Congressman Cleaver Shares Update On MAGA Resistance

The latest note from Kansas City's top ranking statesman and one of Elon Musk's fiercest critics.

Check-it . . . 

EC From DC: Holding the White House Accountable, My Work on Capitol Hill, Standing Up for Federal Workers, and More

Hello Neighbor,

The couple of weeks since our last check-in have been a powerful reminder of what public service is all about: accountability, advocacy, and showing up for the people we represent. Whether it's holding the White House accountable, introducing legislation to honor America's teachers, standing with our federal workforce, or honoring a local hero who gave everything in service to our community - I've been focused on delivering results, showing up, and raising our voices where it counts.
 
We have a lot to cover, so let's jump right in!
 
Holding the White House Accountable
 
Last week, I joined Senator Cory Booker, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and my Democratic colleagues in a sit-in on the Capitol steps to protest Congressional Republicans' heartless budget agenda - a plan that would impose the largest cut to Medicaid in American history and gut essential programs like SNAP, all to bankroll yet another tax break for billionaires like Elon Musk. Slashing healthcare and food assistance for millions of families to reward the ultra-wealthy is not just wrong - it's immoral, and I'll never stop fighting back or standing up for what's right.
 
Unfortunately, under President Trump's leadership, accountability also means defending the rights and privacy of our communities. That's why I joined the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and over 100 House Democrats in filing an amicus brief in the case Centro de Trabajadores Unidos v. Bessent, urging the D.C. district court to reject a dangerous and unprecedented agreement that would grant immigration enforcement officials access to millions of taxpayers' confidential IRS records. This move is a direct attack on immigrant communities, undermines the privacy of American citizens, and sets a chilling precedent that threatens civil liberties for everyone.
 
Finally, I led a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Director Russell Vought condemning President Trump's proposed cuts to eliminate Head Start - a program that has lifted up generations of children and families, while promoting school readiness. These cuts would devastate access to early childhood education, nutrition, and family support services for those who need them most. In my letter, I called on the administration to reverse course and provide the public with clear justification for these draconian and short-sighted proposals.
 
For 100 days, the Trump administration has wrought havoc on our communities by freezing federal investments, enacting the largest tax hike on consumers and small businesses in decades, and running roughshod over the Constitution and the rule of law.
 
The American people are tired of it.
 
Whether it's challenging extreme executive overreach, standing up for federal workers and vulnerable populations, or safeguarding our democratic norms, I will always stand up for families in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District.
 
Make it a routine to check out my Holding the White House Accountable webpage to track how I've been pushing back against President Trump's administration.
 
On The Hill: Fighting for Housing, Climate Action, and Our Nation's Educators
 
On Arbor Day, I reintroduced the bipartisan TREES Act - a forward-looking bill to help families lower energy costs and combat the climate crisis through a simple, yet powerful tool: trees. By expanding resident tree planting, especially in underserved communities, this legislation not only improves public health and reduces utility bills, but also builds climate resilience right here in our own backyard. The TREES Act would create a cost-share grant program at the Department of Energy to provide $50 million in funding to plant a minimum of 300,000 trees annually in residential neighborhoods through 2028. The program seeks to prioritize low-income communities as well as areas with low tree canopy and heat islands.
 
Last week in Washington, alongside Ranking Member Maxine Waters, I led a letter calling on Congress to protect and strengthen critical rural housing programs under the Department of Agriculture. Our letter urges robust funding for the Rural Development Voucher Program, Housing Rehabilitation and Preservation, and the Section 521 Rental Assistance Program - lifelines for rural families that help ensure access to safe and affordable housing in every ZIP code.
 
Recognizing that housing policy must keep pace with the climate realities we face, I also sent a letter pressing Congress to direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development to study the climate-related risks to its loan guarantee programs. As climate disasters grow in frequency and intensity, it's critical to understand their impact on federal loan performance and the stability of our housing finance system. We need data to drive smarter, more resilient policies.
 
And in a moment of bipartisan unity, I was proud to introduce a resolution with Congressman Sam Graves honoring America's teachers during National Teacher Appreciation Week. Our teachers shape the future every day - they nurture curiosity, teach compassion, and equip the next generation with the skills to thrive. This resolution affirms their lasting impact and calls on every American to recognize the educators who've made a difference in their lives. With public education and our teachers increasingly under threat from the Trump administration, this message is more important now than ever.
 
