Durbin, Duckworth Secure Support For Illinois Priorities In Recently Passed Package Of Three Government Funding Bills

The package included Commerce, Justice, and Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment government funding bills

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced the various priorities for Illinois they secured in the recently passed package of government funding bills for Commerce, Justice, and Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).

“This government funding package had a strong showing of bipartisan support, a step in the right direction as Congress works to complete the appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026,” said Durbin. “The bills include significant investments in the future of Illinois, providing the resources for national, regional, and state programs to better serve the people of Illinois.”

“Our state and our nation are stronger when we invest in our communities and families—and that’s what these bipartisan funding bills do,” Duckworth said. “Appropriating federal funding is the primary role of Congress, and it’s critical this responsibility remains in the legislative branch. I’m proud we were able to come together and pass these bills in a bipartisan manner, and I urge my colleagues to work together to pass funding bills that actually help the American people.”

The three funding bills include the following Illinois priorities secured by Congressionally Directed Spending requests:

Commerce, Justice, Science

Crisis Intervention Initiative, Aurora, Illinois: $128,000 to the City of Aurora to train and certify law enforcement personnel in crisis intervention training to help these personnel better understand and appropriately handle encounters with citizens experiencing mental health issues.

Defy Ventures, Chicago, Illinois: $271,000 for additional programming and training dedicated to Defy Ventures' efforts to reduce recidivism in Illinois.

Equipment Upgrades, Chicago, Illinois: $500,000 to the City of Chicago to enable the Chicago Police Department to expand its forensic investigation capacity through modifications to cargo trucks and the purchase of mobile forensic equipment.

Equipment Upgrades, Kane County, Illinois: $1.031 million to the Kane County Coroner’s Office to update equipment of the Kane County Forensic Laboratory. Acquisition of new equipment would enable more rapid generation of leads in investigations, the streamlining of obtaining information related to pending cases, and the ability to determine cause of death in a timely manner for grieving families.

Equipment Upgrades, Oak Park, Illinois: $185,000 to the Oak Park Police Department to improve training of police officers through acquisition and use of a virtual training simulator. This simulator would place police officers in real-world scenarios focusing on de-escalation, less lethal options, community engagement, and officer wellness with a goal of increased positive outcomes.

Equipment Upgrades, Springfield, Illinois: $750,000 to the City of Springfield to procure a new mobile command center for the Springfield Police Department. The Department needs to replace an outdated command center with a vehicle with updated technology.

Instrumentation and Equipment Upgrades, Peoria, Illinois: $1 million to Bradley University to provide advanced instrumentation and equipment for its Drop Tower, allowing the tower to become fully operational for use in NASA-related experiments, research, and STEM education.

Police and Community Violence Intervention Initiative, Chicago, Illinois: $600,000 to the University of Chicago Crime Lab to expand a training program focused on violence reduction and building community trust through the Community Safety Leadership Academies. This program brings together data and behavioral science insights of academics and practitioners with real-world success in reducing violence, improving public trust, and building leadership capacity.

Reentry Initiative, Chicago, Illinois: $650,000 to the Safer Foundation to implement a program to reduce recidivism and increase employment for justice-involved citizens of Chicago. These efforts will assist individuals with arrest and conviction records connect with housing, workforce development, healthcare and education.

Reentry Initiative, Sangamon County, Illinois: $300,000 to SING (Shifting Into New Gear Reentry Program) to expand a reentry program that facilitates connections for ex-offenders to employment, social and peer support, and counseling in order to reduce reincarcerations in the community.

Technology Upgrades, Freeport, Illinois: $600,000 to the City of Freeport to purchase equipment to assist law enforcement in addressing and reducing gun violence in the community.

Urbana School District 116, Urbana, Illinois: $336,000 to develop a community school initiative to decrease community violence in Urbana School District 116.

Violence Prevention Initiative, Cook County, Illinois: $1.5 million to Youth Advocate Programs to expand a juvenile justice program serving at-risk youth in Cook County to increase access to programming tailored to youth who are no longer consistently attending school and those who are already in contact with the justice system.

Violent Crime Data Sharing Initiative, Chicago, Illinois: $1.665 million to Rush University System for Health to build, develop and maintain a violent crime injury registry in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health and Chicagoland hospitals and regional trauma centers. This project aims to prevent and break the cycle of violence by utilizing hospital injury data to improve service delivery coordination and interrupt instances of perpetrating or falling victim to violence.

William Rainey Harper College, Palatine, Illinois: $765,000 to support the development of a quantum workforce education and training network at William Rainey Harper College.

Youth Mentoring Initiative, Chicago, Illinois: $250,000 to the Save One Life Foundation for a community intervention and prevention program for youth in Northern Illinois. This program will provide peer mentoring, support, and pair youth participants with credible messenger mentors, facilitate networking, and increase access to youth wrap around resources in the community.

Energy and Water Development

Cook County and Lake County, Section 219, Illinois: $2.223 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) for environmental infrastructure projects in Cook County.

East St. Louis & Vicinity, Madison and St. Clair Counties, Illinois: $500,000 to the Army Corps for a General Reevaluation Report that will study recurring flood risk in a study area that encompasses 10 economically disadvantaged communities, including Cahokia Heights, East St. Louis, Washington Park, Caseyville, Madison, Venice, Brooklyn, Fairmont City, Pontoon Beach, and Granite City.

Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study, Regional, Illinois: $3 million to the Army Corps to fund a comprehensive study of the Great Lakes coastline.

Upper Miss River - Illinois WW System, IL, IA, MN, MO, & WI (Regional): $18 million to the Army Corps to advance Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) restoration projects.

Madison and St. Clair Counties (Cahokia Heights East Interceptor System), Illinois: $7.29 million to the Army Corps of Engineers to help fund sanitary infrastructure improvements in Cahokia Heights.

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

Bonnie Brae Forest Manor Sanitary District, Lockport, Illinois: $250,000 for water main infrastructure improvement projects in the Bonnie Brae Forest Manor Sanitary District.

City of Chester, Illinois: $1.2 million for the Route 150 water main replacement project.

City of Markham, Illinois: $1.5 million for water infrastructure improvements in the City of Markham, Illinois.

City of Paris, Illinois: $500,000 for wastewater improvement initiatives in Paris, Illinois.

Lead Service Line Replacements, Chicago, Illinois: $2 million to the City of Chicago to replace more than 200 lead service lines. Chicago has more lead service lines than any other municipality in the country and the majority of properties in Chicago receive their water from lead service lines.

Lead Service Line Replacements, Macomb, Illinois: $1 million to the City of Macomb to replace lead drinking water service lines in various locations throughout the City.

Stormwater and Flooding Mitigation Project, Carbondale, Illinois: $1.5 million for the City of Carbondale to replace storm sewer piping.

Water Main Extension, Winnebago County, Illinois: $600,000 to Winnebago County to extend a water main to provide water to additional areas of the County.

Water Main Improvements, Park Forest, Illinois: $1.45 million to the Village of Park Forest to replace the highest priority water main.

Water Main Replacement, Springfield, Illinois: $900,000 to the City of Springfield to replace a water main on South Seventh Street in downtown Springfield. The water main was installed in 1931 and is need of replacement. The main serves the historic downtown Springfield area, including Lincoln’s Home National Historic Site Visitor Center, the Illinois State Police Memorial Park, Springfield Clinic, and the Elijah Iles House.

Well Reconstruction and Water Treatment, Machesney Park and Roscoe, Illinois: $1 million to North Park Public Water District for the reconstruction of Roscoe and Machesney Park’s well to accommodate PFAS treatment. This funding will ensure continued access to a reliable source of safe, plentiful, and affordable drinking water for the communities of Machesney Park and Roscoe in Winnebago County, Illinois.

Winnebago County, Rockford, Illinois: $700,000 for PFAS remediation in Rockford.

The three funding bills include additional Illinois priorities secured through the programmatic appropriations process:

Commerce, Justice, and Science

Department of Commerce

Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs: $41 million for the Economic Development Administration’s Tech Hub Program, which funds 31 designated Tech Hubs, two of which are located in Illinois.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Scientific and Technical Research and Services: $1.2 billion for research at NIST. This continues Durbin’s decades-long goal to secure five percent growth in funding each year for scientific research agencies.

Coastal Zone Management Grants: $81.5 million to support grants to states with approved coastal zone management plans for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of coastal zone areas, including those in the Great Lakes region.

Regional Climate Centers (RCC): $6.1 million to support regional climate centers, which provide climate information to government agencies, farmers, water resource managers, businesses, emergency managers, and the public.

Economic Development Assistance Programs: $400 million to provide grants to states, localities, non-profit organizations, and others to create jobs in economically challenged areas.

Sale and Export of Tobacco Programs: Includes language prohibiting the use of federal funds to promote the sale or export of tobacco products, or to seek the reduction/removal of foreign restrictions on tobacco marketing.

International Trade Administration: $562 million in funding for the agency, with $16.4 million, directed specifically at preventing China from dumping cheap products that undercut U.S. businesses.

Department of Justice (DOJ)

Bureau of Prisons: $8.1 billion for the administration, operation, and maintenance of federal correctional institutions and $279.7 million for planning, acquisition of sites, and construction of new facilities; purchase and acquisition of facilities; and constructing, remodeling, and equipping buildings and facilities at existing penal and correctional institutions.

