U.S. Congress
Here's a look at documents from all members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate
Featured Stories
McIver Files Appeal Notice in ICE Oversight Case, Says She's Not Backing Down
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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McIver Files Appeal Notice in ICE Oversight Case, Says She's Not Backing Down
NEWARK, NJ - Today, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) filed a notice of appeal after, in November, a federal judge ruled to deny pretrial motions to dismiss the case against her. The appeal will focus on legislative immunity. The charges against McIver, brought by the Trump administration, stem from a lawful oversight visit to an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detention center in Newark,
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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McIver Files Appeal Notice in ICE Oversight Case, Says She's Not Backing Down
NEWARK, NJ - Today, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) filed a notice of appeal after, in November, a federal judge ruled to deny pretrial motions to dismiss the case against her. The appeal will focus on legislative immunity. The charges against McIver, brought by the Trump administration, stem from a lawful oversight visit to an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detention center in Newark,New Jersey, in May 2025. McIver faces up to 17 years in federal prison.
"From the beginning, I've fought back against this administration's cruelty and attempts to silence dissent--this appeal is the next step in the fight. The Trump administration's case is dangerous, baseless, and designed to stop me from doing my job. I won't," said McIver. "This appeal is for everyone who is standing up to this administration as they try to operate without oversight, silence the people who oppose them, and shut down those who protect the vulnerable. They want to make an example out of me, but I will not let them. I will not be bullied out of doing my job and protecting our communities. Not now, not ever."
McIver and counsel sought to have criminal charges brought against her by the Trump administration dismissed. A judge in Newark partially denied those motions, a decision on one count remains pending. The appeal noticed today will head to a Third Circuit panel.
Last week, McIver returned to the Delaney Hall detention center for an oversight visit in the wake of the death of a detainee. This was her first time returning to Delaney Hall since charges were brought against her for her earlier oversight visit in May.
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Original text here: https://mciver.house.gov/media/press-releases/mciver-files-appeal-notice-in-ice-oversight-case-says-shes-not-backing-down
Husted Announces $202 Million for Ohio Rural Health Care Access
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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Husted announces $202 million for Ohio rural health care access
Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today announced the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will award the State of Ohio just over $202 million for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 26) as part of the Rural Health Transformation Fund.
The Rural Health Transformation Fund was created by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act passed by Congress earlier this year and signed into law by the president on July 4, 2025. Husted fought aggressively
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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Husted announces $202 million for Ohio rural health care access
Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today announced the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will award the State of Ohio just over $202 million for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 26) as part of the Rural Health Transformation Fund.
The Rural Health Transformation Fund was created by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act passed by Congress earlier this year and signed into law by the president on July 4, 2025. Husted fought aggressivelyfor the creation of the fund to support Ohio's network of rural hospitals. Continued funding for Ohio under this program will provide more than $1 billion over the next five years to support rural health care access in the state.
"Our rural health care providers are some of our communities' literal lifeline, and having access to local care is the difference between life and death in emergency situations. This is a huge step in our mission to making Americans healthier, in addition to supporting these facilities that also commonly serve as the anchor employer in our small towns," said Husted.
This $202 million award is the first of five expected tranches of funding from the Rural Health Transformation Fund over the next five years. Specifically, the funding builds on initiatives of Gov. DeWine and then Lt. Governor Husted by further investing in school-based health centers to drive access to primary care for rural Ohioans.
Furthermore, funding will enhance access to dental, vision and hearing services through mobile clinics.
Husted led a letter addressed to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz with Ohio's Congressional Delegation on Dec. 19, 2025 in support of Ohio's application to the fund highlighting the strengths of Ohio's application for funding based on the proposed targeted investments in the health care workforce through partnerships spanning high schools through medical schools, while also encouraging partnerships between hospitals, community health centers and family physicians.
The CEOs of Ohio's rural hospitals expressed their gratitude for Husted's support of the fund in a public letter following the bill's passage. Husted spent much of the Senate's August recess visiting rural hospitals and learning how we can use this fund strategically to deliver better care to Ohioans and learn what more can be done to support these facilities.
