U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from all members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate as well as the House and Senate leadership and House and Senate committees.
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Speaker Johnson Issues Statement on 'Shocking Security Failures' Outlined in Interim Bipartisan House Task Force Report
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (Rep.) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued the following statement on Oct. 21, 2024:
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Speaker Johnson issued the following statement after the House Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump released their bipartisan, interim staff report:
"The security failures by U.S. Secret Service personnel that led to the assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, PA were shocking and inexcusable. Today's bipartisan interim report makes clear that the conditions which allowed the would-be assassin to have a clear line of sight on President
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (Rep.) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued the following statement on Oct. 21, 2024:
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Speaker Johnson issued the following statement after the House Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump released their bipartisan, interim staff report:
"The security failures by U.S. Secret Service personnel that led to the assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, PA were shocking and inexcusable. Today's bipartisan interim report makes clear that the conditions which allowed the would-be assassin to have a clear line of sight on PresidentTrump were a result of poor communication, inadequate coordination with local law enforcement, and a failure to secure the event perimeter.
"Congress will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of truth and justice for the victims of that fateful afternoon. The Task Force will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that a security failure of this magnitude can never happen again. We are grateful for the work of the investigators on the Task Force and look forward to reading their full report in December."
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Original text here: https://www.speaker.gov/2024/10/21/speaker-johnson-statement-on-shocking-security-failures-outlined-in-interim-bipartisan-house-task-force-report/
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Wyden Hails Biden-Harris Action to Expand Access to Contraception
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on Oct. 21, 2024:
Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today hailed the announcement of a proposed rule from the Biden-Harris administration that would expand access and lower costs for contraception for Americans with private health insurance.
"As Trump and his radical Republican allies restrict women's reproductive health care, today's action by the Biden-Harris administration shows there is a different path: expanded access and lower costs for women's health
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on Oct. 21, 2024:
Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today hailed the announcement of a proposed rule from the Biden-Harris administration that would expand access and lower costs for contraception for Americans with private health insurance.
"As Trump and his radical Republican allies restrict women's reproductive health care, today's action by the Biden-Harris administration shows there is a different path: expanded access and lower costs for women's healthcare," Wyden said. "I'm all in on the effort to ensure Americans across the country can get the reproductive health care they need without worrying about cost or prosecution by ideological crusaders."
Last year, Wyden urged the administration to improve coverage for contraception, especially over-the-counter products that don't require a prescription.
Earlier this year, Senate Republicans blocked an effort to protect a woman's right to birth control.
More information on the proposed rule can be found here (https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-proposes-expanding-coverage-birth-control-and-other-preventive-services).
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Original text here: https://www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/wyden-hails-biden-harris-action-to-expand-access-to-contraception
Sen. Boozman Column: Cybersecurity Must Be a Constant Priority
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, issued the following weekly column on Oct. 21, 2024:
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Cybersecurity Must Be a Constant Priority
The digital age has benefits and disadvantages that we are perpetually balancing, but one clear downside is the opportunity for bad actors to access, steal and even hold hostage individual and collective data. This a lesson we continue to learn and why our practices should always adapt to better protect sensitive information or critical networks and systems.
October is designated as Cybersecurity Awareness Month to promote the importance
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, issued the following weekly column on Oct. 21, 2024:
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Cybersecurity Must Be a Constant Priority
The digital age has benefits and disadvantages that we are perpetually balancing, but one clear downside is the opportunity for bad actors to access, steal and even hold hostage individual and collective data. This a lesson we continue to learn and why our practices should always adapt to better protect sensitive information or critical networks and systems.
October is designated as Cybersecurity Awareness Month to promote the importanceof taking action to safeguard against these threats.
Right here in Arkansas, we have seen the impact cyberattacks can have in the public and private sectors. Unfortunately, hackers and scammers have exploited certain vulnerabilities with great effect.