First Step Act: $409.5 million for the programs and activities authorized by Durbin’s First Step Act of 2018.

Prosecutor and Public Defender Student Loan Repayment: $2.5 million to provide student loan repayment assistance for state and local prosecutors and public defenders through the John J. Justice Program.

Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative: $50 million to provide grants to support evidence-based community violence intervention programs. The bill includes Durbin’s report language encouraging DOJ to develop a grant opportunity for an accredited research university that delivers programming for the next generation of community violence interrupters, leaders, and law enforcement.

Combatting Hate Crimes: $17 million for grants to state, local, and Tribal law enforcement to conduct outreach and training on hate crimes and to investigate and prosecute hate crimes; $9 million for grants to prevent hate crimes through conflict resolution and community empowerment and education; and $9 million for programs combatting hate crimes authorized under the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE ACT.

Project Safe Neighborhoods: $13 million to provide grants to support evidence-based, data-driven, trauma-informed, and focused intervention, deterrence, and prevention initiatives aimed at reducing violence.

Community Relations Service: $20 million for necessary expenses of the Community Relations Service to address community conflicts and violence prevention.

Children Exposed to Violence: $9 million for a grant program that supports hospital-based trauma recovery/violence prevention programs at Lurie Children’s and University of Chicago.

Crime Victims Fund (CVF): The bill makes $1.95 billion from the CVF available in FY26.

Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Programs: $800 million for COPS initiatives, to be provided to various grant programs.

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant: $964 million for the Byrne-JAG program.

United States Parole Commission: $13 million for necessary expenses of the Parole Commission as authorized.

Preventing Violence Against Women: $720 million for grants provided by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and rejects President Trump’s proposal to combine OVW with the Office of Justice Programs.

Missing and Exploited Children Program: $105 million to support the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the AMBER Alert system.

Civil Rights Violations in State and Local Prisons and Jails: Includes Durbin’s report language to investigate and address violations of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act.

Legal Orientation Programming: $27.5 million for services and programming intended to provide relevant information on immigration court procedures to detained undocumented immigrants.

Immigration Judge Staffing: Durbin secured language in the Senate bill to push for greater transparency with respect to immigration judge firings, including immigration judges who accepted a deferred resignation offer or early retirement, and immigration judges terminated and the reason for termination. The Joint Explanatory Statement for the final bill reduced the reporting requirements to a quarterly accounting of detailees serving as immigration judges and required the Executive Office of Immigration Review to retrain all judges currently on a probationary period or on detail.

Upholding Constitutionally Required Due Process: Directs the Executive Office of Immigration Review to refrain from incentivizing any immigration judge to close or dismiss a case without adjudicating the merits of the case.

Tobacco: Includes report language expressing concern about the widespread availability of unauthorized e-cigarettes and expresses support for the interagency task force with FDA to enhance enforcement activities.

Investigation and Prosecution of Human Rights Crimes: Includes Durbin’s report language requiring DOJ to increase efforts to investigate and prosecute human rights crimes, including genocide, torture, use or recruitment of child soldiers, and war crimes, particularly to support the War Crimes Accountability Team’s efforts to respond to ongoing atrocities in Ukraine and the added responsibilities of the Criminal Division to prosecute war criminals under the Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act.

U.S. Marshals Service: $1.7 billion to support the U.S. Marshals Service, including their work protecting federal judges and courthouses.

Protecting Federal Judges: $7.5 million for the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act grant program to support state and local law enforcement efforts to protect judges and their families.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Science Directorate: $7.25 billion to fund the work of more than 10,000 scientists at universities, industry, and government laboratories across the U.S. through competitive research grants and mission-critical technology development and support.

Space Technology: $975 million to fund space technology research and development, including new propulsion systems to explore deep space and compete with increasingly aggressive Chinese space endeavors.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): $143 million to support several key programs, including the Minority University Research and Education Project; Space Grant, which funds education and research through a national network of university-based consortia; and Next Gen STEM, which provides awards for informal educational institutions and sustains a national network of museums and science centers.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

NSF: $8.75 billion to fund scientific research at NSF. In 2025, Illinois institutions received more than $382 million in NSF awards.

National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot: $30 million for the NAIRR pilot program.

Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT): $30 million for NSF to advance priority astronomy facilities, including GMT, a telescope that will be constructed in part by Rockford’s Ingersoll Tools and supported by the University of Chicago.

Energy and Water Development

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Brandon Road: $28 million, which is enough to fully fund the project for FY26, and includes Durbin’s report language requiring the Army Corps to provide a quarterly report on status updates and any change in cost for the Brandon Road Project.

Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program: $52 million in funding for the program, which conducts long-term monitoring of the Upper Mississippi River and habitat restoration.

Quincy Bay: Includes Durbin’s report language encouraging the Army Corps to prioritize the environmental restoration project at Quincy Bay under the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program.

Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal Electric Dispersal Barrier: $12.9 million for operation of an electric barrier preventing movement of invasive carp toward the Great Lakes.

Bubbly Creek: Includes Durbin’s report language encouraging the Army Corps and EPA to continue interagency discussions to allow the Army Corps to move to construction on environmental remediation and restoration of Bubbly Creek. The bill also includes Durbin’s language directing the Army Corps to brief Congress on the status of its pilot project within 30 days of enactment.

Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund: Includes Durbin’s report language encouraging the Army Corps to use the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to invest in the Great Lakes Navigation System, which has more than 175 million tons of commodities carried though its waters each year.

Department of Energy (DOE)

DOE Office of Science: $8.4 billion to support basic science research, Illinois’ Argonne and Fermi National Labs, and the development of critical technologies.

High Energy Physics: $1.235 billion to support basic, discovery science in DOE’s highest priority physics projects, including physics projects led by Fermilab.

LBNF/DUNE: $260 million to continue construction of Fermilab’s LBNF accelerator and for the installation of neutrino detectors and necessary lab infrastructure in South Dakota’s DUNE.

Proton Improvement Plan II: $114 million to upgrade Fermilab’s accelerator complex with the cutting-edge technology needed to enable LBNF/DUNE.

Argonne Leadership Computing Facility: $238 million to support the development, maintenance, and operation of Argonne’s supercomputing complex, including its Aurora Exascale Computing System and new testbeds for AI development.

Post-Exascale Computing Report Language: Includes Durbin’s report language directing DOE to brief Congress on its plans to build on the success of the exascale computing program, which funded the construction of Argonne’s Aurora supercomputer.

Light Source Operations: $867 million for the operation of DOE’s five light sources, including Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source.

Quantum Information Science: $255 million, including for the continued operation of DOE’s five national quantum centers, two of which are located at Fermilab and Argonne. The bill also includes Durbin’s report language requiring DOE to provide a report on the energy usage of various quantum technologies.

Batteries and Energy Storage Hub: $26 million, including for the continued operation of Argonne’s Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, which performs cutting edge battery research and development.

Fermilab Utilities Infrastructure Project: $18 million to support key improvements to water, power, and transportation infrastructure supporting Fermilab’s scientific experiments.

Argonne Utilities Upgrade: $2.25 million to support laboratory infrastructure and eliminate the deferred maintenance costs on Argonne’s campus.

Bioenergy Research Centers: $118 million to support four centers working to establish a sustainable bioenergy industry, including the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Fast Reactor Program: $12 million, including for Argonne’s Fast Reactor activities.

Vehicle Technologies Office: $397 million, to continue research and development of advanced transportation technologies, including improvements to electric vehicles and charging, energy storage, battery recycling, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Argonne National Lab leads the nation in vehicle technologies research.

Weatherization Assistance Program: $329 million to reduce energy costs for low-income households by implementing energy efficiency and weather resilience measures in homes.

Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains: $17 million to support the supply of critical energy technologies, including distribution transformers.

Indirect Cost Rates: Includes Durbin’s requested bill language directing DOE to continue using its 2024 indirect cost rates for federal research projects instead of the 15 percent flat rate imposed by the Trump Administration.

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management (BLM): $1.26 billion in total funding.

Plant Conservation Activities: $20.6 million and includes Durbin’s language supporting BLM’s continued support of the Seed Strategy, the interagency Native Plant Materials Development Program, the Seeds of Success program, the Plant Conservation Alliance, and regional native plant materials development programs.

Urban and Community Forestry (Chicago Region Trees Initiative): Includes Durbin’s language prioritizing multi-organizational collaborations to support conservation and offset climate change for urban and community forestry grants.

Migratory Bird Management Program, Incidental Take: Includes Durbin’s language supporting an incidental take authorization program for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which will help bird species that are experiencing population decline.

National Park Service: $3.27 billion for NPS and $2.87 billion for the operation of the Park Service.

New Philadelphia National Historic Site: Includes Durbin’s language directing the National Park Service to ensure park operation begins in a reasonable timeframe for the newly established New Philadelphia site.

Springfield Race Riot Site: Includes Durbin’s language directing the National Park Service to work with the community to complete the Foundation Document for the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument and provide for park planning.

Land and Water Conservation Fund: $900 million in total funding.

Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge: Includes Durbin’s language supporting federal land acquisition by the National Fish and Wildlife Service for the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF): $1.6 billion to provide critical investments that create jobs, repair crumbling wastewater infrastructure, and protect public health and environmental quality. Ten percent of CWSRF may be used as grants to address lead exposure.

Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (DWSRF): $1.12 billion to help water systems and states to ensure clean and safe drinking water is reliably delivered to communities. Fourteen percent of DWSRF may be used as grants to address lead exposure.

EPA Compliance: $106.4 million to enable EPA and co-regulators to undertake inspections and other monitoring activities to determine if regulated entities are complying with environmental statutes as well as applicable regulations and permit conditions.

EPA Enforcement: $368.3 million to ensure consistent and fair enforcement of all major environmental statutes and numerous regulations implementing each of those statutes. Includes Durbin’s report language supporting EPA in addressing PFAS contamination.

Bubbly Creek: Includes Durbin’s report language on the inclusion of the restoration Bubbly Creek in EPA’s Lakewide Management Plan (LAMP) and directs EPA to maximize its partnerships and resources to ensure no further delays.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI): $369 million for the initiative. It also includes Durbin’s report language to allow funds from the program to be used for projects in the Chicago River Watershed. Congress established the GLRI to provide funding to states, tribes, local governments, and federal agencies to protect the Great Lakes. The program has provided $4 billion since 2010 to fund projects that restore habitat, fight invasive species, clean up toxic pollution, and reduce pollution runoff.

Lake Explorer II Support Vessel Decommission: Includes Durbin’s language regarding the importance of EPA replacing the Great Lakes research vessel Lake Explorer II so the agency may continue uninterrupted water quality and biological monitoring of the Great Lakes.

Coal Combustion Residual Permit Program: Includes $9 million for federal and state permitting programs for coal combustion residuals.

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Gallego, Kelly, Stanton, Ansari, Grijalva, Respond to New Report Showing Arizona Families Paid Over $1,500 More in 2025 Due to Inflation Under Trump

ARIZONA — Arizona Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly alongside Representatives Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03) and Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07) responded to a new report from the Joint Economic Committee finding that Arizona families paid an average of $1,569 more in 2025 due to inflation during President Trump’s first year in office. The JEC analysis shows that inflation drove up costs across essential household expenses, including $188 more for housing and $251 more for transportation for the average Arizona household.

The report directly contradicts President Trump’s promise to lower costs “on day one” and repeated claims that inflation has been “stopped” and that “prices are down.” According to the JEC, rising costs are being driven in part by economic uncertainty, Trump tariffs, and higher prices across major household spending categories, leaving families struggling to make ends meet.

“After just one year of Trump’s chaos, Arizona families are paying $1,569 more in everyday expenses. When I meet Arizonans, I see people filling their gas tanks halfway and putting items back at the grocery checkout. They’re working harder than ever and trying to stretch paychecks that haven’t gotten any bigger,” said Senator Gallego. “This is Trump’s America: people pay more and get less.”

“Families across Arizona are doing everything they can to stay afloat, but they’re still paying more for housing, groceries, health care, and everyday necessities,” said Senator Kelly. “Donald Trump promised to lower costs for working families. Instead, he called the very real affordability crisis a ‘hoax’ while his policies have driven prices up and left Arizonans paying over $1,500 more in just one year. That’s money families should be spending on groceries, rent, and saving for the future, not covering higher costs caused by bad policy.”

“People are struggling to make ends meet because the President of the United States slapped almost everything they buy with illegal tariffs. I’m fighting in Congress and the courts to end the chaos because Arizonans deserve better,” said Rep. Stanton.

“Donald Trump promised to lower prices for American families, but he’s spent his first year in office gutting jobs, starting conflicts with other countries, and using his position to enrich himself and his billionaire friends. Prices are still up, and Arizonans are suffering–unable to afford groceries and medication, let alone save for a home. We need real solutions and real leaders who actually care about their constituents,” said Rep. Ansari.

“Arizona families are paying the price for broken promises and reckless economic policies. Instead of lowering costs, Trump’s tariffs and economic chaos have driven up the price of housing, transportation, food, and health care—leaving working people and families stretched thinner every day,” said Rep. Grijalva.

The Joint Economic Committee – Minority analysis uses Consumer Price Index (CPI) data through December 2025 and household spending data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis to estimate how much more families in each state paid in 2025 due to inflation, using the same methodology previously applied by the Joint Economic Committee – Republicans. In Arizona, rising housing and transportation costs have been especially significant, compounding pressure from higher health care, utility, and food costs.


Gallego Launches New Website to Help Arizonans Access the Resources They Need

ARIZONA – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) launched a new website to help Arizonans more easily access federal resources, stay up to date on the Senator’s work, and get the help they need.

“Government resources shouldn’t be hard to navigate. That’s why I’m launching a new website to make it easier for Arizonans to reach out for help when they need it and stay informed about the work I’m doing on their behalf,” said Senator Gallego. “My team and I are here to serve Arizona, and this site helps us do that better.”

Arizonans can visit the site to:

Request help navigating federal agencies,

Request a meeting with Senator Gallego’s office,

Schedule tours in Washington, D.C., and more.

The new website, which also provides resources in Spanish, makes it easier to follow the Senator’s statements and media appearances across multiple platforms, and includes features like Ruben’s Arizona, which highlights some of his favorite stops around the state.


Gillibrand, Schumer Demand Trump Administration Reverse Illegal $3+ Billion Freeze Of New York Child Care And Social Services Funding

Trump Administration Withholding $3.4 Billion In Child Care And Social Services Funding From New York, Putting Hundreds Of Thousands Of Children At Risk

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called on the Trump administration to immediately reverse its decision to withhold billions of dollars in federal child care and social services funding from five states, including more than $3.4 billion from New York.

The Trump administration has announced plans to withhold funding intended to support low-income children and families, targeting New York and other Democrat-led states. These subsidies help working parents across New York access affordable, high-quality child care. In a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Senators Gillibrand and Schumer called on the administration to immediately reverse course and restore critical funding that New York families rely on.

“The Trump administration is pulling the rug out from under working families, threatening the affordable child care that parents in New York and across the country depend on,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This reckless move could force local child care centers to close their doors, leaving parents without the support they need to go to work and keep food on the table. Our children deserve better than to be used as political pawns. With everyday costs already skyrocketing for families, I will continue to fight relentlessly to secure this vital funding and stop these harmful political ploys that are putting our children and their futures in jeopardy.”

“Hundreds of thousands of New York households rely on the cash assistance and social services supported by CCDF, TANF, and SSBG, and any delay in funding will be catastrophic for families, children, workers, and communities across New York. Simply withholding funds will not fix fraud. Instead, it will destabilize an already fragile child care and social safety net system,” the senators wrote.

The senators demanded that the Trump administration detail any instances of the “extensive and systemic fraud” it cited, without evidence, to justify the funding freeze; identify which agency is conducting any such investigation and when it began; and provide a written justification for withholding federal child care and social services funding without first following established oversight procedures.

In New York alone, this funding freeze threatens more than 219,000 children who rely on child care services, as well as thousands of child care providers statewide, many of them small businesses that cannot withstand funding delays and may be forced to close.

To view the full letter, click here.

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Q&A: $85 Billion and Counting

Q: What is the federal government’s #1 tool to fight fraud?

A: More than a century after President Lincoln first signed the False Claims Act into law, I never could have predicted how effective the Civil War-era amendments I updated in 1986 would become on behalf of the American taxpayer. The so-called Lincoln’s Law was enacted in 1863 to combat unscrupulous government contractors from defrauding the Union Army. Fraudsters were selling shoddy supplies to make a fast buck, outfitting the Union troops with substandard uniforms, mixing sawdust with gunpowder and even selling blind horses to the Union cavalry. The anti-fraud tool enabled whistleblowers to file lawsuits and share in the recoveries. My amendments resurrected the legal principle known as qui tam – part of a Latin phrase that roughly translates to “in the name of the king” – that gives citizens the authority to bring lawsuits on behalf of the government. In the four decades since the 19th century law was updated, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) credits the Grassley amendments with the recovery of more than $85 billion to the U.S. Treasury. That’s really just the tip of the iceberg. My qui tam amendments have saved untold billions of taxpayer dollars from being lost to fraud in the first place by deterring would be fraudsters.

In fact, the DOJ recently announced a record-breaking year in the history of the False Claims Act. During the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2025, settlements and judgments exceeded $6.8 billion and whistleblowers filed 1,297 qui tam lawsuits, the highest number in a single year. I applaud the Trump administration for maximizing this tool to protect taxpayer dollars, hold wrongdoers accountable and uphold the integrity of programs and services administered by the government.