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Original text here: https://www.husted.senate.gov/press-releases/husted-announces-202-million-for-ohio-rural-health-care-access/
CMS Announces Billions of Dollars in Funding Allocations for Rural Health Transformation Program Grantees
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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CMS Announces Billions of Dollars in Funding Allocations for Rural Health Transformation Program Grantees
Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, issued the following statement applauding the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) recent announcement of funding allocations for states
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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CMS Announces Billions of Dollars in Funding Allocations for Rural Health Transformation Program Grantees
Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, issued the following statement applauding the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) recent announcement of funding allocations for statesthrough the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) program, which was established in President Trump's Working Families Tax Cuts.
"Our Working Families Tax Cuts law delivered the most historic investment in rural health that we've seen in our lifetimes," said Chairmen Guthrie and Griffith."The RHT program will provide funding to transform health care systems so that we can help assure the long-term sustainability of our rural providers for years to come. We applaud Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz on this critical effort, and we look forward to seeing states use these resources to bolster health care delivery through innovative solutions in rural America."
Allocations of funding were based upon rigorous, data-driven merit review--led by federal and non-federal rural health experts and overseen by senior federal review directors--to assess each state's proposed initiatives and alignment with program goals to ensure a fair, transparent, and consistent merit review process across all states.
Funding will be distributed over five years beginning in federal fiscal year 2026. As states begin implementation, program officers from CMS's Office of Rural Health Transformation will provide technical assistance and ongoing support to help states design, launch, and sustain initiatives that best serve their rural communities.
CLICK HERE (https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-50-billion-awards-strengthen-rural-health-all-50-states) to view a list of each State's allocated RHT funds.
Background on the Rural Health Transformation Program:
* The Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program was created by the Working Families Tax Cuts law and empowers states to strengthen rural communities across America by improving access to quality health care outcomes and transforming the health care delivery ecosystem.
* RHT funding will be allocated through the following formula:
* $25 billion over five years will be distributed evenly among the states; this means each state will receive $100 million each year for FY 2026-2030 ($500 million total).
* $25 billion will be distributed to states based on criteria established by the Secretary that target funding to states with high rural health care needs and that outline long-term programmatic goals that will transform access to care in the state.
In accordance with the law, only the 50 states are eligible to receive an RHT Program award; the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories are not eligible.
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Original text here: https://energycommerce.house.gov/posts/cms-announces-billions-of-dollars-in-funding-allocations-for-rural-health-transformation-program-grantees
Allen Announces Hearing on Modernizing Retirement Policy for Today's Workforce
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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Allen Announces Hearing on Modernizing Retirement Policy for Today's Workforce
Wednesday, January 7, at 10:15 a.m., the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, chaired by Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA), will hold a hearing titled "Modernizing Retirement Policy for Today's Workforce."
What:
Subcommittee hearing titled "Modernizing Retirement Policy for Today's Workforce"
When:
10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Where:
2175
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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Allen Announces Hearing on Modernizing Retirement Policy for Today's Workforce
Wednesday, January 7, at 10:15 a.m., the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, chaired by Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA), will hold a hearing titled "Modernizing Retirement Policy for Today's Workforce."
What:
Subcommittee hearing titled "Modernizing Retirement Policy for Today's Workforce"
When:
10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Where:
2175Rayburn House Office Building
Press:
The hearing is open to the press and will be live-streamed on the Committee's YouTube page.
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Original text here: https://edworkforce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=412972
Ways & Means Committee Fought Corruption & Protected Taxpayer Rights in 2025
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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Ways & Means Committee Fought Corruption & Protected Taxpayer Rights in 2025
In 2025, the Ways and Means Committee held accountable tax-exempt organizations engaged in illegal or unethical activity, including oversight of those that simply failed to live up to their obligations under the tax code. The Committee simultaneously continued to fulfill its longstanding commitment to protect the rights of American taxpayers.
