WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * 'Why are we here?' | Ranking Member Pingree Slams Sham Appropriations Process as Republicans Allow Trump to Usurp Power of the Purse * Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, Ranking Member of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, spoke out against Republicans' funding bill for the 2026 fiscal year during the Appropriations Committee's markup today. In her opening remarks, Pingree ca  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- A coalition of 15 state attorneys general has expressed strong opposition to a proposed rescission of energy conservation standards for conventional ovens issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In a public comment letter submitted on July 15, 2025, the attorneys general criticized the agency for what they termed an unlawful and potentially damaging proposal that threatens to roll back existing energy efficiency regulations established under the Energy Policy and Co  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- A coalition of 15 state attorneys general has issued a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) expressing their strong opposition to the agency's proposal to rescind current energy conservation standards for dehumidifiers. The proposed rescission would revert to earlier, less efficient standards, contradicting established energy efficiency goals outlined in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). The offices of state attorneys general and local  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news: * * * Amid GOP Assault on Healthcare, Pressley, Duckworth, DeGette, Schakowsky, Frost, Colleagues Unveil EACH Act, Keep Up Fight for Reproductive Justice * Lawmakers File EACH Act to End Hyde Amendment, Lift Unjust Abortion Coverage Restrictions on Medicaid, Other Government Sponsored Plans Follows Passage of Big, Ugly Bill that Guts Medicaid, Defunds Planned Parenthood, Further Restricts Healthcare   more

WASHINGTON, July 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following document on July 21, 2025, from Economics Daily: * * * Lifeguards had hourly mean wages over $21.00 in two states and the District of Columbia in 2024 In the heat of summer, it's tempting to cool down by taking a dip at the pool or beach. Let's take a closer look at the wages and employment of those who keep us safe while we enjoy our fun in the sun. * * * Chart: Hourly mean wage a  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * Democrats Fight Against Republican Funding Bill that Raises Utility Bills and Energy Prices, Slashes Resources for the Arts and National Parks * During today's House Appropriations Committee markup of the 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill, Democrats shined a light on how Republicans drafted yet another funding bill that makes the cost-of-living crisis worse. Their bill r  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * Golden pushes for extension of moratorium on right whale, lobster regulations until 2035 * WASHINGTON -- Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) is urging the House Natural Resources Committee (HNRC) to protect Maine's lobstermen from new regulations related to the protection of the North Atlantic right whale until 2035. Golden worked with the Maine delegation and Governor Janet Mills to enact a moratorium  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * King Cosponsors Bill to Prohibit Sharing of Personal Data of DACA Program Applicants with Immigration Officials * WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has joined legislation to prohibit the sharing of sensitive personal data, like taxpayer and health information, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act would provide a statutory guarantee to   more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Angus S. King Jr., I-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * King to Africa Command Nominee: "We're Taking Our Eye off the Terrorism Ball" * WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) questioned a Trump Administration nominee about his thoughts on the current role of ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups within the African region. In his exchange with Air Force Lieutenant General  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: * * * Leger Fernandez, Murkowski, Klobuchar, Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Healing Partnerships for Survivors of Sexual Assault * Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), alongside Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), introduced the Healing Partnerships for Survivors Act, a bipartisan bill to  more

WASHINGTON, July 21 -- Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: * * * PASSED: Sen. Moran's Legislation to Prohibit VA Senior Executives from Exploiting PACT Act Bonuses * WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) - chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs - to prohibit PACT Act Critical Skill Incentive (CSI) payments from going to Senior Executive Service employees at the Department of   more

WASHINGTON, July 23 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11342) on July 22, 2025, by legislative attorneys Valerie C. Brannon and Whitney K. Novak: * * * Religious Charter Schools Remain Unlawful in Oklahoma After Supreme Court Judgment On May 22, 2025, the Supreme Court affirmed a state court opinion ruling that Oklahoma could not authorize or fund a religious charter school. The appeal in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Boa  more

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Huffman Introduces Bill to Protect Small Farmers and Producers * Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) re-introduced legislation that would enshrine the right for small cannabis producers to ship and sell their products directly to consumers. This bill, the Small and Homestead Independent Producers (SHIP) Act, would enable small farmers and producers to operate thei  more

WASHINGTON, July 23 -- The U.S. Chemical Safety Board issued the following news release: * * * U.S. Chemical Safety Board Releases Volume 3 of Chemical Incident Reports; Incidents Resulted in 1.8 Billion Dollars in Property Damage Reports Cover 30 Serious Chemical Incidents in 15 States including Maine, Oklahoma & West Virginia * July 22, 2025 - Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) announced that it has released Volume 3 of its Incident Reports. Volume 3 cov  more