It is important to celebrate art and creativity among youth, which is why I'm excited to recognize the artistic talent in my district through the 2022 Congressional Art Competition. Students in my district submitted their artwork and now it’s time to announce the winners.

On Saturday, I'm hosting a town hall in the 9th District. We'll be kicking off the event by announcing the winners of the Congressional Art Competition and showcasing the entries.

This event will take place at McMicken Heights Elementary School at 10:00 AM PT.

I hope to see you there.

Learn more about the event:

A good summary of the bill that Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3) and I introduced today to overhaul our National Flood Insurance Program, to help homeowners rebuild more quickly and keep the program solvent in the wake of ever-increasing floods.

A major driver behind this bill was a comment made to me at the beginning of my 1st term: "Insurance is for things that are expensive, rare and unpredictable. Thanks to global warming, flooding is only expensive."

From flooded properties along the Fox River, Mayors and Managers struggling to manage costs in low-lying parts of #IL06 and all the funding requests our office has received / helped fund for storm sewer upgrades, it's become ever clearer that flooding is NOT just a coastal issue.

Moreover, the structure we currently use to approve claims for flooded properties often means that homeowners may have to wait YEARS to make urgent repairs, and then still have to pay 10% of the cost out of pocket.

So as it sits right now, we have an NFIP that is ever more insolvent, and home-owners facing horrible choices to pay out of pocket in the hope of a future claim or else risk the loss of all their equity. This bill fixes all of those problems by:

1) Eliminating the requirement for a 10% copay, and
2) For repetitive loss properties, calculating the future costs of claims and offering a "buyout-in-lieu-of-claims" if cheaper

That latter piece means that if it's cheaper to relocate you to higher ground, we will use the NFIP to do so, and then permanently take that parcel of land out of development, letting it become a natural flood barrier (aka, "sponge") to reduce the risk to surrounding properties.

The current NFIP funding expires in September 2022, so we've got a short window to get this done, but I'm optimistic we have a path. Stay tuned. /fin

The Good Friday Accords are the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland and a beacon of hope for the world. Ensuring there is no physical border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland is necessary for upholding this landmark agreement, which transformed Northern Ireland.

It is deeply concerning that the United Kingdom now seeks to unilaterally discard the Northern Ireland Protocol, which preserves the important progress and stability forged by the Accords. It continues to enjoy strong bipartisan & bicameral support in the United States Congress.

As I have stated in my conversations with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary & Members of the House of Commons, if the United Kingdom chooses to undermine the Good Friday Accords, the Congress cannot & will not support a bilateral free trade agreement with the U.K.

Respectful of the will of the British people and of Brexit, I urge constructive, collaborative and good-faith negotiations to implement an agreement that upholds peace.

The children of Northern Ireland, who have never known the bloody conflict and do not want to go back, deserve a future free of the violence where all may reach their fulfillment.

I voted for the Access to Baby Formula Act, bipartisan legislation which passed the Senate today that will make sure moms and babies who rely on WIC have the baby formula they need.

I am also pressing @DrCaliff_FDA to make sure @US_FDA is taking all necessary steps to address the baby formula shortage and take action to ensure access now and going forward.

Here is my letter with Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) to the @US_FDA. More must be done to safely address the baby formula shortage and prevent it from happening again.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Congress made a commitment to help #SmallBiz navigate this crisis. For the #SmallBiz that are still struggling, the COVID-19 pandemic remains an emergency that requires emergency spending from Congress to #ReplenishRRF.

The House already acted. @SBAgov is prepared to process RRF applications if they receive additional funding. The only roadblock is the Senate, so I am deeply disappointed that despite bipartisan support from a majority of Senators, we were unable to move forward on this bill.

While we didn’t get the 60 votes we needed today, I remain committed to being a voice for small businesses in the Senate and will continue pushing to provide them with the support they deserve from the federal government.

Earlier this week, I expressed my sadness and frustration after the tragic mass shootings around the country.

