Bennet, Merkley, Colleagues Denounce Trump Administration’s Polarizing Changes to National Park Service Access for 2026

Denver —U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and 10 of their Senate colleagues to express concern over the Trump Administration’s so-called “modernization” plans for national park access, including several alarming partisan, polarizing initiatives that undermine the spirit of ensuring our public lands are accessible to all.

“Among the announced changes is a decision to remove Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the list of fee-free days—days intended for celebration and increased affordability and access to our National Parks,” wrote Bennet, Merkley, and the senators. “At the same time, President Trump’s birthday will be added as a fee-free day. Not only does this send the deeply troubling message that these days of profound historical importance in the struggle for civil rights are not worth honoring, but it also further promotes the President’s agenda of self-celebration.”

One of President Trump’s other “modernization” plans involves redesigning the America the Beautiful annual passes, a program originally intended to make visiting national parks more affordable and accessible. In past years, these passes were decorated with images of our nation’s public lands, but now they show photos of President Trump. The images on these cards are legally required to be selected annually through a public competition, as outlined in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. President Trump’s decision to put self-aggrandizement before the law is illegal and misaligned with our nation’s values.

“National parks are national treasures and exist as spaces where people, regardless of background and political affiliation, can come together and enjoy the outdoors. These changes do nothing to modernize how people visit national parks and are instead a thinly veiled attempt to use our nation’s most iconic landscapes to further the self-promotion of President Trump and disparage our shared history,” concluded the senators.

Bennet has long been a fierce champion for Colorado’s national parks. In 2024, Bennet, Hickenlooper and Neguse welcomed the establishment of Colorado’s Camp Amache as America’s Newest unit of the National Park Service, after years of working to protect it for future generations. Bennet has also passed legislation to expand Rocky Mountain National Park and Yucca House National Monument.

In addition to parks, Bennet has also introduced legislation to protect over 1.2 million acres of public lands in Colorado. In 2025, Bennet joined Colorado U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and Congressman Jeff Hurd to introduce the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act to protect over 730,000 acres of public land in the greater Gunnison Basin. Bennet and Hickenlooper also reintroduced the Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act to protect over 68,000 acres in the southern portion of the Dolores River basin. Additionally, Bennet, Neguse, and Hickenlooper reintroduced the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act to protect 420,000 acres of public land in Colorado, establish new wilderness areas, and safeguard existing outdoor recreation opportunities to boost the economy for future generations.

In addition to Bennet and Merkley, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) signed the letter.

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Secretary Burgum:

We write to express our deep concern over the National Park Service’s “modernization of national park access” in 2026, announced on November 25, 2025. This so-called modernization includes several alarming partisan, polarizing initiatives that have no place within our nation’s public lands, which are meant for all people to visit and enjoy.

Among the announced changes is a decision to remove Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the list of fee-free days—days intended for celebration and increased affordability and access to our National Parks. At the same time, President Trump’s birthday will be added as a fee-free day. Not only does this send the deeply troubling message that these days of profound historical importance in the struggle for civil rights are not worth honoring, but it also further promotes the President’s agenda of self-celebration.

We as a country have sought to preserve and tell the story of our history, including through the National Park Service, which operates 20 national park treasures dedicated to the history of the civil rights movement and partners with dozens of other affiliated properties connected to the National Park Service through the African American Civil Rights Network.

This so-called modernization also includes the redesign of the America the Beautiful annual passes by replacing images depicting our nation’s public lands with photos of President Trump. This change turns the America the Beautiful pass—a program intended to promote access and affordability—into a vehicle for more self-celebration and self-aggrandizing. While the images on these passes are typically replaced every year, as outlined in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the selection process is required by law to occur through a public competition, not a unilateral administrative decision. As such, the legality of this change is questionable at best and already the subject of litigation.

National parks are national treasures and exist as spaces where people, regardless of background and political affiliation, can come together and enjoy the outdoors. These changes do nothing to modernize how people visit national parks and are instead a thinly veiled attempt to use our nation’s most iconic landscapes to further the self-promotion of President Trump and disparage our shared history. In light of these alarming changes, we request that you provide full and complete responses to the following questions no later than January 30, 2026:

Provide the Agency’s reasoning for removing both Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday and Juneteenth as fee-free days.

The National Park Service has traditionally celebrated both Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday and Juneteenth through ranger-led programs, interpretive talks, performances, community gatherings, and volunteer service opportunities. Will the National Park Service continue each of these traditions, and if not, what specifically will the National Park Service cancel in 2026?

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S. Code § 6804(a)(2)) requires an annual, open public competition for determining the recreation park pass designs and should be “used as a means to educate the American people about Federal recreational lands and waters.” In practice, this competition has been held by the National Park Foundation through their Share the Experience Photo Contest. While a competition was held for the 2026 passes, the winning image was relegated to the new, more expensive Nonresident Annual Pass, rather than the customary general Annual Pass. Please describe what process was used to determine the 2026 recreation pass designs, including those specifically for the general Resident Annual Pass depicting George Washington and President Trump and the Military Annual Pass depicting President Trump.

By what date does the administration plan to remedy this violation of federal law?

Will U.S. residents purchasing an America the Beautiful Annual Pass be able to choose an alternative design that does not depict President Trump?

Assuming some people will decide to forgo purchasing an Annual Pass if an alternative is unavailable, has the administration considered how this may reduce revenue and park visitation?

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Blumenthal, Senators Demand Answers on Pentagon's Efforts to Politicize Stars and Stripes Military Newspaper

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, today led a group of his colleagues in demanding answers on the Department of Defense’s (DOD) efforts to politicize Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper that has long maintained editorial independence. The letter follows recent reporting on how Stars and Stripes job applicants have been asked to explain how they would advance the Administration’s policy priorities, and comments from the Pentagon’s top public affairs official on the Department’s plans to overhaul the newspaper.

“We write to express our strong and unwavering support for the continued editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, a publication whose credibility rests on its ability to report freely and impartially on matters affecting the men and women of the United States Armed Forces,” wrote the Senators to Secretary Pete Hegseth. “…Any diminishing independence of Stars and Stripes is a blow to the public’s legitimate need for information and disrespectful to our military. The paper’s independence is essential to ensuring the American people understand what is happening in our armed forces, and to provide servicemembers with honest, credible reporting rather than filtered or politicized narratives.”

Stars and Stripes was founded in 1861, and Congress has long affirmed the newspaper’s independence.

The Senators continued, “Congress has been clear for decades that Stars and Stripes must be governed by First Amendment principles and insulated from political influence, regardless of which administration is in power. We urge you to immediately clarify that neither hiring practices nor editorial decisions at Stars and Stripes will be conditioned on ideological alignment or policy advocacy, and to reaffirm, publicly and unequivocally, the newspaper’s statutory independence.”

Blumenthal’s letter was joined by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Hegseth,

We write to express our strong and unwavering support for the continued editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, a publication whose credibility rests on its ability to report freely and impartially on matters affecting the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. We are especially concerned about recent media reports that Stars and Stripes job applicants have been asked to explain how they would advance the President’s policy priorities, as well as recent comments made by the Pentagon’s top public affairs official that the Department plans to “refocus its [the newspaper’s] content away from woke distractions that syphon morale.” These developments represent a troubling departure from the First Amendment principles that have governed the newspaper since its inception in 1861.

Any diminishing independence of Stars and Stripes is a blow to the public’s legitimate need for information and disrespectful to our military. The paper’s independence is essential to ensuring the American people understand what is happening in our armed forces, and to provide servicemembers with honest, credible reporting rather than filtered or politicized narratives.

Congress has been clear for decades that Stars and Stripes must be governed by First Amendment principles and insulated from political influence, regardless of which administration is in power. We urge you to immediately clarify that neither hiring practices nor editorial decisions at Stars and Stripes will be conditioned on ideological alignment or policy advocacy, and to reaffirm, publicly and unequivocally, the newspaper’s statutory independence.

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Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 1/9/2026-1/16/2026

Demanding Accountability for Lawless Federal Immigration Agents

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), spoke on the Senate Floor to demand accountability for the lawless actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration agents.

“The American people can be forgiven for wanting to turn off their computers or TVs and feeling a sense of abhorrence and repulsion at what they are seeing again and again and again, as the video of Renee Good's killing is replayed for them. What it shows is a horrific tragedy,” said Blumenthal. “Americans have a right to be repulsed by these videos and outraged, angry but also saddened and grief stricken because the killing of Renee Nicole Good last week at the hands of an ICE agent showed the tragic outcome of abuse of power.”

