Warner, Kaine Demand Investigation Into DHS Use of Surveillance Technology

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Inspector General Joseph Cuffari urging him to investigate current and future DHS procurements that enable the collection, retention, and analysis of sensitive personal data. As DHS continues a mass deportation campaign across the country, Warner and Kaine raised serious concerns that DHS is collecting and utilizing sensitive data about U.S. citizens and non-citizens in ways that may circumvent Fourth Amendment protections and other constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties, while operating with insufficient oversight and accountability.

“We write to you to express our concern that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is collecting sensitive personal data that can be used to circumvent civil liberty protections, including those guaranteed under the Fourth Amendment. This matter deserves your office’s immediate attention, and we request that your office audit DHS’ immigration procurement activities to determine whether they have led to violations of federal law and other regulations that maintain privacy and defend against unlawful searches,” the senators wrote.

“Numerous media reports and videos show DHS immigration enforcement operations in cities and towns across the country, including allegations of violations of individuals’ civil rights,” the senators continued. “On at least two separate occasions DHS law enforcement personnel – one working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the other for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – have shot and killed American citizens. Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot 3 times in Minneapolis by an ICE agent. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who worked at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, was also shot in Minneapolis during an encounter with CBP. Additionally, ICE agents have shot and wounded another person and deployed flash bangs and teargas on a family, resulting in the hospitalization of small children, including a 6-month-old baby.”

Warner and Kaine noted that alongside these recent, documented instances of excessive and deadly use of force by DHS immigration enforcement is an unprecedented allocation of funds that may be supporting the inappropriate and unsupervised use of surveillance technology.

“In addition to egregious practices we have seen in public reporting, it’s important that your office shine light on activities that undergird ICE’s enforcement actions including a muddled patchwork of technology procurements that have significantly expanded DHS’ ability to collect, retain, and analyze information about Americans,” added the senators. “Together, ICE’s new information collection tools potentially enable DHS to circumvent the constitutional protections provided by the Fourth Amendment - protections guaranteed to all Americans and all persons within our borders.”

“DHS law enforcement agencies have moved to amass potentially sensitive personal data with the unprecedented $165 billion DHS was allocated during last year’s partisan reconciliation process. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) alone received $75 billion, more funding than that allocated to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), an agency responsible for investigating violations of a significantly greater number of laws,” the senators continued.

Warner and Kaine provided a detailed list of questions to Inspector General Cuffari intended to uncover the manner and methods by which DHS collects, stores, uses, and shares data that contains personally identifying information and requested that DHS provide a briefing on their investigation and findings to them.

The senators wrote, “DHS’ reported disregard for adhering to the law and its proven ambivalence toward observing and upholding constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms of Americans and noncitizens, including freedom of speech and equal protection under the law, leaves us with little confidence that these new and powerful tools are being used responsibly. Coupled with DHS’ propensity to detain people regardless of their circumstances, it is reasonable question whether DHS can be trusted with powerful surveillance tools and if in doing so, DHS is subjecting Americans to surveillance under the pretext of immigration enforcement.”

The full text of the letter is available here and below:

The Honorable Joseph V. Cuffari

Inspector General

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

245 Murray Lane SW

Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Inspector General Cuffari:

We write to you to express our concern that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is collecting sensitive personal data that can be used to circumvent civil liberty protections, including those guaranteed under the Fourth Amendment. This matter deserves your office’s immediate attention, and we request that your office audit DHS’ immigration procurement activities to determine whether they have led to violations of federal law and other regulations that maintain privacy and defend against unlawful searches.

Numerous media reports and videos show DHS immigration enforcement operations in cities and towns across the country, including allegations of violations of individuals’ civil rights. On at least two separate occasions DHS law enforcement personnel – one working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the other for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – have shot and killed American citizens. Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot 3 times in Minneapolis by an ICE agent.[1] Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who worked at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, was also shot in Minneapolis during an encounter with CBP.[2] Additionally, ICE agents have shot and wounded another person[3] and deployed flash bangs and teargas on a family, resulting in the hospitalization of small children, including a 6-month-old baby.[4]

Recently, your office announced new projects to determine whether ICE adequately investigates allegations of excessive force, appropriately hires and trains its workforce, and whether it adheres to detention standards. We strongly support these oversight efforts and will be closely monitoring your investigations for their independence, accuracy, and recommendations.

In addition to egregious practices we have seen in public reporting, it is important that your office shine light on activities that undergird ICE’s enforcement actions including a muddled patchwork of technology procurements that have significantly expanded DHS’ ability to collect, retain, and analyze information about Americans. Together, ICE’s new information collection tools potentially enable DHS to circumvent the constitutional protections provided by the Fourth Amendment - protections guaranteed to all Americans and all persons within our borders.

DHS law enforcement agencies have moved to amass potentially sensitive personal data with the unprecedented $165 billion DHS was allocated during last year’s partisan reconciliation process. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) alone received $75 billion, more funding than that allocated to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), an agency responsible for investigating violations of a significantly greater number of laws.

