July 18, 2025—Regina, Saskatchewan—Department of Justice Canada
The Government of Canada is providing up to $850,000 annually to support the operation of drug treatment courts (DTCs) by the Government and Courts of Saskatchewan. This funding has allowed the recent opening of the Battlefords Drug Treatment Court, which marks an expansion of existing DTCs in Regina and Moose Jaw to serve the Battlefords and west central Saskatchewan. This was made possible through Justice Canada’s Drug Treatment Court Funding Program.
The opening of the additional DTC was applauded by Buckley Belanger, Member of Parliament for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. The Government of Canada is committed to provide support to break the cycle of addiction without punishment.
DTCs provide a way to mix justice with health care, giving treatment instead of punishment to those whose crimes are related to substance use. These courts aim to break the cycle of addiction and crime for eligible adult offenders.
The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives announces bills that will be considered under suspension of the rules in that chamber. Under suspension, floor debate is limited, all floor amendments are prohibited, points of order against the bill are waived, and final passage requires a two-thirds majority vote.
At the request of the Majority Leader and the House Committee on the Budget, CBO estimates the effects of those bills on direct spending and revenues. CBO has limited time to review the legislation before consideration. Although it is possible in most cases to determine whether the legislation would affect direct spending or revenues, time may be insufficient to estimate the magnitude of those effects. If CBO has prepared estimates for similar or identical legislation, a more detailed assessment of budgetary effects, including effects on spending subject to appropriation, may be included.
CBO’s estimates of the bills that have been posted for possible consideration under suspension of the rules during the week of July 21, 2025, include:
H.R. 131, Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, as amended
H.R. 183, Law Enforcement Officer Recreation Pass Act, as amended
H.R. 672, To establish new ZIP Codes for certain communities, and for other purposes, as amended
H.R. 1043, La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act
H.R. 1450, OFAC Licensure for Investigators Act
H.R. 1469, Senior Security Act of 2025, as amended
H.R. 1549, China Financial Threat Mitigation Act of 2025, as amended
H.R. 1716, Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act of 2025, as amended
H.R.1764, Aligning SEC Regulations for the World Bank’s International Development Association Act, as amended
H.R. 1917, Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act of 2025, as amended
H.R. 2170, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Toms River, New Jersey, the Leonard G. ‘Bud’ Lomell, VA Clinic, and for other purposes
H.R. 2384, Financial Technology Protection Act, as amended
H.R. 2625, VERY Act of 2025
H.R. 3095, To direct the United States Postal Service to designate single, unique ZIP Codes for certain communities, and for other purposes, as amended
H.R. 3339, Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act of 2025, as amended
H.R. 3343, Greenlighting Growth Act, as amended
H.R. 3351, Improving Access to Small Business Information Act, as amended
H.R. 3357, Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act, as amended
H.R. 3382, Small Entity Update Act, as amended
H.R. 3395, Middle Market IPO Underwriting Cost Act, as amended
H.R. 3937, Wabeno Economic Development Act, as amended
H.R. 4275, Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, as amended
CFTC Staff Withdraws Advisory on Prime Brokerage Arrangements | CFTC
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July 18, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Clearing and Risk today announced it is withdrawing CFTC Letter No. 23-06, Staff Advisory Relating to Prime Brokerage Arrangements and Derivatives Clearing Organization Registration, effective immediately. Market participants should contact DCR staff with questions regarding the potential need to register as a derivatives clearing organization.
Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
“President Trump was crystal clear on the campaign trail: under his leadership, the United States will be the crypto capital of the world. With his signature on the GENIUS Act, we’ve made history and have delivered important regulatory clarity for the stablecoin industry…,” said Senator Scott.
WASHINGTON — Today, President Donald J. Trump signed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act – legislation Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) co-sponsored and championed as it advanced through the Senate. The GENIUS Act – which was led by Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and also cosponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) – establishes a first of its kind regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, protecting consumers and strengthening national security. Under Senator Scott’s leadership, the bill passed the Senate Banking Committee in March, with every Republican and five Democrats supporting it.
“President Trump was crystal clear on the campaign trail: under his leadership, the United States will be the crypto capital of the world. With his signature on the GENIUS Act, we’ve made history and have delivered important regulatory clarity for the stablecoin industry. I’m grateful to the president and my colleagues for their tireless efforts and leadership on this legislation, which will not only support working families, small businesses, and communities across America with faster, cheaper, and more accessible payments but will also solidify the U.S. dollar’s dominance across the world. Let’s be clear – our work here is not finished – and I look forward to taking the same energy and approach to deliver digital asset market structure legislation to President Trump’s desk,”said Senator Scott.
BACKGROUND:
Upon becoming Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Scott pledged to advance a regulatory framework that will provide clarity for the digital assets industry and promote consumer choice, education, and protection. Building on that promise, Senator Scott created the first-ever Subcommittee on Digital Assets, led by Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.).
In its first legislative markup of the 119th Congress, and after considering nearly 40 amendments to the bill, the Senate Banking Committee voted to advance the GENIUS Act, with every Republican and five Democrats supporting it.
Ahead of the Senate’s vote on the bill, key stakeholders voiced support for the legislation. After the Senate voted to begin consideration of the bill, Senator Scott issued astatement and spoke on the Senate floor highlighting the importance of passing the bill, noting that the GENIUS Act is the result of months of good-faith, bipartisan negotiations and has benefited from extensive consultation with industry participants, legal and academic experts, and government stakeholders. On June 17, the Senate passed the bill and President Trump endorsed the legislation. The House of Representatives advancedthe legislation on July 17, 2025.
To read Senator Scott’s op-ed in the Washington Examiner on the GENIUS Act, click here.
Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
WASHINGTON — This week, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) was joined by Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cynthis Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in introducing legislation to reauthorize rural health outreach services programs that were signed into law under President Trump in 2020. The Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act would ensure that local rural needs are prioritized in grant awards by requiring community involvement in the planning and implementation of projects to ensure services are tailored to local needs.
“The 43 percent higher mortality rate in rural communities is not just a statistic, it represents our neighbors, our families, and fellow Americans who deserve equal access to quality healthcare,” said Senator Scott. “By reauthorizing these critical health service outreach programs, we are helping to close the gap and prevent these communities from being left behind.”
“When I meet with families, farmers, businesses and community leaders in greater Minnesota, one of the first issues that comes up is health care,”said Senator Smith.“Rural communities often face increased barriers to medical services, including staff shortages and lack of federal funding. The Improving Care in Rural America Act continues the important progress we’ve made in providing these small towns and rural communities with the resources they need to support appropriate care for all.”
“The people of Wyoming should not have to travel far for quality care,”said Senator Lummis.“The Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act ensures rural clinics will continue to be funded and equipped to provide patient-centered services from corner to corner of the Cowboy State. Wyoming faces unique healthcare challenges, and I am proud to champion tailored solutions by reauthorizing this vital grant program to make medical services more accessible throughout my state.”
“Across Virginia and throughout the U.S., rural communities often face unique challenges that lead to reduced or even nonexistent access to lifesaving medical care,” said Senator Kaine. “Especially at a time when our rural health providers are grappling with severe budget cuts that could force them to close their doors, I urge all of my colleagues to join us in passing this bipartisan legislation to reauthorize key federal grants that support rural health care.”
This bill reauthorizes three key programs under the Public Health Service Act through FY2030:
Rural Healthcare Services Grants
Rural Health Network Grants
Small Healthcare Provider Quality Improvement Grants
A version of the bill was also introduced in the House by Congressmen, Earl Carter (R-GA), Shomari Figures (D-AL), Michael Rulli (R-OH), and Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA).
Background:
Geographic isolation, workforce shortages, transportation barriers, facility closures, and inadequate insurance coverage create substantial obstacles to accessing essential medical services in rural communities.