Blumenthal is leading an ongoing investigation into the treatment of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents. In October, Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, opened an inquiry into frequent reports of unconstitutional detentions of U.S. citizens by agents of ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), often using disproportionate force.

In December, Blumenthal released a report highlighting firsthand accounts of twenty-two Americans who were physically assaulted, pepper sprayed, denied medical treatment, and detained – sometimes for days – by federal immigration agents. The report, Unchecked Authority: Examining the Trump Administration’s Extrajudicial Immigration Detentions Of U.S. Citizens, was released ahead of a bicameral public forum hosted by Blumenthal and Garcia to receive testimony from five Americans who were unconstitutionally detained by agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“I released this report that has documented accounts of 22 United States citizens in ten different states who were physically assaulted, pepper sprayed, denied medical treatment, detained sometimes for days by federal immigration agents,” said Blumenthal on the Senate Floor. “This pattern and practice is not coincidental. It is the result of a policy, an apparent policy, on the part of this government agency that involves agents who are masked, unidentifiable, turned violent without provocation, and crashing their government vehicles into citizens' cars, dragging them from those cars, slamming them to the ground, violently assaulting them, often leading to lasting injuries, including trauma.”

A video of Blumenthal’s remarks on the Floor can be found here.

Blumenthal further called out the lawlessness of ICE agents on Twitter/X.

“The horrific brutality unfolding in Minneapolis & across the country by ICE must be stopped. I will use every tool, including my ongoing investigation through the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, to expose & halt this disgrace & danger to our democracy,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.

Last week, following the killing of Renee Nicole Good, an unarmed U.S. citizen, by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Blumenthal wrote to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem seeking information and records regarding ICE training policies. The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to Noem is available here.

On the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee

Blumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, today led a group of his colleagues in demanding answers on the Department of Defense’s (DOD) efforts to politicize Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper that has long maintained editorial independence. The letter follows recent reporting on how Stars and Stripes job applicants have been asked to explain how they would advance the Administration’s policy priorities, and comments from the Pentagon’s top public affairs official on the Department’s plans to overhaul the newspaper.

“We write to express our strong and unwavering support for the continued editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, a publication whose credibility rests on its ability to report freely and impartially on matters affecting the men and women of the United States Armed Forces,” wrote the Senators to Secretary Pete Hegseth. “…Any diminishing independence of Stars and Stripes is a blow to the public’s legitimate need for information and disrespectful to our military. The paper’s independence is essential to ensuring the American people understand what is happening in our armed forces, and to provide servicemembers with honest, credible reporting rather than filtered or politicized narratives.”

The Senators continued, “Congress has been clear for decades that Stars and Stripes must be governed by First Amendment principles and insulated from political influence, regardless of which administration is in power. We urge you to immediately clarify that neither hiring practices nor editorial decisions at Stars and Stripes will be conditioned on ideological alignment or policy advocacy, and to reaffirm, publicly and unequivocally, the newspaper’s statutory independence.”

The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here.

Calling for Protections for Members of the Coast Guard

Blumenthal released the below statement following the release of two reports by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) efforts to implement reforms aimed at addressing sexual misconduct:

“I am deeply disappointed that USCG has dropped the ball on basic reporting requirements that would provide transparency about sexual misconduct in the Coast Guard. GAO’s findings reveal that the Coast Guard’s culture of coverup—exposed by my PSI investigation—continues to this day. While the Coast Guard has taken some steps to support survivors, it is clear more work needs to be done to adequately protect cadets and Coasties.”

In September 2023, as then-Chair of PSI, Blumenthal initiated an inquiry into the Coast Guard’s failure to disclose Operation Fouled Anchor, an internal Coast Guard investigation into the decades-long systemic mishandling of sexual misconduct at the Coast Guard Academy.

In December 2024, Blumenthal released a bipartisan interim staff report on the Coast Guard’s efforts to conceal Operation Fouled Anchor. The report, Coast Guard Efforts to Conceal the Operation Fouled Anchor Investigation from Congress and the Public, includes several newly released documents, among which is an email explaining that then-Commandant Admiral Schultz chose not to affirmatively disclose Operation Fouled Anchor to either Congress or the public based on the continuing nature of the investigation.

Strengthening Health & Safety Standards for Military Housing

Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT) along with U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and James Moylan (R-GU) introduced the Military Occupancy Living Defense (MOLD) Act to strengthen protections for military families living in privatized housing. U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) joined Blumenthal and Sheehy in introducing the MOLD Act as original cosponsors.

An estimated 700,000 servicemembers and their families are affected by hazardous conditions in military-provided housing, including prolonged mold exposure, which is associated with elevated risks of respiratory illnesses, neurological symptoms, developmental delays in children, and other severe health effects. The MOLD Act addresses these conditions by setting enforceable health and safety standards, mandating independent inspections, and requiring transparency in reporting habitability issues such as water damage, humidity, and mold.

“This measure will help ensure that military families are protected from housing that endangers their health. They deserve the gold standard, nothing less,” said Blumenthal. “The MOLD Act will require strict health and safety standards, independent inspections, and financial accountability for contractors. This bipartisan, bicameral reform deserves quick passage so servicemembers and their families have a safe place to call home.”

Full bill text is available here. A one-pager is available here.

Blumenthal hosted a press conference with military families, advocates, and lawmakers to announce the introduction of the new legislation that strengthens protections for military families in privatized housing.

“The importance of safe and decent housing for military and families—most especially our children—is the reason we are here today. And literally, hundreds of thousands of military families are going without safe and decent housing. It is a shameful disgrace that our military permits private hosing to have mold, water damage, insects, all of the conditions that would never be tolerated in private housing if it were you or me not in the military—but because the military is in effect in charge, these private landlords are violating the basic moral rights, and usually legal rights of these families,” said Blumenthal at the press conference.

A video of the press conference can be found here.

Blumenthal further highlighted the need for his legislation bolstering protections for military families in privatized housing on Twitter/X.

“It is a shameful disgrace that 700,000 military families must live in homes with mold, asbestos, water damage, & more. Congress should swiftly pass the bipartisan MOLD Act I’m leading to ensure military housing is safe & free of health hazards,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal Bulletin

Blumenthal authored an op-ed in FOX News raising concerns about the potential negative impact of crypto market legislation on the U.S. financial system.

Blumenthal released a statement after a U.S. District Court judge issued a second preliminary injunction allowing work to continue on the Revolution Wind Project.

Blumenthal introduced bipartisan legislation to enhance disaster preparedness and response for seniors and people with disabilities.

Blumenthal introduced legislation to bolster fishermen in response to climate change.

Blumenthal slammed Trump’s Gold Card immigration program prioritizing the wealthy.

Blumenthal honored All-State High School Football players and coaches.

Blumenthal joined VFW in honoring students and teachers at the 55th Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner.

Blumenthal joined the ICE Out of Stamford Rally.

Blumenthal slammed the Trump Administration’s reckless changes to the childhood vaccine schedule.

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Booker, Duckworth Reintroduce Legislation to Improve Disaster Response and Recovery Plans in Prisons

WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) reintroduced legislation that would ensure prison disaster plans protect the health, safety, and rights of incarcerated individuals during emergencies. The Correctional Facility Disaster Preparedness Act would require the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to submit annual damage reports after disasters, require the National Institute of Correction (NIC) to hold field hearings on how to better incorporate considerations for incarcerated individuals in its emergency plans, and expand the NIC membership by authorizing four new members: a formerly incarcerated person, emergency coordinator, public health expert and a BOP labor union representative.

“Chronic failures in emergency planning for our correctional facilities have endangered the lives of incarcerated individuals and correctional staff as well,” said Senator Booker. “The Correctional Facility Disaster Preparedness Act would overhaul emergency planning, incorporate expert guidance, and protect the lives and dignity of everyone in federal prisons during major disasters.”

“Incarcerated individuals rely on staff to provide necessities and decide whether to evacuate to a safer location—leaving them particularly vulnerable,” said Senator Duckworth. “This legislation would help ensure the prioritization of the health and safety of incarcerated individuals during emergencies by better assessing damages sustained from these disasters, taking corrective actions to resolve preparedness gaps and seeking input from professionals, as well as formerly incarcerated individuals.”

