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://boebert.house.gov/media/press-releases/twenty-two-boebert-legislative-priorities-signed-law,Twenty-Two Boebert Legislative Priorities Signed Into Law,2022-12-31,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,CO,Lauren Boebert,B000825,boebert.house.gov,boebert,https://boebert.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Image

December 31, 2022

Twenty-Two of Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s legislative priorities were signed into law in H.R. 2617, the consolidated appropriations package for Fiscal Year 2023.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert stated, “I worked hard with the House Appropriations Committee to ensure that twenty-two of my legislative provisions for Colorado were included in the bill and signed into law. My top priority is delivering results for the people of Colorado’s Third District, and that is exactly what I did by securing these twenty-two legislative provisions signed into law.”

Legislative Priorities Signed into Law Delivering for Colorado’s Third District:

Natural Resources

Statutory provision signed into law directing the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to establish a pilot program to combat salt cedar and Russian olive infestations in the West. These noxious weeds waste precious water resources. This appropriation victory delivered on Rep. Boebert’s promise to Montezuma County to help them combat drought by removing noxious weeds.

Legislative provision signed into law prohibiting listing the greater sage-grouse as an endangered species. This will protect 173 million acres of land from being locked up from energy production, critical mineral production, grazing rights, and other multiple-use activities.

$50 million appropriation signed into law for the U.S. Forest Service to address invasive species like the bark beetle infestation devastating Colorado’s forests. Additionally, by fighting the bark beetle infestation, Rep. Boebert’s legislative provision will reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Water

$229.26 million for water conservation and delivery projects and an additional $50 million for rural water projects that will help combat western drought, including the Arkansas Valley Conduit that will provide an abundant supply of clean water for 50,000 people in Southeastern Colorado.

$7.66 million for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Upper Colorado and San Juan Rivers Endangered Fish Recovery Implementation Programs, which provide ESA compliance to ensure 2,200 water projects continue to function and provide water for rural Colorado.

$10 million appropriation signed into law for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian Irrigation Fund to address the deferred maintenance backlog and increase water storage projects like the Southern Utes’ Pine River Indian Irrigation Project.

Healthcare

$352 million directing HHS to improve rural healthcare.

$1.85 billion for community health centers that provide medical care to rural communities. Colorado's Third District has eight Community Health Centers that will benefit from this funding.

Infrastructure

$28.44 billion for the Highway Trust Fund to improve infrastructure in rural America. Additionally, Rep. Boebert is working to improve the I-70 corridor to ensure that it is better-prepared for inclement weather.

$515 million for rural communities in the form of the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program that compensates rural communities for the presence of tax-free public land in their jurisdiction. All 27 counties in Congresswoman Boebert’s District receive PILT payments, and this important funding the Congresswoman secured will go to law enforcement, infrastructure, education, firefighting, and other important local priorities across the District.

Agriculture

$1 million for statutory provision protecting farmers and ranchers by compensating them for livestock killed by wolves reintroduced by government programs.

Statutory provision signed into law exempting livestock haulers from burdensome Department of Transportation electronic logging device requirements that unnecessarily interfere with the complexity of livestock hauling.

Military and National Security

Ordered 80 F-35 aircraft to adequately supply our armed forces. In Colorado, the F-35 program supports 1,840 jobs annually and injects $226.8 million dollars into the state economy.

$173 million for the Arrow System Improvement Program and $127 million for the Short-Range Ballistic Missile Defense program.

$80 million to fund the Iron Dome, the air defense system of our key national security ally, Israel.

Statutory prohibition on funding non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which promote the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel.

$1.34 billion for NASA’s Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, $799.15 million for space exploration ground systems, and $2.6 billion for the Space Launch System. Colorado’s aerospace economy is second only to California and accounts for nearly 232,000 jobs.

$80 million for Arrow 3 Upper Tier Systems.

$40 million for Short-Range Ballistic Missile Defense.

Statutory provision preventing waste, fraud, and abuse by prohibiting the use of a Department of Defense travel card at a casino or strip club.

Miscellaneous

Secured the Hyde and Weldon amendments, prohibiting taxpayer dollars from funding abortions and protecting doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals from being coerced into providing an abortion if they have a moral objection.

$440 million for charter school grants, ensuring that more children are able to attend a school of their choice and receive a quality education.

Background:

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert worked with House Committee on Appropriations to secure the aforementioned twenty-two appropriations requests signed into law as part of H.R. 2617, the consolidated appropriations package for Fiscal Year 2023. Ranking Member Granger’s letter to Congresswoman Boebert detailing these legislative victories can be found here. In March of 2022, nine of Congresswoman Boebert's appropriations requests for Colorado were signed into law as part of the appropriations package for Fiscal Year 2022.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-new-year-statement,Congressman Flood’s New Year Statement,2022-12-31,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NE,Mike Flood,F000474,flood.house.gov,flood,https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"LINCOLN, NEBRASKA – Today, Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement ahead of the New Year holiday, which is celebrated on Sunday, January 1st.

“A new year is always a time to reflect on and take stock of the past year as we make plans for new beginnings. Throughout 2022, our state has enjoyed a growing economy and low unemployment even as we and the nation as a whole grapple with fiscal challenges brought on by reckless spending from Washington. Whatever your dreams and goals are for 2023, there’s no better place to life them out than right here in the Good Life—a place where hard work is rewarded, and the American dream is alive and well.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-statement-pope-emeritus-benedict-xvis-passing,Congressman Flood's Statement on Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's Passing,2022-12-31,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NE,Mike Flood,F000474,flood.house.gov,flood,https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"LINCOLN, NEBRASKA – Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following news that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had passed away.

“Benedict XVI stands out as one of the most consequential figures of the last 100 years for many reasons: He was a prolific writer, brilliant theologian, and above all a man who showed the world through his own living witness how to better love and follow Jesus Christ. From serving as an advisor at Vatican II to leading the effort to compile the 1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church, he brought the Gospel message into a modern culture pushing back on what he identified as a ‘dictatorship of relativism.’ Mandi and I join fellow Catholics around the world in mourning his passing and celebrating his legacy, which will continue to strengthen the faith of countless millions for generations to come.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://fulcher.house.gov/2022/12/31/id-a37a35c5-289c-4a95-b53c-ec7307feccac/,Western Caucus Members Condemn Biden Administration for New WOTUS Rule,2022-12-31,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,ID,Russ Fulcher,F000469,fulcher.house.gov,fulcher,https://fulcher.house.gov/category/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members of the Congressional Western Caucus released the following statements in response to the Biden Administration’s final rule—quietly released on the last business day of the year before a major holiday—regarding the definition of “waters of the United States,” or WOTUS:

“This rule is yet another bureaucratic attack on rural America,” said Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04). “Western Caucus Members and the rural communities we represent have consistently called on the Administration to provide regulatory certainty for farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and landowners – most recently, requesting that the Administration not move forward with rulemaking until the Supreme Court has ruled on Sackett v. EPA. Today, it became crystal clear that we have been ignored. Not only is this rule premature, but it is ultimately detrimental to rural communities – and clean water conservation efforts – across the United States. We will continue to fight for effective locally-led efforts to protect our clean water and against one-size-fits-all mandates.”

“Today, the Biden Administration finalized a definition of “waters of the U.S.” that threatens the rights of Idaho’s farmers, ranchers, and private property owners,” said Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01). “Water is a lifeline for the Gem State – a key natural resource for many of our most important industries – and this decision will only empower federal bureaucrats.”

“The Obama WOTUS rule drastically expanded the jurisdiction over bodies of water like streams and ponds leaving large swaths of Iowa land in the hands of the federal government,” said Vice Chair Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02). “I am extremely disappointed in the Biden Administration’s decision to finalize a similar version of this failed rule which will have terrible consequences for our farmers, ranchers, and landowners in Iowa. Any clean water initiatives by the federal government should be focused on clearly defined bodies of water.”

“Today’s announcement by the Biden Administration on their new rule for Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) is disappointing. This rule is both poor policy and badly timed. It is another example of this Administration’s determined adherence to the demands of environmentalists at the expense of hard-working Americans. While cloaked a little differently, this new WOTUS rule will once again place overly burdensome regulations on our farm families, small businesses, and entire communities further harming our economy — not to mention making critical infrastructure projects that much more expensive,” said Vice Chair David Rouzer (NC-07). “While I appreciate the EPA’s acknowledgement that the Supreme Court has already heard arguments in Sackett v. EPA with a ruling soon expected, this further underscores how ill-advised it is for the administration to rush a new rule given the Court’s forthcoming decision will impact any new definition of WOTUS.”

“Why does every Democrat administration need to make a rule giving the federal government more power over farming and private property? The federal government doesn’t need to regulate puddles, ditches, seasonal creeks or culverts. All this rule does it make it more difficult to grow food or build anything,” said Vice Chair Doug LaMalfa (CA-01). “Frankly, that seems like to whole point – to make every day Americans ask permission from their government for basic tasks like cleaning a ditch, repairing a road, or building something on your own property. I say NO, and I’ll be leading an effort to stop yet another ridiculous rule.”

“Biden’s WOTUS rule creates a regulatory headache for economic drivers like farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, miners, and more, said Vice Chair Pete Stauber (MN-08). “Similar to the old Obama Administration WOTUS rule, this new rule is a gift to lawyers and activists, and creates hardship for my district. This is simply unacceptable but I expect no less from this activist administration.”

“It appears that the Biden Administration is attempting to over-regulate America’s farmers into extinction by reimplementing this nonsensical version of the devastating Obama-era WOTUS rule,” said Vice Chair Bruce Westerman (AR-04). “These actions demonstrate a lack of care for the needs of rural America, our agriculture industry, and for private property rights. I look forward to a Republican House working to overturn this rule.”

“I am extremely discouraged by the EPA’s actions regulating wetlands and waters in a manner inconsistent with the Clean Water Act,” said Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03). “During this time when increased agriculture production and growth are critical, the rule fails to provide certainty for America’s farmers and ranchers. Furthermore, the Biden Administration’s contradictory rule ensures lengthy litigation surrounding the scope of federal regulatory authority of our nation’s waterways will continue with confusion and regulatory uncertainty. Oklahoma’s farmers, ranchers, and landowners have demonstrated their responsible stewardship of the land for generations, and I will continue to stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in opposition to the continued inconsistent interpretation of the Clean Water Act.”

“Joe Biden’s EPA knows full well this ruling will face immediate litigation in court,” said Rep. Markwayne Mullin (OK-02). “The idea that a drainage ditch in Oklahoma is now a federally regulated, navigable waterway is absurd. This is nothing more than a Christmas present to Biden’s radical environmentalists.”

“This change of the WOTUS rule is a massive landgrab that will expand federal control to ponds, puddles, and even ditches all under the false pretense that it will make our waters cleaner. Meanwhile, farmers will be drawn into crosshairs with the EPA over using the safe crop production process they have used for years, and landowners could face hefty fines for failing to comply with the unclear language,” said Rep. Rick Crawford (AR-01). “We all want clean water, but WOTUS now negates existing local and state laws and refutes the historical role farmers, ranchers, and landowners have in being the original good stewards of their land.”

“Restoring the Obama-era WOTUS rule will restore a world of vague and disastrous regulations for Georgia’s farmers, small businesses, homeowners, local government, and families, who do not need an unelected bureaucrat to tell them how to use the Peach State’s natural resources,” said Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01). “Under President Trump, there were clear and certain guidelines, ones that should transcend political party and remain law.”

“As a lifelong farmer, I know firsthand the challenges government overreach places on the day-to-day operations of farms and businesses,” said Rep. David Valadao (CA-21). “Giving the federal government more control over our water has already once proven devastating for rural communities. The Biden administration’s EPA rule will further burden our farmers, ranchers, and small businesses in the Central Valley. I am hopeful that the Supreme Court will put an end to this regulatory nightmare when Sackett v. EPA is decided.”

“The goal of President Biden’s Waters of the U.S. rule is to give unelected bureaucrats even more command and control over the lives of rural Missourians,” said Rep. Jason Smith (MO-08). “The Trump administration’s rule protected Missouri’s water, incorporated sound science, and accommodated the needs of farmers, ranchers, landowners, and small businesses. But getting rid of this carefully crafted rule means that federal bureaucrats will again have the authority to regulate any body of water – whether it’s a puddle, ditch, pond, or creek – passing through or standing on private land. I’ll continue fighting tooth and nail to protect all these stakeholders from the Biden administration’s overreaching WOTUS rule and any other efforts by Washington Democrats to force their radical agenda on our communities.”

“We had a sensible rule for WOTUS under the last administration that left most decision-making and regulation to the states. Each state has unique circumstances to consider, and we cannot expect those to be solved by a one-size-fits-all plan. Minnesota’s clean water standards are as high, if not higher, than the federal standards. We are the land of lakes. We know what we’re doing, and we do not need federal involvement,” said Rep. Michelle Fischbach (MN-07). “This rule includes several vague standards that fail to provide certainty for stakeholders. It will be important to hold the EPA accountable to ensure they do not overstep their authorities.”

“Using WOTUS as a political football creates greater instability and challenges for our producers,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson (SD-AL). “It was poorly written to begin with and has created much confusion in rural America. The new WOTUS rule is a gross overreach of federal power.”

“EPA’s WOTUS decision is yet another example of blatant executive overreach. The government should not dictate land use on private property or the farming practices of producers and ranchers,” said Rep. Adrian Smith (NE-03). “I am steadfastly opposed to this decision because of the devastating impact it will have on landowners in Nebraska and across the country.”

“The return of WOTUS would be a disaster for North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers,” said Rep. Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL). “I am disappointed that the Biden administration is determined to bring it back despite warnings from ag producers that it will harm their livelihoods. We have to keep fighting against harmful policies that don’t do anything to keep our air and water clean.”

“Today’s WOTUS ruling is a detrimental government overreach into ponds and puddles a thousand miles from the D.C. swamp. Kansas farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of their land, but the final WOTUS rule hands over private property decisions to Washington bureaucrats,” said Rep. Ron Estes (KS-04). “As a Kansan and former farm kid, my colleagues and I will continue pushing back against this burdensome administration that chooses to govern with a heavy hand and disregards the common sense conservation by the men and women who actually work the land.”

“States, not the federal government, should be the primary regulators of water sources and waterways within their borders. Unfortunately, the EPA’s and Army Corps’ Waters of the United States Final Rule will allow the federal government to encroach on the authority of state and local governments and the rights of landowners to manage agricultural ponds, drainage ditches, and other bodies of water,” said Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08) “With the release of this Final Rule, the Biden Administration is taking a huge step backwards at the expense of states, localities, and private landowners.”

“Thanks to regulatory overreach, farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers will now be forced to operate their businesses under the federal government’s sixth definition of “water” in the past ten years alone. The Biden Administration’s newest version of “Waters of the U.S.” removes longstanding bipartisan exemptions for common water features like ponds or streams found on farms and ranches,” said Rep. Tracey Mann (KS-01). “The Biden Administration has created regulatory chaos for producers, who are working hard to keep us all fed, fueled, and clothed. Farmers are the original conservationists, and they deserve the gratitude and support of the federal government, not red tape and burdensome overregulation. They certainly don’t need Washington Democrats to tell them how to manage their own resources.”

“I am disappointed in this Administration’s latest effort to place arbitrary regulations on private property owners. For decades, Oregonians have had to bear the burden of environmental regulations written by unelected bureaucrats in DC,” said Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-02). “My constituents, who earn their living from the land, understand better than anyone how to protect and sustain it for future generations. The EPA and other federal entities have wielded WOTUS to control the most basic activities of everyday Americans. I came to Washington, DC to fight these top-down, ineffective regulatory burdens so that Oregonians have the freedom to manage the land using the commonsense practices that have been passed down through generations.”

“California doesn’t have a water problem; it has a water storage problem,” said Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-08). “The previous management agreements for the Central Valley Project and State Water Project were critical to improving our water storage capabilities, protecting our environment, and ensuring reliable water supplies for our communities and the industries that form the backbone of California’s robust economy. They were science-based, peer-reviewed, and already producing encouraging results. I am extremely disappointed that the Administration has acted to reverse the meaningful progress made under these plans, and I join my colleagues in calling for the immediate reversal of this decision.”

“Reinstating the Obama-era WOTUS rule is gross federal overreach, gives the government an unprecedented level of authority over ‘waters of the United States,’ and impacts almost every part of American life, especially for farmers and ranchers,” said Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03). “We fought this rule under President Obama, celebrated when President Trump removed it, and will fight for this disastrous abuse of power under President Biden to be reversed.”

Background:

In April, Chairman Newhouse, Rep. Miller-Meeks, and Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13) submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court for Sackett v. EPA outlining the importance of environmental federalism and how a poorly-defined Clean Water Act hinders environmental protections.

On March 9, Chairman Newhouse, Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (MO-06), and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member David Rouzer (NC-07) led over 200 House Republicans – including every Member of the Western Caucus – in calling for the Biden Administration to drop its plan to expand the scope of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) until Sackett v. EPA is decided by the Supreme Court. Click here to learn more.

Chairman Newhouse and Rep. Miller-Meeks called on the Administration to halt the rulemaking process, based on the Supreme Court’s decision to take up the Sackett case, in January.

Chairman Newhouse hosted Rep. Davis, Illinois Farm Bureau President Rich Guebert, and Charles Yates of the Pacific Legal Foundation, a lawyer in the Sackett v. EPA case, to discuss the impacts WOTUS has on rural communities and potential implications of the Supreme Court decision. Click here to listen.

When the Biden Administration announced their intention to revise and remand the Trump Administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule, Chairman Newhouse, Rep. Miller-Meeks, Senator Steve Daines (MT), and Senator Joni Ernst (IA) led Western Caucus Members in a bicameral letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan and Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jaime Pinkham to express their serious concerns and demand answers about the Administration’s plans to reopen the definition of “waters of the United States.” Click here to read the letter and learn more.

In November of 2021, Western Caucus Members from across the country issued statements in response to the Administration’s proposed rule. Click here to read more.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bost.house.gov/2022/12/bost-slams-biden-wptus,BOST SLAMS BIDEN WOTUS RULE,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,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) released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency announced its final rule on the definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS):

“After two years of the EPA hemming and hawing over this rule, Biden’s bureaucrats did exactly what we expected them to do: cave to the demands of radical Green New Deal environmentalists. This is not about protecting our waters; it’s about exerting federal control over the American people in any way they can. It is insane to think that Biden is returning us to the type of Obama-era overregulation that nearly put our farmers and job creators out of business less than a decade ago.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3663,Rep. Estes Denounces New WOTUS Rule,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,KS,Ron Estes,E000298,estes.house.gov,estes,https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) announced his opposition to the EPA's Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that increases bureaucratic control over private land that includes virtually any waters, including many areas that only temporarily hold water.

""Today's WOTUS ruling is a detrimental government overreach into ponds and puddles a thousand miles from the D.C. swamp,"" said Rep. Estes. ""Kansas farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of their land, but the final WOTUS rule hands over private property decisions to Washington bureaucrats. As a Kansan and former farm kid, my colleagues and I will continue pushing back against this burdensome administration that chooses to govern with a heavy hand and disregards the common sense conservation by the men and women who actually work the land.""

The EPA's WOTUS rule will impact farm ditches, agricultural ponds and isolated wetlands found in and near farms and ranches across the country. Rep. Estes has been a consistent voice against the overreaching WOTUS rule and outlined how its implementation will cause harm to Kansas ag producers.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/graves-rouzer-critical-administrations-move-toward-obama-era-water,Graves & Rouzer Critical of Administration’s Move Toward Obama-Era Water Restrictions,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,graves,https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member David Rouzer (R-NC) today criticized the Administration for moving forward with their rulemaking process, in the face of a pending Supreme Court ruling, and reinstate strict and cumbersome regulations over waters and water use decisions throughout the United States.

The Administration’s final rule redefining “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) moves the federal government closer toward the tighter regulation of businesses, farmers, infrastructure builders, communities, and private citizens. The Administration announced its rulemaking despite the fact that the Supreme Court is scheduled to decide a case (Sackett) in the coming months that will bear directly on any WOTUS-related rules or regulations.

“Our economy continues to struggle with the economic crises brought about by the disastrous economic policies of this Administration, and it makes absolutely no sense to move the country back towards the costly and burdensome WOTUS regulations of the past,” Graves said. “It’s particularly foolish to do this now and waste federal resources when the Supreme Court has yet to rule on the issue – a ruling that will impact and alter what the Administration is hastily putting forward.”

“Today’s announcement by the Biden Administration on their new rule for Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) is disappointing. This rule is both poor policy and badly timed. It is another example of this Administration’s determined adherence to the demands of environmentalists at the expense of hard-working Americans. While cloaked a little differently, this new WOTUS rule will once again place overly burdensome regulations on our farm families, small businesses, and entire communities further harming our economy — not to mention making critical infrastructure projects that much more expensive,” Rouzer said. “While I appreciate the EPA’s acknowledgement that the Supreme Court has already heard arguments in Sackett v. EPA with a ruling soon expected, this further underscores how ill-advised it is for the Administration to rush a new rule given the Court’s forthcoming decision will impact any new definition of WOTUS.”

Background information:

On June 25, 2021, Graves, Rouzer, and Republican leaders highlighted concerns with the Administration’s plans to undo the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.

On August 25, 2021, Graves and Rouzer urged the Agencies to extend the timeframe for public comments and stakeholder input on a new WOTUS rulemaking.

On October 26, 2021, Graves and Rouzer issued these statements regarding the Administration’s rushed roundtable process.

On January 20, 2022, Graves and Rouzer requested more time to allow adequate public comment on the WOTUS rulemaking.

On January 24, 2022, Graves and Rouzer first called for a halt to the Agencies’ rulemaking,based on the Supreme Court’s decision to take up the Sackett case.

On March 8, 2022, Graves, Rouzer, and over 200 House Republicans renewed calls for the Administration to drop its plan to expand the scope of WOTUS and allow the Supreme Court to take up its case.

On April 18, 2022, Graves, Rouzer, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito led 201 Republican Members and Senators in filing an amici curiae brief in support of the petitioners in the case Sackett case.

On April 28, 2022, Graves and Rouzer asked the Administration for more transparency about the formation, intent, and execution of stakeholder WOTUS roundtables.

On September 20, 2022, Graves and Rouzer raised concerns about actions by EPA and Army Corps of Engineers which would expand the breadth of their regulatory authority and warned the agencies to stay within the bounds of their authority as granted by Congress.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mann-new-wotus-ruling-creates-regulatory-chaos-agricultural-producers,Rep. Mann: New WOTUS Ruling Creates Regulatory Chaos for Agricultural Producers,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) released the following statement in response to the Biden Administration's new ruling redefining the Waters of the United States (WOTUS):

“Thanks to regulatory overreach, farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers will now be forced to operate their businesses under the federal government’s sixth definition of “water” in the past ten years alone. The Biden Administration’s newest version of ""Waters of the U.S."" removes longstanding bipartisan exemptions for common water features like ponds or streams found on farms and ranches.

The Biden Administration has created regulatory chaos for producers, who are working hard to keep us all fed, fueled, and clothed. Farmers are the original conservationists, and they deserve the gratitude and support of the federal government, not red tape and burdensome overregulation. They certainly don’t need Washington Democrats to tell them how to manage their own resources.”

Click hereto listen to Rep. Mann's remarks on the House Floor about WOTUS.

Click hereto learn more about H.R. 2660, the Withstanding Attempts to Encroach on our Resources (WATER) Act, which Rep. Mann co-sponsors.