A recent presentation to the Arkansas Joint Legislative Auditing Committee revealed that, over the last two years, there have been more than 250 cases of cyberattacks against state and local governments across our state. That includes a data breach of a major third-party software provider that exposed files on students and retirees as well as ransomware strikes against higher learning institutions, state and local agencies as well as a local school district.
These incidents can pose serious challenges not just for individuals whose sensitive, identifying information is compromised. They also have the potential to jeopardize the delivery of essential services unless the criminals behind this digital sabotage have their demands met.
Not only does that fallout sow uncertainty - it can also be costly and demoralizing.
The good news is that in addition to taking simple steps like using strong passwords, regularly backing up data and constantly being vigilant against impersonators seeking to steal information or infiltrate networks, the level of alertness to defend against cyber threats in The Natural State is rising.
That was evident most recently in the Cybersecurity Summit convened by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin this month. The event brought experts, stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss the current landscape and highlight efforts to enhance preparedness against risks posed by foreign adversaries and domestic criminals.
One key takeaway was to take cyber defense seriously, because failing to do so could have major implications personally, disrupt broader economic activity and even threaten national security. As Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly warned, anything connected to the internet is capable of being compromised.
Attacks targeting pipelines, food suppliers and water treatment facilities have demonstrated the crucial need to invest in capabilities and resources to improve our ability to prevent them.
I have been proud to support the growing push to develop the tools and workforce aimed at countering cyber crime. Higher education curriculums at UA Little Rock, the University of Central Arkansas, UA Pine Bluff and through the University of Arkansas System Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) are all expanding cyber instruction and helping train more professionals to fortify critical infrastructure, protect networks and systems, and better prepare individuals to avoid falling prey to this evolving phenomenon.
Last fiscal year, I secured federal funding for the Forge Institute - an initiative based in Arkansas - to seed a pre-accelerator program that will foster innovation and entrepreneurship to develop business models and products geared toward cyber resilience. I also continue supporting investment in the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium, which partners with CJI to deliver research-based cybersecurity training to local jurisdictions, counties and the private sector across Arkansas and the nation.
These efforts and others all indicate how serious this issue is, as well as the commitment in Arkansas to defend against it. I will continue working with partners in government, education and private industry to ensure we are protected now and into the future.
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Original text here: https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/weekly-columns?ID=0E341063-659D-4C5B-ADE2-17350E991CF3
Reps. Gluesenkamp Perez, Foxx Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Remove Regulatory Burdens on Childcare Providers, Support Kids Nutrition
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washington, issued the following news release on Oct. 21, 2024:
Last week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05) introduced the Cutting Red Tape on Child Care Providers Act. The legislation will prohibit states from creating any barriers on the simple preparation of fresh fruits and vegetables for childcare facilities.
Childcare providers often face restrictions on food preparation that limit parents' ability to send fresh fruits and vegetables with their kids to daycare.
In
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washington, issued the following news release on Oct. 21, 2024:
Last week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05) introduced the Cutting Red Tape on Child Care Providers Act. The legislation will prohibit states from creating any barriers on the simple preparation of fresh fruits and vegetables for childcare facilities.
Childcare providers often face restrictions on food preparation that limit parents' ability to send fresh fruits and vegetables with their kids to daycare.
Inmany states, including Washington, regulations make it easier for childcare providers to open a pre-packaged, often ultra-processed snack than to peel a banana or cut up an apple. This red tape undermines the ability of childcare providers to support kids' basic nutrition, local agriculture, and national health.
These regulatory hurdles are especially challenging for small home- and family-based childcare providers, which have been on a steady decline over the past decade and are lifelines for parents working non-traditional hours and rural and low-income families.
"When we send our kids to daycare with fresh fruits and veggies, but small childcare providers can't even peel a banana for them out of fear the state will shut down their facility, that's when you know regulations have gotten too convoluted and out of hand," said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. "By eliminating barriers to simple fresh produce prep, we can reduce burdens on home-based daycares and help our children eat more healthy, nutritious foods instead of ultra-processed snacks."
