Walkinshaw, James RSS Articles

Reps. Walkinshaw, Fitzpatrick, Raskin, & Conaway Lead Bipartisan Push to Hold Administration Accountable on Foreign Aid

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Herb Conaway (D-NJ) joined the bipartisan grassroots network Alliance 4 American Leadership at the Capitol on Thursday, demanding that the administration release billions of dollars in foreign assistance that Congress approved and the President signed into law.

The public calls from four members of Congress followed A4AL’s first Hill Day, where 120 advocates traveled to Washington, D.C. and met with 92 congressional offices from both parties, and 16 Republican offices pledged to call Director Vought directly and demand the funds be released. If the money is not assigned to programs by the end of September, $3.2 billion appropriated for global health and development will expire and be lost.

Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA): “I would challenge anyone, Republican, or Democrat, the President, or Russ Vought—anyone—if you saw a child starving would you take a dollar out of your pocket to feed that child?”

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA): “This is about American leadership. At its best, American leadership saves lives, keeps our country safe, strengthens our allies, counters our adversaries, and reflects the best of who we are as a nation…This is one of the most effective tools the United States of America has.”

Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08): "We hold the power of the purse and a Congressional appropriation is a federal law. Thus the president must take care to faithfully execute all budget appropriations. Trump has violated the Constitution by shutting down USAID and now withholding $19 billion in congressionally appropriated foreign aid. His refusal to write the checks for USAID’s lifesaving global programs against malaria, HIV/AIDS and hunger is a deadly form of law-breaking."

Rep. Herb Conaway (D-NJ): “Follow the Constitution, follow the dictates of the Impoundment Act, and let's help people. Let’s be the great country that we are…USAID has prevented over 91 million deaths globally.”

Asher Moss, Executive Director of the Alliance 4 American Leadership: "Foreign assistance does not belong to the left or the right. It belongs to America. In a national poll last November, 72% of Republicans said they support foreign assistance…Our ask is simple: follow the law, spend the money, and keep America safe."

Leaders from the American Federation of Government Employees and American Foreign Service Association also joined the event.

According to a June 22 ProPublica investigation, the Administration is deliberately slowwalking the delivery of foreign aid funds, declining to obligate funds Congress earmarked for global health and humanitarian programs. The Office of Management and Budget, headed by Director Russell Vought, rather than assigning hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to specific programs, has instead labelled it "unallocated," giving itself control over whether the money is ever spent. By the end of March, the administration had only obligated roughly five percent of the global health funding it would normally have moved by that point. Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House and Senate Appropriations Committees have sent public letters to the Administration regarding this issue.

The Alliance 4 American Leadership (A4AL) is a bipartisan coalition of more than 70,000 Americans and 2,000 volunteers, representing every congressional district.

Video of the press conference: https://youtu.be/65EdmdKax_s?si=Y3TO88HE0u5M6M1L

Photos from conference: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1urzpnHbKfLVay_WEgbd1KSLrYp6iga9h?usp=sharing

All photos and videos are taken by the Alliance for American Leadership (A4AL) and are in the public domain.

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Walkinshaw, Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen DHS Cybersecurity After Federal Watchdog Finds Compliance Gaps

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), a Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) today introduced the bipartisan Cybersecurity Logging Enforcement and Accountability Reporting (CLEAR) Act, legislation requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report to Congress on the gaps preventing the Department from fully meeting federal cybersecurity event logging requirements.

Event logging, which tracks activity across an agency’s networks and systems, is a foundational cybersecurity tool. Without comprehensive event logging, agencies can miss intrusions, lose critical data needed to investigate cyber incidents, and fail to respond to threats in time. A December 2023 Government Accountability Office report found that DHS and other federal agencies had not fully implemented event logging requirements mandated under Executive Order 14028 and Office of Management and Budget directives.

GAO also found that federal agencies reported more than 32,000 information security incidents to the Department of Homeland Security in Fiscal Year 2023 alone. At the same time, artificial intelligence is transforming the cybersecurity landscape at a speed and scale that demands urgent action. As cyber threats become more sophisticated and frequent, we must ensure the Department has all the information and tools it needs to effectively respond to cybersecurity incidents.

