Dear Neighbor,

This week, President Trump met with China's President Xi Jinping during a summit in Beijing. The two leaders discussed important issues facing our respective nations, including trade.

Ahead of the meeting, I wrote a letter to the Trump administration regarding trade deals which are not only important to our economy and the American auto industry, but they are critical for our national security for years to come. I have included a link to the full letter below.

In this week's newsletter:

• Securing the future of the American automotive industry
• Honoring law enforcement during National Police Week
• Introducing The Charity Parity Act
• The Congressional Mental Health Caucus
• 2026 Congressional App Challenge is open

Securing the future of the American automotive industry

The automotive industry is a foundational piece of the U.S. economy, contributing upwards of 5% of U.S. GDP and generating millions of manufacturing jobs across the country. 

Recently, Chinese automotive companies have accelerated investment in North America and flooded global markets with the long-term goal of dominating market share and controlling automotive manufacturing and supply chains globally. Further, Chinese automakers are heavily subsidized by the Chinese government, creating an unlevel playing field for American automakers. 

That's why last week, ahead of the summit, I led a letter alongside 50+ House Republicans encouraging the Trump administration to refrain from any decision that would allow Chinese automotive and battery companies access to manufacture in the United States.

We must be clear-eyed about China’s goals in expanding their automotive footprint across the globe. China’s intent is not fair competition, as evident by their actions in other critical sectors.

You can find my full letter here and you can catch my full interview on NewsNation above.

Honoring Law Enforcement during National Police Week

This week, I co-sponsored and voted YES on the National Police Week Resolution to recognize and honor law enforcement.

We also passed commonsense, pro-law enforcement legislation, including:

• H.R. 5625, Cashless Bail Reporting Act
• H.Res. 1252, Resolution memorializing law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty
• H.R. 6260, Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act of 2025

Law enforcement should be defended, not defunded.

Thank you for serving our communities!

Introducing The Charity Parity Act

This week, I introduced the Charity Parity Act, bipartisan legislation which would allow taxpayers to make direct qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from their employer sponsored retirement plans.

Currently, retirement savers can exclude up to $110,000 in QCDs from their gross income annually. However, QCDs must be made directly from an individual’s IRA to eligible charitable organizations. Distributions from employer-sponsored plans, such as 401(k)s and 403(b)s, are not eligible for QCD treatment. Individuals who wish to make charitable contributions from employer-sponsored retirement plans are required to first roll over the funds to an IRA, creating unnecessary costs and additional steps for retirement savers.

Our laws should encourage charitable giving and seek to make such generosity as easy to carry out as possible. Giving to others in need is a hallmark of the American character and part of what makes our country great. This legislation is a practical step toward ensuring Americans can contribute and donate to the causes of their choice without issue.

Learn more about the legislation here.

The Congressional Mental Health Caucus

This week, I joined the Congressional Mental Health Caucus as Co-Chair! 

As more Americans recognize the importance of addressing and supporting mental health, Congress must continue to address these critical issues as well. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues, Reps. Don Beyer, Don Bacon, and Andrea Salinas as Mental Health Caucus co-chair. Mental health isn’t a partisan issue.

Over the years, I've led legislation to support mental health programs, including the Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Support Act, which would help schools establish student-led peer support programs to identify and respond to youth mental health challenges. Kelly also leads the Mental Health Research Accelerator Act to encourage public-private partnerships and expand investment in mental health and neurological research.

Learn more about the caucus and my legislation in this space here.

2026 Congressional App Challenge is open

Above: Rep. Kelly meets with Giovanni Di Domenico, of Cranberry Township, winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge.

The 2026 Congressional App Challenge is now open!

The App Challenge is open to middle and high school students in Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District. This annual competition encourages students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by creating and showcasing their own software applications.

The deadline to submit an app is October 26, 2026. You can find more information on my website.

As always, my team and I are here to serve you. If you need assistance with a federal agency, please contact us -- we are just one call or email away.

See you in the community, and God Bless America!

Sincerely,

Mike Kelly
Member of Congress

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