Unfortunately, fleecing Uncle Sam’s coffers is a tale as old as the republic. My bipartisan amendments put wrongdoers on notice that fraud is no longer the cost of doing business thanks to the eyes and ears of whistleblowers. That’s because whistleblowers are empowered to report the intentional misuse of taxpayer dollars across the federal government, from health care and defense spending to emergency relief programs, such as disaster assistance and pandemic payments. When a qui tam case is successful, the whistleblower may receive up to 30 percent of the recovery. Over the years, whistleblowers have exposed kickbacks, price fixing, double billing and unlawful prescriptions. In recent years, health care fraud recoveries have rung up the largest tabs. Of the more than $6.8 billion recouped during the most recent fiscal year, more than $5.7 billion involved the health care industry. Considering that health care costs rank among the biggest concerns I hear about from Iowans, these recoveries tell me America is facing a mountain of fraud in our health care sector, not a molehill. I’ll continue fighting misguided efforts to water down the False Claims Act and championing whistleblower protections to prevent retaliation from those who stick out their necks to report fraud. Most recently, one of my oversight investigations exposed how an insurer appeared to game Medicare Advantage to siphon off taxpayer money and undermine the integrity of the program on which millions of seniors depend.

Q: How else are you working to tackle government fraud?

A: As a government watchdog, I understand the outrage American taxpayers are feeling about allegations of massive fraud of government programs in Minnesota and other states. While honest hardworking families are struggling to buy groceries and pay for child care, reports of bad actors looting federal programs for children are abhorrent. Every dollar lost to fraud is despicable; these alleged crimes are particularly egregious for bilking programs and safety nets for small businesses and families struggling to care for their kids and elderly family members. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’ve called on federal agencies to answer questions about extensive fraud and suspicious financial transactions reported in Minnesota and elsewhere, including the Small Business Administration, the Departments of Treasury, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration. Specific programs targeted by fraudsters include Medicaid, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program. These are bread-and-butter programs funded by the taxpayer to serve the American people, not to be a cash cow for criminals.


With Electricity Costs Rising Nationwide, Heinrich Leads Letter with Wyden, Van Hollen, and Rosen in Calling on Burgum to Revoke July Directive Blocking New, Cheaper Energy From the Grid

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), in sending a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Doug Burgum to rescind a July 15th, 2025, directive that requires solar and wind projects have his personal approval.

Heinrich has vocally opposed the Trump administration’s actions that slow-walk clean energy project approvals on public lands, stating that “the cheapest electrons that we can put into the supply side of that equation are all stuck on Secretary Burgum’s desk.” When Secretary Burgum sent out his directive last July, he demanded in a letter sent to Secretary Burgum, that he rescind his de-facto moratorium on clean energy project approvals. Earlier this month, he delivered a floor speech blasting the Trump administration for leaving 22 gigawatts of new energy off the grid with this guidance alone.

“We write to follow up on our August 1, 2025, letter regarding a directive you signed requiring your personal review and approval of every wind and solar energy project on public lands. That letter raised serious concerns about the legality, rationale, and consequences of this policy. The consequences of this directive have only grown more severe,” wrote the lawmakers. “The July 15 directive has functioned as a de facto moratorium on new wind and solar approvals on federal lands.”

Focusing on the legality of the action, the lawmakers continued, “It has become clear that following this July 15 directive, the Department’s current approach disregards congressional intent and the law and replaces it with arbitrary delays, political interference, and uncertainty.”

The letter concluded with the senators demanding answers to several questions on the stalled solar and wind projects, and the legal argument for Secretary Burgum’s actions.

Read the full letter here and below:

Dear Secretary Burgum:

We write to follow up on our August 1, 2025, letter regarding a directive you signed requiring your personal review and approval of every wind and solar energy project on public lands. That letter raised serious concerns about the legality, rationale, and consequences of this policy. The consequences of this directive have only grown more severe. The July 15 directive has functioned as a de facto moratorium on new wind and solar approvals on federal lands. It is estimated that 18 GW of solar and storage projects have been cancelled or are inactive, with an additional 4 GW of onshore wind halted according to the BLM website. Although this directive does not explicitly affect private and state lands, it has indicated an administrative unwillingness to move forward on wind and solar projects, stalling an additional 500 projects and putting 117 GW in jeopardy. On August 20, 2025, President Trump posted on Truth Social “We will not approve wind or farmer destroying Solar.”

At a time when electricity prices have risen an average of 13% and electricity demand is projected to increase by 32% by 2030, the Administration is actively blocking some of the cheapest, fastest-to-deploy sources of new power. These delays translate directly into higher electricity bills, lost jobs, and reduced grid reliability for communities across the country.

These projects are not optional; they are mandated by law. Congress passed the Energy Act of 2020 (Division Z of Public Law 116–260), which explicitly directed the Department of the Interior and BLM to facilitate renewable energy development on public lands. Congress also established Renewable Energy Coordination Offices (RECOs) to streamline and improve federal permit coordination for onshore renewable projects. Further, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118–5) established enforceable timelines under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to ensure that reviews—including for clean energy—move forward in a timely manner. It has become clear that following this July 15 directive, the Department’s current approach disregards congressional intent and the law and replaces it with arbitrary delays, political interference, and uncertainty.

Accordingly, please provide the following by February 3, 2026:

A list of all wind, solar, storage, and associated projects currently awaiting Secretarial review, including the date each project entered review, its current status, and when project determinations should be expected.

The statutory authority the Department relies upon to require Secretarial-level approval for renewable projects exclusively.

An explanation of how this directive complies with NEPA timelines and other congressionally mandated permitting deadlines.

An estimate of the total generation capacity and economic impact associated with projects delayed as a result of this directive.

The American people need more affordable, reliable electricity — not less. Developers, utilities, and consumers all depend on a permitting system that follows the law.

We strongly urge you to rescind this directive and restore a permitting framework for renewable energy that is transparent, timely, and aligned with both the law and the public interest.

We look forward to your prompt response.


ICYMI: Hickenlooper Marches for Justice, Tours Rural Health Clinic, Discusses Tariffs with Farmers, Child Care in Denver

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, this week, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper marched in Denver’s annual Marade and hit the road on the Eastern Plains, visiting a rural hospital, touring a high school’s workforce development program, and discussing how the Trump admin’s tariffs are impacting Colorado’s farmers and ranchers. Hickenlooper also hosted a roundtable in Denver to discuss the Trump admin’s cruel attacks on Colorado’s child care providers and how to make child care more affordable nationwide.

On Monday, Hickenlooper continued his 25 year tradition of joining Denver’s annual Marade to celebrate the life and accomplishments of civil rights activist and leader, Martin Luther King Jr. He spoke about Dr. King’s legacy, the need for shared humanity in our current political climate, and our fight for a more perfect union.

In Hugo, Hickenlooper toured Lincoln Health Community Hospital (LCH), where he had helped secure three million dollars in federal funding to purchase medical equipment for the hospital’s clinics and information technology system. Afterwards, he joined a roundtable discussion with rural health care leaders to discuss how MAGA Republicans’ $1 trillion cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act will decimate rural health centers and hospitals. Already, six rural hospitals in Colorado have been labeled at high risk of closure.

Watch his HikTok where he highlights how Republicans’ “Big Ugly Betrayal Act” left communities like Hugo out to dry HERE.

In Byers, Hickenlooper stopped to tour Byers High School’s Career Technical Education (CTE) program, which helps equip students with transferable job skills for today’s workforce. He has long championed workforce development as an important pathway for students to gain valuable experience and skills while supporting local businesses. In Byers, he heard directly from students about what they’ve gained from the CTE programs.

Hickenlooper continued to Fort Morgan, where met with local ranchers and farmers and heard how they’re being crushed by Trump admin’s senseless tariffs. The farmers talked about being hit by a “double whammy,” with tariffs driving up their costs and undermining their ability to sell their products. They also detailed how the administration’s reckless attacks on research has halted valuable agricultural research they rely on.

On Wednesday, Hickenlooper hosted a roundtable with child care providers to discuss the Trump admin’s recent attempts to punish Colorado by freezing federal grants for child care. Hickenlooper previously condemned the admin’s cruel attacks on Colorado families and called on the admin to quickly unfreeze the funding and provide evidence for such a freeze.

At the roundtable, they also discussed his bipartisan Child Care Modernization Grant Act, which would help make child care more accessible and affordable for Colorado families. His bill would reauthorize and improve the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) – for the first time in 14 years – to help provide quality, affordable child care to America’s working families.

Check out what they’re saying:

Colorado Public Radio: Rural hospitals wrestle with a new landscape after federal cuts, worry they’re starting to drown financially

…Stansbury and some other rural hospital executives hosted Sen. John Hickenlooper on a tour, looking to spotlight new storm clouds on the rural health horizon.

…Fox, in blue scrubs, said a shadow had been cast by nearly a trillion dollars in federal cuts to Medicaid, as part of H.R. 1, also called the One Big Beautiful Bill, and Affordable Care Act tax subsidies not getting renewed. “The funding cuts that just came out of Washington, they slashed it huge for Colorado and how are we gonna make that up at the state level?” Fox asked.

Beyond the cuts, labor costs are going up, but government payments, reimbursements, don’t cover costs for care, she explained. For example, Medicaid, which covers a lot of rural Coloradans, covers only 79 cents per dollar of care.

…While Hickenlooper was visiting, Stansbury took him to visit a hill covered in dry grass to the west of the hospital. That’s the potential site of a new 92,000 square foot facility that would have clinics, surgery rooms, radiology, plus more hospital rooms, which would all be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

…He said he was trying to get legislation introduced in Congress that would change the way USDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, surprisingly, the relevant federal agency, finances new rural hospital construction.