Incarcerated individuals are particularly vulnerable during major disasters, as they rely on staff to provide necessities and decide whether to evacuate to a safer location. Unfortunately, reports of health and safety violations within the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and State prisons highlight that correctional facilities are not fully prepared to provide safe conditions for all incarcerated individuals.

U.S. Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA-36) introduced bipartisan companion legislation in the House.

The bill is endorsed by JustLeadershipUSA.


Booker, Van Hollen, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Ensure Americans Aren’t Footing the Bill for Big Data Centers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and several Senate colleagues in introducing the Power for the People Act, legislation aimed at curbing rising electricity costs by addressing the enormous energy demands of rapidly expanding data centers.

Amid the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI), corporations and big technology companies’ build out of data centers has exploded in the past decade and is projected to continue to rapidly increase. As more and more data centers aim to connect to the power grid, consumers are footing the bill for the infrastructure required to bring them online. Because data centers use so much power, they are also increasing energy demand which is further driving up electricity prices and placing a heavy burden on our electric grid – raising the risk of reliability issues such as blackouts. The Power for the People Act holds data center operators accountable for their role in driving up energy prices through reforms that would prevent consumers from subsidizing data center development through their utility bills. It also ensures that data centers connecting to the grid do not overwhelm it, preventing grid reliability issues that result in power outages, and ensuring that all of this work is done with strong labor standards in place, creating good-paying jobs.

Joining U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) as cosponsors of the legislation are Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).

“For the United States to lead responsibly in AI, the benefits must be broadly shared, and the costs—especially higher electricity prices—must not be shifted onto working families in places like New Jersey that are seeing spiking utility bills,” said Senator Booker. “The Power for the People Act is about fairness and shared progress: it ensures data centers pay for the costs of their own development, prioritizes the clean energy critical to protecting our public health, protects consumers from rising electricity bills, strengthens grid reliability, and keeps America at the cutting edge of innovation.”

“Americans are already struggling to make ends meet – they shouldn’t have to foot the bill for big corporations’ massive expansion of data centers. But right now, the richest corporations on the planet are constructing new data centers at working families’ expense – driving up monthly electricity bills for consumers. The principle behind this legislation is simple: the huge corporations building and running data centers should cover the costs of the energy they need – not push those costs onto the backs of consumers,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“The American people are already struggling to keep up with the rising costs of groceries, housing, health care and more—the last thing they need is to foot the bill for data center energy costs,” said Senator Duckworth. “This commonsense bill would help ensure that data centers don’t pass along their operating costs to Americans’ monthly energy bills or jeopardize the grid—while also supporting the development and improvement of data centers across the country.”

“The data centers behind the AI boom are consuming more energy than ever before—that demand is only expected to grow. At the same time, energy prices are spiking across the country, saddling working families with higher utility bills and threatening the reliability of the grid. Data centers must be held accountable for the costs of their connection,” said Senator Welch. “We cannot force everyday Americans to subsidize profits of the multi-billion dollar AI industry.”

“Marylanders are struggling to get by – the costs of groceries, rent, and health care are skyrocketing. That’s why it is absolutely essential that data centers cover the costs of increased energy prices they are creating: not hardworking American families. Data centers are critical to our national security, job creation, and economic development, but we cannot subsidize the costs of these data centers with our energy bills – which are already way too high,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

Because of data centers, in the mid-Atlantic grid region (PJM), the nation’s largest electric grid serving 67 million Americans in 13 states – including New Jersey – and Washington, D.C., consumers have paid or will pay:

At least $4.6 billion in 2024 and $3.1 billion in 2025 for local transmission upgrades, or $7.7 billion total for local transmission upgrades over two years, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Over $21 billion in capacity costs in the last three capacity auctions (July 2024, July 2025, and December 2025) alone (which are the costs to secure available energy supply for future years) due to projected data center demand. These costs were to secure supply for the period of June 2025 - May 2028, according to PJM’s Independent Market Monitor.

By 2028, the average household in PJM will see their energy bills increase by $70 per month because of data centers – that’s $840 per year – and that’s just due to rising capacity costs (not even taking into account all the other factors impacting energy bills like the price of wholesale energy and transmission costs). Capacity costs alone could balloon to $163 billion through 2033 if no action is taken to address the imbalance of supply and demand in PJM’s capacity market, according to NRDC.

Additional background on the Power for the People Act

Data centers are huge energy consumers. In 2024, the average size of a proposed data center in the US was 300 megawatts, which is as much energy as it takes to power around 240,000 homes. There are currently over 3,700data centers in the U.S. with new facilities being proposed every day. Although they are not the only factor causing electricity prices to rise, it is clear that new data center energy demand is having a significant and growing impact on Americans’ utility bills.

The enormous energy needs of data centers push costs for consumers higher in two ways: 1) they increase overall electricity demand, outpacing available electricity supply – resulting in higher utility bills across the grid and windfall profits for power generators; and 2) they require expansions of the electric grid and the cost of these infrastructure upgrades are passed onto all electricity customers – not just the new data centers.

What’s more, the rapid influx of data center energy demand combined with power supply constraints is pushing electric grids across the country dangerously close to their limits, which increases the risk of blackouts.

To address these affordability and reliability issues, the Power for the People Act:

Ensures data centers are paying for the energy costs they cause by:

Directing states to evaluate the need for new rate classes specifically for data centers to more effectively assign costs caused by that customer class, while providing technical support to states to support this process.

Directing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue a rule to ensure data centers are paying for the local transmission upgrades that would not be needed if the new data center did not exist – increasing accountability in local transmission projects which often lack oversight.

Creates a system to manage data center interconnection to the grid that would protect affordability and grid reliability by incentivizing data centers to:

Offset their impact on the electric grid by bringing their own new and additional power generation and battery storage systems to the grid, as well as by agreeing to certain flexibility requirements.

Mitigate pollution by using clean energy resources.

Create good paying jobs with strong labor standards by paying locally prevailing wages and using registered apprenticeship programs.

Provides resources to improve data center load forecasting, including weeding out duplicative or speculative requests, as accurate data center energy demand projections are key to ensuring proper investment in the grid and preventing overly inflated energy bills.

The Power for the People Act is supported by: The Consumer Federation of America, National Consumer Law Center, Public Citizen, Maryland People’s Counsel, Illinois Citizens Utility Board, New Jersey Division of the Rate Counsel, Oregon Citizens Utility Board, Delaware Division of the Public Advocate, NRDC, and Union of Concerned Scientists.

“It’s unconscionable that people’s utility rates are rising because of data centers being built by billion dollar companies to fuel their AI products,” said Ben Winters, Director of AI and Privacy at the Consumer Federation of America. “This bill is a critical step in remedying this injustice that brings the very real issues of affordability and Big Tech abuse to the forefront.”

“The Power for the People Act helps shield families from unfair and unaffordable data center subsidization on their electric bills,” said Olivia Wein, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. “It is outrageous that households are stuck paying billions of dollars to energy companies for costs that should be borne by data centers. The added expense is particularly harmful for low-income households who already face impossible choices between paying the monthly electric bill and paying for food, medicine, and rent.”

“The way we currently regulate electricity doesn't work for the city-sized power demands of data centers. The Power for the People Act modernizes regulation to protect residential customers from subsidizing wealthy data centers, saving residential customers in Maryland and across the country from paying billions of dollars in electricity costs to support data center growth,” said Maryland People's Counsel David S. Lapp.

"Across the country, the rapid growth of data centers is the number one threat to affordable electricity—energy costs will continue to hit record highs if we don't act now. The Power for the People Act would hold data centers accountable for their impact on the grid, helping ensure reliability and affordability for everyone,” said Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director at the Citizens Utility Board of Illinois. “These companies are among the wealthiest in the world, and it is simply unacceptable for everyday consumers to foot the bill for their energy guzzling. The Power for the People Act would rein these companies in and help restore balance to our energy system."

“The Power for the People Act takes a balanced approach. It holds data centers accountable for their impact on the grid while providing them with tools to manage their energy needs,” said Brian Lipman, Director for the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel. “Without this legislation, residential customers will be unprotected from higher rates and potential blackouts and brownouts at peak times - during the hottest summer days and coldest winter nights. We must protect customers from these risks, while enabling data centers to plan responsibly. This bill is an important first step toward that goal.”

