Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon(PA-5)
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) and Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) today led 43 House colleagues in condemning the diversion of U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) resources to assist aggressive deportation efforts by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The USPIS is the federal law enforcement arm of the USPS, tasked with supporting and protecting the USPS, its employees, infrastructure, and customers by enforcing the laws that defend the United States’ mail system from illegal or dangerous use. The USPIS’ core functions include fighting mail fraud, assaults on postal workers, and the use of the mail system for drug distribution. Reallocation of USPIS’ time and resources to supplement DHS’s operations will severely impact the primary responsibilities of the USPIS.
The USPIS came to the public’s attention during the first Trump administration when it arrested Trump advisor Steve Bannon for mail fraud. A few months later, that administration restricted USPIS’ law enforcement powers.
“In recent years, chronic underfunding and politicization of USPS functions have seriously restricted the activities of the Inspection Service. The USPIS has cut back on staff and jurisdiction, even as crime against mail carriers is on the rise – having the USPIS take on additional tasks at this time drastically limits their ability to protect their own employees,” the members wrote.
“Using the U.S. Postal Service requires people to share address data, credit card numbers, IP addresses, and other critical financial information that could result in real harm if made public. Millions of Americans depend on the reliability and privacy of the USPS to receive personal items such as tax documents, medication, and mail-in ballots. It is deeply concerning that immigration enforcement agencies have access to the USPS’s sensitive data systems, and the use of the USPS to facilitate deportations raises serious constitutional and civil liberties concerns. The U.S. Postal Service should not be operating as a surveillance arm of federal immigration enforcement,” the members continued.
Amidst ongoing threats to disband the USPS Board of Governors, fire thousands of USPS employees, and fold the USPS into the Department of Commerce, this reportedly placed pressure on the Inspection Service to abandon its primary responsibilities in favor of assisting the administration’s mass deportation agenda. Despite their objections, the Inspection Service is being forced to participate in order to avoid the same fate as other critical agencies, such as the Department of Education or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
“As Members of Congress, we demand that you terminate any general access by the Department of Homeland Security or any immigration enforcement agency to USPS’s broad data systems. We also ask for a commitment from your administration to refrain from any further actions to undermine the Postal Service’s critical role as an independent, depoliticized agency of the federal government. We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your swift response,” the members concluded.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 2, 2025.
Your smartphone is a parasite, according to evolution Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael L. Brown, Director of the Centre for Philosophy of the Sciences and Associate Professor of Philosophy, Australian National University vchal/shutterstock, The Conversation Head lice, fleas and tapeworms have been humanity’s companions throughout our evolutionary history. Yet, the greatest parasite of the modern age is no blood-sucking
As the NRL edges into Darwin, does the AFL need to be more proactive in the NT? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney The Northern Territory government recently announced the Dolphins, the NRL’s newest team that entered the league in 2023, would play a home game at TIO Stadium in Darwin every year from 2026 to 2028. The Dolphins
What is populism? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Moffitt, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, Monash University In 2017, in the wake of Brexit and Donald Trump’s first election win, populism was named the “word of the year” by Cambridge University Press. Almost a decade later, we might have thought the term’s popularity
Bougainville wants independence. China’s support for a controversial mine could pave the way Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna-Karina Hermkens, Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Anthropology, Macquarie University Bougainville, an autonomous archipelago currently part of Papua New Guinea, is determined to become the world’s newest country. To support this process, it’s offering foreign investors access to a long-shuttered copper and gold mine. Formerly owned by the
Australia’s plan to protect its trade in war is flawed. We can’t do it with nuclear submarines Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Palazzo, Adjunct Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at UNSW Canberra, UNSW Sydney If war breaks out someday between the United States and China, one of the major concerns for Australia is the impact on its trade. Our trade routes are long and
Three years after the Jenkins report, there is still work to be done on improving parliament culture Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Maley, Senior Lecturer in Politics, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University Three and a half years ago, then-sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins’ Set the Standard report was handed to federal parliament, commissioned after Brittany Higgins’ allegations of sexual assault in Parliament House, which
Police aren’t properly trained for mental health crises – but they’re often the first responders. Here’s what works better Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panos Karanikolas, Research officer, Melbourne Social Equity Institute, The University of Melbourne Rosie Marinelli/Shutterstock In an emergency, police are often the first called to the scene. But they are rarely equipped to deal with complex mental health crises. Following recent parliamentary inquiries and royal commissions there has
These 5 roadblocks are standing in the way of energy-efficient homes Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jaime Comber, Senior Research Consultant in Energy Futures, University of Technology Sydney Westend61, GettyImages We all want homes that keep us warm in winter and cool in summer, without breaking the bank. However, Australian homes built before 2003 have a low average energy rating of 1.8 stars
With interest rates on the way down, could house prices boom? Here’s what research suggests Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Jenny Evans/Stringer/Getty With the Reserve Bank of Australia easing monetary policy, interest rates are on the way down. Already this year, mortgage pre-approvals had begun to rise, suggesting many aspiring home buyers are excited by the prospect of
Scandalous mormons, dystopian Buenos Aires and Nicolas Cage down under: what to watch in June Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Sandberg, Senior Lecturer, Technology in Culture and Society, The University of Melbourne As we head into a new month of streaming, here’s a fresh wave of TV ready to challenge, transport and entertain you. This month’s picks span genre and geography, from an eerie dystopian Buenos
How Israel manufactured a looting crisis to cover up its Gaza famine By Muhammad Shehada Since the onset of its genocide, Israel has persistently pushed a narrative that the famine devastating Gaza is not of its own making, but the result of “Hamas looting aid”. This claim, repeated across mainstream media and parroted by officials, has been used to deflect responsibility for what many human rights experts
PNG faces deadline for fixing issues with money laundering and terrorist financing ANALYSIS: By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent Papua New Guinea has five months remaining to fix its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) systems or face the severe repercussions of being placed on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) “grey list”. The FATF has imposed an October 2025 deadline, and the government is scrambling
Phil Goff: Israel doesn’t care how many innocent people, children it’s killing COMMENTARY: By Phil Goff “What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians. It’s the result of government policy — knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated.” This statement was made not by a foreign or liberal critic of Israel but by the former Prime Minister
As we head into a new month of streaming, here’s a fresh wave of TV ready to challenge, transport and entertain you.
This month’s picks span genre and geography, from an eerie dystopian Buenos Aires, to a witty, awkward cyborg hero. Reality TV also gets a scandalous twist with the return of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. And Deaf President Now! delivers a powerful documentary on a historical milestone for Deaf rights.
There’s something for every kind of viewer — and every kind of mood.
The Eternaut
Netflix
Argentine sci-fi The Eternaut opens with a group of old friends in Buenos Aires meeting to play the card game truco on a hot summer night – when things suddenly get eerie.
The power goes out and a poisonous snowfall starts to blanket the city, killing thousands of people instantly. The survivors must get answers, quickly, as they start to grasp the true strength of their invisible enemy.
Based on Héctor Germán Oesterheld’s 1950s comic of the same name, The Eternaut portrays apocalypse through a deeply local and political lens – and in doing so has struck a chord in Argentina.
Directed by Bruno Stagnaro and led by Argentine film icon Ricardo Darín, as protagonist Juan Salvo, the series emphasises the power of collective heroism, and subtly critiques the current government’s uncompromising neoliberal approach.
It also pulses with national pride. Buenos Aires is not glamorized; real neighbourhoods are shown as classic Argentine tango, rock and folk plays in the background. Most importantly, Argentine identity is celebrated through themes of community spirit, grassroots resistance, and ingenuity in times of crisis.
The Eternaut feels both timely and timeless. Its slogan, “no one survives alone,” resonates for a country that has been long marked by both trauma and resistance efforts.
Its emotional weight is further deepened by Oesterheld’s legacy, including the tragic disappearance of him and his family members under the military rule of the 1970s.
With a second season on the way, this series is a powerful ode to Argentina.
