Transcript Highlights:

• with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were characteristics of the divine author
• spiritual condition of the American people in the midst of the nation tearing itself apart in the Civil War
• as a source of spiritual strength and encouragement, including in every conflict from the American War
• for Independence to the war on terror.
• And whereas during World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt announced the Allied invasion of Normandy

Summary: The House convened at noon with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then postponed approval of the prior day’s journal. The main business was remarks by Representative Borowitz on House Resolution 579, marking America’s 250th anniversary and celebrating the nation’s founding principles. Her remarks emphasized the Declaration of Independence, natural rights, religious faith in American history, and a long list of historical examples she said reflected divine providence and the role of religion in public life. No debate or vote on the resolution itself is shown in the transcript. After the remarks, the chair reminded members of the five-minute rule for speeches under House Rule 17. Representative Dockery then moved that the House adjourn until Monday, June 29, 2026, at 12 noon unless recalled sooner by the Speaker. The motion to adjourn was put to a voice vote and adopted, and the House adjourned accordingly.

Transcript Highlights:

• As the global war on terrorism continues, Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war
• As the global war on terrorism continues, Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war
• There was a war on base-load electricity. An absolute war.
• ><03:11:16.399><c> base</c><03:11:16.720><c> load</c> There was a war on base load There was a war on
• An absolute war. These electricity. An absolute war.

Bills: HR1047 , HB3015 , HB3062 , HR719

Keywords: mentoring, youth support, education, community engagement, National Mentoring Month, coal industry, energy, advisory council, regulation, Department of Energy, cross-border infrastructure, renewable resources, investment, state regulation, political violence, Charlie Kirk, civil discourse, freedom of speech, unity, political extremism

Transcript Highlights:

• Like I said, they don't know when the war is going to end.
• And it didn't, although different supply and demand dynamics now with the Iranian war going on. Mr.
• Again, I don't know when the war on Iran is going to end.
• Again, all of these occurred right before the Iran war hit.
• Again, all of these occurred right before the Iran war hit.

Summary: The committee met as the Regulatory Division budget section and first reviewed the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency’s budget and program update. Legislative Council outlined the agency’s base budget and historical funding, and Housing Finance staff reported on homeownership lending, housing incentive fund (HIF) awards, and homeless grant spending. Agency officials said the five new FTEs approved last session are mostly filled, with one homeless program manager still open. They described strong demand for HIF, noting that September 2025 multifamily requests exceeded $73 million while only $25 million was available, and that single-family and homeless programs are also heavily subscribed. Members discussed the agency’s local loan servicing workload, interest-rate benefits, down payment assistance, and the need to coordinate housing discussions with Commerce and site-preparation efforts. The agency asked that HIF, single-family, and homeless funding be maintained or increased, and committee members emphasized accountability and statewide access for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing funds. The Department of Mineral Resources then presented its budget and agency initiatives. Staff reported that the department is on track financially, that most of the five new reclamation-related FTEs are hired, and that litigation costs tied to oil and gas matters are expected to continue appearing late in the biennium. The director reviewed ongoing modernization and organizational efforts, including the North Star IT project, succession planning, training, and rulemaking for oil and gas and critical minerals. Members asked about longer laterals, spacing, and production trends; the department said operators are increasingly drilling three-, four-, and even an initial five-mile lateral, which is helping keep North Dakota oil production relatively flat even as rig counts ease. The director also discussed oil price volatility tied to Middle East conflict, hedging practices among producers, gas capture remaining around 95%, and the likelihood that current production levels will stay near flat unless prices or geopolitical conditions change significantly. An update on the enhanced oil recovery grant program followed. The Industrial Commission’s grant administrator said the full $25 million appropriation was allocated in the fall to six projects, and because the oil and gas research fund also had carryover and biennial tax revenue, total awards reached about $45.1 million. The projects are expected to run two to four years, with meaningful results not likely until mid-2026 or later. Members questioned whether the public would have access to the research findings and how accountability would be maintained; staff said the grants are reimbursement-based, require regular status reports, and will culminate in public final reports. The committee also heard from the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, which updated members on natural gas transmission projects, especially WBI Energy’s proposed Bakken East pipeline. The authority said the project has advanced through a nonbinding and then binding open season, with WBI now securing survey permissions and moving through regulatory and landowner processes, while other related gas transmission projects near Minot and Epping are also in development.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is co-authored by Chair Newton, Vice Chair Elkins, Lee, Bliss, and Rep. Olsen, plus many others.
• Are there any questions for the testifiers or the bill author, Representative Clardy?
• That came from World War I, and that is not the case today.
• My name is Barry Henriksson, Department of Minnesota Veterans of War, as adjutant quartermaster.
• </c><00:36:19.319><c> and</c> Minnesota Veterans of Foreign Wars and Minnesota Veterans of Foreign Wars

