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Congressmembers Introduce Resolution to Designate November as Bladder Health Awareness Month

Congressmembers Introduce Resolution to Designate November as Bladder Health Awareness Month

Congressmembers Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Dr. Rich McCormick (R-GA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Dr. Neal Dunn (R-FL) have introduced the first-ever National Bladder Health Awareness Month Resolution. Congressmembers Carol Miller (R-WV), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), and Kevin Mullin (D-CA) are co-sponsoring the resolution. The initiative aims to recognize November as Bladder Health Awareness Month, promoting public education, reducing stigma, and improving access to care for bladder conditions. According to Congressman Carter, the resolution emphasizes preventative care and informed decisions to protect individuals and their networks. Congressman McCormick, a physician, highlighted that millions suffer in silence due to stigma or lack of awareness, stressing the importance of early intervention. The resolution encourages the Department of Health and Human Services to disseminate information, support partnerships, promote evidence-based education for healthcare professionals, and encourage op...
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Senate Unanimously Passes Bipartisan Weather Forecasting Bill to Modernize NOAA Programs

Senate Unanimously Passes Bipartisan Weather Forecasting Bill to Modernize NOAA Programs

The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed the bipartisan Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026 (Weather Act). This legislation reauthorizes numerous weather forecasting and hazard communication programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The bill, a bicameral agreement, is now expected to be taken up by the House of Representatives and sent to the President's desk before the end of the 119th Congress. Key sponsors include Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member. The Weather Act incorporates over a dozen bipartisan bills, including Senator Cruz’s NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act, which aims to upgrade weather radio equipment for more reliable emergency broadcasts. The legislation was developed in response to gaps identified after the deadly July 2025 floods in Texas’ Hill Country.
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US Congress Democrats plot 'must-have' victories in 2027

US Congress Democrats plot 'must-have' victories in 2027

By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Democrats poised to take full control of the US Congress next year are aiming for a fast start in the opening weeks of January, with what they say will be a response to voters' top concerns in the aftermath of the party's huge wins on November 3.
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Congressman Courtney Votes for Major Richard Star Act, Sending Bill to Senate to Address Veteran Benefit Injustice

Congressman Courtney Votes for Major Richard Star Act, Sending Bill to Senate to Address Veteran Benefit Injustice

Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) recently voted for the final passage of the Major Richard Star Act (H.R. 2102) in the House of Representatives, with the bill passing by a vote of 392-18. The legislation now advances to the Senate for consideration. This act aims to rectify an existing injustice in the law that reduces earned retirement benefits for veteran retirees who also receive service-connected disability benefits. Currently, combat-injured veterans who are medically retired are only permitted to receive either U.S. Department of Defense retirement benefits or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation. The Major Richard Star Act seeks to amend this law, allowing these medically retired veterans to receive both their full retirement pay and disability compensation. Congressman Courtney, along with a bipartisan coalition, successfully compelled this vote through a discharge petition, which he signed earlier in the year. He emphasized the duty of Congress to provide tangible support, i...
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Explainer-Can a new US Congress mean an end to the Iran war?

Explainer-Can a new US Congress mean an end to the Iran war?

By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - The American public wants the unpopular eight-month-long war on Iran to end, and showed it by handing President Donald Trump's Republicans a resounding defeat in last week's congressional elections.
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Senate Unanimously Passes Weather Act to Modernize Forecasting and Hurricane Prediction

Senate Unanimously Passes Weather Act to Modernize Forecasting and Hurricane Prediction

The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026, also known as the Weather Act (S. 3923). This comprehensive bill aims to modernize the nation's weather forecasting system and reauthorize various programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Key provisions include establishing the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program as a long-term initiative to enhance predictions of rapid hurricane intensification, storm tracks, and storm surge. The legislation also directs NOAA to design and deploy the next generation of weather radar by 2037, address current radar coverage gaps, and upgrade NOAA Weather Radio equipment, expanding its coverage in rural areas. Additionally, the bill reauthorizes the national Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program and mandates a new interagency effort on extreme heat. Introduced by Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the bill now moves t...
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Reps. Carson and Wittman Introduce Bipartisan Bill for National Young Adult Cancer Strategy