Around The District: Listening, Leading, and Fighting for What Matters
 
Over the past couple of weeks, I've been on the ground throughout Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, listening to concerns, lifting local voices, and standing with those who serve and support our communities every day.
 
I hosted a powerful listening session with Fifth District seniors and former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O'Malley to confront the growing threats seniors are facing under the Trump administration. We discussed the real fears around proposed cuts to Social Security, veterans' benefits, Medicaid, and Medicare - programs that aren't just line items in a budget, but lifelines for millions.
 
In Missouri's Fifth Congressional District alone, there are 141,832 Social Security recipients who receive $252 million in monthly benefits, including:

103,730 retirees
19,488 disabled workers
9,377 children
7,121 widows
2,116 spouses

Whether it is backdoor cuts to Social Security by firing essential workers and ending critical services at the Social Security Administration, or the broader Congressional Republican agenda to gut pivotal programs like Medicaid and SNAP, we're witnessing an unprecedented assault on programs that Americans have paid into and rely upon. The so-called "efficiency" measures, led by an unelected and unaccountable billionaire in Elon Musk, in reality, are thinly veiled attempts to erode the foundational promises made to our seniors - and I stand committed to defending these essential programs against any ongoing efforts to undermine them.
 
In the time since our last update, I also sat down with nearly 50 local nonprofits at a roundtable to hear how potential cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other critical services would limit their ability to support families in need. These organizations are the backbone of our communities - feeding the hungry, housing the unhoused, and lifting up our most vulnerable neighbors. Their message was loud and clear: federal investments matter, and we must push back against chaos to protect programs that are making a difference.
 
Like many suffering from the Trump administration's ongoing whiplash, our first responders are sounding the alarm, too. In a meeting with regional fire chiefs, we discussed the urgent need to reinstate and protect the funding for the National Fire Academy - especially with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon. The Trump administration's cuts threaten our emergency preparedness and the safety of our communities. I am proud to stand with local fire departments in demanding better.
 
In brighter news, I was honored to attend the groundbreaking of Mother's Refuge Welcome Home Housing Revitalization project - a safe, supportive space for young moms and their babies. I was proud to secure $1 million in Community Project Funding to bring this transformative vision to life. Every mother and child deserve a place to grow, dream, and thrive.
 
Finally, I joined Harvesters and our dedicated letter carriers to kick off the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. With food banks under pressure and hunger on the rise due to the Trump administration's cuts to federal food programs, this effort couldn't come are a more critical time. We must fight back against ongoing attempts to slash funding for hunger prevention programs and ensure that no family in any congressional district across the country goes without food.
 
Every conversation, every visit, and every story fuels my work in Washington. Together, we'll keep fighting for the resources our communities need and deserve.
 
Standing Up for Federal Workers
 
Over the weekend, I stood shoulder to shoulder with local federal employees and union leaders from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Missouri National Education Association (MNEA), and Greater Kansas City American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) to make one thing clear: attacks on the federal workforce are attacks on our communities.
 
At the event, we called out the devastating impact of the Trump administration's anti-worker policies and Elon Musk's reckless push to slash federal jobs. These are not numbers on a spreadsheet, these are good-paying, middle-class jobs that keep our government running, protect the American people, and strengthen our economy.
 
There are more than 30,000 federal workers employed in MO-05. They're our neighbors, family members, and friends. And according to one economist, the region stands to lose up to 6,000 of those jobs if these cuts continue to move forward - a blow that could wipe out thousands more in related industries and services throughout our communities.
 
Make no mistake, I will keep fighting in Congress to protect the jobs of federal workers, to preserve their dignity, and to ensure the federal government works for all of us - not just the wealthy and well-connected.
 
Honoring KCFD Firefighter Graham Hoffman
 
Last week, we laid to rest an American hero. As our community continues to grieve the loss of Graham Hoffman, I wanted to take a moment to recognize his sacrifice, thank him for the lives he saved, and honor his dedication to public service.
 
May his legacy be an inspiration and his memory a blessing to all.
 
As always, if you need assistance with a federal agency or simply want to voice your opinion on an issue important to you, please don't hesitate to reach out to my office by calling 816-842-4545 or emailing me here.

Sincerely,

Emanuel Cleaver, II
Member of Congress
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