These systemic barriers have resulted in unmet healthcare needs that translate into a devastating 43% higher mortality rate for rural residents compared to their urban and suburban counterparts.
The Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act would address critical gaps by reauthorizing programs that would lead to:
Increased access to healthcare services and preventative screenings
Improved chronic disease management and health outcomes
Expanded telehealth services
Reduced emergency room visits for nearly 500,000 individuals who receive direct services for these programs every year.
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester (both D-Del.), released the following statement on President Trump’s nomination of Jennifer Mascott to fill the open Delaware seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit:
“For months, we have worked with the White House in good faith to identify and interview qualified Delawareans for this lifetime position on the Third Circuit. We interviewed several promising candidates, including sitting members of the federal judiciary, with deep roots in the Delaware legal community and the qualifications to serve our state and the Third Circuit with distinction. We were encouraged when the White House Counsel’s Office – led by a Delawarean – interviewed those candidates as well. We had hope that the advice and consent process set out in the Constitution could work because it had in the past. During President Trump’s first term, Delaware’s senators identified, and a bipartisan Senate unanimously confirmed, two consensus judicial nominees to Delaware’s federal bench.
“That was not the case this time around. The Trump administration has now nominated someone with whom we have never met and who has little– if any – connection to our state or to the Third Circuit. Ms. Mascott has never been a member of the Delaware bar and was only admitted to practice before the Third Circuit two months ago. Her key qualification appears to be that she works in President Trump’s White House Counsel’s Office. She has never been a judge of any kind, yet she is nominated to one of the highest judicial posts in the country. As far as we know, her relationship to Delaware is confined to a vacation beach house she sometimes visits in our state.”
MAKING AMERICA THE LEADER IN DIGITAL ASSETS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, a historic piece of legislation that will pave the way for the United States to lead the global digital currency revolution.
The GENIUS Act prioritizes consumer protection, strengthens the U.S. dollar’s reserve currency status, and bolsters our national security.
The GENIUS Act will make America the undisputed leader in digital assets, bringing massive investment and innovation to our country.
PROTECTING CONSUMERS IN THE DIGITAL MARKET: President Trump supports the GENIUS Act because it protects consumers from nefarious actors in financial markets.
This long-overdue legislation creates the first-ever Federal regulatory system for stablecoins, ensuring their stability and trust through strong reserve requirements.
The GENIUS Act requires 100% reserve backing with liquid assets like U.S. dollars or short-term Treasuries and requires issuers to make monthly, public disclosures of the composition of reserves.
Stablecoin issuers must comply with strict marketing rules to protect consumers from deceptive practices. Crucially, they are forbidden from making misleading claims that their stablecoins are backed by the U.S. government, federally insured, or legal tender.
The GENIUS Act aligns State and Federal stablecoin frameworks, ensuring fair and consistent regulation throughout the country.
In the event of insolvency of a stablecoin issuer, the GENIUS Act prioritizes stablecoin holders’ claims over all other creditors, ensuring a final backstop of consumer protection.
ENSURING U.S. DOLLAR GLOBAL RESERVE CURRENCY STATUS: By driving demand for U.S. Treasuries, stablecoins will play a crucial role in ensuring the continued global dominance of the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency.
The GENIUS Act will generate increased demand for U.S. debt and cement the dollar’s status as the global reserve currency by requiring stablecoin issuers to back their assets with Treasuries and U.S. dollars.
Additionally, the GENIUS Act will play a key role in attracting more digital asset activity to the country by providing clear rules and promoting responsible innovation in the stablecoin market.
COMBATING ILLICIT ACTIVITY IN DIGITAL ASSETS: Through regulation and registration of stablecoin issuers, along with coordination with the Treasury Department on sanctions enforcement, the GENIUS Act reinforces our national security.
The GENIUS Act explicitly subjects stablecoin issuers to the Bank Secrecy Act, thereby clearly obligating them to establish effective anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance programs with risk assessments, sanctions list verification, and customer identification.
This legislation improves the Treasury Department’s ability to combat illicit stablecoin activities by enhancing its sanctions evasion and money laundering enforcement capabilities.
All stablecoin issuers must possess the technical capability to seize, freeze, or burn payment stablecoins when legally required and must comply with lawful orders to do so.
DELIVERING ON PROMISE TO MAKE AMERICA THE CRYPTO CAPITAL OF THE WORLD: President Trump is fulfilling his campaign promise to position America as the global leader in cryptocurrency.
President Trump promised to make the United States the “crypto capital of the world,” emphasizing the need to embrace digital assets to drive economic growth and technological leadership.
In his first week in office, President Trump signed an Executive Order to promote United States leadership in digital assets.
In March, President Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile, positioning the United States as a leader among nations in government digital asset strategy.
President Trump has long been a proponent of the GENIUS Act, saying it “is going to make America the UNDISPUTED Leader in Digital Assets — Nobody will do it better, it is pure GENIUS! Digital Assets are the future, and our Nation is going to own it. We are talking about MASSIVE Investment, and Big Innovation. The House will hopefully move LIGHTNING FAST, and pass a ‘clean’ GENIUS Act. Get it to my desk, ASAP — NO DELAYS, NO ADD ONS. This is American Brilliance at its best, and we are going to show the World how to WIN with Digital Assets like never before!”
Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen will attend this year’s Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) Annual Summit and take part in a panel discussion and fireside chat to highlight the importance of economic corridors to facilitating Alberta’s mutually beneficial trade with the region.
Associate Minister of Water Grant Hunter will participate in two panels: Aquatic Invasive Species: Lurking Threat to the Regional Economy and Environment, and Technology and the Future of Water.
MLA for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland Shane Getson, MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright Garth Rowswell, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat Justin Wright, MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore Chantelle de Jonge and MLA for Leduc-Beaumont Brandon Lunty will also attend the summit, teaming up to advance Alberta’s priorities in meetings, working groups and sessions.
Alberta’s delegates will bring the province’s perspective to future-focused discussions on a broad range of priorities when meeting and engaging with U.S. state legislators, officials and influential corporate leaders from across the Pacific Northwest region. These priorities include making the case for enhancing Alberta-U.S. energy collaboration and working together to support the key policies, infrastructure and pathways needed to move even more of Alberta’s traditional and emerging energy products to our growing list of customers in the U.S.
Alberta’s government and industry partners have begun preparations to host the 2026 PNWER Annual Summit. MLA Shane Getson will also take the opportunity to formally invite PNWER delegates to make the trip to Edmonton next July to see firsthand why Alberta’s vast resources and homegrown solutions are the answer to the United States’ prosperous future.
“Alberta is a leader in collaborating with other jurisdictions to advance strategic trade corridors to position Canada as a global gateway and unlock access to new markets, strengthen national security and drive economic growth. I look forward to meeting with our U.S. partners and sharing Alberta’s successes in establishing economic corridors as well as highlighting our vision related to new corridors and nation-building projects.”
“Water is one of our most valuable resources, and this summit is a chance to have meaningful conversations that help to drive regional solutions for the issues that matter to Albertans. From drought and water infrastructure to the fight against aquatic invasive species, this is an opportunity to work with our neighbours, share what’s working and shape what comes next.”
“As the president of PNWER Canada, I am eager to strengthen our trade relationships with member states. I am confident that this year will grow the long list of influential U.S. decision makers who are committed to working with Alberta, aiding in decision-making that will benefit people on both sides of the border.”
“We are a trading province, and our goal is to strengthen Alberta’s ties with the U.S. Pacific Northwest for the benefit of the people of Alberta, and every province and state represented at PNWER.
I look forward to highlighting the countless opportunities to grow our economies, and our trading relationship as long-standing allies.”
“Along with our fellow Canadians in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, Alberta has been a member of PNWER since its founding more than three decades ago. Our time at this year’s summit is a great opportunity to continue building on that legacy as Alberta prepares to host the 2026 PNWER Annual Summit in our capital city next July.”