Murderbot, Apple’s adaptation of Martha Wells’ science-fiction novella, All Systems Red (2017) is a satisfying combination of action, sci-fi and comedy. The show centres on a security unit (SecUnit) – an indentured private security cyborg – who secretly cracks the programming of its governing chip, granting itself autonomy.
Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård), as it dubs itself, is both horrified and fascinated by humans. It’s far more afraid of eye contact, emotions and direct conversation than any physical danger. It’s also obsessed with mainlining media, particularly the ridiculous soap opera The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.
Murderbot is hired, reluctantly, by some hippy scientists from a group of “freehold” planets – ones that exist outside the Corporation Rim – to act as protection on a scientific expedition. It goes quickly awry.
Wells’ award-winning novella, the first in an equally good series, limits us to the first-person perspective of the sarcastic cyborg. The series expands this frame beautifully, building on the source material’s dry humour to create a world that is both goofy and grounded.
And while there are serious themes at play, such as the way SecUnits are effectively enslaved, and the violent capitalist dominance of the Corporation Rim, the show is not heavy. Skarsgård offers a pitch-perfect performance of the awkward, anxious robot – its eyes flickering in horror as the scientists try to befriend it.
The opening minutes of the first episode are clumsy and on-the-nose, but ignore them. This otherwise well-designed and well-directed show cracks along with brisk, highly-entertaining 22-minute episodes.
– Erin Harrington
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, season two
Disney+
Season one of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives had us hooked at the end of 2024. Now, the women have returned for an explosive 10-episode second season.
The reality series follows a group of Mormon women living in Utah. While the title may have you anticipating stories of faith and motherhood, the show is more focused on the personal lives of Mormon mothers who rose to TikTok fame due to scandal and infamy.
Season one saw the women grapple with balancing traditional Mormon values with their online lives and subsequent businesses (along with the fallout from a “soft-swinging scandal”). Season two further highlights infidelity, jealously and money.
Old characters are brought back, with finger-pointing ex-husbands and former alienated friends adding to the fray. Police are called, insults are thrown and many of the women delve deeper into their pasts.
The show flips flops between difficult moments such as processing the death of loved ones and difficult pregnancies, with parties and poorly executed party games. At one point the women play pregnancy roulette (a game no one should recommend), and take pregnancy tests which are anonymously read out to the group. Chaos ensues.
And after watching, you can search for the TikTok accounts of the stars and watch new drama unfold in real-time – or watch them “correct” and expand on past situations based on their own perspectives – far removed from show’s editors.
– Edith Jennifer Hill
Deaf President Now!
Apple TV+
Deaf President Now! is a stirring documentary about an iconic student uprising at Gallaudet University, the world’s only Deaf university, in 1988. The film chronicles how Deaf students – tired of being led by hearing leadership – decided to take things in their own hands come the 1988 Gallaudet presidential election.
With two of the three candidates being Deaf, the appointment of Elisabeth Zinser, a hearing candidate unfamiliar with Deaf culture, sparked outrage. Fuelled by decades of marginalisation, the students barricaded campus gates, burned effigies of Zinser and marched to the Capitol, calling for Deaf leadership in Deaf spaces.
It worked. The protest forced Zinser’s resignation and ushered in Irving King Jordan, Gallaudet’s first Deaf president.
The film juxtaposes historic footage with present-day interviews with key leaders of the movement, allowing them to tell their stories their own way. These reflections, delivered in American Sign Language (ASL), underscore how storytelling itself can become an act of resistance for Deaf people.
At the same time, the documentary wrestles with a paradox. Co-directed by Deaf activist Nyle DiMarco and hearing filmmaker Davis Guggenheim, the film exemplifies how Deaf storytelling still often has hearing involvement, especially when the story is packaged for a mainstream audience.
Nevertheless, the release of Deaf President Now! couldn’t have been more timely. With disability rights in the United States threatened under Trump, the film is a call to action. It reminds us Deaf culture isn’t just about language: it’s about Pride, self-determination and visibility.
In Lorcan Finnegan’s The Surfer, our unnamed protagonist (Nicolas Cage) is returning to his former Australian home from the United States. He is newly divorced, and trying to buy a beachside property to win back his family.
He takes his teenage son (Finn Little) for a surf near the property, but they are run off by an unfriendly pack of locals.
Returning alone to the beachside car park to make some calls, he is besieged there by the same gang, and this continues over the next several days. The gang is led by a terrifying middle-aged Andrew Tate-esque influencer, Scally (Julian McMahon), who runs the beach like a combination of a frat bro party and wellness retreat.
It is impossible to think of an actor other than Cage who could make a character like this so enjoyable to watch. Cage’s distinctively American confidence has no resistance to the terrifying switches of Australian masculinity from friendly to teasing to violent.
The Surfer is an absolute blast. A lot of the fun is in anticipating each dreadful humiliation – and it somehow turning out worse than you could have expected.
The Surfer beautifully captures the natural surroundings, stunning views and shimmering heat of Australian coastal summer. At the same time, a confined, semi-urban feature like a beachside car park feels bleak and uninviting.
As a film setting, it is both a spectacular wide-open vista and stiflingly claustrophobic – a perfect mechanism for The Surfer’s psychological horror.
The story of serial killers, Fred and Rose West, has been highly narrativised since their shocking crimes were discovered in Gloucester in 1994. The horror of the Wests lies in the juxtaposition of their seemingly ordinary suburban family and what was hidden beneath the foundations of their home.
Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story takes us back to the moment of that revelation via previously unheard interview tapes and recordings of the property search – and of Rose while she was kept in a safe house. Family home videos add to the disturbing sense of the couple’s duplicity.
Interviews with the family of some of the victims emphasise the ongoing pain caused by the Wests, who preyed on vulnerable young women. Meanwhile, Fred’s interviews reinforce his determination to protect his wife: “I trained Rose to do what I wanted. That is why our marriage worked out so well.”
Many details of the Wests’ true horror, however, are absent: the incredible torture suffered by the victims; Fred and Rose’s own childhoods of abuse and Fred’s earlier assault of young girls, including his own sister; and any reference to the couple’s surviving children and the extraordinary abuse they suffered.
The horror of this new documentary is present in the couple’s habitual lies, their casual attitude to violence and murder, and their refusal to take responsibility for their many crimes. Yet it only scratches the surface of the Wests’ true horror story.
– Jessica Gildersleeve
The Four Seasons
Netflix
The Four Seasons follows three 50-something affluent couples as they holiday together over the course of a year.
Friends since college, the group’s easy camaraderie is upended by Nick’s (Steve Carroll) bombshell decision to leave his seemingly unsuspecting wife, Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), after 25 years of marriage. The announcement sends shockwaves through the other couples, testing their own relationships.
Adapted from Alan Alda’s bittersweet 1981 comedy of the same name, the series preserves the film’s narrative conceit, unfolding over four seasonal mini trips. Episode one opens in full spring at Nick and Anne’s bucolic lake house.
Given the luxury on display, you’d be forgiven for mistaking The Four Seasons as another entry in the “rich-people-behaving-badly” genre. But while there’s plenty of quips and snarky humour, what unfolds is ultimately much kinder – less a scathing indictment of wealth and more a gentle exploration of the banalities of love and middle age.
The show’s creators make the most of the expanded running time to humanise the sextet. The open marriage between gregarious Italian Claude (Marco Calvini) and husband Danny (a marvellous Colman Domingo) updates the source material without sliding into tokenism or homonormativity.
The prickly Type-A Kate (Tina Fey) and peacekeeper Jack (Will Forte) provide the series’ beating heart, in a relationship that feels lived-in and familiar.
Despite its focus on ageing, loss, mortality and grief, The Four Seasons offers comfort viewing at its finest, best enjoyed with a cup of tea and a loved one who’s known you for decades.
– Rachel Williamson
Gemma King receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Claudia Sandberg, Edith Jennifer Hill, Erin Harrington, Grace Russell, Jessica Gildersleeve, Rachel Williamson, Samuel Martin, and Sofya Gollan do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman William Timmons (SC-04)
Congressman William Timmons (R-SC) joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers today in reintroducing a resolution to establish a new Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking. The effort seeks to improve how Congress uses data and evidence to craft effective, accountable legislation.