Click here for more information about the new WOTUS rule.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://marymiller.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-miller-issues-statement-biden-wotus-ruling,Rep. Miller Issues Statement on Biden WOTUS Ruling,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,IL,Mary E. Miller,M001211,marymiller.house.gov,marymiller,https://marymiller.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Oakland, Ill. - Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) issued the following statement on the new Biden WOTUS Ruling that puts American Farmers last:

""I join my fellow farmers and those in the agriculture industry in sharing our deep disappointment with the new Biden WOTUS rule that puts American Farmers last. Last year, I introduced the Define WOTUS Act in Congress to prevent President Biden’s radical cabinet secretaries from telling farmers and ranchers how to use and regulate their own land. We can look forward to House Republicans taking back the majority in 4 days, at which point we will stop the EPA from their reckless and unconstitutional attacks on the family farm.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/newsroom-news-releases-barrasso-biden-admin-wants-control-of-wyomings-water/,Barrasso: Biden Admin Wants Control of Wyoming’s Water,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,WY,John Barrasso,B001261,www.barrasso.senate.gov,barrasso,https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/newsroom/news-releases/,scraper,"CASPER, WY – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) released the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s announcement that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final rule regarding the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS).

“President Biden is raising from the dead the failed policies of the Obama administration. The Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule is one of the worst offenders. This misguided rule suffocates Wyoming’s farmers, ranchers and landowners alike. Make no mistake, this isn’t about protecting America’s waterways – it’s about putting Washington in control of everything from ponds to potholes.

“Wyoming doesn’t need the federal government telling us what to do with our farms, ranches, and land. Americans deserve clean water and clear rules – not more government overreach.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-statement-on-biden-administrations-final-wotus-rule,Hoeven Statement on Biden Administration's Final WOTUS Rule,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,hoeven,https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Hoeven Statement on Biden Administration's Final WOTUS Rule

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a final rule to redefine the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS).

“The Biden administration continues to push overbroad regulations that impose increased costs and greater constraints on our economy, which ultimately lead to higher prices for American consumers,” said Hoeven. “Like the Obama-era rule, this new WOTUS definition violates private property rights and is the wrong approach for our nation. Instead, we need regulatory relief that encourages investment and reduces costs for energy development, agriculture producers and construction, among others, while empowering states to protect the water resources within their borders.”

Hoeven has been working to protect private property rights and push back on the Biden administration’s efforts to advance an expanded WOTUS rule, which imposes unworkable mandates, burdensome new permitting requirements and compliance cost on landowners, energy and agriculture producers and other industries. Accordingly, the senator:

Helped introduce legislation to codify the Trump-era Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR), which replaced the 2015 WOTUS rule.

Hoeven previously worked to advance the NWPR, following his efforts to defund WOTUS in 2015 and 2016 and prevent its implementation.

Joined an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case ofSackett v. EPA urging for the preservation of state authority to regulate local waters and lands.

Pressing the EPA and the Army Corps to suspend rulemaking on WOTUS until the U.S. Supreme Court completes its consideration ofSackett v. EPA.

-###-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=F8751C73-8E4E-4119-8A91-8D75D579C836,Sen. Moran Statement on the Passing of Ed Seaton,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today issued the following statement after the passing of longtime Kansas newspaper publisher, former Pulitzer Prize Board Chair and Manhattan native Ed Seaton:

“Ed Seaton lived a full life, dedicating himself to the advancement of democracy and freedom for the international press. He was a champion of local journalism and worked tirelessly to advocate for journalists on every level. Robba and I were privileged to know Ed personally, and he always treated us graciously. In particular, we valued his leadership of the Landon Lecture Series at Kansas State University. Robba also enjoyed the time they spent serving together at KSU.

“Ed leaves a lasting legacy of commitment to journalism, and I am grateful for his passion for making Kansas and the world a better place. I extend my sincere condolences to his son Ned, his daughter-in-law Angie and his grandchildren. Robba and I are praying for them during this difficult time.”

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-2022-year-in-review/,Senator Scott 2022 Year in Review,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,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.) released his 2022 year in review, highlighting the work his office did on behalf of the people of South Carolina and advancing his Opportunity Agenda across the country.

This year, Senator Scott introduced 18 bills, 7 resolutions, and 13 amendments. Twenty one pieces of his legislation were in part or fully enacted this year.

While he voted against the Democrats’ big spending increase in the omnibus bill, the senator was able to secure passage of many bills and provisions he led or supported in the accompanying legislative package. Among those wins were:

Portions of Senator Scott’s MADE in America Act that strengthen the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain;

A 2-year extension of Medicare telehealth flexibilities;

A 2-year extension of the hospital at home program, based off of language in Senator Scott’s Hospital Inpatient Modernization Act;

Senator Scott’s Advancing Auto Portability Act, which cuts red tape to help Americans who change jobs frequently to increase retirement savings; and

Key provisions of Senator Scott’s IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act.

South Carolina

Senator Scott continued his emphasis on communicating directly with constituents. To that end, he increased the number of letters sent annually by nearly 70%, amounting to more than 17,000 letters sent in 2022 alone.

The senator continued his efforts to aid the South Carolina Port Authority in its harbor deepening project, and joined with South Carolina leaders earlier this month to celebrate Charleston becoming home to the deepest port on the East Coast.

As a result of his efforts to strengthen the Minority Business Development Agency, South Carolina was issued a grant for $1.6 million.

Law Enforcement

In recognition of his work to support and increase funding for training for police departments across the country, Senator Scott was given numerous awards from law enforcement organizations. At the beginning of the month, the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation honored the senator with their National Service Award. In July, he received the Florida Sheriffs Association’s National Legislative Champion Award, and in February he was given another legislative champion award from the Major County Sheriffs of America.

The Scott-sponsored Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act, a bill that equips law enforcement officers with the tools to effectively and safely respond to people in crisis, was passed and signed into law by President Biden. The new requirements for developing de-escalation training standards contained in the bill are the same requirements included in Senator Scott’s JUSTICE Act, which was introduced in 2020.

Justice & Fairness

One of the marquee achievements this year was the passage of Senator Scott’s anti-lynching legislation, named in honor of Emmett Till. The senator first introduced the bipartisan legislation in 2018. This is a key component of his broader mission to combat hate crimes, which has included speaking out against bomb threats at HBCUs and forming the Senate Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations.

Senator Scott successfully lobbied FEMA to change its disaster relief policies that discriminated against Black homeowners. Known as heirs property, more than a third of Black-owned land in the South is passed down informally, rather than through deeds and wills, which precluded those land owners from getting much-needed FEMA aid after natural disasters. Following this push and policy change, 42,000 homeowners and 53,000 renters nationwide—who would have previously been denied—received disaster assistance, totaling $350 million.

Education

As the co-chair of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, Senator Scott hosted the inaugural School Choice Caucus Breakfast with dozens of Congressional and education leaders to call attention to the growing nationwide support for school choice and fight against the Biden administration’s attempts to limit education options for students. He also led the charge to get answers from Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on his coordination with the National School Boards Association that led to concerned parents being labeled as domestic terrorists.

As the co-chair of the bipartisan HBCU Caucus, Senator Scott hosted the first ever HBCU Career Fair in conjunction with Benedict College. The event served as a forum to foster public-private partnerships and introduce students and alumni to career, fellowship, and internship opportunities with South Carolina’s top employers.

As the co-chair of the Congressional Financial Literacy Caucus, Senator Scott co-led a resolution designating April as Financial Literacy Month and led a forum on the importance of youth financial literacy. He also spearheaded efforts to build consumers’ financial capability and broader economic well-being.

Aging Committee

As the ranking member on the Aging Committee, Senator Scott led the charge to reopen Social Security field offices. After being closed for more than a year due to COVID, the senator’s pressure campaign to reopen allowed seniors and people with disabilities to once again receive in-person services for the benefits they deserve.

Throughout the year, the senator led a series of reports on issues that represent national imperatives for older Americans including senior nutrition programs, financial literacy, senior housing, retirement security, drug pricing, and home and community based services. He also led the effort to combat frauds and scams that target seniors through the publication of an annual Fraud Book, hearings investigating frauds, and a Fraud Hotline to support seniors.

Health Care

Senator Scott led his colleagues in urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to support and strengthen the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. Following their efforts, CMS announced lower than expected premiums for individuals utilizing the MA program, which covers one third of the Medicare enrollees across South Carolina.

Foreign Affairs & National Security

Senator Scott continued his vocal support for Israel and fight against threats to peace and stability in the Middle East. To that end, he introduced the Commission of Inquiry (COI) Elimination Act, a bipartisan bill to withhold U.S. funding for the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for their targeted and biased investigation into Israel.

He also introduced the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act, which would make permanent sanctions against Iran’s energy sector.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-criticizes-biden-admins-resuscitated-overreaching-wotus-rule,"Sullivan Criticizes Biden Admin’s Resuscitated, Overreaching WOTUS Rule",2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26,scraper,"ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today released the following statement criticizing the Biden administration’s recently-announced Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule under the Clean Water Act.

“The Biden administration today announced its ‘final’ Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule, resuscitating the burdensome and overreaching Obama-era ‘final’ interpretation of the Clean Water Act and giving the EPA vast authority over lands across the country, particularly in Alaska, which has more wetlands than any other state in the country by far. Remarkably, the Biden administration refused to pause issuing this WOTUS Rule just a few months until the Supreme Court rules in a case (Sackett vs. EPA II) that will determine the scope of the agency’s authority under the Clean Water Act. As a result, millions of hard-working Americans and Alaskans are left in regulatory limbo.

“Under this rule, land owners face the potential for thousands of dollars in litigation and months of bureaucratic back-and-forth just to fill a ditch or build a structure on their own property. This rule abandons the balanced, bipartisan and statutorily-based implementation of the Clean Water Act that we had achieved working with the Trump administration, through multiple court victories, and through multiple field hearings I chaired as a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee—including in Alaska.

“The truth is, all Americans want clean water, and we have some of the country’s cleanest water right here in Alaska. But the federal government should not take authority from states and run rough shod over the law, good-paying jobs, and our economy—which is on the verge of a recession—to achieve that goal. I will do everything I can to fight this illegal federal power grab, and I look forward to the Supreme Court once again reining in this out-of-control federal agency.”

Below is a timeline of Sen. Sullivan’s work on the WOTUS Rule.

On April 6 and April 8, 2015, Sen. Sullivan chaired Environment and Public Works Subcommittee field hearings in Anchorage and in Fairbanks on the impacts of the previously proposed WOTUS Rule on state and local governments and stakeholders.

On April 30, 2015, Sen. Sullivan, along with Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Pat Roberts (R-Kas.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), introduced the bipartisan Federal Water Quality Protection Act (S. 1140) to direct the EPA and the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to issue a revised WOTUS Rule that protects navigable water from water pollution, while also protecting farmers, ranchers and private landowners.

On May 19, 2015, Sen. Sullivan chaired a subcommittee legislative hearing on S.1140 The Federal Water Quality Protection Act. This bill would have withdrawn the WOTUS Rule and required EPA to more appropriately define what bodies are “Waters of the United States.”

On October 9, 2015, Sen. Sullivan issued a statement on the nationwide stay of the EPA’s previous WOTUS Rule.

On September 30, 2015, Sen. Sullivan chaired a subcommittee hearing titled “Oversight of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Participation in the Development of the New Regulatory Definition of ‘Waters of the United States.’”

On May 24, 2016 Sen. Sullivan chaired a subcommittee hearing titled “Erosion of Exemptions and Expansion of Federal Control –Implementation of the Definition of Waters of the United States.”

On February 28, 2017, Sen. Sullivan attended a meeting at the White House where President Trump signed an executive order that began to roll back the EPA’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule.

On April 26, 2017, the EPW committee held an oversight hearing titled “A Review of the Technical, Scientific, and Legal Basis of the WOTUS Rule.” At the hearing, Chairman Barrasso called for the withdrawal of the fundamentally flawed rule. Witnesses testified that the 2015 WOTUS Rule is not supported by the Corps’ experience and expertise, scientific studies, or the law.

On June 27, 2017, Senator Sullivan shared his views on the EPA’s efforts to withdraw and rewrite the overreaching WOTUS Rule.

On September 27, 2017, Senator Sullivan, along with committee members Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jerry Moran (R-Kas.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), sent a letter to the EPA and the Corps in support of the proposed withdrawal of the 2015 WOTUS Rule.

On December 11, 2018, the EPA and the Corps proposed a revised definition of the WOTUS Rule.

In January 2020, the EPA and the Corps issued a revised definition of the WOTUS Rule.

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3FB17931-E9AB-424E-B3BD-B588C30CF4A9,Thune Statement on Biden Administration’s Over-Reaching WOTUS Rule,2022-12-30,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"“I strongly oppose this thinly veiled land grab, I urge the administration to abandon this retread of a misguided rule, and if it does not, I will push for the Senate to overturn this over-reaching regulation.”

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule:

“Like President Obama before him, President Biden is trying to greatly expand the reach of the federal government into the lives of farmers and ranchers,” said Thune. “Opening up nearly every body of water to federal jurisdiction would be a nightmare for property owners and producers in South Dakota and across the country. I strongly oppose this thinly veiled land grab, I urge the administration to abandon this retread of a misguided rule, and if it does not, I will push for the Senate to overturn this over-reaching regulation.”

Background:

In September 2022, Thune helped introduce the Simplify Timelines and Assure Regulatory Transparency Act, comprehensive federal regulatory permitting and project review reform legislation that would codify sensible regulations like the Navigable Waters Protection Rule instead of the Biden administration’s over-reaching WOTUS proposal.

In April 2022, Thune joined an amicus brief in support of the petitioners in the pending case Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is directly related to how much authority the federal government has over states and private citizens to regulate “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

In February 2022, Thune led the entire Senate Republican Conference in urging the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to suspend the pending rulemaking to redefine the scope of waters protected under the CWA, specifically WOTUS, until the U.S. Supreme Court completes its consideration of Sackett v. EPA, as the case is expected to have major implications on CWA scope and enforcement. Oral arguments for the case were heard on October 3, and an opinion is not expected until 2023.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/bilirakis-secures-over-20-million-federal-funding-local-projects,Bilirakis Secures Over $20 Million in Federal Funding for Local Projects,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,FL,Gus M. Bilirakis,B001257,bilirakis.house.gov,bilirakis,https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"December 29, 2022

Washington, DC: In keeping with his long-standing tradition of providing exceptional constituent service, Congressman Gus Bilirakis has worked tirelessly throughout the past year to ensure that his community received its fair share of federally allocated funds. In total, 12 of the 15 priority project proposals submitted by Congressman Gus Bilirakis this year have just been approved. These projects will bring a total $20,275,000 in federal funding to the Tampa Bay area. Each of the selected projects address substantial unmet needs within Florida's 12th Congressional District, including:

$2 million to help prevent flooding in north Pinellas and south Pasco counties through stormwater and roadway improvements,

$3 million for Moffitt’s Pasco County Expansion to build the Research and Life Science Facility that will serve as a regional hub for the delivery of high-quality healthcare, cancer research, education, and biotech business development.

$800,000 for the Pasco County Alliance for Healthy Communities Substance Use Prevention Program to provide coordinated behavioral health services in an effort to combat the overdose crisis occurring throughout the community. In 2021, Pasco had a record high of 1,526 overdoses.

$500,000 to support more than 300 at-risk middle and high school aged girls in Pasco and Hernando counties enrolled in the PACE Center for Girls program achieve long-term socio-economic independence by graduating from high school, entering higher education, attaining certification training, and gaining employment skills,

$2.5 million to build a one-stop-shop senior center in Pasco County operated by CARES. The services provided through the center will help improve the quality of life and maintain independence for many of the most frail and vulnerable seniors within the community,

$2 million for the Craig Park/Spring Bayou Seawall Repair in Tarpon Springs. These funds would be used to replace deteriorating historic seawalls and waterfront sidewalk, raising them to address sea level rise. Tarpon Springs is the lowest city land area in Pinellas County and is the greatest at risk to flooding. The sidewalks and City dock on Spring Bayou are frequently underwater which has caused structural problems. Access to the scenic Spring Bayou area is often barricaded to pedestrian access.

$1.27 million for to build new units of housing at the Vincent House for those struggling with mental illness,

$2 million for the Pasco Sheriff’s Department to upgrade technology at its regional Center for the Recovery of Missing Persons,

$2.4 million to install ADA-compliant bus stops along Moon Lake Road in West Pasco,

$600k for the Lighthouse for Visually impaired to assist older adults in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus, counties by empowering these adults with disabilities to live more independently in their home and communities with a focus on improved mental health,

$2 million for renovation of the Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit operated by Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services,

$1.225 million for a school readiness and early literacy program operated by the Pinellas County Education Foundation

“While I am no proponent of big government spending, I have a duty to ensure my community receives its fair share of allocated federal resources and to be transparent about my efforts to prioritize these important projects. Each of these good projects will help strengthen our local infrastructure, benefit our community, and assist local residents, "" said Congressman Gus Bilirakis.

To learn more about these approved projects, click here. If Congress allows future community projects to be considered, Congressman Bilirakis will share application details on his website.

Issues:Economic Policy",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/bipartisan-bill-honor-last-living-nuremberg-prosecutor-signed-law,Bipartisan Bill to Honor Last Living Nuremberg Prosecutor Signed Into Law,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,FL,Gus M. Bilirakis,B001257,bilirakis.house.gov,bilirakis,https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12), Lois Frankel (D-FL-21), Joe Wilson (R-SC-02), Ted Deutch (D-FL-22), Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), and Chris Smith (R-NJ-04) released the following statements after their bipartisan bill to award Benjamin Ferencz—the last living Nuremberg prosecutor—a Congressional Gold Medal was signed into law.

""The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. Certainly Ben Ferencz, who has spent more than 50 years prosecuting war crimes and genocide, qualifies for this prestigious honor. Throughout history, humanity has encountered many faces of evil. Our brightest moments as an international community have been those in which we present a united front in our efforts to identify and eradicate its presence. Mr. Ferencz has been at the helm leading that important work, and I am humbled to help honor him,"" said Rep. Bilirakis.

""It is an honor to recognize the last living Nuremberg prosecutor, 102-year-old Benjamin Ferencz, with the Congressional Gold Medal—Congress's highest expression of civilian appreciation. Mr. Ferencz's lifelong commitment to justice, peace, and human dignity is an inspiration to all who value freedom and humanity,"" said Rep. Frankel. ""Now, the US Senate must get this bipartisan bill over the finish line so that we can give Mr. Ferencz the recognition he deserves.""

""Ben Ferencz is a true champion of human rights. Beginning with his time as an investigator in World War II and chief U.S. Army prosecutor during the Nuremberg Trials, through his long, outstanding career as an advocate of international rule of law,"" said Rep. Wilson. ""Mr. Ferencz deserves our respect and appreciation. I am grateful to have co-led this bill to award him the Congressional Gold Medal and for the passage of this bill today. Thank you for your lifelong dedication to justice and integrity.""

""The Nuremberg Trials, the first international war crimes tribunal in human history, was a monumental milestone for the international community—a step toward true accountability for those who committed crimes against humanity during World War II. Ben Ferencz, who spent more than 50 years prosecuting the most horrific war crimes, is a living embodiment of the Nuremberg legacy,"" said Rep. Ted Deutch. ""Mr. Ferencz's lifetime of work carries particular significance today. At a time when there are fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors to share their experiences, Mr. Ferencz, the last remaining prosecutor from this tribunal, is a shining example to us all of the continued importance of speaking out, showing zero tolerance for war crimes, and ensuring what happened during the Holocaust never happens again. In honoring him, we commit to continuing his efforts.""

""Ben Ferencz has dedicated his life to standing up for human rights and justice,"" said Rules Committee Chairman James P. McGovern. ""As Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, I often hear how grave atrocities such as genocide happen because good people look the other way or fail to take action. Ben Ferencz has spent the last five decades ensuring that we do not look away—and that those who commit these heinous crimes are held accountable. Nuremberg is the model on how to investigate, how to interrogate, how to prosecute, and how to mete out justice. I am so proud that Congress came together in a bipartisan way to honor Mr. Ferencz with the Congressional Gold Medal. For ‘never again' to mean ‘enough is enough,' it is critically important for us to continue to honor and elevate the work of heroes like Mr. Ferencz.""

During World War II, Ferencz served in the U.S. Army and helped collect evidence of Nazi war crimes. After the war, he was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant of Infantry and was awarded five battle stars for his service. Later, he was appointed Chief Prosecutor in the trial that convicted 22 former Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS) officials for their roles in the murder of over a million people.Over the course of his life, Ferencz has been a tireless advocate for the rule of law and international justice. This remarkable centenarian embodies the best of what the United States—and the American people—offer to the world. The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress' highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. The first Congressional Gold Medal was given to George Washington in 1776 and has been awarded just 179 times to our nation's heroes, activists, scientists, and other important figures in our society.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases/two-more-bilirakis-bills-become-law-1,Two More Bilirakis Bills Become Law,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,FL,Gus M. Bilirakis,B001257,bilirakis.house.gov,bilirakis,https://bilirakis.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– Two bills authored by Congressman Bilirakis were signed into law as part of the end of year Omnibus spending package. While the Congressman could not, in good conscience, vote for the final spending package due to the damage that continued reckless spending will have on his constituents, he is pleased to see the consumer protection measures he has worked on over the past two years as the lead Republican on the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee finally become law. The first bill, ""Reporting Attacks from Nations Selected for Oversight and Monitoring Web Attacks and Ransomware from Enemies Act"" or the ""RANSOMWARE Act"" will strengthen the federal government's efforts to respond to recent ransomware and other cyber-attacks from foreign adversaries, such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

“We have seen an increase in cyber-crimes targeting Americans across the country, from hospitals, law enforcement entities, to even run-of-the-mill businesses in our communities. Congress should be better equipped with information that the Federal Trade Commission learns of by working with foreign law enforcement agencies, and as a result of receiving cross-border complaints that involve ransomware and cyber security threats, so that we may work to make America more resilient,” said Congressman Bilirakis.

Specifically, Bilirakis's legislation will amend and update the U.S. SAFE WEB Act of 2006, which first enabled cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies on international consumer protection issues and will require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report on cross-border complaints involving ransomware.

The second Bilirakis measure included in the package is the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers (INFORM Consumers) Act, which directs online marketplaces to verify the identity of high-volume third-party sellers of consumer products. Congressman Bilirakis led this legislation with his colleague, Chairman Jan Schakowsky. Requiring authentication of the identity of these online sellers will help deter organized retail crime rings who seek to sell stolen or counterfeit goods online. The bill will also benefit consumers by providing them with basic identification and contact information for the high-volume third-party sellers. Click here to listen to Bilirakis discussing this initiative when it was considered on the House Floor.

""This pro-consumer legislation enacts uniform, nationwide rules to promote safety, increase transparency, and provide greater accountability for online sales. It will provide a layer of enhanced protections for consumers from stolen and counterfeit goods without adding undue burdens on small mom-and-pop businesses,"" said Congressman Gus Bilirakis. ""This bill is a win-win for consumers and legitimate businesses in the online marketplace.""

Along with the rise in popularity of online marketplaces like Amazon, Facebook, and eBay, there has been an increase of stolen, counterfeit, and dangerous consumer products offered for sale online to consumers. Currently, it is relatively easy for third-party sellers to go onto an online marketplace, create an account, sell high volumes of illicit goods to unwitting consumers, and then shut down the account and disappear before facing any accountability.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://cammack.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-cammack-visits-us-troops-overseas-during-christmas-tour,Rep. Cammack Visits U.S. Troops Overseas During Christmas Tour,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,FL,Kat Cammack,C001039,cammack.house.gov,cammack,https://cammack.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"GAINESVILLE, FL — Over the last week, Congresswoman Kat Cammack visited with American servicemembers on military bases in the Middle East during a congressional delegation trip over the Christmas holiday.

The delegation made stops in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Greece, visiting with U.S. servicemembers serving across Europe and the Middle East. While there, they served lunch to and ate with enlisted servicemembers from their home districts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, hearing from them about their missions and their time in the U.S. Armed Forces. The members also visited with local children at an educational center at one of the stops.

