Transcript Highlights:

• Now, you co-sponsored the pro-act as a member of Congress.
• It will be up to Congress to write those laws and to work together.
• That's determined by Congress.
• process and the role of Congress.
• And we as a Congress need to hold the agencies accountable to that.

Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Keywords: PRO Act, labor laws, worker rights, unionization, right-to-work, public testimony, political polarization

Summary: The meeting centered around an in-depth discussion of the PRO Act, with representatives expressing passionate opinions both for and against the legislation. Representative Chavez de Rimmer emphasized the importance of worker freedom, arguing that the PRO Act would infringe upon individual rights by coercing unionization. This perspective was strongly received by members from right-to-work states, who articulated their concerns about the potential erosion of workers' choices and protections. Speaker after speaker conveyed conflicting views on labor laws, indicating a deeply polarized environment surrounding labor issues at the moment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, a few years ago, the SBA failed to notify Congress, um, the SBA failed to notify Congress
• Programs so Congress can better evaluate their effectiveness.
• I want to thank the chair and the ranking member for proving to us that Congress... ...that Congress
• We need a president and more members of Congress to realize no...
• This Congress and last Congress can't get any of them to support it. So, look... I get it.

Bills: HB2323 , HB6644 , SB629 , HB8882 , HB8881 , HB8880 , HB8879 , HB4238 , HR915 , HR826 , HB7401 , HB7396

Keywords: Big Bend National Park, land acquisition, boundary adjustment, Secretary of the Interior, conservation, Holodomor, Ukraine famine, 1932-1933 famine, genocide recognition, Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, collectivization, grain confiscation, human rights, Ukraine, Ukrainian people, Russian aggression, Vladimir Putin, foreign affairs, sense of the House

Transcript Highlights:

• Article I, Section 8 gives Congress, not the president, the power to declare war.
• Congress has dodged that responsibility and set of formal declarations of war.
• Because it doesn't go through Congress, you know?
• The Congress, the commander-in-chief, they do not— hold on, hold on. Okay.
• So Title 10, Section 12301 demands that Congress declare war before going to war.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs

Summary: The committee held a hybrid public hearing on seven House bills and seven Senate bills related to the Massachusetts National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces Reserves. Opening remarks covered hearing procedures, livestreaming, testimony limits, and expected reporting dates, and chairs noted the committee’s focus on Guard and Reserve issues. Testimony then moved through several bills, including S. 2465 to expand the National Guard welcome-home veterans bonus to all deployed Guard members regardless of residency, H. 3876/S. 2462 to authorize military-style headstones for long-serving or deceased Guard members, and S. 2482/H. 3833 to establish a Massachusetts National Guard Museum in Salem. Supporters of the bonus and headstone bills argued they would correct inequities and better honor service; Senator Lovely described the museum proposal as a way to preserve the Guard’s history in Salem and potentially support federal funding for the project. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 3829/S. 2471, the “Defend the Guard” proposal that would bar Massachusetts National Guard deployments into active combat absent a formal congressional declaration of war. Supporters argued the bill would restore constitutional war powers, reduce repeated undeclared deployments, and protect Guard members’ mental health and state readiness. Opponents, including retired Guard leaders and current service members, warned it could conflict with federal law and Title 10 authority, undermine federal funding and training, and harm readiness, force structure, and unique Guard capabilities. Committee members repeatedly questioned the bill’s legal authority, constitutional basis, and practical effects under the Supremacy Clause and Title 10, and several witnesses were asked to submit additional written legal support. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3831, which would extend Chapter 115 benefits to currently serving Guard and Reserve members who do not meet federal veteran-status thresholds, and on related proposals to clarify Guard command structure and the duties of the Adjutant General. Supporters said these changes would improve access to benefits, reduce confusion in the chain of command, and strengthen discipline and responsiveness. Separately, the National Guard Association of Massachusetts backed H. 3860/S. 2458, the Guard Enlistment Enhancement Program, as a recruiting tool, while opposing the Defend the Guard bills. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Congress didn't create FOIA for it to be used against the people. It was intended to serve.
• It wasn't created to allow... to allow the federal government to hide information from Congress and the
• To begin, Congress could strengthen FOIA's affirmative discipline.
• And until Congress passed... makes it very clear that we're serious about this.
• And I think if Congress can develop specific technological criteria. That would go a long way.

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Administrator Loeffler has not provided Congress with any information about these activities.
• And this Congress has gotten off to an even faster start.
• Congress created an independent office to advocate for them.
• Can you additionally confirm that SBA will keep Congress informed of any changes?
• How would you use your the Office of Advocacy to make sure that Congress?