…Federal changes, made since the start of the Trump administration, could mean more people are uninsured, or have bare bones plans, which cover preventive care but not comprehensive care like hospitalizations or major illness.

Janet Marschner, a contractor who does CPA work at the hospital and splits her time between Colorado and Wyoming, lost the enhanced tax credit for ACA coverage. That’s like tens of thousands of Coloradans and millions of Americans, who no longer got the credit when Congress failed to renew the subsidies for people to afford to buy insurance.

She saw her monthly premium costs double to $4,000 a month and decided to get a cheaper plan for her and her husband, a retired refinery worker. “It feels risky to me,” she said. “I guess I’m willing to take that risk and save.”

She said she has what’s called short-term health insurance, which does not cover preexisting conditions and has other strict rules and payment caps.

…If people like Marschner have health issues that are not covered, hospitals like Lincoln will often still care for them, which will also drive up its uncompensated costs.

‘People will not survive if the hospitals are not there.’

…Later, during a roundtable discussion, hospital executives talked with Hickenlooper about a new $50 billion rural transformation fund passed by Congress. Colorado will get $200 million a year for five years.

They told the senator the money could help. But it won’t make up for what’s been lost to other federal cuts.

It’s something Hickenlooper said he, too, is worried about, noting the federal law cut hundreds of millions of dollars in healthcare to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.

“It’s serious harm to these rural clinics and hospitals. And it’s hard to figure out how they’re going to stay in business,” he said.

…Other hospital executives bristled at money made available, both from the federal and state government, which also includes a major administrative burden, and lots of hoops to jump through to get the funding.

“I fully appreciate people who are leaning in and trying to provide resources to rural hospitals, but they’re trying to slam a square peg into a round hole,” said Brian Bogel, CEO of Kit Carson Memorial Hospital in Burlington, a Trauma Level IV facility near the Kansas border. “Our needs are not the same. Our programs are not the same. Our physical plans are not the same. Our medical staffs are not the same.”

…When Coloradans, or out-of-state visitors, get sick or injured in remote parts of the state, a hospital makes all the difference.

“Cardiology and vascular, heart attacks, time is muscle. Strokes, time matters,” Millsap said. “The traumas that we all see in rural hospitals are real. People will not survive if the hospitals are not there.”

Colorado Politics: Colorado farmers warn U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper tariffs and research cuts endanger agriculture

Northern Colorado farmers told U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper this week that tariffs and President Donald Trump’s decision to import $40 billion worth of beef from Argentina have hurt Colorado’s agricultural industry.

But the administration’s cuts to scientific research are almost as bad, they said in a forum in Fort Morgan Tuesday night.

…Hickenlooper said he wanted to hear directly from Colorado farmers about how tariffs have affected them so he could share their stories with his Senate colleagues in Washington, D.C., in hopes of persuading Congress to reclaim its authority over tariffs.

…History has shown that tariffs are a great short-term solution, but that’s not what’s happening now, Hickenlooper explained.

Then there’s the issue of Brazil. Pfaltzgraff said Branzil can raise two to three crops per year without government restrictions. “We’ve told America our farmers feed the world. We’ve lost the world market,” he said.

The $40 billion the Trump administration is paying for Brazilian beef puts the U.S. at risk, Hickenlooper added.

The hidden factor: agricultural research

One of the reasons American agriculture has been so strong is the balance between public and private partnerships in research, Vollmer said. “We’ve given everyone these technologies and practices, but we’re not supporting our own agricultural research.”

Private organizations, companies, and land-grant universities worked together on solutions, but those grants were withdrawn at the beginning of 2025.

Now, keeping abreast of new technologies has been extremely problematic, Vollmer said. Pfaltzgraff noted that at one point, there were eight research projects on his farm. Six disappeared with the stroke of a pen, and that research will never be published because the researchers are now out of work.

He now has to pay for that research himself, as he said it’s important to develop the technologies. The cuts were brutal, he said. He would share the results of that research with everyone across the valley. “It’s all gone now,” he said.

Hickenlooper said he’s heard the frustration and anger over cutting science grants for agriculture, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals and engineering.

“We’re now going in full reverse,” but the United States has never gone backwards in scientific research before. “This will bankrupt the country,” Hickenlooper said. “It’s an active war against science.”

For the future of agricultural policy, in addition to tariffs, the government should also consider labor and improvements to the H-2A and H-2 B visa systems…

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Hoeven Statement on 2026 March for Life

Hoeven Statement on 2026 March for Life

Senator Continues Work to Protect Unborn, Awarded A+ by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement in recognition of the 2026 March for Life and thanking all those who participated in the annual pro-life event.

“We appreciate the North Dakotans and those from across the nation who are participating in this year’s March for Life. Your efforts truly make a difference as we support the sanctity of life. Thank you for your continued support for the unborn,” said Hoeven. “We remain committed to protecting the unborn and the health of mothers, and have supported legislation in the Senate to help advance these important priorities.”

In the Senate, Hoeven received an A+ grade from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America for supporting life and helping to introduce multiple pieces of legislation to protect the unborn, including:

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act: Legislation with Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) to prevent federal funding from being used for abortions.

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act: Legislation he helped introduce with Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) to protect newborns that survive abortions by requiring they receive care from health care practitioners.

Support and Value Expectant (SAVE) Moms and Babies Act: Legislation with Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) that would reinstate required in-person dispensing for chemical abortion drugs.

Conscience Protection Act: Legislation with Senator Lankford to protect health care providers who do not participate in abortions due to their religious beliefs from being penalized or discriminated against by federal, state or local government.

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Warner & Kaine Applaud Senate Passage of Three Funding Bills

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) applaud the Senate passage last week of legislation to fund a number of major priorities, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Park Service, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and the Department of Energy Office of Science, for Fiscal Year 2026.

“I’m glad to have worked with my colleagues in a bipartisan manner to pass three funding bills that deliver federal dollars for important projects across Virginia,” said Warner. “This federal funding will promote public safety, improve water systems, support conservation efforts, and boost science research for communities across the Commonwealth.”

“This bipartisan legislation includes more than $63 million for projects and priorities across the Commonwealth,” said Kaine. “I am pleased to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to secure this important funding, which will support our national parks, expand conservation efforts, accelerate scientific research, and much more.”

As part of the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process, members of Congress are able to work with the communities they represent to request funding for local community projects, otherwise known as congressionally directed spending, in a manner that promotes transparency and accountability. This process allows Congress to dedicate federal funding for specific projects in Virginia. This package contains $63.49 million for 47 specific projects in Virginia.

Through strong advocacy, the senators secured funding in the relevant spending bills for the following Virginia projects:

For projects in Central Virginia, click here.

For projects in Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore, click here.

For projects in Northern Virginia, click here.

For projects in the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

For projects in Southwest Virginia and Southside, click here.

For statewide projects, click here.

In addition to community-specific projects, this $183.86-billion legislation includes funding for the following Warner and Kaine priorities:

Supporting NASA: Provides $24.4 billion to NASA, including $7.3 billion for NASA Science.

Supporting advancements in science: Provides $8.8 billion for the National Science Foundation.

Preserving historical artifacts: Provides $5 million for the conservation and preservation of federally-owned artifacts and sanctuary resources for the USS Monitor at the Mariner’s Museum.

Investing in the Appalachian region: Provides $200 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission, which invests in communities and economic growth in Appalachia.

Investing in the Southeast region: Provides $20 million for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, which builds sustainable communities and strengthens economic growth across the Southeast region.

Boosting nuclear energy: Provides $1.8 billion for the Office of Nuclear Energy. Also provides an additional $3.1 billion in repurposed funding for small modular reactors and Advanced Reactor Demonstration projects.

Supporting data infrastructure: Provides $16 million to continue development of Jefferson Lab’s High Performance Data Facility, which will be a state-of-the-art resource for data science and research once complete.

Supporting scientific research: Provides $155 million to operate Jefferson Lab’s Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF), which will allow researchers to utilize the facility for several more weeks than the previous fiscal year. It also includes $26 million for the CEBAF Renovation and Expansion project, which will modernize and expand this critical facility.

Protecting the great outdoors: Provides an additional $1 million for the expansion of the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge to protect significant habitats and expand recreation access.

Boosting conservation efforts: Provides $1.839 million for the expansion of the Cherokee National Forest near South Holston Lake in Washington County, Virginia that will improve access for wildlife openings, forest restoration, and other management activities.

Supporting national parks: Provides $3.27 billion for National Park Service operations.

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Kaine Statement on House-Passed Government Funding Bills

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement regarding the appropriations bills passed by the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday:

“If the Senate were to vote on these appropriations bills individually, I would support some of them. But the House is bundling six bills into a single package a week before a budget deadline and skipping town to try and jam senators into a single up or down vote.

“Appropriations bills shouldn’t just fund priorities; they should also place restraints on a runaway executive. Where are the funding restrictions to stop the President from unilaterally taking our sons and daughters into illegal wars, even endless wars, even wars against allies? Or to block deploying our troops against American citizens, as he has done and is threatening to do again? Or to impose effective safeguards against ICE operations that inflame tensions within our cities, terrorize our communities, and make all of us less safe? Or to stop the wholesale firing of federal employees and the unilateral cancellation of congressionally-appropriated dollars? Where are the provisions ensuring that millions of Americans don’t lose health insurance? Where are guardrails to stop the President from targeting states, like Virginia, that voted against him during his three presidential campaigns?