The lawmakers—members of the Congressional Fix Congress and What Works Caucuses—are working together to ensure that federal policymaking is informed by what works, not by politics. The proposed commission will provide Congress with the tools, expertise, and information it needs to evaluate programs and make data-driven decisions on behalf of the American people.
“Congress has a responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are invested in programs that actually deliver results,” said Congressman Timmons. “This bipartisan commission will strengthen our ability to use data, evidence, and real-world outcomes to shape policy that works. It is a smart step toward better governance and more effective stewardship of public resources.”
The commission’s charge will be to review and recommend ways to integrate federal data and evidence into the legislative process, helping lawmakers better assess the effectiveness of federal programs and make informed policy choices. The move builds on the legacy of the original 2016 Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission, which led to landmark bipartisan legislation including the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act signed into law by President Donald J. Trump.
“With the Trump Administration and a Republican-led Congress focused on cutting waste and increasing efficiency, it is more important than ever that we ensure federal programs are delivering results,” Timmons added. “This commission will help us do just that—by putting facts and data at the center of policymaking.”
The resolution has received broad support from leading organizations in the evidence-based policy space, including Results for America, the Partnership for Public Service, the Data Foundation, USAFacts, and the American Idea Foundation—all emphasizing the importance of using data to improve public outcomes and ensure taxpayer dollars are well spent.
Congressman Timmons remains committed to delivering results for the American people through smart, accountable, and effective governance.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman William Timmons (SC-04)
Congressman William Timmons (SC-04) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1 — the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:
“I proudly voted YES on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, advancing President Trump’s America First Agenda, Congressman Timmons said. “This historic legislation permanently cuts taxes for South Carolina’s hardworking families, strengthens border security, restores fiscal responsibility, enhances earned benefits, bolsters our military for peace through strength, and unleashes American energy dominance.
Congressman Timmons continued, “South Carolinians and Americans nationwide demanded bold change, and this bill delivers. I thank President Trump and my colleagues for their efforts and urge the Senate to swiftly pass this bill to enact the America First Agenda our citizens overwhelmingly support.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07)
Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) spearheaded a letter joined by 72 of her House colleagues, to the House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee requesting that Congress allocate funding for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). The Trump Administration’s sweeping changes to our immigration system, termination of immigration judges, and mass deportation agenda threaten the integrity, operational efficiency, and fairness of our immigration courts. It is critical that EOIR has the resources to hire additional qualified immigration judges and provide them with sufficient case processing capacity—both to address the current backlog of more than 3.6 million pending immigration court cases and to ensure due process in an impartial and timely manner.
“Currently, our immigration courts face a staggering backlog of more than 3.6 million active pending cases, which EOIR has cited as the largest single issue facing the immigration courts today,” the members wrote. “This growing backlog impedes our immigration system, creating significant barriers for people legally seeking asylum, migrants, pregnant women, and people with disabilities that seek to remain in the United States. These complex cases can take up to seven years before receiving a hearing, leaving migrants, families, and communities in legal limbo as they await hearings and decisions. At a time when President Trump is making sweeping changes to our immigration system that threaten the integrity, operational efficiency, and fairness of our immigration courts, adequately funding EOIR is essential to a well-functioning and fair immigration system.
“It is crucial that Congress continues to support and invest in EOIR to ensure a well-functioning immigration system to adjudicate our immigration laws consistent with our values and address the growing backlog of pending cases,” the members continued. “We strongly urge you to allocate the highest possible funding and include report language for EOIR funding to go towards the hiring of additional highly qualified judges, the hiring of additional judge teams, the modernization of case management system, the building and expansion of immigration courtroom spaces, and funding of the Legal Orientation Program.”
In 2022, 2023, and 2024, Congresswoman Fletcher led similar letters requesting congressional funding to address the immigration courts’ backlog by hiring more highly qualified immigration judges.
To read the full text of this year’s letter, click here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07)
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Congresswoman Val Hoyle (OR-04), and Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02) led 35 of their House colleagues in sending a letter to the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies requesting that Congress reject President Trump’s attempt to gut the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) and instead fund it at a level of at least $656 million in the upcoming appropriations package. This funding would allow OAR to continue its critical mission to prepare our communities for life-threatening natural disasters and to keep the U.S. at the forefront of atmospheric and oceanic research and science.
“Recent reporting on the President’s FY26 budget proposal shows that the Trump Administration plans to effectively eliminate OAR,” the members wrote. “The proposal includes a $485 million cut to OAR’s budget, which is a nearly 75 percent cut, and a directive to transfer any remaining research funding to other divisions of NOAA. The proposed budget would ‘eliminate all funding for climate, weather, and ocean laboratories and cooperative institutes.’ It also does not include funding for Regional Climate Data and Information, Climate Competitive Research, National Sea Grant College Program, or the National Oceanographic Partnership Program. This shortsighted and dangerous proposal would cripple United States (U.S.) leadership in scientific research and leave our communities less prepared to face extreme weather events. As hurricane season quickly approaches, OAR’s advancements in predicting extreme weather events are more important than ever. The research and data resulting from the OAR Hurricane Research Division’s partnership with the U.S. National Hurricane Center have saved countless lives and nearly $5 billion per major U.S. hurricane landfall.”
“Stronger science for forecasting severe weather and communicating impacts will protect communities and save lives,” the members continued. “Robust funding will enable NOAA and its research institution partners to continue their long and proud history of partnering with industries and other government agencies to provide that cutting-edge research.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07)
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Hosts Town Hall Meeting with Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy
Houston, May 30, 2025
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) held a town hall with Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy, where they provided an update and answered questions.
“With so much happening in Washington, it is critical that our community stay engaged and informed,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “From cutting Medicaid and health care access, to implementing barriers to Social Security, to cutting funding for medical research, the House Republicans’ and the Trump administration’s recent actions and inaction are undermining the rule of law, separation of power, and the progress we have made as a society. I was glad to join Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy to hear from residents of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District about their priorities and concerns at a time when it is more important than ever to work together for our community and country.”
Since her election to office, Congresswoman Fletcher has held dozens of events in the community to hear directly from residents of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District. For information about past and future events, click here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Chip Roy (R-TX)
On Medicaid Expansion:
“The President United States, President Trump, and his Secretary of Treasury, Treasury Bessent, are doing a fantastic job, and the Secretary has laid out a objective of obviously, getting our deficits down to 3% of GDP through strong economic growth, through the tax policy that we want to extend, that the President put forward. I believe that’s one piece of the puzzle that we must go do. But right now, we are not going to address the key drivers of spending that will make it impossible for the President and the Secretary to achieve that objective. Bond markets are on a knife’s edge. You know that, and I know that, and that is necessary for the free flow of capital to have that economic growth. If we continue to allow Medicaid to consume our budget and allow us to continue to drive that budget up so deficits go up, then we’re not going to be able to achieve those objectives.”
“Medicaid right now is now a trillion dollar higher baseline than when we came in under Biden. We are spending $620 billion a year on Medicaid, compared to $400 billion in 2019 and if we allow this to continue where we’re, as you said, continue to fund the able body in massive expansion states, heavily in blue states. If we were doing that at a seven times dollar value, imagine that, if you’re listening to this, we the federal government are funding Medicaid seven times higher for the able bodied than for those who need it, the vulnerable, the sick, the people who truly Medicaid was designed for. What kind of a country does that? It’s ridiculous.”
“And by the way, if we do this, we’re going to cement Obamacare, and the 10 non expansion states like Texas will have incredible pressure to expand, and that will eat up all of the so called savings in this bill, which, by the way, are back loaded. You know that, and I know that. And if you have back loaded savings, they never materialize. That means deficits go up, and under our bill, debt will be $56 trillion in a decade. That’s not winning. We’ve got to change it. Republicans should do better.”