""It's a special privilege to be with our troops during Christmas, and to thank them for all they do and sacrifice to keep our nation safe,"" said Cammack. ""It was great to spend time with our active-duty military, reservists, and National Guardsmen and women. Their families are thinking of them not just during Christmastime, but throughout the year, and as members of Congress, it's a rare opportunity to let these heroes just how much we appreciate and support them when they can't share the holidays with their families and friends back home.""

Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), who chairs the Subcommittee on Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism with the House Foreign Affairs Committee led the congressional delegation trip. Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Aumua Amata (R-American Samoa), Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Susan Wild (D-PA) also joined.

""I met several constituents from Florida's Third, including a handful from Alachua, Clay, Marion, and Putnam Counties. One constituent from Orange Park is serving with the U.S. Space Force and shared a patch from her unit that I'll proudly display in my office to think of her and all the amazing people we met during our travels. On behalf of Florida's Third Congressional District, thank you to the men and women serving our nation around the world—we will work hard to continue honoring your service and sacrifice year-round.""

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://clayhiggins.house.gov/2022/12/29/higgins-announces-150m-i-10-calcasieu-river-bridge/,Higgins Announces $150M for the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,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 the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is awarding $150 million in Mega Grant funding for the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge replacement project.

“Since coming to Congress, my office has worked with our local, state, and federal partners to build consensus and advance the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge project,” said Congressman Higgins. “Completion of a new bridge is a critical infrastructure priority for the Louisiana delegation. Replacement efforts are moving forward, and this Mega Grant provides the State with significant federal funding. We are building a new bridge at I-10 in Lake Charles.”

Congressman Higgins and members of the Louisiana delegation sent a letter on May 31, urging approval of the State’s application for Mega Grant funding. Congressman Higgins delivered a follow-up communication on July 18, again urging the Department of Transportation to approve funding for the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge project. Our office has also continued to advocate for the project in back-channel communications with DOT.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-manns-bill-renaming-russell-post-office-after-sen-bob-dole-becomes-law,Rep. Mann's bill renaming Russell Post Office after Sen. Bob Dole becomes law,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) released the following statement in response to his legislation being signed into law, renaming the post office in Russell, Kansas, the ""Robert J. Dole Memorial Post Office Building.”

""Senator Bob Dole made it clear that we must never forget where we come from. Born and raised in Russell, Kansas, he knew that the heartbeat of our nation lies in places like his hometown. He bravely served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for his military service. He served as the congressman representing the Big First District of Kansas for eight years and in the U.S. Senate for 27 years, acting as the majority leader twice, and becoming his party’s nominee for President in 1996.

I spent some time with Senator Dole just a few weeks before he passed away. During our time together we discussed what he called ""The Kansas Approach,"" the markers of which he identified as honesty, hard work, respect for your roots, common sense, service, simplicity, and genuine, thoughtful care for people. These are the Kansas conservative values that motivate me every day.

Senator Dole dedicated his life to serving others and has inspired many people, including me. Naming a post office after one of Kansas' favorite sons in the town he grew up in is a small but meaningful way to pay tribute to this Kansas giant and American hero.""

Click here to view the full text of the legislation.

Click here to watch Rep. Mann's remarks on the House Floor honoring Sen. Dole's life.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-tester-lead-colleagues-calling-on-administration-to-support-northern-border-priorities-,"Hoeven, Tester Lead Colleagues Calling on Administration to Support Northern Border Priorities",2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,hoeven,https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Hoeven, Tester Lead Colleagues Calling on Administration to Support Northern Border Priorities

WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) led their colleagues in urging U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young to prioritize including resources to properly staff and secure the northern border as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 President’s Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In addition, the senators outline the need to resume normal operating hours at the northern ports of entry, invest in technology deployment and recruit and retain additional U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) personnel.

“As senators representing states along the U.S.-Canada border, we write to express our support for including the resources necessary to properly staff and secure our northern border as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 President’s Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,” the senators wrote.

“We support ensuring that our border professionals have the personnel, technology, and tools necessary to secure our nation’s borders. In doing so, it is important that the Federal government effectively carry out its responsibility to safely and effectively secure both our northern and southern land borders. This is particularly important given the increased levels of activity at the southern border over the past several years which has necessitated the reallocation of personnel and resources, including technology, from our border with Canada,” the senators continued.

In addition to Hoeven and Tester, the letter was signed by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Angus King (I-Maine), James Risch (R-Idaho), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.).

Click here for the full text of the letter.

-###-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=7765556E-4576-4022-897F-09B84AD24361,Graham on Passing of Joe Taylor Jr. of Columbia,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Lindsey Graham,G000359,www.lgraham.senate.gov,graham,https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham today made this statement on the passing of Joe Taylor Jr. of Columbia.

“I was shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of my good friend, Joe Taylor.

“Joe was a force in South Carolina business and politics, and a friend to so many. His time as South Carolina’s Secretary of Commerce was one of unprecedented growth for our state. He was also a strong and challenging voice on the Columbia City Council - always looking out for the taxpayer.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=09C36811-1E91-41A1-AFC2-D09859763AAA,Senator McConnell and Governor Beshear Announce More Than $1.6 Billion in Federal Grants for Brent Spence Bridge,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 29, 2022) – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced today that the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project was awarded federal funding grants worth more than $1.6 billion, giving the landmark bridge and corridor project the green light to move toward construction.

“I’m thrilled the time has finally come for us to get the companion bridge built,” Gov. Beshear said. “Funding and constructing the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project is more than the fulfillment of my administration’s promise – it’s a dream fulfilled for the thousands of travelers who pass through the bustling region every day waiting eagerly for traffic relief to come on this nationally significant corridor. It also shows what’s possible when we prioritize people over politics. Once complete, drivers will have a more enjoyable and efficient drive and we’ll have the infrastructure in place to support the booming economy in this part of the state. Hats off to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Ohio Department of Transportation, and the countless partners and advocates who played a role in today’s monumental achievement, including the Kentucky General Assembly for the last budget allocation and Sen. McConnell for supporting the federal legislation. We appreciate President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg for this historic investment.”

Sen. McConnell helped secure the funding for today’s grant announcement by supporting last year’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and shepherding the bill through the Senate. The legislation authorized a historic investment in our nation’s infrastructure and provides robust resources to states to fund major bridge projects specifically. Over five years, the IIJA will deliver billions of dollars to Kentucky to improve the commonwealth’s roads, bridges, airports, railroads, waterways, broadband and more. Sen. McConnell contacted U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to advocate directly for Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project funding.

“For decades, inadequate capacity on the aging Brent Spence Bridge has created headaches for drivers traveling between Kentucky and Ohio. Today, we’re taking a major step toward fixing the problem,” said Sen. McConnell. “Using my role as Senate Republican Leader, I stood with Sen. Rob Portman to break through gridlock and pass last year’s bipartisan infrastructure deal, delivering record funding for landmark infrastructure projects including today’s grant. Building a new companion bridge on the Brent Spence Bridge corridor will be one of the bill’s crowning accomplishments, bringing long-awaited safety improvements, traffic relief and rejuvenated commerce to Northern Kentucky and Southwestern Ohio.”

With funding secured, groundbreaking on the project is anticipated for late 2023, with substantial completion slated for 2029.

“Ohio and Kentucky have been discussing the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project for almost two decades, and now, we can finally move beyond the talk and get to work,” said Gov. DeWine. “This project will not only ease the traffic nightmare that drivers have suffered through for years, but it will also help ensure that the movement of the supply chain doesn’t stall on this nationally significant corridor. My administration vowed to press the federal government to fund this project, and we’re glad that they have recognized its significance. I’m grateful to the teams in both states who have worked so hard to make this project a reality.”

The Brent Spence Bridge was constructed in the 1960s to carry around 80,000 vehicles a day, but the daily traffic load on Interstate Highways 75 and 71 has reached 160,000 vehicles in recent years. Because I-75 is a key freight corridor stretching from Canada to Florida, the congestion impacts commerce and commuters who travel the corridor in the eastern United States.

Project plans call for the construction of a companion bridge to the west of the existing Brent Spence Bridge, as well as improvements to the current bridge and the roadway network that ties into each river crossing. As a result of robust engagement with local partners, there will be enhanced pedestrian access across I-75 in Cincinnati to reconnect downtown with western neighborhoods and the City of Cincinnati will regain nearly 10 acres to develop in the downtown area. In Kentucky, the project will include a new storm sewer system to reduce flooding and improve local roads, including enhanced pedestrian and bicycle facilities, in the area of the existing and new bridge.

The project team – consisting of representatives from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) – applied jointly for funding and have outlined terms to move the project to construction.

The once-in-a-lifetime competitive funding was made available through the passage of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that invested billions of dollars to revitalize infrastructure and spur the economy.

In July, Govs. DeWine and Beshear announced revised plans based on community engagement and technical analysis to shrink the project footprint while still delivering a transformative project that meets the needs of the region.

“Nothing great is achieved alone, and I’m proud of all the people who’ve come to the table over the years to ensure that we’ll deliver a project with huge benefits and minimal impacts to the communities that live in and around the project area,” KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said.

“This project doesn’t just move vehicles, it moves people. We’re able to reconnect neighborhoods to downtown Cincinnati, improve safety and reduce congestion on this route, all while only adding a single lane to the interstate with this project,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks.

With funding secured, groundbreaking on the project is anticipated in late 2023 with larger construction activities in 2024. Substantial completion on the project is slated for 2029. The immediate next step will be the selection process to determine the Progressive Design Build contractor team to complete the project. That effort will begin in January when the Request for Proposals (RFP) is released to the contractor community.

The Federal Highway Administration recently required the project team to complete an analysis to better identify project cost estimates. Through this process, the project team determined the project is likely to cost about $3.6 billion. The increase from previous estimates was not unexpected, due to the recent impact of inflation in construction prices. As a result, the project team is updating the project’s financial plan to account for the change.

About the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project

Brent Spence Bridge Fact Sheet

Fueled by bipartisan cooperation and community engagement, the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project will invest in local communities and help grow America’s economy. Spanning 8 miles between the Western Hills Viaduct in Ohio and Dixie Highway in Kentucky, the project will address the second-worst truck bottleneck in the nation by improving safety and travel on the interstate connection that carries more than $700 billion worth of freight every year.

In addition, the project will improve access to the central business districts of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, and will also support local businesses and underserved communities in historic neighborhoods on both sides of the river. Ohio and Kentucky are working together to deliver this transformative project that will improve the quality of life for the millions of Americans who use the federal highway system to travel between the two states and beyond.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=D0D89E1A-C470-43D5-BA17-E524D869BB05,Sen. Moran Named Co-Chair of Senate Army Caucus,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – senior member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and member of the United States Military Academy (USMA) Board of Visitors – today was named the new Co-Chair of the Senate Army Caucus by fellow Co-Chair U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) – chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. Sen. Moran will replace retiring U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) as Co-Chair.

“I am honored to be selected to serve as the next Co-Chair of the Senate Army Caucus,” said Sen. Moran. “Kansas has a proud history of military service and is home to a significant Army presence with Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and the Army National Guard and Reserve. Throughout my time in Congress, it has been a priority to support our military institutions in Kansas and this position will allow me to better advocate for our soldiers and their families in Kansas, the United States and across the globe.”

“Sen. Inhofe has been one of Congress’ most influential and strongest advocates for servicemembers and their families, and I am grateful for his many years of leadership on the Senate Army Caucus and in the U.S. Senate,” continued Sen. Moran. “I look forward to working with Sen. Reed, Army leaders and members of the Senate Army Caucus to support our nation’s soldiers and their missions.”

“I am proud to welcome Senator Jerry Moran as Co-Chair of the Army Caucus,” said Sen. Reed. “Sen. Moran has long been a steadfast advocate for our nation’s soldiers, and I look forward to serving with him in this new leadership role. The Army is fundamentally a ‘People First’ organization, and the Senate Army Caucus is committed to supporting our soldiers, their families, and our Army civilians and veterans. Sen. Moran will be a tremendous partner in this endeavor.”

“I am also grateful to my good friend, Senator Jim Inhofe, for his tremendous leadership as Co-Chair of the Senate Army Caucus, and I congratulate him on his well-earned retirement,” continued Sen. Reed. “The Army is stronger and America is safer because of his service.”

“It was an honor to support the United States Army during my time as Army Caucus Co-Chair, and now I am proud to see that position filled by someone with great dedication and integrity – my friend, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran,” said Sen. Inhofe. “I am certain that Sen. Moran will continue to keep the best interest of the U.S. Army at heart as he co-leads this caucus with Senator Reed into the future.”

The bipartisan Senate Army Caucus includes more than 30 Senators from across the country. The Army Caucus is one of the largest and most active caucuses in the Senate. The caucus’ goal is to advocate on behalf of the U.S. Army in the Senate and educate members on the importance of supporting Army goals. The caucus meets regularly with Army leadership to receive updates on the service’s readiness, assess soldier quality of life initiatives and develop legislation to advance the goals of the Army.

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-delivers-on-alaska-priorities-in-annual-interior-bill,Murkowski Delivers on Alaska Priorities in Annual Interior Bill,2022-12-29,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26,scraper,"The U.S. Senate recently passed an omnibus appropriations package containing funding for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2023. The measure includes the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee’s annual bill, which U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) negotiated as the panel’s Ranking Member.

Murkowski championed provisions to strengthen Alaska’s economy, invest in water and wastewater infrastructure, improve access and recreation on public lands, provide health and other critical services to tribal communities, and create safer communities across the state. Examples include funding to restore access to Denali National Park, create an EPA grant program for the assessment and remediation of contaminated lands conveyed by the federal government, and to protect communities in Alaska from wildfires. Through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process, Murkowski secured significant additional funding to support over 47 projects in Alaska.

“The Interior Subcommittee is important in Alaska with oversight over public lands, Native issues, and the environment. Through the standard appropriations process, I secured significant support for Alaska through investments in her people, lands, and waters. Our final bill improves infrastructure on public lands and provides for important research projects related mapping, landslides, and early monitoring systems for natural disasters. We provide support for Alaskans’ health and safety through investments in priorities such as Small Ambulatory Clinics, Village Built Clinics, and clean drinking water—which every Alaskan deserves. This year I was able to include nearly 50 CDS projects. These are boots-on-the-ground initiatives that Alaskans identified as their top local priorities—from clean drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities to the clean-up of contaminated lands and greater salmon monitoring. I’m proud of this bill and look forward to the positive impacts it will have across our state,” Murkowski said.

Congressionally Directed Spending Allocations for Alaska

Anchorage: $13 million to the Municipality of Anchorage for the safe disposal of wastewater in Anchorage.

Anchorage: $4 million to implement the Municipality of Anchorage’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Chickaloon: $250,000 for the Chickaloon Native Village for a community well.

Chignik: $5.3 million to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium for safe drinking water in Chignik.

Chugach National Forest: $2.3 million to construct and improve recreational trails and access on the Iditarod National Historic Trail.

Craig: $760,000 for upgrades to Craig's wastewater treatment plant.

Denali: $2.2 million for design and construction of pedestrian pathways along the Parks Highway corridor in the Denali Borough.

Eagle River: $4.5 million to the Municipality of Anchorage for the safe disposal of wastewater in Eagle River.

Girdwood: $1.6 million to replace the Ruane Road culvert in Girdwood.

Girdwood: $2.5 million for a sewer access project, for the safe disposal of wastewater in Girdwood.

Juneau: $2.5 million to the City and Borough of Juneau to design and construct a commercial-scale composting facility to serve Juneau residents and businesses.

Kenai: $875,000 to the Alaska Electric & Energy Cooperative, Inc. for the installation of a combined heat and power project at the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Central Peninsula Landfill.

Kenai: $2.9 million for the safe disposal of wastewater in Kenai.

Kenai: $1.5 million to implement the Kenai Peninsula Borough Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Ketchikan: $1.7 million to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough for wastewater treatment plant upgrades.

Kivalina: $8 million to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to construct a new Kivalina landfill that meets state regulatory standards.

Kodiak: $1 million to the Island Trails Network for removal, recycling, and recovery of debris from the Alaska marine environment.

Kotzebue: $140,000 to build cyanotoxin analysis capacity at the Native Village of Kotzebue.

Nome: $1.6 million for safe drinking water distribution and wastewater collection.

North Slope: $1.2 million for a wastewater replacement project.

North Slope: $2.5 million for the Northern Route of the North Slope Borough Community Winter Access Trails pilot program, which provides for the creation of temporary winter trail access between communities where year-round connecting roads do not exist.

Palmer: $6.9 million for wastewater treatment system upgrades.

Petersburg: $1.6 million for water treatment plant upgrades.

St. Paul: $3 million to improve solid waste disposal facilities.

Seldovia: $746,000 for a sewer line replacement.

Seldovia: $414,000 for safe drinking water.

Seward: $2 million for the safe disposal of wastewater.

Soldotna: $680,000 for a wastewater treatment plant.

Soldotna: $320,000 to improve wastewater effluent before discharge to the Kenai River.

Soldotna: $960,000 for upgrades to equipment used to dewater treated solids at the Soldotna Wastewater Treatment Plant.

St. George: $3 million to replace 50-year-old water distribution and wastewater collection infrastructure.

Statewide: $2 million for salmon monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim River watersheds.

Statewide: $500,000 to the Tanana Chiefs Conference to address the large data gap regarding salmon populations on the Yukon River.

Statewide: $880,000 for implementation of the Intertribal Federal Subsistence Cooperative Management Program at the Kuskokwim River Watershed.

Statewide: $1.2 million for ecological monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers.

Statewide: $1.5 million for the Denali Commission to develop regional solid waste management plans.

Statewide: $1 million to complete a National Scenic Trail feasibility study to connect Seward and Fairbanks.

Statewide: $3 million for the Alaska Native Justice Center for Alaska tribal public safety empowerment activities.

Statewide: $7 million to support the State of Alaska in conducting an inventory and verification of contaminated sites conveyed to Alaska Natives under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).

Statewide: $300,000 for the University of Alaska Anchorage to study the need and economic feasibility of constructing and operating a hazardous waste processing facility and landfill in Alaska.

Statewide: $250,000 to the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association to build tribal capacity for the inventory and verification of ANCSA contaminated lands.

Statewide: $250,000 to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to build further tribal capacity for the inventory and verification of ANCSA contaminated lands.

Statewide: $33.9 million for abandoned well remediation in the NPR-A.

Valdez: $5 million for the safe disposal of wastewater in Valdez.

Wasilla: $5.7 million for improvements to wastewater treatment facilities.

Whittier: $1.2 million for well field upgrades.

Yakutat: $5.1 million for a water line extension project.

Interior-Environment Appropriations Bill Highlights

Click here for comprehensive bill highlights.

Investing in Communities: Provides full funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, which provides compensation to local governments throughout Alaska that contain federal lands that are not subject to state or local taxation. PILT helps local governments provide vital services, such as firefighting and police protection, search-and-rescue operations, and the construction of public schools and roads.

Supporting Outdoor Access and Recreation: Provides investments to complete the project to restore access to Denali National Park Road for both the safety of the road and for access into the park for locals and visitors. Directs BLM to support the Alaska Long Trail project, a proposed 500-mile route connecting Seward and Fairbanks. Provides additional funding for critical operations and management of our National Park System.

Air, Water, and Wastewater Infrastructure: Addresses drinking water and wastewater infrastructure challenges by providing funding for the construction of new drinking water and wastewater systems and the improvement of existing systems in rural Alaska communities. Supports grant programs which help bring basic water and sewer infrastructure to communities in need. Includes increased funding for Targeted Airshed Grants, which support communities such as Fairbanks in their efforts to reduce air pollution. Prohibits EPA from implementing its small, remote incinerators rule in Alaska while Alaskans work with the agency to develop a rule that will work better to address the state’s rural, unique needs. Provides for transboundary river pollution monitoring and directs the U.S. Geological Survey to work cooperatively with local tribes, stakeholders, and other federal agencies to help develop a water quality strategy for transboundary rivers.

Protection from Natural Hazards and Wildfire: Provides for the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System, which will benefit Alaska. Provides greater funding for Prince William Sound and the Southeast landslide program as well as language supporting the ongoing landslide and tsunami warning work in the region. Provides funding for both wildland fire management and wildfire suppression.

Public Safety: In order to improve the federal response to the epidemic of missing, trafficked, and murdered indigenous women and girls, provides funding to BIA for cold case work, equipment needs, and victim witness specialists. Includes additional funding for Public Law 280 states, such as Alaska, to help develop tribal court systems for communities.

Health and Wellness: Maintains funding for the Small Ambulatory Clinics Program and dental therapist training. Increases maternal funding through IHS and funding for Village Built Clinics—a program unique to Alaska which supports approximately 150 healthcare clinics in rural areas, many of which require intensive maintenance and often serve as the only health facility or source of regional medical care. Advance appropriations are included for fiscal year 2024 to prevent the interruption of healthcare related services in the event of a government shutdown.

Alaska Lands: Prioritizes infrastructure improvements for public lands, including investments in land cleanup. Addresses legacy well cleanup to support the next series of sites in need of remediation. Increases support for the Alaska Land Conveyance Program, which serves to fulfill legal requirements to transfer lands to the State and Alaska Natives under ANCSA. Establishes a new grant program at EPA to provide funding for the first time for the assessment and remediation of ANCSA contaminated sites in Alaska. Recognizes the importance of Alaska Public Land Information Centers and encourages the agencies to seek to strengthen partnerships with them.

Culture and the Arts: Supports the arts through funding for NEA and NEH. Includes support for the NEA’s Healing Arts Program, developed by the NEA and DOD to help wounded and injured service members and their families in their transition into civilian life. Continues funding for an arts and cultural program with Sealaska and the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development.

The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee establishes the annual budgets for federal agencies and departments including the Department of the Interior (DOI), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Forest Service (FS), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Indian Health Service (IHS). Murkowski, as Ranking Member, is able to help write the Senate’s annual appropriations bill for the Subcommittee.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://barr.house.gov/press-releases?ID=79C900B3-96D4-4F0C-8070-3AFE4E35463B,The Pacific Islands Embassy Act Becomes Law,2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,barr,https://barr.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.—The Pacific Islands Embassy Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill aimed at countering the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) through increased American diplomacy in the Pacific is now law. The legislation establishes physical U.S. Embassies on the Pacific Island nations of the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Tonga, and authorizes expanded physical presence on Vanuatu to reinforce American leadership in the Pacific region.

This legislation was included as an amendment to the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. U.S. Congressmen Andy Barr (R-KY) and Ed Case (D-HI) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives. U.S. Congressman Chris Stewart (R-UT) was an original cosponsor and proponent of the bill in the House. U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) were the Senate sponsors of the bill. U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) were key supporters and voted for the legislation in the Senate.

“Expanding America’s diplomatic footprint in Asia is a simple but powerful way we can reaffirm our longstanding bilateral partnerships in the Pacific. Strengthening our relationships in the Pacific will help counter the CCP’s predatory Belt and Road Initiative and show that the U.S. remains a partner of choice. I thank all of my colleagues who supported this legislation,” said Congressman Barr.

“The Indo-Pacific is a region of active competition with China, and our Pacific Island partners are especially vulnerable to Chinese coercion. This legislation will strengthen our diplomatic presence in the region and signal our resolve to our partners and allies,” said Senator Young.

