The Current Administration

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed granting Clean Water Act (CWA) enforcement compliance flexibility waivers to twelve states, effectively reducing federal oversight of water pollution discharge regulations. These waivers would allow states to relax or delay enforcement of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements — the core mechanism the CWA uses to control the discharge of pollutants into the nation's waterways. The Clean Water Act has served since 1972 as the primary federal framework for protecting the quality of U.S. surface waters, including rivers, lakes, wetlands, and coastal areas. Granting broad compliance flexibility waivers undermines this framework by allowing polluters in participating states to operate outside standard discharge limits without facing federal accountability. Reduced oversight creates uneven enforcement across state lines, threatens downstream water quality for communities that depend on shared waterways, and sets a precedent for further erosion of federal environmental standards. Constituents urge their federal representatives to oppose the EPA's issuance of these compliance flexibility waivers and to use all available legislative and oversight tools — including appropriations riders, oversight hearings, and formal congressional disapproval — to ensure that Clean Water Act enforcement standards remain uniformly applied and fully enforced across all fifty states.

us-congress · pollution · federal · epa · federal-oversight · water-quality · environment · clean-water

The United States currently imposes a combined tariff rate of approximately 22% (with rates escalating as high as 45% under recent executive actions) on Canadian softwood lumber — the single largest source of lumber used in U.S. residential construction. Canada supplies roughly 25–30% of all softwood lumber consumed in the United States, and there is no near-term domestic substitute capable of filling that gap at scale. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and independent analyses, these tariffs add an estimated $8,000–$12,000 to the cost of building a new single-family home. At a time when housing affordability is already at historic lows and the country faces a shortage of millions of housing units, policies that artificially inflate construction costs make the problem significantly worse. Higher builder costs are passed directly to buyers and renters, pricing working- and middle-class families out of the market. Congress has the authority to conduct oversight of executive trade actions, pass legislation directing the administration to negotiate a new Softwood Lumber Agreement with Canada, or use the Congressional Review Act and other statutory tools to push back on tariff escalation. Constituents are urging their U.S. Senators and Representatives to use all available legislative levers — including appropriations riders, trade legislation, and direct pressure on the U.S. Trade Representative — to reduce or eliminate the softwood lumber tariff and restore affordability to the housing market.

federal · housing-supply · construction-costs · lumber · us-congress · trade-policy · tariffs · housing-affordability

The USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (formerly Food and Nutrition Service) oversees federal Child Nutrition Programs — including the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program — that serve nearly 30 million children low-cost or free meals every school day. These programs are authorized under federal law and depend on dedicated federal staff to administer reimbursements, enforce nutrition standards, provide guidance to states, and ensure program integrity. In 2025, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) eliminated staffing and oversight capacity within the USDA office responsible for Child Nutrition Programs. Reductions in staff at the Food and Nutrition Administration have already raised concerns — documented by the Food Research & Action Center and the Government Accountability Office — about the office's ability to provide timely reimbursements to schools, respond to state administrators, and maintain consistent program operations. Without adequate federal staffing, the $23+ billion in annual funding that flows to school nutrition programs cannot be properly managed, putting meal access at risk for millions of children. Constituents are urging their U.S. Senators and Representatives to take immediate action: restore full staffing and federal oversight capacity to the USDA Child Nutrition Programs office, and conduct congressional oversight to ensure these reductions are reversed. Congress holds the power of the purse and oversight authority over executive agencies — members should use both to protect the school meal programs that millions of families depend on.

education · child-nutrition · us-congress · appropriations · food-security · federal · federal-oversight · school-meals