"Children thrive when they have access to nutritious meals, but it is not always available at every daycare. This bill cuts through the bureaucracy and gives parents the flexibility to bring foods from home that meet the nutrition needs of their child," said Chairwoman Foxx. "This bill builds upon the Committee's ongoing work recognizing that parents know best when it comes to their children. I thank Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez for her leadership on this issue and am pleased to join her in introducing the Cutting Red Tape on Child Care Providers Act of 2024, which puts children at the forefront."
Rep. Gluesenkamp also introduced the bipartisan Expanding Childcare in Rural America Act to improve access to high-quality, affordable childcare in rural and agricultural communities.
Full text of the bill is available here (https://d12t4t5x3vyizu.cloudfront.net/gluesenkampperez.house.gov/uploads/2024/10/Cutting-Red-Tape-on-Child-Care-Providers-Act-of-2024.pdf).
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Original text here: https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/gluesenkamp-perez-foxx-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-remove-regulatory-burdens-on-childcare-providers-support-kids-nutrition
Rep. Smith Urges Biden-Harris Administration to Establish Increased Protection for Azerbaijanis in U.S. Threatened by Escalating Transnational Repression
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release:
In the wake of the reported murder of outspoken Azerbaijani dissident Vidadi Isgandarli who was brutally beaten and stabbed to death in his house in France, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is urging the Biden-Harris Administration to "establish a U.S. Government effort to provide increased protection to Azerbaijanis living in the United States who may be in danger of escalating transnational repression in the run-up to next month's COP29 Climate Change Conference in Baku."
"This shocking crime perpetrated against
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, issued the following news release:
In the wake of the reported murder of outspoken Azerbaijani dissident Vidadi Isgandarli who was brutally beaten and stabbed to death in his house in France, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is urging the Biden-Harris Administration to "establish a U.S. Government effort to provide increased protection to Azerbaijanis living in the United States who may be in danger of escalating transnational repression in the run-up to next month's COP29 Climate Change Conference in Baku."
"This shocking crime perpetrated againsta leading critic of Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev is extremely concerning and has placed Azerbaijanis in the United States on high alert--especially those who are bravely exposing Aliyev's cruel regime and its egregious human rights violations and large-scale corruption," said Smith, senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
"The Biden-Harris Administration needs to directly address Aliyev's horrific and heightening transnational repression before it's too late," said Smith, the author of the Transnational Repression Policy Act (HR 3654) that would comprehensively enhance the U.S government's response to foreign governments who target and persecute individuals living in the United States.
"If top Biden-Harris officials pretend this murder was not intended to intimidate other outspoken Azerbaijanis, they will be responsible for emboldening the perpetrators and increasing the threat to other Azerbaijanis," said Smith, who has chaired numerous congressional hearings and has visited Azerbaijan on several human rights trips as part of his longtime efforts to advocate for victims of Azerbaijan's human rights abuses, including ethnic Azerbaijanis and Armenians.
The murder of Isgandarli follows numerous reports detailing Azerbaijani dissidents who have been targeted and attacked in recent years around the world, including in the U.S., France, Germany and Georgia. In 2020, the Institute for Peace and Democracy noted it had been informed of "confidential information from Baku about the plans to neutralize the most active critics of the regime living in the West" and a list of individuals that Azerbaijan planned on targeting.
Despite continuing to have one of the most repressive governments in the world, Azerbaijan is slated to host the United Nations's COP29 Climate Change Conference in November.
"It is outrageous that the Biden-Harris Administration is giving credence to Azerbaijan's propaganda that it is a 'peacemaker' and sending a high-level delegation to its COP29 conference while Azerbaijani dissidents in the United States and around the world are being persecuted and even killed for standing up for human rights and democracy," said Smith, who authored the Azerbaijan Democracy Act in 2015 to promote the rule of law and respect for human rights in the country.