“DHS is supposed to be the tip of the spear on federal cybersecurity. That means meeting its own cybersecurity requirements, not just setting standards for others,” said Congressman Walkinshaw. “This bill is simple: show Congress what’s broken, what resources are missing, and what it will take to fix it. When federal networks are under attack, DHS cannot afford blind spots.”

“The cybersecurity threats facing our federal agencies continue to escalate, and DHS cannot afford blind spots across its networks,” said Congressman Bacon. “The CLEAR Act will give Congress the insight needed to ensure DHS is fully implementing federal event logging standards, closing compliance gaps, and protecting some of our nation’s most critical systems. I’m pleased to join Rep. Walkinshaw on this bipartisan effort to strengthen DHS cybersecurity and improve accountability.”

“Cybersecurity threats are rapidly growing and becoming more sophisticated than ever. Ensuring the proper tools and effective processes are in place allows for those threats to be quickly mitigated and thwarted before an incident evolves,” said ITI President and CEO Jason Oxman. “Representatives James Walkinshaw and Don Bacon’s bipartisan Cybersecurity Logging Enforcement and Accountability Reporting (CLEAR) Act helps ensure the Department of Homeland Security has a clear understanding of where gaps exist so it can strengthen U.S. cyber defenses and better protect U.S. critical infrastructure and American communities.”

The CLEAR Act requires DHS to submit a report to Congress within 180 days identifying the specific gaps in resources, guidance, and policies preventing the Department from meeting all federal cybersecurity event logging requirements, along with what is needed to close those gaps. The legislation also requires DHS to brief relevant congressional committees and publish an unclassified summary for the public.

As cyber threats targeting federal agencies continue to grow, DHS needs full visibility across its networks to detect malicious activity, investigate incidents, and protect critical systems. Full implementation of federal event logging requirements is essential to that mission.

This bill is endorsed by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).

Read the bill text here.

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Walkinshaw Introduces Federal Workforce Reproductive Rights Protection Act

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11) introduced the Federal Workforce Reproductive Rights Protection Act, legislation to protect federal employees and their families from being forced to choose between their careers and access to lawful reproductive health care.

The bill would prevent federal agencies from relocating headquarters or major operations to states with restrictive abortion laws, allow federal employees to decline forced transfers or assignments to those states for covered health-related reasons, and provide travel and transportation support when federal workers or their eligible dependents must travel out of state to access lawful reproductive health care.

“Federal workers serve this country in every state and territory, and they deserve to know their employer will protect their health, privacy, and family,” said Congressman Walkinshaw. “Since Dobbs, millions of Americans have been forced to navigate a dangerous patchwork of state abortion bans and restrictions. For federal employees who can be ordered to relocate or accept assignments across the country, that threat is especially real. This bill protects public servants from being punished, pushed out, or put at risk because they need lawful reproductive health care.”

The legislation would also provide paid administrative leave for abortion-related travel, safeguard employee privacy in the travel allowance process, protect abortion-related privacy in security clearance and personnel decisions, and prohibit retaliation against employees or applicants who use the protections provided under the bill.

Congressman Walkinshaw introduced the bill with original cosponsors Reps. Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), John Larson (CT-01), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (IL-04), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Angie Craig (MN-02), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Emily Randall (WA-06), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), and Daniel Goldman (NY-10).

The Federal Workforce Reproductive Rights Protection Act is endorsed by the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, National Women’s Law Center, Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, and National Federation of Federal Employees.

Read the bill text here.

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Walkinshaw's Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on Illicit Fentanyl Trafficking Advances Out of Homeland Security Committee

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Homeland Security Committee today advanced the Measuring Illicit Fentanyl Trafficking Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Representatives James Walkinshaw (VA-11) and Michael McCaul (TX-10) that would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish clear performance metrics for detecting, deterring, and seizing illicit fentanyl — and break down the information silos that have hampered a coordinated federal response.

"Fentanyl's devastating consequences know no partisan boundaries and respect no ideology,” said Congressman Walkinshaw. “It is the number one killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 45, and every single day, families across this country are burying their children, their loved ones, their neighbors because of this illicit drug. That is why I am proud to reach across the aisle to fight it and ensure that DHS accurately measures the detection and seizure of illicit fentanyl across all DHS components. The families who have lost someone to fentanyl deserve action, not just words. Today we delivered. I will keep fighting to get this common-sense bill across the finish line."