Committee: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Keywords: SBA, small business, nominations, Bill Briggs, Casey Mulligan, regulations, capital access, public support

Summary: The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship convened to consider the nominations of Bill Briggs for Deputy Administrator of the SBA and Dr. Casey Mulligan for Chief Counsel for Advocacy. The discussions highlighted the critical role of the SBA in promoting small businesses, with emphasis on overcoming challenges posed by excessive regulations and the need for improved access to capital. Several committee members expressed their concerns over recent layoffs within the SBA and the closure of district offices, which they believe undermine support for small businesses across the nation. The committee meeting saw extensive dialogue about the implications of regulations on small business operations and how the nominees plan to address these issues if confirmed. Public support for the nominees was acknowledged through letters from various stakeholders who advocate for small business interests.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:52:19.839><c> The</c> Republicans in this Congress. The Republicans in this Congress.
• Come to Congress. That's what dictators. Come to Congress.
• Congress passes budgets. government. Congress passes budgets.
• I yield back. by Congress, by by Congress, by us,<06:54:06.718><c> Americans.
• Congress have? A secret strategy?" The Congress have? A secret strategy?"

Bills: HB2240 , HB2255

Keywords: law enforcement, police, officer safety, officer wellness, violent attacks, ambush attacks, assaults on police, anti-police violence, public safety, Department of Justice, Attorney General, FBI, National Institute of Justice, Uniform Crime Reporting, UCR, NIBRS, Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted Data Collection, LEOKA, bulletproof vests, Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership

Transcript Highlights:

• Together, they show the best of the Congress. Together, they show the best of the Congress.
• </c> Congress and black majority districts. Congress and black majority districts.
• </c> still be here in the halls of Congress. still be here in the halls of Congress.
• This Congress must fight back.
• This Congress must fight back.

Bills: HB2853 , HB2071 , HR1259 , HB8352 , HB2267 , HR1252 , HR1251 , HB4478 , HB3709 , HB4437

Keywords: organized retail crime, retail theft, cargo theft, supply chain crime, shoplifting, organized theft groups, cargo diversion, stolen goods, fencing, online marketplace, e-commerce, gift cards, prepaid cards, money laundering, Homeland Security Investigations, HSI, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, interstate theft, transnational crime

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> guilt they don't make him in Congress guilt they don't make him in Congress like<04:40:47.200><c
• Congress writes the checks, and no Congress person is going to commit political suicide to defending
• Congress writes the checks, and no Congress person is going to commit political suicide to defending
• Congress writes the checks, and no Congress person is going to commit political suicide to defending
• Congress writes the checks, and no Congress person is going to commit political suicide to defending

Committee: House State-federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is a postcard to Congress. Postcard to Congress, yes, sir.
• So it asked Congress to consider enacting legislation to regulate.
• Once again, this is a postcard to Congress.
• Well, excuse me, this postcard to Congress, okay?
• Well, excuse me, this postcard to Congress, okay?

Committee: Senate Senate Federalism and Family Law Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first considered HB 2908, which would require any approved U.S. constitutional amendment to be ratified by a bill passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, and would impose oaths, reporting duties, civil penalties, and felony liability on “faithless” constitutional convention delegates. The committee adopted a Fincham amendment changing recall to disqualification and giving the Senate President and House Speaker authority to determine disqualification. Supporters argued the measure would add guardrails against a runaway Article 5 convention, while opponents said the safeguards would be ineffective and could falsely reassure the public. The bill, as amended, passed 4-3. The committee then took up HCR 2047, a resolution recognizing Judea and Samaria as the proper terms for the West Bank and rejecting that label in official state communications. Supporters framed it as a matter of historical and biblical accuracy, while opponents argued it injected the state into foreign policy and raised First Amendment concerns. The resolution passed 4-3. The committee next heard HCM 2006, urging Congress to reform the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Conservation Act and to reduce burdens on ranchers affected by Mexican gray wolves and related federal rules. The sponsor and supporters said wolf recovery goals had been exceeded and that ranchers were suffering livestock losses, while opponents said existing compensation already exists and that the memorial mischaracterized endangered species protections. The memorial passed 4-3. HB 4042, dealing with paternity actions in termination-of-parental-rights cases by requiring service of the mother within the 30-day timeframe, drew no testimony and passed unanimously 7-0. The committee also approved HCM 2005, which urges Congress to consider restricting foreign ownership of U.S. real property by communist or authoritarian governments; supporters said it was a national security and land-use issue, while opponents criticized the measure as discriminatory. It passed 4-3. HCM 2001, urging the President and Congress to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization and directing Arizona law enforcement to identify linked groups, drew testimony from civil rights advocates and community members who said the measure stigmatized Muslims and exceeded state authority; supporters said it was a legitimate federal-policy memorial. It passed 4-3. Finally, HCM 2002, urging Congress to review CAIR for possible terrorist designation, prompted extensive opposition testimony from CAIR representatives and supporters who described the organization’s civil-rights work and warned the memorial would fuel discrimination; supporters argued it was a proper federal request and a response to concerns about CAIR. The memorial passed 4-3, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in Congress assembled. in Congress assembled.
• Congress Congress Congress makes<02:25:32.319><c> the</c><02:25:32.560><c> following</c><02:25:33.120
• </c> who are in Congress. who are in Congress.
• </c> without the Congress. without the Congress.
• Congress. Congress.