“Alberta’s strengths in agriculture, energy, ground-breaking technologies, emissions reduction solutions and more make our province the perfect fit for addressing the priorities of our PNWER partners. I look forward to showcasing the important role that Alberta can play in building a resilient future through regional collaboration, innovation and enhanced trade across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.”
“Alberta is a powerhouse of economic opportunity. Working alongside U.S. legislators to maintain and enhance cost-effective and efficient corridors between Alberta and our long-standing customers in the Pacific Northwest is key to ensuring our two nations contribute to one another’s overall success, including job security and economic stability for all our citizens.”
PNWER is a non-partisan, public/private partnership that was established in 1991 to advance the economic well-being, quality of life and common interests of its 10 member jurisdictions, which include the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Washington, the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, and the Yukon and Northwest Territories.
Minister Dreeshen will travel with one staff member and Associate Minister Hunter will travel with two staff members. Mission expenses will be posted on the travel and expense disclosure page.
Quick facts
The U.S. is Alberta’s largest trading partner, and Alberta is the second-largest provincial exporter to the U.S. after Ontario.
In 2024, Alberta’s exports to the U.S. totalled C$162.1 billion, accounting for 88.7 per cent of total provincial exports. The U.S. is also an important source of industrial inputs and consumer goods for the province.
The Pacific Northwest is an important trade region for Alberta. In 2024, bilateral trade between Alberta and the PNWER U.S. member states totalled C$21 billion.
Itinerary for Minister Dreeshen*
July 22
Travel to Bellevue, WA.
Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
July 23
Participate as a panelist in the session on Economic Corridors: Ports, Routes & the Future of Trade.
Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
July 24
Travel to Alberta.
*Subject to change.
Itinerary for Associate Minister Hunter*
July 20
Travel to Bellevue, WA.
Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
July 21
Participate in the session Aquatic Invasive Species: Lurking Threat to the Regional Economy and Environment.
Participate in the session Technology and the Future of Water.
Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
July 22
Travel to Alberta.
*Subject to change.
Itinerary for MLAs Getson, Rowswell, de Jonge and Lunty*
July 20
Travel to Bellevue, WA.
Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
July 21-24
Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
Travel to Alberta.
*Subject to change.
Itinerary for MLA Wright*
July 20
Travel to Bellevue, WA.
Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
July 21-23
Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), announced that the U.S. Department of Education will officially release critical funding to support 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
This announcement comes after Senator Capito led a group of her Republican colleagues in a letter this week to Russell Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), advocating to release anticipated education formula funding—an issue she has heard about directly from impacted individuals. Click here to read the full letter.
“21st Century Community Learning Centers offer important services that many West Virginians rely on. This program supports states in providing quality after-school and summer learning programs for students while enabling their parents to work and contribute to local economies. We should be supporting education opportunities like these. I made this clear to OMB Director Vought and was glad he followed through on my request to release these critical funds. Doing so will help our students in West Virginia and across country thrive,” Senator Capito said.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) welcomed the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to release critical education funding. This comes days after Boozman joined a letter led by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and signed by eight additional Senate Republican colleagues supporting the 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
The letter urged White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought to release education funding secured in the Fiscal Year 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act, signed into law by President Trump earlier this year. These funds support longstanding, bipartisan initiatives like after-school and summer programs in The Natural State and across the country.
“Arkansas families, students and teachers benefit from programs that provide safe and enriching environments,” said Boozman. “I am pleased to continue working alongside my colleagues and the administration to champion access to the educational opportunities that can help Americans thrive.”
Text of the letter can be found here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) joined Congresswoman Norma Torres (D-CA), Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Congressmen Derek Tran (D-CA), Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), and the entire California Democratic Congressional Delegation in demanding the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) immediately release nearly $7 billion in Congressionally-appropriated funding for K-12 schools and adult education — including $928 million owed to California.
With the start of the new school year approaching in California, the Trump administration gave states only one day’s notice that these critical funds would be indefinitely frozen past their typical release on July 1, 2025. As a result, California schools are already being forced to roll back programs, lay off staff, and cut student services.
“These programs support some of the most vulnerable and underserved students and communities in California and have been demonstrated to have lifelong benefits to students’ educational attainment, income, and other measures of well-being. Each passing day that these funds are unlawfully withheld hurts our schools and students and strains already limited budgets,” said the Members. “In California alone, the Trump administration’s funding freeze is affecting hundreds of thousands of students and educators. For many of California’s school districts, this funding had already been accounted for in school budgets for the upcoming school year. Now, our schools are being forced to delay hiring and reduce resources to help students.”
The withheld funding includes vital investments in:
Reducing class sizes and teacher recruitment and retention, especially in underserved areas.
After-school, before-school, and summer learning programs in low-income communities.
School-based mental health services, accelerated learning courses, STEM education, and college and career counseling.
Academic Support for English learners and children of migrant workers.
Adult education and workforce readiness programs.
With nearly 5.8 million K-12 students in California, the illegal freezing of these funds is already hurting our schools and students. Many school districts had already budgeted for these federal dollars, leaving them scrambling to fill massive funding gaps just weeks before the school year begins.
“We demand that the Department of Education and the Trump Administration stop holding K-12 student funding hostage and release the nearly $7 billion in funding meant to help our students, teachers, and families, including the $928 million being unlawfully withheld from California,” the members continued. “This illegal freeze in funding is setting our students and schools up for failure. Our teachers, families, and children deserve better than the Trump Administration’s reckless upheaval and chaos.”
The letter was also signed by Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Gilbert Cisneros (D-CA), Lou Correa (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Laura Friedman (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Adam Gray (D-CA), Josh Harder (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Mike Levin (D-CA), Sam Liccardo (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Dave Min (D-CA), Kefvin Mullin (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Luz Rivas (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Maxine Waters (D-CA), and George Whitesides (D-CA).
The full letter can be found here and below:
The Honorable Linda E. McMahon Secretary U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20202
The Honorable Russell Vought Director Office of Management and Budget Executive Office of the President 725 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20503
Dear Secretary McMahon and Director Vought:
As Members of the California Congressional Delegation, we write to express deep concerns regarding the Department of Education’s illegal and reckless decision to withhold nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult education, including $928 million for California. With the start of the new school year approaching, on June 30, 2025, States were just given one day’s notice that the funds would be indefinitely frozen past their typical release on July 1. This freeze leaves our communities scrambling and is already forcing schools in California and across America to roll back programs, lay off staff, and cut services for our students. Releasing these funds, which support critical education programs and services for millions of students, is required by law. We call on you to immediately reverse your illegal decision and distribute the funding to States.
These funds make up more than 10% of federal investments in K-12 schools in most states. With nearly 5.8 million K-12 students in California, the illegal freezing of these Congressionally appropriated funds is already hurting our schools and students, impacting the planning, operation, and funding for programs that support:
Reducing class sizes; recruiting and retaining teachers, including in underserved areas; and improving the effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders through the Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants program (Title II, Part A);
Quality, local after-school, before-school, and summer learning for students, particularly those in underserved communities, through the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers program (Title IV, Part B);
Local community efforts to improve students’ academic performance, such as accelerated learning courses, school-based mental health services, STEM education, and college and career counseling, through the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (Title IV, Part A);
English language learners in learning and gaining proficiency in English through the English Language Acquisition program (Title III, Part A);
Education for children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers who do the hard work to ensure Americans have food on their tables, through the Migrant Education program (Title I, Part C); and
Providing adults and out-of-school youth with the basic skills, like reading, math, and problem-solving, needed to be productive workers, family members, and citizens, through the Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants.