“We are not living in normal times. The President is acting chaotically and unlawfully and we shouldn’t give his deranged decisions the imprimatur of congressional approval by passing this legislation without significant amendment.”

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Senate Foreign Relations Democrats Statement on Trump Administration’s Expanded Global Gag Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s decision to dramatically expand the Global Gag Rule to ban U.S. foreign assistance to American and foreign NGOs, other countries and multilateral organizations that do not adopt the Administration’s prohibitions on reproductive care, “gender ideology” and diversity, equity and inclusion principles, even when using their own funds.

“President Trump’s decision to radically expand the Global Gag Rule is a direct assault on all forms of foreign assistance and U.S. global leadership. By blocking U.S. funding to any entity that does not conform to his extreme ideological agenda, the Administration is exporting MAGA culture wars overseas and turning lifesaving aid into a political tool. This order goes far beyond anything we’ve seen before. It will shrink global resources to fight disease, respond to humanitarian crises and protect women and girls from violence, while forcing many of our trusted partners to shut their doors or betray their missions. In doing so, it also leaves Americans more vulnerable to infectious diseases and health threats that do not respect borders. Let us be clear: this rule tells the world to toe their line or lose aid.

"Already, the Trump Administration’s decimation of USAID, including development, humanitarian and global health programs has led to 600,000 deaths and is expected to lead to the deaths of 14 million people over the next five years. Even more troubling, the Trump Administration is attempting to rush these changes through without the public notice-and-comment process laid out by Congress. U.S. foreign assistance should be guided by evidence, informed through consultation with our partners and aligned with our values and national security interests—not dictated by partisan ideology.”

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Kelly, Gallego, Stanton, Ansari, Grijalva, Respond to New Report Showing Arizona Families Paid Over $1,500 More in 2025 Due to Inflation Under Trump

Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, alongside Representatives Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03) and Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07), responded to a new report from the Joint Economic Committee finding that Arizona families paid an average of $1,569 more in 2025 due to inflation during President Trump’s first year in office. The JEC analysis shows that inflation drove up costs across essential household expenses, including $188 more for housing and $251 more for transportation for the average Arizona household.

The report directly contradicts President Trump’s promise to lower costs “on day one” and repeated claims that inflation has been “stopped” and that “prices are down.” According to the JEC, rising costs are being driven in part by economic uncertainty, Trump tariffs, and higher prices across major household spending categories, leaving families struggling to make ends meet.

“Families across Arizona are doing everything they can to stay afloat, but they’re still paying more for housing, groceries, health care, and everyday necessities,” said Kelly. “Donald Trump promised to lower costs for working families. Instead, he called the very real affordability crisis a ‘hoax’ while his policies have driven prices up and left Arizonans paying over $1,500 more in just one year. That’s money families should be spending on groceries, rent, and saving for the future, not covering higher costs caused by bad policy.”

“After just one year of Trump’s chaos, Arizona families are paying $1,569 more in everyday expenses. When I meet Arizonans, I see people filling their gas tanks halfway and putting items back at the grocery checkout. They’re working harder than ever and trying to stretch paychecks that haven’t gotten any bigger,” said Gallego. “This is Trump’s America: people pay more and get less.”

“People are struggling to make ends meet because the President of the United States slapped almost everything they buy with illegal tariffs. I’m fighting in Congress and the courts to end the chaos because Arizonans deserve better,” said Stanton.

“Donald Trump promised to lower prices for American families, but he’s spent his first year in office gutting jobs, starting conflicts with other countries, and using his position to enrich himself and his billionaire friends. Prices are still up, and Arizonans are suffering–unable to afford groceries and medication, let alone save for a home. We need real solutions and real leaders who actually care about their constituents,” said Ansari.

“Arizona families are paying the price for broken promises and reckless economic policies. Instead of lowering costs, Trump’s tariffs and economic chaos have driven up the price of housing, transportation, food, and health care—leaving working people and families stretched thinner every day,” said Grijalva.

Background:

The minority Joint Economic Committee analysis uses Consumer Price Index (CPI) data through December 2025 and household spending data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis to estimate how much more families in each state paid in 2025 due to inflation, using the same methodology previously applied by the Republican Joint Economic Committee. In Arizona, rising housing and transportation costs have been especially significant, compounding pressure from higher health care, utility, and food costs.

Kelly has been actively pressing the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress to address the cost-of-living crisis. Last week, he sent a letter to President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. urging action on health care affordability, and this week he met with families and small business in owners in Phoenix to hear firsthand how rising costs are affecting household budgets and local businesses.


Merkley, Wyden Deliver Over $100 Million for Critical Community Projects Funding Across Oregon

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they secured over $100 million in federal investments for essential community-initiated projects in nearly every Oregon county in both Fiscal Year 2026 packages that recently cleared Congress.

Both Merkley and Wyden hold a town hall in each Oregon county every year and work hard to ensure that local feedback informs every aspect of their work in Washington, D.C. This local feedback is directly reflected in the projects that were chosen for federal funding in the first two packages of this year’s spending bills to help meet critical needs in Oregon communities.

“Community-initiated projects are rooted in the fact that no one knows the unique needs of communities across Oregon like the folks living and working in them. The communities identified top projects, and we fought for them,” Merkley said. “Together with Senator Wyden and members of Oregon’s House delegation, we secured funding for 54 of these important homegrown projects that will benefit Oregonians in every corner of the state for years to come.”

“No-one knows what a local community needs more than the local community itself. That’s why I hold town halls and meetings in every nook and cranny of the state: to hear directly from Oregonians about their needs and bring that back to D.C. to fight for these critical projects,” Wyden said. “I am gratified to work alongside Senator Merkley and our Oregon delegation to bring home these federal investments to help communities throughout Oregon thrive.”

Merkley is the only Oregon member of Congress from either chamber since Senator Mark Hatfield to serve on the Appropriations Committee, which wrote the funding bills and is one of the most powerful committees on Capitol Hill. He joined the committee in 2013 so that Oregon would have a strong voice in decisions about the investments our nation should be making. Merkley’s position on the committee—including his key role as the top Democrat on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee—is vital to lock in the state’s priorities in the drafting of the bills, and Merkley and Wyden are highly-effective at working together to deliver projects for Oregon.

The 54 Oregon community-initiated projects, combined totaling $102,692,000, secured by Merkley and Wyden in the first two packages of FY26, broken down by region, are as follows:

MID-WILLAMETTE VALLEY & NORTH COAST (Marion, Polk, Yamhill, Tillamook, Clatsop, and Columbia Counties)

$4 million to the City of Tillamook for their Water Transmission Line Replacement Project. These funds will help the City replace their 80-year-old water transmission lines with modern, seismically resilient infrastructure, enabling the city to continue providing clean drinking water to the Tillamook community.

$3.098 million to the Bureau of Land Management in partnership with Cycle Yamhill County for the construction of the Panther Creek Trail Network. The funds will be used to construct nearly 25 miles of world-class mountain bike trails on BLM-managed forestland in Yamhill County, creating recreational opportunities for community members and providing a boost to the regional economy.

$2 million for the Idanha-Detroit Rural Fire Protection Fire District will support the construction of a new fire station that will expand current service capabilities to include additional sleeping quarters, training areas, adequate storage for emergency medical services and firefighting supplies and increase the effectiveness and responsiveness of first responders.

$1.092 million to Marion County for Sewer System Improvements for a new wastewater treatment plant that will serve the cities of Mill City and Gates. This funding will provide infrastructure critical to economic development, public health, watershed protection, and wildfire recovery in the North Santiam Canyon.

$1.031 million for Clatsop County’s law enforcement and fire agencies to purchase and upgrade radio communications systems. Eliminating communication vulnerabilities with new equipment will enable public safety personnel throughout the county to effectively respond to emergencies and protect its citizens.

$1 million to the City of Dallas for the construction of their Potable Water Reservoir Tank Project and the LaCreole Node Sewer project. This funding will support the city’s efforts to build a new reservoir that is seismically resilient and capable of providing the community with a resilient potable water supply in emergencies and advance the development of a sewer project that will open more opportunities for economic development in the region.

$500,000 to the Nestucca, Neskowin, and Sand Lake Watersheds Council for their Fish Passage Improvements project. This funding will open nearly 5 miles of water habitat for endangered fish species passage and will increase infrastructure resiliency in Tillamook County by replacing undersized culverts and small dams that inhibit natural stream processes.

Click HERE for quotes from Mid-Willamette and North Coast community-initiated project recipients.

METRO (Multnomah and Washington Counties)

$2 million to Oregon Metro to improve the California condor recovery program at the Oregon Zoo. The Oregon Zoo operates the nation’s second-largest breeding facility for the endangered California condors and houses nearly 10% of the world’s condor population. These funds grow capacity for additional breeding, in addition to bolstering health resources and safety measures for the birds.

$2 million to the City of Beaverton to construct the North Transmission Line Intertie. This project will provide a secondary water supply line and will enable the City to continue to deliver clean water in the case of an emergency.