“Strong U.S. diplomacy in the Pacific is essential. We brought Democrats and Republicans together to establish a robust physical diplomatic presence in these strategic island nations,” said Senator Ossoff.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://blakemoore.house.gov/media/press-releases/president-biden-signs-law-congressman-blake-moores-bill-help-save-great-salt,President Biden Signs Into Law Congressman Blake Moore’s Bill to Help Save the Great Salt Lake,2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,UT,Blake D. Moore,M001213,blakemoore.house.gov,blakemoore,https://blakemoore.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Congressman Blake Moore’s Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden. Introduced with Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA) and led by Senators Merkley (D-OR) and Romney (R-UT) in the Senate, this legislation will establish a scientific monitoring and assessment program to help save the Great Salt Lake and other saline lakes in the West.

“I am so proud of all the work that went into getting this critical bill signed into law by President Biden,” said Congressman Blake Moore.“Many thanks to the leaders and experts who helped put this together, including Senate sponsor Senator Romney, Governor Cox, Speaker Wilson, President Adams, State Representatives Joel Ferry and Tim Hawkes, and several others. Saving the Great Salt Lake and our neighboring saline lakes is one of my top priorities, and this bill will help us get there.”

The Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act will provide the U.S. Geological Survey—in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and tribal, state, academic, and nonprofit organizations—resources to conduct scientific monitoring and assessments to establish effective management and conservation efforts to preserve essential Saline Lake habitats within the Great Basin network.

The Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act builds on the important, broadly supported work being done in the Utah State Legislature to address this issue. In addition, this bill received support from Governor Cox and several organizations, including: the National Audubon Society, Compass Minerals, Trout Unlimited, Rio Tinto Kennecott, the Utah Waterfowl Association, the Utah Airboat Association, the Utah Wetlands Foundation, the Nature Conservancy in Utah, Friends of Great Salt Lake, the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, the Great Salt Lake Brine Shrimp Cooperative, the Utah Audubon Council, and the National Wildlife Federation. This bill supports the work authorized under the Concurrent Resolution to Address Declining Water Levels of the Great Salt Lake, which passed the Utah State Legislature unanimously in 2019.

This legislation is also cosponsored by Representatives Susie Lee (D-NV), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Burgess Owens (R-UT), John Curtis (R-UT), Chris Stewart (R-UT), and Mark Amodei (R-NV).

The bill text can be found here. The coalition support letter can be found here and Governor Cox’s support letter can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://burchett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-thomas-massie-discusses-liberty-patents-and-prime-act-rep-burchett-latest,"Rep. Thomas Massie discusses liberty, patents, and the PRIME Act with Rep. Burchett on latest episode of Tennessee Talks",2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TN,Tim Burchett,B001309,burchett.house.gov,burchett,https://burchett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"KNOXVILLE, Tenn., (Dec. 28, 2022) – On the latest episode of Tennessee Talks, Rep. Thomas Massie (KY-04) joined Rep. Tim Burchett (TN-02) to discuss the importance of preserving liberty in the United States, breaking down Elon Musk's view on patents, and the PRIME Act.

""Massie's a brilliant guy and a good friend of mine,"" said Rep. Burchett. ""I had a great time talking with him about how we need to continue defending our liberty from government tyranny, especially right now under the Biden Administration.""

Rep. Massie has represented Kentucky's Fourth District since 2012, after serving as Lewis County Judge Executive. During school, he invented a technology that enabled people to interact with computers using their sense of touch and leveraged that technology to found SensAble Technologies, Inc., which raised over $32 million of venture capital, created 70 jobs, and obtained 29 patents. The hardware and software he developed are now used to design automobiles, jewelry, shoes, dental prosthetics, and even reconstructive implants for wounded soldiers.

Episodes of Tennessee Talks are available on the show’s official website, Rep. Burchett’s official YouTube channel and the following streaming services:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://murphy.house.gov/media/press-releases/murphy-bill-help-military-families-signed-law-0,Murphy Bill to Help Military Families Signed into Law,2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NC,Gregory F. Murphy,M001210,murphy.house.gov,murphy,https://murphy.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, President Biden signed into law the VETS Credit Act, which will help student veterans by ensuring they are able to quickly and easily transfer their course credits to another institution should their school close or program end suddenly.

The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Buchanan (FL-16), included Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D.’s (NC-03) bill that makes it easier for dependents of veterans or active-duty military to retain transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits.

Murphy issued the following statement:

“Veterans across this nation earned their benefits with honorable military service to our country. With Rep. Buchanan’s VETS Credit Act signed into law, these benefits are guaranteed so that our servicemen and women returning home have easy access to a college education,” said Rep. Murphy. “I’m proud that my commonsense bill is included in the VETS Credit Act to ensure clerical errors do not prevent dependents from receiving well-earned educational assistance. This is a tremendous step for our outstanding military families. I’d like to thank Congressman Buchanan for including this essential piece of legislation in his bill and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) for bringing it to my attention.”

The VETS Credit Act passed the U.S. House earlier this year on May 17th, 2022 with broad bipartisan support by a vote of 412-1. It passed the U.S. Senate last week unanimously.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-troy-e-nehls-military-sexual-trauma-legislation-signed-law,Rep. Troy E. Nehls' Military Sexual Trauma Legislation Signed Into Law,2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TX,Troy E. Nehls,N000026,nehls.house.gov,nehls,https://nehls.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, legislation authored by Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) was signed into law after passing the U.S. Senate by Unanimous Consent last week. H.R. 6064 will improve the VA's Military Sexual Trauma (MST) disability exam process by requiring the V.A. to partner with the National Academies to complete a comprehensive review of the process. The bill would also require the VA to provide the House Veterans Affairs Committee and the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee with a report on any actions they plan to take as a result of findings and recommendations in the NASEM study.

""I am proud that my bill has received broad bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress and has been signed into law,"" said Congressman Nehls. ""It takes tremendous courage for survivors of military sexual trauma to come forward and submit a claim for compensation, so it is important that V.A. gets these claims right the first time.""

Background:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://stauber.house.gov/media/press-releases/stauber-bill-renaming-akeley-post-office-wwii-veteran-signed-law,Stauber Bill Renaming Akeley Post Office for WWII Veteran Signed Into Law,2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,MN,Pete Stauber,S001212,stauber.house.gov,stauber,https://stauber.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Yesterday, Congressman Pete Stauber’s (MN-08) legislation renaming the post office in Akeley, Minnesota, after Neal Kenneth Todd, a World War II veteran who perished in the attack on Pearl Harbor, was signed into law.

“Heroes like Neal Kenneth Todd exemplify American exceptionalism and are why this country continues to be the land of the free and home of the brave,” said Congressman Stauber. “I’m proud to see my legislation be signed into law to make the renaming of the Akeley post office in Neal’s name official to remind future generations of the sacrifices he and his generation made for our freedoms.”

Neal’s remains were recently identified and returned home to Akeley, where he was finally laid to rest near his loved ones. Last year, Congressman Stauber had the honor of attending Neal’s funeral and presenting his family with an American flag he had flown over the United States Capitol. The entire Minnesota delegation co-sponsored the bill upon its introduction in July 2021. The bill passed the House on December 1st and the Senate on December 20th.

BACKGROUND:

Neal Kenneth Todd joined the Navy in 1940 and was assigned to the USS Oklahoma as a Navy Fireman First Class. While stationed at Pearl Harbor, the ship was attacked by the Japanese air force on December 7, 1941. Neal's brother, Wesley Todd, was also serving on the USS Oklahoma during the bombing. Wesley was fortunate to escape the sinking ship, but Neal's fate was unknown to the Todd family for months. Neal was later pronounced dead and awarded the Purple Heart.

He is honored at the USS Oklahoma Memorial and Honolulu Memorial of the Courts of the Missing. The remains of Neal and other service members were recovered in the months following the attack but were not identified by the U.S. Department of Defense until a 2015 Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency project.

On February 11, 2021, Neal's remains were successfully matched to his family. He was reunited with his brother, Orville Staffenhagen, and sister, Karyn Stiffler in Akeley, Minnesota, on July 10, 2021. Neal was buried with full military honors next to his younger brother, Alfred Staffenhagen, Jr., who also served in the U.S. Navy, and his mother Irena.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-scotus-ruling-to-maintain-title-42-a-win-for-border-security-biden-administration-needs-to-enforce-our-laws,Hoeven: SCOTUS Ruling to Maintain Title 42 a Win For Border Security; Biden Administration Needs to Enforce Our Laws,2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,hoeven,https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Hoeven: SCOTUS Ruling to Maintain Title 42 a Win For Border Security; Biden Administration Needs to Enforce Our Laws

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling to maintain the Title 42 Public Health Order while litigation on the issue proceeds. The decision reverses an earlier federal court opinion that enabled the Biden administration to rescind the immigration tool, which allows immigration officials to return illegal immigrants to their home country and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Hoeven has been working to keep Title 42 in place and has repeatedly called on the Biden administration to address the ongoing illegal immigration crisis at the nation’s southern border. To this end, the senator:

Introduced legislation with Senator Marco Rubio to extend Title 42 until February 2025.

Traveled to Del Rio, Rio Grande Valley and El Paso regions in Texas to support Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials and North Dakota Guard members and draw attention to their work at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Pressed the Homeland Security Secretary to secure the border and keep Title 42 in place.

“President Biden’s policies are creating a humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border,” said Hoeven. “By rescinding tools like Title 42 and refusing to enforce our laws, the Biden administration is enabling human trafficking and drug smuggling into our nation. That not only undermines our national security, but contributes to the overdose epidemic that has brought tragedy to communities and families across the country. This SCOTUS ruling is a step in the right direction, but the Biden administration needs to change course and take real action to secure our borders.”

In addition to maintaining Title 42, Hoeven is pressing the Biden administration to:

Enforce the nation’s laws and secure the southern border, including resuming construction of the border wall and putting in place the necessary infrastructure, personnel and technology.

Reinstate key immigration policies, such as:

The Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or Remain in Mexico Policy, which required people seeking asylum at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their case was adjudicated.

The Safe Third Country Agreements so those seeking asylum from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala can be returned to their home country to await the outcome of their claims.

Move toward a merit-based immigration system.

-###-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/after-years-of-limbo-delegation-secures_rebecca-trimbles-permanent-resident-status,"After Years of Limbo, Delegation Secures  Rebecca Trimble’s Permanent Resident Status",2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26,scraper,"U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today celebrated the enactment of private legislation they led with the late Congressman for all Alaska, Don Young. The measure – H.R. 681, For the Relief of Rebecca Trimble – is now Private Law 117-1, and provides Mrs. Trimble with a pathway to lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

“After a decade of uncertainty and legal appeals, I’m so pleased that we have put an end to any possibility of deportation and provided Rebecca with the peace of mind she so clearly deserves. She has lived in America, built her life in America, and raised her family in America. Now she can remain with her husband and children in the only country she has ever called home,” Murkowski said. “I thank all who helped ensure this bill could unanimously pass the House and Senate – including Rep. Nadler, Senator Padilla, and Senator Cornyn – as well as President Biden for quickly signing it into law. We finally got this right for a woman who never did anything wrong.”

“It is exceptionally rare for Congress to pass a piece of legislation that impacts just one person. That’s exactly what we’ve been able to deliver today for Rebecca Trimble,” said Senator Sullivan. “Rebecca spent her entire life living the American Dream, raising a family with her husband, an Army dentist who, until recently, served Alaskans in the Bethel area. That dream was thrown into jeopardy when Rebecca, through no fault of her own, faced threats of deportation to a country she’s never known. When Rebecca’s unique and challenging case couldn’t be resolved through regular immigration channels, Congressman Young, Senator Murkowski and I got to work on a legislative fix. It is fitting that this will be Don Young’s final bill to get signed into law, a capstone to a long and amazing career advocating for a state and a people he loved. I commend Rebecca and her family for their patience and dogged determination, and I hope this news makes for an especially meaningful holiday season for the Trimble family and for the many Alaskans who the Trimbles touched.”

“It has been amazing and heartwarming to see the Alaska Congressional delegation come together and do the hard work necessary to help this military spouse stay in the United States,” said Margaret Stock, Rebecca Trimble’s immigration lawyer in Alaska, Cascadia Cross Border Law group, Anchorage.

Background:

Mrs. Trimble was born in Mexico in 1989, adopted by an American couple, and brought into the U.S. when she was only a few days old. In 2012, after applying for an enhanced driver’s license and despite no wrongdoing by her or her adoptive parents, Mrs. Trimble learned that her adoption was not properly completed, her birth certificates were not valid, and that she was not a legal citizen—as she had understood she was for more than 20 years.

As the spouse of a military member, Mrs. Trimble applied for “parole in place” status in 2015 but was denied in 2016. She applied for permanent resident status while living in Bethel, Alaska in 2017 but was denied in 2020. At that point, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service informed her that she had just 33 days to depart the country and could face removal proceedings if she did not.

The Trimble’s received an outpouring of support from the Bethel community—from the military community to their church to community members—who urged for Rebecca’s special case to be addressed. After learning of Mrs. Trimble’s unique situation, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and Congressman Young sought to assist her through a private bill, a rare form of legislation that seeks to address the exceptional circumstances faced by an individual. Murkowski introduced the first measure to assist Mrs. Trimble in February 2020, with Sullivan as an original cosponsor. They reintroduced the bill as S. 776 in the current Congress.

H.R. 681 is the first private bill to become private law during the 117th Congress, and just the third to be enacted in the past 10 years.

More information is available here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-ensures-year-end-omnibus-contains-significant-assistance-funding-for-university-of-alaska,"Murkowski Ensures Year-End Omnibus Contains Significant Assistance, Funding for University of Alaska",2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed passage of the University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act, which she added to the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2023. The year-end omnibus also includes multiple Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) allocations totaling $8.325 million that Murkowski requested and secured on behalf of the University of Alaska (UA).

“The University plays a critical role in educating Alaskans, adding to our workforce and shaping the very future of our state. I recognize how important this system is, and that’s why I worked so hard to ensure the omnibus will help strengthen its fiscal foundation for decades to come,” Murkowski said. “By providing a new way to expand the University’s land grant, we are ensuring it can generate additional revenues that support its students, faculty, and campus infrastructure. Through our successes in the CDS process, we are improving the University’s facilities, meeting priority research needs, and expanding its pipeline of well-educated Alaskans who enter key fields across our economy. I thank President Pitney and her team for working so closely with me and my staff to move these achievements across the finish line.”

“This is a monumental day for the university. We’ve been working diligently for years to resolve our land grant deficit, and today is the day that hard work has paid off. On behalf of the entire university community, I thank our congressional delegation for finding a path forward through the omnibus appropriations bill. I also want to recognize the bipartisan backing we’ve had from our Alaska businesses, organizations, and state leaders who advocated for this positive outcome.

This break-through legislation means that the university will be empowered to actively manage productive lands that will generate recurring revenue for the benefit of our students, our cutting-edge research, and the education of our next generation of leaders,” said Pat Pitney, President of University of Alaska.

Murkowski and Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) re-introduced S. 1128, the University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act, last year to help fulfill UA’s long-suffering land grant, which remains a fraction of the size it was intended to be. Murkowski and Sullivan developed the bill in collaboration with UA and the State of Alaska (State); the late Congressman Don Young (R-AK) introduced a companion measure in the House of Representatives.

Despite being located in the largest state in the union, UA has one of the smallest land endowments—just 110,000 acres—of any applicable institution anywhere in the country. To help remedy this, S. 1128 allows UA and the State to jointly identify up to 500,000 acres in Alaska for potential conveyance. The Department of the Interior (DOI) will then survey those selections and work with UA and the State to transfer up to 360,000 acres to UA. Any transfers will be deducted from Alaska’s outstanding statehood lands entitlement, which still totals millions of acres.

Elsewhere in the omnibus, Murkowski provided increased funding for the Alaska Land Conveyance Program to help fulfill long-standing legal requirements to transfer lands to the State and Alaska Natives under ANCSA.

In addition to the University of Alaska Fiscal Foundation Act, Murkowski secured the following CDS allocations for UA:

Kotzebue: $825,000 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for renovations and safety improvements to the Chukchi Campus in Kotzebue.

Anchorage: $500,000 to the University of Alaska Anchorage to implement a forensic training program for healthcare providers and advocates.

Fairbanks/Statewide: $1 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to support research on seasonal weather forecasting.

Fairbanks/Statewide: $1.7 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to conduct baseline marine fishery surveys.

Statewide: $1 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage to expand UAA’s business development services to rural and young entrepreneurs in Alaska.

Statewide: $300,000 for the University of Alaska Anchorage to study the need and economic feasibility of constructing and operating a hazardous waste processing facility and landfill in the State of Alaska.

Anchorage: $2.25 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage to renovate UAA’s facilities for nursing education, telehealth training, and inter-professional education programs.

Anchorage: $6 million to the Alaska Community Foundation to support the preservation, processing, and digitization of records of Alaskan leaders, which will be housed at UAA.

Juneau: $750,000 to establish and operate a commercial driver's license education training program at the University of Alaska Southeast.

The University of Alaska is a land-, sea- and space-grant system of higher education established in 1917. The system has three universities – Alaska Anchorage (UAA), Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), and Alaska Southeast (UAS) – as well as 13 community campuses and extended learning centers across the state. System-wide, more than 20,700 full- and part-time students are enrolled, studying among 500 unique degree, certificate, or endorsement programs. Study areas include short-course workforce training, associate degrees, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as doctorates. UA generates $1.1 billion annually in economic impact and supports more than 15,000 Alaskan jobs.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/after-years-of-limbo-delegation-secures-rebecca-trimbles-permanent-resident-status,"After Years of Limbo, Delegation Secures Rebecca Trimble’s Permanent Resident Status",2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, today celebrated the enactment of private legislation they led with the late Congressman for all Alaska, Don Young. The measure – H.R. 681, For the Relief of Rebecca Trimble – is now Private Law [117-1], and provides Mrs. Trimble with a pathway to lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

“After a decade of uncertainty and legal appeals, I’m so pleased that we have put an end to any possibility of deportation and provided Rebecca with the peace of mind she so clearly deserves. She has lived in America, built her life in America, and raised her family in America. Now she can remain with her husband and children in the only country she has ever called home,” Murkowski said. “I thank all who helped ensure this bill could unanimously pass the House and Senate – including Rep. Nadler, Senator Padilla, and Senator Cornyn – as well as President Biden for quickly signing it into law. We finally got this right for a woman who never did anything wrong.”

“It is exceptionally rare for Congress to pass a piece of legislation that impacts just one person. That’s exactly what we’ve been able to deliver today for Rebecca Trimble,” said Senator Sullivan. “Rebecca spent her entire life living the American Dream, raising a family with her husband, an Army dentist who, until recently, served Alaskans in the Bethel area. That dream was thrown into jeopardy when Rebecca, through no fault of her own, faced threats of deportation to a country she’s never known. When Rebecca’s unique and challenging case couldn’t be resolved through regular immigration channels, Congressman Young, Senator Murkowski and I got to work on a legislative fix. It is fitting that this will be Don Young’s final bill to get signed into law, a capstone to a long and amazing career advocating for a state and a people he loved. I commend Rebecca and her family for their patience and dogged determination, and I hope this news makes for an especially meaningful holiday season for the Trimble family and for the many Alaskans who the Trimbles touched.”

“It has been amazing and heartwarming to see the Alaska Congressional delegation come together and do the hard work necessary to help this military spouse stay in the United States,” said Margaret Stock, Rebecca Trimble’s immigration lawyer in Alaska, Cascadia Cross Border Law group, Anchorage.

Background:

Mrs. Trimble was born in Mexico in 1989, adopted by an American couple, and brought into the U.S. when she was only a few days old. In 2012, after applying for an enhanced driver’s license and despite no wrongdoing by her or her adoptive parents, Mrs. Trimble learned that her adoption was not properly completed, her birth certificates were not valid, and that she was not a legal citizen—as she had understood she was for more than 20 years.

As the spouse of a military member, Mrs. Trimble applied for “parole in place” status in 2015 but was denied in 2016. She applied for permanent resident status while living in Bethel, Alaska in 2017 but was denied in 2020. At that point, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service informed her that she had just 33 days to depart the country and could face removal proceedings if she did not.

The Trimble’s received an outpouring of support from the Bethel community—from the military community to their church to community members—who urged for Rebecca’s special case to be addressed. After learning of Mrs. Trimble’s unique situation, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and Congressman Young sought to assist her through a private bill, a rare form of legislation that seeks to address the exceptional circumstances faced by an individual. Murkowski introduced the first measure to assist Mrs. Trimble in February 2020, with Sullivan as an original cosponsor. They reintroduced the bill as S. 776 in the current Congress.

H.R. 681 is the first private bill to become private law during the 117th Congress, and just the third to be enacted in the past 10 years.

More information is available here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/youngs-pacific-islands-embassies-act-becomes-law/,Young’s Pacific Islands Embassies Act Becomes Law,2022-12-28,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Pacific Islands Embassy Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill aimed at countering the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) through increased American diplomacy in the Pacific, is now law. The legislation establishes physical U.S. Embassies on the Pacific Island nations of the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Tonga, and authorizes expanded physical presence on Vanuatu to reinforce American leadership in the Pacific region.

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) were the Senate sponsors of the bill. This legislation was included as an amendment to the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law on December 23, 2022.

“The Indo-Pacific is a region of active competition with China, and our Pacific Island partners are especially vulnerable to Chinese coercion. This new law will strengthen our diplomatic presence in the region and signal our resolve to our partners and allies,” said Senator Young.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://barr.house.gov/press-releases?ID=5BC15ACF-D074-4C72-98B6-93D5AAFCEE42,Barr’s Blue Grass Army Depot Study Becomes Law,2022-12-27,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,barr,https://barr.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Richmond, KY— U.S. Congressman Andy Barr’s (KY-06) provision to conduct a feasibility study at the Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD) is now law. Barr’s legislation was included as an amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was recently enacted into law.

In addition to its primary role managing and shipping conventional munitions, BGAD’s chemical demilitarization mission employs nearly 1,450 highly skilled, highly paid workers and has contributed more than $1 billion in local payroll since 2006. The feasibility study will assess potential missions, plants, or industries feasible for Army or the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) needs at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-destruction Pilot Plant following the completion of the chemical demilitarization mission at BGAD. This amendment requires the feasibility study to be completed and submitted to Congress no later than March 1, 2023.

“For over a decade, BGAD has housed an essential chemical demilitarization project in addition to being a significant part of Madison County’s economy. Kentuckians working at BGAD have served the DOD and our country well. This feasibility study will accelerate the process of examining ways the facility could transition to other key projects that would benefit the DOD or the federal government once the demilitarization project has concluded,” said Congressman Barr.

“The Bluegrass Army Depot, and all of its operations, is an important part of Madison County and I am appreciative of Congressman Barr’s championing this amendment in the NDAA to prepare for a post-CSEPP Madison County. Our team in Madison County has also been preparing for this, and this feasibility study will be a boost for our efforts and help us continue to prepare for the future,” said Reagan Taylor, Judge Executive of Madison County.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://foxx.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400096,Foxx: Perpetrators of War Crimes Are On Notice,2022-12-27,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NC,Virginia Foxx,F000450,foxx.house.gov,foxx,https://foxx.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington – Today, Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued the following statement after her bill. H.R. 4250, the War Crimes Rewards Expansion Act, was signed into law:

“For far too long, United States’ policy has elevated international tribunals over the work of national governments when prosecuting the world’s worst culprits: those engaging in genocide and war crimes. The International Criminal Court has recently utilized its time and resources in investigating the United States and Israel all while failing to hold our adversaries accountable. China’s genocidal campaign against the Uyghurs continues unabated, North Korea continues to engage in crimes against humanity with impunity, and ISIS fighters guilty of genocide continue to blend into populations without ever facing justice. The United States needs to end this reliance on international tribunals and display true leadership, and the reforms made by my bill will empower our government to do so.

