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When you book a flight right now, you see the full price upfront with all of the taxes and so-called junk fees added in. But that could soon change. People deserve to know the full price when they go to purchase an airline ticket. I vow to support efforts to uphold President Joe Biden's promise to end deceptive junk fees in air travel.

In an increasingly digitized world, protecting consumers must be a top priority. Last month, I spoke at the White House to help launch the U.S. Cybersecurity Labeling Program for Consumer Technology, a crucial initiative that will protect Americans from cyberattacks by creating a safety label for devices that meet government cybersecurity standards. This label, the Cyber Trust Mark, will help consumers make informed purchasing decisions and incentivize manufacturers to meet higher cybersecurity standards, thus making our country more secure.

Last week, Republican chaos resulted in an early start to the August work period, leaving 11 appropriations bills to be discussed when we get back to Washington next month. To pass the budget on time, all these bills must be signed into law by the end of September. Unfortunately, many of my Republican colleagues would rather facilitate a government shutdown than support pragmatic policies in these must-pass bills.

Last week, I voted against another ridiculous, xenophobic bill put forward by the House Republicans. The Schools Not Shelters Act is designed to bar schools and universities from giving shelter to asylum seekers, and it is a thinly veiled attempt to demonize immigrants seeking a better life in the United States. Chicago is a welcoming community, and we are working hard to house the migrants being bussed to our city by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. My colleagues claim this bill is about protecting children, but it is not, and I was glad to vote against it.

Our greatest security threats have no military solutions, and it is time our budget reflects that. Last week, I voted against the final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill, that originally came out of committee with pay raises for our service members and civilian federal employees, turned into a MAGA manifesto with the addition of a series of extremist Republican amendments.

Last week, we experienced four of the hottest days ever recorded on earth. Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the world, and it is a direct threat to our children and our planet. Last Congress, we passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which is the largest ever federal investment in our climate, but we must do more to help ensure a habitable planet for our children.

Last week, the Supreme Court handed down a series of misguided rulings that will make it harder for individuals to achieve the American dream. These rulings—on affirmative action, LGBTQIA+ rights, and student loans—are the result of a corrupt, right-wing majority on the Supreme Court that is working against the wishes and interests of the American people.

After seven straight weeks in Washington, I wish I could tell you that Congress passed legislation to better the lives of everyday Americans. Unfortunately, I cannot. House Republicans spent the majority of the time putting forward legislation that has no chance of becoming law. Last week was a perfect example. In a partisan power grab, House Republicans voted to censure Rep.