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• I recognize the author of the bill, the Representative from Hennepin.
• So I will just say, fast-forward, it's a new bill, it's new bipartisan authors, a lot more authors in
• I want to say all the thanks to that and all the authors that signed on it.
• I recognize the author of the bill, Representative Moeller.
• I recognize the author. Representative Scott: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I'd like to welcome up former council and current head of the Boston Housing Authority administrator
• I have the honor of leading the Boston Housing Authority, and I'm here before you today in support of
• By comparison, World War I killed 3,434 from Massachusetts, World War II, 12,801, the Korean War, 936
• , Vietnam War, 1,387, making for a total of 18,558.
• COVID-19 has now surpassed the total death toll of all of those wars together.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Summary: The joint committee held a public hearing on several bills covering state administration, land/public housing redevelopment, construction safety, memorialization, records management, rural grant equity, and animal research. Testimony in support of H. 3329 described an inequity in the Governor’s Council reimbursement statute, which currently cuts off travel, meals, and lodging reimbursement after four terms; the witnesses argued this disproportionately burdens members from western Massachusetts and creates geographic and economic barriers to service. The Boston Housing Authority supported legislation for the Brighton/Faneuil Gardens area, saying it would allow a mixed-use redevelopment that replaces all existing public housing units one-for-one, adds new affordable housing, creates replacement rehearsal space for displaced musicians, and preserves prevailing wage standards. A major portion of the hearing focused on S. 2112, a construction safety bill. Suffolk Construction, Boston building trade representatives, and local inspectors testified that the measure would strengthen training, site safety standards, oversight of high-risk work, and enforcement, while helping protect workers and the public and improving retention and recruitment of inspectors. Witnesses said the bill would align Massachusetts more closely with higher safety standards in other states and build on lessons from past construction-related incidents. The committee also heard support for S. 2162, which would create a COVID-19 memorial; the witness emphasized the scale of pandemic deaths in Massachusetts and the educational value of public memorials. Other testimony addressed H. 3321, which would modernize records preservation for registers of deeds by reducing reliance on costly microfilm in an increasingly electronic system; the witness said current law is outdated and expensive. H. 3311, aimed at advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants, drew support from town officials in Leyden and Ashfield, who said small towns lack staff for grant writing and should be evaluated more on need and regional impact, especially for climate and public safety projects. Finally, S. 2117, concerning animal research, was supported by an animal welfare advocate who urged prohibiting state funds for animal experiments and shifting to non-animal research methods. After the hearing concluded, the chairs noted that additional hearings and polling votes would follow, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's hear from our first author. Welcome, Senator Cabaldon. You may present your bill, SB 1108.
• I would just thank the author for bringing this bill.
• This has nearly 50 co-authors. It is bipartisan.
• Just appreciate the author bringing this forward.
• Senator Allen, just appreciate the author bringing this forward.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources and Water