“By focusing our resources on prosecutions by national governments – including by utilizing U.S. laws already on the books – our government can track down perpetrators like members of ISIS swiftly and without the bureaucratic entanglements of international tribunals. I am immensely pleased to see my bill’s passage in the United States Senate and its subsequent signing into law. Without question, this bipartisan effort sends a robust, rock-ribbed message to the entire world: the United States is determined to protect its sovereignty and its interest with every tool necessary.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://franklin.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=413,PHOTO RELEASE: Franklin Sworn in as Congressman for Floridas 15th Congressional District,2022-12-27,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,FL,Scott Franklin,F000472,franklin.house.gov,franklin,https://franklin.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Scott Franklin was sworn in as the U.S. representative for Florida’s 15th congressional district. Congressman Scott Franklin was joined by his wife, Amy.

“I want to thank my constituents for trusting me to serve as their congressman in the 117th Congress,” said Congressman Scott Franklin. “My family and I are excited to be here in Washington, and I look forward to serving on behalf of Floridians in the 15th district. My office is here to assist you, and I can’t wait to meet you all in the district.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://harshbarger.house.gov/media/press-releases/harshbarger-announces-legislative-win-newly-signed-law,Harshbarger Announces Legislative Win With Newly Signed Law,2022-12-27,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TN,Diana Harshbarger,H001086,harshbarger.house.gov,harshbarger,https://harshbarger.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) released the following statement regarding her bill, the DHS Contract Reporting Act being signed into law:

""We the people, deserve transparency as to how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is spending our hard-earned tax dollars. This bill reveals details about the contracts administered by DHS, including descriptions, vetting, bidding, contract amount, recipients, and their purpose. This is especially important for contracts that deal with the Southern Border Crisis. I am proud to lead this victory for transparency and help deliver accountability that the American people deserve,"" said Congresswoman Harshbarger.

Background:

This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide a public daily report of all DHS headquarters and component contract awards of over $4 million. It will give Congress and the American people better insight and oversight into how DHS supports its mission.

The bill requires DHS to include key information on these contracts such as:

The total estimated dollar amount to be spent,

Whether DHS awarded the contract competitively,

What company won the contract, and",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-and-cotton-fox-news-what-bidens-woke-military-has-wrought,Hinson and Cotton in Fox News: What Biden's woke military has wrought,2022-12-27,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,IA,Ashley Hinson,H001091,hinson.house.gov,hinson,https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Rep. Ashley Hinson and Senator Tom Cotton

Fox News

December 27, 2022

The U.S. military should be the ultimate meritocracy – nothing matters on the battlefield other than training, leadership, and the trust between fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. Unfortunately, recent Democrat administrations – and Joe Biden’s is no exception – have made race, gender, and controversial political teachings an integral part of military training and values, from the Pentagon to our service academies.

But unlike college campuses, elite boardrooms, and Hollywood movies, social experimentation in the military has life and death consequences, not to mention repercussions for troop morale and recruitment. That’s incredibly dangerous, especially as we face rising threats from China, Russia, and other global adversaries.

A recent Reagan National Defense Survey found that the number of Americans with a ""great deal"" of confidence in the military has plummeted from 70 percent in 2018, to 45 percent now. The largest decline in trust comes among Republicans, whose strong confidence fell from 87 percent to 53 percent – a disturbing 34 percent drop.

This has real world consequences for recruitment, especially since young conservatives are far more likely to serve in the military than their liberal counterparts. Last year, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard all missed their recruitment goals by significant margins. This year, the recruitment crisis has continued with the Army expected to miss its recruitment objective by as many as 30,000 soldiers. The Department of Defense states in its own personnel and readiness update that the failures in recruitment can partly be attributed to so-called ""social unrest.""

A similar story is unfolding at our military academies with the number of applications last year tumbling by 12 percent at West Point, over 20 percent at both Annapolis and the U.S. Air Force Academy, and by 25 percent at the Virginia Military Institute. During the same period, the number of college applicants nationwide rose over 20 percent.

The Biden administration’s politicization of the armed forces has contributed to this disturbing collapse in morale.

Soon after Joe Biden became president, the Pentagon ordered an unprecedented military-wide ""stand down"" of service members to root out right wing domestic extremists, wasting 5.8 million man hours. The Pentagon then hired Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officers at salaries as high as $200,000. For the past two years, the Department of Defense rigidly enforced vaccine requirements, cutting off tens of thousands of service members from benefits, even when many have legitimate objections and are young, healthy adults.

The Pentagon’s woke obsessions could have severe effects on military preparedness and readiness. The Navy – which published a reading list that included books by the likes of Ibram X. Kendi – released a report advocating for less testing for officers in order to boost minority representation. The Army similarly attempted to lower fitness standards in order to increase the number of women in combat. By placing political goals ahead of troop training standards, Pentagon bureaucrats are risking soldiers’ very lives.

In recent years, the academies have also taught radical doctrines like Critical Race Theory under the label of ""diversity and inclusion."" The Air Force Academy established a special ""Diversity and Inclusion reading room"" that it described as a ""safe space"" for America’s young warriors. It also created an organization of hand-picked cadets – identified by a purple braid on their dress uniform—to spread these controversial ideals in the ranks. At West Point, cadets can now minor in ""Diversity and Inclusion Studies"" alongside cadets studying serious subjects like Grand Strategy, Aeronautical Engineering, and Nuclear Science.

And earlier this year, the U.S. Air Force Academy had cadets participate in a seminar that instructs them against using the word ""terrorist"" and to avoid gender specific phrases. When we’re training cadets how not to offend terrorists rather than how to destroy them, we need to seriously review our priorities. Not only do these politically correct lessons alienate a large percentage of cadets and potential recruits, but they also take time away from more important training that ensures our success on the battlefield.

When Republicans take control of Congress next year, we must return the military’s focus to its core mission. We should start by firing every last Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer on the Department of Defense’s payroll. All unnecessary and onerous administrative training, especially so-called ""extremism"" trainings, should be eliminated.

We must also narrow the scope of education at war colleges and service academies to fighting and winning wars – all else can be taught and learned elsewhere. Finally, we should uphold – not erode – training standards for all services.

The U.S. military is a sacred and honorable institution. It protects us every single day from threats abroad – and in return, we must protect it from divisive politics at home.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-release-hinson-recaps-first-term-serving-iowans-congress,VIDEO RELEASE: Hinson Recaps First Term Serving Iowans in Congress,2022-12-27,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,IA,Ashley Hinson,H001091,hinson.house.gov,hinson,https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"“I came to Congress to stand up for working families, ensure our farmers and rural America had a seat at the table, and to keep our communities safe. Together, we’ve delivered on these goals, and more,” said Rep. Hinson in her video message. “The people of Iowa are my only bosses, and for me, Iowa will always come first. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together in a short time, and look forward to building on these successes in the new Congress.”

Background:

Hinson introduced 28 bills this Congress, including bills to improve access to child care, create a pro-growth regulatory environment, and ban former public servants from lobbying.

Hinson’s bipartisan PRECISE Act, legislation that empowers farmers with conservation tools and techniques, passed the House.

As a Member of the House Appropriations Committee, Hinson has secured targeted funding for Iowa’s priorities, while pushing back against wasteful spending. Hinson secured over $53 million for local projects, including:

$5 million to help complete Tower Terrace Road in Linn County

$45 million for the Navigation Ecosystem and Sustainability Program (NESP) along the Upper Mississippi River

$100,000 to help complete the Protivin Community Fire District in Howard County

Hinson helped introduce three pieces of legislation that were signed into law.

Sergeant Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act: Hinson helped lead this legislation, in honor of an Iowa veteran who took his own life after being denied care at a VA, to help expand access to mental health care services for veterans in rural areas.

VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021: This Hinson-backed legislation helped sustain the Crime Victims Fund so that victims of violent crimes can access critical resources and support as they recover physically and emotionally from traumatic events.

Legislation to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to the service members who perished in Afghanistan

Hinson and her team put constituent service first.

Her team of dedicated caseworkers helped Iowans solve problems related to the federal government, closing over 3,500 constituent cases in the 117th Congress.

Hinson fulfilled her promise to be transparent, accessible, and responsive to those she serves.

Hinson visited every county in Iowa’s First Congressional District at least eight times.

Hinson and her team responded to approximately 60,000 constituent calls and e-mails this Congress.

Hinson held 20 in-person town halls, one in every county of the First Congressional District.

Hinson hosted fourteen virtual town halls events.

Hinson hosted 90 press calls open to members of the Iowa media.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-champions-mental-and-behavioral-health-provisions-in-fy-2023-appropriations-package_,Murkowski Champions Mental and Behavioral Health Provisions in FY 2023 Appropriations Package,2022-12-27,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26,scraper,"As a senior appropriator, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) played a key role in securing numerous mental and behavioral health provisions within the omnibus appropriations package that funds the federal government for the rest of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.

Recognizing the need to bolster mental and behavioral health support in Alaska, Murkowski prioritized suicide prevention programs, treatment and recovery opportunities for those struggling with substance misuse, and expansion of the mental health workforce. She also secured significant mental and behavioral health-related Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) allocations that were requested by Alaskans.

“Affordable, accessible, and destigmatized mental and behavioral healthcare services are fundamental to quality of life in our communities. I made greater resources for them one of my top priorities in the omnibus because Alaska is disproportionately impacted by substance misuse disorders, faces a lack of mental and behavioral health specialists, and has seen a devastating uptick in death by suicide, particularly among military service members,” Murkowski said. “I’m heartened that three provisions I led were included in the final package; two aim to prevent death by suicide and the other bolsters maternal and postpartum mental health services. We also made sure the omnibus contains significant investments to educate and mentor youth, to help keep them on the safest path possible, and for safe housing to create a safer, more reliable environment for vulnerable individuals to heal. Whether it is prevention, treatment, recovery, or support for individual or family care, our year-end package provides critical resources to help ensure that Alaska’s most vulnerable have the care and support they need, when they need it most.”

Murkowski added the following CDS allocations to the year-end omnibus:

Juneau: $870,000 to renovate and expand the JAHMI Health & Wellness specialty behavioral health facility.

Statewide: $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Southcentral Alaska to provide behavioral health support to children and youth.

Anchorage: $290,000 for Providence Alaska to establish and launch the Alaska Psychiatry Residency Program.

Anchorage: $750,000 for construction of a Crisis Stabilization Center at Providence Alaska Medical Center.

Wasilla: $5 million to Set Free Alaska to build a therapeutic campus consisting of recovery residence facilities.

Mental and behavioral health highlights in the omnibus include:

Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act: Murkowski-led legislation that will vastly increase access to life-saving addiction medicine by eliminating a duplicative bureaucratic hurdle—colloquially known as the “x-waiver”—currently blocking millions of highly trained health professionals from prescribing buprenorphine to their patients.

Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department: Murkowski-led legislation to provide additional resources for hospital emergency departments to improve screening and care for individuals at risk of suicide, and enhance the coordination of care for such individuals during discharge.

Garrett Lee Smith Reauthorization: Murkowski-led legislation to reauthorize a number of suicide prevention programs, including the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, and State and Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention grants.

Into the Light for Maternal Mental Health: A Murkowski-led provision that reauthorizes and expands programs to screen and treat for maternal mental health and substance use disorders.

Crisis Response Pilot Program: Establishes a mental health crisis response pilot program to establish and enhance mobile crisis response teams to respond to mental health and substance use disorder crises.

Summer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act: Reauthorizes programs to address substance use disorder treatment and recovery for homeless individuals, increase access to treatment in areas with high rates of opioid use, support efforts to prevent and respond to underage drinking, and increase access to emergency treatment for opioid overdoses.

Peer-Supported Mental Health Services: Directs HHS to award grants to develop, expand, and enhance access to mental health peer-delivered services, with special consideration for the unique needs of rural areas in states like Alaska.

Reauthorization of Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services: Reauthorizes and increases funding for the Community Mental Health Block Grant program, with a set-aside for evidence-based crisis care services.

Recovery Housing: Includes language clarifying it is the role of SAMSHA to collaborate with national housing organizations, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and other relevant stakeholder to promote the availability of high-quality recovery housing and services for individuals with substance use disorder.

Housing Working Group: Directs the Secretaries of HHS and HUD to convene an interagency working group with all relevant agencies to increase collaboration to promote the availability of housing, including recovery housing, for individuals experiencing homelessness and those with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders.

Recovery Housing Grants: Authorizes significant funding for grants to states to promote recovery housing availability and develop plans to implement recovery housing best practices.

Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources for Native Americans: The Native Behavioral Health Access Improvement Act creates a formula and grant program to help Tribes access resources to address mental health needs and substance-use disorders in their communities.

Media and Mental Health: Directs HHS to conduct or support research on the mental health impacts of smartphone and social media use by adolescents.

NOPAIN Act: Legislation co-sponsored by Murkowski to provide a separate Medicare payment for non-opioid treatments to manage pain from surgeries.

Mental Health Access Improvement Act: Legislation co-sponsored by Murkowski which establishes Medicare coverage for services provided by marriage and family therapists and licensed professional counselors beginning January 1, 2024.

Related Issues: Health",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-delivers-big-wins-for-alaskas-fisheries-and-oceans-in-consolidated-appropriations-act-,Murkowski Delivers Big Wins for Alaska’s Fisheries and Oceans in Consolidated Appropriations Act,2022-12-27,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=26,scraper,"U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, secured significant funding for fisheries and oceans priorities in Alaska in the recently-passed Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2023. As a result of Murkowski’s work, the year-end omnibus includes $15 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) allocations for ocean and river research to be performed by Alaskans in addition to significant programmatic support through agency budgets.

(Click here to view all of Alaska’s CDS allocations).

“Our fisheries and oceans provide foundational food security and economic opportunity for Alaskans statewide. I’m proud to champion our marine environment and cornerstone species like salmon and crab in this year-end package,” Murkowski said. “The language I secured provides support for fisheries disaster relief, research, indigenous co-management, surveys, fisheries management, marine debris removal, transboundary watershed monitoring, and many more Alaska priorities. Alaskans advocated for these projects, we worked together to deliver on them, and we can now look forward to their implementation for our state.”

Fishery Disasters

As part of a dynamic effort to address fisheries disasters nationwide, Murkowski successfully requested $300 million in fisheries disaster funding with an additional $300,000 for administration costs. This funding will provide relief to commercial, recreational, and subsistence harvesters impacted by fisheries stock crashes, including in Alaska. The funding will also support research to determine the cause of disasters and provide relief to impacted community governments that rely on shoreside taxes for municipal budgets. Additionally, the bill includes the Fishery Resource Disasters Improvement Act, legislation co-sponsored by the Senator that will improve the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) fisheries disaster program. More specifically, the bill specifies a timeline for action by NMFS, clarifies the declaration process, and expedites review and fund dispersal processes. It also specifies assistance eligibility for subsistence and recreational fishers.

Research

Through her role on the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Department of Commerce, Murkowski supported oceans and climate research through NOAA, NASA, and NSF budgets. She prioritized headquartering research capacity in Alaska and included report language prioritizing increased focus on the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.

Murkowski added new technologies to Alaska’s tool chest like eDNA to monitor struggling salmon runs in the Yukon and Kuskokwim watersheds. She prioritized expansion of existing technologies like citizen science temperature monitoring, electronic monitoring, and ocean-based carbon dioxide removal.

The omnibus also includes her legislation with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act, which directs NOAA to convene a task force to review current research and applied research gaps on migration patterns and declining returns of Pacific salmon in Alaska to support sustainable management.

Management

Murkowski supported multiple cooperative management projects in the omnibus, including marine mammal co-management on the North Slope and implementation of intertribal subsistence fisheries on the Kuskokwim River. This work will help support commercial, recreational and subsistence harvesters and ensure sustainable management.

The Senator successfully requested funding for fisheries management bodies and secured significant funding to support U.S. obligations relating to the Pacific Salmon Treaty. Her language to support transboundary governance between the US and Canada was also included.

Surveys

The year-end appropriations package increases funding for fisheries data collections, surveys, and assessments to ensure that historical levels of survey coverage are maintained. This includes at least six Alaskan surveys to better understand movement of fish out of historic survey areas.

The bill supports a project by the University of Alaska Fairbanks to conduct baseline marine fishery surveys using emerging technology like autonomous underwater vehicles. It also supports projects for community-based monitoring of salmon and crab in the Yukon River and the Bering Sea.

Further funding is provided for mapping the nearshore and shoreline of Alaska, as well as language directing NOAA to continue coordinating and implementing an interagency mapping, exploration, and characterization strategy for the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. The omnibus also includes a strategy for mapping the Arctic and sub-Arctic shoreline and nearshore of Alaska.

Weather

Murkowski’s language to maintain and service the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) Array, which provides tsunami prediction capacity and directs the National Weather Service (NWS), will ensure that all DART buoys in Alaska, especially those in Prince William Sound and Southeast Alaska, are deployed and fully operational.

Furthermore, the omnibus directs NOAA to enhance coverage by the National Mesonet Program in Alaska and other non-contiguous States and Territories to improve weather observation, prediction, and warnings.

Additional funding for the NWS will support staffing efforts, particularly for extreme weather events. A CDS allocation requested and secured by Murkowski will support collaborative research between the University of Alaska Fairbanks and NOAA to improve forecasts for Arctic seasonal weather and sea ice.

Congressionally Directed Spending for Fisheries and Oceans

Bering Sea: $2.75 million for the Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation to monitor commercial fisheries in the Bering Sea.

Fairbanks/Statewide: $1 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to support research on seasonal weather forecasting.

Fairbanks/Statewide: $1.75 million to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to conduct baseline marine fishery surveys.

St. Paul/Statewide: $250,000 to the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island for surveillance monitoring of fisheries and ecosystems.

Utqiagvik: $2.7 million to the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management for marine mammal and co-management research on the North Slope.

Yukon River Drainage: $825,000 to the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association to support research, surveys, and community engagement.

Kodiak: $1 million to the Island Trails Network for removal, recycling, and recovery of debris from the Alaska marine environment.

Kotzebue: $140,000 to build cyanotoxin analysis capacity at the Native Village of Kotzebue.

Statewide: $2 million for salmon monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim River watersheds.

Statewide: $500,000 to the Tanana Chiefs Conference to address the large data gap regarding salmon populations on the Yukon River.

Statewide: $880,000 for implementation of the Intertribal Federal Subsistence Cooperative Management Program at the Kuskokwim River Watershed.

Statewide: $1.2 million for ecological monitoring in the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers.

Related Issues: Alaska's Fisheries",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:41:06Z
https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-respect-act-signed-into-law,Rounds’ RESPECT Act Signed into Law,2022-12-27,2022,2022-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds’ (R-S.D.) bipartisan legislation to repeal discriminatory federal laws targeting Native Americans was signed into law by the president today.

The Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes (RESPECT) Act will repeal 11 outdated federal laws, including laws that stripped Native American children from their families for the purpose of placing them in “Indian reform schools,” such as the now-infamous Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Rounds first introduced the RESPECT Act in 2016, and has led this legislation in each Congress since.

A full list of laws the RESPECT Act will repeal is available HERE.

The RESPECT Act is supported by the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association (GPTCA) and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI).

“I have worked on this common sense, bipartisan legislation since coming to the United States Senate, so I am pleased that it has been signed into law,” said Rounds. “It’s long overdue to remove these immoral, discriminatory federal laws from our books. Throughout history, Native Americans have been subjected to unfair treatment from our federal government, including the forced removal of their children from their homes. Clearly, there is no place in our legal code for such measures, and it is appalling these laws are still in our federal code. While we cannot rewrite the past, we need to acknowledge it and continue to strive for a more perfect Union.”

“First, I’d like to commend and thank Senator Rounds for his sincere intent in sponsoring this legislation,” said J. Garret Renville, Chairman-elect of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. “The RESPECT Act is a first step in an attempt to better consult and coordinate with Tribal Nations. Historically and symbolically; it is my hope, that it represents a path to improving the long standing inequities in the relationship and dealings between sovereign people, their nations and the United States Government.”

“I want to thank Senator Rounds for spearheading this legislation,” said Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Councilman Christian Skunk. “The RESPECT Act will ensure going forward the relationship between tribes and the federal government is mended. We know it’s impossible to change the past, but we can choose how we proceed and the RESPECT Act is a step in the right direction.”

""The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) applauds the passage and signing into law of the Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes Act,” said NCAI President Fawn Sharp. “While our history books often ignore the facts, it is no secret that for far too long the U.S. Congress has passed destructive and oppressive laws that by design diminished tribal sovereignty and our political standing of equity and parity with the federal government. This legislation is but one more step in a very long journey ahead toward achieving our vision for a real, just and meaningful government-to-government relationship between sovereign Tribal Nations and the United States.""

“Senator Rounds’ efforts to repeal these old laws, such as the law still on the books regarding Indian boarding schools that caused tremendous harm to indigenous communities, is a great step towards reconciliation with tribal nations,” said Tamara St. John, archivist for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, who testified on behalf of this bill. “I’m excited to see the RESPECT Act signed into law causing the repeal of these eleven outdated and racist laws. Great work!”

“The Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) applauds the passage of the Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes Act and thanks Senator Mike Rounds for his stalwart leadership of this bill,” said COLT Chairman Marvin Weatherwax (Blackfeet National Tribal Business Council). “The RESPECT Act modernizes federal law to remove inconsistent federal agency consultation policies with tribal nations and their citizens. This act is an important step to restore basic dignities of Native people and honoring the United States’ solemn Trust and Treaty obligations and government-to-government relationship with tribal nations.”

Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) are cosponsors of this legislation.

Companion legislation was introduced in the House on May 12, 2021, by Representatives Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.) and cosponsored by Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Tom Cole (R-Okla.).

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-christmas-statement,Congressman Flood’s Christmas Statement,2022-12-24,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NE,Mike Flood,F000474,flood.house.gov,flood,https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"LINCOLN, NEBRASKA – Today, Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement ahead of the Christmas holiday, which is celebrated on Sunday, December 25th.

“Over the years, we’ve developed many cherished traditions around the Christmas holiday –traveling to see family, making food, gathering to exchange presents, and giving back to our community. In the busyness, it’s easy to forget what this is all about: the reality that Jesus Christ was born on this day in Bethlehem. He came to save the world from sin, freeing us from our burdens and our brokenness. As Advent concludes and we welcome the birth of our Savior, let’s turn our hearts in gratitude and thanks to God for the gift of His Son and the many blessings we’ve received this year.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://steube.house.gov/press-releases/rep-greg-steube-s-statement-on-the-america-last-omnibus/,Rep. Greg Steube’s Statement on the “America Last” Omnibus,2022-12-24,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,FL,W. Gregory Steube,S001214,steube.house.gov,steube,https://steube.house.gov/category/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Rep. Greg Steube’s Statement on the “America Last” Omnibus

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) today released the following statement on his opposition to the lame duck, “America Last” omnibus bill passing the U.S. House of Representatives:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-aderholt-votes-no-17-trillion-omnibus,Congressman Aderholt Votes No on $1.7 Trillion Omnibus,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,AL,Robert B. Aderholt,A000055,aderholt.house.gov,aderholt,https://aderholt.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"This office is located on the backside of the Cullman Dental Arts building up the handicap ramp. It serves Cullman and Winston Counties.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Marshall, DeKalb, and Blount Counties.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Fayette, Lamar, Marion and Walker Counties. It also serves the portion of Tuscaloosa County north of the Black Warrior River, but also down the western side of the county to include the Ralph, Fosters areas.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Colbert and Franklin Counties. It also serves residents of Lauderdale County from roughly Center Star, west to the Mississippi line.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office is located on the backside of the Cullman Dental Arts building up the handicap ramp. It serves Cullman and Winston Counties.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Marshall, DeKalb, and Blount Counties.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Fayette, Lamar, Marion and Walker Counties. It also serves the portion of Tuscaloosa County north of the Black Warrior River, but also down the western side of the county to include the Ralph, Fosters areas.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.

This office serves Colbert and Franklin Counties. It also serves residents of Lauderdale County from roughly Center Star, west to the Mississippi line.