"In addition to securing the safety of Azerbaijanis here at home, the Biden-Harris Administration should immediately retract its destructive statements about valuing the dictator's 'leadership' and foolishly saying our countries have 'aligned our priorities,'" said Smith, referring to comments made earlier this month by John Podesta, Senior Advisor to President Biden for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation.
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Original text here: https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=413394
House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Loudermilk: Expert Analysis Reveals Hutchinson Not Author of January 6 Tweet
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Georgia, chairman of the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, issued the following news release:
The Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) has released new evidence that indicates Cassidy Hutchinson knowingly provided false testimony to the Select Committee on January 6, regarding the origins of a handwritten note that was given to President Trump on January 6, 2021.
As first reported by Will Steakin with ABC News (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://house.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=67fba463240fdd948eb636b35&id=38ae353adb&e=6ef2d40eac__;!!Bg5easoyC-OII2vlEqY8mTBrtW-N4OJKAQ!PDPdzH-VenSEowRx1U-NyyvwwUFsn_qXxOOF6mWmN9WkPDgSrMoT9NOHNGuhYvTbekMWgfPMat97tupsswq7UU77x-3j_pZ_oGZM7EklhauUQctT0vPY$),
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Georgia, chairman of the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, issued the following news release:
The Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) has released new evidence that indicates Cassidy Hutchinson knowingly provided false testimony to the Select Committee on January 6, regarding the origins of a handwritten note that was given to President Trump on January 6, 2021.
As first reported by Will Steakin with ABC News (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://house.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=67fba463240fdd948eb636b35&id=38ae353adb&e=6ef2d40eac__;!!Bg5easoyC-OII2vlEqY8mTBrtW-N4OJKAQ!PDPdzH-VenSEowRx1U-NyyvwwUFsn_qXxOOF6mWmN9WkPDgSrMoT9NOHNGuhYvTbekMWgfPMat97tupsswq7UU77x-3j_pZ_oGZM7EklhauUQctT0vPY$),the handwritten note was the draft for a proposed Tweet for President Trump to send advising rioters to leave the Capitol. The text read "ANYONE WHO ENTERED THE CAPITOL ILLEGALLY WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORITY SHOULD LEAVE IMMEDIATELY," with the word ILLEGALLY scratched out.
During her public hearing on June 28, 2022, Ms. Hutchinson testified, under oath, that she personally wrote this note as the Presidents Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows and Eiric Herschmann, one of the President's attorneys, dictated it to her. Her public testimony to this event was consistent with her first transcribed interview with the Select Committee on February 23, 2022.
However, immediately after Hutchinson's public testimony regarding the note, Eric Herschmann immediately refuted her testimony and has maintained for years that he is the one who wrote the note.
During their investigation, the Select Committee never contacted Herschmann to confirm the authorship of this note or to ensure the accuracy of their "meticulously sourced" final report. As the Select Committee consistently did with all of Hutchinson's testimonies, they accepted and promoted her claim without any corroboration or seeking other evidence to substantiate her testimony.
To resolve the controversy over who actually penned the controversial note, the Select Committee claimed to have reviewed Hutchinsons handwriting and determined her handwriting was "consistent with the script of the note.
To resolve the claims by both Hutchinson and Herschmann as being the one who penned the note, the Oversight Subcommittee retained an independent certified handwriting analyst to review the document. The Oversight Subcommittee obtained several samples of Mr. Herschmann's handwriting which were used by Forensic Document Examiners to determine if the note was penned by Mr. Herschmann. After a thorough analysis, their certified handwriting analyst stated in the report that "the evidence supports my opinion that the handwriting that appears on the Questioned Document was written in the same hand as the exemplars" [Herschmann].
