WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * Amid Surge In ICE Hiring, Durbin Remarks On Low Standards Of ICE Recruits Who Have Failed Drug Tests, Have Pending Criminal Charges, And More * December 10, 2025 In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin again denounced President Trump's so-called "Operation Midway Blitz" and called on his Republican colleagues to stand up against the President's cruel mass deportation scheme WASHINGTON - U.  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued the following program update: * * * APHIS Establishes a Mexican Fruit Fly (Anastrepha ludens) Quarantine Area in Texas * Subject: To: State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials On December 5, 2025, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) established a Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens: Mexfly) in   more

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama, Dec. 12 -- The U.S. Army Contracting Command issued the following news: * * * Army launches Initiative to modernize garrison food service By Michael Vicory, Mission and Installation Contracting Command JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (December 11, 2025) -- The U.S. Army launched the Dining Excellence Initiative, or DINEX, today to modernize food service operations across Army training installations. A combined endeavor between the Mission and Instal  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Arrington Celebrates Passage of Defense Bill, Secures Record Funding for Dyess Air Force Base * Washington, D.C. - House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) celebrated final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which provides $900.6 billion to strengthen America's military and advance President Trump's national security priorities, while securing $120 million for Dyess Air   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following report (No. USDL-25-1558) on Dec. 11, 2025, entitled "State Employment and Unemployment - September 2025": * * * Unemployment rates were higher in September in 8 states, lower in 2 states, and stable in 40 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Eighteen states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 9 states h  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, issued the following news release: * * * Cantwell Requests Oversight Hearing on the National Weather Service's Ongoing Weather Readiness, Staffing Challenges * "The American public depends on NWS's ability to deliver accurate, timely forecasts and warnings, especially as extreme storms, fires, and hurricanes become more frequent and severe."; A record-breaking atmospheric river flooding communities in the PNW highlights the urgent nee  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection issued the following news release: * * * CBP intercepts first-in-nation bark beetle in Detroit * ROMULUS, Mich. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists made a first-in-nation interception of a potentially destructive bark beetle species in bark from the Ivory Coast last February. The approximately 3-millimeter beetle was found within partially dry bark brought for medicinal purp  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025: * * * Chairman Comer Slams Democrats' Pro-Union Boss Bill Blocking Trump's Workforce Accountability Reforms House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today criticized Democrats for seeking to advance H.R. 2550, a pro-union boss bill that would prevent President Donald Trump from carrying   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The Foreign Trade Zone of Southeast Texas Inc., Beaumont, Texas, has applied to the U.S. Department of Commerce Foreign-Trade Zones Board for subzone status covering a facility operated by Phillips 66 Co., Houston, Texas. The proposed subzone is located in Nederland, Texas. The request, submitted under the Foreign-Trade Zones Act, is focused solely on securing zone status for the property. At this stage, the Texas organization has not asked for permission to con  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr., D-Georgia, issued the following news release: * * * CONGRESSMAN BISHOP HELPS INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS, PROTECT HEALTHCARE ACCESS * WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) called on the U.S. House of Representatives to take up the Pharmacists Fight Back Act to rein in the abusive practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), the middlemen of drug pricing. The bipartisan legislat  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Veasey Votes to Pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) * Washington, D.C. - Congressman Veasey has voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Congressman Veasey released the following statement on the NDAA: "Each year, the House Armed Service Committee (HASC) is responsible for crafting our nation's military budget in the best interest of our national security,   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Williams Introduces the Safer Schools Act to Strengthen School Security * WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) introduced the Safer Schools Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that establishes two pilot grant programs within the Department of Justice to help schools assess and strengthen campus physical security. This bipartisan bill provides federal resources t  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Congresswoman Escobar Introduces Legislation to Fully Fund New ELP Air Traffic Control Tower * Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) introduced the El Paso Air Traffic Control Tower Modernization Act, legislation that would provide the funding necessary to replace the aging air traffic control (ATC) tower at the El Paso International Airport. While the FAA has acknowledged the crucial need to r  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Congresswoman Escobar Joins Nearly 50 Lawmakers in Call to Provide Additional Funding for the Federal Public Defender Program in FY26 Budget * Last week, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined nearly 50 lawmakers led by Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1) in calling on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees to provide additional funding to the Feder  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Congresswoman Escobar Statement on the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act * Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released a statement following her vote on the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): "The annual National Defense Authorization Act has always been the product of serious bipartisan negotiation, leading to a bill that prioritizes our se  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Announces Congressional App Challenge Winners for Texas' Seventh Congressional District * This week, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) announced Vidya Ganesh and Scarlett Yu as the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge. Vidya and Scarlett's app, TuneIn, is an AI-powered hearing assistance tool. "I am so impressed with the creative talents