We encourage you to make an appointment before coming into the office so that our constituent services representatives can pull up relevant information beforehand to help with your request of a federal agency.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-1099-k-delay,Smith Statement on 1099-K Delay,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NE,Adrian Smith,S001172,adriansmith.house.gov,adriansmith,https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement after the Biden administration announced it was delaying enforcement of its new 1099-K income reporting threshold for one year:

“I am pleased the Biden administration recognized the disaster their new 1099-K requirement will be for American families and for the IRS. Tax filers are not prepared to receive these forms, much less the audits that would occur should they incorrectly include them in their filings. The Biden administration has failed to address the IRS’s return processing backlog as promised, and this requirement will undoubtedly overwhelm the agency even more.

“While delaying 1099-K is a step forward, we have more work to do. Bank surveillance efforts, 1099-Ks, and 87,000 new IRS agents are all part of a comprehensive Biden administration effort to surveil and tax American families at every turn, even as they struggle with product shortages and record-high inflation. House Republicans will address these intrusions head-on in the year ahead.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5430,Rep. Allen statement on Democrats’ omnibus spending package,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,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) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

“Under Democrat rule, Washington has pushed out-of-control spending, which has contributed to historic inflation that is hurting every American. Scrapping regular order, Democrats pushed a 4,000+ page bill totaling almost $2 trillion. The American people are rightfully fed up with this reckless, big government spending coming out of Washington that has sent shockwaves across our entire economy. This bloated spending package fails to address many of the pressing issues our nation is facing and is instead chocked full of increased funding for the IRS, Green New Deal initiatives, and unrelated policy provisions. We must stay committed to restoring fiscal responsibility and stop increasing the financial burden on future generations.”

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=FA244BFE-F413-49D1-B76E-A8BD93B37557,Rep. Austin Scott Opposes Omnibus Spending Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,austinscott,https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) today opposed the left's $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package.

""This bill spends almost 2 trillion dollars, requires a massive debt limit increase to fund, and will further increase inflation on Americans,"" Scott said. ""This bill literally takes working Americans' tax dollars and uses your money to provide security for borders in the Middle East while our country’s southern border is being overrun due to the Democrat's open-door policies. Those who did this set up the worst possible scenario for America: increased inflation, higher interest rates, and a potential default of our currency.""

The bill provides $1.646 trillion in non-emergency discretionary spending, including over $12 billion in additional funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and $3.46 billion for progressive climate programs at the Department of Energy, while failing to give adequate funds to support overwhelmed agents at the southern border.

The 8% increase in spending on non-defense programs is on top of the trillions of dollars Democrats have allocated outside of the normal appropriations process over the past two years. Overall, this bill is projected to cost taxpayers approximately $2 trillion.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1142,Bacon Votes No on Massive Omnibus,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NE,Don Bacon,B001298,bacon.house.gov,bacon,https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington - Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) issued the following statement after voting no on the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill:

“In addition to the appropriations process this year being a complete disgrace, this omnibus is entirely too much money. The massive spending since the conclusion of COVID has fueled inflation, and this bill is more of the same. At a time when Americans can barely pay for groceries, gas and energy, we need to stop reckless spending.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2363,Balderson Issues Statement on Passage of $1.8 Trillion Omnibus Spending Package,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,OH,Troy Balderson,B001306,balderson.house.gov,balderson,https://balderson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27&Page=9,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12) today issued the following statement in response to the House passage of Democrats' last-ditch $1.8 trillion omnibus spending package:

""With only days remaining in the 117th Congress, the Democrats are engaged in a last-ditch spendthrift chock-full of policies that are out-of-touch with the priorities of everyday Americans.

""At no time in modern history has the outgoing Majority in Congress - with one foot out the door - rammed through an omnibus spending package during a Lame Duck session. This closing act will bring new spending totals, in just two short years of one-party Democrat control in Washington, to more than $5 trillion.

""On November 8, the American people made their voices heard by voting in a new Republican Majority to the House of Representatives to curb the runaway spending that is fueling record-high prices and making our country less safe. This reckless spending is a direct affront to the will of the voters.

""The 4,126-page, $1.8 trillion spending spree takes the problem of record-high inflation from bad to worse and adds hundreds of billions more to our already massive national debt.

""Among the many disastrous ironies buried in this omnibus spending package is a provision barring border patrol from investing in proven methods to curb the flow of illegal drugs and migrants across our southern border while simultaneously investing $410 million to secure the borders of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman.""

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://barr.house.gov/press-releases?ID=2DE5A309-1131-4666-A68B-0D9A6E0BC896,HISA's Rulemaking Authority Confirmed,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,barr,https://barr.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.— U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) released the following statement upon passage of fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations legislation which confirmed the rulemaking authority of Congressman Barr’s Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA).

“I opposed the Omnibus spending bill for a variety of reasons, predominantly because of its excessive level of non-defense spending, which will only perpetuate the fiscally reckless policies that have burdened American taxpayers with 40-year high inflation and a $30 trillion national debt.

“Nevertheless, I strongly supported and applaud the inclusion in the bill of language clarifying the Federal Trade Commission’s oversight of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s rulemaking authority. This technical correction of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act confirms congressional intent —and my intent, as the bill’s author— to adhere to the nondelegation doctrine, removing any doubt about the constitutionality of this law.

“Now, HISA can continue to fulfill its mission to improve the safety of jockeys and our equine athletes by establishing uniform rules of competition and drug safety standards that will increase the popularity, public confidence, and international competitiveness of the sport.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://barr.house.gov/press-releases?ID=A083C2F5-46D0-4832-A01F-52123ACDD661,Barr Opposes Nearly $2 Trillion Democrat Spending Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,KY,Andy Barr,B001282,barr.house.gov,barr,https://barr.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.— U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) released the following statement after voting in opposition to Democrats’ reckless $1.7 trillion fiscal year (FY) 2023 Omnibus Appropriations package.

“Today, Congress passed a nearly $2 trillion Omnibus spending bill that continues the reckless fiscal policies of the last two years which have burdened American taxpayers with 40-year high inflation and a $30 trillion national debt.

“To be sure, I support a number of key features of the legislation, including much needed investments in national defense, critical security assistance to Ukraine and Taiwan, a number of grants I helped to secure for my district, the Secure Act 2.0 which will enhance retirement savings, and a technical correction to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act that will clarify the congressional intent and constitutionality of the law I authored.

“Nevertheless, I cannot in good conscience support a broken, rushed, end-of-year appropriations process, resulting in an inflationary spending blowout written largely by only a handful of lawmakers, behind closed doors, and with zero House Republican input. This unpaid-for spending spree not only worsens the debt crisis we are handing down to future generations, it also reflects the misguided priorities of Washington, D.C., increasing funding for the IRS to harass law abiding Americans while effectively ignoring the illegal immigration crisis at our southern border.

“For these reasons, and many more, I voted against the Omnibus spending bill.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://barrymoore.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-barry-moore-votes-against-last-minute-spending-bill,Rep. Barry Moore votes against last-minute spending bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,AL,Barry Moore,M001212,barrymoore.house.gov,barrymoore,https://barrymoore.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) issued the following statement after voting against the omnibus spending bill that passed the House this afternoon and is heading to the President’s desk. Instead of the timely consideration and passage of twelve separate appropriations bills, Congress punted the FY2023 spending bill until the lame-duck session by passing legislation extending previous spending levels past the original September deadline until this month. For months, Moore has warned that no multi-trillion spending bill should be considered after the November election when Congress is no longer accountable to voters.

“This bill not only continues or increases funding for the Biden administration’s most dangerous policies, but because the vote occurred after the November elections, Democrats were unshackled by accountability from the voters and free to include even more radical programs from their wish list,” said Moore. “I was encouraged at the overwhelming opposition from the American people to this disastrous legislation, but it was disappointing to watch so many of their elected representatives sign off on whatever was necessary to get home for the holidays. With so many Senate Republicans time and again unwilling to go to the mat for our voters, House Republicans must take the lead in the next Congress fighting for the interests of the American people.”

BACKGROUND:

The total package is projected to increase the 10-year deficit by $2.65 trillion, or $20,000 per household according to projections from the Heritage Foundation. It includes over $47 billion in Ukraine, bringing the total that American taxpayers have spent subsidizing the Eastern European war to over $100 billion. The bill also includes a staggering $15 billion in earmarks for individual members' pet projects, including:

$1.2 million for “LGBTQIA+ Pride Centers”

$3.6 million for a Michelle Obama Trail in Georgia

$750,000 for “LGBT and Gender Non-Conforming housing” in Albany, New York

$750,000 for the “TransLatin@ Coalition” to provide “workforce development programs and supportive services for Transgender and Gender nonconforming and Intersex (TGI) immigrant women in Los Angeles”

$150,000 for a sidewalk project in Mapleton, Maine, a community of fewer than 2,000 people

$477,000 for ""antiracist"" training from the Equity Institute

$1.5 million to restore Albany, New York's city hall

$2.35 million in improvement/maintenance for the Iditarod Trail

Other provisions in the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill include:

· $410 million towards border security -- for Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia and Oman

· $12.3 billion for the Internal Revenue Service, on top of the nearly $80 billion provided to the IRS in the Inflation Reduction Act

· $3 million to enforce bee-friendly highway policies

· $65.7 million for international fishery commissions

· $1.2 million in ""services for DACA recipients""

· $200 million for a ""Gender Equity Fund""

· $11.33 billion for the FBI

· $1.75 billion for the ATF

· $2.63 billion for US Attorneys, with an emphasis on January 6 prosecutions and domestic terrorism cases

· $286 million in Title IX funding, which funds Planned Parenthood

· Adds a pandemic czar position to our bloated bureaucracy

· $10.1 billion to the EPA

· $8.6 million for ""gender advisory programs"" at the Pentagon

· $50 million for a democracy program in Venezuela

· $27.64 million for the Kennedy Center in DC

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://bice.house.gov/media/press-releases/release-bice-opposes-massive-spending-bill,RELEASE: Bice Opposes Massive Spending Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,OK,Stephanie I. Bice,B000740,bice.house.gov,bice,https://bice.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — Representative Stephanie Bice (OK-05) issued the following statement after the passage of the FY 2023 omnibus spending package:

“Instead of working in regular order, Democrats in Congress have sat on their hands, waiting until the last week before Christmas to ram through a massive, 4,155-page government spending bill. With ongoing inflation, now is not the time to drastically increase domestic spending. To make matters worse, this legislation fails to address the numerous issues facing the American people, including the crisis at the southern border. I voted no and strongly oppose this legislation.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=10805,Carter prevents closure of Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,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. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) successfully blocked any military funds from being used to close the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) in the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which President Biden signed into law today.

This landmark provision comes after months of advocacy from Rep. Carter, as well as a bipartisan group of Georgia lawmakers, who disagreed with the Biden administration’s decision to close a heavily utilized CRTC, which just hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a $25 million, taxpayer-funded airplane hangar.

“The best defense the United States has against international attacks on democracy is a strong, combat-ready military,” said Rep. Carter. “With China eyeing Taiwan and Russia bearing down on Ukraine, now is the time to invest in our combat readiness, not rein it in. As a strong supporter of the First District’s military community, and veterans nationwide, I am proud to preserve this world-class facility so that everyone who is selfless enough to answer the call to service has the best training and resources America can offer.”

In Rep. Carter’s May 2022 letter with Senator Warnock (D-GA) and a bipartisan group of Georgia lawmakers, the Members wrote: “The Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center is the most heavily utilized, unique, and cost efficient training facility in the Air Force. It offers unparalleled opportunities for peer-to-peer air combat training, regional training conferences, classified engagements, and support for regional operations.”

Read Rep. Carter’s op-ed on the importance of the CRTC here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://burchett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-burchett-statement-vote-against-2023-omnibus,Rep. Burchett statement on vote against 2023 omnibus,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TN,Tim Burchett,B001309,burchett.house.gov,burchett,https://burchett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C., (Dec. 23, 2022) -- Today, U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (TN-02) released the following information about his vote against the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill to fund the government for FY2023.

""I voted against this ridiculous bill because it spends billions of dollars on woke garbage and completely disregards Congress' duty to spend taxpayer money responsibly. The American people are not our piggy bank, and I refuse to support a bill that treats them like one.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://calvert.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-calvert-statement-fiscal-year-2023-omnibus-appropriations-bill-0,Rep. Calvert Statement on the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,CA,Ken Calvert,C000059,calvert.house.gov,calvert,https://calvert.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42) issued the following statement after voting against the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill:

“Americans understand that when Congress jams through an omnibus 4,000 page, $1.7 trillion bill just hours before Christmas there are going to be a lot of winners and losers – and on balance taxpayers are getting a raw deal. After President Biden and Speaker Pelosi have spent more than $3 trillion outside of our normal appropriations process over the past two years, it’s unconscionable to now ask taxpayers to pay for an 8% increase in non-defense programs. I voted against the bill because this reckless level of spending is unsustainable and inflationary.

Funding our government is one of the most basic and fundamental Constitutional responsibilities held by Congress. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, I’m proud of the important work we completed earlier this summer. Unfortunately, our Senate counterparts failed to do their job. Americans are now seeing the disastrous results of a dysfunctional Senate thrusting us into a last-minute effort to catch up on essential legislation and negotiations that should have occurred months ago. Taxpayers deserve our best work, not a hurried attempt long after the assignment was due. The Republican House Majority must ensure Congress returns to a timely appropriations process next year.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://clayhiggins.house.gov/2022/12/23/higgins-announces-additional-55m-hurricane-laura-recovery-efforts/,Higgins Announces Additional $5.5M for Hurricane Laura Recovery Efforts,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,LA,Clay Higgins,H001077,clayhiggins.house.gov,clayhiggins,https://clayhiggins.house.gov/category/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) announced today that FEMA is awarding an additional $5,572,055.04 in Public Assistance reimbursements for hurricane recovery efforts in Southwest Louisiana.

The funding is made available through the major disaster declaration for Hurricane Laura (DR-4559-LA), which Congressman Higgins supported.

The reimbursements include:

$1,662,517.46 to the Southwest Louisiana Hospital Association for repairs to the Women’s Hospital power plant as a result of Hurricane Laura. The reimbursement is made at a 90% federal cost-share and authorized under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

$1,829,614.99 to the Southwest Louisiana Hospital Association for repairs to the Women’s Hospital as a result of Hurricane Laura. The reimbursement is made at a 90% federal cost-share and authorized under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

$1,078,594.79 to the Calcasieu Parish School Board for permanent repairs to the EK Key Elementary School campus following Hurricane Laura. The reimbursement is made at a 90% federal cost-share and authorized under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

$1,001,327.80 to the Calcasieu Parish School Board for permanent repairs to the Frasch Elementary School campus following Hurricane Laura. The reimbursement is made at a 90% federal cost-share and authorized under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act.

Much of our official Congressional work to advance recovery projects occurs behind the scenes. Funding finalization and the associated formal announcement of funding are the result of constant efforts over many months with FEMA and state and local stakeholders. All funding will be delivered to the State of Louisiana. The state is responsible for disbursing the funds to each sub-recipient.

A more extensive timeline of Congressman Higgins’ actions on hurricane recovery is available here.

Congressman Higgins issued the following statement:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://clayhiggins.house.gov/2022/12/23/higgins-votes-against-17t-omnibus-spending-bill/,Higgins Votes Against $1.7T Omnibus Spending Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,LA,Clay Higgins,H001077,clayhiggins.house.gov,clayhiggins,https://clayhiggins.house.gov/category/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins released the following statement after voting against the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package.

“Congress is destroying America with crippling debt. The current spending levels are unsustainable, and this last-minute, $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill is the product of a severely broken budget process,” said Congressman Higgins. “We must restore fiscal responsibility and return regular order to the appropriations process. I will continue to stand on core principles as we fight to restore fiscal sanity.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://cline.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1120,Rep. Ben Cline Votes Against Democrats $1.7 Trillion Spending Spree,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,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) released the below statement following his vote against the over $1.7 TRILLION, 4,155-page omnibus spending package, which will skyrocket America’s national debt and worsen the inflation crisis that Virginians are suffering from.

“Democrats’ bloated omnibus spending spree represents what’s wrong with Washington: a 4,000+ page, over $1.7 trillion government funding deal we are forced to vote on at the last minute,” Cline said. “This makes it impossible to know the total cost that will fall on the backs of American taxpayers - and worsens inflation that’s devastating working families. Americans have to live within their means, while Congress spends and spends with money we don’t have. It’s pure Washington dysfunction in action, and it must be stopped. That’s why I voted against this bill - because the American people who elected us deserve a Congress that spends responsibly, not more than we can afford.”

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,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://clyde.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=621,CLYDE: $1.7 Trillion Omnibus is America Last in Action,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,GA,Andrew S. Clyde,C001116,clyde.house.gov,clyde,https://clyde.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Andrew Clyde (GA-09) released the following statement after voting against the $1.7 trillion omnibus appropriations bill, which ultimately passed this afternoon by a vote of 225-201-1:

“With the help of far too many Republicans, Democrats achieved their dangerous dream of extending their Big Government Socialist agenda before losing their iron grip of one-party Democrat rule in Washington. As the American people struggle to make ends meet amidst President Biden’s self-inflicted economic crisis, lawmakers shamelessly voted to pour fuel on the inflationary fire in order to advance wasteful spending and radical policies. From spending taxpayer dollars on ridiculous pork projects and boosting federal agencies’ budgets as they infringe on our freedoms to enhancing the border security of foreign nations while intentionally abandoning our porous southern border, this $1.7 trillion omnibus undoubtedly delivers Americans a nightmare before Christmas.

“This spending spree also hands an additional $45 billion to Ukraine — with zero oversight. I remain firmly opposed to sending another dime to Ukraine until we conduct a full audit of the billions in U.S. aid already sent overseas. I understand President Zelensky working to put his country first, but it’s past time for President Biden, our Commander-in-Chief, to put America First.

“From everything tucked within the $1.7 trillion package to the disgraceful manner in which it was negotiated and passed, this bloated omnibus bill is nothing more than America Last in action. I resolutely voted NO on this shameful waste of taxpayer dollars and deceitful advancement of the harmful policies destroying our nation, and I look forward to fighting for fiscal responsibility and sanity under a House Republican majority next year.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://cole.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cole-opposes-1.7-trillion-omnibus-package,Cole Opposes $1.7 Trillion Omnibus Package,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,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), Vice Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2617, the fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriations package. Cole opposed the $1.7 trillion legislation.

""This bill contains many provisions I am supportive of such as the needed and substantial increase in defense spending, as well as increases for pandemic preparedness, career training and early education programs and local projects that would benefit the Fourth District of Oklahoma,"" said Cole. ""However, I am disappointed by how a deal was reached on this massive legislation. Crafted mostly by House Democratic leadership and the Senate behind closed doors, this is simply out of regular order. In fact, the Senate did not even pass a single bill out of committee. Had they followed regular order, there certainly might have been more bipartisan support for this package. This is not how elected lawmakers should work for the American people.""

Cole made extensive remarks during the House Rules Committee's consideration of the legislation. Video of his remarks available here and transcript here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://crawford.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-crawford-responds-to-passage-of-omnibus-spending-package,Rep. Crawford Responds to Passage of Omnibus Spending Package,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,AR,"Eric A. ""Rick"" Crawford",C001087,crawford.house.gov,crawford,https://crawford.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sara Robertson (Sara.Robertson2@mail.house.gov)

Rep. Crawford Responds to Passage of Omnibus Spending Package

12/23/2022

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Rick Crawford (AR-01) issued the following statement after the omnibus spending bill passed the House:

""This bill is the Washington Beltway at its worst. More than $1.7 trillion in spending rushed through to lock in more inflationary spending, just days before the new GOP House majority will take over with a commitment to bring adult leadership to Washington. The bill contains no real​ solutions for the concerns Americans face today like high energy costs, an illegal immigration crisis at the border, and record inflation. This legislation also burdens American families with more wasteful government spending for divisive liberal policies.""

#####",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-applauds-tiktok-ban-government-devices,Johnson Applauds TikTok Ban on Government Devices,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,SD,Dusty Johnson,J000301,dustyjohnson.house.gov,dustyjohnson,https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) applauded the final passage of the No TikTok on Government Devices Actled byU.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO). This bill bans the download and use of TikTok on federal government devices.

In September, Johnson has introduced a similar bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to block TikTok on federal government devices and on military bases and installations. Johnson’s Block the Tok Act would also prohibit China from accessing Americans’ user data from within China.

“TikTok is one of China’s Trojan horses,” said Johnson. “This app poses a national security threat and has safety implications for everyday Americans. I’m encouraged to see progress at both the federal and state level to prohibit TikTok on government devices, but there is still work to be done. I’m going to continue the effort to prohibit China’s access to Americans’ user data in the new Congress.”

19 states have banned the use and download of TikTok on state government devices.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://fischbach.house.gov/2022/12/rep-fischbach-votes-no-on-democrat-spending-package,Rep. Fischbach Votes No on Democrat Spending Package,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,MN,Michelle Fischbach,F000470,fischbach.house.gov,fischbach,https://fischbach.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2617, the fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriations package. Congresswoman Fischbach opposed the $1.7 trillion legislation.

""This legislation will do nothing to ease inflation, combat the crisis at the southern border, or stop the fentanyl epidemic plaguing this country,” said Rep. Fischbach. ""Furthermore, Democrats had an entire year to pass bipartisan legislation. Instead, they waited until the last minute and worked mostly behind closed doors, skipping standard processes. With this amount of spending, it is unacceptable to handle the process so irresponsibly.""

This appropriation bill provides government funding for Fiscal Year 2023.

Michelle Fischbach is a wife, mom, grandma, attorney, and the U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s Seventh Congressional District. Get updates from Rep. Fischbach’s congressional office on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://fitzgerald.house.gov/media/press-releases/fitzgerald-issues-statement-omnibus-spending-bill,Fitzgerald Issues Statement on Omnibus Spending Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,WI,Scott Fitzgerald,F000471,fitzgerald.house.gov,fitzgerald,https://fitzgerald.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) issued the following statement after voting “NO” on H.R. 2617:

""The American people sent a message by electing a Republican majority in the House. It's time for fiscal responsibility and pro-growth policies that will restore economic strength, said Congressman Scott Fitzgerald. While I am pleased language from my bill to allow antitrust regulators to follow the money when countries like China distort markets and harm competition, the process and substance of the last-minute omnibus bill are reckless. To pass a bloated spending bill, just days before the new Congress, gives Democrats the ability to keep their imprudent policies in place well into next year. I voted no.""

BACKGROUND

The Omnibus included language from the Foreign Merger Subsidy Disclosure Act, a bill introduced by Congressman Fitzgerald that requires merging companies to disclose involvement from state-owned enterprises. The purpose of this bill is to expose China’s use of state-owned enterprises in America to hamper competition.

###

Congressman Scott Fitzgerald was sworn in to the 117th Congress on January 3, 2021 and is proud to represent Wisconsin’s Fifth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://fitzpatrick.house.gov/2022/12/fitzpatrick-brings-home-20-million-dollars-for-bucks-county-community-projects,Fitzpatrick Brings Home $20 Million Dollars for Bucks County Community Projects,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,PA,Brian K. Fitzpatrick,F000466,fitzpatrick.house.gov,fitzpatrick,https://fitzpatrick.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) voted for the bipartisan omnibus appropriations package for Fiscal Year 2022, which fully funds the federal government through September 30, 2023, and secures funding for key Pennsylvania priorities. Through the Community Project Funding Request process for the 117th Congress, which was included in this omnibus appropriations package, Rep. Fitzpatrick secured support for 13 community projects in Pennsylvania’s First Congressional District. Rep. Fitzpatrick looks forward to President Biden signing the legislation into law as soon as possible.