Reps. Carson and Wittman Introduce Bipartisan Bill for National Young Adult Cancer Strategy

Reps. André Carson (D-Ind.) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.) have introduced bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to establish the Asal Sayas National Strategy on Young Adult Cancers Act. This bill aims to create the first national strategy specifically addressing cancers in adults aged 18 to 49. The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is leading a national effort to gather support for this bill, encouraging patients, caregivers, advocates, and organizations to sign up and help ensure its passage. The proposed legislation would mandate the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a comprehensive strategy within 18 months of the bill becoming law. This strategy would involve mapping current research, launching a national education campaign to raise awareness of symptoms and risk factors, setting research priorities for causes, biomarkers, early detection, and new treatments, and reducing barriers to clinical trial participation for young adults. Companion legislation was previously introduced in ...
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Protect College Sports Act, Co-Led by Senator Cantwell, Stalls in House, Likely to Die

Protect College Sports Act, Co-Led by Senator Cantwell, Stalls in House, Likely to Die

Protect College Sports Act, Co-Led by Senator Cantwell, Stalls in House, Likely to Die
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Representatives Introduce 'Healthy Meal Time Act' to Study School Lunch and Recess Timing

Representatives Introduce 'Healthy Meal Time Act' to Study School Lunch and Recess Timing

Representatives Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) have introduced the 'Healthy Meal Time Act' in Congress. This proposed legislation aims to ensure that students are allocated sufficient time to eat and engage in recess during the school day. The bill mandates the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with input from the U.S. Department of Education, to conduct a study. The purpose of this study is to identify and disseminate best practices concerning meal and recess timing in schools. Currently, there are no federal guidelines dictating the duration of school lunch periods, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a minimum of 20 minutes of seated lunch time. The 'Healthy Meal Time Act' would require the study's recommendations to consider this CDC guideline, as well as the time needed for non-eating activities and the consumption of minimally processed and unprocessed foods.
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U.S. Rep. Grace Meng Reintroduces Legislation to Establish Diwali as Federal Holiday Amid Rising Anti-Hindu and Anti-South Asian Hate

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng Reintroduces Legislation to Establish Diwali as Federal Holiday Amid Rising Anti-Hindu and Anti-South Asian Hate

U.S. Representative Grace Meng has reintroduced legislation aimed at designating Diwali as a federal holiday in the United States. This move comes in response to a significant increase in anti-Hindu and anti-South Asian hate incidents across the nation. The legislation, known as the Diwali Day Act, was reintroduced by Meng, who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, shortly after the main celebration of the 2026 Diwali festival. The bill currently has 19 co-sponsors in Congress and, if passed, would make Diwali the 12th federally recognized holiday. Meng emphasized that establishing Diwali as a federal holiday would provide a day off for Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist communities to celebrate and would signal that the government values their cultures and traditions, particularly during a period of rising hate and intimidation.
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Congresswoman Grace Meng Reintroduces Bill to Establish Diwali as Federal Holiday Amid Rising Anti-Asian Hate Concerns

Congresswoman Grace Meng Reintroduces Bill to Establish Diwali as Federal Holiday Amid Rising Anti-Asian Hate Concerns

U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) has reintroduced legislation, the Diwali Day Act, aimed at making Diwali a federal holiday. This bill seeks to amend Section 6103(a) of Title 5 of the U.S. Code, which outlines federal public holidays, to include the Festival of Lights. Meng, who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), emphasized that recognizing Diwali at the federal level would acknowledge the religious and cultural significance of a festival celebrated by millions of Americans, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists. The legislation has garnered support from 19 congressional co-sponsors, including Indian American Representatives Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, and Shri Thanedar. Meng highlighted the importance of this recognition, particularly in light of increasing concerns over incidents of religious and racial hostility targeting Hindu and South Asian communities across the United States. CAPAC cited recent incidents such as vandalism at ...
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Most Americans want new Democratic Congress to end Trump's Iran war, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

Most Americans want new Democratic Congress to end Trump's Iran war, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

By Jason Lange WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Majorities of Americans want the newly elected Democratic-majority US Congress to act to end the war with Iran and to repeal tariffs put in place by President Donald Trump, signaling demand for quick action to address the high cost of living, a new