RELEASE: LARSON, HERNÁNDEZ, OCASIO-CORTEZ, AND HOUSE DEMOCRATS LAUNCH INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MISUSE OF PUERTO RICO ENERGY RESILIENCE FUND
Perosino, Charles
For Immediate Release:
April 24, 2026
Contact:
Charles Perosino 202-209-3828
Hartford, CT – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) announced the launch of an investigation into the Trump Administration’s decision to strip funding for solar panels and backup batteries from Puerto Rican families and redirect the funds to bail out a fossil fuel company in bankruptcy.
Today’s announcement follows yesterday’s visit by the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico to Hartford, where Congressmen Larson and Pablo José Hernández (PR-AL) heard firsthand from Frog Hollow residents and small business owners on the impact of high prices, including the President’s costly tariffs and rising energy bills.
Rep. Larson and Congressman Pablo José Hernández (PR-AL) visit the Park Street Library @ The Lyric in Hartford
“I am proud to represent one of the largest Puerto Rican communities on the mainland in Congress — where we welcomed as many as 13,000 evacuees in the wake of Hurricane Maria. It is shameful that after Congress approved $1 billion to hurricane-proof Puerto Rico’s power sources, Trump officials pulled that funding from families in need to bail out a failing fossil fuel company,” said Larson. “Puerto Rico’s residents, especially those in low-income households and rural areas, deserve secure and reliable energy sources, especially when disaster strikes. I will continue to work with my friend and colleague, Congressman Hernández, who I was honored to welcome to Hartford this week, and all my Democratic colleagues to demand answers and accountability. The Department of Energy must answer for this shameful and potentially illegal bait-and-switch that will leave families in the dark.”
In September 2025, DOE pulled $365 million slated to help 175 small health care facilities serving 300,000 patients and apartment and condo buildings home to more than 400,000 residents in Puerto Rico. On January 9th of this year, DOE rescinded another $350 million dedicated to homes with people with disabilities, very low-income households, and families whose lights are the last to be turned back on after a disaster.
Larson joined Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (CA-02), Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández (PR-AL), Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), along with 41 other Democrats, to press the Department of Energy (DOE) for answers, demanding a full Congressional briefing no later than April 30th, as the first step in their investigation.
“We write to raise concerns about the Department of Energy’s (DOE) decision to strip post-disaster energy security from people in Puerto Rico with disabilities, very low-income households, rural health care facilities, and residents in communities that are the hardest to re-energize after a disaster,” the members wrote. “DOE’s lack of transparency, wasteful reuse of the funding, disregard for congressional intent, and potentially illegal cancellation of contracts—combined with the resulting increase in energy poverty and loss of energy security—raise serious questions about the Department’s uses of the Puerto Rico-Energy Resilience Fund (ERF).”
“It has now been over a year since the ERF money was initially frozen; the new projects that are reported to receive the money have still not been determined, much less started construction,” the members continued. “Had those solar projects been allowed to proceed, most would already be providing energy security for thousands of vulnerable families and megawatts of reliable electricity for the grid that desperately needs it.”
View the members’ full letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright HERE.
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Connect with Congressman Larson Online:
Perosino, Charles
East Hartford, CT – Today, Reps. John B. Larson (CT-01), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), and Joe Courtney (CT-02) applauded a $369 million contract modification for Pratt & Whitney announced by the U.S. Navy. This new commitment from the federal government will support the construction of 138 new F135 engines, built in East Hartford and Middletown, Connecticut, over the next five years. Today’s announcement follows a $3.8 billion contract modification to support the production of F135 engines earlier this month.
“Our delegation has proudly stood together to secure record investments in the Pratt & Whitney F135, ensuring Pratt & Whitney remains the sole engine provider for the F35 fighter jet, and supporting contracts to build an additional 138 engines right here in Connecticut over the next five years,” the members said. “We remain committed to our state’s manufacturing workforce – at Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Electric Boat, or the more than one hundred suppliers scattered across our state. Connecticut workers will continue to power our armed forces and allies with state-of-the-art technology and equipment – keeping the eagle flying for years to come.”