“Oregon is becoming a top destination for data center growth in the country and we have seen that growth in home power bills rising by more than 50% in five years,” said Bob Jenks, Executive Director of Oregon Citizens' Utility Board.“This federal legislation would allow us to go further than state policy allows, supporting more affordable energy bills for American families.”

“Data centers are transforming the energy sector at a speed and a scale unlike anything in decades, increasing electricity costs for worse reliability at a time when families can least afford spiking costs. Individual data centers can have the energy needs of cities, impacting the energy system and the communities around them. Collectively, the explosive growth in data centers is worsening the reliability of our energy system and imposing enormous costs – expensive transmission upgrades, rapidly increasing capacity prices, increasing energy prices – that will be paid by electricity customers. We must ensure that the economic opportunities that data centers provide for some does not come at the expense of everyone else,” said Jameson Tweedie, Public Advocate for the State of Delaware.“The Power for the People Act helps do just that, protecting the reliability of our energy system by ensuring new power generation is built to match the power demands of data centers, while requiring data centers to pay for the costs they impose on the system to protect existing customers.”

“Congress needs to step in and make sure utility customers don't get stuck with the bill for the data center construction boom, or the increased pollution that boom will cause if those companies don't bring their own new, clean energy. This commonsense legislation will hold data centers accountable and make sure they are paying the real costs for all the power they are using. Power for the People is an important step in the right direction, and Congress should act on it pronto,” said Jackson Morris, Director, State Power Sector at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

“We applaud Senator Van Hollen for stepping forward to address the critical grid reliability and consumer cost issues associated with the build-out of data centers. The Power for the People Act pushes direct fixes to the regulatory shortcomings that leave consumers on the hook for data centers’ transmission upgrade costs, emphasizes the need to ensure reliable service, and prioritizes clean energy solutions to meet growing data center demand. UCS encourages Congress to move swiftly to consider the Power for the People Act and ensure the data center boom does not threaten electricity reliability or affordability,” said Mike Jacobs, Senior Energy Manager at Union of Concerned Scientists.


U.S. Senator Katie Britt Applauds Alabamians Appointed to USDA FSA State Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today celebrated the appointment of five Alabamians to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Committee.

Shep Morris, Wallace Drury, Billy Hixon, Mike Reeves, and Dr. Mykel Taylor were appointed to serve on Alabama’s FSA committee, bringing decades of experience, expertise, and community engagement to their new roles.

These members were appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins following recommendations from Senator Britt. The FSA State Committee plays a critical role for Alabama farmers by overseeing farm programs, maintaining cooperative relationships with industry stakeholders, and supporting agricultural communities across the state.

“I’m proud to celebrate these incredible Alabamians, who bring an unmatched depth of knowledge to serve our farmers across Alabama,” said Senator Britt. “Their unique backgrounds, representing a wide range of agricultural sectors, which will ensure farmers across our state are served exceptionally well.”

“I’m thankful to President Trump, Secretary Rollins, and FSA Administrator Bill Beam for appointing these tremendous Alabamians, and I look forward to seeing all they accomplish for our state.”

You can learn more about the committee and appointees here.

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U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Jim Risch, Colleagues Call for Continued Protection of Religious Freedoms

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), on National Religious Freedom Day, announced she joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and several of their Republican colleagues in introducing a resolution expressing the need for America’s continued leadership on matters of religious freedom.

“In a day and age where religious freedom is increasingly under threat across the globe, it is more important than ever that America stands firm in protecting this fundamental right,” said Senator Britt. “Our great nation was founded on the promise that each individual can live out their faith without fear. We must continue to ensure that core American value remains for generations to come.”

“Around the world, religious freedom is under attack. Whether in China, Syria, across Africa, or beyond, Christians face alarming levels of persecution, from social discrimination to legal restrictions to systematic oppression. All people deserve the internationally recognized right to practice their freedom of religion, share their convictions, and live according to their beliefs without fear of reprisal. Here in America, we believe that all people are endowed with inalienable rights from their Creator and that religious freedom is a cornerstone of any free nation. America must continue to be a leader in defending religious freedom at home and abroad, and we must push our allies to do so as well,” said Senator Risch.

Senators Britt and Risch were joined by Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Barasso (R-Wyo.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas).

Senator Britt is proud to champion the protection of religious freedom throughout our nation, previously introducing a resolutiondesignating “Religious Education Week”, the RESTORE Act, which would protect the religious freedoms of servicemembers, and has earned the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Friend of the Family Award, recognizing her commitment to protecting religious freedom.

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

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U.S. Senators Katie Britt Slams Dangerous Biden-Harris Afghan Parolee Program, Demands Reforms to Protect Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) attended a joint hearing of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration and the Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism to address the disastrous effects of the Biden-Harris administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) Parole Program. The witnesses included Craig Adelman, Deputy Inspector General for Audits at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Arne B. Baker, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Inspector General at the Department of State, and Michael J. Roark, Deputy Inspector General for Evaluations at the Department of Defense.

Senator Britt began by highlighting the national and global effects of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying, “The Biden-Harris disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan sent shockwaves not just through that region, but literally across the entire globe … I was actually on the campaign trail and there is nowhere that I visited in the state of Alabama where people didn’t have a visceral reaction to the lack of our Commander in Chief being in command … And today we’re here to get answers about what actually happened and how we can make sure that this doesn’t happen in the future …”

The Senator continued by discussing the previous Administration’s deeply flawed OAW parole program: “DHS OIG released a report that stated that CBP admitted the following evacuees to the U.S under OAW, and it was 417 evacuees whose (first) name was totally unknown. There were 242 evacuees whose last name was unknown. 11,110 evacuees whose date of birth was January 1 … And despite this, the Biden-Harris administration and DHS did not concur with the recommendations of DHS OIG, that you all made to address it and to actually ensure it didn’t happen again.”

“One of those recommendations was from DHS to develop a comprehensive contingency plan to adequately vet and screen all individuals during future similar emergency situations. So, do you know, Mr. Adelman, if any of the steps have been taken to ensure that … these different recommendations have … been taken and where are we on that?” Senator Britt asked the witnesses.

Mr. Adelman responded, “The department, as you noted, did not agree and has not made any progress in completing that recommendation … we have closed the second recommendation in that report on the recurrent vetting process.”

Senator Britt followed up on her question, asking the other witnesses, “Do either of you know of any, changes or structural processes that have been improved upon the failures that we have seen in the past?”

Mr. Baker responded, “…it has not. That recommendation is open.”

“Still,” Senator Britt emphasized. “After we saw the travesty that occurred a few weeks ago, the loss of life, still,” she stated, referring to the Afghan national—paroled into the U.S. through the OAW program—who killed National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injured National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe last month.

“I know that the Trump administration has talked about refocusing on where we are now, finding these individuals, making sure that we’re doing a better job. But based on your experience in dealing with these issues, are there any particular unresolved issues, obviously, (that) the administration can push, but that we here in Congress need to take a look at in order to be able to be better positioned in the event that this happens in the future?” Senator Britt asked.

“I think, for me, it would be just to make some progress on the recommendations, to clarify the responsibilities within the Department of Homeland Security and improve information sharing,” Mr. Adelman stated.

“… [I] the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security can implement the two remaining open recommendations, I think that that would go a long way to improving this in the future,” Mr. Roark responded.

Senator Britt concluded, “Well, let’s get to work. Let’s work together to make sure that we keep the American people safe.”

You can watch the Senator’s full remarks here.

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ICYMI – Senator Budd Appointed to United States Air Force Academy Board of Visitors

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after U.S. Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas-11), Chairman of the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) Board of Visitors, announced his appointment to serve on the board. Senator Budd was appointed by U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to the USAFA Board of Visitors.

“I am honored to join the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors to help ensure our cadets receive a world-class education and rigorous leadership development as they prepare to serve as officers in the U.S. Air Force and Space Force. As recent operations have proven, maintaining American air superiority is critical to the success of our modern military operations, and it is our responsibility to ensure the next generation of warfighters are prepared to operate and lead under the most demanding conditions. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this board to uphold the highest standards of education and training to ensure the continued strength, readiness, and lethality of the Air Force and Space Force,” said Senator Budd.

