohio in Final Defense Authorization Bill,2021-12-27,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,OH,Michael R. Turner,T000463,turner.house.gov,turner,https://turner.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Following President Biden signing the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law today, Congressman Turner released the following statement: ""The FY22 NDAA authorizes significant funding to improve the quality of life for the dedicated military families at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I worked to secure funding for a new childcare center, Army Reserves readiness center and improvements to military family housing,""said Turner. “Now more than ever, our adversaries are advancing their defense capabilities, and this bill provides necessary funding to modernize our nation's nuclear triad and missile defense system,"" concluded Turner. Background: Congressman Turner currently serves as the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, where he has jurisdiction over the nation's nuclear arsenal, the Department of Defense's intelligence programs, and also over missile defense systems. FY2022 Military Construction for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Child Development Center: $24 million. Army Reserve Center Training Building: $19 million. Codifies the mission of the United States Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, the purpose of which is to perform research and to provide education to members of the Air Force and Space Force (including the reserve components) and civilian employees of such Department. FY2022 Military Construction for Ohio Military Installations: Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport – Base-Wide Microgrid: $4.7 million. Camp Perry, Ohio – Red Horse Logistics Complex: $7.8 million. Youngstown Air Reserve Station – Assault Strip Widening: $8.7 million. Authorizes the divestiture of C-130 aircraft to facilitate the remission of the Ohio Air National Guard’s 179th Air Wing, located atMansfield-Lahm Airport, as a Cyber Wing. Authorizes the National Nuclear Security Administration of the Department of Energy to release, without reimbursement or other consideration, its reversionary interest in the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center for Human Capital (AVETEC) building to the Community Improvement Corporation of Clark County and the Chamber of Commerce for use by the community. Turners’ Priorities Included in FY2022 NDAA: Development, Test, & Evaluation Includes unprecedented levels of investment in emerging technologies, including AI, quantum computing, hypersonic, and autonomous systems. Includes a new $100 million fund and pilot program to expedite the deployment of innovative technologies to the warfighter. Improves recruitment and retention of technical and scientific talent in the DoD with expanded scholarships and benefits. Nuclear Deterrence & Missile Defense Prohibits any reduction in the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles or retiring or reconverting our low-yield nuclear warheads. Fully funds modernization of our nuclear triad, including Ground Based Strategic Deterrent. Fully funds the two-site solution for plutonium pit production. Prevents Russian and Chinese official s from accessing U.S. missile defense sites. Reverses President Biden’s cuts to missile defense. Fully funds the Guam Defense System. Supports the Next Generation Interceptor to protect the U.S. homeland from the DPRK ICBM threat. Improving the Military Justice System Creates a “Special Trial Counsel” within the military justice system who will have exclusive authority to make prosecutorial determinations for the serious offenses of murder, sexual assault, rape, and domestic violence, among others. Protects the inherent authority of the unit commander to prosecute and adjudicate military-specific offenses. Defines Sexual Harassment as an enumerated offense, promoting a respectful and professional environment among servicemembers. Reforms military justice sentencing according to DoD-defined sentencing parameters which will enhance consistency, transparency, and accountability. Expands notification requirements to victims of an offense by requiring them to be notified of administrative actions unless doing so jeopardizes a law enforcement proceeding or would violate the privacy concerns of an individual involved. Experienced prosecutors will control serious offenses in the military justice system. This will promote a more efficient, transparent, accountable, and effective military justice system because offenses will be prosecuted according to the merits of the case and not according to inappropriate considerations. Other Key Initiatives in FY2022 NDAA: Funding Authorization Initiatives $15 million for the Carbon Industrial Base. $5 million for Thermal Protection System Development. $6 million for Trustworthy Chip-Locking Microelectronics Security. $15 million for Defense Community Infrastructure Program. $6 million for Army Land Surveying Systems. $10 million for Metals Affordability Research. Servicemember Pay and Benefits Authorizes a 2.7% pay increase for service members. Extends military recruitment and retention bonuses and special pay authorities. Prevents President Biden’s cuts to military health programs, increases funding for vaccine research, and provides $35 million for research and treatment of Havana syndrome. Increases parental leave, expands the in-home childcare pilot program, and improves support available to military families with special needs children. Requires the DoD to conduct a thorough and independent review of suicide prevention and response programs at various military installations. Improving Military Family Housing Provides nearly $1.5 billion to improve servicemember family housing. Requires command oversight of military privatized housing as an element of military performance evaluations. Clarifies that window fall prevention requirements apply to all military family housing regardless of whether the housing is privatized or owned and operated by the Government and withholds certain funding until the Department assesses child safety issues in military family housing units. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/-murkowski-wishes-alaskans-a-merry-christmas-and-happy-holidays,Murkowski Wishes Alaskans a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,2021-12-25,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) shared the following message with Alaskans: Click here for video of Senator Murkowski. “The holidays are a special opportunity to share traditions and enjoy time with those we hold close. As I take pause to think about the many blessings I have in my own life – my family, friends, and the opportunity to represent the great state of Alaska – I am reminded of all we have collectively to be thankful for. As Alaskans, we get live in a beautiful state, with incredible outdoor opportunities in our back yard. We have a unique home, rich with history and culture. We are surrounded by Alaska’s natural bounty. And we have each other – Alaskan neighbors, showing up for one another during the best and worst of times. That is the true spirit of our great state. “Regardless of how you choose to celebrate the season, I encourage us all to take time to reflect on the good things in our lives. And, as we transition into to the New Year, I hope each of us will commit to being the best neighbors to one another that we possibly can. 2022 will be better and brighter for us all if we do. “From my family to yours – Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/a-christmas-message,A Christmas Message,2021-12-24,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MN,Tom Emmer,E000294,emmer.house.gov,emmer,https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"This has been a difficult year, and unfortunately, the holiday season has been no exception. Every part of celebrating has become more complicated, from heating our homes to having presents under the tree. Families are on track to pay $3,500 more for essentials just to keep pace with rising prices. That doesn’t leave much wiggle room in household budgets for those extra expenses that pop up around the holidays, like gifts (wholesale prices are the highest on record), or a nicer cut of meat for Christmas dinner (beef prices are up 20% from last year alone). Even holiday traditions that many of us take for granted, like having a Christmas tree, have been thrown into flux by supply chain issues. All these factors make for a more stressful holiday season, especially for parents trying to provide a memorable Christmas for their families. It’s during times like these—when finding that holiday spirit seems a little more difficult—that I’m reminded that Christmas should be a time of renewed faith in our family and community. After all, the holiday began with one divine gift: the idea that the Holy Spirit could be present with us here on Earth. It’s present in our everyday acts of kindness and charity. I’m so grateful for the men and women who have brought this spirit to life here in the Sixth District. Once you notice them, it’s hard to stop. Flipping through our local papers this week, I’ve read about Agape Warriors Ministry, who will be serving 1,000 Christmas dinners at the east side VFW Post 4847 and delivering meals to groups like Quiet Oaks Hospice House. I have seen the success of Place of Hope, which this year increased its shelter capacity for those experiencing homelessness by 40-60%. I am inspired by the work of young people like St. Cloud Technical & Community College Leadership Club, who led a donation drive for the women and children who have found safety at Anna Marie’s Alliance. It’s affirming to see our community standing together to lend support to our neighbors in these difficult times. I’m hopeful that our nation will be able to correct the course on the difficulties we face. Until then, we can be proud that the spirit of the season is alive here at home.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/bilirakis-lauds-air-force-decision-designate-macdill-main-operation-base-kc-46,Bilirakis Lauds Air Force Decision to Designate MacDill as Main Operation Base for KC-46 Pegasus,2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,FL,Gus M. Bilirakis,B001257,bilirakis.house.gov,bilirakis,https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Palm Harbor: U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis applauds the United States Air Force's recent decision to select MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa as its home base for 24 new KC-46 Pegasus tankers. MacDill Air Force Base is already home to 28 associate units from all branches of the military, including: U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command and the 927th Air Refueling Wing. The diverse human and technological resources needed to support these vital operations uniquely benefits the Tampa Bay area, and the community recognizes the significance contributions the base makes to the region. According to the Air Force, the decision to place the Pegasus program at MacDill was made after conducting site surveys that evaluated a variety of factors associated with each potential base, including: mission, infrastructure capacity, community support, cost and environment considerations. ""There is no where in the country that supports its military community more than Tampa Bay,"" said local Congressman Gus Bilirakis. ""We recognize MacDill as a key community asset and support the men and women stationed there who bravely serve our nation. This new program will serve as an important catalyst for continued economic development and we welcome it to our area.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://crenshaw.house.gov/2021/12/crenshaw-calls-on-biden-to-withdraw-new-epa-methane-regulation,Crenshaw Calls on Biden to Withdraw New EPA Methane Regulation,2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,TX,Dan Crenshaw,C001120,crenshaw.house.gov,crenshaw,https://crenshaw.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) is calling on the Biden Administration to withdraw a proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation on methane, which Crenshaw and 30 House Republicans say will ""increase energy prices and eliminate American jobs."" In a letter to President Biden, Crenshaw, along with 30 Republican lawmakers, slam President Biden for his repeated attacks on the American energy industry and American oil and gas jobs. ""Unfortunately, undermining American energy independence and good-paying Americans jobs has become a hallmark of your Administration. American consumers are bearing the brunt of your actions,"" the lawmakers write. Biden's actions come as Americans are facing increasing energy costs. According to the Department of Energy, the national average price of gasoline has almost doubled since last year, while U.S. households are projected to spend 54 percent more for propane, 43 percent more for heating oil, 30 percent more for natural gas, and 6 percent more for electric heating this winter. On November 2, 2021, EPA proposed three separate actions to regulate methane emissions from new and existing oil and gas well sites, compressor stations, processing plants, and transmission and storage facilities. In their letter to Biden, the lawmakers say this proposal ""will dramatically expand EPA’s regulatory reach, undercutting rules issued under the prior Administration that removed regulatory duplication and would have saved millions of dollars each year."" ""Throughout the past year, your Administration, through Executive Orders and new regulations, has actively discouraged American energy production. On your first day in office, you revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and imposed a moratorium on fossil energy development on Federal lands and waters. These actions, combined with EPA’s proposal, increase regulatory uncertainty, and discourage investments in American energy infrastructure and supplies. What’s most concerning is that, even in the face of blaring warning signs that an energy crisis of your doing is hurting American consumers, your Administration refuses to reverse course,"" the lawmakers write. The lawmakers who signed the letter include: Steve Scalise Cathy McMorris Rodgers Jodey Arrington Brett Guthrie Billy Long Bob Latta Van Taylor Ronny L. Jackson Michael C. Burgess, M.D. David McKinley Brian Babin Bruce Westerman Neal P. Dunn, M.D. August Pfluger Kelly Armstrong Larry Bucshon Earl L. “Buddy” Carter Kevin Brady Jeff Duncan Carol Miller Greg Pence Glenn Thompson Richard Hudson Pete Stauber Debbie Lesko Chip Roy Michael Cloud Tim Walberg Louie Gohmert Roger Williams CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL LETTER",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://malliotakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/malliotakis-urges-biden-ramp-production-covid-treatments-therapeutics,"Malliotakis Urges Biden to Ramp Up Production of COVID Treatments, Therapeutics",2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,NY,Nicole Malliotakis,M000317,malliotakis.house.gov,malliotakis,https://malliotakis.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"(STATEN ISLAND, NY) - Today, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) sent a letter to President Biden urging the administration to turn its focus to increasing the supply and distribution of monoclonal antibody treatments and therapeutic medicines to treat COVID-19 infections. In New York City, hospitals are reporting shortages of the monoclonal antibody Sotrovimab, which is hindering their ability to adequately treat their patients. ""As you addressed the nation yesterday regarding the rise in COVID-19 infections attributed to the Omicron variant, you committed to upping the supply and availability of testing kits to the general public,"" Malliotakis wrote. ""While testing remains important, I was disappointed that your announcement did not also include a commitment from your administration to focus efforts on increasing the supply of monoclonal antibody treatments and therapeutic medicines to treat COVID-19 infections."" Malliotakis added: ""We are now two years and multiple variants into this pandemic. It is clear that COVID 19 is going to remain among us in one form or another, and the government mandates and restrictions have not been effective only increasing vaccine hesitancy and distrust of government. I urge you to turn the attention of your administration toward expanding our arsenal of therapeutic treatments that could both save lives and get us back to normalcy.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://meuser.house.gov/media/press-releases/christmas-message-congressman-dan-meuser,A Christmas Message from Congressman Dan Meuser,2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,PA,Daniel Meuser,M001204,meuser.house.gov,meuser,https://meuser.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – As you gather with your friends and family this Christmas, share with them this poem from Congressman Meuser. As President Biden drives his sleigh of spending and crises across this country, increasing the cost of the meal on your table and toys under your tree, Congressman Meuser’s tale gives us hope for a brighter and more prosperous future for all Americans. Click the photo or here to watch Congressman Meuser’s Christmas message. Twas’ the Night Before Christmas, and all through the People’s House… Not a member was stirring, but we had our doubts. The Amendments were all filed at the desk with care, In hopes that the Clerk would read them from there. The Democrats sat patiently, all set in their ways, Knowing that the Republicans would be ignored this day. Now Texans in their boots, the rest in our shoes, We spoke up for the People while the Democrats boo’d. When out in the hall there arose such a clatter, We sprang from our seats to see what was the matter Away from the rostrum, we flew like a flash, Even Jerry Nadler got up and ran an open dash. When what to our wondering eyes should appear But a very large motorcade and not a single reindeer. In black Suburbans we see, they all came ridin’ We knew in that moment, that it must be Joe Biden! More rapid than eagles his crisis’ they came, He whistled and shouted and called them by name! Raise taxes, Raise Gas Prices, and open the Border! Now vax mandates, Now inflation, Now Crime and disorder. A backup in the supply chain, and a lack of a wall Run rampant! Run rampant! Run rampant! All! He spoke not a word, while many were paid not to work. There was much extra money from government perks. As 2022 loomed and 2024 so near, The GOP shall prevail in what will be a great year. Americans deserve, a break from all of these burdens But your holiday meal is going to cost more this year, we know that for certain. So we leave you with this, a message to be delivered, In hopes that soon, our legislation will be reconsidered. We will continue to work and put in a good fight, But, until the majority comes, we wish a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/king-cove-murkowski-mark-eight-years-and-157-medevacs_since-rejection-of-life-saving-road,"King Cove, Murkowski Mark Eight Years and 157 Medevacs Since Rejection of Life-Saving Road",2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today issued the following statement on the eight-year anniversary of the Department of the Interior’s rejection of a short, one-lane, gravel, life-saving road needed to connect King Cove, Alaska to the all-weather airport in nearby Cold Bay. The single-lane road is crucial to providing reliable emergency medical access for all who live in King Cove. Two days before Christmas in 2013, former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced she would not allow the simple road – approved by Congress on a bipartisan basis, but conditioned on a public interest determination – to be built to connect two existing roads on either side of the 315,000-acre Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. Since then, King Cove has been forced to endure an additional 157 medevacs. Most occurred in dangerous weather conditions and many had to be carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard, risking the lives of crews and patients alike. “Sally Jewell made a horrible decision eight years ago, and it is the good people of King Cove who have paid the price ever since. A single medevac is too many, let alone 157. It is simply unconscionable that the federal government has failed to protect these Alaskans’ health and safety, especially in the midst of a global pandemic that has made emergency medical access all the more critical,” Murkowski said. Murkowski reiterated her request to current Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland – who has prioritized tribal consultation – to visit King Cove and finally address this decades-long environmental injustice. “I am calling on Secretary Haaland to visit King Cove to see the need to protect local residents’ health and safety as soon as possible. The federal government has a trust responsibility to the Tribes of King Cove, but it has been broken for decades. I also urge her to consider alternatives that could help us construct this road in an environmentally sound manner sooner than litigation will allow. As governments, Tribes must deliver a wide range of critical services, including healthcare, to their citizens. The Secretary must recognize this and act now, because King Cove needs this life-saving road more than ever,” Murkowski said. Numerous King Cove officials today expressed hope that Secretary Haaland would uphold the federal government’s trust responsibility and help them. The officials held a teleconference with Haaland in August and have asked her to visit their community to better understand the need for a life-saving road. “Secretary Haaland understands our deep-rooted connection to our ancestral land where we and our Aleut families have lived for thousands of years,” said King Cove (Native) Corporation Spokeswoman Della Trumble. “She recognizes the trust responsibility the federal government has to Native people.” “We’re hopeful U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will visit King Cove soon to talk with residents and see first-hand the daily challenges we face,” said King Cove Mayor Warren Wilson. “Many people in King Cove have either been medevaced themselves or have family members who experienced dangerous medevacs during harsh weather.” “We know that Secretary Haaland understands we love our families, and we want them to be out of harm’s way,” said Agdaagux Tribal President Etta Kuzakin Kuzakin. “We also love King Cove, which is our home.” Kuzakin was medevaced from King Cove by the Coast Guard in 2013 in stormy weather while in premature labor with her youngest daughter, Sunnie Rae. The mother and daughter would not have survived without the Coast Guard rescue, which only occurred because the Guard was nearby on another mission. “We’re hopeful the Secretary will support us,” said Aleutians East Borough Mayor Alvin Osterback. “This issue is an injustice the federal government needs to correct so King Cove residents can feel safe when they require access to a higher level of care.” Background: King Cove is located between two volcanic mountains near the end of the Alaska Peninsula, about 625 miles southwest of Anchorage. The small gravel airstrip in King Cove is typically closed by bad weather for more than 100 days each year. Nearly 40 percent of the flights not canceled are impacted or delayed by wind, turbulence, fog, rain, or snow squalls. By comparison, the all-weather airport in Cold Bay, which is less than 30 miles away from King Cove, is home to the fifth-longest runway in the state and closed an average of 10 days per year. Notable: In 2018, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke signed a land exchange agreement to facilitate the construction of the life-saving road. It continues to be held up by litigation from environmental groups. In 2016, Murkowski chaired a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to press for the life-saving road, receiving compelling testimony from local residents and a retired Coast Guard commander who located a plane crash near King Cove that had resulted in multiple fatalities. In 2015, National Review published a longform article about King Cove entitled “Deadly Environmentalism,” which provides a comprehensive history of the issue and is well worth reading. In 2009, Murkowski secured passage of legislation facilitating a land exchange to provide for the life-saving road, but former Secretary Jewell stunningly determined that it was not in the public interest. Eight years later, 157 medevacs continue to show just how awful that decision was.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-announces-disbursement-of-cares-act-funding-to-alaskas-fisheries,Murkowski Announces Disbursement of CARES Act Funding to Alaska’s Fisheries,2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"Alaska set to receive the highest possible allocation in fishery relief U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today announced that $50 million in fishery assistance, secured through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security (CARES) Act, will be disbursed this week to Alaska’s commercial harvesters, sport fishing charters, and seafood processors. This funding comes as a result of the efforts of Senator Murkowski to make direct assistance available to subsistence, commercial, and charter fishery participants, processors, fishery-related businesses and fishery-dependent communities that have been negatively affected by the economic and other impacts of COVID-19. “Alaska’s fisheries and seafood sector are a critical driver of our State’s economy, employing more than 58,000 people and producing billions of dollars in economic output in our state each year. Unfortunately, I continue to hear from Alaska’s seafood industry about the numerous ongoing challenges they are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As I worked to help craft the CARES Act, I was adamant that robust funding was included for those who bring Alaskan halibut, salmon, and countless other seafood products to market. I recognize that the time between allocation and distribution has been frustrating and long, but I’m encouraged to know that those checks are officially hitting the mailboxes of hardworking Alaskans. The positive impacts this funding will have will be felt not only here at home, but across the nation as it boosts our economy and allows Alaska’s world class seafood to continue to be enjoyed around the globe,” said Senator Murkowski. “This CARES Act funding is serving as a vital source of support for fishermen. We appreciate that Congress recognized the need to support those in our seafood supply chain that are experiencing losses, through this and other support programs,” said Chris Barrows, President of Pacific Seafood Processors Association. “Alaskans from all fishing sectors owe a debt of gratitude to Lisa and Dan for directing so much relief to businesses based in our state. Many charter operators and guides were devastated by the loss of business due to COVID, and these funds are a welcome relief,” said Ben Mohr, executive director of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association. “UFA is glad to hear that the initial $50 million of AK CARES Act Fisheries Relief funding is finally being distributed to Alaskans. We thank the Alaska Congressional Delegation for all the work that they did to secure this funding and applaud the delegation’s quick response to the economic harm caused by the pandemic, beginning back in 2020. The lengthy wait for the distribution of these funds, at a time when fishermen needed assistance the most, highlights the need for improvement of the distribution process for disaster relief funds for the fishing industry,” said Tracy Welch, Executive Director of United Fishermen of Alaska. Background: In May of 2020, as the pandemic was shutting down the U.S. economy, Senator Murkowski was able to help secure $300 million for fisheries assistance in the CARES Act, of which Alaska received $50 million. Congress approved a new authority through the CARES Act for the Secretary of Commerce to provide direct assistance to fishermen to address losses related to COVID. The State of Alaska worked with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PAC States) and National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create a spend plan for the first and second rounds of funding. The Commission is currently drafting applications for round two, which are anticipated to be available in mid to late January of 2022. In order to apply for Round 2 funds, applicants will need to know their Round 1 relief amounts. Additional guidance will become available once applications have been finalized and approved by ADF&G staff. For more information, please contact the ADF&G. or monitor the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission’s website. Related Issues: Alaska's Fisheries",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/as-inflation-soars-scott-stands-up-for-farmers-and-ranchers/,"As Inflation Soars, Scott Stands Up For Farmers and Ranchers",2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.), Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), and several of their colleagues in urging federal financial regulators to provide community banks, credit unions, and Farm Credit institutions with the regulatory flexibility they need to responsibly work with their agriculture clients as the profit margins of farmers and ranchers shrink from higher input costs. The senators are also requesting that federal financial regulators monitor how inflation and inflationary-related pressures are affecting the agriculture industry and, in turn, the community financial institutions that serve it. “The destructive impact of inflation has already affected individuals, families, and businesses across the nation, and no one is immune from these price increases,” the senators wrote. “Caused in large part by an unprecedented increase in federal government spending, in addition to supply chain bottlenecks, these higher prices are not just increasing grocery bills and home heating costs, but they are also raising costs on businesses, including on our nation’s farmers and ranchers.” The letter was also signed by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Senator Scott is committed to investigating and pushing back against any actions taken by the administration that contribute to inflation, which takes its greatest toll on low-income Americans. Read the full letter here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/icymi-scott-talks-dem-spending-2021-highlights-and-2022-agenda/,"ICYMI: Scott Talks Dem Spending, 2021 Highlights and 2022 Agenda",2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Leyla Gulen on Fox24 Charleston. Sen. Scott slammed Democrats’ spending, talked legislative highlights of 2021, and laid out his agenda for 2022. Click to watch part one of the interview On Dem Spending … “Well, if you think about their plan, the Build Back Broker (BBB) as I prefer to call it, frankly that’s three trillion dollars of unpaid spending if those programs continue for all 10 years and the likelihood of that is good if they can get it passed. …I hope [what] we’ll see over the next several weeks is no passage of the BBB. That is good news for the American people.” “Leyla throughout South Carolina whether you’re in Charleston, Union, [or] McCormick South Carolina, the one thing you know is that gas prices have exploded — a 70 percent increase throughout our state. Utilities are up 25 percent if not even more. That is caused by reckless spending from Washington having a negative impact on every single household in the great Palmetto State. We can stop that from exploding again by not spending money we do not have, buying things we simply cannot afford.” Click to watch part two of the interview On 2021 Highlights … “Another really impressive issue this year frankly — is our bill that stopped the IRS from being able to peer into our financial accounts. That has been great news frankly — having all 50 Republicans get on that bill in less than 24 hours and then having Joe Manchin and a couple of other Democrats come out and say we can’t do that that’s just ridiculous.” On His Areas of Focus for 2022 … “I’m sticking with the less is better agenda. So, we’re going to continue to fight against certain provisions in the BBB — things like that childcare component that I talked about earlier. The average family cannot afford an 80 percent increase in the childcare cost. If we can defeat that provision specifically, we will have empowered parents to keep making the choice for their kids. Education opportunity — this is the closest thing to a civil rights issue we’ll see in our lifetime. Creating parity for poor parents and poor zip codes is job one for us as a nation on the domestic agenda and something that I’ll continue to fight for. Then, continuing to eliminate inflation as well as [preventing] the IRS [from having] more purview into your accounts. Then, if I had to put icing on the cake, I would simply say to take away the disadvantages in the Build Back Broker plan against states like South Carolina.