These programs support some of the most vulnerable and underserved students and communities in California and have been demonstrated to have lifelong benefits to students’ educational attainment, income, and other measures of well-being. Each passing day that these funds are unlawfully withheld hurts our schools and students and strains already limited budgets. In California alone, the Trump Administration’s funding freeze is affecting hundreds of thousands of students and educators. For many of California’s school districts, this funding had already been accounted for in school budgets for the upcoming school year. Now, our schools are being forced to delay hiring and reduce resources to help students. Rather than being able to work towards and plan for a successful learning environment for our students, each day that goes by means schools are forced to consider rolling back the programs mentioned above, lay off teachers, and cut back essential services.
We demand that the Department of Education and the Trump Administration stop holding K-12 student funding hostage and release the nearly $7 billion in funding meant to help our students, teachers, and families, including the $928 million being unlawfully withheld from California. This illegal freeze in funding is setting our students and schools up for failure. Our teachers, families, and children deserve better than the Trump Administration’s reckless upheaval and chaos.
Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter. Given the imminent start of the next school year, we request a prompt response no later than July 21, 2025.
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced he will join President Donald Trump tonight at the White House for a dinner celebrating the passage of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.
“Looking forward to dinner with President Trump tonight,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We will talk about how we can continue to work together to push a pro-worker, pro-family, pro-patient agenda.”
On Wednesday, Cassidy joined President Trump at the White House for the signing of Cassidy’s HALT Fentanyl Act.
Two people canoe on a lake during a summer day in Kananaskis Country.
From mountains to vast prairies, Alberta is home to captivating wild spaces offering countless opportunities to explore, enjoy and reconnect with nature. Whether it’s hiking, fishing, camping or hanging out by the beach, Alberta’s provincial parks and protected areas have an activity for everyone.
Alberta’s parks offer more than beautiful landscapes – they play a key role in boosting physical health and mental well-being and are community spaces that encourage connection to each other and nature. Alberta Parks hosts special Parks Day events across the province, including family friendly activities, as well as educational programs that celebrate Alberta’s wildlife, environment and history.
“I want to wish all Albertans a happy Parks Day! Parks Day gives us the opportunity to celebrate the incredible outdoor spaces that define our province – from the badlands to rugged backcountry trails, to the peaceful lakeside campgrounds. Parks are for people, and whether you are headed out to camp, fish or hike this weekend, Alberta Parks offers something for everyone to celebrate, recreate and enjoy nature.”
Since 1990, Parks Day has been celebrated on the third Saturday in July to highlight the benefits of parks and natural spaces across Canada. In 2025, Alberta’s provincial parks system celebrates 95 years of protecting the province’s natural heritage, preserving critical habitats and providing a home to a diverse range of wildlife. Alberta Parks offers many activities for the whole family throughout the year, including guided tours, hikes and educational programs designed to provide fun for all ages.
“Alberta’s provincial parks are where memories are made, families connect, and visitors from near and far come to experience the beauty and spirit of our province. As we celebrate Parks Day and 95 years of Alberta’s parks system, we recognize the vital role these natural spaces play in our well-being, our tourism economy and our connection to the land. TIAA is proud to join Albertans in honouring the places that inspire adventure, reflection, and community.”
This year, Alberta’s government is engaging the public on the draft Plan for Parks. Albertans can participate in the online survey until July 26 to have their say in the future of our parks. Alberta’s government also launched a seniors’ discount on camping fees for Albertans at select campgrounds, opening the door to more low-cost outdoor adventures and opportunities to foster a deeper connection with nature.
Quick facts
Alberta’s provincial parks system contains 464 provincial parks and protected areas.
Alberta recently established Gipsy Gordon Wildland Provincial Park, adding 150,000 hectares to the parks system.
Last year, 591,000 camper nights were booked at Alberta parks.
The Provincial Parks and Protected Areas Act was passed in 1930 and Alberta’s first park – Aspen Beach Provincial Park – was established in 1932.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)
U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) today led 26 U.S. Representatives in pressing the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to immediately withdraw Postal Inspectors from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) immigration task force. They warned that diverting USPS resources to DHS priorities jeopardizes USPS’ abilities to fulfill its essential responsibilities, including interdicting dangerous drugs, stopping theft, and investigating and preventing crimes against children.
They wrote to Acting Postmaster General Doug Tulino:
“We write with grave concern over the reported diversion of essential Postal Service law enforcement resources away from critical tasks like drug interdiction, anti-theft measures, and the prevention and investigation of crimes against children.
“As supporters of drug interdiction, anti-theft measures, and the protection of children, we are deeply concerned over reports that USPIS is being diverted away from those core missions to work on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) priorities. According to those reports, inspectors are spending time assisting DHS with painstaking review of individual letters and packages to locate individual immigrants targeted by DHS. That new task comes only a year after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) specifically recommended that USPIS continue its “increasingly important” efforts to align its resources with current mail security needs—not external priorities.
“At a time when the Postal Service is seeing year-over-year increases in serious crimes, both to employees and to mailboxes themselves, as well as mail theft, USPIS needs to focus on its core mission and not be subsumed into playing support staff for another agency’s priorities. If DHS needs additional staff and resources for their investigations, they can request additional appropriations from Congress as well as end reduction-in-force plans and hiring freezes that limit their ability to allocate and maintain appropriate staffing.
“On behalf of the countless Americans who are concerned about illegal narcotics, mail theft, child protection, we ask that you immediately end USPIS’ participation in DHS’ immigration task force and allow the service to renew its focus on its essential law enforcement efforts. Please provide an update as to the status of this request by Friday, August 1, 2025.”
The letter to Acting Postmaster General Tulino was sent by U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (VA), Suzanne Bonamici (OR), André Carson (IN), Troy Carter (LA), Greg Casar (TX), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL), Judy Chu (CA), Yvette Clarke (NY), Steve Cohen (TN), Lou Correa (CA), Danny Davis (NC), Dwight Evans (PA), Dan Goldman (NY), Al Green (TX), Jonathan Jackson (IL), Pramila Jayapal (WA), Henry Johnson (GA), Zoe Lofgren (CA), Sarah McBride (DE), LaMonica McIver (NJ), Jimmy Panetta (CA), Bobby Scott (VA), Mark Takano (CA), Paul Tonko (NY), Marc Veasey (TX), Nydia Velázquez (NY), and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).
Full text of the letter follows below, and a signed copy is available here.
***
Dear Acting Postmaster General Tulino:
We write with grave concern over the reported diversion of essential Postal Service law enforcement resources away from critical tasks like drug interdiction, anti-theft measures, and the prevention and investigation of crimes against children.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is the oldest law enforcement agency in the country and has more than 200 years of experience protecting USPS workers from serious crime while enforcing laws that prohibit the use of our nation’s mail system for illegal activities. Among other responsibilities, postal inspectors prevent the flow of illegal and dangerous drugs through the mail and aggressively investigate mail theft. They are also invaluable partners to broader federal programs like the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Project Safe Childhood (PSC), which is the federal government’s nationwide initiative to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.
Thanks to its long history and narrow focus on mail-related crimes, USPIS is tremendously effective at its core missions. In FY25 alone, USPIS has seized 1,301 pounds of fentanyl— enough for more than 295 million lethal doses of the drug. Over the course of another recent year, the Inspection Service initiated 1,559 arrests for mail theft, 482 for assault or robbery, and 3 for child exploitation. Historically, thanks to investigators’ dedicated work the consistent resources dedicated to USPIS, the service has more than a 98% conviction rate when it takes a case to trial.
As supporters of drug interdiction, anti-theft measures, and the protection of children, we are deeply concerned over reports that USPIS is being diverted away from those core missions to work on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) priorities. According to those reports, inspectors are spending time assisting DHS with painstaking review of individual letters and packages to locate individual immigrants targeted by DHS. That new task comes only a year after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) specifically recommended that USPIS continue its “increasingly important” efforts to align its resources with current mail security needs—not external priorities.