“As the Board prepares to deliver one of its most consequential reports, adding three proven leaders strengthens our ability to produce a foundational product that will serve both the Academy and, more importantly, our cadets. My mission as Chairman of the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors is to restore America’s Fighting Force and ensure the Air Force Academy is preparing cadets to become the next generation of warfighting leaders our nation needs,” said Chairman Pfluger. “While we will never be able to know when or where the next conflict will occur, we do get to decide how prepared our fighting force will be. Senators Mullin, Cramer, and Budd bring the grit and leadership needed to help us meet and exceed that mission. I am proud to welcome them aboard.”

BACKGROUND

Established by law in 1956, the U.S. Air Force Academy Board provides independent advice and recommendations on matters relating to USAFA, including morale, discipline, social climate, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods, and any other matters relating to the Academy that the board decides to consider.

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Senator Budd Leads Legislation Banning Foreign Violators of Religious Freedom from Obtaining U.S. Visas

Washington, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by restricting the issuance of visas to individuals who have directed, authorized, significantly supported, participated in, or carried out violations of religious freedom. The bill would additionally amend the INA to expand visa ineligibility to terrorist or non-state actors responsible for violations of religious freedom, in addition to foreign government officials responsible for the persecution of religious groups.

“Nigeria is just one of many examples where non-state actors and terrorist groups are carrying out kidnappings and killings of Christians and other religious minorities. It is entirely unacceptable for the U.S., a nation founded on the principle of religious freedom, to allow such foreign nationals into our country. By codifying the Trump administration’s directive to bar these malign actors from obtaining U.S. visas, we are establishing robust consequences for violators and sending a loud and clear message to the rest of the world that America will not tolerate any attack on religious freedom,” said Senator Budd.

“Any foreign official that is involved in the persecution of Christians, in Nigeria or anywhere else, has no business setting foot in the United States. This bill builds upon the decisive actions taken by Secretary of State Rubio and President Trump,” said Senator Cotton.

“Religious freedom is a God-given right, and our nation should never open its doors to those who persecute people of faith. If you direct, support, or take part in religious persecution, you should never be allowed to enter the United States,” said Senator Lankford.

“Our great country was founded on protecting the God given rights of man. Our nation’s Constitution guarantees it. I am proud to support the Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act which prevents religious terrorists and oppressors of Christians and other religious minorities from ever entering our great nation,” said Senator Moody.

“Secretary Rubio is doing the right thing by blocking the monsters who trample on other people’s religious liberty from receiving visas. Now, it’s up to Congress to make these important Trump administration reforms permanent. I’m proud to help Senator Budd introduce the Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act to protect our country from those who don’t respect our First Amendment freedoms,” said Senator Kennedy.

“The United States should not be a safe haven for those who persecute people of faith. The Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar visas for individuals who have directed, supported, or carried out violations of religious freedom, said Senator Blackburn.

“Individuals who encourage or facilitate religious persecution, such as the persecution of Christians in Nigeria or Uyghurs in China, pose a threat to the safety and security of Americans and should not be allowed on American soil. I am proud to join Senator Budd in introducing this bill.” said Ted Cruz.

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined in co-sponsoring the legislation.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

On December 3, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new policy under the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows the U.S. Department of State to restrict visa issuance to individuals who have committed violations of religious freedom.

While this decision came in response to reports of brutal killings and violence against religious minorities in Nigeria, the policy implemented by the Trump administration could apply to any foreign individual who is directly responsible for or involved with severe violations of religious persecution.

The Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act of 2026:

Codifies the efforts taken by Secretary Rubio by sending a clear message to perpetrators of religious freedom around the globe that they are inadmissible to the United States.

Requires the Secretary of State to make the names of all aliens determined to be inadmissible publicly accessible.

Provides an exception if the Secretary of State determines that the public release of the identity of such an alien would have adverse foreign policy consequences.

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PHOTOS: Capito Attends Harvey Investiture Ceremony, Visits Sam Michaels Park

EASTERN PANHANDLE, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) traveled to the Eastern Panhandle where she made several stops and visited with community and business leaders.

First, Senator Capito visited Jefferson County Parks and Recreation where she received a briefing and went on a tour of the Phase II of the AMP at Sam Michaels Park. Phase II of this project enables the AMP to become a full-service event venue by improving the ticketing, concessions, and restroom facilities here at Sam Michaels Park. Through the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Capito was able to advocate for and secure a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) award for the project in Fiscal Year 2022.

“It was wonderful to visit Jefferson County Parks and Recreation— a project my mother was very involved in during her time as West Virginia’s First Lady,” Senator Capito said. “During the visit, I had the chance to see firsthand the impact of the Phase II improvements at the AMP at Sam Michaels Park, as well as how the CDS award I helped secure was put to use. This project has transformed the AMP into a full-service event venue that will better serve families, local organizations, and visitors to the Eastern Panhandle for years to come.”

Next, Senator Capito traveled to Shepherdstown, W.Va. where she delivered remarks at Matt Harvey’s Investiture Ceremony. Senators Capito and Justice recommended the nomination of Matt Harvey to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia last year. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 7, 2025.

“It was an honor to be a part of today’s investiture ceremony for Matt Harvey. Matt has long demonstrated a strong work ethic, steady judgement, and sincere commitment to West Virginians. I am confident he will serve our Northern District with integrity and fairness, and I look forward to supporting his efforts as he takes on this important role,” Senator Capito said.

Photos from today’s events are included below:

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visits the Sam Michaels Park at the Jefferson County Parks and Recreation in Shenandoah Junction, W.Va. on Friday, January 16, 2026.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) attends Matt Harvey’s Investiture Ceremony at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.Va. on Friday, January 16, 2026.

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Cassidy Joins Majority Leader Thune to Highlight “No Taxes on Tips” in Baton Rouge

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) hosted U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) at Phil’s Oyster Bar and Seafood Restaurant in Baton Rouge, where they discussed with workers and restaurant patrons the benefits of President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts bill.

“The Working Families Tax Cuts bill was written for workers like the waiters and bartenders at Phil’s,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Louisianans are now keeping more of their hard-earned money in their pockets. I was proud to work with President Trump and Leader Thune to make it happen.”

“From permanent tax relief to no taxes on tips and overtime, the Working Families Tax Cuts bill is chock-full of wins for small businesses and the hardworking Americans they employ,” said Leader Thune. “It was great to be in Baton Rouge with Senator Cassidy to hear directly from Louisiana’s employees on the impacts they will feel from this game-changing legislation.”

The Working Families Tax Cut Act allows workers who earn under $150,000 to deduct $25,000 worth of tips from their income tax statement, in most cases.

Additionally, the Working Families Tax Cut bill keeps taxes low, cuts taxes on overtime and Social Security, extends the Child Tax Credit, fixes our broken education system, supports our military, secures the border, and builds a business environment that creates better paying jobs.

Cassidy and Leader Thune sat down with one of the managers and bartenders at Phil’s Oyster Bar to learn how they’re directly benefitting from “No Taxes on Tips.” They also met Mr. Anthony Piazza, the owner of the restaurant, who thanked them for their work.

“It was my honor to host Senator Cassidy and Majority Leader Thune at Phil’s Oyster Bar, and I’m grateful that they’re focusing on helping people here in Louisiana,” said Mr. Piazza. “Thanks to their work, my employees will be able to keep more of their money to care for their families. This is great for them, for this business, and for our entire community.”

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ICYMI: Cassidy Pens Op-Ed on Restoring American Dream, Improving Rural Health Care, Supporting Louisiana Energy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned an op-ed in the American Press outlining his work in 2025 to restore the American Dream in Louisiana by lowering costs through the Working Families Tax Cuts, improving rural health care via the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund, and strengthening Louisiana’s energy sector by working with President Trump to reverse disastrous Biden-era policies.

“For many Louisianans, the American Dream means starting a family, having a high-paying job, and living in a safe neighborhood. That dream has become unaffordable and unattainable for many. President Trump and Republicans are working to fix it,” wrote Dr. Cassidy.

“We will continue lowering costs, creating opportunity, and making life easier. Louisiana holds the key to much of our success. I will keep Making Louisiana great — and affordable — again!,” continued Dr. Cassidy.

Read the full op-ed here or excerpts below:

Republicans working to keep American Dream alive

For many Louisianans, the American Dream means starting a family, having a high-paying job, and living in a safe neighborhood. That dream has become unaffordable and unattainable for many. President Trump and Republicans are working to fix it. We took action to support working families across Louisiana. The Working Families Tax Cuts bill expands the Child Tax Credit, making it easier for parents to start and sustain a family.