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-wins-stand-off-with-white-house-over-ninth-circuit-nominees,Sullivan Wins Stand-off with White House Over Ninth Circuit Nominees,2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"Biden White House had been preventing Senator’s meetings with circuit court nominees ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) announced on Sunday that he had met via phone with several nominees to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, with jurisdiction over Alaska, ending a blockade by the Biden White House, which had been denying the senator the opportunity to meet with the judges prior to voting on their confirmation in the Senate. In his remarks on the Senate floor on December 13th, Sen. Sullivan argued that by withholding these meetings, the White House was subverting the “advice and consent” duties senators have under the Constitution. He also noted that this policy was a marked shift from the previous administration, which had facilitated meetings between senators and judicial nominees upon request. Sen. Sullivan delivered the news on Sunday Night in America on Fox News Channel, hosted by former Congressman Trey Gowdy. Transcript of the senator’s interview: GOWDY: Senator Sullivan joins us now. Thank you for joining us, Senator. I actually watched your conversation with Senator Whitehouse from Rhode Island on the Senate floor. It was cordial, as most Senate conversations are, but I do not understand the explanation for why you cannot meet with judicial nominees whose decisions impact your very state. SULLIVAN: Well, Trey, listen. I'm really glad you're raising this topic and, by the way, Merry Christmas. It’s great to be on the show. But here's the thing. This administration with some Democratic allies in the House and the Senate has been smashing key constitutional norms. As you know, they're trying to pack the Supreme Court. Look at what Elizabeth Warren just announced. They're trying to kill the filibuster. And then this one comes up—trying to undermine the advice and consent role that the U.S. Senate has with regard to nominees, especially, as you mentioned, judges who have life tenure. I've been fighting this and I'm actually glad to report right now that we finally have a victory on this one. We have stopped in its tracks this latest attack on the Constitution and constitutional norms. But I'll tell you, this was a breathtaking overreach—another one by the Biden White House. GOWDY: Well, good for you, Senator. How in the world—because I watched you and Senator Whitehouse. I think you had put a hold on something until they just simply let you meet. So how did you pull this off? SULLIVAN: I called the Biden White House and said, “What the heck is going on?” I meet with every Ninth Circuit judge, no matter what. As you mentioned in your piece already, the Ninth Circuit has enormous power over my constituents. They often get legal cases wrong. So I said, “Are you the one White House counsel that’s not letting me do my advice and consent role as a U.S. Senator?” It's hard to tell who's in charge over there in the White House. She actually said, “Well, we want to protect our judges.” I said, “Protect our judges? What the heck are you talking about? Protect them from what? Us doing our constitutional duty?” So I put holds on these judges and I got all of my [Republican] Senate colleagues to commit to voting against every Biden judicial nominee. And then I started talking to Democratic senators too. And, to be honest, I think I convinced some of them to say we're not going to do this. We're not going to undermine the Senate's advice and consent power. So we played hardball and finally I started getting some meetings with these judges who are up for life tenure appointments and will have enormous power over my state and the whole Ninth Circuit. Trey, you know, that's one out of five Americans. But this again is just another power grab and undermining of constitutional norms. We have to keep fighting. We had a victory on this one. But there's a lot more of the Constitution we have to protect. GOWDY: You know, senator, they do serve for life. They make incredibly challenging, difficult decisions. I've been lucky. Every federal judge I've appeared in front of you would have been proud of, whether you voted for them or nominated them, or not. They were wonderful. But the issue of temperament—will that road get heavy, will you change? How do you make that call if you've never met or talked to the person. SULLIVAN: You're exactly right, and here's what I did in these meetings when I finally was able to have them.Again, I've met with every Ninth Circuit judge, by the way, every D.C. Circuit judge, and every Supreme Court justice. Of course, it's a huge part of our job. It's Article 2, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. The notion that the White House would say you can't do that under the Constitution because we want to “protect” judges is just crazy. But when it comes to the issues of temperament or their knowledge, what I do in the cases of Ninth Circuit judges, Trey, is I send them several U.S. Supreme Court cases that have an impact on Alaska. I ask them to read them so that they're up-to-speed on big issues in my state. And then I talk about issues, like the Second Amendment. Let me give an example. Nearly 70% of the households in Alaska are gun owners. The Second Amendment is hugely important to my constituents. So I raised the issues that matter to Alaska and, to be honest, these judges usually don't know anything about these issues, and it's a way to educate them. So when they're on the bench for life, they are doing things that represent everybody in the entire circuit, not just where they're from. And, unfortunately, in my case, California produces the vast majority of the Ninth Circuit judges. Alaska gets one judge out of 29. So you better believe I'm going to interview every single one of them. We finally fought back and won against this latest Biden attack on the Constitution. GOWDY: Well, senator, just to show you how much of a nerd I am, I was actually watching C-SPAN. So I listened to it and that's what piqued my interest. Congratulations to you for getting this resolved. You know, life is a long time. You have a job for six years minus sort of day to day or night-to-night, but life is a long time. So kudos to you for staying on it and getting it resolved. Merry Christmas to the entire Sullivan family and thank you for being with us tonight. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-wishes-hoosiers-a-merry-christmas/,Young Wishes Hoosiers a Merry Christmas,2021-12-23,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) released a video message today to wish Hoosiers a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year this holiday season. Click here to watch Senator Young’s full remarks. Full transcript of the video: As we enter the Christmas season and 2021 draws to an end, it’s easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of the season and forget how lucky we are to be here. We live in a beautiful country, where we have the freedom to choose how we celebrate this season and the opportunity to spend time with the people we love. I’m also thinking about those who cannot be in-person with their loved ones today. To the brave Hoosiers serving our country, thank you for your sacrifice this holiday season. I am sending my thoughts to you and your families during this time. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://cline.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1087,Rep. Cline Announces U.S. Service Academy Nominations for the Class of 2026,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,VA,Ben Cline,C001118,cline.house.gov,cline,https://cline.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) announced the names of the students within the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia whom he has nominated to join the Class of 2026 at one of four U.S. Service Academies. Applicants to the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy require a nomination from a Member of Congress or another nominating authority. Nominees are listed below alphabetically. ""One of the most important responsibilities I have as the Representative for Virginia's Sixth District is the nomination of high school seniors and others to one of four United States Service Academies,"" Cline said. ""Understanding this, I spent the past several months meeting individually with each interested applicant. The passion for service and love of country that these students exuded was truly inspiring, and I am pleased to announce today the names of those I have nominated to each Academy. I offer these students my sincere congratulations and wish them the best of luck throughout the rest of the admissions process."" Sixth District Nominations for the Class of 2026: United States Naval Academy: Charles Armes, senior at Heritage High School and a resident of Lynchburg Darian Belisle, freshman at Mary Baldwin University and a resident of Staunton Zachary Hodgen, senior at Wilson Memorial High School and a resident of Fishersville Seamus Looney, senior at Rockbridge High School and a resident of Lexington Logan Perry, senior at Stuarts Draft High School and a resident of Stuarts Draft Weston Rogers, freshman at James Madison University and a resident of Harrisonburg Alice Sherman, senior at Patrick Henry High School and a resident of Roanoke Patrick Uhlenkott, freshman at Franciscan University of Steubenville and a resident of Front Royal Jacob Warner, senior at The New Community School and a resident of Rockbridge United States Military Academy: Kameron Burns, senior at Heritage High School and a resident of Lynchburg Lance Dorman, senior at Fishburne Military School and a resident New Market Nathan Haskins, senior at Skyline High School and a resident of Front Royal Cadless Jarvis, senior at Fishburne Military School and a resident of Waynesboro Robert Miller, senior at William Byrd High School and a resident of Roanoke Noah Miller, senior at Turner Ashby High School and a resident of Bridgewater Kaiden Minter, senior at Northside High School and a resident of Roanoke Andrew Sakamoto, senior at Hidden Valley High School and a resident of Roanoke Dillon Stowers, senior at Liberty Christian Academy and a resident of Lynchburg McKenna Vess, senior at Wilson Memorial High School and a resident of Waynesboro United States Air Force Academy: Bradley Colkitt, senior at Jefferson Forest High School and a resident of Lynchburg Jarred Newcomb, senior at Jefferson Forest High School and a resident of Forest Jakob Presley, freshman at Lord Fairfax Community College and a resident of Maurertown Mariela Ruiz, senior at Waynesboro High School and a resident of Waynesboro Francis Treutlein, senior at Warren County High School and a resident of Linden United States Merchant Marine Academy: Connor Wolfe, senior at Parry McCluer High School and a resident of Buena Vista Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases/dr-joyce-statement-fda-authorization-paxlovid,Dr. Joyce Statement on FDA Authorization of PAXLOVID,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,PA,John Joyce,J000302,johnjoyce.house.gov,johnjoyce,https://johnjoyce.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) released the following statement following the news that the Federal Drug Administration has given emergency use authorization to Pfizer's PAXLOVID medication - an oral therapeutic to help treat the symptoms of COVID-19: ""An oral therapeutic a pill or tablet that prevents severe illness or hospitalization is a game changer in our battle against COVID-19,"" said Dr. Joyce. ""American innovation and ingenuity will lead us through the pandemic, and today's announcement marks yet another American milestone alongside President Trump's Operation Warp Speed in our efforts against the coronavirus."" ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-announces-service-academy-nominees,Miller-Meeks Announces Service Academy Nominees,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,IA,Mariannette Miller-Meeks,M001215,millermeeks.house.gov,millermeeks,https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"OTTUMWA, I.A.—Today, December 22nd, 2021, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) announced nominations of seven students in Iowa’s Second District to be considered for appointments to the United States service academies. “As a 24-year Army veteran, it was an honor to meet each of these students. Our military academies mold our students into the leaders of tomorrow. I want to thank the members of my Service Academy Review and Advisory Board for their work reviewing and interviewing these applicants and giving me their recommendations. The academy nomination is just one step in the path toward attending these prestigious schools and I could not be prouder of every Iowan who put themselves into this application process.” Miller-Meeks’ nominees for the 2022-2023 school year include: Boaz Abramoff - Iowa City - U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Dustin Bohren – Le Claire – U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Luke Jefferson – Bettendorf – U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Jackson Mace-Maynard – Newton – U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Elizabeth Peters - Iowa City - U.S. Naval Academy Destin Schroder – Newton – U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Hunter Shook – Coralville - U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-completes-fourth-24-county-tour,Miller-Meeks Completes Fourth 24 County Tour,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,IA,Mariannette Miller-Meeks,M001215,millermeeks.house.gov,millermeeks,https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"OTTUMWA, I.A.—Today, December 22nd, 2021, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) announced the completion of her fourth 24 County Tour, having now visited all 24 of the Second District’s counties at least four times since being sworn in on January 3rd, 2021. “It has been an honor to visit cities and towns across the Second District. From Newton to Fort Madison and DeWitt to Leon, the Second District is full of amazing families, businesses, and communities, all proud to be in Iowa. I have been fortunate to meet with farmers, students, entrepreneurs, healthcare workers, teachers, working parents, veterans, and so many more amazing Iowans about what I can do to make their lives easier. As I look toward my second year in office, I will continue to work to deliver real results for all Iowans and keep making Iowa the best place to work, live, raise a family, and do business.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://obernolte.house.gov/media/press-releases/floor-debate-opposition-raising-debt-ceiling-without-repayment-plan,Floor Debate: Opposition to raising the debt ceiling without repayment plan,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,CA,Jay Obernolte,O000019,obernolte.house.gov,obernolte,https://obernolte.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Madam Speaker – I rise today to oppose this $2.5 trillion debt limit increase which this Congress is voting on without any discussion of how this debate will ever be repaid. Over the past year, Congress’ record levels of spending has sparked record-breaking inflation. Just last week, our nation hit its highest inflation rate in 40 years with current annual inflation for the twelve months ending in November at 6.8%. As a consequence, real average hourly earnings decreased by half a percent in November. Surging costs for food, energy, housing, and other items have left the average American family reeling. In my California district, the average price of a tank of gasoline has increased over $20 since January, while the price of natural gas is up more than 25 percent. Congress is not only spending at a level that is well beyond our self-imposed limits, but also beyond what our economy can safely handle, and Madam Speaker, instead of reducing our spending and finding places to save as any American family would, this institution is working to push through another multi-trillion-dollar social spending package that would drive our debt and our inflation further into crisis. Madam Speaker, this unconscionable spending is the epitome of irresponsible governance. We must take measures to end this reckless spending and put our financial house in order. To that end I have introduced two bills that the House might better spend its time considering in the coming weeks instead of continuing debate on the reckless social spending bill. My Constitutional Amendment to balance the budget would amend the U.S. Constitution to ensure total federal spending for a fiscal year does not exceed the total amount of federal revenue. It includes off-ramps that encourage bipartisanship in times of crisis and would end the seemingly-endless cycle of budget deficits. Likewise, my Finding Federal Savings Committee Resolution would help to cut back on government waste by creating a bipartisan committee in this body to identify underperforming and nonessential federal programs and recommend their elimination or modification. Neither of these ideas are partisan, nor are they radical. They simply take steps to solve a problem that this body has continued to kick down the road for future generations to repay.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://obernolte.house.gov/media/press-releases/ndaa-passes-congress-wins-high-desert-military-bases,NDAA passes Congress with wins for High Desert Military Bases,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,CA,Jay Obernolte,O000019,obernolte.house.gov,obernolte,https://obernolte.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"The updated National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which will be signed into law in the coming days includes key initiatives for military instillations in California’s 8th District. The bill also includes U.S. Congressman Jay Obernolte’s (R-Hesperia) Federal Career Opportunities in Computer Science Work Act, which will require the government to create career paths in fields such as computer science and data analytics to ensure that the talented personnel needed to help combat cybercrimes are working in federal government. “I was proud to see the National Defense Authorization Act pass with key initiatives I fought for to support the missions of our local bases, the communities surrounding them, and the cybersecurity of our nation,” said Rep. Obernolte. “It also excludes several harmful items that I had concerns about in the initial House version, including red flag provisions and the creation of an ‘Office of Extremism’ at the Department of Defense. This is a substantially better bill, and I am pleased to see it pass with bipartisan support and proceed to the President’s desk.” Rep. Obernolte’s Federal Career Opportunities in Computer Science Work Act, originally introduced and passed in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 3533,will increase national security and speed technological advancement by improving the federal government’s ability to recruit and manage experts in the data sciences. Currently, the federal government does not include occupations that allow government civilians to focus on software development, data science or artificial intelligence (AI) outside of pure research and development, a significant shortcoming in developing the capacity to respond to crisis situations that occurred this year such as the Colonial Pipeline hack and JBS meat processing hack.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://steube.house.gov/press-releases/rep-steube-joins-wwii-veteran-constituent-in-celebration-of-100th-birthday/,Rep. Steube Joins WWII Veteran Constituent In Celebration of 100th Birthday,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,FL,W. Gregory Steube,S001214,steube.house.gov,steube,https://steube.house.gov/category/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Rep. Steube Joins WWII Veteran Constituent In Celebration of 100th Birthday PUNTA GORDA, FLA.— Yesterday, U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) recognized WWII veteran constituent, Walter Neef, in celebration of his 100th birthday. “Walter is a proud patriotic American of the Greatest Generation who I am honored to represent in Congress,” said Congressman Steube. “This district is blessed to have incredible veterans like Walter who have dedicated so much to this country. As we celebrate his 100th birthday, let us always remember the sacrifices Walter and his generation made to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/thompson-calls-penndot-drop-plan-toll-north-fork-bridges,Thompson Calls on PennDOT to Drop Plan to Toll North Fork Bridges,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,thompson,https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"BELLEFONTE, Pa. — U.S. Representative Glenn ""GT"" Thompson submitted public comments Tuesday to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) strongly opposing their plan to place tolls on the North Fork Bridges in Jefferson County. Rep. Thompson, who has been a vocal opponent of the proposal, expressed concern with PennDOT's proposal and the limited public input, lack of economic feasibility, traffic diversion, and safety studies. PennDOT recently approached the federal government to finance the project, prior to the conclusion of public comment. Additional reports indicate PennDOT has selected the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to install gantries to collect tolls for PennDOT along the nine candidate bridges throughout the Commonwealth. ""...the Pennsylvania Turnpike has already been commissioned to install gantries to collect tolls for PennDOT along the nine candidate bridges. Given previous performance issues, it is my concern that the Turnpike does not have the capacity to collect these funds, especially given media reports that the agency failed to collect more than $104 million in tolls during calendar year 2020,"" Rep. Thompson wrote. Read the full letter here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=9C81807A-19D9-439F-9708-50C1DC32AABA,McConnell and Comer Help Secure Over $3.3 Million for Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Improvements,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Representative James Comer (KY-01) announced today the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will distribute $3,320,000 to the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority (PMCRA) to fund infrastructure improvements at the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport. DOT distributed these funds through their Port Infrastructure Development Program’s competitive grant process. Senator McConnell and Representative Comer wrote letters to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation in support of PMCRA’s grant application. PMCRA will use the funds allocated through this grant to modernize the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport’s material handling equipment, repair damaged facilities, and upgrade site conditions at their bulk yard. These upgrades will ensure reliable throughput for agriculture and construction supply chains, bolstering economic development in the quad-state area. “The Paducah-McCracken County Riverport is one of the most important transportation hubs in all of Kentucky. Situated at the heart of America’s inland waterway system, the port forms a vital link in the supply chains that serve consumers and businesses across the Commonwealth. It is more important than ever to be able to move much-needed materials in and out of our state efficiently,” said Senator McConnell. “Today’s grant announcement is a major step forward in the modernization and improvement of Kentucky’s river infrastructure. I was proud to stand alongside Congressman Comer and the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority in advocating for this grant’s approval.” “The Paducah-McCracken County riverport is vital to safely transporting the commodities America’s economy relies on. Given its strategic location and key role in the shipment of goods, Paducah is the perfect recipient of this competitive grant to improve economic development and inland waterway transportation in the United States,” said Congressman James Comer. “I’m eager to see this quality investment in Kentucky’s waterways get off the ground, and was happy to join Senator McConnell in successfully pushing for this funding.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F00C6AD6-8591-47DD-B6E3-C53B74363344,McConnell: Democrats Have Little to Show for 11 Months Running Pandemic Response,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"LOUISVILLE, KY – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding the Biden Administration and COVID-19: “Every American is rooting for our country in the continued fight against COVID-19. But 11 months into the Biden Administration, we need an honest accounting. “In 2020, then-candidate Biden promised he would ‘shut down the virus.’ Now new cases in our major cities are breaking records. When the virus had killed 220,000 Americans, then-candidate Biden said ‘anyone who’s responsible for that many deaths should not remain as President of the United States.’ Now we have lost 800,000 and counting. “Last week, Vice President Harris said their Administration was surprised and caught off guard by new variants such as delta and omicron. But new variants were public knowledge before this Administration took office. “Democrats’ springtime ‘rescue plan’ spent just 9% on the health fight and 91% on other issues. The Biden Administration has also taken hundreds of millions of dollars from COVID testing and the Strategic National Stockpile and diverted it to their border crisis. “As a result, eleven months into this Administration, we are still woefully short on rapid and affordable testing. Americans seeking tests before the holidays are facing massive lines and empty shelves. “Eleven months in, we are still short on important treatments such as monoclonal antibodies. “Eleven months in, a promising new antiviral pill was only belatedly approved today by the FDA and the Biden Administration preordered too little, too late. “Eleven months in, with a predictable seasonal surge threatening hospitals, the Administration has inexplicably only just begun releasing funding that Congress set aside for health providers. “Months ago, Senate Republicans wrote the Biden Administration asking why they were limiting important treatments and if they had any plans to guard against future variants. They never responded. “Washington Democrats spent 2021 chasing unrelated far-left ambitions and largely sleepwalking through the pandemic. “A million Americans per day were getting vaccinated before President Biden took office. What new tools have Democrats added to the fantastic vaccines they inherited? Where is their sequel to Operation Warp Speed? What do they have to show for 11 months? “I continue to urge everyone to take advantage of the safe and effective vaccines which the Biden Administration inherited. They offer fantastic protection against hospitalization and death. “At the same time, it is clear that vaccines will not completely halt transmission or new variants. “This makes it even more unacceptable that the Biden Administration is only producing illegal mandates and angry, confrontational speeches about vaccines. This Administration’s careless and confusing rhetoric has stoked an avoidable culture war around these lifesaving tools which they inherited. “The coronavirus will not simply disappear. Angry speeches about vaccines are not a strategy. “Democrats must quit the distractions, get focused, and move toward a future where the coronavirus is not a perpetual crisis, but a fact of life that we manage and mitigate. More and cheaper tests. More and better treatments. More vaccinations, but with unity, not bitter rhetoric. No more lockdowns. And no more Big Labor veto over children’s in-person educations.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-2021-festivusreport-government-waste/,Dr. Rand Paul Releases 2021 ‘Festivus’Reporton Government Waste,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 22, 2021 Contact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight (ETSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), released his 2021 “Festivus” Report, totaling over $52,598,515,585 billion in government waste. This marks Dr. Paul’s and the subcommittee’s seventh edition of the Festivus Report as he continues working to alert the American people to how their federal government uses their hard-earned money. Sections are broken down into COVID-19 spending, Afghanistan, and Miscellaneous. You can find Dr. Paul’s 2021 Festivus Report HERE.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-finance-republicans-demand-treasury-analysis-of-oecd-agreement/,"Scott, Finance Republicans Demand Treasury Analysis of OECD Agreement",2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), along with Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and all other Senate Finance Committee Republicans, wrote to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen renewing requests for information regarding international tax negotiations. To date, the Department of the Treasury (USDT) has been unwilling or unable to fully engage with Congress to provide details on the negotiations, which will have a significant impact on American workers, businesses and revenue. The senators raise concerns with how the negotiations may negatively impact U.S. competitiveness; the commitment from the United States to increase its global minimum tax before any other country; and suggestions that USDT could implement the agreement without the advice and consent of the Senate, bypassing the treaty process. “The Administration’s rush to reach a political agreement, tied to its domestic spending plans and pursuit of revenue, has come at the expense of thorough analysis and meaningful engagement with Congress and the business community, and may ultimately put U.S. businesses at risk. . . . Given this agreement’s potential to jeopardize U.S. competitiveness, we continue to have concerns with the lack of detail underlying the approach being proposed under Pillar One and its lack of foundation in any discernible tax principles,” the senators wrote. “Further troubling is Treasury’s continued insistence that the United States once again move first by significantly increasing the U.S. global minimum tax. . . . As Pillar Two does not require other countries to adopt a global minimum tax, we are not confident that our biggest foreign competitors, like China, will enact and implement a global minimum tax on the same terms or on the timeline agreed to at the OECD. … “Finally, suggestions that the United States could fully implement Pillar One without the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate through the treaty process are highly problematic. . . . [A]ny suggestion that Pillar One can be implemented absent treaty ratification is a dramatic shift from past precedent and calls into question the binding nature of any such agreement, thereby threatening the very tax certainty that many of our companies, and this Administration, claim to seek under Pillar One.” The senators end the letter with a detailed list of questions regarding the proposals, reiterating that any opportunity for a bipartisan outcome will require greater transparency and engagement from USDT. Signing the letter along with Senator Scott and Ranking Member Crapo were all other Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee: Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Pat Toomey (R-Penn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). Full text of the letter can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-joins-finance-republicans-to-demand-treasury-analysis-of-oecd-agreement/,Young Joins Finance Republicans to Demand Treasury Analysis of OECD Agreement,2021-12-22,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined Senate Finance Committee Republicans in a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to renew requests for information regarding international tax negotiations. To date, Treasury has been unwilling or unable to fully engage with Congress to provide details on the negotiations, which will have a significant impact on American workers, businesses and revenue. The senators raise concerns with how the negotiations may negatively impact U.S. competitiveness; the commitment from the United States to increase its global minimum tax before any other country; and suggestions that Treasury could implement the agreement without the advice and consent of the Senate, bypassing the treaty process. From the letter: “The Administration’s rush to reach a political agreement, tied to its domestic spending plans and pursuit of revenue, has come at the expense of thorough analysis and meaningful engagement with Congress and the business community, and may ultimately put U.S. businesses at risk… Given this agreement’s potential to jeopardize U.S. competitiveness, we continue to have concerns with the lack of detail underlying the approach being proposed under Pillar One and its lack of foundation in any discernible tax principles. … Further troubling is Treasury’s continued insistence that the United States once again move first by significantly increasing the U.S. global minimum tax… As Pillar Two does not require other countries to adopt a global minimum tax, we are not confident that our biggest foreign competitors, like China, will enact and implement a global minimum tax on the same terms or on the timeline agreed to at the OECD. … Finally, suggestions that the United States could fully implement Pillar One without the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate through the treaty process are highly problematic… [A]ny suggestion that Pillar One can be implemented absent treaty ratification is a dramatic shift from past precedent and calls into question the binding nature of any such agreement, thereby threatening the very tax certainty that many of our companies, and this Administration, claim to seek under Pillar One.” The senators end the letter with a detailed list of questions regarding the proposals, reiterating that any opportunity for a bipartisan outcome will require greater transparency and engagement from Treasury. In addition to Senator Young, the following Republican members of the Finance Committee signed the letter: Mike Crapo (R-Idaho, Ranking Member) Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) John Cornyn (R-Texas) John Thune (R-South Dakota) Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) Rob Portman (R-Ohio) Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania) Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) Steve Daines (R-Montana) Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska) John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) Full text of the letter can be read here or below. December 22, 2021 The Honorable Janet Yellen Secretary Department of the Treasury 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20220 Dear Secretary Yellen, We remain focused on ensuring the agreement reached at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/G20 regarding international taxation allows U.S. businesses and workers to remain globally competitive. Because this Administration has failed to provide us with the detail necessary to evaluate the agreement, we renew our request for this information. U.S. engagement in the OECD negotiations has historically received broad, bipartisan support given the key objective of eliminating discriminatory digital services taxes (DSTs). Rather than prioritizing this shared goal, this Administration’s focus shifted to its domestic agenda of increasing taxes on American businesses, including through a higher global minimum tax. The Administration’s rush to reach a political agreement, tied to its domestic spending plans and pursuit of revenue, has come at the expense of thorough analysis and meaningful engagement with Congress and the business community, and may ultimately put U.S. businesses at risk. Given this agreement’s potential to jeopardize U.S. competitiveness, we continue to have concerns with the lack of detail underlying the approach being proposed under Pillar One and its lack of foundation in any discernible tax principles. Although you have stated that Pillar One will be “largely revenue neutral” to the United States, you have refused to provide us with an analysis substantiating your claim. You have also undercut this assertion by acknowledging that open design features may “materially impact American companies and the fiscal position of the United States relative to other countries.” We are also concerned the Pillar One implementation timeline agreed to by this Administration is not realistic. The Administration’s recent agreements allow existing DSTs to remain in place, pause all U.S. retaliatory options, and require implementation by December 31, 2023 in order for DSTs to be removed. Given the number of open issues remaining and the need for all countries to achieve consensus, implementation by 2023 is likely unachievable. These agreements appear to eliminate any U.S. leverage, while attempting to manipulate Congress to act—potentially to the detriment of U.S. businesses and revenue—in order for DST relief to be achieved. Further troubling is Treasury’s continued insistence that the United States once again move first by significantly increasing the U.S. global minimum tax. The United States already acted first when the global intangible low-tax income (GILTI) minimum tax was enacted – four years ago. Yet the United States remains the only country that imposes a global minimum tax on its companies. As Pillar Two does not require other countries to adopt a global minimum tax, we are not confident that our biggest foreign competitors, like China, will enact and implement a global minimum tax on the same terms or on the timeline agreed to at the OECD. Finally, suggestions that the United States could fully implement Pillar One without the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate through the treaty process are highly problematic. Beyond constitutional concerns, any suggestion of implementation through a congressional-executive agreement at this stage is entirely inappropriate: this Administration chose not to engage with Congress to establish a legislative procedure defining OECD negotiating objectives or providing a detailed oversight and consultation process. The Administration cannot now assert it has the authority to enter into such an agreement. Overall, any suggestion that Pillar One can be implemented absent treaty ratification is a dramatic shift from past precedent and calls into question the binding nature of any such agreement, thereby threatening the very tax certainty that many of our companies, and this Administration, claim to seek under Pillar One. Any opportunity for a bipartisan outcome will require greater transparency and engagement. We ask that you provide prompt answers to the following questions surrounding these proposals: Please provide your estimate of the number of U.S. companies that would be in scope under Pillar One. While we understand there are open design issues, Treasury has clearly performed an analysis and identified a range of possible outcomes. Please provide point estimates of the following, and describe the key design issues on which these estimates depend: a. The amount of profit that would be reallocated between the United States and foreign countries, including a breakdown of estimated amounts by country. b. The net revenue impact of Pillar One to the United States. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) has long been engaged with the OECD negotiations at the request of both Congressional tax-writing committees. If you are unwilling to share this information directly with our members, will you commit to provide JCT with this information so they may provide an independent and confidential analysis? Please provide a proposed plan for Pillar One implementation, including: a. Treasury’s proposed approach for implementation, including the expected treaty actions, domestic legislation, and changes to our competent authority agreements. b. Treasury’s proposed timeline for the United States to implement Pillar One. c. If it is Treasury’s position that treaty action will not be necessary to implement Pillar One, by what means and under what authority will the U.S. enter into a multilateral convention? Please provide a detailed analysis regarding how each of the United States’ bilateral tax treaties’ permanent establishment provisions will be modified through means other than the formal treaty approval process. d. If Pillar One is not implemented by December 31, 2023, will U.S. companies have any recourse for DSTs collected between now and that date? Will other countries be free to enact DSTs at that time? e. What are the OECD’s plans for public consultation with stakeholders, including Congress and the U.S. business community, before design and implementation plans are finalized? What efforts are the Treasury Department taking to ensure meaningful public consultation takes place? What, if any, commitments has China made regarding its timing for implementation of a 15 percent global minimum tax? Have any of the other 134 countries joining the agreement provided you with a commitment regarding implementation? We will continue to engage in good faith to evaluate the effects of this agreement on American workers, businesses, and revenue. However, this Administration’s current posture of stonewalling our requests for relevant, material information has made it impossible to make this determination. We appreciate your attention to these issues and look forward to your timely response to our questions. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2226,Pleasant Middle School Sixth Grader Wins 2021 Congressional App Challenge,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,OH,Troy Balderson,B001306,balderson.house.gov,balderson,https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=10,scraper,"WORTHINGTON - Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12) today announced Pleasant Middle School sixth-grade student Lane Johnson as the winner of the 2021 Congressional App Challenge. The Congressional App Challenge is an annual competition showcasing the value of computer science and STEM education by encouraging middle and high school-age students to learn how to code through the creation of their own apps. Driven by his passion for role-playing games (RPGs), Johnson developed an app featuring heroes who team up for exciting adventures. “The Congressional App Challenge offers a unique opportunity for students to showcase their technical capabilities and to inspire their peers to pursue career paths in computer science,” said Congressman Balderson. “As one of this year’s youngest competitors, Lane has applied his passion and creativity to design a product for others’ enjoyment. He should take great pride in this outstanding achievement.” The app, which Johnson named Cats vs. Dogs: The RPG, is an interactive game that allows players to choose their characters’ abilities and to navigate through different environments and obstacles. A unique component to Johnson’s app is all of the character graphics displayed throughout the game are hand-drawn by him. “I loved making my app and drawing the pictures used in it. I’m so excited about winning 1st place,” said Johnson. Entries from students across Ohio's 12th Congressional District were assessed by a panel of local experts on several criteria, including the demonstrated knowledge of coding and programming skills, as well as the quality and implementation of their ideas. Johnson’s winning app will be eligible for exhibition in the U.S. Capitol Building, and will be featured on the House of Representatives’ website. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://bergman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=957,Bergman Continues Bipartisan Effort to Expand Highspeed Broadband,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MI,Jack Bergman,B001301,bergman.house.gov,bergman,https://bergman.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Today, Reps. Bergman, Neguse, and a group of bipartisan lawmakers unveiled new legislation to expand access to universal broadband. H.R. 6314, the Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act would direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to improve funding mechanisms for the Universal Service Fund (USF), expanding access to broadband and other telecommunications services. This legislation builds on Rep. Bergman’s efforts to require Big Tech companies to finance rural broadband programs through H.R.4905, the Big Tech Accountability for Broadband Act. You can read more here. “The way the federal government funds its largest broadband program is outdated. We need to modernize the USF so we can expand highspeed broadband to all who lack it, and not pay for it on the backs of seniors and working families,” said Rep. Jack Bergman. “To fully participate in the modern era, small business owners, students, families, and workers in rural communities require consistent, reliable broadband connectivity,” said Rep. Joe Neguse. “Our bill, the Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act, will ensure our federal agencies are utilizing all tools at their disposal to expand access to broadband and other telecommunications services, to connect our communities.” Background: The FCC’s Universal Service Fund (USF) finances roughly $9 billion worth of broadband support for rural areas, telehealth, schools and libraries, and low-income households each year. The USF is replenished by FCC fees on telecommunications carriers, which are usually passed on to their customers through phone bills. The bill, which is also cosponsored by Reps. Lizzie Fletcher, Diana DeGette, Angie Craig, and Kat Cammack, is the companion to Senate legislation originally introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Thune (R-SD).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://bost.house.gov/2021/12/bost-announces-2021-congressional-app-challenge-winner,BOST ANNOUNCES 2021 CONGRESSIONAL APP CHALLENGE WINNER,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,IL,Mike Bost,B001295,bost.house.gov,bost,https://bost.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today announced the winner of the 2021 Congressional App Challenge, Neil Phillips of Emge Jr. High School in Belleville. Launched in 2015, the competition is a nationwide event intended to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in STEM fields. Neil’s app allows users to play “instruments” online by using different keystrokes and commands. “Congratulations to Neil for winning this year’s competition,” said Bost. “The Congressional App Challenge gives middle and high school students a great opportunity to learn new skills, like coding and app design, which will serve them well in their futures. Thank you to Neil and all the other Southern Illinois students who participated in the competition this year. Job well done!” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://franklin.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=283,Franklin Congratulates MacDill Air Force Base on Being Selected to Base KC-46 Tanker Aircraft,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,FL,Scott Franklin,F000472,franklin.house.gov,franklin,https://franklin.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Representative Scott Franklin (FL-15), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, congratulated MacDill Air Force Base on being selected by the Secretary of the Air Force as the next Main Operating Base (MOB) for 24 new KC-46 Pegasus tankers. The U.S Air Force previously identified MacDill and Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington state as the top two candidates for the new KC-46s. Rep. Franklin helped lead a letter in June with the entire bipartisan Florida Congressional Delegation urging Air Force Secretary John P. Roth to select MacDill as the next MOB for the tankers. “MacDill is the right choice for the KC-46’s new operating base,” said Rep. Franklin. “It is home to 33 mission partner units from all branches of service, including U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, making it an ideal setting for these aircraft. The KC-135 Stratotanker has been a work horse in support of military aviation since the mid-1950’s, but its time had passed. When I was a young Naval Aviator over 30 years ago, we were already looking eagerly to its replacement. That time has finally arrived, and I’m proud to know that MacDill will be the new home for the KC-46. The Tampa Bay area is highly respected for its support of our servicemembers and their families. I look forward to welcoming more of them to our community with the selection.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://hern.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=472,Hern leads bipartisan letter to Commerce Secretary Raimondo on lumber shortage,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,OK,Kevin Hern,H001082,hern.house.gov,hern,https://hern.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo yesterday with 84 bipartisan cosigners from the House of Representatives. In the letter, the Members urge Secretary Raimondo to reconsider the decision to increase antidumping and countervailing duties on softwood lumber, which will raise prices on lumber even further, burdening American families. Representative Brian Higgins (D-NY) is a co-lead on the letter, and additional signers include Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV), Chris Jacobs (R-NY), Bob Gibbs (R-OH), Mike Turner (R-OH), Bill Johnson (R-OH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rick Allen (R-GA), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Mary Miller (R-IL), Tim Walberg (R-MI), David Kustoff (R-TN), Peter Meijer (R-MI), Neal P. Dunn, M.D. (R-FL), Brad R. Wenstrup, D.P.M. (R-OH), Mike Bost (R-IL), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Cindy Axne (D-IA), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), David Valadao (R-CA), Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (R-IA), Scott Perry (R-PA), David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV), Betty McCollum (D-MN), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), William Timmons (R-SC), Ronny L. Jackson (R-TX), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Warren Davidson (R-OH) , Michael C. Burgess, M.D (R-TX), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Ben Cline (R-VA), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN), Don J. Bacon (R-NE), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), John Rose (R-TN), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Chip Roy (R-TX), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Ron Kind (D-WI), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Roger Williams (R-TX), Bill Posey (R-FL), David P. Joyce (R-OH), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Fred Upton (R-MI), Jodey C. Arrington (R-TX), Anthony Gonzalez (OH), John Katko (R-NY), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Blake Moore (R-UT), Randy Weber (R-TX), Tom Emmer (R-MN), Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY), Victoria Spartz (R-IN), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), James Comer (R-KY), Billy Long (R-MO), Young Kim (R-CA), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Kay Granger (R-TX), Tom Reed (R-NY), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD), and Judy Chu (D-CA). The text of the letter can be found here and below. December 20, 2021 The Honorable Gina M. Raimondo Secretary U.S. Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230 Dear Secretary Raimondo: We are writing in response to the Department of Commerce’s decision to increase antidumping and countervailing duties on certain softwood lumber products from Canada. We are very concerned about the implications this action will have on new housing construction and the costs faced by hardworking American families. Historically high lumber and building material prices continue to imperil the U.S. housing sector and the jobs of the skilled workers in this sector. Housing construction is an important contributor to the U.S. economy, especially as the nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this success is at risk as the construction industry faces a dramatic increase in the costs of materials. While lumber prices began a sharp decline in May, it took months for a meaningful portion of those decreases to reach the construction industry and its customers. Unfortunately, prices began rising again in September and have increased substantially in the past weeks. Our understanding is the U.S. and Canadian Governments discussed this matter earlier this year and expressed mutual interest in addressing this longstanding dispute. We are supportive of these efforts and request that all parties come to the negotiating table to reach a balanced agreement that counters unfair trade practices. Such an agreement would be in the interests of the United States because it would provide predictability to homebuilders and job security for the millions of hardworking Americans who apply their skills every day in the construction industry. Resolving this matter in a balanced way would help the economy recover from the disruptions of the past year. We, as Members of Congress, stand ready to discuss this issue and potential solutions with you. Sincerely, This letter follows a bipartisan letter to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai led by Rep. Hern this spring urging resumption of trade negotiations with Canada. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-congressman-darrell-issa,Statement by Congressman Darrell Issa,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,CA,Darrell Issa,I000056,issa.house.gov,issa,https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) issued the following statement: ""With the encouragement and support of family, friends and especially constituents throughout the region I have represented since 2001, I am announcing that next year I will seek election in California’s new 48th Congressional District. It is a community I know very well, have represented in Congress before, and hope to continue to serve for years to come."" Darrell Issa is the Representative of California’s 50th Congressional District. The District encompasses the central and northeastern parts of San Diego County and a portion of Riverside County, including the communities of Fallbrook, San Marcos, Valley Center, Ramona, Escondido, Santee, Lakeside, El Cajon, Temecula, and the mountain and desert areas of the San Diego-Imperial County line. Issa served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2011-2015. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=315,Rep. Jackson Joins Amicus Brief in Support of Servicemembers Seeking Religious Exemption from the Military’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,TX,Ronny Jackson,J000304,jackson.house.gov,jackson,https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) joined an amicus brief to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in support of 35 Navy servicemembers who are seeking religious accommodations from the Department of Defense’s vaccine mandate. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) led the brief, which was signed by 38 Representatives and 9 Senators. The plaintiffs have sued the Department of Defense over the Department’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in a Texas federal court claiming that the mandate infringes upon their religious freedom rights. Jackson said: “What Joe Biden is doing is abundantly obvious – ignoring our Constitution. I’m proud to join Sen. Cruz and Rep. Johnson in filing this brief along with many of my colleagues who will always uphold the Constitution and stand by our servicemembers. The First Amendment right to religious liberty should withstand the test of an illegal vaccine mandate. As Russia, China, and Iran work overtime to destroy us, we cannot afford to have our military’s best and brightest on the sidelines because their own Commander-in-Chief has waged war on their rights.” The brief states: “The very first clause of the very First Amendment explicitly states that ‘Congress shall make no law… prohibiting the free exercise’ of religion. This amendment, case law, and Congress’s decision to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act all testify to the fact that, without entrenched, generally applicable, and judicially enforceable protections for religious liberty, lawmakers and government bureaucrats are susceptible to override sincere religious beliefs in favor of what they mistakenly see as the greater good. That is what is happening with Defendants’ vaccine mandate.” The brief continues: “Plaintiffs’ religious liberty and the government’s asserted interest in protecting our service members from COVID-19 need not be in conflict, especially where, as here, the individuals seeking an exemption are willing to adopt non-vaccination measures to protect themselves and others from the spread of COVID-19.” The brief concludes: “Indeed, the impact on the military and our national security strongly counsels in favor of granting a preliminary injunction. The mandate is sidelining the deployment of soldiers on whose service our country relies. If this mandate (as currently being applied or threatened) is not enjoined, these Plaintiffs cannot fulfill their pledge to serve and defend our country, even though, based upon their training and experience, these Plaintiffs, as well as others similarly situated, are some of our most qualified, equipped, and fearless soldiers… Now they ask this Court to protect their religious freedom from encroachment by the very government they have sworn to protect with their lives. “If the mandate stands, it is likely, then, that it will be more difficult for our military to recruit highly qualified individuals of faith to serve our country—a consequence that is wholly unnecessary, damaging to our military’s morale, and damaging to our national security.” Jackson is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Link to the full brief can be found here. Also joining the brief are Representatives Rick Allen (GA-12), Brian Babin (TX-36), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Dan Bishop (NC-09), Mo Brooks (AL-05), Lauren Boebert (CO-03), Kat Cammack (FL-03), Andrew Clyde (GA-09), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Rodney Davis (IL-13), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Bob Gibbs (OH-07), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Bob Good (VA-05), Paul Gosar (AZ-04), Michael Guest (MS-03), Andy Harris (MD-01), Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), Jody Hice (GA-10), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Darrell Issa (CA-50), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Billy Long (MO-07), Thomas Massie (KY-04), Brian Mast (FL-18), Mary Miller (IL-15), Greg Murphy (NC-03), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Scott Perry (PA-10), Matt Rosendale (MT-AL), Chip Roy (TX-21), Greg Steube (FL-17), Randy Weber (TX-29), and Daniel Webster (FL-10), as well as Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Mike Lee (R-UT), James M. Inhofe (R-OK), James Lankford (R-OK), Steve Daines (R-MT), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Roger Marshall (R-KS).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://marymiller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-millers-statement-president-biden-remarks,Congresswoman Miller's Statement on President Biden Remarks,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,IL,Mary E. Miller,M001211,marymiller.house.gov,marymiller,https://marymiller.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"EFFINGHAM, Ill. - Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-IL) issued the below statement following President Biden's remarks. ""President Biden is viciously dividing Americans after his false promise of unity, and his message today reveals his campaign pledge to 'shut down the virus, not the economy' was a lie,"" Miller said. ""He did not address natural immunity once or admit that hospital staff shortages are being caused by vaccine mandates placed on doctors and nurses who recovered from COVID naturally."" ""Last week, Vice President Kamala Harris said, 'we didn't see Delta coming' and 'we didn't see Omicron coming,' after an entire 2020 campaign promising that they would be experts on defeating COVID. In a shocking apology for China's communist government, Vice President Harris said, 'it's no one's fault' that COVID spread from Wuhan, China, the location of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, to the rest of the world. The greatest hypocrisy of the Biden-Harris Administration is a wide open southern border where hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals are crossing with zero testing and vaccine requirements.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://moolenaar.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/midland-high-students-win-2021-congressional-app-challenge,Midland High Students Win 2021 Congressional App Challenge,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MI,John R. Moolenaar,M001194,moolenaar.house.gov,moolenaar,https://moolenaar.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Midland High School seniors Lauren McGuirk, Elliana Rinn, and Allison Scheffer have won the 2021 Congressional App Challenge for Michigan's Fourth Congressional District with their app, Virtual Motion Therapy. The app is designed to help patients who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease have access to physical therapy exercises. It utilizes virtual reality technology to simulate hand-eye coordination exercises such as motioning to pop a bubble. The students have produced a video about their app, which can be seen here. ""Congratulations to Allison, Elliana, and Lauren on creating their new app and utilizing their skills to make a positive difference in the community. Learning a coding language and putting those skills to use can help open the door to good-paying jobs not only now, but also in the future,"" said Congressman Moolenaar. ""I want to thank everyone who participated in this year's Congressional App Challenge and encourage the incredibly talented students of mid and northern Michigan to participate again next year."" The Congressional App Challenge is a yearly competition that takes place throughout the country where students design and create original apps. For more information on how to get involved, visit the Congressional App Challenge website here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases/spartz-introduces-national-critical-capabilities-defense-act,Spartz Introduces the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,IN,Victoria Spartz,S000929,spartz.house.gov,spartz,https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — United States Representatives Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today introduced the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act (NCCDA) to establish a review process that would protect the United States supply chain from foreign adversaries like China and Russia. This legislation would create a whole-of-government screening process for outbound investments and the offshoring of critical capacities and supply chains to ensure that the United States can quickly detect supply chain vulnerabilities. “The recent pandemic highlighted significant weaknesses in supply chain resiliency, geographic imbalances, and material dependencies on the manufacturing output of our adversaries—like China—posing serious national security risks,” said Representative Spartz. “This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will improve transparency to mitigate strategic risks and increase domestic manufacturing capabilities for critical products and materials.” “The COVID-19 pandemic and semiconductor shortages exposed that critical U.S. supply chains were not up to the task in robustly responding to the America’s needs. We have to learn from our mistakes and cannot allow outbound investments from the United States to take critical supply chains overseas and into the hands of our adversaries such as China or Russia,” said Representative DeLauro. “Companies at a minimum should be required to report on their proposed offshoring of supply chains so the United States can better protect critical manufacturing capacity here at home to protect American workers and our national, economic and health security. I am hopeful that this legislation can spur action related to U.S. supply chain security. I thank my colleagues in the House, Representatives Pascrell, Fitzpatrick, and Spartz, and in the Senate, Senators Casey and Cornyn, for leading this critical effort. Now is the time to act.” “The unfolding global supply chain crisis is evidence that America can no longer afford to rely on foreign adversaries like China and Russia for our essential goods and supplies,” said Representative Fitzpatrick. “The NCCDA is an immediate, bipartisan response to the supply chain bottleneck that is plaguing our country and will increase transparency surrounding the offshoring of critical industries and manufacturing. We must act now to ensure the US has a resilient and secure supply chain that will bolster American innovation, job creation, and national security.” “The frayed American supply chain and our continued bleeding of industrial capacity offshore represent a dangerous national security threat to the United States,” said Representative Pascrell. “This watershed, bipartisan, bicameral legislation will take a major step to provide needed transparency and tools to prevent supply chains and critical industries from being offshored to our adversaries. The Chinese Communist Party climbed America’s back to economic power and is now using that power to commit genocide, crush democratic norms, empower dictators, undermine workers, rig the world economy, and threaten America’s allies. Putin’s Russian Federation has also leached off America’s economic might to sow discord in the world. It is time to enhance supply chain visibility so our companies and average worker investments are not being hoodwinked into empowering trade that undermines American competitiveness. Our proposal would be an important element for innovation and competition legislation being advanced in the House.” United States Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) also introduced this bipartisan legislation in the Senate.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://steil.house.gov/media/press-releases/steil-announces-2021-congressional-app-challenge-winners,Steil Announces 2021 Congressional App Challenge Winners,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,WI,Bryan Steil,S001213,steil.house.gov,steil,https://steil.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"GREENDALE, WI – Congressman Bryan Steil announced Wisconsin First Congressional District's 2021 Congressional App Challenge winners,Greendale High School students Charlie Smitsdorff and Tyler Balota. Charlie and Tyler created an app called Robato. A panel of experts in the computer science field reviewed the app based on its concept, design, and skill. Image ""It was great to announce Charlie and Tyler as the winners of the App Challenge at Greendale High School and learn more about their app, Robato. I congratulate both students for winning this content. Creating an app takes time, hard work, patience, skills, and planning. My priority is to promote STEM programs to teach our students problem solving skills, and encourage critical thinking and innovation."" The Congressional App Challenge is a competition aimed at encouraging middle and high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications. Started in 2013, the Challenge is intended to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. The House of Representatives knows how crucial these skills are and wants to encourage students to engage in these fields. By encouraging and recognizing our nation's young programming talent, Congress hopes to shine a light on the growing importance of these skills. This competition is open to students who meet the eligibility requirements, regardless of coding experience.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-delegation-welcomes-additional-h-2b-visas,Alaska Delegation Welcomes Additional H-2B Visas,2021-12-21,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"DHS, DOL Announcement Paves Way for Robust Seasonal Workforce U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, welcomed an announcement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) that a joint temporary final rule will soon be implemented to ensure an additional 20,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas will be made available nationwide for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. “This announcement recognizes the significance of H-2B visas for Alaska and is vitally important for our state’s seafood industry. Despite their dogged efforts to find local seasonal workers – which must always be the preference – Alaska employers, particularly in seafood processing, often struggle to find enough workers to keep their operations running. These additional visas, which will be issued in the first half of the Fiscal Year for the first time ever, will help our seafood industry ensure a robust labor pool as we head into the 2022 season,” said Senator Murkowski. “I made it a priority early on with this administration to elevate this issue—not only for a need to raise the cap, but for a long-term solution. I thank the administration for making this a priority and will push the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security to issue needed visas in a timely manner.” ""A perpetually challenging issue for our seafood industry is ensuring sufficient seafood workers so that when our great Alaska fishermen harvest their world-class product they can get it to market. I appreciate the focus on this issue, and the commitment to solutions for Alaskan fishermen who are going out to sea early in the new year and rely on this program,” said Senator Sullivan. “It is vital that our state’s ongoing economic recovery is not further threatened by labor shortages. Access to sufficient nonimmigrant seasonal H-2B visas is essential for Alaska’s seafood processing industry. Filling these jobs with Alaskans continues to be my goal, but a lack of workers would have catastrophic impacts for fishermen, processors, and the fishing communities that rely on this sector being strong. The Alaskan seafood industry is a critical piece of our nation’s food supply and security. Over the last few months, I have been working on a solution to the seafood processing labor shortage, including working closely with Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas to find a fix for this critical sector,” said Congressman Young. “Today, I am very pleased to share that DHS is making thousands more H-2B visas available, which will greatly benefit Alaska’s economy and employers in the coming year. This is a tremendous victory for our state, and our Delegation’s united front has once again produced an important win for Alaska. Our work will continue as we look to find a long-term solution for labor needs in the seafood processing sector. I want to sincerely thank Secretary Mayorkas for working with me and our Senators on behalf of our state’s businesses. As always, I will continue working with anyone, regardless of party, on policies that put Alaska first.” H-2B visas allow domestic employers to temporarily hire nonimmigrants to perform nonagricultural labor or services if American workers are not available, after completing a rigorous application and certification process. These visas are critical to the survival of seafood businesses, many of which are family-owned operations that go back multiple generations. The Alaska Delegation has been active on the H-2B issue, working hard each year to ensure that an adequate number of H-2B visas are made available, and that they are issued to Alaskan employers with sufficient advance for them to prepare for the season ahead. Senator Murkowski and Congressman Young have maintained direct contact with DHS Secretary Mayorkas, working collaboratively to find a solution.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://bergman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=956,38 House Republicans File Amicus Brief in Support of Navy Service Members Seeking Religious Accommodations for the Department of Defense’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MI,Jack Bergman,B001301,bergman.house.gov,bergman,https://bergman.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Rep. Jack Bergman and 37 House Republicans led by Rep. Mike Johnson, filed an Amicus Brief before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in support of 35 Navy service members seeking religious accommodations for the Department of Defense’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The brief states: “The very first clause of the very First Amendment explicitly states that ‘Congress shall make no law… prohibiting the free exercise’ of religion. This amendment, case law, and Congress’s decision to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act all testify to the fact that, without entrenched, generally applicable, and judicially enforceable protections for religious liberty, lawmakers and government bureaucrats are susceptible to override sincere religious beliefs in favor of what they mistakenly see as the greater good. That is what is happening with Defendants’ vaccine mandate.” The brief continues: “Plaintiffs’ religious liberty and the government’s asserted interest in protecting our service members from COVID-19 need not be in conflict, especially where, as here, the individuals seeking an exemption are willing to adopt non-vaccination measures to protect themselves and others from the spread of COVID-19.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://blakemoore.house.gov/media/press-releases/representative-blake-moores-national-medal-honor-monument-act-headed-president,Representative Blake Moore’s National Medal of Honor Monument Act Headed to President Biden’s Desk,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,UT,Blake D. Moore,M001213,blakemoore.house.gov,blakemoore,https://blakemoore.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – This weekend, after unanimously passing the House in July, Representative Blake Moore’s National Medal of Honor Monument Act unanimously passed the Senate. The legislation will now head to the White House to be signed into law by President Biden. Introduced by Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) and Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), the National Medal of Honor Monument Act is bipartisan legislation that authorizes the creation of a monument that will pay homage to the values the Medal of Honor represents—courage, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, commitment, and sacrifice—and the less than 4,000 brave individuals who earned it in service to their country. Of the roughly 9,500 bills introduced in both chambers during the first session of the 117th Congress, only 95 have passed both the House and the Senate. “I am grateful to have been part of this historic effort to commemorate our Medal of Honor recipients with a monument in Washington, D.C.,” said Representative Blake Moore. “This bipartisan legislation is off to the president’s desk, and we are one step closer to immortalizing the sacrifices of our nation’s greatest heroes.” “I am so proud that my bipartisan Medal of Honor legislation will be signed into law by President Biden,” said Representative Marc Veasey. “This legislation honors the service and sacrifice of the brave men and women who risked their lives to protect our country.” “An homage to America’s Medal of Honor recipients in our nation’s capital will remind visitors and residents alike of what it means to put your country first,” said Senator John Cornyn. “The selfless servicemembers who have earned the Medal of Honor – like the fabled Patrick Brady and Audie Murphy, to name a few – deserve our utmost respect and recognition, and I applaud the Foundation, which calls Arlington, Texas home, for their hard work and advocacy.” “I am proud our bill to establish a National Medal of Honor Monument has reached this pivotal point, passing the Senate and getting one step closer to becoming law,” said Senator Tim Kaine. “This museum will honor the tremendous sacrifices our servicemembers have made in service to our nation.” ""With only 67 Medal of Honor recipients alive today, time is of the essence to recognize our nation’s bravest heroes. By passing the National Medal of Honor Monument Act, we are one step closer to doing just that,” said Chris Cassidy, National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation president and CEO. “I want to thank Sens. Cornyn and Kaine and Reps. Veasey and Moore for their tremendous leadership. Together, we will pay tribute to the fewer than 4,000 brave Americans who have received the Medal.” The Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest military decoration and is awarded to U.S. service members who have distinguished themselves with extraordinary acts of valor. It is awarded very rarely and only to those whose service and sacrifice far exceed the call of duty. The mission of the National Medal of Honor Museum, which is currently being built in Arlington in Texas’s 33rd Congressional district, is to commemorate the stories of our Medal of Honor recipients, unite Americans around the common ideals embodied by the medal, and inspire every citizen to look for ways to serve and create a lasting impact in their own communities.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=8650,Mission Accomplished: FAA Approves Launch Site Operator License For Spaceport Camden,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,GA,"Earl L. ""Buddy"" Carter",C001103,buddycarter.house.gov,buddycarter,https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WOODBINE, Ga. – Camden County, Georgia, a rocket testing location and alternate launch site for the Apollo program, has reclaimed its aerospace heritage with the issuance of a launch site operator license (LSOL) by the Federal Aviation Administration for Spaceport Camden. Spaceport Camden is a multi user, vertical lift, commercial launch site on the Atlantic seaboard that will support up to 12 small vehicle launches per year. “Opportunity - that is what Spaceport Camden’s LSOL is providing Camden County. Our already world-class economy is now diversifying in a way that will catapult Georgia into the 21st century and beyond,” said U.S. Representative Earl L. “Buddy” Carter. “I am immensely proud of Spaceport Camden for their hard work and innovation that made this possible. With this announcement, Georgia’s First District has solidified itself as a global leader.” “In the 20th century Camden County was declared the ‘Gateway to Space.’ With this license, we have retained that title again in the 21st century,” said Steve Howard, Camden County Administrator and Spaceport Camden executive project lead. “This once in a generation opportunity will provide a new frontier of economic prosperity for Camden, the region and the state of Georgia. Georgia is part of the new space race, and we will become one of the leaders,” added Howard. “It has been long time coming, but Camden County is immensely proud of this accomplishment. With this license, Spaceport Camden offers coastal Georgia over 100 miles of opportunity,” said Board of County Commissioners Chairman, Gary Blount. “We are no longer a one-dimensional economy solely reliant on the brave sailors and contractors at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay for economic prosperity,” added Blount. Spaceport Camden becomes the thirteenth licensed spaceport in the United States, but just the third vertical lift facility on the East Coast. Vertical lift comprises the lion’s share of commercial space activity and low latitude east coast launch sites are preferred due to the extra velocity provided by the rotation of the Earth. Located below 31 degrees of latitude, Spaceport Camden takes advantage of free boost velocity from the earth’s rotation to maximize payload and minimize fuel necessary to reach orbit. As a result, Spaceport Camden’s location offers similar launch characteristics to Cape Canaveral, the world’s busiest spaceport. Camden County is the ideal location to meet growing launch demand from the commercial space industry - a $447 billion industry that Bank of America predicts will grow to $3 trillion by 2047. Not only does Camden County have a highly trained military workforce that can transition upon retirement to employment into the commercial space industry, the surrounding area has transportation infrastructure such as roads and rail that can provide support to the investment community. Spaceport Camden comes online of increasing demand for vertical lift launch capacity. A recentstudy for the Pentagon found that the majority of US Spaceports are unsuitable for future launch needs because they are horizontal, not vertical launch sites like Spaceport Camden. The study notes, “[d]ue to the inherent performance limitations of horizontal launch, the future space economy will be dependent on vertical launch.” The study also found that without additional vertical lift capacity at sites like Spaceport Camden “…the U.S. will still remain precariously dependent on a handful of key spaceports – a dependency that, if not resolved, will undermine U.S. interests strategically and commercially in the next decade.” Launch providers seeking to utilize Spaceport Camden will still need to have their individual vehicles approved by the FAA to launch from Spaceport Camden - a standard requirement under the agency’s rules. All launch vehicles must be individually licensed. More about Spaceport Camden: Their Vision is to develop a successful world class spaceport through a public private partnership that establishes Camden County as the Commercial Space Center of the United States. Their Mission is to create the premier spaceport strategically positioned to provide economic diversity with a competitive advantage for the space sector, Camden County, the State of Georgia and the United States of America. For more information, please view www.SpaceportCamden.us.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=8652,Carter helps secure $14.6 million for Georgia Ports,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,GA,"Earl L. ""Buddy"" Carter",C001103,buddycarter.house.gov,buddycarter,https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced today that it is authorizing $14.6 million to the Georgia Ports Authority to expand operations at the Brunswick Port. Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) voted for this funding, which was authorized under the FY 2021 Appropriations Act signed into law under President Trump. “This is exactly the type of strategic, targeted investment that will alleviate the supply chain crunch at our Ports and help Georgia maintain its status as a world-class shipping leader,” said Carter. Specifically, the funding will go towards constructing “a fourth roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel berth at the Port of Brunswick's Colonel's Island Terminal in order to add needed capacity at the nation's second busiest Ro-Ro cargo port and more efficiently accommodate the larger 7,000-plus-unit vehicle carrier vessels that are becoming the industry standard for Ro-Ro ships calling at U.S. ports,” according to the DOT’s grant announcement. Rep. Carter wrote a letter to Secretary Buttigieg back in June urging him to approve this grant, citing the “the growing volume of U.S. automotive exports at the Port,” and the project’s potential to create “immediate and long-term family wage jobs.” “Taxpayer dollars should benefit the taxpayers. This grant will create generations of good-paying, in-demand jobs that will further attract businesses, people, and workers to Georgia’s First District,” said Carter. “I thank former President Trump for advocating for this legislation and the Georgia Ports Authority for their innovation and leadership, which made today’s grant announcement possible.