On Flaws in Current Medicaid Reforms:
“I couldn’t believe it when I read those were the provisions that the work requirements were supposed to be the core engine of Medicaid reform, which isn’t good enough. You have to deal with Medicaid. You have to deal with the expansion population. You have to do with the you have to deal with the money laundering. But the work requirements were basic. They don’t kick into 2029 they have waivers even once they kick in.”
On Fiscal Responsibility and Medicaid Reform:
“We should do the right thing. Let’s do the fiscally responsible thing. But here’s what’s really important. Let’s make sure that people who are vulnerable and are sick they’re the ones that the program is focused on. Let’s preserve capital and free up our health care system so we can drive down health care prices and free it up for the average hard working American. We have plans to do that, strong, robust health savings accounts, getting the competition back into the system. We can do that, and you can do that by drawing down all these subsidies on Medicaid, which are subsidizing blue states and massive expansion states at the expense of the non expansion states and the vulnerable at the expense the expense of the vulnerable for the able body, I think that’s a mistake.”
“We should not be giving Medicaid to anyone who is ineligible, including those who are illegal, and we should kill all the scams the blue states are using to launder federal money to all of their ridiculous programs. Republicans should lead to support the president. They’re not right now. I can’t support the bill as it is.”
On Gaining Republican Support:
“There’s a good chunk of my colleagues that are with me on the fiscal conservative side, but they’re also struggling because they’re deferential to the president, which I understand.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 10, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Joseph Guzman 202-355-8084 joseph.guzman@mail.house.gov
HOUSTON, T.X. – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) issued the following statement in response to the confrontation at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey, where Democratic Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez Jr., and LaMonica McIver were carrying out their lawful oversight duties. During the incident, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested, and the Trump administration is nowreportedly considering arrests for the lawmakers involved:
“America, this must be our clarion call. We are at risk of backsliding into a dictatorship as Trump continues trying to enact his authoritarian playbook. Republicans and Democrats must stand together against this absurdity. Today it’s Representatives Watson Coleman, Menendez, and McIver. Tomorrow, it’s you.
“Members of Congress are tasked with conducting oversight of the federal government, and these Members were doing just that. I stand with my colleagues who were doing their job and will always stand with those who do the same, regardless of political affiliation.
“We must come together and stand up against Trump and his administration’s all-out assault against a co-equal branch of government, the rule of law, and our Constitution. We must all do our part to protect our great American experiment from those who seek to perverse it. We must all make our voices heard against the Trump-Vance administration to ensure we leave a stronger and more resilient democracy for the next generation.”
HOUSTON, T.X. – Hoy, la Congresista Sylvia R. García (D-TX-29) emitió la siguiente declaración en respuesta al enfrentamiento en el centro de detención de ICE Delaney Hall en Newark, Nueva Jersey, donde los congresistas demócratas Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez Jr. y LaMonica McIver estaban cumpliendo con sus deberes legales de supervisión. Durante el incidente, el alcalde de Newark, Ras Baraka, fue arrestado, y ahora se informa que la administración de Trump está considerando arrestar a los legisladores involucrados:
“America, esto debe de ser nuestro llamado para actuar decisivamente. Estamos en riesgo de retroceder hacia una dictadura mientras Trump sigue intentando de actualizar sus aspiraciones autoritarias. Tanto los republicanos como los demócratas debemos unirnos en contra de las acciones ilegales de esta administración. Hoy quieren perseguir a los congresistas Watson Coleman, Menéndez y McIver. Mañana podrías ser tú.
“Los miembros del Congreso tienen la responsabilidad y autoridad de supervisar al gobierno federal, y estos legisladores estaban cumpliendo con ese deber. Yo apoyo a mis colegas que estaban haciendo su trabajo y siempre apoyaré a quienes hagan lo mismo, sin importar su afiliación política.
“Debemos unirnos y alzar la voz para rechazar rotundamente el asalto total de la administración Trump-Vance contra una rama del gobierno co-igualitaria, el imperio de la ley y nuestra Constitución. Todos debemos hacer nuestra parte para proteger este gran experimento conocido como los Estados Unidos de todos que buscan corromperlo. Todos debemos hacernos escuchar y oponernos a la administración Trump-Vance para asegurar que dejemos una democracia mas fuerte y resiliente para la próxima generación”.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)
MEXICO – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29) joined a Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) delegation to Mexico, alongside CHC Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) and Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20). They traveled there to meet with a mixed-status family that was detained and deported by immigration authorities while driving to Houston for an emergency medical appointment for their 11-year-old daughter, a U.S. citizen recovering from brain cancer.
The family, two parents and five children, four of whom are U.S. citizens, was stopped at an immigration checkpoint in Texas in early February. Although they had letters from doctors and lawyers, they were taken into custody and deported the next day without due process. The young girl, who had recently undergone brain surgery to remove a tumor, has not been able to continue her regular treatment since being removed to Mexico, where the family says they now fear for their safety.
Congresswoman Garcia released the following statement:
“I came to Mexico because what’s happening to this family is a warning to all of us. When a U.S. citizen child with a serious medical condition is deported alongside her entire family without a hearing, without medical care, and without basic human decency, that’s not just an immigration issue. It’s a Constitutional crisis. And if we don’t push back now, it won’t stop with immigrant families. The rights and protections that every American depends on will be put in danger.
My district knows this story too well. It’s home to working families, many of them of mixed status, who live with the fear that a medical emergency, a traffic stop, or a checkpoint could tear their family apart. We’re here to expose Trump’s cruelty, to stand with this family, and to remind the Trump-Vance administration that due process isn’t optional. It’s a constitutional right. And it’s one I intend to defend.”
The family is now seeking humanitarian parole so their daughter can return to the U.S. and resume her treatment. Garcia and her colleagues are calling for a full investigation into the case and for accountability from the Trump administration and federal immigration agencies.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)
WASHINGTON, DC – During today’s House Financial Services Committee hearing on the state of the international financial system, Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29) called out the Trump administration’s failure to address poverty and its reckless tariff agenda that’s threatening the U.S. and Houston economy. The hearing focused on the impact of tariffs, market instability, and deteriorating global economic relationships under Trump’s leadership.
In a pointed exchange with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Congresswoman Garcia called out the administration’s one-sided focus on tax cuts for the wealthy.
“It just strikes me that most of your testimony is about tax cuts and cutting costs. It’s always about tax cuts and it’s always about the rich. But nothing is ever said about the poor,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “As Secretary of Treasury, it’s not just about the inflation rate, it’s not just about the GDP, it’s also about making sure that we keep the poverty rate in this country low. There are people who are living in poverty who have never lived in poverty before.”
Congresswoman Garcia also laid out the real-world consequences of Trump’s trade policies in her district.
“I’m from Houston. I’m concerned about the tariffs on energy. We have done a lot to increase trade in Houston, construction, everything after the pandemic, and everything was growing,” added Congresswoman Garcia. “But now that the Trump tariffs have surfaced, it is threatening Houston’s economy. The petrochemical companies, the port—everybody is trying to figure out what the hell we’re going to do.”
Though time limitations prevented Garcia from delivering her full set of questions, she submitted additional remarks for the record pressing Secretary Bessent on rising fuel and construction costs, job losses, and the administration’s failure to coordinate with key trading partners.
“Don’t you see the problem here? The people paying are our constituents. Doesn’t matter who they voted for. Doesn’t matter if they live in red or blue districts, although I’ll add that the red districts are projected to bear the brunt of the impact,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “They will pay for these misguided tariffs, whether it is on Amazon, at the grocery stores, at the gas stations, or with their jobs. I hope you realize this soon and work with House Democrats to make sure that the U.S. economy isn’t in a recession by your next visit.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman SylviaGarcia(D-TX-29) and her Democratic colleagues walked out of a rare joint hearing between the House Financial Services Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, after Republicans turned it into a platform to rubber-stamp President Trump’s latest scheme to enrich himself and his family through the power of his office.