Perosino, Charles
For Immediate Release:
April 29, 2026
Contact:
Charles Perosino 202-209-3828
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) blasted the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which effectively gives the green light for states to ignore Voting Rights Act redistricting requirements. Today’s decision comes on the heels of Republican mid-decade Congressional redistricting efforts in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Florida, aimed at eliminating majority-Black and Hispanic districts. Larson called on Congress to respond by passing the Redistricting Reform Act he introduced in September with Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) to ban mid-decade redistricting and require states to establish independent redistricting commissions.
“As Republican mid-decade redistricting games dilute the voices of Black and Hispanic voters before our very eyes, the Supreme Court just poured gas on the fire by gutting yet another section of the Voting Rights Act,” said Larson. “Lawmakers in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina have already enacted new Congressional maps eliminating a number of majority-minority districts. If Congress does not step in to stop these Jim Crow racial gerrymanders, Black voters in the South could be left with little to no representation in the United States House of Representatives by the end of this decade. We cannot sit on the sidelines. As my late friend, colleague, and seatmate, John Lewis would say, now is the time for some good trouble. We must act to restore the Voting Rights Act and end the redistricting war playing out across the country, so every American’s voice can be heard at the ballot box.”
Perosino, Charles
Larson Opposes $70 Billion Republican Blank Check for ICE
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) opposed Republicans’ budget resolution advancing a $70 billion blank check for ICE and Border Patrol. Last month, the Senate unanimously voted to provide funding to ensure pay for TSA and the Coast Guard, but House Republicans have refused to hold a vote – refusing to fund paychecks for TSA officers and members of the Coast Guard unless billions in new funding is approved for ICE. Larson has called for disbanding ICE and diverting their funding to build more affordable housing and lower healthcare costs. He also introduced the Make America Govern Again (MAGA) Act to ensure all civilian and military personnel get paid during an agency shutdown, while withholding pay for Members of Congress, the President, the Vice President, and members of the Cabinet.
“Last year, Republicans gave ICE a $75 billion slush fund, transforming the agency into Donald Trump’s personal army in essence,” said Larson. “We have seen agents execute U.S. citizens in the streets, snatch mothers from their children in our communities, and use excessive force against peaceful protesters. Now, they want to pass another $70 billion for this cruel and lawless agenda – holding up pay for our hard-working TSA officers and Coast Guard until ICE gets another blank check. I have opposed ICE since its inception. They don’t need more funding – they need to be disbanded. Congress should focus on paying our civil servants and troops and taking on the high prices squeezing families thanks to the failed Trump agenda, not billions for ICE. Democrats are ready to act for the American people.”
Perosino, Charles
For Immediate Release:
April 30, 2026
Contact:
Charles Perosino 202-209-3828
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) opposed Republicans’ farm bill that cuts assistance for farmers by $1 billion and cements $187 billion in cuts to SNAP nutrition benefits laid out in the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’ In Connecticut’s First District, more than 45,000 households receive SNAP, including households with children, seniors, and disabled workers.
“This Farm Bill does nothing to lower the high grocery costs squeezing families or deliver the financial support our local growers need,” said Larson. “It is a backdoor scheme to hand out more tax breaks for the rich. Since Republicans forced through their tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy last July, 33,000 people in Connecticut have lost the SNAP benefits they rely on to put food on the table. I have already heard from local growers in my district who are struggling, but this bill would also slash $1 billion in assistance to help them cover their rising operational costs. Whether it is food assistance for our most vulnerable or the support our farmers need to feed our communities, this bill has nothing for working-class Americans. I will continue fighting with my Democratic colleagues to restore the cuts squeezing our families and deliver the aid our farmers deserve.”
Perosino, Charles
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) issued the following statement after the House passed a funding bill to ensure TSA agents, FEMA personnel, and members of the Coast Guard are paid, while rejecting Republican demands to hand ICE another blank check as part of any funding deal. Larson has called for disbanding ICE and diverting their funding to build more affordable housing and lower healthcare costs.
“After refusing to ensure pay for our TSA agents, FEMA workers, and Coast Guard, the House finally relented and passed the same bill the Senate passed unanimously more than a month ago,” said Larson. “I’m proud of Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro for leading the fight to ensure our civil servants and troops will be paid without providing more money to advance Donald Trump’s cruel immigration agenda. ICE has become Trump’s secret police force, in essence, and continues to evade any form of accountability from the American people. They do not need any more funding. They need to be disbanded! I have opposed the agency since its inception and will keep fighting to hold them accountable to keep our residents safe.”