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://cammack.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-kat-cammack-names-man-steel-duane-dewey-fl-03-2021-veteran-year,Congresswoman Kat Cammack Names 'Man Of Steel' Duane Dewey FL-03 2021 Veteran Of The Year,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,FL,Kat Cammack,C001039,cammack.house.gov,cammack,https://cammack.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"GAINESVILLE, FL – Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack announced this year's Veteran of the Year as Mr. Duane Dewey, a Medal of Honor recipient, for his courageous actions during the Korean War in 1952. Known as the ""Man of Steel"" in Florida's Third Congressional District, Corporal Duane Edgar Dewey received the Medal of Honor in March 1953 from President Dwight D. Eisenhower following his heroic actions near Panmunjom, Korea with the machine gun platoon of Company E of the United States Marine Corps. When an enemy grenade landed close to his position while he and his assistant gunner received medical attention for their wounds during a night attack, Corporal Dewey pulled his fellow corpsman to the ground, shouted a warning to the other Marines around him, and bravely smothered the deadly missile with his body, personally absorbing the full force of the explosion to save the lives of those around him. When accepting the Medal of Honor from President Eisenhower after significant months of recuperation, the president joked, ""you must be made of steel,"" and the nickname stuck. Corporal Dewey was a fixture in the North Central Florida community, where he spent several months out of the year when not in his home state of Michigan. He was a member of the Korean War Veterans Association in Gainesville and known for his friendship, bravery, and support of his fellow veterans, often bashful about his service record to the point that few even knew they were in the presence of a recognized hero. ""It is only fitting that the inaugural Veteran of the Year is one of the bravest men to have served our country,"" said Rep. Cammack. ""During an incredibly harrowing time, Cpl. Dewey willingly sacrificed himself to save the lives of the men around him, setting a tremendous example for service and bravery. We were so lucky to have him in our part of Florida for many years, and I know we will continue to miss him dearly. Thank you, sir."" Corporal Dewey passed away earlier this year in St. Augustine, Florida on October 11. He is survived by two children, two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and dozens of family members and friends. Congresswoman Cammack has flown a flag over the U.S. Capitol in Corporal Dewey's memory, entered his courageous story into the Congressional Record, and will honor him in a speech on the House Floor in January. Congresswoman Cammack thanks the community for submitting their entries for this year's Veteran of the Year award and looks forward to continuing this tradition for years to come. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://clayhiggins.house.gov/2021/12/20/higgins-announces-additional-74m-hurricane-recovery-efforts/,Higgins Announces Additional $7.4M for Hurricane Recovery Efforts,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,LA,Clay Higgins,H001077,clayhiggins.house.gov,clayhiggins,https://clayhiggins.house.gov/category/press-releases/,scraper,"LAKE CHARLES, LA – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) announced today that FEMA will award an additional $7,428,192.48 for hurricane recovery efforts in South Louisiana. The reimbursements include: $2,058,454.26 to the Lake Charles Harbor & Terminal District (Port of Lake Charles) for permanent work to Ship Loader #1, which was damaged as a result of Hurricane Laura. The reimbursement is made at a 90% federal cost-share. $5,369,738.22 to the Lake Charles Harbor & Terminal District (Port of Lake Charles) for permanent work to Ship Loader #2, which was damaged as a result of Hurricane Laura. The reimbursement is made at a 90% federal cost-share. All funding will be delivered to the State of Louisiana. The state is responsible for disbursing the funds to each sub-recipient.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://cole.house.gov/media/press-releases/cole-lucas-mullin-applaud-federal-grant-state-va-centers,"Cole, Lucas, Mullin Applaud Federal Grant for State VA Centers",2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,OK,Tom Cole,C001053,cole.house.gov,cole,https://cole.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04), Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) and Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK-02) issued the following statements after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced a grant award totaling nearly $1.35 million to the State of Oklahoma. The funding will go toward the cost associated with replacing emergency generators at the Oklahoma Veterans Centers in Claremore, Clinton, Sulphur and Talihina. The Sulphur Veterans Center is located in the Fourth District of Oklahoma, represented by Cole, the Clinton Veterans Center is located in the Third District of Oklahoma, represented by Lucas and the Claremore and Talihina Veterans Centers are located in the Second District of Oklahoma, represented by Mullin. ""I am very pleased that substantial federal funding has been directed to benefit our state's military heroes, including those living in the Fourth District of Oklahoma,"" said Cole. ""Replacing the emergency generators in four of our Veterans Centers will provide for continuity of operations and ensure care is still available in emergency circumstances. This is a win for our state and our veterans."" ""Oklahoma's veterans served our country with pride and dignity, never wavering to answer the call of service. As a grateful nation, we owe it to ourselves to provide the best resources and utmost essential care for our veterans,"" said Lucas. ""I thank the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for this federal funding and for their work ensuring Oklahoma's Veterans Affairs system has the critical infrastructure needed to provide care for our state's veterans."" ""This is great news for veterans across Oklahoma,"" said Mullin. ""We owe no greater debt than to those who have put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms and it is imperative we keep our commitment to them. These grants will help ensure these Veterans Centers are able to operate in emergencies and continue to provide quality care to veterans.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-issa-joins-suit-support-navy-service-members-seeking-exemption,Congressman Issa Joins Suit in Support of Navy Service Members Seeking Exemption from Vaccine Mandate,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,CA,Darrell Issa,I000056,issa.house.gov,issa,https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) joined Congressman Mike Johnson (LA-04) and 36 additional House Republican colleagues in filing an amicus brief in U.S. District Court. The filing is in support of 35 Navy service members seeking a religious exemption from the Biden Administration’s reckless military vaccine mandate. Eight U.S. Senators also joined the filing. “We will fight every day for the men and women who fight for us – even if it is one service member at a time,” said Rep. Issa. “I am proud to join my colleagues in directly communicating to this court that these members of the Navy have constitutional rights that no one – not even President Biden – can take away.” This action follows Congressman Issa’s recent advocacy to bring new attention to this issue, including a letter to President Biden urging a pause of the military vaccine mandate and a national op-ed detailing the mandate’s threat to force readiness and national security. Click HERE to view the brief in full. Darrell Issa is the Representative of California’s 50th Congressional District. The District encompasses the central and northeastern parts of San Diego County and a portion of Riverside County, including the communities of Fallbrook, San Marcos, Valley Center, Ramona, Escondido, Santee, Lakeside, El Cajon, Temecula, and the mountain and desert areas of the San Diego-Imperial County line. Issa served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2011-2015. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://malliotakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/malliotakis-local-colleagues-express-school-safety-concerns-incoming-nycdoe,"Malliotakis, Local Colleagues Express School Safety Concerns to Incoming NYCDOE Chancellor",2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,NY,Nicole Malliotakis,M000317,malliotakis.house.gov,malliotakis,https://malliotakis.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"(STATEN ISLAND, NY) - Following a meeting with officials from the NYC Department of Education (NYCDOE), NYPD, Susan Wagner High School, and the Office of School Safety to address a number of recent incidents that have occurred at Susan Wagner High School, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis led her local colleagues in sending a letter to incoming DOE Chancellor David Banks expressing concerns about school safety throughout New York City Schools. Of the concerns, the lawmakers specifically called on Banks to focus on addressing the shortage of school safety officers, develop a notification system to better communicate with parents, and reevaluate school discipline policies to establish consequences and interventions for negative behavior. Malliotakis added: ""What's been happening in and around our schools is extremely troubling, particularly for students, staff, and the surrounding community. We're collectively asking Chancellor Banks to reverse Mayor de Blasio's policies that have only exacerbated disruption and violence in our schools, establish policies to restore school safety immediately, and give power back to teachers and principals to control their classrooms.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases/spartz-convenes-workforce-solutions-roundtable-madison-county,Spartz Convenes Workforce Solutions Roundtable in Madison County,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,IN,Victoria Spartz,S000929,spartz.house.gov,spartz,https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ANDERSON, Ind. -- Today, Congresswoman Victoria Spartz hosted a workforce solutions roundtable in partnership with Madison County Chamber of Commerce and the Anderson Impact Center. Speakers from Ascend Indiana, Gaylor Electric, the Hinds Career Center, and the StartEd Up Foundation were joined by business and community leaders discussing best practices and challenges in the local labor markets. Among the topics discussed were adult learning, wraparound services, inefficiencies of government funding, testing mandates, modern apprenticeships, financial literacy, public-private partnerships, and innovative education solutions. “We have some strategic workforce readiness and supply chain issues, which are slowing the recovery of our economy,” said Congresswoman Spartz. “All the best ideas are coming from the grassroots, not from Washington, D.C., and I am always eager to hear from the innovators and leaders on the ground to be their partner in implementing and scaling up these initiatives.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-bera-chabot-castro-and-wagner-urge-president-biden-promptly,"Reps. Bera, Chabot, Castro, and Wagner Urge President Biden to Promptly Nominate U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN",2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MO,Ann Wagner,W000812,wagner.house.gov,wagner,https://wagner.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA) and Steve Chabot (R-OH), Chair and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, and Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Ann Wagner (R-MO), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to promptly nominate an individual to serve as the Ambassador of the United States to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In the letter, the Members wrote: ""As your Administration continues to make progress on filling vacant ambassadorships, it is imperative that the United States harness the growing momentum in our relationship with Southeast Asia by naming an ambassador to ASEAN. Many of our most pressing challenges require solutions that draw on multilateral organizations like ASEAN. Naming an Ambassador will be crucial for our efforts to further cooperate with the group on our many shared priorities including countering COVID-19, strengthening trade and investment ties, enhancing regional security, and addressing environmental challenges."" Click here or see below for the full letter. The Honorable Joseph R. Biden President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President, We urge you to promptly name a qualified individual to serve as the Ambassador of the United States to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The ten ASEAN nations are home to more than 662 million people and have a combined GDP of $3.2 trillion. By 2050, Southeast Asia is projected to become the world's fourth largest economy. The region's economic vibrancy, strategic location, and demographic diversity all make it a critical partner for the United States. Filling this important position—which has been vacant since January 2017—would enhance our ability to effectively work with ASEAN to further our shared interests in the region and beyond. The United States has long supported ASEAN's central role to promoting prosperity, peace, and stability in the Indo-Pacific. As Members of Congress committed to advancing U.S. relationship with our Southeast Asian partners, we appreciate your Administration's continued prioritization of the region and the numerous high-level visits from U.S. officials since you took office. As your Administration continues to make progress on filling vacant ambassadorships, it is imperative that the United States harness the growing momentum in our relationship with Southeast Asia by naming an ambassador to ASEAN. Many of our most pressing challenges require solutions that draw on multilateral organizations like ASEAN. Naming an Ambassador will be crucial for our efforts to further cooperate with the group on our many shared priorities including countering COVID-19, strengthening trade and investment ties, enhancing regional security, and addressing environmental challenges. In particular, the nomination and timely confirmation of a U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN is essential given the continued crisis in Burma. With the dry season on the horizon, we are deeply concerned the military junta will further escalate the violence in attempt to crush dissent and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. We appreciate ASEAN's leadership on this pressing matter thus far and its decision to downgrade Burma's participation at the recent ASEAN Summit. Having a U.S. Ambassador to show continued support ASEAN's centrality and to engage ASEAN members as we work toward a durable political solution in Burma will be crucial moving forward. Southeast Asia is one of the most dynamic, fastest-growing regions in the world, and ASEAN continues to be a vital partner in our shared efforts to advance regional peace, stability, and prosperity. As the first non-ASEAN country to name an Ambassador to ASEAN in 2008, the United States benefits from robust cooperation with our ASEAN friends. A confirmed U.S. Ambassador to the region would further reaffirm U.S. commitment to the region and work with regional partners to advance our shared interests. Sincerely, Ami Bera, M.D. Chairman Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation Steve Chabot Ranking Member Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation Joaquin Castro Co-Chair Congressional Caucus on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Ann Wagner Co-Chair Congressional Caucus on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://webster.house.gov/press-releases?ID=FC3EAB99-E882-42BE-A3C2-DC6DF6F3ABA1,Webster & Signs Amicus Brief in Support of Navy Service Members Seeking Religious Accommodations for the Department of Defense’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,FL,Daniel Webster,W000806,webster.house.gov,webster,https://webster.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont joined Constitutional law litigator Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) and 37 House Republicans today in filing an Amicus Brief before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in support of 35 Navy service members seeking religious accommodations for the Department of Defense’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The brief states: “The very first clause of the very First Amendment explicitly states that ‘Congress shall make no law… prohibiting the free exercise’ of religion. This amendment, case law, and Congress’s decision to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act all testify to the fact that, without entrenched, generally applicable, and judicially enforceable protections for religious liberty, lawmakers and government bureaucrats are susceptible to override sincere religious beliefs in favor of what they mistakenly see as the greater good. That is what is happening with Defendants’ vaccine mandate.” The brief continues: “Plaintiffs’ religious liberty and the government’s asserted interest in protecting our service members from COVID-19 need not be in conflict, especially where, as here, the individuals seeking an exemption are willing to adopt non-vaccination measures to protect themselves and others from the spread of COVID-19.” The brief concludes: “Indeed, the impact on the military and our national security strongly counsels in favor of granting a preliminary injunction. The mandate is sidelining the deployment of soldiers on whose service our country relies. If this mandate (as currently being applied or threatened) is not enjoined, these Plaintiffs cannot fulfill their pledge to serve and defend our country, even though, based upon their training and experience, these Plaintiffs, as well as others similarly situated, are some of our most qualified, equipped, and fearless soldiers… Now they ask this Court to protect their religious freedom from encroachment by the very government they have sworn to protect with their lives. “If the mandate stands, it is likely, then, that it will be more difficult for our military to recruit highly qualified individuals of faith to serve our country—a consequence that is wholly unnecessary, damaging to our military’s morale, and damaging to our national security.” The plaintiffs have sued the Department of Defense over the department’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in a Texas federal court claiming that the mandate infringes upon their religious freedom rights. Click here to read the brief. Representative Mike Johnson (LA) led the brief and Representatives Rick Allen (GA), Brian Babin (TX), Jack Bergman (MI), Andy Biggs (AZ), Dan Bishop (NC), Mo Brooks (AL), Lauren Boebert (CO), Kat Cammack (FL), Andrew Clyde (GA), Warren Davidson (OH), Rodney Davis (IL), Jeff Duncan (SC), Bob Gibbs (OH), Louie Gohmert (TX), Bob Good (VA), Paul Gosar (AZ), Michael Guest (MS), Andy Harris (MD), Vicky Hartzler (MO), Jody Hice (GA), Clay Higgins (LA), Darrell Issa (CA), Ronny Jackson (TX), Doug LaMalfa (CA), Doug Lamborn (CO), Billy Long (MO), Thomas Massie (KY), Brian Mast (FL), Mary Miller (IL), Greg Murphy (NC), Ralph Norman (SC), Scott Perry (PA), Matt Rosendale (MT), Chip Roy (TX), Greg Steube (FL), and Randy Weber (TX) also signed. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=2374FC54-6733-4A44-9EBD-E9E2EB0294F1,McConnell Helps Secure Over $115 Million in Pandemic Relief Funding for Kentucky Healthcare Providers,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will distribute more than $115 million in pandemic relief funding to 897 Kentucky healthcare providers through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). These funds will be distributed as Phase 4 of the Provider Relief Fund, which was established through the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Senator McConnell secured a total of $178 billion for the Provider Relief Fund through several bipartisan COVID-19 relief packages he led to Senate passage last year. This September, the Senator also wrote a letter to the HHS Secretary advocating for Kentucky’s healthcare providers to receive these funds. Previously, this Administration had not released any of the allocated Provider Relief Fund despite its availability throughout 2021. Kentucky’s relief funding comes as part of a nationwide, $9 billion payment to more than 69,000 healthcare providers who have experienced revenue loss or expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The nationwide average payment is $58,000 for small providers, $289,000 for medium providers, and $1.7 million for large providers. “Nobody has felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as acutely as our healthcare providers, who have been on the front lines of this crisis since day one. Now, as many of these same heroes mobilize to assist with Kentucky’s tornado recovery efforts, they are also dealing with extensive pandemic-related expenses and revenue loss. Today’s relief funding announcement will go a long way toward easing that financial distress,” said Senator McConnell. “I was proud to lead several bipartisan COVID-19 relief bills to passage last year and help our healthcare providers receive the relief funding they need to survive. Kentucky and America simply cannot allow our healthcare providers to flounder while we still work to defeat the pandemic.” “These funds will help cover the heavy losses that Baptist Health has faced in treating more than 21,000 COVID-19 patients due to the significant costs of the additional medical supplies, drugs and manpower needed for effective treatment. We thank Sen. McConnell for his role in facilitating these much-needed funds,” said Dr. Gerard Colman, CEO of Baptist Health. “Owensboro Health is extremely appreciative of Senator McConnell’s ongoing efforts to empower health systems like ours as we meet the challenges of COVID-19,” Mark Marsh, Owensboro Health President and CEO, said. “This relief comes as we see an uptick in hospitalizations and prepare for another wave of the virus and new variants in our predominately rural service area.” “We are extremely grateful for the additional Provider Relief Funds that have been released to providers to help cover the additional costs incurred from caring for patients with COVID. Patients with COVID require longer stays and more intense resources, many needing additional therapies, ICU care, or a ventilator. Extra supplies and Personal Protective Equipment are also required to prevent spread to associates and other patients. Meanwhile, supply costs and staffing costs have increased significantly during the pandemic due to shortages nationwide and capacity is being strained at St. Elizabeth and all hospitals requiring many to cancel elective surgeries and procedures at various points during the pandemic. The Provider Relief Fund established through Senator McConnell’s CARES Act have been critical in helping St. Elizabeth sustain high quality operations throughout the pandemic. Since we are experiencing another surge and cases are not declining, the newly released funds will help us to continue providing excellent care to our community,” said Garren Colvin, President and CEO St. Elizabeth Healthcare.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-joins-colleagues-in-filing-amicus-brief-in-pending-clean-air-act-supreme-court-case/,Scott Joins Colleagues in Filing Amicus Brief in Pending Clean Air Act Supreme Court Case,2021-12-20,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) today joined 47 senators and 45 House members—including Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.)—in filing an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the petitioners in the pending case West Virginia, et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The members agree that the EPA acted outside its congressionally-authorized authority by issuing significantly overreaching rules—namely the Clean Power Plan—to attempt to transform the nation’s power sector through emissions regulations under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. “If Congress had intended to give the EPA such sweeping authority to transform an entire sector of our economy, Congress would have done so explicitly. An administrative agency like the EPA may decide issues of such vast economic and political significance only when the agency can point to ‘clear congressional authorization.’ “Decisions regarding greenhouse gas emissions and the power sector are major policy questions with vast economic and political significance. Only elected members of Congress, representing the will of the people, may decide these questions. The EPA’s attempt to issue expansive regulations cannot stand in the absence of clear congressional authorization. “Congress knows how to address greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, Congress has decided to pass transformative laws that incentivize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from a wide range of industries, including the electric power sector,” the brief states. Senate cosigners of the brief include Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.). House cosigners of the brief include Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Steve Scalise (R-La.), Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Michael C. Burgess (R-Texas), Robert E. Latta (R-Ohio), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), David B. McKinley (R-W.Va.), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), Billy Long (R-Mo.), Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Gary J. Palmer (R-Ala.), Neal P. Dunn (R-Fla.), John R. Curtis (R-Utah), Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), Greg Pence (R-Ind.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), John Joyce (R-Pa.), Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), Troy Balderson (R-Ohio), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Garret Graves (R-La.), Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), and Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.). Read the full text of the amicus brief here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=703,Arrington's Statement on Senator Manchin's Blow to Dems' Build Back 'Better' Agenda,2021-12-19,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,TX,Jodey C. Arrington,A000375,arrington.house.gov,arrington,https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Rep. Jodey C. Arrington (TX-19) issued the following statement in response to Senator Joe Manchin’s announcement of his opposition to Democrats’ multi-trillion-dollar tax and spend bill. “The harsh reality for progressive Democrats is the majority of Americans reject their radical socialist agenda. I’m glad Senator Manchin does too,” said Rep. Arrington. “This is a victory for working families, our children, our freedoms, and the future prosperity of the greatest country in the world.” ### Congressman Jodey C. Arrington is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving the Nineteenth Congressional District of Texas. He serves as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.",1,2026-04-07T12:09:11Z,2026-06-28T00:49:41Z https://buchanan.house.gov/2021/12/buchanan-applauds-105-million-loan-sarasota-county-water-treatment,Buchanan Applauds $105 Million Loan for Sarasota County Water Treatment Facility,2021-12-19,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,FL,Vern Buchanan,B001260,buchanan.house.gov,buchanan,https://buchanan.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"SARASOTA, Fla. – Congressman Vern Buchanan today applauded the approval of a $105 million low interest rate loan to the Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility (BRWRF) Expansion and Wastewater Treatment Conversion Project from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This loan will be used to upgrade existing infrastructure to state-of-the-art water treatment technology. “Clean water is critical to our economy and quality of life here on the Suncoast,” said Buchanan “These innovative upgrades to the BRWRF will be a significant improvement to our local water infrastructure and serve my constituents in the area with more sustainable, cleaner water.” Financing for the expansion and conversion project was provided by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. Funds will be used to construct new facilities, utilities and on-site infrastructure and to demolish existing facilities, including secondary clarifiers and deep bed filters. Upgrades of this caliber have not previously been developed in Florida. In December 2020, Buchanan sent a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler urging the EPA consider Sarasota County’s request for WIFIA financing to improve water quality at BRWRF. BRWRF is a 143-acre facility located solely in Florida’s 16th congressional district. Upgrades to the BRWRF will benefit 90,980 Sarasota County residents in Buchanan’s district. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=8649,Carter on passing of Senator Isakson,2021-12-19,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,GA,"Earl L. ""Buddy"" Carter",C001103,buddycarter.house.gov,buddycarter,https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, former Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson tragically passed away. Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) paid tribute to this great Georgian: “Senator Isakson is one of the greatest Georgians to ever walk the halls of Congress. When you were with Senator Isakson, there was an inescapable sense that you were witnessing history,” said Carter. “I am proud to call Senator Isakson a mentor. Last year, I had the honor to watch as he and the late Congressman John Lewis embraced on the House Floor. I will not soon forget that moment, as two of the greatest voices for freedom in our generation, both from Georgia, proved yet again that respect knows no political party. Senator Isakson, thank you for setting an example for what it means to govern with integrity. My thoughts and prayers are with your wife, Dianne, and family during this trying time.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://comer.house.gov/2021/12/comer,"Comer, Kentucky Delegation Honor Victims of Deadly Storms",2021-12-19,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,KY,James Comer,C001108,comer.house.gov,comer,https://comer.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday evening, Congressman James Comer (KY-1) and Kentucky’s federal delegation in the U.S. House honored the victims of horrific tornadoes that swept through Kentucky in recent days. Following his remarks, Comer led the full House of Representatives in a moment of silence to pay tribute to the lives lost. You can view his full remarks here. Congressman Comer represents the region of Kentucky most impacted by Friday evening’s storms. Congressman Comer’s Full Remarks: “Madam Speaker, On behalf of all the citizens of West Kentucky, I want to thank everyone in America for the outpouring of support, the prayers, the financial support, the people who took off and traveled to West Kentucky to help remove debris and save people… The devastation there is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. And in talking to the media that’s all in Mayfield, Kentucky right now as we speak, it’s the worst damage they’ve ever seen from a tornado. But the people in West Kentucky are resilient. They have so much pride in their communities. Neighbor has helped neighbor, and that will continue. I ask, Madam Speaker, for a moment of silence on the House floor to remember the 74 citizens of Kentucky who perished in the terrible series of tornadoes that swept through our state this weekend.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://joewilson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wilson-and-moulton-condemn-russias-aggression-on-ukraine-border,Wilson and Moulton Condemn Russia's Aggression on Ukraine Border,2021-12-19,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,SC,Joe Wilson,W000795,joewilson.house.gov,joewilson,https://joewilson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressmen Joe Wilson and Seth Moulton issued a joint statement in support of Ukraine's independence, while condemning Russia's aggressive behavior at their common border. ""Having returned from Ukraine last week, on a bipartisan delegation, we remain deeply concerned by Russia's confrontational buildup of its military in and around the country. The support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the U.S. Congress is unwavering. ""We stand ready to work with the Administration and our transatlantic partners to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine, including by imposing new, crippling sanctions on Russia should it continue its invasion into Ukraine. As tens of thousands of Russian troops assemble on Ukraine's border, we support the accelerated distribution of additional lethal and nonlethal military equipment to Ukraine and remain steadfast in our commitment to the security of our NATO allies, especially those in Eastern Europe that face the threat posed by Putin's Russia every day.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-spartz-wraps-2021-20-person-town-halls,Congresswoman Spartz Wraps up 2021 with 20 in-person Town Halls.,2021-12-19,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,IN,Victoria Spartz,S000929,spartz.house.gov,spartz,https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ANDERSON, Ind. – This Saturday, Congresswoman Spartz held three in-person town halls in Alexandria, Fairmount, and Hartford City. This brings her total for the year to 20 public town hall meetings. Key topics discussed were spending, lack of budgeting process in Washington DC, inflation, the national debt, illegal robocalls, election laws, and dependencies on China. “Town hall meetings are not always easy but carry out an important aspect of representative democracy and political discourse,” said Spartz. “These in-person meetings allow me to update my constituents on my work, answer unfiltered questions, but most importantly hear directly from them.” Representative Spartz hosted town hall meetings in Alexandria, Anderson, Arcadia, Carmel, Cicero, Elwood, Fairmount, Fishers, Gas City, Greentown, Hartford City, Indianapolis, Lawrence, Marion, Noblesville, Pendleton, Sheridan, Tipton, Westfield, and Zionsville this year.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://steube.house.gov/press-releases/rep-steube-addresses-manasota-key-erosion-in-meeting-with-army-corps-of-engineers/,Rep. Steube Addresses Manasota Key Erosion in Meeting with Army Corps of Engineers,2021-12-19,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,FL,W. Gregory Steube,S001214,steube.house.gov,steube,https://steube.house.gov/category/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Rep. Steube Addresses Manasota Key Erosion in Meeting with Army Corps of Engineers Charlotte County, FL – U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) yesterday joined Charlotte County leaders in a meeting and site visit with the Army Corps of Engineers and Colonel James L. Booth to discuss rehabilitation solutions for Manasota Key’s deteriorating shoreline. “In recent years, Charlotte County has sustained significant shoreline erosion and other damage from various weather events,” Steube said.”On Dec 1, 2021, I sent a letter to the Corps expressing my concern for these worsening conditions and have requested the inclusion of the study and construction of a shoreline rehabilitation project currently being considered by the Army Corps.” The federal project will help protect critical infrastructure, including homes, condos, and hurricane evacuation routes. Charlotte County has declared several emergencies since 2014 due to the impact of the erosion on homes and infrastructure. The erosion, in some cases, has destabilized homes and condominium buildings to the point where they are no longer safe to enter. The beaches within the project area begin in Sarasota County, and the project extends for over 4.4 miles across the Sarasota County/Charlotte County line south to Stump Pass Beach State Park. Florida’s 17th Congressional District’s land area is over 6,300 square miles and is home to portions of Florida’s Gulf Coast, including shoreline in Sarasota and Charlotte County. To view Congressman Steube’s December 1 letter to the Army Corps, click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://moolenaar.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/moolenaar-statement-vaccine-mandate-decision-sixth-circuit-court,Moolenaar Statement on the Vaccine Mandate Decision by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals,2021-12-18,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MI,John R. Moolenaar,M001194,moolenaar.house.gov,moolenaar,https://moolenaar.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Last night, a panel of judges for the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a stay on the Biden Administration's vaccine mandate for businesses of 100 employees or more. The panel decided 2-1 to lift the stay and allow the mandate to move forward. Opponents of the mandate immediately said they would appeal to the Supreme Court. ""The judges who approved of the Biden Administration's vaccine mandate have blown open a massive loophole for President Biden and future presidents to prescribe their preferred medicines through 'emergency' executive rule on millions of Americans,"" said Congressman John Moolenaar. ""I believe Americans should have the right to decide if they want the vaccine and that implementing this mandate on employers is unconstitutional. If this mandate goes forward employers will be forced to find new workers and pay for millions of tests, and those costs will be passed on to Michigan families who are already facing rising prices for everything they buy. I will continue to fight this executive overreach in Congress and push for my legislation, the No Vaccine Mandate Act."" Congressman Moolenaar introduced the No Vaccine Mandate Act last month. The legislation would prohibit the Department of Labor from spending taxpayer funding on enforcing the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration's vaccine mandate.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/aderholt-statement-gadsden-rendering-plant-proposal-no-vote,Aderholt Statement on Gadsden Rendering Plant Proposal No Vote,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,AL,Robert B. Aderholt,A000055,aderholt.house.gov,aderholt,https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt (AL-04) released a statement upon learning that the Gadsden Airport Authority voted no on a proposal to construct a poultry rendering plant on property at the Northeast Alabama Airport. ""I commend the Gadsden Airport Authority for this vote. The people of Gadsden and Etowah County had made it clear they did not feel this was the right fit for this particular piece of property. Also, in the conversations that I facilitated between the Federal Aviation Administration and those for the project and those against, it was abundantly clear the FAA is not likely now, or in the future, to approve a proposal like this. There is just too much potential for dangerous impact on aviation. ""I look forward to helping in any way I can from the federal level to bring other types of development to the airport and also in helping Pilgrims find a more suitable location for their rendering plant.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=702,Arrington Leads Bipartisan Letter to Secretary of State on Iran Nuclear Program,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,TX,Jodey C. Arrington,A000375,arrington.house.gov,arrington,https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC— This week, Rep. Jodey Arrington (TX-19) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28), along with 19 bipartisan members of Congress, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken sounding the alarm on Iran’s nuclear advancements. The letter urges the State Department to hold Iran accountable for their non-cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors and their failure to comply with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations. “Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism and the biggest threat to our ally Israel. They must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,"" said Rep. Arrington. “As talks between the U.S. and Iran continue, this administration cannot settle for a weak and ineffectual deal that promises sanctions relief, but does nothing to address Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons and their support for terrorist groups. The U.S. must also continue to lead on this issue at the next IAEA Board of Governors meeting and hold Iran accountable for their refusal to answer questions regarding undisclosed nuclear activity.” “Iran must comply with international nuclear obligations and regulations—there are no exceptions,” said Rep. Cuellar. “We cannot let an aggressive actor threaten Israel—our strongest ally in the Middle East. Any state that fails to comply with these regulations should immediately be subject to sanctions and the administration must hold Iran accountable. I urge the administration to push for more nuclear oversight at the next IAEA meeting.” The letter can be viewed by clicking here. ###",1,2026-04-07T12:09:11Z,2026-06-28T00:49:41Z https://bice.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-bice-budd-introduce-strategically-lowering-gas-prices-act,"Reps. Bice, Budd Introduce Strategically Lowering Gas Prices Act",2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,OK,Stephanie I. Bice,B000740,bice.house.gov,bice,https://bice.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Reps. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the Strategically Lowering Gas Prices Act. The bill would prohibit President Biden from releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) until the executive orders blocking energy development on federal land are revoked. Read the full text of the bill here. Other original co-sponsors include: Reps. Scott Perry, Buddy Carter, Ashley Hinson, Louie Gohmert, Greg Steube, Tom Cole, and Bob Gibbs. Rep. Bice said in a statement: “President Biden’s actions continue to degrade our nation’s oil and gas industry and the high-paying jobs that it provides. Instead of turning to American companies to increase output, Biden used his executive power to release 50 million barrels of oil from our country’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help lower gas prices. That’s why the Strategically Lowering Gas Prices Act is important. This legislation would disallow the president from ordering a sell off from the SPR while executive orders or mandates are in effect blocking oil and gas leasing on federal lands. The SPR was created specifically to draw upon in times of emergency or significant shortage, not to help a president whose strategies have failed to save face with the American people.” Rep. Budd said in a statement: “President Biden has caused this energy crisis by blocking development of American fuel sources. That makes his recent use of the SPR nothing more than a band aid solution to a self-created problem. The best way to solve high fuel prices is for President Biden to reverse his radical environmentalist agenda and pursue an ‘all of the above’ strategy that gets us back to American energy independence.” Background: The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) was created in 1975 to offer a safety net for the U.S. to draw upon in times of emergency and significant shortage. On November 23, 2021, the Biden administration publicized plans to release 50 million barrels of oil from the SPR over the coming months in an effort to reduce upward pressure on gas prices. In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent crude oil futures indexes actually rose, and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced that the withdrawal would factor into their production decisions. Since the U.S. consumes about 18 million barrels of petroleum per day, a 50-million-barrel release from the SPR will have a negligible impact. The oil sold from the SPR will eventually need to be replaced at a much higher price than it was initially purchased for since the price of oil has increased significantly. Taxpayers will be on the hook to finance what amounts to a political stunt which will have a very limited effect on the price Americans pay at the pump.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/bilirakis-sits-down-community-leaders-identifies-next-steps-tackling-fentanyl,"Bilirakis Sits Down with Community Leaders, Identifies Next Steps in Tackling Fentanyl Crisis",2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,FL,Gus M. Bilirakis,B001257,bilirakis.house.gov,bilirakis,https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"December 17, 2021 Congressman Gus Bilirakis held a roundtable discussion this week with local emergency room physicians, behavioral health clinicians, health department officials, law enforcement and other community leaders to learn more about how fentanyl is impacting the Tampa Bay area and identify ways Congress can provide more effective assistance. According to the CDC, 100,000 Americans have died from fentanyl-related overdoses in the past year. Pasco and Pinellas counties report approximately 800 fentanyl deaths in 2021 alone. The goal of the meeting was to identify specific policy recommendations that would assist local stakeholders who are on the front lines of this struggle. ""This is a public health crisis. While law enforcement plays a key role in addressing these problems, as long as there is demand criminal elements will always find a way to create supply. Since we cannot arrest our way out of this situation, we must find ways to better treat addiction. These are our neighbors who are dying, often accidentally because the substances they are taking are laced with deadly fentanyl,"" said Congressman Gus Bilirakis. ""The time to act is now. We must expand access to treatment, enhance prevention strategies, remove barriers that keep providers from being able to implement best practices, crack down on China for supplying deadly drugs, secure our southern border, and give law enforcement the tools it needs to go after the suppliers who are profiting off those who are struggling with addiction."" The following actions were suggested by the group of local experts, some of which have already been acted upon by Congressman Bilirakis: Increase enforcement for existing behavioral health parity laws because it is a serious barrier to getting people the help they need. Congressman Bilirakis has sponsored the Mental Health Parity Enforcement Act to address this issue. The Tampa Bay region has received significant federal funding in recent years however much of it can't be spent within the timeframes established by federal agencies. Another issue is that many providers do not have the staffing needed to address the demand for services. Providers need more flexibility with the federal funds and a longer period to spend the funding. Also, the funds need to be reoccurring to prevent a fiscal cliff that negatively impacts patients being served. To address staffing issues, there is a bill that would allow other trained mental health counselors to treat substance abuse patients and be reimbursed through Medicare. This would expand access to treatment. All other payers allow this expanded scope of practice due to the urgent need. The Congressman will review this legislation and discuss these funding issues with his colleagues. The co-responding model Pasco County is using with Baycare has been very effective. The agencies need more funding to expand and replicate this successful model. In this model, law enforcement calls related to overdoses or drug abuse are flagged. A Baycare clinician responds to the call with law enforcement and instead of incarceration, the patient is offered treatment options. There is a great deal of prevention happening in schools (as early as elementary levels) but it isn't sufficient. With so many pills being laced with fentanyl and even vaping pens being tainted with fentanyl, there are many accidental overdoses. There needs to be more education about these dangers. AdventHealth has engaged in putting research into practice regarding opioid-free surgeries. This work needs to be expanded. Congressman Bilirakis has cosponsored HR 3259 that would address a key aspect to this problem. ER doctors want to be able to write prescriptions for the first dose of Medical Assisted Treatment but are prevented due to the X-waiver (buprenorphine). This limitation should be removed. There is an education component that will be needed for some doctors to feel comfortable prescribing new drugs in an area they are less familiar with, but the professional organizations can help. And it will save lives. Congressman Bilirakis has cosponsored HR 1374 to achieve this goal. Lack of affordable housing is a significant problem. If people return to the same environment, successful recovery is virtually impossible. More focus on the social determinants of health will help. Congressman Bilirakis has authored HR 3894 and 4074 to address social determinants of health issues. Issues:Health Care",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://burchett.house.gov/media/press-releases/burchett-statement-tva-asian-carp-barrier-recommendation,Burchett statement on TVA Asian carp barrier recommendation,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,TN,Tim Burchett,B001309,burchett.house.gov,burchett,https://burchett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Dec. 17, 2021) – Today, U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (TN-02) released the following statement regarding the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) recommendation that barriers be installed in seven dams along the Tennessee River to help prevent the spread of Asian carp: “Invasive Asian carp are a threat to our ecosystem, commercial fishing industry, recreational sportfishing and property values. These proposed barriers will help protect these assets that are crucial East Tennessee’s economic health. Advocacy by local stakeholders, especially the Tellico Village Property Owners Association, helped make TVA’s recommendation possible. I look forward to working with our community, TVA and my colleagues in Congress to make these barriers a reality.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/south-dakota-cattle-groups-support-johnsons-cattle-contract-library,South Dakota Cattle Groups Support Johnson’s “Cattle Contract Library”,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,SD,Dusty Johnson,J000301,dustyjohnson.house.gov,dustyjohnson,https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Last week, the Cattle Contract Library Act (H.R. 5609), introduced by Ranking Member of the Livestock & Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), passed the U.S. House by 411-13. South Dakota agriculture groups expressed support for H.R. 5609 following passage: ""Ranchers and feeders across the state agree that there is a need for more cattle market transparency including reporting details of all cattle marketing arrangements, and there is no reason to wait on getting this signed into law,"" said South Dakota Farm Bureau President and American Farm Bureau Federation Vice President Scott VanderWal. ""We are very pleased that the House overwhelmingly voted in support of this bill and hope for quick passage in the Senate."" ""South Dakota cattle producers have increasingly utilized Alternative Market Agreements to add value to their beef product. There has not been an adequate reporting system to keep up with the changes in marketing as the AMA's have become more prevalent,"" said Eric Jennings, President, South Dakota Cattlemen's Association.""The Cattle Contract Library Act addresses the need for market transparency for contracted cattle sales. South Dakota Cattlemen's Association thanks Representative Johnson for his hard work in achieving passage of this important piece of market reform in the U.S. House of Representatives."" H.R. 5609 creates a library for cattle contracts within the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Agriculture Marketing Service Department. Currently, cattlemen are unaware of contract terms being offered by packers, leading to a decline in leverage for smaller producers during price negotiations. This is the first cattle market bill to pass out of the Agriculture Committee in over a year and follows the recommendation of the July 2020 Boxed Beef & Fed Cattle Price Spread Investigation Report. The investigation recommended the implementation of a cattle contract library.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://fulcher.house.gov/2021/12/17/id-621fb484-20a7-433d-9df7-da809f343081/,Congressman Fulcher Sends Letter Pressing New Twitter CEO to End Censorship of Conservatives,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,ID,Russ Fulcher,F000469,fulcher.house.gov,fulcher,https://fulcher.house.gov/category/press-releases/,scraper,"Contact: Alexah Rogge 202-225-6611 alexah.rogge@mail.house.gov WASHINGTON, D.C. — Serving on the House Republican Big Tech, Censorship, and Data Task Force, Congressman Fulcher joined Task Force Leader McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R-NY), and his task force colleagues in a letter to Twitter Chief Executive Officer Parag Agrawal pressing him to clarify how he will end censorship of conservatives, uphold the First Amendment, and ensure the company does not interfere in future elections. The new CEO of Twitter, Parag Agrawal, assumed the position on November 29, 2021. Many have expressed concern over his behavior as CEO, particularly his comment made in an interview last year, that Twitter should, “focus less on thinking about free speech.” The Members write, “As you know, Twitter enjoys liability protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Unfortunately, Twitter has abused these privileges time and again. Despite your past comments supporting censorship, we remain hopeful that your time leading Twitter will be spent working to uphold the ideals that made your platform’s success possible and that have made our country the most prosperous in the world.” Congressman Fulcher added, “It’s not Mr. Agrawal’s decision to ignore free speech rights guaranteed for each and every American—these are not up for debate. Mr. Agrawal must choose between honoring every American’s right to free speech on his platform or forfeiting Twitter’s liability protections under Section 230 of the CDA. Twitter cannot continue to censor conservative speech while hiding behind Section 230. Mr. Agrawal simply cannot have it both ways.” Additional signers of the letter are Reps. Buddy Carter (GA-01), Bob Latta (OH-05), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Dan Bishop (NC-09), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Jake LaTurner (KS-02), Ben Cline (VA-06), Bill Huizenga (MI-02), Madison Cawthorn (NC-11), Tim Walberg (MI-07). Complete text of the signed letter can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://gonzales.house.gov/2021/12/congressman-tony-gonzales-introduces-bill-properly-equip-law-enforcement-polar,Congressman Tony Gonzales Introduces Bill to Properly Equip Law Enforcement for Polar Vortexes,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,TX,Tony Gonzales,G000594,gonzales.house.gov,gonzales,https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressmen Tony Gonzales (TX-23) and Ronny Jackson (TX-13) introduced the Providing Our Law Enforcement with Adequate Resources (POLAR) for Response Act which would add polar vortexes to the list of disaster-related emergencies when the Department of Defense (DoD) is considering law enforcement for the transfer of excess property and equipment as part of the 1033 program. This bill would make localities like San Antonio eligible to purchase equipment like all-terrain vehicles to assist in disasters like Winter Storm Uri at a significant discount. “Earlier this year, Texas faced an unprecedented winter storm, which devastated thousands of families,” said Congressman Gonzales. “Our law enforcement agents deserve access to the best resources available, as they put themselves in harm’s way every day to protect our communities. I am proud to co-lead this bill to provide our agents with the proper equipment to keep us safe during any circumstance they may face, including polar vortexes.” The 1033 program gives the Secretary of Defense authority to transfer excess DoD property to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies for law enforcement activities, including counterdrug, counterterrorism, and border security. This also includes responding to disaster-related emergencies such as hurricanes, tornados, or high water. The POLAR Response Act would add polar vortexes to the definition of major disasters included under the 1033 program.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/graves-announces-nominations-us-military-academies-2,Graves Announces Nominations to U.S. Military Academies,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,graves,https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"KANSAS CITY, MO – U.S. Representative Sam Graves (MO-06) has announced United States Military Service Academy nominations for students in Missouri’s Sixth Congressional District. Each year, members of Congress are tasked with selecting qualified students from their respective districts to attend one of America’s prestigious military academies. ""Every year, extraordinary students step up to serve our great nation. This year is no different,” said Rep. Graves, who notified each student by phone of their nomination. “These young men are leaders in their communities and excel in the classroom. I have no doubt that they will make North Missouri proud at their service academies and beyond.” The following students from across North Missouri received nominations from Congressman Graves: Isaiah Gelman, Saint Joseph - US Merchant Marine Academy (Gelman Academy) Justin Holt, Parkville – US Air Force Academy (Park Hill South High School) Daniel Prather, Platte City – US Naval Academy (Benedictine College) The nomination system is a very competitive process. Various military academies hold extremely selective admission standards. To help in the nomination process, Rep. Graves created an Academy Nominations Review Board. The board, made up of service academy graduates and citizens of the Sixth District, interviewed and reviewed all applicants before making final recommendations to Rep. Graves. Students interested in being appointed to a service academy in the future can find out more information by contacting Graves’ district office in Kansas City or by visiting www.graves.house.gov.