“This wasn’t a fair hearing—it was a sham,” said CongresswomanGarcia. “While my constituents are worried about affording groceries, Donald Trump is trying to line his pockets. He is a grifter, plain and simple—and Republicans are helping him get away with it.”
The hearing, focused on cryptocurrency regulation, was convened under the unusual authority of both committees—required to unanimously agree to hold a joint session. At the start of the hearing, Democrats requested a single common sense safeguard: a simple amendment to bar the President, Members of Congress, and other public officials from personally profiting from the sale of cryptocurrencies. Republicans flat out refused.
This comes as a Trump business entity owns 60 percent of World Liberty Financial, a crypto startup, and is entitled to 75 percent of all revenue from coin sales.
“Instead of prioritizing his job as our nation’s leader, President Trump is using his position to strip financial regulators of their independence, all to line the pockets of his friends and his family, many of whom are now listed as members of the World Liberty Financial team,” added CongresswomanGarcia. “This is such a direct, obvious, in-your-face conflict of interest, that it’s outrageous there is no bipartisan outrage against this. When a company lists the President of the United States as ‘Chief Crypto Advocate’ it’s a clear signal that the President and his family are cashing in.”
Rather than let their constituents’ voices be silenced in the Republican sham hearing, Congresswoman Garcia and her Democratic colleagues held their own session focused on the facts, the law, and the urgent need for ethical regulation of digital assets.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Joseph Guzman 202-355-8084 joseph.guzman@mail.house.gov
WASHINGTON, D.C. —Congresswoman Sylvia R.Garcia(D-TX-29) released the following statement in response to House passage of the harmful Republican budget bill:
“Matthew 25 teaches us to care for the poor, feed the hungry, and tend to the sick. Republicans say they believe in those values, but their budget scam does the exact opposite.
“The budget Republicans rammed through the House includes the largest Medicaid cuts in our nation’s history. It guts SNAP, targeting single mothers and taking food out of the mouths of children. It will kick seniors out of nursing homes. It pushes disabled children even further into the margins. And why? To hand more tax breaks to Trump’s billionaire donors.
“The Trump-Republican budget scam is a reverse Robin Hood. It takes from the poor to give to the rich. To make matters worse, this budget would raise taxes on the lowest-income families all while handing out giveaways to those who need it least.
“The American people are watching. They know the difference between leadership and cruelty. They will not forget Republicans chose to give billionaires tax breaks at the expense of children, mothers, seniors, and working people. I will keep fighting, and I will not back down.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-9)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-09) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the reconciliation package known as The One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Meuser said, “I believe we were elected to work with President Trump to improve our country—to improve our national security, strengthen our economy, bring fiscal sanity to our budget, deliver accountability, and lead the world toward peace. And frankly, to bring back common sense so people start trusting the government again. That’s what this Big Beautiful Bill is about.
“It’s designed to fortify our now-secure border, responsibly grow our domestic energy supply, and create more opportunity for all Americans. It gives small businesses the kind of tax environment and certainty they need and deserve—not one where they’re slammed by massive tax increases.
“Passing this bill will increase production so supply better meets demand, thereby reducing inflation. And with lower inflation comes lower interest rates, which leads to greater investment and more American production.
“This Big Beautiful Bill is just the beginning. It sets the stage to Make America Great Again and deliver the America First agenda that we were elected to implement.”
This legislation includes key Trump Administration priorities—it eliminates tax on tips and overtime, expands the Child Tax Credit, and establishes savings accounts for newborns.
The bill also extends key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that are vital to small businesses and manufacturers—making permanent immediate R&D expensing, 100% bonus depreciation, and permanently expands the Section 199A small business deduction to 23%.
On the border, this legislation strengthens existing enforcement by providing the statutory authority needed to sustain and expand current operations. It funds the completion of physical barrier, funds10,000 new ICE personnel, 5,000 new customs officers, 3,000 new Border Patrol agents, and provides $10,000 retention bonuses to Border Patrol and ICE agents. The bill ensures that effective border security resources are available to law enforcement. It also invests nearly $144 billion to modernize our military and strengthen national defense.
The legislation also implements policies to reestablish American energy dominance by incentivizing increased domestic production. It does so by reinstating quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales, as well as streamlines the permitting process for energy infrastructure. Further, it ends costly mandates, repeals billions in wasteful subsidies tied to ideological policies, reverses EV mandates, and restores consumer choice.
And despite Democrat claims, the bill, in fact, strengthens and sustains Medicaid benefits for those who truly need them. It removes ineligible recipients and illegal immigrants from the program and implements work requirements—80 hours per month through work, education, training, or community service—for able-bodied adults without dependents. It includes provisions derived from Congressman Meuser’s bill, H.R. 1533, the PIIA Reform Act, which requires CMS to verify eligibility against the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File and for states to reduce payment error rates.
Finally, the Big Beautiful Bill delivers $1.6 trillion in mandatory savings—the largest deficit reduction in nearly 30 years. It reins in wasteful spending, while advancing pro-growth policies to put the nation on a stronger path forward.
Congressman Meuser Spoke in favor of the legislationhere.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-9)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-09) participated in the House Small Business Committee’s 2nd Annual Small Business Showcase, held in the U.S. Capitol. The event brought together innovative small businesses from across the country and featured remarks from Republican leaders and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler.
At the invitation of Congressman Meuser, two standout businesses from Pennsylvania’s Ninth District—Masser Family of Companies and C2G Energy Solutions—were featured at the Showcase, representing the strength and diversity of the region’s small business economy.
The Masser Family of Companies, headquartered in Sacramento, PA, is an eighth-generation, family-owned agricultural enterprise dating back to 1754. With operations spanning farming, processing, logistics, and grain storage, Masser has become the largest potato grower and distributor in Pennsylvania. Julie Masser Ballay, who serves as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President, has helped modernize and expand the company’s capabilities while maintaining its deep-rooted commitment to community and innovation. Julie previously testified before the Small Business Committee on the importance of preserving pro-growth tax policies like the R&D credit.
C2G Energy Solutions, based in Montrose, is a leading provider of sustainable water and waste management solutions for the energy industry. Under the leadership of Co-Founders Jesse Bonnice and Adam Locke, the company develops advanced treatment technologies to upcycle industrial waste streams—converting byproducts into usable resources and minimizing environmental impact. C2G’s Shaskas Facility exemplifies this model with on-site wastewater treatment, extensive storage capabilities, and direct natural gas supply infrastructure that supports a more circular and sustainable energy economy.
“These companies are perfect examples of what happens when you pair entrepreneurial spirit with strong community values,” said Congressman Meuser. “Masser has built an agricultural operation that honors centuries of tradition while embracing cutting-edge innovation—and they’ve done it right here in Schuylkill County. C2G is pioneering a groundbreaking process to produce rare minerals from a previously overlooked source—turning what was once considered waste into a valuable asset for the energy sector. These are the kinds of businesses that fuel our economy, strengthen our communities, and prove that rural America is not just participating in the future—we’re leading it.”
Congressman Meuser, a member of the Small Business Committee, spoke during the Showcase and emphasized the need to pass President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill to extend key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
“As someone who spent more than 20 years helping grow a small business into a larger business, I understand the challenges entrepreneurs face,” Meuser said. “Small businesses need certainty to plan, invest, and expand—and that means making the 199A small business deduction and 100% bonus depreciation permanent, restoring immediate R&D expensing, and delivering real, lasting relief that empowers Main Street to grow and compete. That’s why we must pass the Big Beautiful Bill, which extends these critical pro-growth provisions and gives small businesses the long-term stability they deserve.”
Administrator Loeffler’s participation underscored the SBA’s renewed focus on common-sense regulation and pro-growth policies under President Trump’s leadership.
“We’re fortunate to have an SBA Administrator who listens, leads, and understands the real needs of small businesses,” Meuser added. “Administrator Loeffler brings practical experience to the job and a clear focus on reducing burdens and expanding opportunity. She also has the ear of President Trump, whose commitment to pro-growth, pro-small business policies continue to make a real difference for Main Street America.”
