The DeSaulnier Digest: TONIGHT'S Town Hall

ON THE FLOOR

Mark Opposes Wasteful Defense Spending
Each year, Congress considers the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to set funding levels and policies for the Department of Defense. The House of Representatives recently considered the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2026 (S. 1071), which authorizes $890.6 billion for the Department of Defense and national security programs. This staggering price tag is even more alarming since the Department of Defense has a history of bureaucratic waste. Additionally, S. 1071 includes unnecessary and partisan provisions targeting transgender students and military diversity programs. Despite Congressman DeSaulnier's opposition, the bill passed the House and will now be considered in the Senate.

DeSaulnier Votes to Protect Environmental Safeguards and Oppose Fossil Fuel Expansion 
Last week, the House advanced four energy bills that weaken environmental protections and prioritize fossil fuels over clean, affordable, and reliable energy. Congressman DeSaulnier opposed the Electric Supply Chain Act (H.R. 3638), which overlooks clean-energy technologies and duplicates existing federal work; the PERMIT Act (H.R. 3898), which weakens environmental and clean water protections; the State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act (H.R. 3628), which encourages states to rely on fossil fuels; and the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act (H.R. 3668), which fast-tracks pipeline approvals without strong environmental or safety reviews. Despite the Congressman's opposition, all four bills passed the House and now await action in the U.S. Senate.

Mark Votes Against Harmful Bill for Retirees and Investors
​​​​​​​Last week, the House considered the INVEST Act (H.R. 3383), a package of bills that could help create new opportunities for investors and encourage growth among small- and medium-sized companies. Unfortunately, the legislation also includes provisions that could reduce transparency for investors and expose seniors to risky investments with little oversight. While the bill could be beneficial in some ways, Congressman DeSaulnier voted against it due to its problematic provisions. Despite theCongressman's opposition, it passed the House and awaits further consideration by theU.S. Senate.

Congressman DeSaulnier Supports Restoration of Labor Rights
Since January, the Administration has been rolling back critical labor rights and workplace protections. In March, President Trump issued an Executive Order eliminating collective bargaining for most federal workers, stripping away hard-won contracts that ensured our nation's public servants were treated fairly as they work on behalf of the American people. Last week, the House considered the Protect America's Workforce Act (H.R. 2550), which would reverse the President's Executive Order and restore federal workers' right to bargain collectively. Congressman DeSaulnier is a proud sponsor of H.R. 2550 and joined the successful effort to force a vote on the bill, which passed the House of Representatives and is now awaiting consideration by theU.S. Senate.