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/harris-announces-more-27-million-usda-grants-eastern-shore-jurisdictions,Harris Announces More than $2.7 Million in USDA Grants to Eastern Shore Jurisdictions,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MD,Andy Harris,H001052,harris.house.gov,harris,https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC: Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) today announced the award of $2,767,897 in federal grants to Eastern Shore communities from the US. Department of Agriculture. Funds will be used to update, repair, and extend wastewater service in Worcester County and the Town of Oxford, as well as be used to extend rural broadband service to residents in Talbot County. Specific funding allocations and descriptions are below: Worcester County Government, $1,518,000 Funds will be used to extend sanitary sewer service to residents in Berlin, Maryland who currently have failing septic systems Town of Oxford, $443,000 Funds will be utilized to help finance the upgrade of the town wastewater treatment plant to enhance nutrient removal Easton Utilities Commission, $806,897 Funds will be utilized to construct a 17 mile Fiber-to-the-premises system to connect rural residents to high-speed broadband Congressman Harris issued the following statement: ""As the Ranking Member of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, which is responsible for funding these grants, this is welcome news. Securing fast and reliable broadband for all our rural residents is a top priority of mine, and we continue to make great progress. Additionally, I'm pleased to see that these wastewater funds will enhance sanitary handling of sewage, especially where they further our goal of cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://marymiller.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-responds-biden-and-pritzkers-radical-abortion-policies,MILLER RESPONDS TO BIDEN AND PRITZKER'S RADICAL ABORTION POLICIES,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,IL,Mary E. Miller,M001211,marymiller.house.gov,marymiller,https://marymiller.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"EFFINGHAM, Ill. - Today, on the Friday before many Americans are focused on the approaching Christmas holiday, the Biden Administration and Governor Pritzker advanced radical abortion policies that are deeply unpopular with the American people. Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 370, repealing parental consent requirements for minor girls receiving an abortion, and the Biden Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved mailing dangerous abortion pills to young women without a doctor's visit. Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-IL) issued the following statement on this radical advancement of the abortion agenda: ""Democrats used to say they wanted abortion to be safe, legal and rare, but today, radical abortion activists advanced measures to give young girls abortions without parental consent and to mail dangerous abortion pills to girls without a doctor's visit,"" Miller said. ""Repealing parental consent for abortion makes vulnerable girls even more vulnerable. ""We should all be concerned that sexual abusers will take advantage of this new law by bringing the young girls they prey upon into an abortion clinic. Allowing secret abortions to be performed on minor girls without their mother's knowledge is not healthcare, it's child abuse. ""Parents are the guardians of their children, not the government and not the abortionists at Planned Parenthood."" Illinois House Bill 370 repeals the Parental Notification of Abortion Act of 1995 and goes into effect on June 1, 2022. The Biden FDA said it will make pandemic-era guidance permanent and create new ways to make dangerous abortion pills more accessible in the United States. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://mcclain.house.gov/2021/12/congresswoman-lisa-mcclain-leads-letter-demanding-answers-real-cost-build-back,Congresswoman Lisa McClain Leads Letter Demanding Answers on Real Cost of Build Back Better Bill,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MI,Lisa C. McClain,M001136,mcclain.house.gov,mcclain,https://mcclain.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) led a letter to President Biden, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain, Acting Director of Office of Management and Budget Shalanda Young and Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese asking for answers on the real cost of the Build Back Better bill. “You and members of your Administration have repeatedly misled the American people when claiming the current $1.7 trillion version is fully paid for. As the original CBO score shows, the bill that recently passed the House of Representatives would add $167 billion to the deficit over 10 years,” said the Representatives. “Americans across the nation are struggling to keep up with the increased costs at grocery stores and at the gas pump. This is why now, more than ever, the American people must have transparency and clarity on its governments spending.” Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Yvette Herrell (R-NM), Fred Upton (R-MI), John H. Rutherford (R-FL), Bob Gibbs (R-OH), Bill Johnson (R-OH), David McKinley (R-WV), Jack Bergman (R-MI) Peter Meijer (R-MI), Bill Posey (R-FL), John Katko (R-NY), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Bill Huizenga (R-MI) Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Greg Steube (R-FL) Greg Murphy (R-NC), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Randy Weber (R-TX), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Scott Franklin (R-FL) joined McClain in sending the letter. For a copy of the letter, click here. The full text is below. We write to you today on behalf of our current and future tax-paying constituents, in search of clarity on your position on allowing the Build Back Better bill’s main spending provisions to sunset, and whether you have a plan to pay for their potential extensions. As you are aware, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released an analysis that showed the legislation would increase our deficit by $3 trillion over 2022 to 2031 if numerous spending programs were extended.[1] This analysis gives the American people a look behind the budget gimmicks being used and exposes the true cost of this bill. You have claimed that if these provisions were extended, you are committed to covering the cost of each program extended.[2] However, you and members of your Administration have repeatedly misled[3] the American people when claiming the current $1.7 trillion version is fully paid for. As the original CBO score shows, the bill that recently passed the House of Representatives would add $167 billion to the deficit over 10 years.[4] Our national debt is quickly approaching $30 trillion.[5] In March of this year, Congressional Democrats passed the Administration’s bill that added an additional $1.9 trillion to the debt. Now, the United States is currently experiencing the highest level of inflation since 1982.[6] Americans across the nation are struggling to keep up with the increased costs at grocery stores and at the gas pump. This is why now, more than ever, the American people must have transparency and clarity on its governments spending. It is crucial to the American people that you provide clear answers to the questions posed below. 1. The enhanced Child Tax Credit is due to end after 2022. Is it your long-term intention to make this provision permanent? If so, has the Administration devised a plan to pay for this extension? What is that plan? a. CBO stated making the provision permanent would cost $1.597 trillion over 10 years. 2. The enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit is due to end after 2022. Is it your long-term intention to make this provision permanent? If so, has the Administration devised a plan to pay for this extension? What is that plan? a. CBO stated making this provision permanent would cost $135 billion over 10 years. 3. The childcare and pre-K provisions are due to end after 2027. Is it your long-term intention to make this provision permanent? If so, has the Administration devised a plan to pay for this extension? What is that plan? a. CBO stated making this provision permanent would cost $752 billion over 10 years. 4. The expanded health insurance subsidies are due to end after 2025 and 2026. Is it your long-term intention to make this provision permanent? If so, has the Administration devised a plan to pay for this extension? What is that plan? a. CBO stated making this provision permanent would cost $220 billion over 10 years. 5. Is it your long-term intention to lift the cap on the state and local tax deduction after 2025? If so, how do you intend to make up for the revenue lost due to giving tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans? a. CBO stated that removing this limit for the rich and wealthy after 2025 would cost $245 billion over 10 years 6. If it is your long-term intention to extend these programs at an estimated cost of $3 trillion over 10 years, and you do have a plan to pay for them, do you believe the IRS will seek additional funding for their agents to target taxpayers with more audits? The hardworking American families, the ones responsible for footing the bill, deserve to know whether they going to pay $1.7 trillion or $4.7 trillion. As such they also deserve to know how the Biden Administration plans on raising the revenue from them to cover the added $3 trillion cost.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://miller.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-miller-leads-house-delegation-fight-protect-coal-against,Congresswoman Miller Leads House Delegation in Fight to Protect Coal Against Damaging Build Back Better Provisions,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,WV,Carol D. Miller,M001205,miller.house.gov,miller,https://miller.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) led a letter with West Virginia Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Alex Mooney (R-WV) calling on Congressional Leaders to exclude damaging anti-coal provisions in the final version of Democrats' social spending package, the Build Back Better Act. ""In West Virginia, the mining and coal-fired power generation industries supported 33,000 jobs in 2019. Combined, these two industries provided about $14 billion in economic activity. Also, several companies that produce federal coal are reinvesting and creating jobs in West Virginia,"" the letter reads. ""As America works to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, now is not the time to unfairly target our coal industry and take away much needed employment in local communities that rely on coal jobs as a primary economic driver. Particularly in states like West Virginia, these harmful provisions will be felt most acutely."" Click here to read the full letter.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-roy-norman-launch-effort-bring-transparency-covid-foia-requests,"Reps Roy, Norman launch effort to bring transparency on COVID FOIA requests",2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,TX,Chip Roy,R000614,roy.house.gov,roy,https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON— On Thursday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) and Rep. Ralph Norman (SC-05), joined by several of their House colleagues, introduced the Answer COVID FOIAs Now Act to require current outstanding COVID-related FOIA requests to be completed within 100 days. The introduction follows reports that the Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency (PHMPT) is suing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for failure to produce requested documents via FOIA and asking to have until 2097 to do so. ""The American people have been misled, and information related to COVID vaccines has been hidden from the public eye or delayed in perpetuity by our public health ‘experts,' throughout this pandemic,"" Rep. Roy said. ""The FDA's request to have until 2097 to fully release documents related to the approval of the Pfizer vaccine is absurd. The American people deserve transparent and honest information; that is why I am proud to introduce this bill to bring necessary accountability and transparency for COVID-related FOIA requests. This is a first step among many needed reforms that will address the rank incompetence and dishonesty federal agencies have displayed throughout this pandemic."" ""We must ensure the public can trust the very government institutions they pay for to serve them with integrity,"" Rep. Normansaid. ""Fearmongering, virtue signaling, and, at best, inconsistent messaging have eroded the faith in the independence of these agencies and public health officials at large. It is imperative that federal agencies follow through on any FOIA requests in a timely manner on any COVID-related issue. I am proud to work with Rep. Roy on this legislation to restore the public's faith in our government."" ""White Coat Waste Project applauds Congressman Roy's commitment to government transparency, and is proud to support his new legislation. Freedom of Information Act requests have helped WCW and others uncover critical details about the origins of Covid-19, including how dangerous coronavirus gain-of-function experiments on animals were funded with taxpayer dollars in China. Americans have a right to know how their taxes are being spent, and deserve answers about the pandemic. Rep. Roy's bill will benefit public health and public knowledge for generations to come,"" said White Coat Waste Project Public Policy and Communications Manager Devin Murphy. This bill would ensure expedited processing of COVID-related FOIA requests. COVID-related FOIAs are those that relate to: A drug or medical device to treat, prevent, or mitigate COVID-19; Gain-of-function or potential pandemic pathogen (P3) research; A policy, rule, or standard requiring vaccination of individuals. If agency heads fail to complete the requests within 100 days, a penalty of $1 million would be taken from the office of the head of the federal agency and transferred to the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program. For future COVID-related requests, the bill would establish a ""compelling need"" to ensure that they are expedited. Finally, the bill includes a clause to ensure that current statutory FOIA exemptions remain in place, such as proprietary or criminal investigation information. Cosponsors to this bill include Reps. Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Daniel Webster (FL-11), Bill Posey (FL-08), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Van Taylor (TX-03), Louie Gohmert (TX-01). Full text of the legislation is available at the link here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/walberg-announces-grants-hillsdale-county-drug-treatment-court,Walberg Announces Grants for Hillsdale County Drug Treatment Court,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,walberg,https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Jackson, MI—Today, Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-07) announced that the Hillsdale County Drug Treatment Court has been awarded nearly $1.5 million in federal grants by the U.S. Department of Justice. ""No community is immune from the devastating impacts of our nation's drug crisis, and it is critical that we use every available tool to combat this epidemic,"" said Walberg. ""In the past, I've had the privilege of speaking at a graduation ceremony for Hillsdale County's Drug Treatment Court and commend those who completed this program. I've seen firsthand this successful model at work and the life change it can help bring about. With these grants, I am encouraged that Hillsdale County will have additional resources to help give more individuals and families a pathway to hope and recovery."" The Drug Treatment Court will receive a $500,000 grant to enhance new and existing programs, including the implementation of a felony track which is expected to double the court's participant population. A second grant of $996,944 will go to the Family Treatment Court Project to expand its capability to serve additional families in the greater Hillsdale area.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-commits-to-vawa-reauthorization-,Murkowski Commits to VAWA Reauthorization,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) yesterday spoke on the Senate floor about the need for a bipartisan reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. This speech dovetails an announcement made by Senator Murkowski and her colleagues, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL), that they have developed a bipartisan framework to modernize and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The framework agreement includes provisions that strengthen rape prevention and education efforts and services and protections for young survivors, closes the dating partner loophole, and includes an Alaska pilot program which will empower a limited number of Tribes to exercise special criminal jurisdiction over certain crimes that occur in Alaska Native villages. Click here for video of Senator Murkowski Speech Excerpts: Murkowski speaks on a path forward to a bipartisan reauthorization of VAWA: “It has been years in the making. The last time we had a VAWA reauthorization was VAWA 2013, and so we are high past time to be addressing this very significant matter.” “No compromise is perfect, but what has been developed through this framework is a proposal that will really help to prevent violence, to support our survivors, to hold perpetrators accountable.” “We all want to get to that next step which is filing the legislation so that we can get it moving through this process. I look forward to doing that in the new year.” “There is an ongoing public safety crisis in rural Alaska and across Indian Country, but we have an opportunity in this Congress to work together, across the aisle, to find solutions and restore justice.” “We must let our women, children, and families who have been affected by devastating violence know – you are heard and we stand with you.” Murkowski speaks to the disproportionate victimization of Native people: “As a Senator for Alaska, this is an extraordinarily pressing issue in my home state. As the Vice Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, I can affirm that this is a very real issue in Native lands.” “By now, I would hope that every Senator understands the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, we refer to this as MMIW. That’s why we passed Savanna’s Act and the Not Invisible Act, and I want to acknowledge my colleague who has been working this issue with us for so long—Senator Cortez Masto. I think we recognize we’ve made progress there, but to fully address the root causes of this crisis – the high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, the violent crime in many Native communities we have– we have an awful lot more to do.” “The rates of violence experienced by Alaska Natives are particularly horrific and statistics should shock us all. I repeat them a lot and they still shock me. According to a report prepared by the Indian Law and Order Commission, Alaska Native women are overrepresented – by nearly 250 percent – among female domestic violence victims.” “Just to put it into context here, a couple of years ago, an investigation that was conducted by the Anchorage Daily News determined that one in three Native communities in rural Alaska have no local law enforcement physically present, leaving Native women and children at greater risk of violence. Think about that for just a minute, to live in a community where there’s no one to turn to, no law enforcement presence to turn to. Maybe you’re able to share your story with a local health aide there, but that’s as far as you can go. Beyond that, hardly any Alaska Tribes, have the tools they need to address violence in their communities.” Murkowski speaks to provisions included in the framework agreement: “I am proud to have authored text that will address the ongoing epidemic Alaska faces with violence, which has left long-lasting trauma for too many of our women, children, and families. We will not allow survivors and the needs of the most vulnerable to go unmet.” “Our tribal title closes loopholes, builds upon the success of the 2013 reauthorization, and includes specific solutions to protect Alaska Native people. The tribal title will further restore, and improve, the implementation of the special tribal criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians who commit violent crimes in Native communities. And it would do so by allowing Tribes who exercise this special jurisdiction to charge defendants with crimes that co-occur with domestic violence, such as violence against children or assault on law enforcement.” “The tribal title includes an Alaska pilot program which builds on previous legislation I have introduced and will empower a limited number of Alaska Tribes to exercise special criminal jurisdiction over certain crimes that occur in villages in Alaska.” “This legislation will include a provision named in memory of an Alaskan, Breanna Moore. Bree’s Law drives education initiatives to enable youth, parents, and advocates, to recognize, prevent, and mitigate teen dating violence.” “Another provision addresses support services for victims. We know that it is difficult for victims to access the necessary medical forensic services in Alaska, so this provision will allow for evidence-collection and aid in a survivor’s journey to seeking justice. Although we have deeply, troubling, statistics on sexual assault and domestic violence – Alaskans have also been at the frontlines of innovation, offering solutions.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/sullivan-and-murkowski-introduce-alaska-salmon-research-task-force-act,SULLIVAN AND MURKOWSKI INTRODUCE ALASKA SALMON RESEARCH TASK FORCE ACT,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=39,scraper,"U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) introduced the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, legislation that would form a panel of Alaska’s salmon stakeholders and research experts to study Pacific salmon trends and create a coordinated research strategy for Pacific salmon in Alaska to support salmon management. The Research Task Force would be directed to conduct a comprehensive review of Pacific salmon science relevant to understanding and managing salmon returns in Alaska, and publish a report, within one year of convening, to provide recommendations identifying knowledge and research gaps and further research priorities for salmon in Alaska. “It is difficult to overstate the importance of salmon to Alaska, our communities, our economy and our traditional way of life. Over the past several years, Alaskans in some parts of the state have witnessed strong, historic runs of salmon, while Alaskans in other regions have seen shocking and unprecedented declines,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Our existing management system, with the state’s authority to manage Alaska’s salmon harvest and the federal government managing federal fishery salmon harvest and much of the at-sea research, has created a clear gap in research and research prioritization that urgently needs to be addressed. This crisis warrants the combined attention of our state and federal governments, and the expertise of our greatest scientific minds, as well as the indigenous communities that have harvested salmon for millennia. With this legislation, we would establish a body to expand our understanding, identify knowledge gaps, and ultimately drive us toward concrete policies and management decisions that we hope will bring increased abundance and stability to our salmon stocks for the benefit of all Alaskans.” “It has been said that the summer season doesn’t arrive in Alaskan coastal and in-river communities until the salmon do. In some regions we are seeing not just a decline in salmon runs, but a crash that is damaging to not only the local economies but to the culture and spirit of the people in the region. It is clear we must further our understanding of salmon and their ecosystems in these times of rapid change. I am proud to join Senator Sullivan on the Alaska Salmon Research Taskforce Act as we seek to identify and bolster the necessary science to chart a path forward to ensure these critical species thrive,” said Sen. Murkowski. “I also continue to welcome feedback from affected community members and groups on how best to target research funding and craft policy to identify and mitigate the drivers of these declines and ensure the vitality of Alaska’s salmon fisheries for future generations.” The Research Task Force would be composed of between 13 and 19 members, with the secretary of commerce appointing a representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the U.S. section of the Pacific Salmon Commission. The secretary would also appoint between two and five representatives from Alaska covering the wide array of state fisheries stakeholders, including subsistence, and commercial or recreational users. Lastly, the secretary would appoint five academic experts in salmon biology, management, and ecology, or marine research. The governor of Alaska would appoint one representative of the state. The bill also directs the Research Task Force to establish a working group specifically focused on salmon returns in the AYK region of Western and Interior Alaska, where salmon return failures have had devastating impacts, and provides flexibility for the Research Task Force to establish other geographically-focused working groups. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-banking-republicans-call-on-president-biden-to-rebuke-fdic-coup-attempt/,"Senator Scott, Banking Republicans Call on President Biden to Rebuke FDIC Coup Attempt",2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and fellow Senate Banking Committee Republicans are calling on President Joe Biden to rebuke Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Director Marty Gruenberg for their illegitimate attempt to violate the FDIC’s 88-year tradition of working independent from partisan political influence. In a letter, the senators also urged President Biden to immediately replace Director Gruenberg—whose term expired three years ago and is serving in a temporary capacity—and nominate an individual to fill the vacant Republican seat on the FDIC board. “As a public servant who spent nearly four decades serving in the U.S. Senate, we believe you understand and hold deep respect for historical precedent, institutional norms, and courteous treatment of your colleagues—even in the face of political disagreement,”the senators wrote. “America’s independent financial regulators are respected the world over for their professionalism and integrity, and we fear the actions of Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg, if left unchecked have the potential to weaken faith in our financial institutions and markets.” On December 9, CFPB Director Chopra and FDIC Director Gruenberg published a joint statement to the CFPB’s website claiming the FDIC approved a request for information (RFI) on bank mergers. Shortly thereafter, the FDICclarifiedthat no such document had been approved by the FDIC and that there was no valid vote by the FDIC board. “Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg’s statement and actions make clear that they violated FDIC procedures with the apparent goal of usurping the powers of the chairman and inhibiting her ability to carry out her official duties and responsibilities,”the senators continued. “In addition to violating the FDIC bylaws and processes, their actions upended an 88-year tradition of the FDIC board working on a collegial basis with its chairman as well as working independent from partisan political influence.” As the senators point out, Director Gruenberg is going on nearly two decades as an FDIC board member, but is currently serving in a temporary role because his term expired three years ago. Despite the fact that his position requires Senate confirmation, he has continued to serve on the FDIC board long after the expiration of his term in order to undermine its Senate-confirmed leader. “We urge you to nominate promptly a candidate to replace Director Gruenberg, as well as a candidate to fill the vacant Vice-Chairman position on the FDIC board. These candidates should be well-qualified, mainstream individuals who will respect the institutional norms and practices that Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg have willfully chosen to ignore.” To read the senators’ full letter to President Biden, click here. BACKGROUND On Monday, Senator Scott separately urged Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg to cease and desist their efforts to supersede Chairman McWilliams’ powers and responsibilities as the Senate-confirmed leader of the FDIC. In his letter, Senator Scott emphasized that Director Chopra and Director Gruenberg’s unprecedented and illegitimate actions to politicize the independent and historically apolitical practice of federal bank regulation are in direct conflict with their job as Board members to uphold the FDIC’s mission of maintaining “stability and public confidence in the nation’s financial system.” To read Senator Scott’s full letter to CFPB Director Chopra and FDIC Director Gruenberg,click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senators-scott-and-hassan-introduce-bill-to-expand-educator-tax-deduction/,Senators Scott and Hassan Introduce Bill to Expand Educator Tax Deduction,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) introduced a bill to extend the educator Expense Tax Deduction to K-12 athletic coaches and administrators. This bill will amend the tax code to allow K-12 coaches to be classified as “eligible educators” in order to be eligible for tax deductions for out-of-pocket expenses relating to instructional expenses. “Coaches and athletic administrators are often integral to the success of students both in and out of the classroom,” said Senator Tim Scott. “It is only right that we expand the tax code to ensure that they receive the same benefits as they continue to personally invest in the future of students across America.” “Athletic directors and coaches across New Hampshire play an important role in setting students up for success, including by fostering health and wellness and helping student-athletes get on the road to college,” Senator Hassan said. “It is nonsensical that coaches are left out of getting tax cuts to help cover out-of-pocket costs for supplies when all other teachers have that option. I am glad to introduce this bill with Senator Scott that would include athletic directors and coaches in the group of educators who can get certain out-of-pocket expenses covered, and I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this legislation.