Robert P. Bresnahan

ICYMI: Bresnahan’s Local Farmers Feeding Our Community Act Passes in House Farm Bill

WASHINGTON, DC: Last week, U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) and the House of Representatives passed the Farm Bill by a bipartisan vote of 224-200. The package included Rep. Bresnahan’s bipartisan legislation, the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act, which will help build stronger connections between local producers and community food programs, expanding markets and improving access to healthy food for those in need. “We owe it to our farmers to make sure federal policy works as hard as they do,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “I’m proud this final bill includes my bipartisan legislation to connect families in need with fresh food grown right here in our communities. This Farm Bill delivers real support for farmers here in Northeastern Pennsylvania and across the country by addressing the challenges they’re facing and advancing practical, bipartisan solutions for our rural communities.” Image

House Reopens DHS, Secures $2.4 Million for Monroe County

WASHINGTON, DC: Today, U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) released the below statement following the House’s unanimous consent of legislation to reopen and fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “DHS employees have continued showing up every day to keep our country safe, even without designated funding for the past 76 days,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “I’ve been pushing for weeks to end this stalemate, and I’m glad our federal workers finally have the stability they deserve. I’ll always fight for our federal workers and the men and women who keep our country and our communities safe.” Rep. Bresnahan led his fellow lawmakers in urging House Republican leadership to bring an end to the current Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown by putting the Senate-passed funding bill on the House Floor. The legislation also includes $2,432,000 secured by Rep. Bresnahan for the Monroe County Goose Pond Dam Project. The funding will support critical rehabilitation of the aging dam, and address longstanding maintenance and safety concerns, and expand flood mitigation capacity to over 40,000 residents who live in its watershed. “I am very proud we secured over $2.4 million in funding that will go directly back to the communities who need it,” continued Rep. Bresnahan. “Flood mitigation is critical for Northeastern Pennsylvania, and this funding will strengthen our region, create jobs, and improve quality of life right here in NEPA.” ### Issues: Congress

House Passes Farm Bill, Bresnahan-Led Local Farmers Feeding Our Community Act

WASHINGTON, DC: Today, U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) and the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, this year’s Farm Bill, by a bipartisan vote of 224-200. The package included Rep. Bresnahan’s bipartisan legislation, the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act, which will help build stronger connections between local producers, and community food programs, expanding markets and improving access to healthy food for those in need. “We owe it to our farmers to make sure federal policy works as hard as they do,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “I’m proud this final bill includes my bipartisan legislation to connect families in need with fresh food grown right here in our communities. This Farm Bill delivers real support for farmers here in Northeastern Pennsylvania and across the country by addressing the challenges they’re facing and advancing practical, bipartisan solutions for our rural communities.” The Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act will allow states, through USDA, to establish cooperative agreements connecting local farmers and producers with local food distribution organizations. Through these agreements, funds will be used to purchase local, fresh, and minimally processed foods like seafood, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, fruit, and poultry. The bill also sets aside a portion of these funds to purchase food specifically from small, mid-size, beginning, and veteran farmers. Rep. Bresnahan first introduced the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act on July 30, 2025. In August, he held a roundtable with local farmers, food banks, and community food advocates to share firsthand accounts on the importance of supporting local agriculture and food access. His legislation was included in the Farm Bill, which passed out of the House Committee on Agriculture on March 5, 2026. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 also: Creates a standing lock grant authority for future disaster payments. Emphasized science, technology, and innovation, including within the conservation practice standards establishment and review processes. Prioritizes innovation and improves access to nutrition programs that support our farmers and neighbors in need. Creates a stronger, more sustainable connection between health and federal nutrition programs. Provides new resources to new, young, beginning, and veteran farmers in their transition to farming and ranching. Strengthens broadband connectivity to rural communities. Protects access to healthcare in rural America. Enhances efforts to meet the childcare demands of rural areas. Addresses existing workforce challenges within rural communities to effectively meet their needs. Invests in and strengthens rural water infrastructure. Supports research and development for the specialty crop industry. Allows for critical cost and energy savings by increasing access to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Supports specialty crop producers by directing Specialty Crop Block Grant program administrators to consult with producers when setting priorities for the program. Maintains funding for the Local Agriculture Market Program and improves program delivery through simplified applications. Continues support for organic production through the National Organic Program, Organic Production and Market Data Initiative, and National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program. Enhances protections for dogs covered under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Directing the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a national campaign to increase public knowledge on the dangers of the invasive species known as spotted lanternflies. ### Issues: Agriculture Congress

ICYMI: Bresnahan Leads Letter Demanding House Leadership End DHS Shutdown

Position: Rep. Bresnahan urges House leadership to pass the Senate-approved DHS funding bill to end the 70-day shutdown and provide resources and payroll certainty to DHS agencies including the Coast Guard, TSA, and FEMA.