“I am pleased that community project funding for PA-01 that I have fought for was included in the House-passed bipartisan spending package. This critical funding will soon be delivered to address needs across Bucks and Montgomery Counties, including mental health and health services, financial education resources, and community and public infrastructure revitalization. I look forward to working with community leaders to implement these community projects in a timely fashion,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.

Rep. Fitzpatrick successfully secured $19.015 million in funding for 13 community projects that will directly benefit First District constituents:

BCOC Economic Self-Sufficiency: The purpose of this Economic Self-Sufficiency community project is to help individuals and families who are living below the poverty line to achieve economic stability and no longer need government assistance. The project will promote financial self-sufficiency by connecting families with resources to thrive. Through the ES program, households will not only increase income, but also increase social capital to support independence and community engagement.

Funding Secured: $1 million

Funding Requested: $595,000

Bucks County Criminal DNA Database: This funding would go towards technology that allows a cheek swap to be run through a small, desktop-size, machine with results in as little as 90 minutes. The new Sheriff of Bucks County would like to implement a county-wide Rapid DNA Program. The acquisition of two additional instruments will allow law enforcement to implement DNA testing throughout the county. Once this Program is established, those smaller police departments within Buck’s County, with limited resources, will be able to see the same results and success as larger police departments have.

Funding Secured: $750,000

Funding Requested: $750,000

Bucks County Department of Corrections Outmate Program: The objective of the project is to reduce recidivism. The Bucks County Jail has seen an increase in repeat offenders. An outmate program will help these individuals be more successful once on parole, by allowing us to provide them with extended treatment specifically mental health and medical treatment as well as social services. Lehigh County, PA has implemented a similar program with much success. This program will reduce recidivism and help individuals transition back into society with greater success.

Funding Secured: $900,000

Funding Requested: $900,000

Doylestown Health Heart and Vascular Suite Expansion: This project would expand the heart and vascular suite at Doylestown Hospital. This state-of-the-art procedural suite currently includes a hybrid operating lab that opened in 2017 primarily for vascular surgery, and also encompasses the oldest cardiac catheterization laboratory still online at the hospital. To help meet a significant increase in patient volume and address the nation’s number one killer, heart disease, Doylestown Health’s transformational plans include building a new universal hybrid operating lab, while also renovating the oldest catheterization lab to be outfitted with the most advanced technology and equipment.

Funding Secured: $1 million

Funding Requested: $1 million

Grandview Hospital Expansion Project: This project funding would support health facility construction of four patient-at-risk rooms in Grand View Health’s new emergency department for the provision of health and behavioral health services. The new infrastructure will improve safety for patients and staff at the hospital.

Funding Secured: $1 million

Funding Requested: $1 million

Lower Bucks Hospital ICU Expansion Project: This project would increase the current Intensive Care Unit capacity from 10 to 22 beds at Lower Bucks Hospital. Lower Bucks serves a populated area that is in need of greater capacity due partly to COVID and complications from COVID that some patients suffer.

Funding Secured: $1.2 million

Funding Requested: $1.2 million

L.O.V.E. Is the Answer: This project would help improve community relations for law enforcement. Bucks County made history in early 2020 when the Bucks DA became the first to license the film, WALKING WHILE BLACK: L.O.V.E. Is The Answer. In less than a year, the DA’s office secured commitments from 30 of the 39 police chiefs in Bucks County to use the film to train officers, generated interest from a Bucks County high school to make viewing the film a graduation requirement, secured a commitment from the County Commissioner to use the film to train all 2,400 county employees on the L.O.V.E. Is The Answer principles, and garnered commitments from several other DA’s in Pennsylvania to use the film to improve police-community relations. This one-time funding request will enable the DA to go deeper and broader in their work, and position Bucks County as a national model for police-community relations.

Funding Secured: $545,000

Funding Requested: $545,000

Morrisville Municipal Authority: The Morrisville Municipal Authority is in the process of completing planning and design of a new wastewater treatment facility (WWTF). The project will provide needed wastewater infrastructure to Morrisville which will in turn improve the economic outlook of the community.

Funding Secured: $4 million

Funding Requested: $2.7 million

Morrisville School District Technology Program Project: The purpose of the School District of Borough of Morrisville’s Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology Innovation Program is to increase student achievement through the development and implementation of innovative instructional practices, curriculum revision, technology integration, the establishment of professional learning communities, and the growth of afterschool and summer support programming. This investment in technology learning will lead to better students and a better workforce for the future.

Funding Secured: $850,000

Funding Requested: $850,000

Shenandoah Woods Improvement and Revitalization Project: This project has been part of a decades-long effort to repurpose this former residential development that was abandoned by the Navy Department. The project site is adjacent to, and will become part of, the 243-acre Warminster Community Park. Facilities available at the Warminster Community Park include walking trails, nature areas, parking, playground, pavilion, picnic area, pond, restrooms and soccer fields. The project site is a vacant, blighted property and a designated Certified Redevelopment Area under the Pennsylvania Urban Redevelopment Law.

Funding Secured: $1.5 million

Funding Requested: $1.5 million

Startup Bucks: This project funding will go towards helping Bucks County entrepreneurs by providing them needed resources. Mentoring services and oversight resources are included to help with the administration of the Bucks Built Startup Fund. This project will help spur further economic development and help bring more startups to the Bucks County everyone.

Funding Secured: $500,000

Funding Requested: $500,000

Upper Bucks Rail Trail Improvement Project: This project would help link the rail trails in Upper Bucks County. These trails are great for the environment and recreation and bring visitors from near and far to the area. These visitors will help boost economic development in the area.

Funding Secured: $1.77 million

Funding Requested: $1.77 million

YMCA of Morrisville Branch Revitalization: The Morrisville Y is a safe community space that offers positive opportunities for families. In addition to helping to nurture children and prepare them for school and life, the Y also offers support for the adult caregivers of the young people in our care. In order to strengthen the Y’s programs, the branch is in desperate need of total renovations to all classrooms, windows, the roof, and asbestos removal. Renovations will allow the Y to improve the safety and quality of the facility, uplift the children and youth. The Morrisville YMCA has early care, school age and summer camp programs.

Funding Secured: $4 million

Funding Requested: $2 million

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-chuck-fleischmann-votes-no-on-last-minute-multi-trillion-dollar-government-funding-bill,"Rep. Chuck Fleischmann Votes No on Last-Minute, Multi-Trillion-Dollar Government Funding Bill",2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TN,"Charles J. ""Chuck"" Fleischmann",F000459,fleischmann.house.gov,fleischmann,https://fleischmann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"“During the two years that Democrats have controlled the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House, they have spent more than $3 trillion, which has led to the worst inflation seen in decades. The last thing our country and economy need is nearly $2 trillion more in borrowing and spending that will increase our national debt and cause inflation to remain too high.”

“In November, the American People elected a new House of Representatives that will be led by a new Republican majority in just 11 days. There is no reason to rush through a multi-trillion-dollar bill when a Republican-led House can negotiate a fair and fiscally sound funding bill.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://garbarino.house.gov/media/press-releases/garbarino-votes-against-democrats-massive-end-year-wish-list-bill,Garbarino Votes Against Democrats' Massive End of Year Wish List Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NY,Andrew R. Garbarino,G000597,garbarino.house.gov,garbarino,https://garbarino.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02) voted NO on the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2617, Democrats' $1.7 Trillion end of year Omnibus package. Following the vote, Rep. Garbarino released the below statement:

“Once again Democrats dropped a 4,000 page bill in the middle of the night which allocates more than a trillion dollars to a litany of partisan policies that the American people don’t support while ignoring critical issues facing our nation. The Omnibus not only fails to address the border crisis at a time when border patrol is being completely overrun by an avalanche of migrants, but instead includes billions for policies that will further encourage illegal immigration and cuts funding for ICE detention facilities needed to process the incoming migrants. This bill not only fails to address our economic crisis at a time when a majority of Americans report living paycheck to paycheck in Joe Biden’s economy, but in fact is sure to increase already record inflation and worsen conditions for families struggling to make ends meet. This bill not only fails to promote American energy production at a time when our reliance of foreign fuel has created serious national security and economic concerns, but actually takes over $2 billion meant to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve with crude oil and allocates it to unrelated Democrat priorities.

“Most egregious to me personally was the exclusion of legislation to fully close the funding gap in the World Trade Center Health Program which, if not corrected will soon lead to 9/11 first responders and survivors losing access to health care for 9/11 related illnesses. This is an issue I have worked diligently on over the last two years with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and I am especially grateful to Senator Gillibrand for her efforts to ensure some funds for the program were included in this bill. However, the amount of money allocated is a band aid that will only temporarily delay the inevitable program cuts and prolong the painful uncertainty our 9/11 heroes are experiencing. I cannot support half measures when the stakes are this high. I look forward to leading the fight in the House next Congress to secure the full amount needed to safeguard this program and give 9/11 first responders and survivors the peace of mind they deserve.

“All of this considered, I simply could not, in good conscious, vote for this Democrat wish list bill when Republicans are just days away from taking control of the House and would, if given the chance in the new Congress, be able to negotiate a full year funding bill more in line with the wishes of the American people.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases/graves-bill-protecting-flood-victims-signed-law,Graves Bill Protecting Flood Victims Signed into Law,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,MO,Sam Graves,G000546,graves.house.gov,graves,https://graves.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC – Congressman Sam Graves’ (MO-06) Preventing Disaster Revictimization Act (H.R. 539) was signed into law today as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. The bill prohibits the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from going after disaster victims when the Agency mistakenly awards individual assistance.

“When FEMA makes a mistake, FEMA needs to pay the price—not the innocent disaster victims,” Graves said. “I’ve heard too many horror stories about disaster victims who have accepted FEMA assistance, only for the agency to come back weeks, months, or even years later and demand the money back, plus interest, because of some technical error. This new law will protect disaster victims and give them peace of mind to use FEMA assistance to rebuild their lives after disasters.”

Graves introduced the bill after FEMA clawed back individual assistance funds from a Holt County resident following the Flood of 2019. The individual in question lost his family home and was provided over $12,000 in FEMA Individual Assistance money to help him get back on his feet, only to be told later he didn't qualify because of a technicality and would have to pay it back.

The bill previously passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support in June 2021. You can watch Congressman Graves’ remarks on the House Floor here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases/hinson-statement-omnibus,Hinson Statement On The Omnibus,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,IA,Ashley Hinson,H001091,hinson.house.gov,hinson,https://hinson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Hinson (IA-01) released the following statement on the omnibus spending bill. Hinson opposed the bill because it included wasteful spending and failed to secure the border.

""The omnibus bill includes wasteful spending and fails to secure our border – it is a disservice to hardworking Americans and Iowans. As a Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I was successful in securing investments for Iowa in this legislation and am glad they were included in the final bill. However, House Republicans were shut out of the last-minute negotiations, and the end product did not respect taxpayers or address the dire border crisis. In November, Iowans rejected the Washington way of reckless spending – we must restore fiscal responsibility in Congress and a House Republican majority will do so."" - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson

Background:

Thirteen of Hinson's Community Project Funding requests were included in the omnibus. Read more about these vital community projects here.

$1 million for Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity's targeted neighborhood revitalization in Waterloo

$500,000 for Gilbertville Emergency Services

$208,000 for the Buchanan Emergency Operations Center

$375,000 for Northeast Iowa Community College's National Education Center for Agricultural Safety Equipment upgrades

$1 million for Granger Creek Lift Station improvements in Dubuque

$4 million for rural road construction in West Union

$1.7 million for the 5th Avenue gatewell and flood pumps in Cedar Rapids

$360,000 for the Kirkwood Community College Aviation Maintenance Technician Program

$7 million for the Eastern Iowa Airport Taxiway Expansion Project

$7 million for the Alburnett Road Extension

$3.5 million for the Maquoketa Wastewater Plant

$330,200 for the Osage Municipal Utilities Orchard Fiber Project

$1 million for the advanced hydrologic monitoring, assessment, and flood forecasting for Eastern Iowa

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://hudson.house.gov/press-releases/hudson-surveys-moore-county-power-station,Hudson Surveys Moore County Power Station,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NC,Richard Hudson,H001067,hudson.house.gov,hudson,https://hudson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Southern Pines, N.C. – U.S. Congressman Richard Hudson (R-NC) toured a Duke Energy power substation today to receive a briefing on the recent power outages in Moore County. On December 3rd, the substation was intentionally attacked leaving 45,000 customers without power. Utility workers restored power within a week, but an investigation into the attack is ongoing.

""I thank the hardworking men and women at Duke Energy and other providers who worked around the clock to restore power to our community,"" said Rep. Hudson. ""I surveyed the scene of the intentional attack on the substation and appreciate the work of all law enforcement investigating who is responsible. I am committed to finding solutions to strengthen our power grid and prevent a similar attack from happening again.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-congressman-darrell-issa-0,Statement by Congressman Darrell Issa,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,CA,Darrell Issa,I000056,issa.house.gov,issa,https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) made the following statement:

""Congress does itself no favors when it puts off for months what it could achieve in days, negotiates in secret, spends what it does not have, and leverages a looming government shutdown and impending holiday season as a motivation to vote yes and get it all over with.

""That there are worthwhile items among $1.7 trillion in spending is not disputable – but it's also not the point. As a native of Cleveland, I’ve known many losing sports teams that included star players. It did not change the reality that the teams were not successful enough and needed to be rebuilt.

""Fundamentally, this omnibus process brings into full display how House Democrats have abused their majority and why the American people took it away. Speaker Pelosi’s ensuing scramble to squeeze every partisan advantage right up to the last moment before a Republican majority takes over should inspire voters to wait a very long time before considering returning her team to power.

""My late friend and longtime Congressional colleague Elijah Cummings had a favored refrain that he said to me many times: 'We are better than this.'

""It was a seemingly simple statement, but it captured a recognition that the Congress as an institution should honor its highest ideals, not its narrowest interests.

""I cannot support this unnecessary and unjustified omnibus spending package.""

###

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,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=494,Rep. Jackson Rejects Democrats’ $1.7 Trillion Spending Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TX,Ronny Jackson,J000304,jackson.house.gov,jackson,https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"WASHINGTON — Today, Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) voted against Democrats’ $1.7 trillion, 4,155-page omnibus spending bill.

Jackson said: “This bill is a slap in the face to my constituents who are sick of runaway spending and “woke” politics in Washington. It is nothing more than a last-ditch effort for the lame duck Democrat majority, and unfortunately a few RINO Republicans, to get their taxpayer funded pork and destructive priorities across the finish line before Republicans take over the House in January. Any bill that expressly prohibits increased border security measures here at home while allocating nearly $500 million for foreign countries’ border security is by definition America Last and anti-American. Democrats’ latest spending spree will make inflation and the horrible economy worse, and it will exacerbate Biden’s Border Crisis and all the crime and drug issues that come with it. This is something my constituents and I cannot and will not stand for.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://joewilson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/wilson-statement-on-signing-of-fy2023-national-defense-authorization-act,Wilson Statement on Signing of FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,SC,Joe Wilson,W000795,joewilson.house.gov,joewilson,https://joewilson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Joe Wilson issued the following statement on the signing into law of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023:

""This year's NDAA represents the ongoing commitment my colleagues and I have to our national security, servicemembers, veterans, and their families. As a Senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am grateful for the opportunity to represent my country and the Second District of South Carolina on this critical legislation that advances peace through strength.

""This strong, bipartisan, bicameral bill reverses President Biden's reckless cuts to our national security, and restores funding for procurement, missile defense, and military construction and housing projects. It provides the authorities and resources needed to ensure our military can defend our nation, meet ongoing challenges in the Global War on Terrorism, and modernize to deter and defeat China, Russia, and our other near-peer adversaries. It supports Ukraine while requiring the Department of Defense (DoD), State Department, and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Inspector Generals to regularly carry out comprehensive reviews and audits of all assistance provided to Ukraine.

""To counteract the dangerous effects that Biden's unprecedented inflation crisis is having on military readiness and servicemembers, this legislation provides a 4.6 percent pay raise, increases housing allowances, lowers prices at commissaries, and expands eligibility for low-income military families to receive an additional allowance to cover their basic needs.

""Military families are the strong foundation of the nation's armed forces, which is why I am focused on ensuring that servicemembers and their families continue to receive the benefits they deserve. I am grateful that my bill, the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission (MIC3) Improvement Act, was included in this year's NDAA. Military children face unique challenges due to frequent moves and deserve the opportunity to have continuity of education.

""Additionally, this bill repeals the COVID-19 vaccination mandate on all active and reserve component servicemembers and ends servicemember separations for failure to take the COVID-19 vaccine that was negatively impacting the military's recruitment and retention goals.

""This year's NDAA supports the missions and communities of the Savannah River Site by authorizing additional funding for plutonium pit production through the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility and full funding for Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), all of which I have worked to secure through the committee process.

""I am also grateful that the NDAA included language from the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 that will assist South Carolina in coming to a solution that will maintain the water level below the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam of 114.76 feet.

""Finally, I was grateful to champion continuing authorizations for defense research projects at South Carolina institutions of higher education including Clemson University, Benedict College, and the University of South Carolina. These world-class schools are actively engaged in technological research on projects such as autonomous logistics, automotive research, artificial intelligence, naval power and energy systems, and hypersonics that directly benefit DoD programs and enhance national security.

""As a veteran and father of four sons who have served in the military overseas, I appreciate these victories for our military and am committed to continuing to work for our servicemembers and their families. I am thankful to have advanced this important, bipartisan legislation alongside my colleagues in the House and Senate.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://johnrose.house.gov/media/press-releases/us-rep-rose-rejects-massive-last-minute-funding-bill,U.S. Rep. Rose Rejects Massive Last-Minute Funding Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TN,John W. Rose,R000612,johnrose.house.gov,johnrose,https://johnrose.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Representative John Rose voted “No” on the $1.7 trillion Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, the primary funding bill of the federal government.

U.S. Representative John Rose released the following statement:

“The American People elected a new Republican Majority in the U.S. House of Representatives to put an end to the status quo of one-party Democratic rule in Washington and to restore accountability within the Biden Administration plagued with self-inflicted crises,” said Rep. Rose. “The last thing a lame-duck Congress should do is pass a $1.7 trillion spending bill two weeks before a new Republican majority is sworn in, especially one that fails to secure our border, fails to defund President Biden’s 87,000 new IRS agents, that fails to hold those in the FBI accountable for colluding with the Biden campaign to suppress free speech, and that drives our national debt even higher. I voted “No” and remain hopeful a Republican-led House of Representatives can begin to rein in the reckless and misguided spending of the Biden Administration and Congressional Democrats over the last two years.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://kelly.house.gov/media/press-releases/kelly-led-childhood-cancer-star-reauthorization-act-passes-us-house,Kelly-led Childhood Cancer STAR Reauthorization Act Passes U.S. House of Representatives,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,kelly,https://kelly.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), co-chair of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, released the following statement after Congress passed the Childhood Cancer STAR (Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research) Reauthorization Act, legislation he introduced along with Representatives Michael McCaul (R-Texas), G. K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), and Jackie Speier (D-Calif.).

“The STAR Act has proven its immense value since it was first passed in 2018,"" said Rep. Kelly. ""Children are 25% of our population, but they are 100% of our future. It’s our duty to fund the research that will protect them in their most vulnerable moments and to ultimately find a cure. I’m grateful that Congress is prioritizing this research and will reauthorize the STAR Act.""

“Thirteen years ago, I founded the Childhood Cancer Caucus to increase bipartisan efforts to address pediatric cancer and ultimately eliminate this heartbreaking disease. Each day since its passage, the STAR Act has brought us closer to that goal,” said Rep. McCaul. “The most comprehensive childhood cancer bill ever signed into law, the STAR Act works to improve the lives of cancer patients and cancer survivors through increased research. I’m thankful my colleagues voted to reauthorize it today and will continue raising my voice on behalf of these beautiful children until cancer is no longer a threat to their futures.”

“I am pleased to see the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research (STAR) Act heading to President Biden’s desk for another five-year reauthorization,” said Rep. Butterfield. “The STAR Act is a critical piece of bipartisan legislation that has provided hope to families in North Carolina and across the country suffering from pediatric cancer. We must continue to fund childhood cancer research and pave the way towards lifesaving pediatric-focused cancer treatments. Reauthorizing the STAR Act will do exactly that, ensuring our young people can lead healthy and full lives.”

“The good news is more and more childhood cancer patients are beating the odds, with the population of survivors estimated to be over half a million people today. But that survival comes with immense care and quality of life challenges for children and their families. Even with cure rates increasing to 85 percent, many childhood cancer survivors must endure ongoing pain, disability, and medical needs,” said Rep. Speier. ""The 2018 STAR Act was the most comprehensive bipartisan childhood cancer bill ever signed into law. I’m proud and grateful that Congress will continue building on its life-saving initiatives with the STAR Act reauthorization, and to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that our inspiring childhood cancer survivors not only live, but thrive.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://kelly.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-kelly-opposes-democrats-massive-17-trillion-omnibus-spending-bill,Rep. Kelly opposes Democrats' massive $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,PA,Mike Kelly,K000376,kelly.house.gov,kelly,https://kelly.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) voted against the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package, citing concerns about the overall cost to taxpayers, the lack of border security funding, and the limited time to review and hold hearings on the 4,155-page bill.

""We had just days to review a bill that's more than three times the size of the Bible and costs taxpayers more than a trillion dollars. Although there are some good parts to the bill, overall, I cannot support spending taxpayer money without thoroughly reviewing everything that's inside,"" Rep. Kelly said. ""Democrats control both chambers of Congress and the White House, and still could not pass this bill on time. Voting ""no"" isn't irresponsible. The way our government rushes to spend taxpayer money without critical oversight is irresponsible. The American people deserve better.""

BACKGROUND",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://mace.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-nancy-mace-votes-no-17-trillion-omnibus-spending-package,REP. NANCY MACE VOTES “NO” ON $1.7 TRILLION OMNIBUS SPENDING PACKAGE,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,SC,Nancy Mace,M000194,mace.house.gov,mace,https://mace.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Unprecedented Spending Bill is a Total Fail to Addressing Nation’s Major Issues

Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Nancy Mace voted against passing the FY23 Omnibus bill which contains $1.7 trillion of unchecked spending and fails to address key issues facing the country.

“We know it’s Christmas, but would you really let your friend run up the bar tab and leave you hanging with the bill,” asked Rep. Mace. “The Omnibus doesn’t balance the budget, has no spending offsets and runs up the deficit. And don’t get us started on the waste and pork. We cannot keep doing this. The federal government hasn’t done a true budget in 30 years.”

Some examples of waste and misalignment of issues:

$12.319 billion for the Internal Revenue Service, on top of the nearly $80 billion provided to the IRS in the Inflation Reduction Act;

Does not extend Title 42;

Does not secure the border;

Increases funding for non-defense programs by a whopping 8%. This includes $12.3 billion for the IRS, on top of the nearly $80 billion given in the Inflation Reduction Act;

Used as a bailout due to the Administration’s failed immigration and border control - $2.4 billion for refugee and migrant programs;

Only 300 additional Border Control Agents;

Additional $100 million for immigration courts, which does not aid our crisis at the border;

Appropriates $135 billion (or 9.2 percent) above FY 2022 spending levels, and contains no budgetary offsets.

ABOUT

Congresswoman Nancy Mace grew up in the Lowcountry. She is the daughter of a retired Army General and retired school teacher. Before being sworn into Congress, Nancy earned accolades as one of the most fiscally conservative members of the South Carolina General Assembly; she’s also one of the most pro-conservation lawmakers in the state of South Carolina. Nancy is the recipient of the 2019 Taxpayer Hero Award from the South Carolina Club for Growth; she has a 100% record of voting to lower taxes. Nancy is also the recipient of the Champion Award from Palmetto Goodwill for her efforts in education and in helping those most in need receive job training; she has a 100 percent rating with Conservation Voters of South Carolina.