Bills: HB5184

Keywords: manufactured housing, manufactured homes, mobile homes, affordable housing, energy efficiency, energy conservation standards, Department of Energy, HUD, Housing and Urban Development, preemption, factory-built housing, climate zones, life-cycle cost, payback period, building standards, housing affordability, energy rule rollback, federal standards, home prices, construction costs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Congress has the power to stop it. Congress has the power to stop it.
• Congress and only Congress has the power to enact laws.
• Congress and only Congress has the power to appropriate funds.
• ><c> Congress.
• That Congress, and only Congress, can shut down agencies that we've created.

Bills: HB2987 , HB2931

Keywords: small business lending company, SBLC, SBA lending, Small Business Administration, section 7 loans, small business loans, loan guarantee, lender cap, financial institutions, credit access, small business finance, nonprofit lenders, business lending, CEASE Act, House passage, Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, sanctuary jurisdictions, office relocation, immigration policy, government operations

Transcript Highlights:

• Congress. I note the presence of a quorum.
• The Constitution gives Congress, and only Congress, the sole power to decide how taxpayer money is spent
• And it wasn't just Congress. President Nixon lost in the courts over and over again.
• I have to come back to Congress.
• This goes all the way back... back to Andrew Johnson and his fight with Congress.

Committee: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Keywords: fiscal responsibility, government waste, foreign aid, funding resolution, legislative oversight

Summary: The committee meeting addressed government spending and foreign aid, with a particular emphasis on perceived wasteful expenditures. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing a funding resolution for the committee, which received unanimous support from the members present. The chair noted a quorum at the beginning of the meeting, signaling that the committee was ready to conduct its business. Discussions highlighted ongoing debates concerning fiscal responsibility and the necessity of legislative oversight, notably regarding foreign aid allocations and their implications for domestic fiscal health.

Transcript Highlights:

• We in Congress have many ideological differences.
• Congress cannot remain complicit and Congress cannot fund this violence, especially when the greatest
• Here in Congress, we've continued to act.
• Congress must Congress must continue to defend the sanctity of every human life.
• We did so in the previous Congress under HR2 of that Congress.

Bills: HR915 , HB7401 , HB2478 , HR1381

Keywords: Holodomor, Ukraine famine, 1932-1933 famine, genocide recognition, Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, collectivization, grain confiscation, human rights, Ukraine, Ukrainian people, Russian aggression, Vladimir Putin, foreign affairs, sense of the House, commemorative resolution, historical remembrance, Soviet repression, Kremlin denial, Ukraine sovereignty

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an Congress to be paid.
• And yet, Congress has department."
• Congress approves the funding.
• </c> authority of the United States Congress. authority of the United States Congress.
• </c><01:19:53.600><c> will</c> catch22 situation where Congress will catch22 situation where Congress

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> a member of Congress. a member of Congress.
• </c><04:21:09.359><c> Congress</c> resources is dangerous. Congress resources is dangerous.
• </c> until December 2032 while Congress until December 2032 while Congress evaluates<04:32:32.560><c>
• </c><04:42:00.480><c> on</c> requires DHS to report to Congress on requires DHS to report to Congress
• </c> here in Congress. here in Congress.

Bills: HB8897 , HB3106 , HR1398 , HB8738 , HB3535 , HB7574 , HB8535 , HB8168 , HB9388 , HB9391 , HB8874 , HB9328 , HB8770 , HB7809 , HB6332

Keywords: FEC, Federal Election Commission, campaign finance, electioneering communications, political committees, electronic filing, e-filing, disclosure reports, campaign reporting, disbursements, checkless payments, payment methods, administrative reform, election law, FECA, 52 U.S.C. 30104, 52 U.S.C. 30102, campaign administration, political spending, Department of Homeland Security

Transcript Highlights:

• Congress, Mr.
• Congress, Mr.
• Congress to support. It is proof that Congress to support.
• He has come to Congress<01:07:52.799><c> to</c><01:07:53.119><c> do</c> Congress to do Congress to do
• Congress.