The bill comes after a September 2025 Government Accountability Office report found that despite a Congressional mandate in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, DHS components still lack clear performance goals to measure illicit fentanyl interdiction efforts and consistent data-sharing procedures across the department.

The legislation would require DHS-wide data sharing, ensure full implementation of the assessment program Congress already mandated, and establish clear performance goals to track how effectively the department is combating illicit fentanyl trafficking.

The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program supports the legislation, noting that sharing information and measuring impact is critical to disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations.

The bill was co-sponsored by Reps. Michael Guest (MS-03) and Lou Correa (CA-46), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.

Read the full bill text here.

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Walkinshaw, Van Hollen, Hoyer Press Administration for Answers on Changes to Federal Employee Survey Essential for Government Oversight

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives James Walkinshaw (D-Va.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), co-chairs of the Federal Workforce Caucus, pressed the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for answers on its newly proposed 2026 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). FEVS provides federal employees an ability to respond to questions that are critical to ensuring our federal agencies can carry out their work for the American people, and it is an important tool for understanding and improving the federal workforce. However, the lawmakers question whether the Trump Administration’s proposed 2026 FEVS would make dramatic changes to the survey that could limit its usefulness and undermine its intent. These changes follow the Trump Administration’s rampant attacks on federal employees and its cancellation of the 2025 FEVS. Last year, Senator Van Hollen and Representatives Hoyer and Walkinshaw raised concerns that doing so violated federal agencies’ legal obligation to survey employees annually. While OPM is moving forward with the 2026 FEVS, the lawmakers point out that changes must satisfy the legal requirements for the survey and collect the necessary data to increase government efficiency and transparency. Given these concerns, the lawmakers pressed for answers to several questions surrounding the survey.

“For years, the FEVS has given leaders real-time insight into their organizations. This valuable workforce management tool has delivered critical perspective into leadership effectiveness, employee engagement, organizational culture, and workplace trust. This data has been relied on to better performance and create reforms,” the lawmakers wrote.

“In 2025, the federal workforce experienced dramatic and, in many cases, illegal changes. According to OPM’s own data, approximately 317,000 employees left the federal government in 2025. The Pew Research Center noted that the federal workforce decreased by 10.3% in 2025. While the FEVS is critical in any year to fulfill statutory requirements and help improve the civil service, it is deeply concerning that in a year of significant change that this survey was cancelled.,” they continued.

The lawmakers note, “You have indicated that FEVS 2026 will be changed to focus on micro-level responses. As you know, the employee survey is mandated by law and federal regulations mandate specific questions. Specifically, Section 1128 of Public Law 108-136 (5 U.S.C. 7101 note) requires that federal agencies conduct an annual survey of its employees to assess leadership and management practices that contribute to agency performance and employee satisfaction, pursuant to OPM regulations. Critically, such regulations in Title 5 Part 250, Subpart C of the Code of Federal Regulations mandate that agencies conduct the annual workforce survey with 16 core questions before December 31 of each calendar year.”

They went on to seek answers to the following:

1. Please provide a copy of the FEVS 2026 questions.

2. Will all sixteen questions required for agencies under 5 CFR Part 250, subpart C be

included in the 2026 FEVS?

3. Will agencies retain the ability to add their own questions to the FEVS?

4. Does OPM plan to change how it administers the FEVS and to whom?

5. With OPM’s announcement about the relaunch of FEVS, what is the agency’s planned timeline to administer the 2026 survey?

6. Will the results be released publicly? And when?

7. Is OPM collecting results of agency pulse surveys to identify any governmentwide areas of concern, opportunity, or trends?

In addition to Senator Van Hollen and Representatives Hoyer and Walkinshaw, the letter was signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Representatives Don Beyer (D-Va.-08), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas-30), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.-03), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.-05), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio-01), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), April McClain Delaney (D-Md.-06), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-At Large), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.-10), Eugene Vindman (D-Va.-07), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12).