Ways and Means Committee
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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Ways & Means Committee Fought Corruption & Protected Taxpayer Rights in 2025
In 2025, the Ways and Means Committee held accountable tax-exempt organizations engaged in illegal or unethical activity, including oversight of those that simply failed to live up to their obligations under the tax code. The Committee simultaneously continued to fulfill its longstanding commitment to protect the rights of American taxpayers.
Ways and Means CommitteeChairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement:
"Bad actors and unethical institutions were put on notice and held accountable this year thanks to the robust oversight work of the Ways and Means Committee, which uncovered corruption within the tax-exempt sector in the United States and brought to light 501c collusion with foreign governments like China and designated terrorist organizations. It was on the second anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel that the Committee called on the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt status of eight entities with links to designated foreign terrorist groups, as well as organizations with ties to violence and unrest in the United States. Some of the most disturbing instances of fraud and negligence were found among organ procurement organizations operating in the U.S. that not only fleeced American taxpayers but also put lives in danger. In other cases, tax-exempt hospitals were found to be exploiting their favorable tax treatment to bolster their bottom lines rather than provide desperately needed charity care to their communities. In addition to protecting taxpayers, we were empowering them, removing unnecessary burdens for Americans filing taxes, and bringing an end to a foolish and unlawful Biden-era IRS program that would have given that agency unreasonable control over the tax filing decisions of the American people."
Key Policy Achievements:
* Publicly called on Treasury to revoke tax-exempt status of 8 organizations with ties to terrorist groups, the Chinese Communist Party, or violence and unrest in the United States.
* Exposed illegal and unethical behavior by tax-exempt organ procurement organizations.
* Highlighted tax-exempt hospitals failing to provide the requisite health care benefits and charity care to communities.
* Helped shut down the tax-exempt New Georgia Project for illegally contributing millions to Stacey Abrams failed 2018 gubernatorial bid.
* Ended costly, unnecessary Biden Direct File program that made the IRS the tax preparer, filer, and auditor for American taxpayers.
* Increased levies on the largest elite university endowments and imposed new compensation restrictions on radical left wing tax-exempt organizations.
* Launched inquiry into Medicare Advantage providers price increases, excessive prior authorizations, and billing practices.
* Overturned Biden Admin "DeFi Broker Rule" that crippled the digital asset industry.
* Postponed tax burdens for Americans impacted by natural disasters.
* Required the IRS to inform taxpayers when altering their returns.
* Advanced several Tax Court reforms to empower the American taxpayer over the IRS.
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Original text here: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/2025/12/29/ways-means-committee-fought-corruption-protected-taxpayer-rights-in-2025/
Ranking Member Maxine Waters Urges Chairman Hill to Hold Long-Overdue SEC Oversight Hearing Demanding Answers From Chairman Paul Atkins
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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Ranking Member Maxine Waters Urges Chairman Hill to Hold Long-Overdue SEC Oversight Hearing Demanding Answers from Chairman Paul Atkins
Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, sent a letter to Congressman French Hill (R-AR), the Chairman of the Committee, urging him to hold a hearing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman, Paul S. Atkins.
In
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 -- Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 29, 2025:
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Ranking Member Maxine Waters Urges Chairman Hill to Hold Long-Overdue SEC Oversight Hearing Demanding Answers from Chairman Paul Atkins
Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, sent a letter to Congressman French Hill (R-AR), the Chairman of the Committee, urging him to hold a hearing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman, Paul S. Atkins.
Inthe letter, Ranking Member Waters underscored the importance of fulfilling the Committee's obligation to conduct regular oversight of the SEC--one of the most powerful and consequential agencies within the Committee's jurisdiction. She noted that since Chairman Atkins assumed his position, no oversight hearing has been held, even as the SEC has taken a series of actions that have significantly altered the agency's operations and procedures and raised serious concerns about the politicization of its decision-making. Ranking Member Waters highlights that robust oversight is essential to ensure the SEC is enforcing the law as intended to protect investors and promote market efficiency and competition.
