Dear friend,

Welcome to your Weekly Wrap, a recap of the week in Congress and highlights of my work. 

Last week, I reintroduced the Caregivers, Access, and Responsible Expansion (CARE) for Kids Act of 2025.  On Tuesday, the House Committee on Agriculture convened a subcommittee hearing entitled, Safeguarding U.S. Agriculture: The Role of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), and the House Committee on Education and Workforce convened a full committee hearing entitled, Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology. Additionally, the House considered a series of cryptocurrency bills. 

More from the week: The House passed H.R. 4, a rescissions package that strips federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and rescinds funding for many of our allies and partners in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The House also advanced H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2025.

I am also including an update on 2025 Service Academy Nominations.

For my full recap, please read below. 

CARE for Kids Act

Last week, I reintroduced the Caregivers, Access, and Responsible Expansion (CARE) for Kids Act of 2025. The legislation is co-led by Representative Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Representative Don Bacon (NE-02).

The CARE for Kids Act would provide crucial support for the millions of children nationwide being raised by grandparents and other relatives. The bill also seeks to expand eligibility for free and reduced-price school meals, easing the financial strain on caregivers.

I personally understand the challenges family members face when taking on the responsibility of raising a child. Ensuring all students in need can access school-based meals, regardless of their guardian or family dynamics, is fundamental to ending child hunger. The CARE for Kids Act will close these critical assistance gaps, feed children, and make things just a little easier for their dedicated caregivers.

Learn more about the bill here. 

Safeguarding U.S. Agriculture: The Role of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN)

On Tuesday, the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry convened a hearing entitled, Safeguarding U.S. Agriculture: The Role of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN).

NAHLN plays a key role in protecting food supply chains, identifying disease trends, and limiting the spread of infectious disease among animals. The network also plays a key role in educating producers and the public about potential disease outbreaks.

During the hearing, I emphasized the importance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) in providing training and exposure for students.

The Safeguarding U.S. Agriculture: The Role of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) hearing can be viewed here.

House Committee on Education and Workforce

The House Committee on Education and Workforce also convened a hearing on Tuesday entitled, Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology.

After 9 hearings on this topic, it should be clear that dissolving the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education, the sole enforcement body responsible for protecting the civil rights of students, is a horrible idea.

Cryptocurrency Week 

Last week, the House considered several pieces of legislation focused on cryptocurrency, including the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act.

• The Clarity Act – This legislation erodes the authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), increasing the potential for consumer risk.
• The GENIUS Act – This legislation does not provide necessary regulations to protect consumers and address corruption. 
• Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act - This legislation would prohibit the Federal Reserve and its 12 Federal Reserve Banks from researching, testing, or issuing a retail central bank digital currency.

I voted against this legislation because it greenlights crypto corruption by the Administration, weakens our national security, and undermines critical consumer and investor protections. 

The Rescissions Act

Last month, the House Republican majority advanced H.R. 4, a $9.4 billion rescissions proposal that hurts middle-class and working families and undermines national security. This package terminates $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), eliminates all of the civilian funding intended to support Ukraine and other partners in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, rescinds $2.5 billion of development resources away from partner, and cuts more than 25 percent of the resources provided to support people feeling conflict and starvation.

Last week, the legislation returned from the United States Senate and passed in the House.

As I did last month, I voted no on this rescissions package because it hurts American families, and rubber stamps the Trump Agenda to slash public good programs.

Department of Defense Appropriations Act

On Friday, the House passed H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2025. I voted no on final passage of the bill because it harms military readiness, undermines democracy at home and abroad, and limits women veterans’ access to essential health care.

Specifically, H.R. 4016 directs the Department of Defense to determine $7.75 billion in cuts, which could result in cuts to troop pay, readiness, health programs, and weapons systems. The bill also weakens Ukraine and empowers Russia by failing to include $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and makes it harder for service members and their families to access critical health care.

Additional information on the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2025 is available here.

Service Academy Nominations 2025

Are you a CT-05 student interested in pursuing higher education and serving our nation?  Apply for a Service Academy Nomination.

A congressional nomination is required to be considered by a Service Academy for admission for a tuition-free college education and more from one of four world-class institutions, including the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Applications for Service Academy Nominations are open until September 22, 2025.

To learn more about eligibility requirements and the application process, please click here.

And that’s a wrap! 

Thank you for taking the time to read this update. As always, please continue to share your thoughts and priorities with me. 

Jahana Hayes

Member of Congress