Republicans’ tax cuts also deliver higher paychecks by cutting taxes on tips and overtime for the beauty industry and small businesses. The idea to extend tip tax credit to beauticians came from a Louisiana business owner who visited my office over a year ago to propose the change. I agreed, and we got it done. Through that meeting, a Louisianan influenced national policy, and people across the state are taking home more of their hard-earned pay.

…

We created a $50 billion rural health fund as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts package to deliver lifesaving care closer to home. It means rural hospitals can stay open, hire more doctors and nurses, and serve more patients. It means investing in telehealth and community-based care. President Trump and I made this a priority because we agree access to quality care shouldn’t depend on your address.

We are also working together toward a stronger energy sector so that Louisianans can have high-paying jobs and affordable electricity. From losing jobs in the energy sector to paying skyrocketing electric bills, Louisianans were hit hard by the Biden Administration’s war against domestic energy production. President Trump is reversing this disaster and reminding the nation that Louisiana is the place to invest. It’s no coincidence that Woodside Energy announced a $17.5 billion investment in Calcasieu Parish in his first 100 days, and we’ve continued to see many more successes as we work to restore America’s energy dominance.

…

So, whether your American Dream is to start a family, open a business, or simply create a stable life for yourself and your family, President Trump and Republicans have your back. We will continue lowering costs, creating opportunity, and making life easier. Louisiana holds the key to much of our success. I will keep Making Louisiana great — and affordable — again!

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Congress Approves More Than $4 Million for North Pond and Unity Pond Restoration Projects Secured by Senator Collins

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $4,350,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending to improve the water quality of North Pond and Unity Pond in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill. The legislation, which was officially approved by the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, will now be signed into law by the President.

“Maine’s lakes and ponds play an important role in communities throughout the state, offering recreational, fishing, and birding opportunities for locals and visitors,” said Senator Collins. “This funding aims to address frequent algae blooms and improve water quality, helping to ensure these natural resources will be available for all to enjoy for generations to come. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to secure this important funding.”

Funding secured by Senator Collins is as follows:

North Pond Water Quality Restoration

Recipient: 7 Lakes Alliance

Project Location: Somerset and Kennebec Counties, ME

Amount Requested: $2,350,000

Project Purpose: To remediate algae blooms in North Pond.

Unity Pond Water Quality Restoration

Recipient: Friends of Lake Winnecook

Project Location: Waldo County, ME

Amount Requested: $2,000,000

Project Purpose: To remediate algae blooms in Unity Pond.

In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1.2 billion for hundreds of Maine projects in FY 2022, FY 2023, FY 2024, and FY 2026 (to date). As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.

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Congress Approves More Than $14.5 Million for Maine Law Enforcement and Public Safety Projects Secured by Senator Collins

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $14,566,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine law enforcement and public safety upgrades. These projects were included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. The legislation, which was officially approved by the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, now heads to the President to be signed into law.

“It is critical that the men and women who make up Maine’s finest and bravest have access to the most effective equipment to better protect themselves and our communities,” said Senator Collins. “This funding will help to improve public safety efforts and emergency response capacity throughout Maine. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to secure this important funding."

Funding secured by Senator Collins for Maine law enforcement and public safety upgrades in the FY 2026 CJS Appropriations bill is as follows:

Cornish Public Safety Communications Equipment

Recipient: Town of Cornish

Project Location: Cornish, ME

Amount Requested: $218,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety communications equipment.

Farmington Police Department Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Farmington Police Department

Project Location: Farmington, ME

Amount Requested: $240,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment.

Hancock County Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Hancock County

Project Location: Hancock County, ME

Amount Requested: $2,300,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment for law enforcement agencies in Hancock County.

Kennebunk Public Safety Communications Equipment

Recipient: Town of Kennebunk

Project Location: Kennebunk, ME

Amount Requested: $5,018,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety communications equipment.

Lewiston Police Department Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Lewiston Police Department

Project Location: Lewiston, ME

Amount Requested: $2,170,000

Project Purpose: To purchase protective gear and other public safety equipment.

Lincoln Police Department Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Lincoln Police Department

Project Location: Lincoln, ME

Amount Requested: $565,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment.

Rumford Police Department Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Rumford Police Department

Project Location: Rumford, ME

Amount Requested: $1,000,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment.

Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Somerset County Sheriff’s Office

Project Location: Somerset County, ME

Amount Requested: $294,000

Project Purpose: To increase evidence storage capacity and purchase public safety equipment.

Veazie Police Department Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Town of Veazie Police Department

Project Location: Veazie, ME

Amount Requested: $125,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment.

Waldo County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Waldo County Sheriff’s Office

Project Location: Waldo County, ME

Amount Requested: $688,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment for law enforcement agencies in Waldo County.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Equipment

Recipient: Washington County Sheriff’s Office

Project Location: Washington County, ME

Amount Requested: $187,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety equipment for law enforcement agencies in Washington County.

Wells Police Department Emergency Response Vessel

Recipient: Wells Police Department

Project Location: Wells, ME

Amount Requested: $599,000

Project Purpose: To purchase an emergency response vessel and related equipment.

Winthrop Public Safety Communications Equipment

Recipient: Town of Winthrop

Project Location: Winthrop, ME

Amount Requested: $1,162,000

Project Purpose: To purchase public safety communications equipment.

This funding builds on the more than $12 million Senator Collins secured for Maine fire stations and emergency services and the more than $600,000 for the Holden Police Department in the FY 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill signed into law in November.

In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1.2 billion for hundreds of Maine projects in FY 2022, FY 2023, FY 2024, and FY 2026 (to date). As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.

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Senators Collins, Kaine, Risch Welcome Policy Change to Cut Red Tape for Foreign-Born Religious Workers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Jim Risch (R-ID) welcomed an interim final rule from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) which eliminates the arbitrary requirement that forces foreign-born religious workers to leave the United States after five years of service and remain outside the U.S. for at least one year before they can return. Since the permanent residence process for religious workers is heavily backlogged due to no fault of their own, this requirement has meant that religious workers have been forced to abruptly leave their churches, mosques, synagogues, and other religious organizations behind for a year or more, disrupting faith communities across the country.

Under the new rule, religious workers who have reached five years of service in the U.S. would still have to leave the U.S. but could return to the U.S. with a new R-1 visa without having to wait a full year–meaning congregations and religious communities who rely on these religious workers will face less disruption.

“I joined Senators Kaine and Risch in introducing the Religious Workforce Protection Act when I noticed Maine parishes where I attend mass were losing their priests because their R-1 visas expired while their EB-4 applications were still pending. I saw this issue creating a real crisis in our state. We urged the previous administration to fix this issue, but the problem went unaddressed—until today,” said Senator Collins. “This decision from the Department of Homeland Security is a significant step in helping religious workers of all faith traditions continue to live and serve here in the United States without disruptions while their applications for permanent residency are being fully processed. We will continue working to pass our legislation to provide full and lasting relief to religious workers and the communities they serve in Maine and across the country.”

“Faith communities across America–including my own Parish in Richmond–depend on foreign religious workers and suffer greatly when these dedicated members of their congregations are forced to leave the country due to no fault of their own,” said Senator Kaine. “This interim final rule from DHS is a step in the right direction and will reduce hardships to temples, churches, mosques, and other religious communities throughout the U.S. Now it’s time for Congress to take the next step and pass the Kaine-Collins-Risch Religious Workforce Protection Act to further streamline the bureaucratic process for foreign-born pastors, priests, rabbis, nuns, imams, and other religious workers to continue their work here in the United States.”

“I am encouraged that the Interim Final Rule includes a positive change to the R-1 policy, an important step forward for faith-based organizations. However, a permanent legislative solution remains essential. I am deeply grateful to Senator Collins for her continued leadership in championing the Religious Workforce Protection Act and for her unwavering support of the vital spiritual work we carry out across the nation,” said Bishop James Ruggieri of the Diocese of Portland.