Summary: The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee heard several measures focused on conservation, wildlife access, and coastal protection. SB 1108 would create the Grasslands Ecological Area Conservancy in Merced County to coordinate land, water, habitat, and wildlife corridor protection in the largest remaining wetland/grassland complex west of the Mississippi. Supporters, including the Grasslands Water District and Audubon California, emphasized the area’s importance to migratory birds, groundwater sustainability, and voluntary conservation easements; there was no opposition. The committee members generally praised the bill’s regional coordination and ecological significance. The committee also heard SB 1021, which would direct the Fish and Game Commission to create a program allowing youth with physician-certified life-threatening illnesses to participate in hunting and fishing opportunities under structured supervision. The author and supporters described it as a compassionate, tightly limited program with conservation safeguards, hunter education requirements, reporting, and a sunset. There was no opposition, and members expressed support for the bill’s intent. SB 949 would designate the Santa Cruz Mountains as a resource of statewide significance, with an emphasis on biodiversity, watershed protection, wildfire resilience, public access, working lands, and collaboration with tribes and private landowners. Support came from Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Sempervirens Fund, and several local and conservation organizations; no opposition was heard. The committee also considered SJR 12, which urges the federal government to remove California from proposed offshore oil and gas leasing plans and calls for stronger environmental review and public engagement. Supporters cited spill risks, coastal economic harm, and prior local and state opposition to offshore drilling. All measures were approved by the committee, with the bills and resolution moving forward on recorded votes, and the consent calendar items were also adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• it's My hope that Chair Bliss, are you sure that you have your word that you will work with the bill author
• A bipartisan authored bill. And he said, "I just said, what do you think about this?
• I'm a disabled veteran from the Iraq War. Veteran from the Iraq War.
• My name is Barry Hendrickson, the State of Minnesota Veterans of Foreign Wars Adjutant Quartermaster.
• One with the Disabled American Veterans, and last but not least, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• It was like being in a war zone.
• </c><00:17:03.399><c> zone</c> unreal it was like being in a war zone unreal it was like being in a war
• </c> in 2021 Congress did authorize in 2021 Congress did authorize establishing<02:22:40.040><c> a</c
• </c> the first brutal year of the Civil War the first brutal year of the Civil War was<02:23:17.240><
• This common-sense legislation authorizes the U.S.

Bills: HR187 , HR186 , HR375 , HR165 , HR204 , HR197 , HR207

Keywords: government oversight, accountability, federal employees, transparency, administrative leave, Elon Musk, conflict of interest, government efficiency, federal contracts, renewable fuels, ethanol, E15, ethanol-15, renewable fuel standard, RFS, RINs, renewable identification numbers, refinery capacity, farmers, refiners

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we face a threat environment more dangerous than we've seen since the Second World War.
• We're talking about being strong enough to prevent a nuclear war.
• Additionally, the tools of war are changing.
• Our military has the best-trained, most capable space war fighting force in the world, and they stand
• And then you put in Iran, which has also become a contributor to Russia's war machine.

Committees: Senate Subcommittee on Strategic Forces , Senate Subcommittee on Personnel

Keywords: military strategy, nuclear triad, deterrence, STRATCOM, SPACECOM, SLICOM, B-21, hypersonic defense, spectrum auction

Summary: The meeting focused on the strategic posture of U.S. military capabilities with an emphasis on deterrence amid growing global threats. General Cotton from STRATCOM and General Whiting from SPACECOM provided insights into the modernization efforts of the nuclear triad. Key discussions involved the importance of maintaining control over specific frequency spectrums critical for military operations and the implications of potential auctioning of these bands. Members expressed concerns regarding the evolving landscape with adversaries like China and Russia, emphasizing that swift action is needed to adapt and preserve U.S. national security. Various proposals and existing programs, including the B-21 bomber and the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLICOM), were debated, alongside the necessity of increasing military investment in hypersonic defense systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• Through challenges like the Civil War, Indian conflicts, and the economic crisis, Economic shifts of
• I got to go to World War I cemeteries of Meuse-Argonne, Ayn Marn, and of course World War II of Normandy
• What I really appreciated about going to the World War I cemeteries was that I got to see cemeteries
• , young French school children are taken there every day to go see the sacrifices made during World War
• Bernard Elliott Bee, who served as Secretary State and Secretary of War for the Republic of Texas is

Bills: SB26 , SB28 , SJR36 , SB26 , SB616 , SB565 , SB384 , SB28

Transcript Highlights:

• This has been seen during the 2020 war that we remember and the war crimes that were committed, the deliberate
• the Lachlan corridor and later a full-scale invasion, Azerain government, forcibly displaced over a war
• He's someone who, as the author mentioned, was the first Latino quarterback to win the Super Bowl.
• He's someone who, as the author mentioned, first Latino quarterback to win the Super Bowl.
• And I want to thank the author for bringing forward this resolution. Senator Gonzales.