Perosino, Charles
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (CT-01) introduced a Resolution of Inquiry with Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (MA-01) and Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee to compel President Trump to hand over documents to Congress relating to a whistleblower allegation that a ‘DOGE’ staffer bragged about copying confidential records from the Social Security Administration onto a thumb drive for personal use and profit in the private sector.
The confidential information that the ‘DOGE’ staffer reportedly claimed to have taken from the agency included Social Security numbers, places and dates of birth, citizenship, race and ethnicity, and parents’ names. The Resolution of Inquiry would compel the Trump Administration to produce all records, correspondence, and call logs related to this whistleblower report.
“This is yet another appalling whistleblower report to come out of Social Security, revealing the extent of potential criminal activity by ‘DOGE’ employees and the theft of personal data,” said Larson. “The American people’s trust and privacy have been gravely violated, and they deserve answers. For more than a year, Ranking Member Neal and I have been demanding the truth from Elon Musk’s ‘DOGE’ and the Trump officials who gave them access to confidential records they should have never been allowed to access. Rather than hold this administration accountable, House Republicans have stood in the way of our inquiries, going so far as to change the House rules to prevent us from bringing these measures forward. We will not give up this fight. It is important to have a clear and detailed accounting of ‘DOGE’ wrongdoing, a full investigation, and criminal charges if the law was violated.”
“The more that’s uncovered about DOGE, the more alarming this situation becomes,” said Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal. “All of the facts must come to light, and the American people deserve answers about who accessed their information, how it was used, where it was taken, and whether it’s been exploited in the time since. That’s why this Resolution of Inquiry is so important, and while House Republicans continue obstructing the truth, Ways and Means Democrats will continue fighting to get the answers the people deserve.”
This is the fourth Resolution of Inquiry Ranking Member Larson has introduced to demand accountability from ‘DOGE.’ In March 2025, Larson and Neal introduced a Resolution of Inquiry to demand answers about ‘DOGE’ activity at Social Security. In September 2025, Larson and Neal introduced a Resolution of Inquiry compelling information about ‘DOGE’ access to Social Security’s databases. In February, Larson and Neal introduced a Resolution of Inquiry probing for information about the potential ‘DOGE’ election interference scheme at Social Security.
Larson and Neal also introduced the Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act to prevent ‘DOGE’ and other political appointees and Special Government Employees from accessing private and confidential data at the Social Security Administration and penalties for privacy violations relating to data misuse.
Full text of the Resolution of Inquiry is available HERE.
Perosino, Charles
For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2026
Contact:
Charles Perosino 202-209-3828
Larson Condemns ‘DOGE’ Public Release of Social Security Numbers of Doctors and Medical Providers
East Hartford, CT – Today, House Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement after the Washington Post revealed that ‘DOGE’ officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a portal that publicly disclosed the Social Security numbers of some doctors and medical providers.
“For more than a year, ‘DOGE’ employees have had their hands on your personal data – Social Security numbers, home addresses, income histories, and even medical records,” said Larson. “They have uploaded Americans’ most sensitive information to a potentially unsecure cloud, schemed to use it with political groups to overturn elections, and even reportedly bragged about copying Social Security databases onto a thumb drive for personal use. Last night, we learned that Medicare officials publicly disclosed the Social Security numbers of physicians and other health care providers through an online portal. Time and time again, we have demanded hearings in the United States Congress and introduced Resolutions of Inquiry to compel ‘DOGE’ to come forward and answer for their actions. The Republican majority has stood in the way, even going as far as changing House rules to prevent us from advancing our inquiries and protect these bad actors from accountability. If these criminal allegations are not enough for Republicans to investigate, where will they draw the line?”
Ranking Member Larson has introduced four Resolutions of Inquiry to demand answers from ‘DOGE’ and other Trump officials on their use of personal data at the Social Security Administration. He also introduced the Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act to prevent political appointees and special government employees like DOGE from accessing private and confidential data at the Social Security Administration and increase penalties for privacy violations relating to data misuse.