Senators Collins and Kaine have long advocated for policy changes to make it easier for religious workers already in the U.S. to continue to serve their religious communities. In April 2025, they, along with Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), introduced the Religious Workforce Protection Act, which would give the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to extend religious workers’ R-1 nonimmigrant status without having to leave the U.S. until they receive a decision on their permanent residence application. In 2021, 2023, and 2024, Senators Collins and Kaine wrote to the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to urge administrative changes that would help keep religious workers and organizations from being left in limbo between the lapse of the workers’ R-1 visas and the processing and approval of their permanent residence visas.

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Cramer, Daines Urge President Trump to Secure Favorable Pulse Crop Trade Deal with India

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the midst of President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade negotiations with India, two U.S. Senators are calling on the president to strike a deal on pulse crops. U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Steve Daines (R-MT) wrote a letter to President Trump, requesting he “push for favorable pulse crop provisions in any agreement the United States signs with the Republic of India.”

According to U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, the U.S. and India are actively engaged in finalizing a new trade deal. The Trump Administration launched negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with India last year on Feb. 13, and in April, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) finalized its Terms of Reference for a BTA, establishing the roadwork for mutually beneficial, multi-sector negotiations. USTR found India’s average applied tariff rate on agriculture products was 39%, whereas the U.S. applied an average tariff of just 5% on agricultural goods. It also found technical barriers to trade, regulatory barriers, and restrictions on access to the market in certain sectors, including agriculture, have reduced U.S. exports to India.

The senators represent the states producing the most pulse crops, writing, “North Dakota and Montana are the top two producers of pulse crops, including peas, and India is the world’s largest consumer of these crops, contributing to approximately 27% of the world’s consumption. The most commonly consumed pulse crops in India are lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, and peas, yet they have levied substantial tariffs on American pulse crops.”

“As the United States looks to rebalance trade disparities, American farmers are ready to help fill the gap,” the senators concluded. “They have tremendous capacity to feed and fuel the world if trade opportunities are unleashed. Engaging Prime Minister Modi on pulse crop tariffs to enhance the economic cooperation between our countries would be mutually beneficial to both American producers and Indian customers.”

This follows Cramer’s longtime leadership on achieving favorable trade conditions for pulse crop producers. In 2020, he wrote a similar letter to President Trump, asking him to advocate for favorable provisions for American pulse crops in a trade deal with India. President Trump hand-delivered the letter from Cramer and Daines during his visit to India.


Crapo Welcomes Winter 2026 Interns

Washington, D.C.--Five interns joined U.S. Senator Mike Crapo’s (R-Idaho) Washington, D.C., and Boise offices for the winter 2026 term.

“The young individuals joining my office for the winter term will get to experience firsthand important moments under President Trump’s historic second term,” said Crapo. “They will actively engage with Idaho’s constituents, expand their understanding of the federal policymaking process and grow a variety of skills important for their next career step. I am delighted to have them on my team this winter and look forward to their success.”

Three interns will serve in the Washington, D.C., office:

Jared Austin is a Pocatello, Idaho, native and a senior at Brigham Young University-Idaho. He is studying communication with an emphasis in public relations. This is his second internship in Washington, D.C., and his goal for the semester is to learn the workings of building bridges between organizations and their audiences.

Mikey Stanciu, also an Idaho native, comes to Washington, D.C., from Nampa, Idaho. He is a senior at Boise State University, majoring in criminal justice and psychology. His goal for his internship is to gain a deeper understanding of health care policy.

Justin Stewart recently graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in public policy and administration. He previously worked with the Crapo team as an intern in the Idaho Falls office in 2024. His goal for the semester is to strengthen his experience in working with matters related to national security and intelligence.

Two interns will serve in the Boise office:

Catie Tatom is a senior at Boise State University, where she studies political science. She is originally from the Boise area. Her goal for her internship is to gain experience that will prepare her for law school.

Garrett Scherer, also a senior at Boise State University, is from Livermore, California. He is studying political science with a focus on American government and policy making. His goal for the semester is to gain experience as he prepares to go to law school.

Crapo hosts interns in his Washington, D.C., office as well as in the various regional offices throughout Idaho. The applications for the summer and fall 2026 terms close on March 1. Students interested in positions for the spring, summer or fall semesters can find more information about the application process, internship expectations and deadlines for applying on the Senator's official website at: https://www.crapo.senate.gov/services/for-students/internships.

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Working Families Tax Cuts Bring Bigger Paychecks

Washington, D.C.—Workers receiving their first paychecks of 2026 are finding them bigger than ever thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts spearheaded by U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). Between stronger economic growth and employers updating tax withholding according to the new law, Idahoans can expect to see up to $6,400 in real wage increases this year. Additionally, because many of these changes took effect retroactively to the beginning of 2025, Americans will see supersized refunds this tax filing season, which the U.S. Department of the Treasury estimates will reach $100 billion in total.

“Americans are seeing bigger paychecks now that they reflect the changes Republicans made in our Working Families Tax Cuts,” said Crapo. “Helping people keep more of the money they work hard for is both a matter of principle and an important part of spurring economic growth. With more money in their pockets, Americans can begin to move past the Biden-created affordability crisis.”

Key wins:

Permanent lower tax rates

Permanent increased standard deduction

No tax on tips for millions of tipped workers

No tax on overtime for millions of hourly employees

Increased tax relief for millions of seniors

According to the Tax Foundation’s 2026 tax calculator, taxpayers across the income spectrum can expect to save thousands this year thanks to the legislation:

A single adult, making $30,000, of which $10,000 are qualified tips: Tax cut of $1,462

A single adult with two kids, making $40,000: Tax cut of $2,010

A single adult, making $75,000, of which $10,000 is qualified overtime: Tax cut of $4,192

A married couple filing jointly, with two kids, making $85,000: Tax cut of $2,425

A married couple filing jointly, with three kids, making $110,000: Tax cut of $3,580

Click HERE and HERE to see how the Working Families Tax Cuts supports American workers.

Click HERE to learn more about the Finance Committee provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts.

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Sen. Cruz Celebrates Coast Guard’s Historic Investment in South Padre Island

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Coast Guard announced a landmark $200 million expansion and rebuild of the Coast Guard Station in South Padre Island (SPI). Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, secured this money for SPI in the Working Families Tax Cut Act. The funding represents the largest award for a shore infrastructure construction project in Coast Guard history.

Sen. Cruz said,“The Working Families Tax Cut Act is financing the $200 million restoration of South Padre Island’s Station South in Texas. This will rebuild the historic U.S. Coast Guard station after last year’s devastating fire and greatly strengthen southern border security.”

BACKGROUND

The funding will rebuild SPI facilities damaged by a fire last April. Construction will also cover station facilities, pier infrastructure, a new harbor operations center, and a joint support space with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Located just six miles north of Mexico, Coast Guard Station South Padre Island is at the forefront of securing our southern border. The project will help the Coast Guard protect the U.S.-Mexico border and its surrounding waterways, support the safe flow of commerce, and respond quickly to emergencies along the Gulf of America.


Sens. Cruz, Budd, Colleagues Introduce Legislation Banning Foreign Violators of Religious Freedom from Obtaining U.S. Visas

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and colleagues in introducing the Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act. This legislation amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by restricting the issuance of visas to individuals who have directed, authorized, significantly supported, participated in, or carried out violations of religious freedom.

Sen. Cruz said, “Individuals who encourage or facilitate religious persecution, such as the persecution of Christians in Nigeria or Uyghurs in China, pose a threat to the safety and security of Americans and should not be allowed on American soil. I am proud to join Senator Budd in introducing this bill.”

Sen. Budd said, “Nigeria is just one of many examples where non-state actors and terrorist groups are carrying out kidnappings and killings of Christians and other religious minorities. It is entirely unacceptable for the U.S., a nation founded on the principle of religious freedom, to allow such foreign nationals into our country. By codifying the Trump administration’s directive to bar these malign actors from obtaining U.S. visas, we are establishing robust consequences for violators and sending a loud and clear message to the rest of the world that America will not tolerate any attack on religious freedom.”

U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) joined in co-sponsoring the legislation.

Sen. Cotton said, “Any foreign official that is involved in the persecution of Christians, in Nigeria or anywhere else, has no business setting foot in the United States. This bill builds upon the decisive actions taken by Secretary of State Rubio and President Trump.”

Sen. Lankford said, “Religious freedom is a God-given right, and our nation should never open its doors to those who persecute people of faith. If you direct, support, or take part in religious persecution, you should never be allowed to enter the United States.”