Full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Director Kupor,

We write to follow up on the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) cancellation of the 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) and to ensure that the newly proposed 2026 FEVS provides needed transparency and complies with statutory requirements. As you know, the FEVS is not only an essential tool for improving the federal workforce, but this survey also supports congressional oversight of executive branch activities as they relate to federal employees and fulfills the agencies’ legal requirement to survey their employees.

For years, the FEVS has given leaders real-time insight into their organizations. This valuable workforce management tool has delivered critical perspective into leadership effectiveness, employee engagement, organizational culture, and workplace trust. This data has been relied on to better performance and create reforms.

In 2025, the federal workforce experienced dramatic and, in many cases, illegal changes. According to OPM’s own data, approximately 317,000 employees left the federal government in 2025. The Pew Research Center noted that the federal workforce decreased by 10.3% in 2025. While the FEVS is critical in any year to fulfill statutory requirements and help improve the civil service, it is deeply concerning that in a year of significant change that this survey was cancelled.

When the U.S. Senate was considering your nomination to be the Director of OPM, you expressed that: “In the organizations I have been affiliated with, I have always conducted regular employee engagement surveys (typically once per year, but sometimes more often when there are more changes happening in the organization)”. Given your own admission of the importance of employee surveys during organizational changes, we are particularly concerned by the decision to cancel the FEVS for 2025. The lack of transparency during a period of significant change is incredibly troubling.

You have indicated that FEVS 2026 will be changed to focus on micro-level responses. As you know, the employee survey is mandated by law and federal regulations mandate specific questions. Specifically, Section 1128 of Public Law 108-136 (5 U.S.C. 7101 note) requires that federal agencies conduct an annual survey of its employees to assess leadership and management practices that contribute to agency performance and employee satisfaction, pursuant to OPM regulations. Critically, such regulations in Title 5 Part 250, Subpart C of the Code of Federal Regulations mandate that agencies conduct the annual workforce survey with 16 core questions before December 31 of each calendar year.

Given the critical importance of the FEVS and your announced changes to the survey, we request detailed explanations to the following questions to ensure that the FEVS 2026 survey provides valuable insights and complies with the law.

1. Please provide a copy of the FEVS 2026 questions.

2. Will all sixteen questions required for agencies under 5 CFR Part 250, subpart C be

included in the 2026 FEVS?

3. Will agencies retain the ability to add their own questions to the FEVS?

4. Does OPM plan to change how it administers the FEVS and to whom?

5. With OPM’s announcement about the relaunch of FEVS, what is the agency’s planned timeline to administer the 2026 survey?

6. Will the results be released publicly? And when?

7. Is OPM collecting results of agency pulse surveys to identify any governmentwide areas of concern, opportunity, or trends?

Thank you for addressing our concerns regarding the cancellation of the 2025 FEVS and the impact of the newly proposed 2026 FEVS on transparency and agencies’ legal obligations.

Sincerely,

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Walkinshaw, Mfume Press USPS for Financial Transparency Amid Funding Warnings

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the United States Postal Service (USPS) continues to face a severe financial crisis, Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Government Operations Subcommittee Ranking Member Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) led a bipartisan letter to Postmaster General David Steiner pressing USPS to provide Congress with five-year financial and service projections.

The letter follows Postmaster General Steiner’s March 17, 2026, testimony before the Subcommittee, where he agreed, in response to questioning from Congressman Walkinshaw, to provide Congress with five-year financial projections in the form of multi-scenario analyses. Despite that commitment, USPS has not yet provided the requested data.

While a response from the Postal Service to Congress dated June 2, 2026, repeated USPS’ requests for additional support, it again did not provide the requested data, projections, and financial information.

In fiscal year 2025, USPS reported a $9 billion net loss and reached its $15 billion maximum borrowing authority from the U.S. Treasury Department. The Government Accountability Office has warned that, without significant changes, USPS could run out of cash as soon as 2027.

The lawmakers emphasized that USPS is an essential public service relied on by Americans in every community to receive medications, ballots, financial bills, and other critical services.

“As part of that commitment, we request that you provide the Postal Service’s five-year financial and service projections, which you previously agreed to provide during your appearance before the Subcommittee, and in a subsequent letter to the Subcommittee,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers requested updated projections that include scenario modeling on potential cost-cutting measures, including the financial impact of suspending planned capital investments under the Delivering for America plan, deferring scheduled retirement obligation payments, and implementing additional cost-cutting measures discussed with the Committee.