$2 million for Portland State University to purchase imaging and fabrication equipment to create a Semiconductor Innovation and Nanoscience Center. This new center will increase semi-micro workforce diversity by providing educational access to sophisticated instrumentation and will spur collaboration between the university and industry.

$1.092 million for the City of Gresham for a wastewater treatment nitrification project to remove ammonia from wastewater which will help further grow the City’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity.

$1.092 million to the City of Portland for clean water improvements to support the City’s network of pump stations. Improvements will include replacing failing equipment which will help ensure the City of Portland remains in compliance with water quality requirements and provide continuity of operations during severe weather events and other outages.

$1.005 million to the City of Gresham to expand the East Multnomah Outreach Prevention and Intervention (EMOPI) program, a youth violence prevention program that works to prevent violent crime in Gresham and keep youth out of the criminal justice system.

$1 million toward the rehabilitation and fortification of the aging Scoggins Dam and spillway to reduce risk and improve seismic resilience.

$907,000 for the City of Gresham to purchase equipment which will bring Real Time Information Center data into the City’s policing protocols, which will improve the City’s efforts to prevent crime.

$450,000 to continue pre-construction and design activities for the Portland Metro Levee System that will minimize flood risk and protect public safety, supply chains and water security.

$125,000 to Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District for their Community Forest Wildfire Mitigation project to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Funds will be used to purchase equipment such as chainsaws, chippers, and spider lifts, that will enable the District to conduct mechanical thinning in areas that are susceptible to wildfire threats.

Click HERE for quotes from the metro area community-initiated project recipients.

MID-COLUMBIA (Clackamas, Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam Counties)

$5.25 million to Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) for the rehabilitation and construction of various In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites along the Columbia River.

$2 million for the Farmers Irrigation District to convert remaining sections of open canal into buried irrigation pipelines in Hood River County. This project will contribute to improved habitats for native fish species, water conservation, and sustained agricultural production.

$1.9 million to the U.S. Forest Service for their Timberline Lodge fire suppression system modernization project. Funds will be used to update Timberline Lodge’s 90-year-old fire suppression sprinkler system to ensure the safety of visitors and employees and to ensure the longevity of the historic Timberline Lodge.

$1.092 million for the City of Sandy’s Wastewater Pump Station. Sandy is under a housing development moratorium due to the capacity limitations of its current wastewater system. Once completed, this project will help the city to resume housing growth and economic development.

$1 million for the City of Maupin’s water system improvement project to replace the City’s aging water system storage and inadequate distribution systems. Maupin is currently dependent on one water source, and the booster pump stations are 50 years old, unreliable, and unable to meet the city’s peak daily demands. This project will improve water quality, support regional fire prevention plans, and contribute to community development goals.

$500,000 for the Army Corps of Engineers for continued work to develop tribal housing in The Dalles. These funds will allow the Corps to revise and carry out a Village Development plan to comprehensively address adverse impacts to Indian villages, housing sites, and related structures as a result of the construction of The Dalles Dam, Bonneville Dam, McNary Dam, and John Day Dam.

$500,000 for the Hood River Watershed Group to complete a study of the environmental and economic opportunities, benefits, and feasibility of aquatic ecosystem restoration at the mouth of the Hood River.

Click HERE for quotes from Mid-Columbia community-initiated project recipients.

EASTERN OREGON (Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Grant, Baker, Harney, and Malheur Counties)

$12 million for the Oregon Army National Guard to construct an Army 10-lane Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range (MPMG) at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman. The MPMG is mission critical for Oregon Military Department’s Rees Training Center in Hermiston and will provide economic benefits in rural Oregon through the initial military construction work, as well as subsequent future use.

$4.5 million to the City of John Day to construct a new wastewater treatment plant . The City of John Day is required by the State of Oregon to replace its aging wastewater treatment facility, which was constructed in the 1940s and is located in a floodplain. This grant will save money for rural residents in John Day and Canyon City, by helping to decrease the community’s debt burden and help avoid sharp increases in sewer bills.

$2.75 million to the Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office to purchase and install emergency communications equipment to replace an outdated system that does not currently cover the entire rural county. This funding will ensure equipment meets federal standards and will enable local responders in Wallowa County to communicate with adjacent jurisdictions with mutual aid needs.

$2 million to the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) for well inspection and construction of monitoring wells in the LUBGWMA, a region experiencing nitrate contamination of groundwater. Funding will also support the design and construction of eight new wells to fill gaps in OWRD’s current monitoring network in the region. Additional monitoring wells at different aquifer levels will help with understanding the movement of water and the extent of aquifer contamination in the LUBGWMA.

$1.5 million to the City of Pendleton to install wind turbines and a micro-hydroelectric generation system at the Pendleton Resource Recovery Facility. This will help the City achieve energy self-sufficiency at this wastewater facility.

$1 million for the McKay Creek Fish Passage Restoration and Monitoring Project. This funding will allow the Bureau of Reclamation to begin an engineering design and fish passage assessment of the McKay Creek dam near Pendleton.

$665,000 to the City of Hermiston to purchase and install two backup generators on Hermiston’s Regional Water System (RWS). The RWS, operated by the Port of Umatilla and the City of Hermiston, supplies water to industry and Hermiston’s 20,000 residents, but currently has no power alternative in case of an outage. These generators will ensure current users and future industrial clients will have reliable water supplies in an emergency.

$600,000 to the OWRD to complete a groundwater analysis in the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area (LUBGWMA). Funds will be used to analyze consumptive water use in the LUBGWMA from 1985 through 2023. This project will help the State of Oregon better understand hydrogeology and potential sources of nitrate pollution into groundwater.

Click HERE for quotes from Eastern Oregon community-initiated project recipients.

SOUTH-WILLAMETTE VALLEY & CENTRAL COAST (Lane, Linn, Lincoln, and Benton Counties)

$3 million to University of Oregon to procure and install a modern, powerful transmission electron microscope (TEM) to be housed in the University’s Center for Advanced Materials Characterization in Oregon (CAMCOR). This equipment would be used to advance a multitude of needs in the semiconductor space including academic research, training opportunities, and high-tech business support.

$2,520,000 to Oregon State University (OSU) to procure and install specialized equipment for a Next Generation Semiconductor Test Facility. This equipment – including a high-speed sampling oscilloscope, a millimeter-wave vector network analyzer, and a thermally-controlled wafer probe station – will position OSU and the State of Oregon to lead in semiconductor research and testing.

$2,000,000 for Oregon State University (OSU) to enhance statewide bio-science research. This funding will be used to purchase and install state of the art equipment that will utilize AI to make rapid progress in material discovery, enhanced biomanufacturing, precision medicine, and forensic applications.

$1.340 million to the Sweet Home Fire District to startup and equip a wildland hand crew. The District is located in a dynamic Wildland Urban Interface area and is in critical need of fire prevention and mitigation resources. This funding will allow the District to stand up a 20-person crew and equip them with proper personal protection equipment and other tools.

$1.015 million for the Siletz Valley Fire District to modify its existing fire station to house an Emergency Operations Center and provide emergency housing during natural disasters.

$1 million to Oregon Coast Community College to purchase equipment and construct a new workforce training facility.

Click HERE for quotes from South-Willamette Valley and Central Coast community-initiated project recipients.

CENTRAL OREGON (Klamath, Lake, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, and Wheeler Counties)

$2.373 million to the Lake County Umbrella Watershed Council for their closed basin watershed restoration and resilience project. These funds will be used to design and construct fish passage and conduct habitat restoration in the Goose Lake Watershed to improve fish passage, fish and bird habitat, and flood mitigation across five tributaries and eleven streams within the drought-prone watershed.

$2 million to North Unit Irrigation District for its infrastructure modernization project. This effort is working to convert over 27 miles of open-ditch irrigation canals with gravity-pressured buried piping, which will significantly reduce water loss, improve water delivery reliability, and improve streamflow in the Deschutes River.

$2 million to Arnold Irrigation District (AID) for their infrastructure modernization project. Funds will be used to complete the final phase of AID’s Infrastructure Resiliency and Modernization Project to pipe nearly 12 miles of the District’s main canal which will reduce overall water seepage and promote more efficient and sustainable irrigation across the District.

$1.123 million to Oregon Institute of Technology for equipment for an advanced energy manufacturing initiative to develop cutting-edge research, education, and training in hydrogen production, solar and solar-thermal manufacturing technologies, and emerging battery tech at Oregon Tech’s Klamath Falls and Portland-Metro campuses.

$1.014 million to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for their Crook County groundwater research project. These funds will be used to implement a surface and groundwater sampling program in Crook County to identify the scope and potential causes of groundwater contamination issues impacting the community’s water.

$1 million to the Ochoco Irrigation District for their floating solar project which will generate 900 kilowatts of power and benefit local agriculture, residential homes, and local industry.

$648,000 to Wheeler Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) for the construction of a new community center. Wheeler SWCD’s current facility is insufficient to support the public’s needs as the county’s leading natural resource agency. This new space will be a centrally located innovation hub for multi-agency accessibility to best support Wheeler County’s natural resources work while promoting intra-agency collaboration.

Click HERE for quotes from Central Oregon community-initiated project recipients.