At a time when the Postal Service is seeing year-over-year increases in serious crimes, both to employees and to mailboxes themselves, as well as mail theft, USPIS needs to focus on its core mission and not be subsumed into playing support staff for another agency’s priorities. If DHS needs additional staff and resources for their investigations, they can request additional appropriations from Congress as well as end reduction-in-force plans and hiring freezes that limit their ability to allocate and maintain appropriate staffing.
On behalf of the countless Americans who are concerned about illegal narcotics, mail theft, child protection, we ask that you immediately end USPIS’ participation in DHS’ immigration task force and allow the service to renew its focus on its essential law enforcement efforts. Please provide an update as to the status of this request by Friday, August 1, 2025.
n the aftermath of a disaster, Oregonians often ask, “How can I help?” While offers of donated goods like clothing, food, and household items are heartfelt, they can create serious logistical challenges for emergency responders and community organizations already stretched thin. Unless specifically requested, these types of donations can actually slow down relief efforts.
The best way to support disaster survivors is by donating cash to trusted relief organizations. Cash donations:
-Allow relief organizations to purchase exactly what is needed, when it is needed – Help local businesses recover by sourcing supplies locally – Require no transportation, storage, or sorting – Can be deployed immediately to where they’re most needed
Before giving, always confirm that your donation is going to a verified, local fund or nonprofit that is active in the response and recovery effort.
Supporting Rowena Fire Recovery
We continue to receive generous offers of support for those impacted by the Rowena Fire in Wasco County. While we deeply appreciate this compassion, we kindly ask that the public donate cash instead of goods to help the community recover effectively and efficiently.
Here’s how you can help:
Make a donation to the official Rowena Fire Relief & Recovery Fund, managed by United Way of the Columbia Gorge: https://uwcg.ejoinme.org/RowenaFireReliefRecoveryFund 100% of donations will stay local and directly support individuals and families impacted by the fire.
For Wasco County-specific updates and long-term recovery efforts, visit: https://www.co.wasco.or.us/departments/emergency_management/rowena_fire_long_term_recovery_group/index.php
Join a Community Fundraiser This Sunday
Come out and cheer on our first responders as they take the field for a great cause!
Charity Baseball Game: Mid-Columbia Fire District vs. The Hustlers Sunday, July 205:30 PM Quinton Street Ballfield
This fun, family-friendly event will raise funds for Rowena Fire survivors. All donations collected at the game will be directed to the official United Way fund.
We appreciate your support and generosity. In times of crisis, compassion paired with coordination helps our communities recover stronger and faster.
n the aftermath of a disaster, Oregonians often ask, “How can I help?” While offers of donated goods like clothing, food, and household items are heartfelt, they can create serious logistical challenges for emergency responders and community organizations already stretched thin. Unless specifically requested, these types of donations can actually slow down relief efforts.
The best way to support disaster survivors is by donating cash to trusted relief organizations. Cash donations:
-Allow relief organizations to purchase exactly what is needed, when it is needed – Help local businesses recover by sourcing supplies locally – Require no transportation, storage, or sorting – Can be deployed immediately to where they’re most needed
Before giving, always confirm that your donation is going to a verified, local fund or nonprofit that is active in the response and recovery effort.
Supporting Rowena Fire Recovery
We continue to receive generous offers of support for those impacted by the Rowena Fire in Wasco County. While we deeply appreciate this compassion, we kindly ask that the public donate cash instead of goods to help the community recover effectively and efficiently.
Here’s how you can help:
Make a donation to the official Rowena Fire Relief & Recovery Fund, managed by United Way of the Columbia Gorge: https://uwcg.ejoinme.org/RowenaFireReliefRecoveryFund 100% of donations will stay local and directly support individuals and families impacted by the fire.
For Wasco County-specific updates and long-term recovery efforts, visit: https://www.co.wasco.or.us/departments/emergency_management/rowena_fire_long_term_recovery_group/index.php
Join a Community Fundraiser This Sunday
Come out and cheer on our first responders as they take the field for a great cause!
Charity Baseball Game: Mid-Columbia Fire District vs. The Hustlers Sunday, July 205:30 PM Quinton Street Ballfield
This fun, family-friendly event will raise funds for Rowena Fire survivors. All donations collected at the game will be directed to the official United Way fund.
We appreciate your support and generosity. In times of crisis, compassion paired with coordination helps our communities recover stronger and faster.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Published: July 18, 2025
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-3, provides $153.5 billion in discretionary funding, including $19.8 billion in defense funding and $133.6 billion in nondefense funding.
“The dedicated men and women that make up the Maine National Guard and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard workforce play an important role in strengthening our national security. This significant investment would help to ensure our military’s readiness and safety while reducing maintenance costs,” said Senator Collins. “As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to champion this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
Bill Highlights:
Local Projects: $9 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects that support the Maine National Guard and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Power Reliability & Water Resiliency Upgrades: Nearly $228 million for the first increment of Power Reliability & Water Resilience Upgrades at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The project would increase reliability, resiliency, and capacity of electric and water utility systems that support nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear support facilities.
Multi-Mission Drydock #1: Nearly $221 million for the sixth increment of the Multi-Mission Drydock #1 at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP): Report language on the SIOP emphasizing its importance and urging the Navy to prioritize the timely funding of public shipyard infrastructure.
GI Bill Apprenticeship Program: Report language driving attention on the underutilization of apprenticeship and on-the-job training under the GI Bill.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $14,566,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine law enforcement and public safety upgrades. These projects were included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. The legislation, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now await consideration by the full Senate and House.
“It is critical that the men and women who make up Maine’s finest and bravest have access to the most effective equipment to better protect themselves and our communities,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would improve public safety efforts and emergency response capacity throughout Maine. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 CJS Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bills to be considered by the full Senate.
Funding advanced by Senator Collins for Maine law enforcement and public safety upgrades in the FY 2026 CJS Appropriations bill is as follows:
Cornish Public Safety Communications EquipmentRecipient: Town of CornishProject Location: Cornish, MEAmount Requested: $218,000Project Purpose: To purchase public safety communications equipment.
Farmington Police Department Public Safety EquipmentRecipient: Farmington Police DepartmentProject Location: Farmington, MEAmount Requested: $240,000Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment.
Hancock County Public Safety Equipment Recipient: Hancock County Project Location: Hancock County, ME Amount Requested: $2,300,000 Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment for law enforcement agencies in Hancock County.
Kennebunk Public Safety Communications Equipment Recipient: Town of KennebunkProject Location: Kennebunk, MEAmount Requested: $5,018,000Project Purpose: To purchase public safety communications equipment.
Lewiston Police Department Public Safety Equipment Recipient: Lewiston Police DepartmentProject Location: Lewiston, ME Amount Requested: $2,170,000Project Purpose: To purchase protective gear and other public safety equipment.
Lincoln Police Department Public Safety Equipment Recipient: Lincoln Police DepartmentProject Location: Lincoln, ME Amount Requested: $565,000Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment.
Rumford Police Department Public Safety Equipment Recipient: Rumford Police DepartmentProject Location: Rumford, ME Amount Requested: $1,000,000 Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment.
Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Equipment Recipient: Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Project Location: Somerset County, ME Amount Requested: $294,000 Project Purpose: To increase evidence storage capacity and purchase public safety equipment.
Veazie Police Department Public Safety Equipment Recipient: Town of Veazie Police DepartmentProject Location: Veazie, ME Amount Requested: $125,000 Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment.
Waldo County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety EquipmentRecipient: Waldo County Sheriff’s OfficeProject Location: Waldo County, MEAmount Requested: $688,000Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment for law enforcement agencies in Waldo County.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety EquipmentRecipient: Washington County Sheriff’s OfficeProject Location: Washington County, MEAmount Requested: $187,000Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment for law enforcement agencies in Washington County.