They also raised concern that USPS recently suspended employer contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System, affecting the retirement security of postal workers, while continuing major capital investments under the Delivering for America plan.

“Postal Service employees are already being asked to bear the burden of the Postal Service’s financial situation,” the lawmakers wrote. “On April 9, 2026, the Postal Service announced it is suspending employer contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System, putting the retirement security of hundreds of thousands of postal workers at risk.”

The lawmakers said Congress needs the requested projections to understand the financial impact of USPS’ proposals, evaluate potential reforms, protect reliable service, and improve the Postal Service’s long-term stability.

“To implement reforms that would improve the Postal Service’s long-term financial stability, Congress must be equipped with clear data detailing the anticipated financial effects of the proposals you provided us with in your recent testimony,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter requests that USPS provide the five-year financial and service projections within two weeks.

Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Pete Sessions (TX-17) also joined the letter.

Full text of the letter is available here.

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Walkinshaw, Fong Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Celebrating 30 Years of Taiwanese Democracy

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11) and Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) introduced a bipartisan resolution commemorating the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election and reaffirming U.S. support for Taiwan’s democracy.

On March 23, 1996, the people of Taiwan held their first direct presidential election, marking a historic milestone in Taiwan’s democratic development. Since then, Taiwan has built one of the world’s most vibrant democracies and demonstrated the peaceful transfer of political power.

The resolution comes as Taiwan faces growing military, economic, and political pressure from the People’s Republic of China. It commends the people of Taiwan for their resilience and recognizes Taiwan’s democracy as a key contributor to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

“Thirty years ago, the people of Taiwan made history by democratically electing their president for the first time. Since then, Taiwan has shown the world what a strong, resilient democracy looks like,” said Congressman Walkinshaw. “At a time when the People’s Republic of China is escalating its threats and intimidation, Congress must speak with moral clarity: the United States stands with the people of Taiwan, their democracy, their self-defense, and their right to live free from coercion.”

"Thirty years after Taiwan's historic presidential election, its democracy remains a beacon of stability and peace in Asia - even as the Chinese Communist Party attempts to undermine its sovereignty,” said Congressman Fong. “I am proud to lead this bipartisan resolution to reaffirm that Taiwan and the United States remain trusted partners. We will continue to stand together against threats to our security, our economic prosperity, and the values that define our way of life."

The Walkinshaw-Fong resolution reaffirms longstanding U.S. policy toward Taiwan, including the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Communiqués, and the Six Assurances. It also commends Taiwan for building and sustaining a robust democratic system.

The resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dave Min (CA-47), Ted W. Lieu (CA-36), Don Beyer (VA-08), Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Darrell Issa (CA-48), Susie Lee (NV-03), David Schweikert (AZ-01), Keith Self (TX-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), Mike Lawler (NY-17), and Ami Bera (CA-06).

Read the resolution text here.

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Walkinshaw Introduces War Powers Resolution to End Trump’s War of Choice in Iran

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11) today introduced a War Powers Resolution to end President Trump's war of choice in Iran, a conflict launched without congressional authorization.

The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress explicitly authorizes continued military action through a declaration of war or a specific authorization for the use of military force. It preserves the ability of U.S. forces to defend the United States, an ally, or a partner from imminent attack.

Under article I, section 8 of the Constitution, Congress has the sole power to declare war. The Trump Administration has not sought the approval of Congress, has failed to provide legal justification, put American service members lives at risk, and has forced the U.S. into a protracted conflict with no resolution in sight. As gas prices soar, American families are forced to pay the price of this illegal and expensive war.

“Each American family has paid $750 out of pocket for a war Trump started without asking Congress,” said Congressman Walkinshaw. “No president gets to drag this country into an endless war on their own. The Constitution is clear: Congress decides whether America goes to war.”

According to Moody’s Analytics, Trump’s war in Iran has already cost U.S. consumers $100 billion, or roughly $750 per household, through increased military spending and higher oil prices.