To date, DHS has:

Issued a Request for Information (RFI) to Big Data and Ad Tech providers to support ICE’s investigation activities;[5]

Published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Collection and Use of Biometrics by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, that would expand the types and amount of biometric data the agency can – including allowing collection of biometric data from children under 14;[6]

Issued a RFI to hire 30 social media surveillance contractors to collect information from social media and commercial databases and build profiles on individuals for the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division;[7]

Issued a Notice of Intent for licenses from Bi2 Technologies - used for scanning individuals’ irises;[8]

Entered a contract with Palantir to upgrade the Investigative Case Management (ICM) system – which has access to information from across the federal government – to include the Immigration Lifecycle Operating System (ImmigrationOS);[9]

Reactivated a contract with Paragon Solutions under the FAR 6.302-1 rule, which is reserved for the most unique services;[10]

Entered into a contract with facial recognition software developer Clearview AI[11] – about which ICE has received a letter from other Senators;[12]

Entered into a contract with Penlink’s services which monitor social media and track mobile devices;[13] and

Accessed and utilized software that DHS does not have official access to – including Flock License Plate Scanning Software.[14]

DHS’ reported disregard for adhering to the law [15],[16] and its proven ambivalence toward observing and upholding constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms of Americans and noncitizens, including freedom of speech and equal protection under the law,[17] leaves us with little confidence that these new and powerful tools are being used responsibly. Coupled with DHS’ propensity to detain people regardless of their circumstances,[18] it is reasonable to question whether DHS can be trusted with powerful surveillance tools and if in doing so, DHS is subjecting Americans to surveillance under the pretext of immigration enforcement.

Immigrants without criminal convictions are now make up the majority of ICE detainees. In September 2025, ICE arrested 59,762 individuals, and nearly 72% of those individuals had no prior criminal conviction.[19] Since September, reporting indicates that in both Chicago[20] and Washington D.C.,[21] immigrants without a prior criminal record have made up 80% of those detained. We are horrified by the videos and reports of masked federal law enforcement officers seizing mothers from their vehicles while dropping their kids off at school, gassing children in their neighborhoods, demanding proof of citizenship based on an individual’s appearance, threatening peaceful protesters, and the broad dragnet operations arresting, injuring, and traumatizing entire communities.

We are deeply concerned that ICE’s surge in brutality against American communities is being facilitated by the inappropriate and unsupervised use of surveillance technology. As such, we formally request an investigation by your office into the methods that DHS uses to collect, retain, analyze, and use data about the communities where it operates in conjunction with the companies mentioned above, and any companies DHS is seeking to conduct business with – for similar purposes – in the future. We ask that the investigation address the following questions and that you provide a briefing to our offices:

The manner and methods by which DHS stores and uses data that contains personally identifying information.

Whether the manners and methods mentioned above have changed since January 20, 2025. If yes, describe any changes.

Is the data that DHS/ICE collects or otherwise obtains from other federal or state government agencies, contractors, foreign governments, or third parties, used to define targets of DHS immigration enforcement activities?

If yes, describe the process by which that data is reviewed to ensure its use is consistent with all applicable laws and the Constitution.

For data held by DHS that is used for the purpose described in question 2, describe the process under which Federal, state, and local law enforcement or other entities are granted access to the data.

Does DHS record incidents when biometric data used by DHS in the field results in a false positive? Provide documentation sufficient to determine the number of times data DHS has collected and aggregated has resulted in false positives when utilized in the field.

Provide any legal analysis prepared or relied upon by DHS for incidents where U.S. citizens are detained and biometric data was used in effecting any such detainment.

Does DHS currently or formerly maintain information sharing arrangements with social media companies?

If yes, provide documentation sufficient to describe the arrangements and circumstances under which social media companies allow DHS access to data held by those companies.

How has data sharing between ICE/ERO and other government agencies changed since January 2025? What are the specific thresholds that requests for data must meet before data is shared?

Has DHS purchased or otherwise obtained, directly or indirectly, data from data brokers for the purpose of civil immigration enforcement?

Does DHS permit individuals to decline or withdraw consent to the collection and use of their biometric or other personally-identifying data?

Describe - and provide documentation sufficient to show - the cybersecurity requirements that DHS mandates that private contractors comply with as a condition of participating in DHS immigration enforcement operations.

Describe - and provide documentation sufficient to show - any limitations that DHS imposes on private, third-party contractors regarding those parties’ use of the data that they access, generate, or otherwise interact with in the course of performing contracts awarded by DHS or to which DHS is a party.

Sincerely,

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* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for downloadhere*


Top Intelligence Committee Democrats Demand Answers on Gabbard’s Presence in Fulton County, Seek Immediate Committee Briefings

WASHINGTON - Today, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Jim Himes (D-CT-04) wrote to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard regarding her participation in the FBI’s execution of a search warrant at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operations Center.