Bills: HB3944 , HR519

Keywords: appropriations, military construction, veterans affairs, VA funding, USDA, agriculture appropriations, legislative branch appropriations, fiscal year 2026, omnibus, spending bill, rural development, rural housing, broadband, SNAP, WIC, school lunch, food safety, FDA user fees, veterans health care, toxic exposure

Transcript Highlights:

• This team provides information to Congress on emerging technologies and their application in government
• As this is the first JEC hearing this Congress, I also want to say how much I look forward to working
• As you know, GAO is the nonpartisan watchdog for Congress.
• Is it that Congress isn't calling these people in enough?
• We identify opportunities there as well, sometimes as matters for Congress, sometimes as...

Committee: Joint Joint Economic Committee

Keywords: artificial intelligence, waste reduction, fraud prevention, government efficiency, improper payments, data reliability, oversight

Summary: The meeting was chaired by Chairman Schweikert and involved a comprehensive discussion on how to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) for reducing waste, fraud, and improper payments within federal programs. Key witnesses, including Mr. Andrew Canarsa from the Council of the Inspectors General, provided insights on the potential of AI in enhancing government efficiency. The committee emphasized the importance of reliable data and thorough examination of AI application to avoid unintended consequences while addressing the estimated $162 billion in improper payments reported by the federal government. Concerns were raised regarding the recent firing of inspectors general and the impacts that could have on oversight and accountability processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• the rule then to say that it just applied to large manufacturers, or could have later, after the Congress
• I also know that the FMCSA will need resources and direction from Congress to do this, and I hope that
• Again, the IACP stands ready to work with this committee and the United States Congress to develop and
• But there are a few common there are a few common-sense steps we believe Congress can take to counter
• Congress must also support regulatory efforts that are currently underway, such as ensuring insurance

Committees: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee , Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety

Keywords: Committee, Transportation, aviation safety, confirmation, Lieutenant Commander, Deputy Secretary, Bradbury, Hafensteiner, aircraft incidents

Summary: The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation convened to consider the promotion of Coast Guard Lieutenant Samuel Hafensteiner to Lieutenant Commander and the nomination of Stephen Bradbury as Deputy Secretary of Transportation. The meeting highlighted ongoing concerns regarding aviation safety, especially in light of recent aircraft incidents. Members discussed the critical need for knowledgeable leadership within the Department of Transportation to address these safety challenges effectively. Mr. Bradbury's background as a former General Counsel of the Department was presented as a strong asset for the role he seeks.

Transcript Highlights:

• But Congress hasn't even passed this yet.
• Why can't we allow Congress to do the work that Congress is supposed to do and we do the work that we
• But Congress hasn't even passed this.
• Why can't we allow Congress to do the work that Congress is supposed to do and we do the work that we
• It calls on Congress to reaffirm those principles of federalism. ...calls on Congress to reaffirm those

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 117-1 vote. Members then spent a long portion of the morning introducing guests and visiting groups, including schoolchildren, university visitors, county officials, business and civic groups, fraternity and sorority members, and legislative conference participants. The Speaker also signed several measures already passed, including Senate Substitute for HB 2061, HB 2641, Senate Substitute for HB 2423, and HB 2934. The main floor debate centered on HCR 48, which urges Congress to pass the federal SAVE Act requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. Supporters argued it would protect election integrity and prevent non-citizen voting, while opponents said it would create burdensome, potentially disenfranchising requirements, amount to a poll tax, and interfere with state election administration. After extended debate and a successful previous-question motion, HCR 48 was third read and passed 92-43. The House then took up HCR 23, a federalism resolution reaffirming that states should control election administration; it passed unanimously, 137-0. The House also perfected and printed two bills. HB 2855, dealing with workers’ compensation funding increments for the workers’ compensation and second injury funds, was amended to allow finer 0.1% adjustments instead of 0.5% increments and then perfected. HB 1906, a simple county-government bill allowing township counties to offer annual, semiannual, or quarterly payment options for real and personal property taxes, also advanced without opposition. The chamber then moved to announcements and recessed until 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• PM, no information in response to oversight requests, no attempt to work with Congress on thoughtful
• Congress limit the president from firing people.
• You can't have Congress go on strike. You cannot show up. You can't have our employees show up.
• So it's voted on by Congress and it has some permanence.
• Very clear. us at OMB, we will be sending a rescissions package, at least one, to Congress.

Committee: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Keywords: nominations, Scott Cooper, Eric Ulan, federal workforce, Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget, accountability, collective bargaining

Summary: The committee convened to discuss the nominations of Scott Cooper for Director of the Office of Personnel Management and Eric Ulan for Deputy Director at the Office of Management and Budget. This meeting highlighted the critical roles both positions play in managing the federal workforce, which comprises over two million civilian employees. Concerns were raised regarding the current administration's approach to federal employment, citing issues like mass firings and the undermining of collective bargaining rights. Members expressed the need for better accountability and transparency within the federal system, emphasizing the importance of attracting talented public servants.