Sen. Moody said, “Our great country was founded on protecting the God given rights of man. Our nation’s Constitution guarantees it. I am proud to support the Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act which prevents religious terrorists and oppressors of Christians and other religious minorities from ever entering our great nation.”

Sen. Kennedy said, “Secretary Rubio is doing the right thing by blocking the monsters who trample on other people’s religious liberty from receiving visas. Now, it’s up to Congress to make these important Trump administration reforms permanent. I’m proud to help Senator Budd introduce the Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act to protect our country from those who don’t respect our First Amendment freedoms.”

Sen. Blackburn said, “The United States should not be a safe haven for those who persecute people of faith. The Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar visas for individuals who have directed, supported, or carried out violations of religious freedom.”

Read the full bill text here.

BACKGROUND

In September 2025, Sen. Cruz introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025. This legislation protects Christians and other religious minorities being persecuted in Nigeria by holding accountable Nigerian officials who facilitate Islamist jihadist violence and the imposition of blasphemy laws.

On December 3, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new policy under the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows the U.S. Department of State to restrict visa issuance to individuals who have committed violations of religious freedom.

While this decision came in response to reports of brutal killings and violence against religious minorities in Nigeria, the policy implemented by the Trump administration could apply to any foreign individual who is directly responsible for or involved with severe violations of religious persecution.

The Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act of 2026:

Amends the INA to expand visa ineligibility to terrorist or non-state actors responsible for violations of religious freedom, in addition to foreign government officials responsible for the persecution of religious groups.

Codifies Secretary Rubio’s efforts by sending a clear message to those who violate religious freedom around the world that they are inadmissible to the United States.

Requires the Secretary of State to make the names of all aliens determined to be inadmissible publicly accessible.


Daines Calls for Increased Trade Opportunities for Montana Pulse Crop Farmers in India

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) today sent a letter to President Trump urging favorable pulse crop provisions in any future trade agreements between the United States and India. Montana is the top producer of pulse crops in the U.S., and India is the top consumer in the world.

“Thank you for your efforts to secure a favorable economic environment for North Dakota and Montana agricultural producers. As trade negotiations progress, we encourage you to push for favorable pulse crop provisions in any agreement the United States signs with the Republic of India…

…North Dakota and Montana are the top two producers of pulse crops, including peas, and India is the world’s largest consumer of these crops, contributing to approximately 27% of the world’s consumption…

… India announced on October 30, 2025, it would impose a 30% tariff on yellow peas. The higher duty went into effect on November 1, 2025. As a result of the unfair Indian tariffs, U.S. pulse crop producers face a significant competitive disadvantage when exporting their high-quality product to India…

…In your first term, we wrote to you on this issue, and you hand-delivered our letter to Prime Minister Modi during the 2020 trade negotiations with India, which helped bring our producers to the table…

… Engaging Prime Minister Modi on pulse crop tariffs to enhance the economic cooperation between our countries would be mutually beneficial to both American producers and Indian customers,” they wrote in the letter.

Read the full letter HERE.

In 2020, Daines & Cramer sent a similar letter to President Trump, which he hand-delivered to Indian Prime Minister Modi. Read the letter from 2020 HERE.

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Daines, Sheehy Celebrate MSU’s Thrilling FCS National Championship Win

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy celebrated the 2025 Montana State Bobcats Football team’s Division I FCS Championship win with a resolution commemorating the Bobcats’ successful season.

“It was incredible to see the Montana State University Bobcats in Nashville, Tennessee, defeat Illinois State University in an epic overtime victory at the FCS National Championship game. The last time the Cats won the National Championship was in 1984 – the year I graduated from MSU. This amazing win goes to show what can be achieved with preparation and perseverance. From now on, this historic win will be officially commemorated in the congressional record. Go Bobcats!”said Daines.

“The National Championship was a game for the history books, and it was epic to see the Bobcats compete on the national stage and secure a one-point overtime victory. It was a massive win for the entire state of Montana. Congratulations to all Montanans, but especially our Montana State Bobcats,” said Sheehy.

Read the full resolution HERE.

Watch Daines’ interview on KBZK announcing the resolution HERE.

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Duckworth Introduces Bill to Maintain Integrity of Independent Government Watchdogs

The Senator’s legislation aims to restore public confidence in Inspectors General after Trump unlawfully fired 17 IGs without justification—many of whom served honorably across Administrations

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – One year after Donald Trump unlawfully fired 17 Inspectors General (IGs) just days into his second term, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced legislation to help restore public trust in IGs as Trump has worked to replace them with loyalists tied to his Administration. The Inspectors General Independence Act would prevent Donald Trump and future Presidents from appointing their own political allies to serve in the Administration’s “independent” watchdog roles—a clear conflict of interest that undermines their responsibility to root out government waste, fraud and abuse within the Executive Branch.

“In the aftermath of the heinous Watergate scandal, Congress established Inspectors General as non-partisan and independent investigators with important oversight responsibilities to help ensure any Administration, whether Democrat or Republican, complies with the law—but under Trump, that crucial check and balance is being eroded,” said Senator Duckworth. “Inspectors General must be trusted to hold federal agencies accountable and protect American taxpayers—not simply serve at the whim of the President who appointed them. Our legislation would help restore trust by ensuring these watchdogs remain independent from any Administration’s political agenda.”

Inspectors General are federal watchdogs tasked with rooting out waste, fraud and abuse while ensuring agencies follow the law and use taxpayer dollars responsibly. Congress designed these offices to provide impartial and nonpartisan oversight, no matter which party controls the White House.

The Inspectors General Independence Act would bar Presidents from nominating their own political appointees as Inspectors General to help keep these watchdogs independent and free from conflicts of interest that would compromise the integrity of their investigations, audits and oversight of the Administration.

In addition to Duckworth, this legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Peter Welch (D-VT).

The full text of the bill is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

One of the clearest examples of how Inspectors General’s impartiality and independence was undermined came when President Trump appointed Cheryl Mason—formerly Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under the current Administration—as VA Inspector General after removing her predecessor without cause. Assigning a political appointee to oversee policies they helped create undermines both impartial oversight and public trust.

Duckworth raised concerns about Mason’s commitment to the rule of law, noting she refused to acknowledge that her nomination was only possible because her predecessor had been unlawfully removed.

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Gallego, Colleagues Demand Answers on Pentagon’s Efforts to Politicize Stars and Stripes Military Newspaper

WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a Marine combat veteran,joined group of his colleagues in demanding answers on the Department of Defense’s (DOD) efforts to politicize Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper that has long maintained editorial independence. This follows recent reporting on how Stars and Stripes job applicants have been asked to explain how they would advance the Administration’s policy priorities, and comments from the Pentagon’s top public affairs official on the Department’s plans to overhaul the newspaper.

“We write to express our strong and unwavering support for the continued editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, a publication whose credibility rests on its ability to report freely and impartially on matters affecting the men and women of the United States Armed Forces,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Secretary Pete Hegseth. “…Any diminishing independence of Stars and Stripes is a blow to the public’s legitimate need for information and disrespectful to our military. The paper’s independence is essential to ensuring the American people understand what is happening in our armed forces, and to provide servicemembers with honest, credible reporting rather than filtered or politicized narratives.”

Stars and Stripes was founded in 1861, and Congress has long affirmed the newspaper’s independence.

The Senators continued, “Congress has been clear for decades that Stars and Stripes must be governed by First Amendment principles and insulated from political influence, regardless of which administration is in power. We urge you to immediately clarify that neither hiring practices nor editorial decisions at Stars and Stripes will be conditioned on ideological alignment or policy advocacy, and to reaffirm, publicly and unequivocally, the newspaper’s statutory independence.”

Read the full letter HERE.

“Like thousands of servicemembers and veterans, I read Stars and Stripes when I was in Iraq. Stars and Stripes’ independence is exactly why troops trust it, and the Pentagon’s attempt to take over its editorial decisions undermines that trust. I’ll fight any attempt to turn Stars and Stripes into another mouthpiece for this administration’s propaganda,”saidSenator Gallego.

Last November, Senator Gallego introduced a resolution recognizing the 80th anniversary of Stars and Stripes coverage in the Pacific. In September 2020, Gallego joined a bipartisan letter urging the Department of Defense to reverse its decision to defund Stars and Stripes, and in 2021 he helped secure $15.5 million in funding to ensure its continued operations.

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