Wells Police Department Emergency Response VesselRecipient: Wells Police DepartmentProject Location: Wells, MEAmount Requested: $599,000 Project Purpose: To purchase an emergency response vessel and related equipment.
Winthrop Public Safety Communications EquipmentRecipient: Town of WinthropProject Location: Winthrop, ME Amount Requested: $1,162,000Project Purpose: To purchase public safety communications equipment.
This funding builds on the more than $12 million Senator Collins secured for fire stations and emergency services throughout Maine in the FY 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Published: July 18, 2025
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced significant funding and key language to support Maine’s lobster industry in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
“This funding would support Maine’s lobster industry by improving the incomplete and imprecise science and research upon which the federal government relies. The flawed data being used to inform regulations has created unnecessary, burdensome requirements for Maine lobstermen and women,” said Senator Collins. “As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
Funding and legislative language advanced by Senator Collins:
North Atlantic Right Whale: $30 million for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission for Right Whale related research and monitoring.
Language is also included directing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to work with Canada to develop risk reduction measures that are comparable in effectiveness to U.S. measures.
National Sea Grant Program: $80 million for the National Sea Grant Program. Earlier this year, the Department of Commerce announced that Maine Sea Grant was being defunded. At the urging of Senator Collins, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick directed NOAA to renegotiate the terms and conditions of the work to be performed by Maine Sea Grant to ensure that it focuses on advancing Maine’s coastal economies, working waterfronts, and sustainable fisheries.
American Lobster Research: $2 million for Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank American lobster research through Maine Sea Grant.
$300,000 to support a cooperative research program to collect biological, fishery, and environmental data for American lobster and Jonah crab using modern technology on commercial fishing vessels.
Language is also included that directs this research to be carried out through a partnership of state agencies, academia, and industry with a focus on “stock resilience in the face of environmental changes” and “topics necessary to respond to newly implemented or future modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan.”
Gray Zone: Report language directing NOAA to work with Canadian and state fisheries officials to develop a cooperative fisheries management plan in the Gray Zone.
In addition, Senator Collins advanced more than $73 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects in Maine through the CJS Appropriations bill. Of these projects, $1 million is included to expand the American Lobster Settlement Index collector survey at the University of Maine.
This funding and language advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 CJS appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
Published: 07.17.2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after she and Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) submitted candidates to the White House that their bipartisan nominating commission recommended to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit:
“Senator Johnson and I continued the Wisconsin tradition in setting up a bipartisan nominating commission because it has been a process that has served the people of Wisconsin well. Presidents of both parties have honored and respected this process and Wisconsin’s Senators’ input, and we hope President Trump will do the same. But, let me make it crystal clear that moving forward in this process is by no means my endorsement of any of these candidates. Wisconsinites deserve someone on the bench who has sound judgment, deep and relevant experience, and will fairly deliver justice. I will thoroughly vet any candidate that President Trump selects to ensure they fulfill that criteria and do right by the people of Wisconsin.”
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Schiff, Booker Announce Bill to Make Access to Equitable Health Care a Protected Civil Right
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) announced the Equal Health Care for All Act, bicameral legislation that would make equal access to medical care a protected civil right to help address the racial inequities and structural failures in America’s health care system that have led to higher mortality rates in communities of color. As President Trump and Republicans gut critical health care funding, the Equal Health Care for All Act would establish a definition for inequitable health care to help ensure that hospitals provide the same high quality health care services to all patients, regardless of race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or religion.
Republicans voted to gut Medicaid by over $900 billion, stripping health care from 17 million Americans, including over 2.3 million Californians. They cut more than $4 billion in funding for California hospitals, which will lead to hospital closures and higher health care costs, all to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy.
“By gutting billions of dollars for hospitals and other essential Medicaid services, the Trump Administration is hurting our patients and their pocketbooks in communities across the country,” said Senator Padilla. “Our bill would treat equitable health care as a civil right to provide every patient with the access to the high-quality care they deserve.”
“Everyone deserves equal access to comprehensive, high-quality health care, free from discrimination,” said Senator Booker. “However, this is not the reality for most communities across our country, with communities of color, especially women of color, bearing the disproportionate burden of poor health outcomes due to a lack of access to quality medical care. The Equal Health Care for All Act is legislation to combat the stark inequalities that exist in our health care system, and ensure every American has access to affordable, equitable care.”
“As the Trump administration rolls back access to funding for health care, it is imperative to protect the right to these essential services for all communities. I’m proud to co-lead the Equal Health Care Act for All to continue supporting high quality health care for all, because equal access is a fundamental right, and one that every American should enjoy,” said Senator Schiff.
The Equal Health Care for All Act aims to remedy structural and systemic failures in America’s health care system that have led to Black, Hispanic, and indigenous individuals disproportionately suffering from a range of illnesses, from asthma to heart disease. Black women are more likely than white women to die from breast cancer and during childbirth. Hispanic individuals suffer from higher rates of chronic diseases, including an 80 percent higher rate of diabetes.
Specifically, the Equal Health Care for All Act would:
Require the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary to promote regulations requiring health care providers and facilities to disaggregate data on health outcomes by demographic characteristics;
Require inclusion of quality measures of equitable health care in hospital value-based purchasing programs;
Empower Medicare and Medicaid providers to enforce equitable health care standards;
Rename the HHS “Office on Civil Rights” to “Office of Civil Rights and Health Equity;”
Prohibit health care providers from providing inequitable health care to patients;
Establish a Federal Health Equity Commission; and
Authorize grants for hospitals to promote equitable health care outcomes.
The bill is also cosponsored by U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and is supported by NAACP, National Urban League, American Diabetes Association, and American Cancer Society.
Senator Padilla has long been a leader in the fight to make health care more equitable, affordable, and accessible in the United States. Last year, Padilla introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA) of 2024 to address health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities as well as women, the LGBTQ+ community, rural populations, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities across the United States. He also recently joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and over 100 lawmakers in reintroducing the Medicare for All Act, historic legislation that would guarantee health care as a fundamental human right to all people in the United States regardless of income or background.
Earlier this year, Padilla introduced the bipartisan Health ACCESS Act to improve digital health services by allowing patients to easily search for and book health care appointments online while protecting personal health information. Padilla also recently introduced the EASE Act, bipartisan legislation that would increase access to specialty care for rural and underserved Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) patients. Additionally, he introduced the PEAKS Act to bolster emergency medical transportation services in mountainous areas, including supporting some of California’s 37 total Critical Access Hospitals.
A one-pager on the bill is available here. Full text of the bill is available here.
The flights are a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiative and the state geological surveys of South Dakota and Wyoming, and are part of a national effort to modernize mapping of the nation’s geology.
“Partnership with state surveys helps accomplish national goals like mapping the critical minerals the U.S. needs, as well as water and potential hazards. The Wyoming and South Dakota geological surveys are helping with the work of the nation—and adding to state knowledge crucial to water access, hazards and the mining economy,” said Jamey Jones, science coordinator for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Mapping Resource Initiative.
“Collection of these fundamental geologic data addresses the national prioritization of locating domestic mineral resources needed to drive the U.S. economy and provide for national security,” said Erin Campbell, Director and State Geologist of the Wyoming State Geological Survey.
The survey is designed to advance interpretations of the Precambrian geologic framework of the greater Black Hills area, as well as aid in mapping Tertiary-age intrusions known to host rare earth elements. These elements are used in magnets for electric motors, wind turbines, and hard drives, as well as defense applications such as radar and guidance systems in fighter jets and missile systems. In 2024, the U.S. was reliant on imports for 80% of rare earth element use.
Tim Cowman, State Geologist and Program Administrator for the South Dakota Geological Survey, noted the importance of this regional work.
“The collaboration between the USGS, Wyoming, and South Dakota geological surveys will benefit the entire country,” he said. “Once completed, we will have a better understanding of the complicated structure of this region and how that structure influenced emplacement of carbonatite intrusions.”