"As you know, our Committee has a responsibility to oversee our nation's securities laws, and to review how the SEC's implementation of the law affects investor protection, market efficiency and competition. When I served as Chairwoman, Chair Gensler testified before the Committee twice during his first year," wrote Ranking Member Waters. "Despite having a clear obligation to oversee the SEC, the Committee has not held a single hearing with Chairman Atkins, despite the agency's rapid, significant, and questionable policy shifts during the Trump Administration, largely accomplished by unilateral action by the Chair."
In closing, Waters outlined more than fifteen areas requiring congressional scrutiny, including concerns about the politicization of the SEC's regulatory actions and inactions and the erosion of the agency's independence; failures to uphold the SEC's investor-protection mandate, particularly in response to crypto-related misconduct; and a pattern of shadow deregulatory actions and delays that have drawn significant criticism from investors and investor advocates. She emphasized that investors, retirees, and working families deserve transparency and accountability from one of the nation's most powerful financial regulators.
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December 29, 2025
To: The Honorable French Hill, Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman Hill:
I request that you schedule a full Committee oversight hearing with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins. As you know, our Committee has a responsibility to oversee our nation's securities laws, and to review how the SEC's implementation of the law affects investor protection, market efficiency and competition. When I served as Chairwoman, Chair Gensler testified before the Committee twice during his first year. Despite having a clear obligation to oversee the SEC, the Committee has not held a single hearing with Chairman Atkins, despite the agency's rapid, significant, and questionable policy shifts during the Trump Administration, largely accomplished by unilateral action by the Chairman.
Specifically, the Committee needs to promptly oversee the SEC's actions in the following areas:
1. SEC independence and politicization: Congress designed the SEC to be independent of the White House. Yet, Chairman Atkins repeatedly frames the agency's agenda as an instrument of the Administration.1 This politicization threatens market integrity, particularly regarding insider trading around market-moving policy announcements. Reports of suspicious trading preceding the President's tariff pause,2 and volatility surrounding interventions in Argentina,3 raise serious questions about manipulation. The Committee must examine whether the SEC is adequately policing these risks and what it is doing regarding its statutorily-mandated independence.
2. The dismissal of major crypto enforcement actions: The SEC has terminated or stayed major enforcement actions against multiple crypto companies and individuals that had been credibly accused of major violations of our securities laws, including Coinbase, Binance, and Justin Sun.4 In some of these cases, the defendants had announced that the SEC had terminated enforcement actions even before the Commission had taken the actual vote to do so.5 Reports also suggest that the Chairman's office took an unusually active role in negotiating an end to these cases.6 The Committee has not scrutinized the SEC's rationale for abandoning these matters, nor how the agency intends to deter fraud and manipulation in markets touching millions of retail investors.
3. Shrouding policymaking in darkness: The SEC under Chairman Atkins has generally adopted an approach to policymaking that eschews notice-and-comment rulemaking in favor of staff statements and extending the compliance dates of Commission rules.7 This approach flouts the SEC's legal obligations under the Administrative Procedure Act, excludes the vital role public comment provides in identifying issues, and hides from Congressional and public view precisely what interests are influencing SEC decision-making, so that we cannot weigh the motives of those parties molding SEC policy. For instance:
a. The withdrawal of pending investor-protection rulemakings: In June, the SEC withdrew fourteen proposed rulemakings, including protections regarding Artificial Intelligence (predictive data analytics), cybersecurity, and market structure reforms relating to best execution and order competition (issues that were central to our work in 117th Congress related to the events surrounding the manipulation of GameStop stock.8 The withdrawal of these pro-investor reforms weakens market transparency, integrity, and resiliency. Yet the Committee has not required the SEC to justify these withdrawals, identify which (if any) investor-protection priorities will be re-proposed, or explain what empirical analysis the SEC relied upon in reversing course.
b. Delays to hedge fund and private fund transparency: The Commission has repeatedly extended compliance for Form PF amendments, a core tool for monitoring financial stability.9 Our Committee must hear from the SEC about how it will monitor systemic risk, including protecting pension beneficiaries exposed to private markets.