The event concluded with a reception honoring participating businesses and thanking them for their contributions to the American economy.
A video of Congressman Meuser’s remarks can be foundhere.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-9)
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-09) today applauded President Donald J. Trump for successfully negotiating a record investment and record job creation for Pennsylvania and America’s steel industry through a landmark partnership between the United States of America, U.S. Steel, and Nippon Steel.
The agreement will keep U.S. Steel’s headquarters in Pittsburgh, generate at least 70,000 family-sustaining American jobs, and inject $14 billion into the U.S. economy—the largest steel-sector commitment in Pennsylvania’s history.
Congressman Meuser’s tireless efforts included meeting repeatedly with Local 2227 Steelworkers to gather shop‑floor priorities; conducting rigorous oversight and vocal opposition when the Biden Administration attempted to block this historic investment; engaging colleagues across Capitol Hill to build bipartisan momentum; conferring directly with Nippon Steel executives to guarantee America‑First terms; coordinating personally with U.S. Steel President & CEO Dave Burritt to arrange high‑level discussions in Washington; and directly with the White House and President Trump—an America‑First blueprint the Dealmaker‑in‑Chief embraced to secure record investment and record jobs for Pennsylvania and the nation.
“President Trump has reinvigorated American manufacturing. Today he has truly proven himself to be the Man of Steel,” said Congressman Meuser. “Keeping U.S. Steel here at home protects Pennsylvania jobs, fuels a modern manufacturing revival from Pittsburgh to the Mon Valley, and sends an unmistakable message that Made in the USA is back for good. I knew that once President Trump brought his great business acumen to the table, and saw the opportunity for our country, he would secure the best deal possible. With 70,000 new jobs on the way and billions of dollars flowing into our communities, Pennsylvania is ready to lead the steel industry once again. It’s enough to make me become a Steelers fan!”
Congressman French Hill (AR-02) said, “The merger of Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel will greatly benefit many of our steel-producing states like Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, and my home state of Arkansas. Foreign direct investment is a vote of confidence in our country, and in my view, this deal is an important win for President Trump. I thank my colleague and friend Rep. Dan Meuser for his leadership and commend his longstanding support for this important merger.”
David B. Burritt, President and CEO, U.S. Steelsaid, “Congressman Meuser’s support and advocacy over the past year has been invaluable. His leadership on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is deeply appreciated by the U.S. Steel team.”
Key Highlights of the President’s Announcement
U.S. Steel Headquarters to Stay in Pittsburgh – safeguarding legacy jobs and local supply chains.
Strategic Partnership with Nippon Steel – combining advanced technology with American innovation.
70,000 New, Family-Sustaining Jobs – the largest single-investment jobs surge in Pennsylvania history.
$14 Billion Economic Impact – majority of spending and hiring to occur over the next 14 months.
Nationwide Manufacturing Revival – benefits extending from Pennsylvania to Arkansas, Minnesota, and Indiana.
Strengthened National Security – President Trump’s tariff policies ensure American steel remains the backbone of critical infrastructure and defense production.
Congressman Meuser hails and will be joining the President’s plan to celebrate the milestone at a rally on Friday, May 30, at the U.S. Steel facility in Pittsburgh, calling it “a fitting tribute to the men and women whose skill and determination will forge the next chapter of American leadership.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressmen Steven Horsford (NV-04)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) today voted against the Republican budget reconciliation bill that cuts deeply from programs working Americans rely on in order to fund tax giveaways to the billionaires and corporations. The bill, which adds nearly $4 trillion to the national debt, passed by a narrow party line margin. It now goes to the U.S. Senate where Republicans have already expressed opposition.
“The way Congressional Republicans conduct business in the dead of night matches the way they approach policy that harms their own constituents – it’s absolutely asinine,”Rep. Horsford said. “Nevadans deserve a government that prioritizes public health, food security, community safety, education and a dignified retirement for all who earn it. Instead, Republicans just stiffed the Silver State, and every state, with a bill to pay off their billionaire campaign donors and corporate backers.”
Nevada will behit particularly hard if the Republican bill becomes law. Medicaid cuts alone could impact 811,000 residents in the Silver State, which will have to either add $6.7 billion to the state budget, or kick hundreds of thousands of people off their coverage.
In Nevada’s 4th Congressional District alone,241,668 people receive medical coverage through Medicaid. Thelatest estimates are that more than 21,000 of them will lose coverage, along with more than 5,000 who will lose the coverage they now have from the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Horsford offered an amendment to extend a tax credit to lower ACA healthcare premiums across America, including nearly 100,000 Nevadans. House Republicans rejected the amendment on a party-line vote.
Additionally,SNAP food assistance cuts could impact 109,000 Nevadans, including 33,000 people in the 4th Congressional District.
The bill adds nearly $4 trillion to the national debt to help pay for tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy:60 percent of the tax benefits will go to the top 20 percent of households. Meanwhile, due to Trump’s blanket tariffs,households will lose $2,800.
“The cruelty of this bill is spelled out in staggering numbers, but it isn’t law yet,”Rep. Horsford continued. “The power in American democracy has always been with the people, and now more than ever, lawmakers need a reminder of who they work for.”
Rep. Horsford raised alarms early about Republican budget plans,devoting his annual address to the Nevada State Legislature on February 19, 2025 to the threat of Medicaid cuts as theRepublican budget took shape.
Over the past three months, he hasworked with constituents, advocates, and lawmakersto elevate the real-world harm the cuts would inflict on Nevadans, andpublished an op-ed warning that Republicans were closer than ever to making the cuts a reality.
When the bill came up for consideration in the Ways and Means Committee that Horsford serves on, heled committee Democrats in submitting amendmentsthat would benefit working class Americans. During the nearly 18-hour meeting that lasted through the night on May 13, 2025, Republicans voted down every single one of the 38 amendments offered.
Horsford continued his opposition in the House Rules Committee,testifyingduring a middle-of-the-night hearing about the bill’s failure to address key issues affecting Nevadans, including housing and veterans support.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jeff Van Drew (NJ02)
Washington, DC –Today, Congressman Van Drew released the following statement after New Jersey joined 16 other states in filing a lawsuit against President Trump for his executive order halting offshore wind.
“You cannot make this stuff up,” said Congressman Van Drew. “The Murphy administration already burned through billions of your tax dollars on offshore wind projects that never worked. They pushed it on us even when towns were saying no, fishermen were saying no, and the tourism industry was saying no. They looked the other way while whales washed up on our beaches. They ignored the Pentagon when it said it was a national security risk. The NJ Ratepayer Advocate said it would raise utility bills. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said the cons outweighed the pros. They did not listen to anyone. And now, after all that, they want to throw even more taxpayer dollars at it in court. It truly is a slap in the face to every taxpayer and every family struggling to pay their energy bill.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jeff Van Drew (NJ02)
Washington, DC –Today, Congressman Van Drew discussed the passage of H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation.
“This morning, House Republicans passed the budget reconciliation package,” said Congressman Van Drew. “I want to make it clear that in this bill there are NO cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, or Social Security for the people these programs were designed to serve. I have been deeply disturbed by the misinformation the left has been circulating surrounding this bill, so I wanted to take the opportunity to give you a breakdown of what is being said versus what is actually true.”
Medicaid-
FICTION: Millions of eligible Americans will lose their coverage.
FACT: Medicaid for eligible individuals remains fully funded and protected.
Children, seniors, the disabled, pregnant women, and working families remain fully protected.
The bill ends loopholes that allow illegal immigrants to access Medicaid.
The bill enacts work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents—20 hours a week of work/volunteer requirements, including online courses.
The estimate of eligible Americans losing coverage comes from a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projection which assumes no compliance with these work requirements over 10 years which is just not realistic.
Medicare-
FICTION: Medicare is being slashed by $500 billion.
FACT: Medicare remains untouched, unharmed, and fully funded.