The survey will acquire both magnetic and radiometric data using a fixed-wing aircraft. The aircraft will fly along pre-planned flight paths relatively low to the ground at about 300 feet (100 meters) above the surface. Ground clearance will be increased to 1,000 feet (300+ meters) over populated areas and will comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
Flights may be based out of several regional airports, with Rapid City as the primary airport.
The USGS has contracted with Fugro and Xcalibur Aviation Limited to collect data.
Funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has facilitated coverage of such a large area.
The survey fits into a broader effort by the USGS, the Wyoming State Geological Survey, the South Dakota Geological Survey, and other partners—including private companies, academics and state and federal agencies—to modernize our understanding of the Nation’s fundamental geologic framework and knowledge of mineral resources.
This effort is known as the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, and it includes airborne geophysical surveys like this one, geochemical reconnaissance surveys, topographic mapping using LiDAR technology, hyperspectral surveys and geologic mapping projects.
Caption: Outline of survey boundaries. The fixed wing survey will take place within the blue polygon on the map.Caption: Photo of the contractor’s fixed wing survey aircraft with a “tail boom” containing sensors that measure the magnetic field. (Photo courtesy of Xcalibur Smart Mapping)
Caption: Photo of the contractor’s fixed wing survey aircraft with a “tail boom” containing sensors that measure the magnetic field. (Photo courtesy of Xcalibur Smart Mapping)
BOSTON —The former leader of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios was sentenced in Boston federal court on July 16 to RICO conspiracy charges following an investigation by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations New England field office.
Aaron Diaz Liranzo aka Sosa, 26, was sentenced to 14 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2025, Diaz Liranzo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. Diaz Liranzo was arrested and charged in February 2025 at which time he was the Leader of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios.
Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol, U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley, FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks, Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker, Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey D. Noble and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Redd made the announcement.
The Trinitarios is a violent criminal enterprise comprising thousands of members across the United States. The group adheres to a Magna Carta, employ an internal hierarchy to organize and execute violence, and have undertaken extensive efforts to maintain the secrecy of the organization and its members.
In February 2025, federal racketeering charges were unsealed against 22 Trinitarios leaders and members. The charges were the result of a multijurisdictional investigation, which began in the aftermath of four murders and a series of attempted murders and shootings that took place in the Lynn area, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios criminal enterprise and its members.
From at least 2021 through 2025, Diaz Liranzo served as the “Primera,” or “Number One” of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios. He admitted to participating in a shooting that took place in March 2019 that targeted multiple rival gang members outside a Lynn nightclub. Another gang member, who posed as a woman who needed a ride, lured the victims there. Equipped with a firearm and knowledge of the victims’ vehicle and whereabouts, the defendant traveled to the nightclub and opened fire, discharging at least six rounds. During the incident, Diaz Liranzo shot two of the three victims seated in the car. Both victims suffered life-threatening injuries, but ultimately survived the incident.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office, the Rockingham County District Attorney’s Office and the Andover, Boston, Lawrence, Peabody and Salem Police Departments provided valuable assistance.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
BOSTON — An investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations New England alongside its law enforcement partners led to the July 15 sentencing of two members of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, for their roles in a previously-unsolved murder.
Jose Vasquez aka Cholo aka Little Crazy, 31, was sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2025, Vasquez pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering. He was already serving a 212-month prison sentence for a May 2018 federal conviction for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. In total, Vasquez will serve a total of 37 years for his MS-13-related crimes.
William Pineda Portillo aka Humilde, 31, a Salvadoran national who was unlawfully residing in Everett, was sentenced to 16 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He is subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In May 2023, Pineda Portillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise conspiracy.
Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in ChargeMichael J. Krol, U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley, FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks, Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey D. Noble, Somerville Police Chief Shumeane Benford and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton made the announcement July 17.
Pineda Portillo and Vazquez were indicted by a federal grand jury along with other MS-13 members in September 2024. Specifically, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez conspired with others to murder a 28-year-old man on Dec. 18, 2010, in Chelsea. That evening, law enforcement responded to a 911 call in the vicinity of the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1 in Chelsea. There, they found the victim with approximately 10 stab wounds to his chest and back, along with injuries to his head. The victim was transported to a hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. A recent reexamination of evidence collected during the initial investigation identified members of MS-13, including Vasquez, as having committed the murder.
In the week leading up to the incident, Vasquez and other MS-13 members conspired to murder the victim because they believed he belonged to a rival gang. Evidence revealed that on the day of the murder, Pineda Portillo picked up Vasquez, other MS-13 members and the victim in Allston. Driving a vehicle registered to his father, Pineda Portillo took the MS-13 members and the victim to Chelsea, where Vasquez and the other gang members led him to an area under an on-ramp to Route 1. Once in the secluded area under the highway, an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock and another MS-13 member stabbed him with a machete. During the attack, Vasquez stabbed the victim with a knife. Vasquez’s palm print was identified on the handle of a silver kitchen knife recovered from the murder scene. The victim’s blood was also found on the knife.
An undercover recording obtained approximately six weeks after the murder captured one MS-13 member acknowledging his participation in the murder and other gang members disciplining him for leaving Massachusetts after the murder without the gang’s permission.
Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador before investigators could interview him about his role in the murder. On or about April 29, 2015, after Pineda Portillo returned to the U.S., he arranged to sell a firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition to a cooperating witness in exchange for money.
On or about June 1, 2015, Pineda Portillo conspired to murder an MS-13 member he incorrectly believed had been arrested and was cooperating with law enforcement. Specifically, in a conversation recorded by law enforcement, Pineda Portillo said, among other things: “I want that son of a bitch killed, man … You will see, homeboy! We are going to do a complete thing to that son of a bitch, dude.”
Pineda Portillo was originally indicted in 2017. Shortly before the indictment was returned, he was deported to El Salvador. Approximately five years later, on May 10, 2022, Pineda Portillo was arrested as he tried to return to the U.S, illegally crossing the border into Texas from Mexico.
According to court documents, after being arrested at the border, Pineda Portillo admitted that he was a member of MS-13. A fingerprint analysis indicated there was a warrant for his arrest. Pineda Portillo was then returned to the District of Massachusetts, where he remained in custody.
ATF Boston, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance in this case.
Seattle – Two Texas men made initial appearances Thursday July 17, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Seattle charged with conspiracy to commit robbery for their scheme to steal from banks by assaulting and threatening ATM technicians, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Ahmon Hogg, 22, of Humble Texas and Seth Coles-Body, 23, of Houston, were identified as part of a robbery ring operating across the country. The men would allegedly disable ATM machines with a glue-like substance and when the technician showed up to fix the machine, they would threaten the technician to give them the cash containers, called cassettes, from the ATM.
In December 2024, the pair allegedly were part of a gang that disabled ATMs on December 23 and 24, when the machines would be loaded with cash for the Christmas holiday. The coconspirators disabled a Bank of America ATM in Renton with a glue-like substance that caused the card reader to stop functioning. After the technician arrived and began repairing the machine, he was forcibly confronted by two men who brandished a screwdriver and demanded he open the machine and provide them with the cash cassettes. The technician did not open the machine and after a scuffle the technician was able to escape. Bank surveillance video did capture images of the robber’s vehicle and clothing. The men were wearing masks.
The next day in Vancouver, Washington a technician was sent to repair a Bank of America ATM on SE Mill Plain Boulevard. Again, a glue-like substance had been used to disable the card reader. The technician noticed the cash dispenser was also jammed. As she started repairs, two men ran up and shoved her out of the way and grabbed five cash cassettes filled with currency. The men fled in a car that matched one seen the previous day in connection with the attempted robbery in Renton. Some of the clothing worn by the suspects was also a match for the Renton attempted robbery.