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, including a remembrance of the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The chamber then took up Senate Resolution 87 by Senator Archuleta, which recognized April 24 as the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and emphasized historical remembrance, support for Armenian communities, and concern over ongoing threats and humanitarian issues affecting Armenians. Several senators spoke in support, and the resolution was adopted by a 37-0 vote. Senator Archuleta then introduced members of the Armenian community in the gallery. The Senate also adopted several other resolutions honoring communities and causes. Senator Cortese presented SR 93 honoring Jim Plunkett’s football career and his role as a trailblazing Latino athlete; senators highlighted his Heisman Trophy, Super Bowl wins, and pending Hispanic Football Hall of Fame recognition, and the resolution passed unanimously. Senator Wiener presented SCR 124 on transportation access for Californians with epilepsy, focusing on how seizure-related driving restrictions can limit employment, education, and medical care; it was adopted unanimously. Senator Allen presented SCR 158 declaring April Arts, Culture and Creativity Month and marking the 50th anniversary of the California Arts Council, with remarks celebrating the state’s arts economy and longtime arts leaders; it also passed unanimously. Later, Senator Alvarado-Gil presented SCR 159 designating April as California Rodeo Appreciation Month, describing the history, cultural significance, diversity, and economic role of rodeo in California. Supportive remarks followed from another senator, and the resolution was adopted unanimously. The author then introduced rodeo guests, including athletes and rodeo association leaders. The Senate also heard multiple privileges-of-the-floor introductions, including arts figures such as Luis Valdez, Cheech Marin, and Ruth Asawa’s son Paul Lanier, as well as student and community guests. The chamber approved the consent calendar by a 38-0 vote, noted committee meetings for Human Services, Military and Veterans, and Privacy, and adjourned with the next floor session scheduled for April 23, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of War, various departments within the Department of War, are all in, moving forward with
• Again, whole-of-government approach, the Department of War, various departments within the Department
• of War, are all in, moving forward with nuclear power for national security purposes, such as secure
• This is the next stage in what the Department of War is doing.
• This is the next stage in what the Department of War is doing.

Committee: House Environment, Energy and Technology

Transcript Highlights:

• And we did go to war.
• war than every war...
• We have spent more money on that war than every war that we have had from the Revolution up until the
• Gulf War, every war.
• needs to be... ...and the war on poverty and nothing has changed.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, then devoted most of the first part of the meeting to a farewell-style recognition of Senator Joe Gruters. Senators from both parties offered extended remarks praising his loyalty, political instincts, family involvement, and work as a legislator and as incoming Republican National Committee chair. Gruters responded with remarks about his background, including overcoming a childhood speech impediment, his service in the Legislature, and major policy efforts he highlighted such as alimony reform and the undergrounding of utilities. A ceremonial gift was presented to him recognizing his work on a 2019 public-safety/immigration bill, and the Senate adopted a motion to spread his remarks upon the journal before recessing briefly. After the recess, the Senate returned to regular business. No committee reports, governor’s messages, House messages, or reconsideration matters were reported. The chamber then moved to third reading and temporarily postponed CS/CS/CS/SB 354, relating to blue ribbon projects. The next bill, CS/CS/SB 1758, relating to public assistance, was taken up, and Senator Gaetz explained that it contained five reforms to the public assistance system previously discussed by the Senate. Debate was about to continue when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's hear from our first author. Welcome, Senator Caballero. You may present your bill, SB 1108.
• Conservancy programs will be incentive-based and voluntary and exclude eminent domain authority.
• I would just thank the author for... I would just thank the author for bringing this bill.
• To the war in Iran, as if, hey, we'll have more energy security if we do this.
• I just appreciate the author bringing this forward.

Summary: The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee heard several conservation and wildlife-related measures. SB 1108 by Senator Caballero would create the Grasslands Ecological Area Conservancy in the California Natural Resources Agency to coordinate protection and restoration of the Grasslands Ecological Area in Merced County. Supporters, including the Grasslands Water District, Audubon California, Defenders of Wildlife, California Waterfowl Association, The Nature Conservancy, and others, said the area is a major wetland and wildlife corridor facing groundwater-driven land retirement and needs a coordinated, voluntary, incentive-based framework. Senator Laird noted the bill followed prior conservancy models and moved it forward. The committee later approved SB 1108 on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1021 by Senator Choi, which would direct the Fish and Game Commission to create a narrowly tailored program expanding hunting and fishing opportunities for youth with life-threatening illnesses. The author and supporters from Field of Dreams and the Angling Hunting Conservation Coalition described it as a compassionate, supervised program that would create meaningful experiences for families while maintaining hunter education and conservation safeguards. No opposition was presented, and the bill was approved 7-0 to Appropriations. SB 949 by Senator Becker would designate the Santa Cruz Mountains as a resource of statewide significance, with supporters from Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Sempervirens Fund, Green Foothills, and others citing biodiversity, watershed protection, wildfire resilience, public access, and coordination across public and private lands. Some committee members raised questions about working lands, property rights, and fire responsibility, but the bill was moved forward and passed 5-0 to Appropriations. The committee also adopted SJR 12 by Senator Laird, which opposes the federal offshore oil and gas leasing plan for California waters; supporters emphasized spill risks, coastal economic impacts, and public opposition, and the resolution passed 5-1. File item 3, SB 1085, was pulled, and the remaining consent calendar items were adopted 7-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• The substitute bill makes various changes to the commission’s authorizing statutes.
• First, the commission is authorized to make mortgage loans directly to borrowers for multifamily housing
• Instead, the mortgage lending authority provided under the bill is intended to streamline financing for
• This bill is not intended to create a turf war.
• This bill is not intended to create a turf war.