MEDIA CONTACT",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-tracey-mann-votes-against-house-democrats-17-trillion-spending-package,Rep. Tracey Mann votes against House Democrats' $1.7 Trillion Spending Package,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,KS,Tracey Mann,M000871,mann.house.gov,mann,https://mann.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) released the following statement regarding his vote against the House Democrats' $1.7 trillion dollar omnibus spending package:

""This week, Members of the House of Representatives were called back to Washington, D.C. to vote on a $1.7 trillion spending package under the threat of the government shutting down. This is not the way that a Democracy is supposed to function. In fact, this is the first time in modern American history that one party has jammed an omnibus bill through Congress during the lame-duck session after losing control of the House. It’s plain and simple – this is bad legislation passed in a dishonest, untimely way.

While Washington Democrats had control of the House, it was their responsibility to pass normal spending bills. They never got their act together, so now we are stuck with this omnibus – a 4,155-page spending bill put together behind closed doors and with no input or oversight from House Republicans. Now, Americans are sure to face even higher rates of inflation because of this legislation and out-of-control spending.

If you want to know why Americans chose to give control of the House back to Republicans in the 118th Congress, look no further than this spending bill and the process by which it’s being passed.""

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://mariodiazbalart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/diaz-balart-statement-fy23-spending-package,Diaz-Balart Statement on the FY23 Spending Package,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,FL,Mario Diaz-Balart,D000600,mariodiazbalart.house.gov,mariodiazbalart,https://mariodiazbalart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee on Appropriations, issued the following statement regarding the FY23 funding bill.

“Despite having months to work on this bill in good faith with House Republicans, this 4,000+ page spending package was drafted behind closed doors and released less than a week before government funding expires. As the American people continue to suffer the consequences of this Administration’s reckless spending and wasteful economic policies, increasing non-defense discretionary spending on these radical left-wing policies will only further fuel and lengthen inflation.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-slams-democrats-lame-duck-spending-spree,McCaul Slams Democrats’ Lame-Duck Spending Spree,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TX,Michael T. McCaul,M001157,mccaul.house.gov,mccaul,https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) released the following statement after voting ‘no’ on the Democrats’ $1.7 trillion lame-duck spending spree.

“Last month, Americans voted for a Republican House majority to keep the Biden administration in check. Yet in the final hours of their one-party rule, Democrats rammed through 4,155 pages that will fund their failing agenda for another year.

“While families struggle to afford food and gifts this holiday season, Democrats are spending $1.7 trillion on their own Christmas wish list, which includes a ridiculous $410 million for border security in the Middle East — and zero additional dollars for border security in Texas.

“I look forward to working with House Republicans in the new year to stop President Biden’s radical agenda, secure our border, and bring back the economy Americans deserve.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://miller.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-capito-statement-delay-1099-k-requirements-additional-year,"Miller, Capito Statement on the Delay of 1099-K Requirements for an Additional Year",2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,WV,Carol D. Miller,M001205,miller.house.gov,miller,https://miller.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) released the following statement regarding the delay of the 1099-K requirements for an additional year from the Internal Revenue Service.

“After nearly 2 years of leading Republicans’ relentless efforts to fix this issue and Congressional Democrats abdicating their responsibility to address the problem they created, the Biden Administration is taking the legally dubious step to delay implementation of the 1099-K reporting requirements for one year,” said Congresswoman Carol Miller. “This delay is a great relief for taxpayers, small businesses, payment platforms, online marketplaces, and the Internal Revenue Service, who will all be saved from an avalanche of tax forms that were expected to hit in just a number of days. While I’m supportive of this action, due to this Administration’s gross incompetence, it is forced to delay implementation of a law that the Department of Treasury recommended Congress pass and President Biden signed into law himself. This action is inadequate, as tens of millions of taxpayers are still left in limbo as the courts will need to decide the legality of this action from the Biden Administration. Congress must act immediately to enshrine the former $20,000 and 200 transaction threshold into law permanently.”

“This very provision was included in the American Rescue Plan that was passed with only Democrat support two years ago,"" said Senator Shelley Moore Capito. ""Republican efforts to repeal these new requirements have been ignored by my Democrat colleagues until the past week when they realized the massive complications that would ensue this tax filing season. I am glad that the IRS moved to issue the exact one-year delay I have been pushing for by offering an amendment this week to delay for a year, but I am concerned about what authority they have to enforce their delay and will continue working to find a lasting solution.""

""The Biden Administration is backpedaling to protect Democrats from the consequences of their own actions,"" said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform. ""This likely illegal action from Joe Biden's IRS is clearly politically timed, coming just one day after Senate Democrats blocked a Republican amendment to delay the new 1099-K thresholds. Congress must provide certainty to taxpayers by acting early next year to permanently restore the prior threshold of $20,000 and 200 transactions.""

Background:

Over the past two years Congresswoman Miller has worked to fix this unbearable Democrat-created tax on working class West Virginians.

In May of 2021, Congresswoman Miller introduced the Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act, which would repeal an unnecessary tax hike included in the costly and partisan American Rescue Plan. The bill would protect everyday Americans using online payment platforms, gig economy workers and small e-commerce sellers from being taken advantage of, and ensure they continue to have access to flexible and reliable income streams.

Last week, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Emergency Taxpayer Paperwork and Audit Relief Act, to delay the implementation of the Democrat budget gimmick in the American Rescue Plan that lowers the threshold for Americans to receive a 1099-K form from the IRS for an additional year. Before this law change, a taxpayer would have to earn at least $20,000 and have at least 200 transactions to qualify for a 1099-K form if they made money through an e-commerce platform or worked as an independent contractor through a gig economy app. Congressional Democrats expanded this by eliminating the 200 transaction requirement entirely and lowering the $20,000 hurdle to just $600 in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Today, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a delay in the implementation of the 1099-K reporting requirement for one year. They did not state where the IRS receives the authority to usurp the direction of Congress on the implementation of tax policy.

Democrats in Congress have refused to acknowledge the problem they created or negotiate a solution and it is now up to the Republican-led House of Representatives to fix this issue next year.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito Background:

Senator Capito is a cosponsor of the Stop the Nosy Obsession with Online Payments, or SNOOP Act, legislation to strike the tax code provision inserted by in the American Rescue Plan that requires third-party payment platforms to report businesses’ gross transaction volumes totaling more than $600 to the IRS. Senator Capito is also a cosponsor cosponsored S. 4817, which would prevent the IRS from using any of the $80 billion included in the Inflation Reduction Act funding to conduct audits of taxpayers making less than $400,000. Recently, Senator Capito supported an amendment which would have repealed the reporting threshold.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://moolenaar.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/moolenaar-votes-against-democrats-spending-spree-again,Moolenaar Votes Against Democrats' Spending Spree Again,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,MI,John R. Moolenaar,M001194,moolenaar.house.gov,moolenaar,https://moolenaar.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Today, the House of Representatives passed a $1.7 trillion spending bill. It now heads to President Joe Biden's desk and is expected to be the fourth spending bill of more than $1 trillion he has signed into law since his inauguration. Congressman John Moolenaar voted against today’s legislation.

“President Biden and the Democrats have passed four spending bills of more than a trillion dollars in less than two years. This reckless and obscene spending has saddled Michigan families with record inflation and left them poorer than they were two years ago while they struggle to afford necessities like food and energy. There is no reason to continue spending this amount of money in such a short period of time. The pandemic is over, inflation is soaring, and Michigan residents need Washington to stop wasting money,” said Moolenaar.

""In the new year, I will continue to fight against President Biden's failed policies. I will work to rein in inflation, make America energy independent, and secure our border. America has been led down the wrong path by President Biden, and I will be working to get the country back on track.""

President Biden’s Reckless Two-Year Spending Spree

American Rescue Plan: $1.9 Trillion

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: $1.2 Trillion

Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus: $1.5 Trillion

Inflation Reduction Act: $740 Billion",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://murphy.house.gov/media/press-releases/murphy-17-trillion-omnibus-reckless-spending-over-actual-solutions,Murphy on $1.7 Trillion Omnibus: “Reckless Spending Over Actual Solutions”,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,NC,Gregory F. Murphy,M001210,murphy.house.gov,murphy,https://murphy.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03) released a statement following his vote against the $1.7 trillion omnibus package.

“America deserves pragmatic solutions to the myriad of self-inflicted crises we face today. Among these are the record cost of goods, a southern border invasion, the fentanyl overdose epidemic, and skyrocketing crime,” said Rep. Murphy. “Unfortunately, Democrats have engaged in reckless spending over actual solutions that address these crises. This omnibus package is a monstrous spending spree that fuels inflation and divisive gender identity politics. Americans don’t want 4,000-plus pages of left-wing projects; they want lower prices, cheap gas, a secure border, and a nation that’s safe.”

Background:

Just over 48 hours before the vote, Senate and House Democrats released their 4,000-plus page omnibus appropriations package that continues Washington’s out-of-control spending. Done behind closed doors, the newly elected House Republican majority was shut out of the negotiating process entirely. The House voted 225 –201 to pass the bill.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-troy-e-nehls-opposes-fy23-omnibus-spending-bill,Rep. Troy E. Nehls Opposes FY23 Omnibus Spending Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TX,Troy E. Nehls,N000026,nehls.house.gov,nehls,https://nehls.house.gov/media,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) released the following statement after voting against the FY23 Omnibus spending bill:

""This is a reckless 4,155-page, $1.7 trillion spending bill, on top of the $3 trillion that Democrats have already spent outside the normal appropriations process in the last two years. This bill does not address our nation's most pressing issues, like securing our southern border, and instead gives away $47 billion more to Ukraine,"" said Congressman Nehls. ""This Administration has always put the best interests of the American people last, and this behemoth of a bill is no different. Democrats have ignored the American voters, who gave Republicans back the House majority beginning January 3rd by cramming this bill through Congress at the last minute. Congressional support for this legislation reinforces everything that is wrong with Washington and furthers the divide between the American people and the DC swamp.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/newhouse-condemns-house-democrats-bloated-spending-package,Newhouse Condemns House Democrats’ Bloated Spending Package,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,WA,Dan Newhouse,N000189,newhouse.house.gov,newhouse,https://newhouse.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"“Over the last year, I have fought to include many of Central Washington’s priorities in our Appropriation bills. While I am pleased many of these have been included in this year’s omnibus, such as funding for critical agriculture research, Hanford Site cleanup, and the Columbia Basin Project, congressional Democrats manipulated the timeframe so they could insert a number of poison pills behind closed doors in the bloated 1.7 trillion-dollar omnibus that made it impossible for me to vote for it in good conscience. House Democrats have spent more than $3 trillion outside of the normal appropriations process, fueling the skyrocketing cost of living Americans across Central Washington are struggling to deal with. This bill doubles down on this approach by giving substantial increases to non-defense programs and doesn’t just fail to address the ever-worsening crisis at our southern border, but actually spends taxpayer dollars to incentivize illegal immigration. At the same time, House Democrats failed to provide Members with time to review the over 4,000-page bill or include common-sense provisions, such as my legislation that would alleviate our food supply chain crisis and the increasing food costs Americans are facing by addressing our agriculture labor shortage. Ultimately, this bill will only make our inflationary crisis worse, doing far more harm than good for the people of Central Washington, which is why I was a strong NO.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://obernolte.house.gov/media/press-releases/omnibus-bill-spikes-federal-spending-yet-again-increasing-deficit-and-national,"Omnibus bill spikes federal spending yet again, increasing the deficit and national debt",2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,CA,Jay Obernolte,O000019,obernolte.house.gov,obernolte,https://obernolte.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"U.S. Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia) voted against the Omnibus spending bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, citing objections to the bill’s high top-line spending number and failure to address the nation’s skyrocketing national debt.

“The Omnibus bill increases federal spending by over 9 percent, which is in addition to the 7 percent increase enacted by Congress last year. As a result, the bill will add an additional $260 billion to our national debt, which already exceeds $31 trillion, over $94,000 for every American. This 4,155-page bill does not contain a single provision to lower the deficit over time or bring our national debt under control,” said Rep. Obernolte. “In fact, the bill waives statutory requirements Congress put in place to help reduce our federal deficit. It also fails to address the border crisis perpetrated by this Administration’s disastrous policies and instead explicitly bars CBP funding from being used to improve border security and processing at all. These are major problems that will impact every individual and family in our district, whether through further inflation and increased prices at the grocery store or through diminished safety on our streets.”

More on the Omnibus bill:

The $1.7 trillion Omnibus spending bill was introduced in the early hours of Tuesday morning as part of a last-ditch effort to secure White House priorities in a funding package before control of the House of Representatives changes hands on January 3. Among the items included in the 4,155-page bill are:

$800 billion in non-defense discretionary funding

$12.319 billion for the Internal Revenue Service, on top of the nearly $80 billion provided to the IRS in the Inflation Reduction Act

$400 million increase in border patrol funding that is expressly prohibited from being used to “acquire, maintain or extend border security technology and capabilities to improve Border Patrol processing”

While prohibiting increased protection for our own border, $410 million is included for border security for Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman

Furthermore, the bill actively prevents Border Patrol funding from being used to help secure the border or improve processing at a time where border authorities are encountering up to 1,200 migrants a day (and climbing) and El Paso has declared a state of emergency due to the additional migrant influx expected if Title 42 is allowed to expire. In San Bernardino County, the sheriff’s department has reported a 656 percent increase in fentanyl related deaths since 2018, largely as a result of illicit fentanyl being smuggled across the southern border with Mexico.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roys-remarks-how-congress-royally-screwed-country-17t-4100-page-omnibus,"Rep. Roy's remarks on how Congress 'royally screwed the country' with $1.7T, 4,100-page omnibus",2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TX,Chip Roy,R000614,roy.house.gov,roy,https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—Thursday evening, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) spoke on the House floor in fervent opposition of lame duck Democrats' last-ditch $1.7 trillion, 4,100-page omnibus bill. Excerpts of his full speech can be found below.

""Today, the United States Senate, the Senate supposedly the 'upper chamber,' the House of Lords in the United States, if you will, sent us, or is in the process of sending us after voting for it, a 4,155-page bill unveiled yesterday morning at 1:30am that will cost 1.7 trillion dollars. This bill will increase spending: 118 billion dollars.""

""This bill has 45 billion dollars for the country of Ukraine. 21 percent over President Biden's request, by the way. 40 billion dollars for disaster relief. 15 billion dollars for 7,234 earmarks with the senior senator of Alabama, Richard Shelby walking out of the Senate with his legacy of 670 million dollars.""

""I could go on and on and on for all of the things that are put in here divvying us up by race, divvying us up by gender ideology, all of those earmarks just flooding out with money we don't have. But that's not even the worst of it. That's not even the actual irresponsibility of this body. That's just pork, spending that this body is used to doing to the tune of 15, 16 billion dollars. The real problem is that we are funding a whole alphabet soup of federal agencies that are demonstrably not doing their job, but more importantly are demonstrably targeting the American people.""

""What is more important than sitting down here on the floor and highlighting the fraud being perpetrated on the American people right before our eyes? A complete and utter disastrous fraud, endorsed by 18 Republican senators...I hope none of my Republican colleagues in this chamber, but we'll see. A bill that will fundamentally limit our ability to secure the border, it's actually in the dang bill. They don't even pretend anymore, ladies and gentlemen. They don't even try to hide it. They actually put the text in the bill that says this money cannot be used to secure the border of the United States, it can only be used to process people. That is in the text of this bill. Let me be clear to those 18 United States Senators: that alone, that alone should have been enough to have you vote no on this bill. And yet you voted for it.""

""Mike Lee dared to try to do something about that. Oh, and you should have seen the wailing and gnashing of teeth. 'What are you going to do? We don't want to be here until Christmas.' Why don't you tell that to George Washington and the boys crossing the Delaware in 1776? Or the boys in Bastogne in 1944? What were they doing on Christmas? Were they trying to fly out of the nation's capitol in their jets back to their homes, run their warm fireplaces, so they can be with their families after they absolutely just royally screwed the country and their kids and grandkids? Because that's what they just did. That's what this body, this House chamber, the people's house is going to do.""

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://scalise.house.gov/press-releases/Scalise%3A-Dems%E2%80%99-Radical-Spending-Bill-Will-Supercharge-Inflation-and-Border-Crisis,Scalise: Dems’ Radical Spending Bill Will Supercharge Inflation and Border Crisis,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,LA,Steve Scalise,S001176,scalise.house.gov,scalise,https://scalise.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends to discuss how Democrats' $1.8 trillion spending bill will wreak havoc on families and small businesses while doing nothing to solve the problems hurting the American people. Whip Scalise emphasized that the omnibus spending bill will cause inflation to skyrocket because Democrats are doubling down on their reckless spending at a time when the federal government should be pursuing a fiscally responsible agenda. Additionally, Whip Scalise pointed out that Democrats’ spending bill does nothing to help secure America’s border, while sending money to foreign countries to help them protect their borders.

Image

Click here or on the image above to watch the interview.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://sessions.house.gov/2022/12/congressman-sessions-denounces-largest-spending-bill-in-history,Congressman Sessions Denounces Largest Spending Bill in History,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,TX,Pete Sessions,S000250,sessions.house.gov,sessions,https://sessions.house.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congressman Pete Sessions (TX-17) released the following statement after House passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which will provide funding for the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2023.

“Democrats have used the lame duck to jam through the largest spending bill in history which excessively supports anti-American interests. This $1.7 TRILLION package exasperates persistent inflation, the border crisis in Texas, and rapidly increasing fentanyl overdoses, among other crises American families are facing due to federal government inaction.

Some of the most egregious portions of this bill include:

· $1.75 BILLION for the ATF– An increase of $215.9 MILLION from FY2022

· $200 MILLION for new Gender Equity & Equality Action Fund and gender programs in Pakistan

· $ 3 MILLION for an LGBTQ+ Museum in New York City

· $108 MILLION for new environmental justice programs nationwide

· $26 MILLION for the House Office of Diversity & Inclusion

· $2 MILLION for the new “Nancy Pelosi Fellowship”

· $8.6 MILLION for the new gender advisory programs at the Pentagon

· $3.6 MILLION for the new “Michelle Obama Trail”

While I could not support the outgoing Majority’s underlying bill, this bill does include a number of measures that I would support independently, including many Texas 17th District growth, infrastructure, and water projects that I worked hard to include in this package. I am proud of these priorities and believe that they will support Central & East Texas’ position as one of the nation’s most sought-after places to live, work, learn, and raise a family.""

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://smucker.house.gov/media/press-releases/smucker-legislation-honor-world-war-ii-veteran-passes-congress-expected-become,"Smucker Legislation to Honor World War II Veteran Passes Congress, Expected to Become Law",2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,PA,Lloyd Smucker,S001199,smucker.house.gov,smucker,https://smucker.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC— Legislation introduced by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) to honor the life of Lancaster County World War II Veteran and last known survivor of the Malmedy Massacre, Harold Billow, is expected to become law after passage in Congress this week.

Smucker’s legislation to designate the Mount Joy Post Office Building as the “Harold Billow Post Office Building” in honor of Billow, a lifelong Mount Joy resident was passed by the Senate and in the House on December 23rd.

“I’m thankful that our community will be able to honor an Mr. Harold Billow, an American hero, and an exceptional member of the Greatest Generation. He selflessly served our nation as a member of the United States Armed Forces and after his service displayed his steadfast patriotism remembering the 87 fellow soldiers lost during the Malmedy Massacre by displaying 87 American flags in his front yard on holidays throughout the year. May we always remember, honor, and give thanks for Mr. Billow’s service to our nation,” said Rep. Smucker.

Background:

A Mount Joy resident since the age of six, Mr. Billow was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943 and trained as a “flash and sound” technician. During World War II, he was attached to Battery B of the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion and arrived in France in 1944 at the age of 21.

On December 17th, 1944, Mr. Billow and 120 others in his unit were captured by Nazi soldiers, who fired upon the group rather than taking prisoners. 87 American soldiers were killed in this attack, which would later become known as the Malmedy Massacre. Mr. Billow was not struck by the bullets but fell to the ground and pretended to be dead as the Nazis walked among the survivors and shot any living men in the head. After several hours, he escaped by running to a nearby house with other survivors then, realizing the Nazis were behind them, he fled in the open air until he was found by the U.S. 30th Armored Division.

Upon returning to the U.S., Mr. Billow spent the rest of his life in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, and was a committed member of VFW Post 5752 in Mount Joy, the Mount Joy Fire Department, American Legion Post 466 of Marietta, Pennsylvania, and the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://smucker.house.gov/media/press-releases/smucker-opposes-massive-spending-bill,Smucker Opposes Massive Spending Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,PA,Lloyd Smucker,S001199,smucker.house.gov,smucker,https://smucker.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) voted against the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, a massive $1.7 trillion spending bill. Smucker issued the following statement:

“Congress must get our nation’s fiscal house in order. We cannot continue to utilize this broken process which leads to unsustainable spending and a growing national debt. We simply cannot spend more and more year after year without consequences. The 118th Congress will now be faced with making the difficult decisions necessary to put us on the right financial track. We cannot continue to fail future generations of Americans by relentlessly adding to our already outrageous national debt.”

“While I have significant concerns about the budgetary impact of this legislation, I am thankful that two bipartisan policies which I championed will be signed into law. I want to thank Reps. Gwen Moore and Lucy McBath for joining with me to advance the Savings Access For Escaping and Rebuilding (SAFER) Act to provide survivors of domestic abuse access to tax-free withdrawals from their retirement plans to escape their abuser and find safety. I also want to thank Rep. Kildee for co-leading the State and Local Corrections Officer Retirement Fairness Act of 2022 with me, which will provide additional support to corrections officers across the nation,” said Smucker.

Background:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-spartz-issues-statement-omnibus-vote-0,Rep. Spartz Issues Statement on Omnibus Vote,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,IN,Victoria Spartz,S000929,spartz.house.gov,spartz,https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Victoria Spartz (IN-05) issued the following statement on the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill vote:

“The wasteful omnibus bill passed by the House today saddles the next generation of Americans with more untold debt—all while failing to address the most pressing issues we face: an out-of-control border crisis, record-high inflation, and energy security. It’s unfortunate that Senate Republican leadership cut a deal with House Democrats and gave away leverage of the incoming Republican majority in the House. Therefore, I voted no,” said Rep. Spartz. “Democrats are also playing politics with the situation in Ukraine by throwing in $9 billion in important security assistance funding within a much larger spending package full of left-wing pet projects – one that most Republicans cannot, in good conscience, support, instead of having a stand-alone package to show strong bipartisan support of Ukraine.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://steil.house.gov/media/press-releases/steil-wasteful-spending-in-washington-continues-as-new-majority-draws-near,Steil: Wasteful Spending in Washington Continues as New Majority Draws Near,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,WI,Bryan Steil,S001213,steil.house.gov,steil,https://steil.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Bryan Steil released a statement following the House vote on the $1.6 trillion omnibus spending package.

“The Democratic controlled Congress is ending just as it started off, with another reckless spending package. Washington continues to spend beyond its means. On January 3rd, the reckless spending that has made everything unaffordable for American families will end. I voted against this massive spending bill.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z
https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/thompson-opposes-17-trillion-government-spending-bill,Thompson Opposes The $1.7 Trillion Government Spending Bill,2022-12-23,2022,2022-12,Republican,House,PA,Glenn Thompson,T000467,thompson.house.gov,thompson,https://thompson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn ""GT"" Thompson issued the following statement after the vote on the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus:

""This feels more like Groundhog Day than Christmas. We've seen this play before: a lame-duck rush by Washington Democrats to spend more taxpayer dollars before Republicans control the House in January. I voted no.""

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T03:32:05Z