The $500 billion figure comes from a technical scoring mechanism, not from any policy that is actually in the bill. There will be no cuts.
House Republicans are already preparing a waiver to the mechanism so no Medicare cuts will ever take effect under this bill.
Social Security-
FICTION: This bill cuts Social Security benefits.
FACT: There are no changes to eligibility, benefits, or payment schedules.
Not one line of the bill touches Social Security at all.
The bill even includes a $4,000 tax deduction for individuals over 65, offering relief to our seniors.
Some may be curious why ‘No Tax on Social Security’ was not included:
A Senate rule, the Byrd rule, prohibits non-budgetary items like Social Security changes from being included in a reconciliation bill to ensure that reconciliation legislation focuses strictly on budget-related changes.
In light of this, I recently introduced H.R. 904, the No Tax on Social Security Act, which would provide much-needed relief for our seniors. I will not give up on this fight to stop taxing Social Security benefits. We need to get this done.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-
FICTION: SNAP benefits are being slashed.
FACT: SNAP remains fully funded and intact under the legislation.
Vulnerable Americans, including children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities, will not see a reduction in access to SNAP benefits.
The reforms apply only to able-bodied adults without dependents and are aimed at increasing accountability.
The reforms focus solely on reducing administrative costs, not cutting benefits.
The legislation rebalances the cost-sharing structure between the federal government and the states to improve oversight, reduce fraud, ensure benefits go only to eligible recipients, and protect the long-term sustainability of the program.
States with high payment error rates exceeding 10% will now have to share in the cost of those administrative errors, ensuring that the money is not wasted and that it is actually going to the people who deserve and need it.
“I do want to note the version the House voted on is not the final version of the bill. There will be changes as it now moves to the Senate before final passage and signature into law,” Congressman Van Drew continued. “I have been heavily involved in negotiations for the House version of this bill, and I will continue to closely monitor the bill as changes are made in the Senate to ensure there are no cuts to the programs our people rely on. I have said it before, and I will say it again: we owe it to hardworking American families to ensure these vital programs remain strong and funded.”
Other Key Provisions of the Bill Include:
Locking in the 2017 Trump tax cuts to prevent a 22% tax increase on working families
Eliminating federal taxes on tips, overtime pay, and car loan interest
Repealing Biden’s Green New Deal mandates, EV rules, and environmental slush funds
Resuming oil and gas leasing on federal lands and streamlining energy permitting
Investing over $140 billion in border security—the largest investment in U.S. history
Completing the border wall and enabling over 1 million deportations annually
Hiring 10,000 new ICE personnel and expanding detention capacity to 100,000 beds
Modernizing national defense with nearly $144 billion in military investments
Achieving over $1.5 trillion in net deficit reduction—the largest in nearly 30 years
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jeff Van Drew (NJ02)
Washington, DC –Today, Congressman Van Drew released the following statement in support of President Trump’s executive order, signed today, which will tie what Medicare pays for prescription drugs to the lowest prices paid in other developed countries.
“Today, President Trump took a bold step to lower prescription drug prices for Americans, and I fully support it,” said Congressman Van Drew. “For far too long, American families have been stuck paying outrageous prices for the same drugs sold at a fraction of the cost in other countries. This has to change. In fact, I will be introducing the Fair Prescription Drug Prices for Americans Act in the coming days to build on the President’s action. This bill will make it illegal for drug manufacturers to charge Medicare and privately insured Americans more than what they charge in other countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, or Japan. If they exceed that amount, they will face serious civil monetary penalties of ten times the difference in price for every single dose sold under those insurance plans. It is time to put the interests of the American people first and stop letting Big Pharma get away with price gouging.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01)
Hern applauds passage of CR to clear the runway for President Trump’s Agenda
Washington, March 11, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC – Republican Policy Committee Chair Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting in support of a continuing resolution to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year.
“Today, House Republicans ensured President Trump’s agenda continues without disruption, while Democrats voted to shut the government down for no reason,” said Chairman Hern. “I am committed to the work my constituents elected me to do and the mandate they gave President Trump on Election Day. Passing this CR gives the President room to pass his agenda through Congress. I will continue to fight for his priorities to be implemented every step of the way.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01)
Trump budget plan is a win for America
Republican Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement in support of President Trump’s budget proposal for FY 2026.
“President Trump continues to follow through on the America First Agenda with a budget proposal that makes good on the promises he made to the American people,” said Chairman Hern. “The President’s plan will increase border security funding, unleash American energy production, and protect the American Dream for future generations. It’s a win for America. Thank you, President Trump!”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01)
Hern votes to advance Trump agenda
Republican Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (OK-01) voted in favor of the Senate Amendment to H. Con. Res. 14, the budget framework for the reconciliation process. This vote unlocks the next step in reconciliation, where committees of jurisdiction will draft policy language to meet the budget targets.
“Thanks to President Trump, Republicans have this rare opportunity to utilize every lever of the federal government to enact historic legislation that helps Americans and moves our country forward,” said Chairman Hern. “This is what the American people voted for in November. They want Congress to deliver on the America First agenda. The hard part is still ahead of us: crafting the specific policies to both enact President Trump’s agenda and cut wasteful and fraudulent spending across the government. I’m ready to roll my sleeves up and get to work!”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01)
Republican Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (OK-01) celebrated the passage of HR 22, the SAVE Act, in the House of Representatives this morning.
The SAVE Act amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of United States citizenship to register an individual to vote in elections for federal office.
“The SAVE Act is simple: only American citizens can vote in our elections,” said Chairman Hern. “It’s not controversial, it’s just common sense! After four years of dangerous open border policies, I’m proud to work alongside the Trump Administration to secure our border and protect Americans from Biden’s failed policies.”
This was a bipartisan vote, with four Democrats voting in favor: Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii, Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, and Rep. Marie Glusenkamp Perez of Washington.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01)
Republican Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (OK-01) celebrated the passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act in the House of Representatives this morning.
“President Trump and the American people gave us a clear mandate; today we delivered,” said Rep. Hern. “While Democrats have been demagoguing and fearmongering, spreading lies about what this legislation does or doesn’t do, Republicans have been working hard to deliver real relief to working families and small businesses. I am proud of the work we did on this legislation, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.”
Here are Rep. Hern’s remarks during floor debate.
Included in the legislation were several priorities previously introduced by Rep. Hern, the WIRED Act and the Education and Workforce Freedom Act.
Previously introduced as HR 6817, the WIRED Act establishes a fee on certain remittance transfers out of the country to target cartel activity and help fund border security. Last Congress, Rep. Hern led the House bill, and then-Senator J.D. Vance led the Senate version of the bill. The legislation is based on a similar policy enacted by the State of Oklahoma.
“Republicans are delivering on President Trump’s agenda, and I’m proud to see my legislation included,” said Rep. Hern. “This bill was originally inspired by successful legislation happening right here in Oklahoma. I was able to take this great idea that our state legislature enacted and work with now-Vice President Vance to scale it up to the federal level. We must be using every tool at our disposal to combat the cartels.”
The Education and Workforce Freedom Act, previously introduced as HR 8915, expands tax-advantaged 529 accounts to allow K-12 students from public, private, religious or home school settings to use those funds. It also allows the funds to be used for licensing and credentialing expenses, modernizing our tax code to meet the demands of the American workforce.
“Any parent will tell you that they know what’s better for their kids than the government,” said Rep. Hern. “Parents should be allowed to use their 529 tax-advantaged accounts to get their children the education they deserve, according to their individual needs. Including this provision in our One Big, Beautiful Bill puts us one step closer to a stronger education system and better outcomes for students of all backgrounds.”
In anticipation of the outcome of the strategic defence review being published today, Ellie Chowns MP, who holds the defence brief for the Parliamentary Green Party, said:
“We acknowledge the need for greater defence spending and continued NATO membership, but also call for a more thorough reappraisal of strategic defence alliances. With Trump no longer a reliable ally, we need to deepen our defence cooperation with the EU, and review AUKUS.