Perosino, Charles
For Immediate Release:
May 7, 2026
Contact:
Charles Perosino 202-209-3828
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) introduced the Assault Weapons Financing Accountability Act to ban the use of predatory Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payment plans for purchasing assault weapons and ghost gun kits that can be used to build them.
Banning the use of these instant financing options for assault weapons and ghost gun kits is an essential step to getting these weapons of war off our streets and preventing tragedies before they occur. Buy Now, Pay Later schemes allow shooters to immediately take possession of these weapons of war without exchanging any money. Firms like Credova have been known for aggressively advertising this payment option for firearms in the United States. In 2022, Rep. Larson led a letter to Credova CEO Dusty Wunderlich requesting information about the use of Credova’s Buy Now, Pay Later services to finance online purchases for guns, ammunitions, and firearm accessories.
“Connecticut is no stranger to the scourge of gun violence plaguing our nation,” said Larson. “Nearly 14 years ago, we lost 26 innocent lives in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. Since then, gun violence has ripped apart more communities and families across our nation. Enough is enough. We are introducing commonsense legislation to ban buy now, pay later plans for assault weapons, which have become popular among mass shooters as a way to instantly finance and purchase their weapons. I will continue to work with advocates and my colleagues to do more, so no American has to fear going to school, their place of worship, or the grocery store.”
“‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ schemes for assault weapons threaten public safety by facilitating impulsive and reckless purchases of extremely dangerous firearms,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy at Brady: United Against Gun Violence. “These financing programs allow young individuals with little-to-no credit history to easily acquire weapons of war, maximizing gun industry profits at the expense of arming would-be mass shooters. Brady thanks Representative Larson for introducing the Assault Weapon Financing Accountability Act, which will end this predatory practice and bring us one step closer to freeing America from gun violence.”
"Most of the deadliest mass shootings in our nation's history have been committed using assault weapons,” said Emma Brown, Executive Director at GIFFORDS. “These are not guns that should be purchased with the same kind of payment plans consumers use for televisions and holiday presents. This bill will make it harder for dangerous people to get instant access to assault weapons (without ever intending to pay for them). We urge Congress to swiftly pass this important piece of legislation."
In June 2016, following the Pulse nightclub shooting, Rep. Larson and his colleagues staged a sit-in on the House floor to demand action on gun violence prevention, shutting down the House for 26 hours. Rep. Larson supports the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to establish universal background checks for firearms transfers, an Assault Weapons Ban, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s bill to create safe firearm storage standards and protect minors.
Original cosponsors of the Assault Weapons Financing Accountability Act include Reps. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Scott Peters (CA-50), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24).
Full bill text is available HERE.
Perosino, Charles
Larson Applauds Court Ruling Striking Down Second Trump Attempt to Impose Global Tariffs
East Hartford, CT – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01), a member of the House Trade Subcommittee, released the following statement after the U.S. Trade Court struck down President Trump’s second attempt to impose tariffs on goods imported into the United States from across the globe. After the Supreme Court ruled in February that the President could not use emergency powers to impose tariffs, he attempted to reimpose them under other dubious authorities.
“The Supreme Court already rebuked the President's costly tariffs, but Donald Trump sees our Constitution as a mere suggestion to follow, and not the law of the land,” said Larson. “As families are squeezed by sky-high grocery bills and gas prices, his latest round of tariffs is only pouring salt in the wound. The average household has already had nearly $2,000 stolen from them by this administration, and they should not have to pay a penny more. President Trump must comply with the law by ending his illegal tax on the American people and getting families and small businesses the refunds they are owed.”
According to the Yale Budget Lab, the average household paid more than $1,700 last year thanks to President Trump’s tariffs. As a member of the House Trade Subcommittee, Larson helped introduce legislation to suspend many of President Trump’s tariffs and require Congress to vote before new tariffs can go into effect.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in February, he joined Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04) to introduce the RELIEF Act, requiring automatic refunds of tariffs and customs duties paid by small and family-owned businesses. Larson and Horsford also wrote to the CEOs of ten major retailers to ensure the tariff refunds they receive from the federal government are passed on to their customers.