c. Reducing transparency in short-selling and securities-lending: The SEC, under Chair Atkins, extended compliance dates for short-sale and securities lending reporting well into 2028.10 Investor advocates warn this effectively kills transparency reforms designed to detect manipulation.
d. Erosion of shareholder rights: The Division of Corporation Finance, following explicit instructions from Chairman Atkins, announced it will largely cease issuing no-action responses for shareholder proposal exclusions.11 The SEC also issued a policy statement that allows issuers to dramatically limit private rights of action by binding investors to mandatory arbitration clauses.12 These moves could embolden executives to ignore shareholder proposals and silence harmed investors.
4. Deregulating the securities markets: When the SEC does pursue notice-and-comment rulemaking, it is doing so as a means to remove guardrails meant to protect investors and make financial firms wealthier. The SEC's Spring 2025 Regulatory Flexibility Agenda details the agency's consideration of rollbacks to the universe of companies that must register with the SEC, reductions in disclosures to investors, and expansion of risky private assets available to Americans saving for retirement.13 We have not had the opportunity to examine Chairman Atkins's deregulatory agenda, which SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw compared to the period prior to the stock market crash in 1929.14
5. Abandonment of climate-risk disclosure: Investors have repeatedly demanded standardized, comparable, decision-useful information regarding material climate-related financial risks and corporate governance.15 The SEC nevertheless voted to end its defense of the climate-related disclosure rules finalized under the prior Commission, after earlier seeking to pause litigation to reassess the rules.16 The Committee has not examined how the SEC weighed investor demand for such risk disclosures against issuer opposition, nor how the agency plans to ensure that public-company disclosures keeps pace with material, market-wide risk.
6. Weakening market surveillance: Chairman Atkins described a notice-first enforcement approach, notifying registrants of technical violations prior to initiating an enforcement action.17 At the same time, the SEC is taking steps to restructure the Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT), which is essential for detecting insider trading; any effort to narrow its utility warrants direct oversight to ensure this Committee does not enable market manipulation.18
7. Reduction of corporate reporting: Chairman Atkins stated the SEC is fast-tracking a proposal to reduce the frequency of corporate reporting, following a tweet by President Trump wherein he stated that the United States should eliminate quarterly reporting for public companies.19 While the disincentives of quarterly reporting and corporate short-term decision making deserve serious consideration, simply abandoning quarterly reporting reduces timely disclosure and increases volatility.20 We need to examine the legal pathway and market impact of reducing timely disclosures to investors.
8. Audit oversight and the PCAOB: Audit quality and auditor accountability are foundational investor protections. The SEC's leadership changes and oversight posture toward the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board21--including the resignation of PCAOB Chair Erica Williams at the request of SEC leadership22--raise serious questions about the independence and rigor of audit oversight at a time of heightened fraud risk and market complexity. Given these developments, the Committee has to examine how the SEC intends to ensure rigorous audit oversight and enforcement continuity.
9. Staffing: As of May 2025, "data, obtained by Reuters through a public records request, show those divisions at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lost 15% to 19% of their full-time headcount over the course of several weeks, representing a significant workforce drawdown." 23 We must assess the operational impact of the recent mass exodus of senior career staff from the SEC, including in the Divisions of Enforcement, Trading and Markets, and Corporation Finance and whether the agency has the human capital necessary to accomplish its mission and do the job Congress requires it to do.
10. Ethics and conflicts of interest: Given the Chairman's recent private sector roles, the Committee must ensure that deregulatory actions taken under the Chairman's direction are based on data, not previous client preferences or the preferences of persons affiliated with President Trump.24 We need to review the agency's recusal and ethics compliance regarding these specific rule withdrawals.
Given the breadth of these developments, I urge you to convene a hearing with Chairman Atkins as soon as practicable when Congress returns. The Committee's oversight obligation is not optional. Investors, retirees, and working families deserve transparency and accountability.
Sincerely,
Representative Maxine Waters, Ranking Member
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Original text here: https://democrats-financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=414080