See here for the conclusive results obtained by the Subcommittee, stating that Herschmann, indeed, did write the note (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://house.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=67fba463240fdd948eb636b35&id=373794f5dd&e=6ef2d40eac__;!!Bg5easoyC-OII2vlEqY8mTBrtW-N4OJKAQ!PDPdzH-VenSEowRx1U-NyyvwwUFsn_qXxOOF6mWmN9WkPDgSrMoT9NOHNGuhYvTbekMWgfPMat97tupsswq7UU77x-3j_pZ_oGZM7EklhauUQfpGrXPA$).
This new evidence contradicts Ms. Hutchinson's multiple sworn testimonies in which she says penned the document.
Hutchinson testified under oath at her hearing on June 28, 2022, that she wrote this note, echoing the testimony from her first transcribed interview. She testified Mark Meadows dictated to her "illegally" and Eric Herschmann, one of the President's attorneys, dictated "without proper authority" and Hutchinson wrote both.
In Hutchinsons' book, "Enough," she continued to assert that she wrote the proposed tweet for President Trump, claiming that Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, shoved a blank note card and pen in her hand and told her to "write this down for me. We're drafting a tweet for the boss."
Chairman Loudermilk said the following of the note:
"This new evidence provided by an independent, Certified Questioned Document Examiner, not only contradicts Ms. Hutchinson's numerous claims that she penned the note, but also exposes the Select Committee's willingness to accept all her testimonies without corroboration or further investigation."
Background:
During the Select Committee's professionally produced primetime televised hearing, Hutchinson was marketed as their surprise, "star witness." Hutchinson testified under oath to several extraordinary events, including that President Trump lunged at the steering wheel of the presidential SUV and engaged in a physical altercation with his lead Secret Service agent after being told they were not going to the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The Select Committee eagerly accepted her testimony as fact without any verification, corroboration or further investigation.
Our Subcommittee's "Initial Findings Report" released in March shows that four other White House employees did not corroborate Hutchinson's dramatic account, and instead directly refuted it. The Select Committee was in possession of these accounts but chose to hide them, and instead promoted Hutchinson's scandalous narrative. Since that report, our Subcommittee has obtained the transcribed interviews of the Secret Service Agents, including the driver of the SUV, who refuted Hutchinsons testimonies.
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Original text here: https://cha.house.gov/press-releases?ID=995DD584-4385-4765-820E-4E274D09B5FC
Bipartisan Committee Leaders Urge DOT & FAA to Advance Rule for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drone Operations
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release:
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should move forward expeditiously with an overdue rulemaking providing for scaled, safe beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations in U.S. airspace, according to the bipartisan leaders and Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Aviation Subcommittee.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO),
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 -- Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, issued the following news release:
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should move forward expeditiously with an overdue rulemaking providing for scaled, safe beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations in U.S. airspace, according to the bipartisan leaders and Members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Aviation Subcommittee.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO),Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves (R-LA), and Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Steve Cohen (D-TN) sent a letter with their T&I colleagues today to DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker.
The Members of Congress noted the importance of establishing a performance-based framework for BVLOS operations of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which became law on May 16, 2024, included a provision directing the FAA to do so, requiring the publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) within four months of enactment and a final rule within twenty months of enactment.
"The deadline to issue an NPRM has passed, and it is now our understanding that the proposed rule may not be issued until January 2025, at the earliest. It is concerning the failure to comply with statutory instructions may also result in the delay of a final rule," said the lawmakers in their letter.
The Committee Members noted that, although the FAA has provided waivers and exemptions for some BVLOS operations, the current process continues to stifle innovation with regulatory uncertainty and complexity. The letter states, "A final rule released in accordance with Section 930 will help unlock the full benefits of BVLOS operations across local communities and our National economy, including in the public safety, medical, logistics, and agricultural industries. Furthermore, a timely rulemaking will build on years of work by the FAA, the industry, conventional airspace users, and other stakeholders to ensure the necessary standards and processes are in place to safely foster advanced drone operations into United States skies."
Read the full letter here (https://transportation.house.gov/UploadedFiles/2024-10-21_--_BVLOS_Letter_to_DOT_FAA.pdf).
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Original text here: https://transportation.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=407855