Kurzawa, Caroline
For Immediate Release:
May 12, 2026
Contact:
Caroline Kurzawa 202-503-5382
Washington, D.C. - Today, House Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (CT-01) wrote to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, pressing for answers after ‘DOGE’ officials at CMS launched a portal that publicly disclosed the Social Security numbers of some doctors and medical providers.
“The Trump Administration's 'DOGE' cronies have been combing through the American people’s personal records for over a year, and they cannot be trusted,” said Larson. “Since then, we’ve learned of their work to use data to help overturn elections, and now, the public disclosure of physicians’ individual Social Security numbers. I have demanded hearings, requested subpoenas, and introduced Resolutions of Inquiry to compel these bad actors to come forward and come clean. From Elon Musk to Dr. Oz, Trump officials have not only obstructed our probes, but they have enabled ‘DOGE’ at every step of the way. Americans deserve answers for this unforgiveable privacy breach that put doctors across the country as grave risk of identity theft.”
Ranking Member Larson was joined by Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (MA-01), Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), and Oversight Subcommittee Ranking Member Terri A. Sewell (AL-07).
“The mere fact that this sensitive information was sitting on a public website for an unknown period of time raises significant concerns about identity theft for the providers subject to the breach, as well as broader concerns about this Administration’s handling of sensitive information,” the lawmakers wrote. “This is the exact type of data that bad actors have used to defraud the Medicare program, and while the agency is working to remedy the problem, the harm has already been done.”
“Ways and Means Democrats have repeatedly raised alarm over the Administration’s reckless mishandling of highly sensitive Social Security data, sending multiple letters to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and introducing Resolutions of Inquiry to compel transparency when our requests for information went unanswered. Not only have the responses we have received from our letters been far from satisfactory, but they have also revealed a lack of concern regarding the privacy of Americans’ personal data and the integrity of our public programs,” they continued.
The Ranking Members demanded an immediate briefing on this “unforgiveable” data breach, and answers to the following questions:
- When and how did CMS and/or Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) staff become aware of the data breach?
- What was/is the relationship with CMS, HHS, and DOGE in developing and maintaining the provider directory website? Were/are DOGE staff involved? If so, please describe the nature of their involvement.
- What contractors were used, if any, to develop or maintain the provider directory?
- Did staff know about the data breach before being alerted by reporters at The Washington Post?
- How long did it take before CMS staff removed the SSNs and other sensitive information from the Medicare provider directory website?
- How many providers were exposed to this data breach? What has been the process for contacting these providers to alert them to the breach?
- What sort of remedies is the Administration offering the providers who may have potentially had their identities stolen as a result of the CMS data breach?
- What steps is CMS taking to ensure that fraudsters will not take advantage of the recklessness of exposing provider SSNs?
- Were any other data inappropriately posted on the provider directory website? If so, which data?
- What is CMS doing to ensure this type of episode does not happen again?
Their full letter to Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz is available HERE.
Perosino, Charles
For Immediate Release:
May 13, 2026
Contact:
Charles Perosino 202-209-3828
Larson Statement on the Passing of Former Connecticut First Lady Natalie ‘Nikki’ O’Neill
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement on the passing of former Connecticut First Lady Nikki O’Neill.
“I am deeply saddened to hear about Nikki O’Neill’s passing, a down-to-earth and gracious First Lady of the State of Connecticut,” said Larson. “As First Lady, she served our state with honor alongside Governor O’Neill. I was proud to work hand-in-hand with Nikki during my time in the State Senate to uplift Connecticut residents and support communities across our state. She followed a call to public service – serving in the classroom as a teacher in East Hartford – to help educate the next generation of leaders. She had a great appreciation for the arts and literature, opening the doors of the Governor’s Residence to artists and filling the library with books by Connecticut authors. Most of all, she led with grace and dignity, and she will be greatly missed. I send my deepest condolences to the O’Neill family and their loved ones during this difficult time.”
Perosino, Charles
For Immediate Release:
May 14, 2026
Contact:
Charles Perosino 202-209-3828
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) joined Reps. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), to announce the introduction of the Universal School Meals Program Act. Their bill would offer free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to every student in America, regardless of income, eliminate school meal debt, and incentivize the use of locally grown food in schools. This follows the approval of Connecticut’s newest budget that provides $12 million for universal free school breakfast.