SOUTHERN OREGON (Curry, Coos, Jackson, Josephine, and Douglas Counties)

$9,460,000 to reconstruct the water supply system for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cole Rivers Hatchery. Recent investments led by Senators Merkley and Wyden have addressed issues with the power supply and other deferred maintenance. This additional investment to restore the water supply system will result in a more climate resilient hatchery that fully meets its mitigation obligations and reliably sustains regionally important fisheries and economies.

$2 million for City of Talent for their waterline installation project to replace existing asbestos cement pipes. These pipes are beyond their useful life and are susceptible to failure during seismic activity. These new waterlines will ensure continuity of operations in the case of disaster.

$1.554 million for the South Umpqua Rural Community Partnership for their Wild Fish Habitat Restoration. Funds will be used to complete habitat and water quality restoration projects that aim to restore Chinook and Coho salmon populations in the Umpqua watershed. The restoration of these important fish species will also benefit the economies of nearby underserved communities by opening up tourism and recreation opportunities.

$1.031 million for improvements to the Curry County Jail, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff and incarcerated people at the jail. Federal funds will be used to make improvements to the jail’s plumbing infrastructure, security features, and improve basic accommodations.

$800,000 for Glide Revitalization Community Resource Center to renovate the facility, with a focused priority on completing the daycare half of the facility. With a high demand for daycare services in the region, this center will help fill critical resource gaps identified through Glide Revitalization’s work since the Archie Creek Fire in 2020 to continue to rebuild the community.

$667,000 for the Army Corps of Engineers for routine dredging and routine jetty infrastructure maintenance at the Port of Bandon.

Click HERE for quotes from Southern Oregon community-initiated project recipients.

STATEWIDE

$2.5 million for the Oregon Department of the State Fire Marshal to support the statewide “Fire Adapted Oregon” initiative and implement community-based wildfire mitigation and defensible space projects throughout high wildfire risk communities in Oregon.

$1 million to Oregon DEQ for their air quality improvement project, which will stand up grant programs across the state to enable communities to implement alternatives to the open burning of woody debris. This effort would reduce wood smoke emissions in communities by making preferred alternatives more accessible and improving the health of communities.

Click HERE for quotes from statewide community-initiated project recipients.

This press release has been updated.

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Sen. Moran Applauds USDA Decision to Exempt NBAF from Federal Hiring Freeze

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry – applauded the decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to exempt the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan from the federal hiring freeze. The announcement came after Sen. Moran called on USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to pursue an exemption and expedite the recruitment and hiring of staff at NBAF and hosted Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden for a tour of NBAF.

“I’m pleased by the recent decision to exempt NBAF from the federal hiring freeze to permit the facility to recruit for vacant positions,” said Sen. Moran. “During a recent tour of the facility with USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, USDA staff highlighted the efforts being made to finish critical repairs and bring NBAF to its full operational capacity. This decision will help make certain NBAF can hire the necessary staff in both science and operational roles to bolster NBAF’s function and mission, strengthening national food and agriculture security.”

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Senator Murphy Denied Access To DHS Detention Facilities In Texas, Witnesses ICE Lawlessness At Immigration Court, Meets With Detainee Children And Their Families

SAN ANTONIO, TX—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, this week traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to conduct oversight of the facilities DHS is using to detain individuals and families targeted by the Trump administration’s lawless enforcement operations. Despite Murphy’s constitutional and statutory right as a member of Congress to access federal buildings to ensure federal agencies are acting in compliance with the law, DHS illegally blocked Murphy from entering facilities in Dilley, Texas, and Pearsall, Texas. Murphy met with recent Dilley detainees, heard about inhumane conditions within the facility, and visited the San Antonio immigration court, where he personally witnessed ICE’s targeting of individuals with legal status and pending asylum claims.

Outside Dilley Federal Detention facility, Murphy emphasized that DHS is illegally stonewalling Congressional oversight: “Members of Congress have a constitutional right to inspect these facilities, and a clear statutory right as well… This is astonishing. And it tells you these guys have something to hide. If they're not letting members of Congress in with less than seven days’ notice, it tells you how much work they know they need to do to cover up and hide the things they don't want us to see… The fact they denied me access even with 24 hours’ notice, should make everybody deeply, deeply fearful of what is happening inside this facility and facilities like it.”

Murphy shared the harrowing story of children subjected to horrifying conditions and a monthslong detention at DHS’ Dilley facility, despite having a pending asylum claim: “These kids have had scarring from this experience that is likely never, ever going away… They were in the United States legally, and they got ripped out of the courtroom and put in detention because it has nothing to do with human beings. It just has to do with numbers and terrorizing families… Beyond the numbers, beyond the policy, this is about kids’ lives, kids’ brains, who are being fundamentally damaged and changed by the inhumanity of Donald Trump's immigration policy.”

At the San Antonio immigration court, Murphy debunked Trump’s claim ICE is targeting the “worst of the worst” criminals: “What I saw was stunning, unconscionable… In these courtrooms, you have immigrants who are obeying the law, who are here legally, they're showing up to their appointment largely to apply for asylum. It's all fake, because the real law is happening in the hallways, where there were this morning about a half dozen ICE officers in plain clothes… waiting for these people to come out from their hearings, and then they take them and send them into detention for immediate removal out of the United States, even though they have a pending claim, even though they have no criminal history, no arrest history. This is what's happening inside of these facilities.”


Rounds Introduces the Life at Conception Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced the Life at Conception Act, legislation to legally recognize the right to life by extending 14th Amendment protections to unborn children.

The Life at Conception Act clarifies in statute that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being at all stages of life. This is defined as the moment of conception, or any other moment at which an individual comes into being.

“Life at all stages is a gift from God and should be treated with dignity,” said Rounds. “The Life at Conception Act would protect the right to life in the Constitution to human beings at all stages, including in the womb. I’m pleased to be leading this legislation in the Senate with the support of my colleagues to protect the sanctity of human life.”

This legislation is cosponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.). Representative Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) leads companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

“Life is precious and begins at the moment of conception, and it is our solemn duty to make certain the rights of every unborn child are enshrined into law,” said Blackburn. “As people around the world come together for the March for Life in D.C., I am pleased to join Senator Rounds in introducing the Life at Conception Act to ensure equal protection under the 14th Amendment for every human being at all stages of life.”

“One of the foundational rights that America is built on is the right to life,” said Daines. “This basic Constitutional principle safeguards the right to life for everyone in our nation- including unborn children. I’m proud to work with Senator Rounds and our colleagues on the Life at Conception Act, which protects our most vulnerable by affirming the biological truth that life begins at conception.”

“We have a moral responsibility to protect the most vulnerable among us,” said Crapo. “By recognizing life at conception, we affirm that the right to life is fundamental and universal.”

“The life of every child is precious and worthy of our protection,” said Hagerty. “We cannot deny the protection of the Fourteenth Amendment to the most vulnerable among us. I am pleased to support Senator Rounds’ legislation.”

“The right to life is enshrined in the Constitution and is our most fundamental right,” said Cramer. “We know life begins at conception, and the Life at Conception Act recognizes this obvious and powerful truth.”

“Every life is a sacred gift from God, worthy of dignity and protection from the moment of conception,” said Burlison. “The Life at Conception Act affirms Congress’s constitutional authority to define personhood and protect unborn children. I’m grateful to Senator Rounds for introducing the Senate companion bill and remain committed to defending life, as my record in Missouri and Washington clearly shows.”

This legislation is endorsed by the National Pro-Life Alliance, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Students for Life Action, the Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee and the Family Research Council.

“For more than twenty years, members of the National Pro-Life Alliance have championed the Life at Conception Act,” said Martin Fox, President at National Pro-Life Alliance. “We are honored that Senator Rounds is taking the lead on a bill that is now more important than ever due to the many loopholes that abortionists are using to get around state protections for the unborn. The Life at Conception Act reaffirms the original intention of the writers of the 14th Amendment by declaring that the word ‘person’ includes all persons from the moment of conception.”

“The Life at Conception Act affirms a simple, foundational truth backed by science and designed by God - from the moment of conception, a unique human life is formed,” said Marilyn Musgrave, Vice President of Government Affairs at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. “Our laws should recognize the dignity, humanity, and inherent worth of every unborn child. Thank you, Senator Rounds for your steadfast pro-life leadership to defend the most vulnerable Americans.”

“Recognizing that a unique human being begins at the moment of conception, the Life at Conception Act implements equal protection for every human being from their first moments of existence,” said Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life Action & Students for Life of America. “What makes this measure the gold standard for recognizing the value of every life is the acknowledgement that the legal rights of preborn children are rooted in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. This profound truth is echoed in the 2024 GOP Platform and is a message that Students for Life Action (SFLAction) celebrates and recommends in legislative findings across the board. Arbitrarily leaving some human beings outside of the protections of the law is a mistake that this nation does not need to make again. SFLAction gives this legislation our strongest endorsement and will score both votes and sponsorships of the bill.” ?

“The Declaration of Independence stated that all people have a fundamental right to life; it is time for Congress to recognize that that truth extends to children in the womb,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee. “The Life at Conception Act declares what most Americans believe and what science has long known - that life begins at conception and, therefore, preborn babies are entitled to the protection offered by the 14th Amendment. Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee is proud to endorse this legislation that affirms and protects the unique dignity of every life."

Click HERE for full bill text.

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