Bills: HB2273 , SB5188 , HB2353 , HB2420 , HB2470

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: embodied carbon, building materials, sustainability, construction, environment, broadband, infrastructure, loan assistance, economic development, technology access, HB 2353, predesign thresholds, capital construction, capital budget, major capital projects, Office of Financial Management, OFM, Washington state, state agencies, infrastructure planning

Transcript Highlights:

• And the Department of Defense or Department of War. So our site is very large.
• We’re the safety basis approval authority.
• And again, we're coordinating with the NRC and the Department of War on authorization of their reactors
• It's not an NRC authorization project.
• This is the Department of War microreactor called Dally.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Summary: The meeting was a presentation and Q&A at Idaho National Laboratory focused on the state of nuclear energy, advanced reactors, and the lab’s role in testing, regulation, and commercialization. Speakers described INL’s broader mission beyond nuclear, including cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, but emphasized its major nuclear capabilities: the Advanced Test Reactor, TREAT, the Materials and Fuels Complex, and other test beds used to accelerate fuel and materials testing. They also highlighted the lab’s size, workforce, internship pipeline, and partnerships with DOE, DHS, DOD, and private companies. A major topic was the federal push to speed up nuclear deployment through executive orders and regulatory reform. Speakers said DOE and the NRC are reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, streamlining environmental reviews, and working toward a goal of having three new nuclear systems achieve criticality by July 4, 2026. They discussed the difference between microreactors, small modular reactors, and traditional gigawatt-scale plants, arguing that advanced reactors can be factory-built, safer, and better suited for data centers, military bases, remote communities, industrial heat, and other nontraditional uses. They also said the U.S. is rebuilding its nuclear supply chain, including enrichment and fuel fabrication, and that states willing to host parts of the fuel cycle could see major economic benefits. The speakers addressed questions about cost, safety, waste, and international competition. They said advanced reactors rely on passive safety features, TRISO fuel, and natural circulation, and that the industry’s challenge is often cost uncertainty rather than a precise fuel or materials limit. They argued used nuclear fuel should be viewed as a resource rather than waste if recycling becomes policy, and said microreactors should produce relatively small amounts of spent fuel. They also noted that China and Russia continue to build aggressively, with China on pace to surpass the U.S. in total nuclear generation, while U.S. projects such as Palisades, Crane Clean Energy Center, Duane Arnold, Oklo, Aalo, MARVEL, and Project Pele are moving forward under DOE and private-sector partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• And my dad was drafted during the Vietnam War.
• bill author wants to speak again, uh, that's no...
• I am very happy that we're finally, uh, recognizing uh the veterans of the secret war.
• bill author wants to speak again, uh, that's no...
• I am very happy that we're finally, uh, recognizing uh the veterans of the secret war.

Bills: HF2446 , HF2563 , HF2444

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• And we did go to war.
• And if we look from the mid-60s when we started our war on poverty, we have spent more money on that
• war than every war... ...We have spent more money on that war than every war that we have had from the
• revolution up until the Gulf War, every war.
• needs to be... ...and the war on poverty and nothing has changed.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:42:10.920><c> to</c> rule B will still have the authority to rule B will still have the authority
• </c> said Mr chair we need to win the AI war said Mr chair we need to win the AI war and<00:46:08.280
• , but they already have the authority.
• , but they already have the authority.
• , but they already have the authority.

Bills: HR190 , HR189 , SJR11

Keywords: censure, Congress, interruption, decorum, Representative Al Green, constitutional amendment, state laws, education, voting rights, election integrity