Americans are waiting for the Senate to vote on two background checks bills, HR 8 and HR 1446, which passed the House in March 2021.

Every day that passes without Congressional action for gun safety is a disservice to those who are grieving and all Americans who have a right to live a safe future.

In a letter to Minority Leader McConnell in March, we urged him to allow a vote on these commonsense reforms that can curb the rise of gun violence in our communities. Nothing should stand in the way of protecting the lives of the people we represent.

Today, we followed through on our promise to continue to help Ukraine defend its people, sovereignty, & freedom with a new $40 billion aid package.

Last month, President Zelenskyy delivered an impassioned plea before Congress for additional assistance to fight back against Putin’s unprovoked brutality. The U.S. has helped Ukraine since the start of war.

This funding will make an immediate difference in helping to ensure Ukraine has the tools it needs to fight for the future of the free world.

Far too many families in #MD04 and across our state have felt the pain of the infant formula shortage firsthand.

Every parent understands this worry all too well.

About 50% of infant formula sold nationwide is purchased by low-income families who rely on #WIC benefits.

That’s why I and @HouseDemocrats voted ✅YES for a bill that will:

🍼 Provide the @US_FDA with the resources it needs to address this shortage.

🍼 Improve WIC participants’ access to formula products and ensure they are not left behind.

It’s time for the Senate to follow suit.

Our children are too important not to act, and they can’t wait!

It’s time for the Senate to follow suit.

Our children are too important not to act, and they can’t wait #EveryBabyFed #FeedOurInfants

This week, farmers in the Rio Grande Valley voiced their fears that our beautiful river will dry up this summer. We must act. A 🧵

That's why today, I am proud to announce that we are introducing the bipartisan, bicameral Rio Grande Water Security Act to improve water management, support water conservation, and increase collaboration across the Rio Grande Basin.

I'm proud that this bill also re-authorizes the Rio Grande Pueblos Irrigation Program to safeguard 18 Pueblo communities from the effects of drought, improve irrigation infrastructure, preserve cultural traditions, and maximize water conservation in the Rio Grande Basin.

Today I was proud to vote for the Small Business COVID Relief Act of 2022, which would help rebuild Main Streets across West Virginia.

When the first round of funding went out through the #AmericanRescuePlan, 1,033 West Virginia restaurants applied for over $140 million in relief, but only 277 received funding.

I will continue fighting for bipartisan ways to support the remaining 756 West Virginia restaurants and bars that previously applied to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund but were denied. MORE:

Today I reintroduced the #PRICEDAct with my colleague Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR-4) to rein in Big Pharma and help lower the costs of certain prescription drugs. #FairDrugPricing

Extended exclusivity allows Big Pharma to prevent competition and pad their pockets. The #PRICEDAct will end special protections for biologics, a class of bio-based drugs, by reducing their exclusivity from 12 years to 5 years.

The cost of inaction is high. In 2017, ALL of the top 10 highest-expenditure drugs in Medicare Part B were biologic products. Biologics can be expensive even with private insurance, with some treatments costing tens of thousands of dollars per year.

The bipartisan PRICED Act will limit the monopoly power of Big Pharma and will enable small manufacturers to enter the market, saving the federal government at least $7B over 10 years, according to estimates from @HHS. #FairDrugPricing

Too many guns are killing too many people in this country, with racial hate too often being the root cause of the killings.

The U.S. House sent the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act to the U.S. Senate last night, focusing law enforcement resources on race- and hate-based crimes in America.

It is long past time to speak out against the separatist theories that divide our nation and to keep guns away from deranged people. #StopTheKilling #BuffaloStrong @MomsDemand

The right-wing scheme to control our courts just scored a big win in the 5th Circuit – a win that threatens a huge array of protections for Americans’ health, safety, and environment. Here’s how -> THREAD

First, you need know it isn’t enough for right-wing donors to pack the courts with reliable judges; those judges need legal theories to justify their rulings. Enter the Scheme’s legal theory hothouse.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals just used one of those hothouse theories to limit the SEC’s power to crack down on investment fraud. Known as the "non-delegation doctrine," it would gut public-interest regulations and make life in America look very different.

