Letters from Capitol Hill that Members of Congress have written and signed on to lately.
Nov. 25
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III expressing deep concern about reports that Pentagon officials are obstructing the incoming administration’s plans for military and civil-service reform. The Department should revert focus on a smooth transition of power rather than engaging in acts of partisan interference.
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Nov. 25
Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) joined by Congressmen Morgan Griffith (VA-09) and Jeff Duncan (SC-03) sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Inspector General Andrew Katsaros requesting the OIG investigate who at the FTC leaked to the press a potential criminal referral of Pioneer Natural Resources Chairman Scott Sheffield to the U.S. Department of Justice.
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Nov. 25
As Arizonans make their Thanksgiving shopping lists, more than 700,000 households in the state do so a hundred dollars or more short because of an unfair and arbitrary decision by the Internal Revenue Service to subject the one-time Arizona Families Tax Rebate to federal income tax.
Congressman Greg Stanton, joined by Reps. David Schweikert and Juan Ciscomani, sent a letter to House leadership asking them to bring H.R. 8016, bipartisan legislation excluding the one-time Arizona Families Tax Rebate Program from federal income tax, to the floor for a vote this year.
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Nov. 25
Congresswomen Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) recently led 12 House Members in calling for the Biden administration to provide flexibility around the implementation of the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit (45V Credit) so federal regulations don’t hinder the development of our nascent hydrogen economy. The proposed rules, while well-intentioned, are overly prescriptive and could result in the loss of half of Hydrogen Hub projects across the country. If they are not revised, the rules would set back climate progress, cancel billions in private sector investments, and cost thousands of sustainable, high-paying jobs.
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Nov. 25
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County) sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul urging her to appeal the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) decision to deny Individual Assistance to Suffolk County to assist with recovery efforts following severe flooding
“Suffolk County families devastated by the August 18th flooding cannot be left to shoulder the burden alone. FEMA’s denial of Individual Assistance leaves residents without the vital support they need to recover and rebuild,” said LaLota. “Governor Hochul must appeal this decision and advocate for the federal resources our communities deserve. We must ensure that Suffolk County receives the assistance necessary to recover from this disaster.”
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Nov. 25
Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the finalized the terms of a $6.6 billion grant to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC) and $1.5 billion to GlobalFoundries to build semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Arizona, New York and Vermont. On August 6, 2024, Senator Markey sent a letter to the Department of Commerce urging it to include strong protections for workers, nearby communities, and the environment in its final grant contracts.
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Nov. 25
U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., today called on Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to select a 2034 World Cup host country with a record of upholding human rights, as human rights watchdogs continue sounding the alarm on Saudi Arabia’s deteriorating human rights conditions.
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Nov. 25
Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, today sent a letter to Carlos de Solo, CEO of CareMax, Inc., and to Benson Sloan, CEO of Rural Healthcare Group, about concerns regarding the ongoing role of Steward leadership in their organizations.
Dr. Ralph de la Torre, the former CEO of Steward Health Care (Steward) serves as a board member of CareMax despite his role in Steward’s bankruptcy. Steward filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2024 after a litany of hospital closures, service reductions, employee layoffs, and patient deaths. CareMax Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 18, 2024.
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Nov. 25
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined his colleagues in a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) , urging a swift implementation of life-saving traffic safety provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
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Nov. 25
On Thursday, U.S. Congressman John H. Rutherford (FL-05), along with 22 fellow House colleagues, sent a letter to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Richard Spinrad to oppose bottom closures and shorter red snapper seasons for recreational anglers in the South Atlantic.
Among the cosigners are Reps. Aaron Bean (FL-04), Nancy Mace (SC-01), Garret Graves (LA-06), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Russell Fry (SC-07), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Rep. Daniel Webster (FL-11), Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Austin Scott (GA-08), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13), Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Michael Waltz (FL-06), Neal Dunn (FL-02), David Rouzer (FL-07), Mike Collins (GA-10), Scott Franklin (FL-18), Carlos Gimenez (FL-28), and Laurel Lee (FL-15).
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Nov. 22
U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) on Friday sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Interior urging the agency to seek additional funding for the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Budget Request. The Conte Refuge stewards over 50,000 acres of land in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont and is bolstered by the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership, a unique coalition of over 75 stakeholders and partners.
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Nov. 20
Bipartisan Effort Advances: LaLota and Courtney's Plum Island National Monument Act Passes Committee
Reps. Nick LaLota (R-NY) and Joe Courtney (D-CT), Co-Chairs of the bipartisan Long Island Sound Caucus, released the following statement after the House Natural Resources Committee passed their bipartisan Plum Island National Monument Act.
“Preserving Plum Island is vital not only to our environmental stewardship but also to the legacy of Suffolk County’s unique natural and cultural heritage. I’m proud to see my bipartisan Plum Island National Monument Act advance through committee, bringing us one step closer to protecting it for future generations,” said LaLota. “This is a win for our environment, our economy, and for everyone who values protecting our irreplaceable resources. I’ll keep working with my colleagues to ensure its swift passage on the House floor.”
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Nov. 18
Congressmembers Ritchie Torres (NY-15) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) wrote to New York Governor Kathy Hochul regarding the New York State Department of Transportation’s plans for a connector road in the South Bronx.
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