House Democrats have forced several votes to end the war since March and passed a resolution through the House of Representatives last week. Congress must continue to demonstrate its strong opposition to this illegal war.

"If Trump believes this war is necessary, he must come to Congress, make his case to the American people, and ask for authorization. We need just a handful of Republicans to continue to join us, reassert Congress' constitutional authority, and bring our troops home," Walkinshaw added.

As a privileged resolution, this measure can be brought to the House floor for a vote in the coming weeks.

U.S. Representatives Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Don Beyer (VA-08), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), and Sam Liccardo (CA-16) are cosponsors of the legislation.

Read the bill text here.

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Walkinshaw Bill to Speed Up Reviews for Veterans Suffering From Trauma Advances to House Floor

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11) announced that the Streamline Upgrades for Veterans Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Congressman James C. Moylan (GU-00), advanced through the House Armed Services Committee as part of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The Committee’s passage marks a major step forward for Walkinshaw’s bipartisan legislation, which now heads to the House floor to be considered as part of the annual defense package.

“Veterans carrying the invisible wounds of service deserve a system that works for them, not one that leaves them waiting years for answers,” said Congressman Walkinshaw. “This is a major step toward ensuring veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma (MST), or traumatic brain injury (TBI) receive timely, fair consideration when seeking a review of their discharge status. I’m grateful to see this legislation advance through the House Armed Services Committee and will keep fighting to get it across the finish line.”

The Streamline Upgrades for Veterans Act would help ensure veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma receive timely consideration when seeking relief related to their military discharge status. For many veterans, a discharge upgrade can be key to accessing VA health care, housing assistance, education benefits, and other earned benefits in a timely manner.

The legislation would prevent reductions in staffing at military service review agencies through December 31, 2030, and require the Department of Defense to report to Congress on review timelines for cases involving veterans seeking to appeal their discharge for cases designated “liberal consideration” which includes PTSD, MST, or TBI. It would also require a public summary of that report to be posted online by both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Read the bill text here.

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Walkinshaw, Ranking Member Thompson Demand Mullin Sell Noem-Era Luxury Jets

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), a Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, joined by Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding that he sell the two Gulfstream G700 luxury jets and Boeing 737 MAX purchased during former Secretary Kristi Noem’s tenure.

The letter follows a recent Committee hearing where Congressman Walkinshaw pressed Secretary Mullin on why he continues to use one of the luxury aircraft purchased under fired Secretary Noem. When asked why DHS should sell the aircraft, Secretary Mullin responded, “Why do I need to sell them?”

In the letter, Walkinshaw and Thompson argue that Mullin cannot claim to clean up DHS while turning one of the Administration’s most obscene taxpayer-funded symbols of waste into his own luxury travel perk.

“The answer is simple: the credibility of your promise to clean house after the corrupt and scandal-plagued Noem-Lewandowski era and your commitment to be the ‘best possible steward of taxpayer dollars’ depends on it,” the lawmakers wrote. “These purchases of top-of-the-line luxury jets were profligate, fiscally irresponsible, and a slap in the face to the hardworking Americans who paid for them.”

The lawmakers also criticized DHS for prioritizing luxury aircraft while the United States Coast Guard, the only uniformed service within DHS, continues to face aging aircraft, crumbling infrastructure, workforce shortages, and quality-of-life challenges.

In the letter, Walkinshaw and Thompson acknowledge that the Secretary of Homeland Security needs access to secure government aircraft with appropriate communications and security capabilities. But they argue those requirements do not justify keeping two Gulfstream G700 luxury jets, an aircraft widely viewed as a jet of choice for billionaires, along with a Boeing 737 MAX.

“We are not suggesting you fly coach and have no objection to you flying in a government plane,” the lawmakers wrote. “However, the Gulfstream G550, purchased by DHS in 2022, more than meets the statutory and practical requirements.”

By selling the luxury aircraft, the lawmakers argue DHS could acquire or use a secure government plane that meets the Secretary’s operational needs for far less and save taxpayers more than $100 million in the process.

The lawmakers concluded: “These jets represent profligate waste, disdain for the American taxpayer, and contempt for the Department of Homeland Security whose budget was raided while Department leadership pursued a lavish jet-setting lifestyle.”

The full text of the letter is available here.

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