“ Several organizations have expressed support for this bill including Nike, Inc, adidas America, Inc, Sports and Fitness Industry Association, and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA). “We thank Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) for this bill that directly offers a positive benefit to interscholastic athletic administrators,” said NIAAA Executive Director Dr. Mike Blackburn. “Just as the original 1986 IRS code allows deductions for out-of-pocket educator costs, this bill offers the same financial option to those in the profession of high school and middle school athletic administration and coaching. We appreciate our supportive members of the U. S. Congress, as well as our advocates, and NIAAA Board of Directors.” “Interscholastic athletics is an integral component of the education system. First and foremost, we are thankful for the actions of Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) for recognizing interscholastic athletic administrators and interscholastic athletic coaches as educators. The financial options of the tax bill is a welcomed addition and is very much appreciated,”said NIAAA President Dr. Lisa L. Langston. BACKGROUND Under current law, only “eligible educators” are able to utilize the $250 tax credit for out-of-pocket related instructional expenses. “Eligible educator” means, with respect to any taxable year, an individual who is a kindergarten through grade 12 teacher, instructor, counselor, principal, or aide in a school for at least 900 hours during a school year. Athletic administrators and coaches can be considered eligible educators and receive these tax deductions as they also provide critical instruction to students and often pay for their expenses out of their own pockets. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-and-murkowski-introduce-alaska-salmon-research-task-force-act,Sullivan and Murkowski Introduce Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) introduced the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, legislation that would form a panel of Alaska’s salmon stakeholders and research experts to study Pacific salmon trends and create a coordinated research strategy for Pacific salmon in Alaska to support salmon management. The Research Task Force would be directed to conduct a comprehensive review of Pacific salmon science relevant to understanding and managing salmon returns in Alaska, and publish a report, within one year of convening, to provide recommendations identifying knowledge and research gaps and further research priorities for salmon in Alaska. “It is difficult to overstate the importance of salmon to Alaska, our communities, our economy and our traditional way of life. Over the past several years, Alaskans in some parts of the state have witnessed strong, historic runs of salmon, while Alaskans in other regions have seen shocking and unprecedented declines,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Our existing management system, with the state’s authority to manage Alaska’s salmon harvest and the federal government managing federal fishery salmon harvest and much of the at-sea research, has created a clear gap in research and research prioritization that urgently needs to be addressed. This crisis warrants the combined attention of our state and federal governments, and the expertise of our greatest scientific minds, as well as the indigenous communities that have harvested salmon for millennia. With this legislation, we would establish a body to expand our understanding, identify knowledge gaps, and ultimately drive us toward concrete policies and management decisions that we hope will bring increased abundance and stability to our salmon stocks for the benefit of all Alaskans.” “It has been said that the summer season doesn’t arrive in Alaskan coastal and in-river communities until the salmon do. In some regions we are seeing not just a decline in salmon runs, but a crash that is damaging to not only the local economies but to the culture and spirit of the people in the region. It is clear we must further our understanding of salmon and their ecosystems in these times of rapid change. I am proud to join Senator Sullivan on the Alaska Salmon Research Taskforce Act as we seek to identify and bolster the necessary science to chart a path forward to ensure these critical species thrive,” said Sen. Murkowski. “I also continue to welcome feedback from affected community members and groups on how best to target research funding and craft policy to identify and mitigate the drivers of these declines and ensure the vitality of Alaska’s salmon fisheries for future generations.” The Research Task Force would be composed of between 13 and 19 members, with the secretary of commerce appointing a representative from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the U.S. section of the Pacific Salmon Commission. The secretary would also appoint between two and five representatives from Alaska covering the wide array of state fisheries stakeholders, including subsistence, and commercial or recreational users. Lastly, the secretary would appoint five academic experts in salmon biology, management, and ecology, or marine research. The governor of Alaska would appoint one representative of the state. The bill also directs the Research Task Force to establish a working group specifically focused on salmon returns in the AYK region of Western and Interior Alaska, where salmon return failures have had devastating impacts, and provides flexibility for the Research Task Force to establish other geographically-focused working groups. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-honors-shari-daugherty-as-alaskan-of-the-week,Sullivan Honors Shari Daugherty as “Alaskan of the Week”,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"WASHINGTON—On the floor of the U.S. Senate yesterday, Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) recognized Shari Daugherty, of Homer, who founded “Share the Spirit” back in 1992, a community-driven nonprofit that provides all of the ingredients of a proper Christmas celebration—including a full meal and presents—for less-fortunate families and children. Daugherty is retiring from the program and from her job as a medical biller at South Peninsula Hospital this year, but will be handing on the reins for “Share the Spirit” to a new generation of leaders. Daugherty was recognized as part of Sen. Sullivan’s series, “Alaskan of the Week.” Tribute to Shari Daugherty Mr. President, it is Thursday. The Senate is still very busy here. We have a lot of work to do, as we are all trying to get home for the holidays. And I thought it was still the appropriate time to come down and talk about somebody who is making our State such a great State, somebody who is contributing to the community, somebody who I refer to as our Alaskan of the Week. Now, we have been doing this for, gosh, going on almost 6 years, maybe 5 years. But it is always one of my favorite times of week, even when the speech is late. So I appreciate the majority leader and the Presiding Officer letting us stay open here for one more speech. And I know the pages--I mean, they love the Alaskan of the Week. So this is a little bit of a treat. But I always start this speech with a little bit of an update on what is going on in Alaska. So right now, Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow--that is Point Barrow. That is the northern most community in North America. They haven't seen the sun in nearly a month. The sun went down, and it is not rising again until January 23. So they get a lot of darkness. There are 66 days of darkness. Great people up there. Wonderful people up there. I love it up there. We have had some pretty significant cold spells already. That, for now, doesn't seem to be lifting. It was 40 below 0 in Fairbanks yesterday. In Anchorage, the high was 4 degrees above 0. Forty below is chilly. Tough people throughout the State. Four degrees above is pretty cold for Anchorage. But everybody is excited because Christmas is right around the corner, and it is, of course, a great time to be in Alaska. We do have a place--I was just talking with the Presiding Officer and the majority leader. We have a great community in Interior Alaska called North Pole, AK. Santa actually lives there. We have a city council member in North Pole named Santa Claus, and a reindeer there. And, of course, I am like everybody else here, looking forward to getting home, going to Midnight Mass, eating my special Alaska seafood Newburg, having friends over, and family, of course. And I think we all know we are very fortunate. I, certainly, believe I am a very blessed man. And we are blessed in Alaska because of people like Shari Daugherty, who is our Alaskan of the Week. And so I want to talk a little bit about Shari because what she has done is literally the definition of the Christmas spirit. For the last month, as she has done for the last 30 years, she has been working pretty much around the clock, volunteering her time for the nonprofit Share the Spirit. Share the Spirit--that is the nonprofit that Shari helped found in 1992--30 years. Share the Spirit's mission is to make sure that hundreds of less fortunate families in Homer, AK, her hometown, get all of the ingredients for a proper Christmas dinner and presents for the kids. Share the Spirit--it sounds pretty simple, but, as you can imagine, this is no easy task. And Shari would tell you that it involves so many others in Homer to make sure that the children in the community, who might not otherwise have anything under the tree, can experience the magic of Christmas that every child deserves. So who is Shari, this great volunteer who has been doing incredible work in Homer? Originally from Chico, CA, Shari and her parents moved to Homer when she was in the 10th grade. Her father was a fisherman. And for those of you who have been to Homer or want to come to Homer, I will tell you, it is one of the most stunningly beautiful places in all of America--really, in all of the world. It is known as the ``Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.'' But anyone who goes there falls in love with Homer. It is surrounded by the glistening waters of Kachemak Bay, jagged mountains, glaciers, snowcapped volcanoes, and a great tight-knit community. After college at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, Shari moved around a little. But in 1991, she came back home with her daughter. She did so because she had family there in Homer. And even if she didn't, as she put it, she had a whole town full of family in Homer. Now, volunteering was in her blood. She said her mom stressed the importance of giving back to the community since she was a young girl. So she almost immediately joined the Emblem Club. That is the unofficial auxiliary of the Elks. And during one of their first meetings, it was announced that a Christian minister's group that every year provided food and presents for people in the community was actually going to disband. A meeting was called. The talking lasted for a very long time--at such volunteer meetings, that can happen, of course--until Shari finally cut in and said: Hey, guys, we are really burning daylight here. Here is what needs to happen: We need to form a committee, form a plan, form a nonprofit, and get busy--get busy. And as such things go, she and another woman, Norma Foust, were put in charge. And boy, did they make a difference. That year, with Christmas only weeks away, a nonprofit was formed and a fundraiser to organize with the help of a strong community. They put together 57 baskets of food: turkey, stuffing, potato, sugar, salt, eggs, celery, pie crusts, cards with recipes on them--all the fixings for a nice Christmas dinner. And then there were the presents for more than 100 children. There were 220 gifts that first year, 30 years ago. And the program has grown ever since. Hundreds of families each year are referred to Shari's program by social agencies, including food banks and anywhere people go for help. The information is passed on to Shari and the whole Share the Spirit team. Each family is identified by their needs: a family of three, say, with a 4-year-old girl who needs boots and would like a princess costume. They are then assigned a number that goes onto a Christmas decoration and put on one of the numerous trees posted by local businesses in Homer. Homer residents pick up a decoration and buy the presents. It is pretty well organized. And Shari and the volunteers then get busy organizing a huge spaghetti feed to raise the funds, and then they go shopping for the food. A few days before Christmas, the group stages the location, normally at the high school. The presents and the food baskets are then disbursed. As I mentioned, Shari has done this for 30 years--30 years--and throughout the years, many stories and people stand out. This is Alaska. So, of course, this was the year of the huge blizzard. Nobody could drive. So they enlisted a club of snow machine riders to deliver the presents and the food throughout the area. There is the woman who now lives in Pennsylvania, who lived in Homer for a while, with a young child. That child, because of the group, was able to experience Christmas. And now, like clockwork, this woman sends a quarterly donation to Share the Spirit. You see how the spirit is literally being shared all over the country: Alaska, Homer, Pennsylvania. There are many people now adults, some with children of their own, who got help, who got presents because of Share the Spirit and are now regular volunteers. Shari knows of many people who got presents as children because of her group's efforts and decided to stay in Homer, have families of their own, and now help out at Share the Spirit. She said: They decided that this is where they were going to live. This is the town they are going to live in and to contribute to, because this is the place that took care of them when they were young and needed it. Shari is retiring this year from both the program and from her job as a medical biller at South Peninsula Hospital. She will be leaving Share the Spirit in good hands, though: Kelly Glidden, who began volunteering as a sixth grader in 1993; John Adams, who started when he was 8 years old volunteering; and Emmy Olsem Drye, who has been involved in Share the Spirit since she was 3, and who is also Shari's daughter. They will take on the mantle of this great volunteer effort, focused on the Christmas spirit, that Shari started. And there are those who have been there since the beginning: DeeDee Shoultz and Fran Van Sandt. And then there is the great community of Homer--a community that takes care of its own. So thank you, Shari, for all you have done throughout the years--three decades to keep the Christmas spirit alive. Thank you for making our State a much better place, a more generous place, a caring place for all, and touching the lives of so many, and especially for making sure that children in Homer and across Alaska--and really across America--experience the joy and the magic of Christmas. Congratulations, Shari, on being our Alaskan of the Week, and Merry Christmas. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-recognizes-50th-anniversary-of-alaska-native-claims-settlement-act,Sullivan Recognizes 50th Anniversary of Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=36,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska) yesterday introduced S. Res. 482, a resolution recognizing the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) and the lasting impact of this landmark law on Alaska and Alaska Native people. ANCSA, the largest land claims settlement in U.S. history, transferred 44 million acres of federal land to 12 newly formed Regional Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) and more than 200 Village and Urban ANCs, fostering economic development through managing and developing the land for the benefit of their Alaska Native shareholders. “It is a story of self-determination and, in many ways, heroism, and it is a story for the ages,” said Sen. Sullivan. “I am honored to represent these wonderful people—many of the leaders who are still alive who made this happen fifty years ago—and their children and grandchildren. We have more work to do, but fifty years ago, on December 18, 1971, it was the start of a new, positive, innovative chapter in the history of Alaska.” Transcript of remarks Mr. President, today I introduced a resolution with Senator Murkowski celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act--ANCSA, as we call it back home in Alaska--which was an enormously consequential piece of legislation that, after years and years of debate right in this body, passed the House, then passed the U.S. Senate, and then was signed into law by President Nixon on December 18, 1971, almost exactly 50 years ago to this day. It was a great day for Alaska. I know Senator Murkowski was on the floor earlier talking about ANCSA and why it is so important and why in Alaska, right now, we have been celebrating 50 years of this important piece of legislation. I want to go back in time a little bit to help explain, because part of what Senator Murkowski and I do here is we are constantly talking about and educating our colleagues about this very unique legislation, which happened right here in the U.S. Senate. If you go back in time to 1867, that is when the United States purchased Alaska from Russia. Within the agreement, there was acknowledgement of the Alaska Native people and their lands, but, still, almost 100 years after the purchase from Russia, even following statehood for Alaska, the claims settlement that the Native people had to their own lands was still in limbo. It got a kick and a turbo charge when oil was discovered on Alaska's North Slope during a worldwide shortage, which created new urgency to develop Alaska for our resources but to do so by settling these land claims. There were allies in the Federal Government who were helpful, but it was truly the Alaska Native people and their determination to themselves and to future generations and their resiliency and brilliance which led to the passage of ANCSA 50 years ago, which became the largest and, certainly, most innovative indigenous land settlement, certainly, in U.S. history, and it is no exaggeration to say probably in the world--44 million acres of land going to the Native people of my State. It brought tremendous educational, social, political, economic, and cultural achievements for the Alaska Native people. It certainly wasn't perfect, but this body played a very important role. Now, there were obstacles, challenges. In fact, when you look back on the history over 50 years ago, it was kind of a classic David-and-Goliath story. Let me spend a few minutes going back in time to set the stage for what was happening in Alaska. In 1954, the U.S. Department of the Interior did a health survey on the Native people of Alaska. Here is a quote from that survey: ``The indigenous people of Native Alaska are the victims of sickness, crippling conditions and premature death to a degree exceeded in very few parts of the world. . . . health problems are nearly out of hand. If . . . Americans could see for themselves the large numbers of the tuberculosis, the cripple, the blind . . . the malnourished, the desperately ill among [this] relatively small [Native] population,'' it would have a profound impact on them. And it did. Even in the face of these crippling conditions, the Alaska Native people joined hands, joined hearts and said: This is our land. We need rights to it. They did this by coming together. In the mid-1960s, they formed the Alaska Federation of Natives--AFN, as we call it back home--an entity that is very important to our communities. Of course, the Native people in our State looked for potential allies. In the lower 48, they gave speeches. They wrote columns. They formed their own newspaper, The Tundra Times, edited by legendary Howard Rock, which was highly read throughout the State, celebrated throughout the globe, and had an enormous impact on bringing people together. A few years ago, my team and I combed through some of the hearings that led to ANCSA. It was many years in development. There were field hearings that took place in Alaska in 1968, 1969--3 years before the passage of ANCSA. Incredibly proud and determined first peoples from all over the State--Tlingit, Haida, Athabascan, Inupiat, Yupik, Aleut--travel to Anchorage, to Fairbanks to give their testimony in field hearings to U.S. Senators. Some of them had never even left their villages. Some of them didn't even speak English. Many were veterans--and I am going to talk briefly about that. Dozens and dozens of young men and women, old men and women, all of them testifying before U.S. Senators and Congressmen, telling their stories of how they lived off the land and the rights that they needed for thousands of years on the land. They told stories of strong and resilient people who had been able to thrive in some of the harshest conditions in the planet. But as I mentioned earlier, they also told stories of health challenges. The first AFN president, Emil Notti, who is still a great leader in Alaska, then only 36 years old, spoke with passion at these hearings and heartbreak about the conditions in rural Alaska. He said to a group of Senators in a hearing: The indigenous people of Native Alaska are the victims of sickness, crippling conditions and premature death to a degree exceeded in very few parts of the world. He told the committee then that life expectancy for the average Native Alaskan was 34 years old. This is in the late 1960s. The average life expectancy in the United States at that time was 69--34 years old to 69. Many spoke of how much they had sacrificed for their country. And this is an issue I never tire of talking about. Alaska Natives serve at higher rates in the U.S. military than any other ethnic group in the country. So they are fighting for their country in World War II and Korea and Vietnam, and they are coming home and they are being denied fundamental rights themselves. Here is what Jerome Trigg, a leader and a marine from Nome, had to tell U.S. Senators who were in Alaska. His testimony was said to have brought tears to the eyes of many. He looked at the U.S. Senators and said this: We have showed our patriotism as proudly as any Americans on Earth. We have answered the call of duty with pride in serving in our military. In World War II, we answered the call 100 percent. Every man--old and young--in every village volunteered with the Alaska National Guard. On Vietnam, which was raging at the time, he said: I have never heard of an Alaska Native burning their draft card or our Nation's flag. We love our land, and we will sacrifice and fight to protect it. He concluded with this thought, which I love: ``Sometimes I think the wrong people are running this hearing and taking our testimony,'' he said to the Senators. ``It seems that [maybe] we should be on the bench and you people should be . . . giving [us] the testimony.'' I love that--strong words from Marine Jerome Trigg, who had a very important point to make. So many in our communities testified in front of Congress. One happened to be a beautiful, young Alaska Native woman in her thirties from the village of Rampart named Mary Jane Fate, who not only worked on this but came to Washington, DC, to lobby U.S. Senators to pass ANCSA. I had the very great privilege of being the son-in-law of that great Native woman who, unfortunately, passed away recently. That was my mother-in-law, Mary Jane Fate, who came to this body and made sure Senators understood what was happening in Alaska and got them to vote for ANCSA 50 years ago. So here is what it did in a nutshell. As I mentioned, it was the largest indigenous land settlement in the history of the country: 44 million acres of land, almost a billion dollars from the State and Federal Government to transfer land in fee simple--not the reservation system like you have in the lower 48, which was a huge innovation at the time. They own this land. It is theirs. It is not held in trust by the United States like it is in the lower 48 on Indian reservations. Congress mandated the creation of for-profit Alaska Native corporations solely owned by Alaska Native shareholders. Twelve of these regional corporations and 200 village ANCs were created by the Congress. Sometimes people talk about ANCs as if they were some foreign entity. They were actually created right here 50 years ago. What did all of this do? It provided economic opportunity. These were not typical entities, but they were more than just corporations. They were kind of a combination: social, cultural, economic. They passed on the values to the different shareholders. One of the great things about ANCSA was that it required, actually, the sharing of revenues. Some of these regional corporations did very well; others didn't. There were provisions early on that said, if these corporations are doing great and these aren't, there is going to be some sharing. It was called the 7(i) provision. These provisions have been critical to the survival of ANCs, which regional ANCs at times, as I mentioned, were receiving more revenue than others. So that day 50 years ago--December 18, 1971--was really an important day for our State. How has it worked out? It has worked out well, but, of course, we always have more work to do. Over the last 50 years, the Alaska Native people have managed their lands to foster sustainable businesses, created employment opportunities for all people--Native and non-Native--in Alaska, across the country, and across the globe. They have become the heart and soul of our economy in Alaska, employing thousands of both Alaska Native and non-Native people. And they have prospered with their own initiative and with innovative approaches to fostering economic development through self-determination. And beyond the economic benefits, these ANCs, these groupings, these shareholders in these Alaska Native entities created right here on this floor, provided benefits in terms of culture, language revitalization, scholarships, burials, funeral assistance, and an enormous focus on education. Over 54,000 individual scholarships were given to younger Alaska Native people. And, importantly, this law, passed by this body, gave the Native people the opportunity to thrive; to continue to live on their land, practice their culture, create leaders throughout the State. In what was once one of the most impoverished places in the country are now, in many areas, strong, dynamic--health, education, housing, food security, and sanitation have all improved immensely. We have a long way to go. There is still a lot of misunderstanding. In Alaska, you have Tribes, Tribal members, you have ANCs, and shareholders. These are the Native people. You have crossover. And sometimes there is a misunderstanding. For example, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act specifically excluded tens of thousands of Alaska Natives because they were members of an organization that Congress created. My own view was that was outrageous. So that is why we need to keep educating our colleagues here. But overall, this was a story of success, of resilience, of what can happen when you allow people to take charge of their own destiny. It is a story of self-determination and, in many ways, heroism, and it is a story for the ages.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z