If these judges had their way, corporations & special interests would be free of most regulation by agencies with political independence & subject-matter expertise. Consumer safety & well-being would be an afterthought, beholden to the agenda of right-wing dark money groups.

That means environmental protections would go out the window. It means predatory behavior from lenders. It means an America where corporations can buck off regulations and make life worse for everybody who isn't a shareholder or a CEO.

But the court didn’t stop there. Anticipating a Republican president, it weaponized another far-right legal doctrine that gained steam under Trump—the “unitary executive theory.”

Embracing this framework would grant a President nearly unchecked authority to use the government to do his political bidding.

This is what the Trump justices were appointed for. They auditioned for Senate Republicans & big conservative donors by writing fringe opinions like this one. They want to see radical doctrines accepted by the Court that Dark Money Built – and imposed on the American public.

Unitary executive theory in the 5th Circuit ruling:

It’s true! Thank you all for the well wishes ☺️

Red-flag warnings are in effect for parts of Northern California today through this weekend. When wildfire conditions are high, it’s imperative all Californians be safe and do their part to prevent the start or spread of wildfire. Follow this thread for tips and resources:

More than 90% of wildfires in California are traced back to humans, largely through unintentional errors. Check with local authorities regarding any burn bans before heading outdoors. Weather conditions can make a variety of tasks and activities dangerous.

When camping or just enjoying California’s beautiful wilderness and parks, always be sure to properly dispose of matches, cigarettes or any type of open flame. Please be especially careful when using campfires or grills.

Avoid using outdoor equipment that can create sparks, like chainsaws or lawnmowers, during red-flag warnings. When traveling, make sure your vehicle does not have chains or other vehicle parts dragging on the ground that can cause a spark.

If you can, use fire-resistant building materials to harden your home. This will help mitigate any potential damage to your homes. @CAL_Fire has a great list of low-cost ways to harden your home. Find them here:

Be sure to have an emergency evacuation kit ready and accessible. Wildfires can start and spread in a moment’s notice, so being able to evacuate quickly is important. Find tips on putting together an evacuation kit here:

Create defensible space by removing brush and other flammable materials away from the area directly next to your home. This will help prevent wildfires from reaching your door. Find information on how to create defensible space here:

Price gouging is anti-capitalist. Big Oil is threatening our entire economy by keeping supply low and jacking up prices at the pump far beyond the inflation rate to satisfy Wall Street.

Oil and gas company executives are *literally* admitting it. (THREAD ⬇️)

A majority of surveyed executives admit to not increasing supply because Wall Street doesn't want them to. Profits are at a 7 year high and shareholders don't want to give that up—especially since Big Oil is planning $40 billion in stock buybacks. (2/7)

We have quantitative and qualitative data documenting Big Oil's price gouging. The CEO of @PXDtweets, which has pledged not to raise production despite sky high prices, bragged that "whether it's $150 oil, $200 oil, or $100 oil, we're not going to change our growth plans." (3/7)

The CEO of @exxonmobil touted on a recent earnings call that their goal "is less about volume and volume targets [supply] and more about the quality and profitability of the barrels." The scheme is working: the oil giant doubled its quarterly profits from a year earlier. (4/7)

REMINDER: Big Oil is sitting on 9,000 unused drilling permits on ~14 million acres of public land. I confronted the CEOs of @bp_plc, @exxonmobil, @Shell, and @Chevron about this hoarding. They all said they still want more taxpayer-owned land. (5/7)

The oil gas industry shows why capitalism needs guardrails to work: Big Oil is purposefully limiting supply of an essential good to enrich shareholders.

Today, the House took action and approved my and Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA-8)'s bill to crack down on this price gouging. (6/7)

Our bill, the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, would lower gas prices by making predatory price hikes unlawful, holding market manipulators accountable, and boosting transparency in the market.

The House passed my bill. Families need the Senate to do the same. (7/7)