Authorities also learned that a Bank of America ATM was disabled that same day in Battleground Washington, not far from Vancouver.
While the investigations were ongoing in Washington, Hogg and Coles-Body were identified in connection to ATM tampering cases on January 3, 2025, in the Phoenix, Arizona area. ATMs for Bank of America and Wells Fargo had been tampered with – a card covered in glue had been inserted into the machines. The FBI set up surveillance on the ATMs and ultimately spotted a car that bank images connected to the tampering. The car and its occupants appeared to be waiting for a technician to arrive at the ATM. Law enforcement stopped the car and was able to identify Hogg and Coles-Body. They were released from custody.
On March 7, 2025, a technician at a Bank of America in Redmond, Washington, reported he had been robbed. He was working on a machine where once again the card reader was disabled by a glue-like substance. Once the machine was open, two robbers ran up and stole cash canisters filled with money from the machine. Five of the canisters were later recovered, damaged, on the shoulder of highway 520. A few days later, Coles-Body was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol attempting to travel into Mexico by Greyhound bus with approximately $209,000 in cash. The cash was seized, and Coles-Body was released.
A criminal complaint and warrant for arrest were sworn on July 2, 2025. The men were arrested in a traffic stop in Mississippi, with stolen firearms found in their car. They made an initial appearance in Jackson Mississippi federal court on July 3, 2025, and the Magistrate Judge ordered the Marshal Service to transport them to Seattle.
Conspiracy to commit robbery is punishable by up to five years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Columbia River Organized Crime Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell.
Defendant is believed to have communicated with at least 20 underage females around the world; Engaged in sexualized conversations while teaching in class
BOSTON – A former science teacher at Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly coercing or enticing at least one underage female to engage in sexual conversations online and requesting she produce and send child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of herself.
John Magee Gavin, 35, of Brookline, was indicted on one count of coercion and enticement of a minor; one count of receipt of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography. The defendant is currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Boston on July 21, 2025 at 10:45 a.m.
According to court filings, Gavin is a former teacher at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston. Prior to that, he was a 6th grade teacher at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School in Hyde Park and was a paraprofessional with the Brookline Public Schools.
In January 2025, Gavin was allegedly identified as the owner of a Discord account who messaged at least 20 underage females between the ages of 12 and 17 years old located throughout the country, including Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, as well as the United Kingdom and Canada. It is alleged that, in these chats, Gavin disclosed that he was a teacher, engaged in sexual conversations and often asked the minors to send him pictures of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct – knowing that the children were underaged. He was arrested by local authorities in February 2025 and charged in Brookline District Court with enticing a child under 16, possession of child pornography and other offenses.
A forensic review of evidence seized from Gavin’s Brookline residence allegedly revealed approximately 147 files (94 images and 53 videos) on his iPhone depicting CSAM. It is alleged that the CSAM depicted rape of both female and male minors, ranging in age from approximately five to 17 years old.
Further analysis of Gavin’s Discord account identified numerous chats with underage females in which he allegedly engaged in online masturbation sessions with the minors, solicitated images from and exchanged images with the minors and engaged in sexualized conversations with the minors while he was at school. The chats also allegedly included conversations in which Gavin expressed his sexual interest in certain students at Josiah Quincy. In one conversation, Gavin allegedly discussed his sexual interest in a freshman student at the school where he was employed as a teacher and fantasied about having sex with her.
The charge of coercion and enticement of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookline Police Department; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations; and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)
WASHINGTON– Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) has introducedH.R. 4454– the Safeguarding Invaluable Land (SOIL) Act – legislation to prohibit China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing land within 10 miles of sensitive U.S. agencies and strategic sites, including military bases and federally funded research labs.
“Our country has a clear and compelling interest in preventing our adversaries from controlling property near the most sensitive and strategic sites in the American homeland,” said Rep. Issa. “The risks to national security are manifestly obvious, and we must move swiftly as a Congress and as a nation to counteract the spying and surveillance that is enabled when we allow our most hostile adversaries a foothold on American soil.”
Currently, affiliates and entities of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) own 384,000 acres of American agricultural land, a 30 percent increase since 2019 and more than $80 million in CCP-backed investments than 10 years ago.
Cosponsors of the SOIL Act include Congressman Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06), Congressman Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02), and Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (WY-At Large).
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, questioned Mr. William Kirkland during a nomination hearing to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior. Specifically, Senator Luján pressed Mr. Kirkland on his commitment to support the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, which the Trump administration fails to adequately fund.
An excerpt of the exchange is availablehereand below:
Senator Luján: Mr. Kirkland, do you know how many Navajo brothers and sisters are waiting to have water delivered from the Navajo-Gallup Water project?
Mr. Kirkland: I can’t give you that.
Senator Luján: I’ll give it to you. 250,000. Mr. Kirkland, do you know how many recognized Indian water rights settlements are in New Mexico?
Mr. Kirkland: I’m sure you have that number for me, I look forward to hearing it.
Senator Luján: I’ll share that with you. Mr. Kirkland, do you know how much funding is needed for the FY26 budget to keep the Navajo-Gallup Water project on track?
Mr. Kirkland: I look forward to hearing.
Senator Luján: $175 million. Do you know if this fails, it will be the first Indian water rights settlement to fail in America’s history?
Mr. Kirkland: No sir, I was not aware of that.
Senator Luján: It would be. Mr. Kirkland, do you know how much the President’s budget, President Donald Trump, allocated for the Navajo-Gallup Water project?
Mr. Kirkland: Not offhand, no sir.
Senator Luján: Zero dollars. Is that okay?
Background:
Senator Luján has long supported efforts to fund and complete the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. Senator Luján secured $137 million for the project through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law toward the total authorized project cost.
In August 2024, Senator Luján and the N.M. Delegation welcomed a $267 million Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project contract to design and build the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant in northwest New Mexico. The plant is the largest and most important feature of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.
In January 2025, Senator Luján announced $120 million for Fiscal Year 2025 for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project using funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Reclamation Water Settlements Fund. The original version of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act was passed out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in November 2023. However, new legislation is required to authorize additional time and resources to complete the project and for its long-term, sustainable operations and maintenance.
For more information about the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, click here.
Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) announced that the U.S. Department of Education will officially release funds, including those that support 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
This announcement comes after Fischer joined her Republican colleagues in a letter this week to Russell Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), advocating to release anticipated education formula funding. Click here to read the letter. “I’m pleased OMB Director Vought followed through on our request to release these funds, which provide critical learning opportunities and support for Nebraska’s students and families,”Fischer said.
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Johns Creek, GA — Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) announced new federal funding to upgrade bridges and sidewalks in Johns Creek.
Senators Warnock and Ossoff secured a $12.8 million investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program to help Johns Creek replace two bridges, build new sidewalks and a multi-use trail, and upgrade drainage systems on Old Alabama Road over the Chattahoochee Tributary.
“Smart investments in our communities can bridge any political divide. This infrastructure funding will revitalize key bridges in the Johns Creek community and continue to keep our friends, families, and neighbors connected. I am proud to have worked with Senator Ossoff to get it done and will continue to champion federal investments in Georgia,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.
“Johns Creek residents deserve safe bridges and sidewalks, and I am pleased to deliver the funds for these vital quality of life upgrades,” said Senator Ossoff. “It has been a pleasure working with Johns Creek leadership to get this done.”
“This grant will help us improve safety and connectivity in the City and will benefit quality of life for our community,” said John Bradberry, Mayor of Johns Creek. “I’m grateful to our Georgia Congressional leaders for their support of our selection. Projects like this one help make Johns Creek one of the best places to live in the nation.”
Senators Warnock and Ossoff continue delivering resources to upgrade Georgia’s infrastructure. In May, the senators delivered more than $13 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade and help maintain Georgia’s regional airports.