“A Green approach to security is not based on arms and threats, but on the three Ds: diplomacy and development as well as defence. Defence policy should not be a simple competition over spending, but based on real commitment to an international order based on human rights, equality and genuine cooperation.
“If we are to avoid the horror of war, we need to look at the deeper causes of insecurity, including poverty and climate change. We strongly support the restoration of the international aid budget to at least 0.7% of GNI, with a considerable proportion spent on climate action.
“And we will continue to argue that real patriotism means to stand against UK-made weapons or components being sold to dictators, human rights abusers or for use against civilians anywhere in the world.”
Secondly, experts disagree on whether populism is a threat or corrective to democracy. Some think it can be both.
Populism: left or right?
Much of the confusion about populism stems from the fact that it can appear across the ideological spectrum.
This is because “the people” and “the elite” are flexible terms, and populists can characterise them in very different ways.
Right-wing populists tend to characterise “the people” in socio-cultural terms, and often combine their populism with nativism.
Think for instance, of how Trump’s “people” are coded as White Americans.
Or, how Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi evokes Hindu nationalism in his definition of “the people”.
Other prominent right-wing populist leaders include the likes of Viktor Orban of Hungary, Nigel Farage of the United Kingdom, Geert Wilders of the Netherlands, and Australia’s Pauline Hanson.
Left-wing populists, meanwhile, tend to characterise “the people” in socio-economic terms. They often combine their populism with calls for economic redistribution or shifts in power.
In the US, Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential primary campaigns put the working class and people in precarious work at the heart of his “people”.
Other examples of left-wing populism include the Podemos and Syriza parties in Spain and Greece respectively.
This also means the way populists tend to define “the elite” is quite different.
Right-wing populist targets often include:
government and policy elites (think of Trump’s “drain the swamp”)
cultural elites (Trump’s attacks on media as “fake news”)
academics (attacks on the “ivory tower”) and
transnational bodies (such as attacks on the United Nations).
These groups are connected in right-wing populist discourse and purported to be undermining “the people’s” livelihood by abetting increased immigration or the destruction of “traditional values”.
Left-wing populists tend to target business and power elites, who they see as fleecing “the people” economically and keeping them from expressing their popular power (think of Occupy Wall Street’s divide between the 99% and the 1%).
Populists also tend to have a suspicion of transnational organisations. But while right-wing populists tend to focus on the likes of the United Nations and World Health Organisation, left-wing populists are more suspicious of business transnationals such as the World Trade Organization or World Economic Forum.
These metaphors suggest populism has come out of nowhere, and is causing a major and unexpected shock to the system.
But that’s simply not the case.
If anything, the story of 21st century politics has been one in which populism has become “normalised” and “mainstreamed”.
Populists are no longer merely “challenger” parties nor minor parties.
They increasingly are among the top three parties in their respective countries (particularly in Europe), and have won government in places from the US to India to the Netherlands to Italy to Greece.
This success has seen them steadily viewed as viable and “normal” political players.
Meanwhile, mainstream parties and leaders have increasingly adopted elements of populists’ discourse, platforms and political styles, as a way to compete with populists.
This, ironically, has had the effect of legitimising populists in many countries; it makes their policies and discourse look more “acceptable”.
It’s important to be cynical about any pundit crowing about the “death” of populism – or, on the flipside, the idea it has come out of nowhere.
Populism is here to stay. Acknowledging that can help us better understand its appeal, which in turn, can provide hints about how to best deal with it.
Benjamin Moffitt receives or has received funding from the Australian Research Council and the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation.
Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) while in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for a meeting of Canada’s First Ministers June 1 to 2.
The agreement will see Alberta and Ontario partner to improve the free flow of goods and services between the two provinces. It will also simplify requirements for regulated professions such as skilled trades, making it easier and faster for professionals to work across provincial borders. In addition, the agreement will allow direct-to-consumer sales of Ontario-made and Alberta-made alcohol between the provinces.
Through the MOU, Alberta also welcomes the possibility of working with Ontario and signatories of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA) to explore the potential of welcoming Ontario to into the agreement’s fold. The NWPTA has been foundational to improving the movement of goods, services, investment and workers between Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba for the past 15 years and counting.
“Together, Alberta and Ontario are taking a big step toward a more open, competitive, and united economy. This agreement is about getting results, making it easier for people to work, do business, and grow across provincial lines. It’s time to stop letting outdated rules hold us back and show Canadians what real economic leadership looks like.”
“With President Trump threatening our economy, there’s never been a more important time to boost internal trade and cooperation between provinces. By agreements like this and working together, we’re helping Canada unlock up to $200 billion in economic potential and standing shoulder to shoulder to protect the future of Canadian workers across the country, not just in Ontario.”
The MOU is based on the key principles of opening up Canada’s economy to respond to pressures from tariffs and other protectionist measures that are threatening Canadian workers and businesses. Alberta and Ontario are fully committed to improving Canada’s economic performance and advocating for the federal government to address the underlying conditions necessary to strengthen Canada’s economy and diversifying its markets, including repealing or amending the Impact Assessment Act, Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, Clean Electricity Regulations and the proposed Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap Regulations.
A First Ministers’ Meeting is a gathering of the Prime Minister and provincial and territorial premiers. These meetings are called by the Prime Minister on an as-needed basis to discuss issues of national importance and concern.
Quick facts
Alberta is a leader in removing barriers to internal trade, labour mobility and investment across Canada.
Alberta’s commitment to remove its party-specific exceptions to the Canada Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) has helped facilitate even greater access to the Alberta market for Canadian companies in the areas of government tenders, Crown land acquisition, liquor, energy, forest products and more.
In 2019, Alberta:
Removed 21 of its original 27 exceptions, including all procurement exceptions, representing 80 per cent of Alberta’s exceptions under the CFTA at the time.
Narrowed the scope of two of its retained exceptions to enhance Alberta’s open and competitive liquor market and better reflect the regulatory framework for Alberta’s forestry sector.
Alberta only has eight remaining CFTA exceptions, which are in place for essential regulatory and safety purposes, which include:
Two exceptions for alcohol regulation in the province under Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis;
Two exceptions for preserving the regulatory framework for Alberta’s forestry sector;
One exception that allows Alberta to properly manage and collect royalties in its upstream energy and minerals sector;
One exception for the management and disposal of hazardous materials; and
Two new exceptions that were added in 2024 to allow for the management of legalized cannabis.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After beginning debate at 2:45am on Thursday morning, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Republicans’ massive budget reconciliation bill, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, on a vote of 215-214. All Democrats opposed the legislation. Following the vote, Congresswoman Betty McCollum issued the following statement:
“The ugly truth of Donald Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is that it strips away healthcare from 20,000 Minnesotans with disabilities, seniors, children, and working parents in Minnesota’s 4th Congressional District – that’s the equivalent of every resident of Stillwater losing their healthcare overnight. The ugly truth is that 45,000 Minnesotans will go hungry without the SNAP food assistance they rely on – the equivalent of every resident of Maplewood going to bed hungry and waking up hungry. The ugly truth is that Donald Trump and his Republican Congressional followers are cutting healthcare and food access for the most vulnerable Minnesotans to give permanent tax breaks to billionaires like Elon Musk and corporations who currently don’t pay their fair share. In fact, some large corporations pay $0 in taxes. In short, the ugly truth about the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is that it’s just another Trump GOP Tax Scam.
“Under this legislation, the average family earning less than $50,000 would get under $300 in tax cuts in 2027, less than $1 a day, while a wealthy tax filer earning $1,000,000 or more a year would receive about $90,000 in tax breaks. The more the American people learn about this ugly legislation, the more they dislike it, which is why the House Republican majority advanced it through key committees during dead-of-the-night hearings and rushed the floor vote through while most Americans were sleeping.
“It was easy to vote no on this bill. Leading with my Minnesota values and representing the voice of my community, I will oppose any Republican efforts to cut Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Veterans’ benefits, and nutrition assistance for Minnesota families, especially when they’re made in service to millionaires and billionaires.”