of our young n  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news: * * * Cornyn, Cruz Praise Committee Passage of Nicholas Ganjei to be District Judge for the Southern District of Texas * WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) released the following statements after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved President Trump's nomination of Nicholas Ganjei to be the District Judge for the Southern District of Texas - Houston Division: "Texas deserves  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news: * * * Cornyn, Klobuchar Bill to Permanently Extend Criminal Penalties for Human Traffickers Passes Senate * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statements after their Enduring Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which would correct a technical error in existing statute and permanently extend a criminal penalty requiring certain offenders found guilty of h  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to grant conditional no-migration variances to the Lone Mountain landfill facility operated by Clean Harbors, Waynoka, Oklahoma. The variances would permit the facility to temporarily stage up to 100 "put piles" of treated hazardous waste within its Subtitle C landfill at any one time. The nine categories of waste involved are awaiting verification that they meet the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCR  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The Mary Ellen Wall 2021 Legacy Trust, alongside five other related trusts, filed a request with the Federal Reserve System to join the Wall Family Control Group. The action centers on the retention of voting shares in Vision Bancshares Inc., which in turn holds shares of Vision Bank, both of Ada, Oklahoma. The filing entities are all connected to the Wall family, based across several Oklahoma cities and one in Texas and Missouri. The trusts include the James N.   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued the following news release: * * * Following New Law In Australia Banning Kids From Harmful, Addictive Social Media Platforms, Schatz Calls For Passage Of Kids Off Social Media Act * WASHINGTON - Following the implementation of Australia's social media ban for children, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) today called on Congress to pass the Kids Off Social Media Act. The bipartisan bill, led by Schatz and U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * House Aviation Chairman Troy E. Nehls Expresses Concerns with Section 373 of the FY26 NDAA * WASHINGTON, D.C. House Aviation Chairman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) released the following statement expressing concern regarding Section 373 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year (FY) 2026: "While I supported the overall passage of the FY26 NDAA, I have specific concerns with Section 37  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following news release: * * * House SST Committee Investigates Alleged Misconduct in Agency Civil Rights Offices Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin and Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rich McCormick sent letters to the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administra  more

DALLAS, Texas, Dec. 11 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, issued the following news release: * * * Houston, Texas, Senior Housing Development Breaks Ground with Support of $750K FHLB Dallas Grant * HOUSTON, TEXAS, December 11, 2025The William A. Lawson Institute for Peace and Prosperity (WALIPP) and community partners broke ground on the WALIPP Senior Residences, an affordable housing development for older adults in Houston, Texas'   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025: * * * Husted leads bill to integrate AI talent in federal workforce Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) joined Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) in introducing the bipartisan AI Talent Act. This bill would create an artificial intelligence (AI) and tech talent team within the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to provide guidance in hiring experts in AI to join federal agencies. The hiring team would be composed o  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued the following news release: * * * ICE Nabs Illegal Alien with 14 Convictions in Sanctuary California as Law Enforcement Targets the Worst of the Worst * Ana Lizbeth Lopez-De Reyes' criminal history includes criminal threats, burglary, dissuading or intimidating a witness or victim, cruelty towards a child, hit-and-run, and fraud WASHINGTON U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announces the arrest of more worst  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Judiciary Committee Advances Four U.S. Attorneys and Three Judicial Nominations * WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the following nominations: * David Clay Fowlkes, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas, by a vote of 15-7; * Nicholas Jon Ganjei, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, by a vote of 12-  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Kennedy champions PURE Act to cut red tape and help law enforcement crack down on meth traffickers * WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today reintroduced the Preventing Unnecessary Resource Expenditures (PURE) Act, legislation that gives law enforcement stronger, cleaner tools to combat meth trafficking by eliminating the obsolete legal distinction  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Timothy M. Kennedy, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * Kennedy Slams Noem's Failures That Have Put Western New York and the Nation at Risk * WASHINGTON, D.C. - During a Homeland Security Committee hearing, Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) pressed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about the agency's unlawful immigration raids, the dismantling of our nation's emergency preparedness and management capabilities, and unprecedented cuts to counter  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Moran, Sewell Advance Bipartisan Taxpayer Due Process Enhancement Act Out of Committee * U.S. Representatives Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) and Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement after their bipartisan Taxpayer Due Process Enhancement Act was unanimously passed out of the Ways and Means Committee yesterday. This bill protects taxpayer rights by blocking the IRS from withholding refun  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. John Garamendi, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * New Report from Rep. Garamendi and Sen. Warren Reveals Trump Admin. Took $2 Billion from Military for Immigration Enforcement * Cover Letter to the Pentagon (PDF) (link is external) | Text of Report (PDF) (link is external) WASHINGTON, DC Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08) and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) released a new report (link is external) detailing the Trump administration  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: * * * New Report from Senator Warren's Office Reveals Trump Administration Siphoned At Least $2 Billion from Military Budget for Immigration Enforcement * Pentagon's requested budget for 2026 indicates the Defense Department plans to spend at least $5 billion more for southern border operations alone Warren: "It's an insult to our service members that Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem are using the  more

SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Dec. 11 -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service posted the following news: * * * NOAA Shares First Space Weather Data from SWFO-L1's Magnetometer * The Magnetometer (MAG) onboard the Space Weather Follow On - Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) observatory is performing well and has begun sending magnetic-field data back to Earth. SWFO-L1, NOAA's first spacecraft built exclusively for around-the-clock s  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025: * * * On Senate Floor, Warren Raises Concerns about Donald Trump's Potentially Muzzling Department of Justice on Risks of Sending H200 Chips to China Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, raised concer  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Virginia, ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025: * * * Ranking Member Scott's Opening Remarks at Markup of Education Bills that Increase Transparency Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today's full committee markup of H.R. 6392, 6472, 6498, and 6502. "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. "Today, we are here to mark up four ed  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: * * * Religious Liberty Commission Hosts Fourth Hearing on Religious Liberty in the Military * DALLAS, TX - Yesterday, the Religious Liberty Commission hosted its fourth hearing to discuss religious liberty issues in the Military, including the perspectives of servicemembers, chaplains, and veterans, as well as state and local religious liberty issues. The hearing's objectives included understanding the   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- The U.S. Space Force issued the following news: * * * Remarks by CSO Gen. Chance Saltzman at the 2025 Space Force Association's Spacepower Conference * ORLANDO, Fla. (AFNS) As delivered by Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman Dec. 11, 2025 Good morning. Wow! What a great day! Great to have all the Guardians in one place. Thanks, Ricky, for the intro, as always. I want to also thanks to Hippie and all of the Space Force Association team for making this event  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Crenshaw Introduces Common Sense Bill to Provide Regulatory Certainty for Advanced Recycling Technologies * Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), along with Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL), introduced the Recycling Technology Innovation Act, critical legislation that finally provides the regulatory clarity needed to unlock innovation in America's plastics recycling sector   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Troy E. Nehls Introduces Bill to Clarify Federal Authority Over Nuclear Waste Storage * WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) introduced the Consolidated Interim Storage Facility Restriction Act, legislation that clarifies the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) authority and resolves ongoing legal confusion surrounding privately owned consolidated interim storage facilities  more

DALLAS, Texas, Dec. 12 -- The Army and Air Force Exchange Service issued the following news release: * * * Season of Giving: Exchange Shoppers Can Donate to Military Relief Funds This holiday season, Army & Air Force Exchange Service shoppers can make a difference to those in need by donating to military relief funds during checkout. Donations can be made to Army Emergency Relief (AER) or the Air Force Assistance Fund (AFAF) during checkout in Exchange stores or on ShopMyExchange.com. Shoppe  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release (No. 4:24-cv-02805; S.D. Tex. filed July 29, 2024) involving Thomas San Miguel: * * * On November 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas entered a final judgment against Thomas San Miguel, founder and former Chief Executive Officer of SGR Energy, Inc., a Houston-based fuel-blending business, for engaging in an unregistered and fraudulent securities offering. The   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * Sen. Cruz Introduces Bill to Increase Affordable Health Coverage Options for Americans * WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the Competition and Openness in Markets to Promote Efficiency, Transparency, and Enhanced Affordability (COMPETE) Act. The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to extend the maximum duration of short-term, limited-duration insu  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. Ted Budd, R-North Carolina, issued the following news release: * * * Senators Budd and Cruz Introduce Common-Sense Legislation to Increase Affordable Healthcare Coverage Options for Americans * Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Competition and Openness in Markets to Promote Efficiency, Transparency, and Enhanced Affordability (COMPETE) Act today. The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to extend the m  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025: * * * Sens. Cantwell and Cruz File Amendment to Strike Section 373 From NDAA Senators push for inclusion of bipartisan ROTOR Act * U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) filed an amendment to th  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, issued the following news release on Dec. 11, 2025: * * * Sens. Cruz and Cantwell File Amendment to Strike Section 373 From NDAA Senators push for inclusion of bipartisan ROTOR Act * Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, filed an amendment to the National Defense   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release: * * * Ancient Manatee Relative Reveals That Sea Cows Have Engineered the Arabian Gulf's Seagrass Ecosystems for Over 20 Million Years Smithsonian Researchers and Collaborators at Qatar Museums Describe a Sea Cow Bonebed in Qatar That Is Among the Richest Deposits of Marine Mammal Fossils in the World Note to editors: Photos of the Al Maszhabiya site and fossils, an artist's reconstruction of the ne  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11382) on Dec. 10, 2025, by legislative attorney L. Paige Whitaker: * * * The Voting Rights Act of 1965 at 60 Years: Key Supreme Court Decisions Shaping the Law Today The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) turned 60 this year. On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the VRA into law "[t]o enforce the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution." Since its enactment  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * Welch, Kim, Raskin, Beyer Reintroduce Bicameral Ranked Choice Voting Act, a Pro-Democracy Bill to Empower Voters * Legislation would require ranked choice voting for all congressional primary and general elections, giving voters more meaningful choices at the ballot box. WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, alongside U.S. Senator Andy Kim   more