The Republican budget passed last year cuts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $186 billion, reducing or eliminating benefits for 34,000 Connecticut residents. In Connecticut’s First District, more than 45,000 households receive SNAP nutrition benefits, with 42.2% of those households reporting a child under 18 in the residence.
“As a former public-school teacher, I know how important it is for children to have the nutrition they need to be successful,” said Larson. “In the wealthiest nation in the world, no child should go hungry. Students should be able to focus on what they are learning in the classroom, not where their next meal will come from. I’m proud to team up with my colleagues to build on the progress we made in Connecticut this year and bring universal school meals nationwide. Taking food out of the mouths of children is flat-out cruel. That is what Donald Trump and the Republicans did last year by slashing SNAP and funding for school meals to pay for tax breaks for their billionaire buddies. I’ll continue to work on commonsense solutions that feed our children and families, and invest in the Americans who need our help the most, not the wealthy and well-connected.”
“It is outrageous that, while the billionaire class has never had it so good, one in five children will go hungry in America this year,” said Sanders. “The United States is the richest country in the history of the world. Nobody should be going hungry. And what we learned during the pandemic is that a universal approach to school meals works and helps kids do better in school. States across the country continue to prove this every day. It is time for Congress to reinstate universal school meals at the national level to finally ensure no student goes hungry.”
“No child should have to sit in a classroom hungry or worried about where their next meal will come from,” said Omar. “As a former nutrition educator and someone who experienced hunger firsthand, this fight is deeply personal to me. I have always believed you must feed kids’ bellies before you can feed their brains. That is why I am proud to partner again with Bernie Sanders to introduce the Universal School Meals Program Act, which would provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks to students year-round. Universal school meals are not a luxury—they are a necessity.”
"School meals improve food security, health outcomes, and academic performance—simply put, they help kids succeed. Several states—including my home state of Massachusetts—have permanently implemented free universal school meals, helping expand access to breakfasts and lunches for all students. It has been hugely successful in increasing participation, reducing stigma, and making life a little easier and more affordable for families,” said McGovern. “It is long past time we permanently implement universal school meals nationwide and increase reimbursement rates to ensure every student can go to school knowing they have two healthy meals to fuel their learning.”
The Universal School Meals Program Act would:
- Provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack to every student — regardless of income.
- Eliminate school meal debt for every public-school student in America by reimbursing schools.
- Increase the reimbursement rate for schools to get closer to the actual cost of producing meals.
- Incentivize schools to buy from local farms, bringing food from nearby farms into schools while supporting local economies.
- Expand access to summer meals to all children and increase SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) for lower-income children.
- Strengthen and expand the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to allow three meals and a snack each day, eliminate the two-tiered reimbursement rate for CACFP, and allow childcare providers to receive the highest reimbursement rate regardless of income.
Full bill text is available HERE.
A summary of the Universal School Meals Program Act is available HERE.
Perosino, Charles
Larson Votes to Withdraw U.S. Forces from Iran and End Trump’s Illegal War
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) voted for a war powers resolution to withdraw U.S. forces from Iran for the third time, following Trump’s threats to annihilate an “entire civilization.” Last month, Larson called on President Trump to recant this threat to the Iranian people and end this war, which was not authorized by Congress. He has also filed articles of impeachment against the President of the United States and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, for their conduct in direct contravention of Article I of the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution.
“Last month, Trump called for the annihilation of an ‘entire civilization.’ Words matter, and this President may believe he is above the law, but we will continue to hold him accountable for his illegal war,” said Larson. “He has waged this illegal war for more than 60 days and still refuses to come before Congress to authorize military force in Iran or even provide any information about the mission or exit strategy. He is failing to abide by his oath of office, and Republicans are letting it happen – once again siding with Donald Trump over the Constitution. The President owes answers to Congress, the American people, our troops, and the families of the thirteen servicemembers who have died. As Americans face higher costs at the gas pump, Democrats will continue to sound the alarm about this abuse of power and fight to end this chaos before our Armed Forces become entangled in another forever war in the Middle East.”
This is the third time Larson has voted to withdraw U.S. forces from Iran, including votes in March and April. In January, Larson voted to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities with Venezuela after Trump authorized operations there without prior Congressional approval. Larson also voted against the Iraq War in 2002.