WASHINGTON, DC: Today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Legislative Affairs sent a memo to Capitol Hill echoing the sentiments of U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08), who last week led his fellow lawmakers in sending a letter urging House Republican leadership to bring an end to the current Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown by putting the Senate-passed funding bill on the House Floor. “Now that Senate Republicans are making progress on a clean reconciliation package to fund and strengthen our border security, we should match that progress here in the House by taking up and passing the Senate-passed funding bill and reopening DHS without any further delay,” wrote Rep. Bresnahan. “This will provide the resources these agencies need to carry out their mission, bring stability for their workforce, and deliver funding for local projects…It’s time to do our job, fund DHS, and stand with the men and women who keep our country safe.” “It is imperative that Congress immediately fund DHS and its critical operations to protect the Homeland…Failure to pass the budget resolution will jeopardize paychecks for the DHS personnel that keep the Homeland safe,” wrote OMB Legislative Affairs. The House of Representatives has voted to fund DHS four times, but each time, the legislation has been met with a stalemate in the Senate. DHS, which has now been shut down for 70 days, includes critical agencies like the Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Rep. Bresnahan’s letter was signed by Reps. Don Bacon (NE-02) and Mike Lawler (NY-17). You can read the full letter here or below: Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, and Majority Whip Emmer, We write to urge immediate action to bring the Senate-passed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill to the House Floor for a vote. Funding the government is the most basic part of our job. Yet, because of Democrat obstruction, we are now 70 days into this shutdown, and the men and women who keep our country safe are paying the price. We are proud that the House has led the way, voting four times to fully fund DHS and its critical agencies like the Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) who stand on the front lines every day keeping Americans safe, responding to disasters, and securing our skies. We thank President Trump for taking action to keep paychecks signed up until now, but the men and women carrying out this critical work deserve long term certainty, not stopgap measures that leave them wondering when their next paycheck will come or whether their agency will have the resources needed to do its job. Unfortunately, all but one Senate Democrat decided to cave to their “defund ICE” and pro-open border base and refused to advance our full DHS funding bills. That decision has only prolonged uncertainty for workers and the communities they serve, forcing Republicans to take matters into our own hands. Now that Senate Republicans are making progress on a clean reconciliation package to fund and strengthen our border security, we should match that progress here in the House by taking up and passing the Senate-passed funding bill and reopening DHS without any further delay. This will provide the resources these agencies need to carry out their mission, bring stability for their workforce, and deliver funding for local projects. It will allow us to move forward with the work ahead, including advancing FY 2027 appropriations and delivering real relief for the American people. It’s time to do our job, fund DHS, and stand with the men and women who keep our country safe. ### Issues: Congress National Defense

Bresnahan Leads Letter Demanding House Leadership End DHS Shutdown

Position: The lawmakers urge House leadership to bring the Senate-passed DHS funding bill to a vote to end the 70-day shutdown, arguing that funding government agencies responsible for border security and homeland defense is a basic congressional responsibility.

WASHINGTON, DC: Today, U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) led his fellow lawmakers in sending a letter urging House Republican leadership to bring an end to the current Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown by putting the Senate-passed funding bill on the House Floor. The letter was signed by Reps. Don Bacon (NE-02) and Mike Lawler (NY-17). “Funding the government is the most basic part of our job,” wrote the lawmakers. “Yet, because of Democrat obstruction, we are now 70 days into this shutdown, and the men and women who keep our country safe are paying the price.” The House of Representatives has voted to fund DHS four times, but each time, the legislation has been met with a stalemate in the Senate. DHS, which has now been shut down for 70 days, includes critical agencies like the Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “Now that Senate Republicans are making progress on a clean reconciliation package to fund and strengthen our border security, we should match that progress here in the House by taking up and passing the Senate-passed funding bill and reopening DHS without any further delay,” continued the lawmakers. “This will provide the resources these agencies need to carry out their mission, bring stability for their workforce, and deliver funding for local projects…It’s time to do our job, fund DHS, and stand with the men and women who keep our country safe.” You can read the full letter here or below: Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, and Majority Whip Emmer, We write to urge immediate action to bring the Senate-passed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill to the House Floor for a vote. Funding the government is the most basic part of our job. Yet, because of Democrat obstruction, we are now 70 days into this shutdown, and the men and women who keep our country safe are paying the price. We are proud that the House has led the way, voting four times to fully fund DHS and its critical agencies like the Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) who stand on the front lines every day keeping Americans safe, responding to disasters, and securing our skies. We thank President Trump for taking action to keep paychecks signed up until now, but the men and women carrying out this critical work deserve long term certainty, not stopgap measures that leave them wondering when their next paycheck will come or whether their agency will have the resources needed to do its job. Unfortunately, all but one Senate Democrat decided to cave to their “defund ICE” and pro-open border base and refused to advance our full DHS funding bills. That decision has only prolonged uncertainty for workers and the communities they serve, forcing Republicans to take matters into our own hands. Now that Senate Republicans are making progress on a clean reconciliation package to fund and strengthen our border security, we should match that progress here in the House by taking up and passing the Senate-passed funding bill and reopening DHS without any further delay. This will provide the resources these agencies need to carry out their mission, bring stability for their workforce, and deliver funding for local projects. It will allow us to move forward with the work ahead, including advancing FY 2027 appropriations and delivering real relief for the American people. It’s time to do our job, fund DHS, and stand with the men and women who keep our country safe. ### Issues: Congress National Defense