"In the year since your confirmation as Director of National Intelligence, you have puzzlingly sought to dismantle elements of the Intelligence Community organized to identify, assess, and counter foreign threats to U.S. elections," the lawmakers wrote. "This has included dismantling the Foreign Malign Influence Center, the product of bipartisan legislation in 2019; declassifying a range of classified materials associated with the 2016 Presidential Election – in an apparent attempt to rewrite the well-established public record generated by the Special Counsel Investigation and the bipartisan Senate Select Committee on Intelligence investigation; and paralyzing intelligence production on foreign plans and intentions towards future U.S. elections. In parallel, the Attorney General and Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation have dissolved the Foreign Influence Task Force, which was established under President Trump’s first term.

"It is also deeply concerning that you participated in this domestic law enforcement action. The Intelligence Community should be focused on foreign threats and, as you yourself have testified, when those intelligence authorities are turned inwards the results can be devastating for Americans privacy and civil liberties.”

The lawmakers concluded, "Given the politically fraught nature of elections for federal office, any federal efforts associated with combatting foreign election threats necessitate public transparency, prompt updating of Congressional intelligence committees, and clear commitment to non-partisan conduct. Your recent actions raise foundational questions about the current mission of your office, and it is critical that you brief the Committees immediately as part of your obligation to keep Congress fully and currently informed.”


Warner, Kaine Statement on One-Year Anniversary of DCA Midair Collision

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement marking the one-year anniversary of the January 29, 2025 midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which resulted in the deaths of all 67 people aboard both aircraft:

“One year ago, 67 people – passengers, airline personnel, and members of the U.S. Armed Forces – died in a midair collision that never should have happened in the first place and must never happen again. Among the dead were more than a dozen of our Virginia constituents, including children and parents returning from a figure skating event in Kansas. Over the past year, we’ve been in touch with the families of those who lost their lives. Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and communities for whom today marks a grim and tragic anniversary, and will continue to do all that we can to work together to enhance safety for the flying public.”

Earlier this week, the senators released a statement in response to the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) findings about the causes of the accident.


Warner, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Reverse Course on Rollback of Probationary Federal Employee Protections

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner joined 11 of his Senate colleagues in urging the Trump Administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) against implementing a rule that would severely weaken longstanding civil service protections for federal probationary employees.

In their letter submitted for OPM’s official comment period on its proposed rule regarding probationary and trial period appeals, the Senators expressed concern that the rule would shift the adjudication of termination appeals from the independent Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to an internal OPM process overseen by a political appointee – a clear conflict of interest in which OPM could both decide which employees are fired and play referee in disputes over those firings. Further, they noted that eroding already limited protections for probationary employees and inviting political interference in workforce matters will harm the recruitment and retention of top talent in the federal civil service. The Senators stressed that these proposed changes are especially dangerous given the Administration’s recent abuses of probationary employees, including mass firings conducted last year that were deemed illegal by a federal court – and they urged OPM to reject the rule and work with Congress to protect a merit-based, nonpartisan federal workforce.

Joining Sen. Warner on this letter are Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Edward Markey (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Andy Kim, (D-NJ), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).

“We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Proposed Rule – Streamlining Probationary and Trial Period Appeals,” the senators began. “Probationary employees, mostly in the competitive service, long had narrow, but critical, appeal rights to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). These protections covering discrimination based on partisan political reasons or marital status, and terminations based on conditions arising prior to federal employment were already limited in scope and difficult to prove. However, the proposed rule would harm probationary employees by replacing an independent MSPB review with an internal OPM process overseen by a political appointee, eliminating judicial review, eroding civil service protections and merit system principles, and impacting the recruiting of top talent for the federal workforce.”

“Congress intentionally sought to prevent precisely the outcome where the agency that sets personnel policy also adjudicates claims that those policies are being applied incorrectly or unlawfully. This proposed rule runs directly contrary to that framework, effectively recreating parts of a discredited system that Congress intentionally abandoned,” they continued. “Under this proposed rule, OPM could direct agencies to make probationary terminations and then adjudicate those same actions, eliminating any meaningful independence.”

“As members of Congress, we have seen the critical services that the nonpartisan, highly skilled federal workforce provides to the American public. We must ensure that the civil service is insulated from political retaliation and has a right to due process all while hiring and retaining top talent. This rule is antithetical to those aims. We urge OPM to reject this proposed rule and work with Congress to effectively manage workforce operations,” the senators concluded.

Text of the letter can be viewed here and below.

Dear Director Kupor,

We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Proposed Rule – Streamlining Probationary and Trial Period Appeals [OPM-2025-0013]. The proposed rule seeks to restructure the process by which certain employees who are terminated during their probationary periods appeal these decisions. Probationary employees, mostly in the competitive service, long had narrow, but critical, appeal rights to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). These protections covering discrimination based on partisan political reasons or marital status, and terminations based on conditions arising prior to federal employment were already limited in scope and difficult to prove. However, the proposed rule would harm probationary employees by replacing an independent MSPB review with an internal OPM process overseen by a political appointee, eliminating judicial review, eroding civil service protections and merit system principles, and impacting the recruiting of top talent for the federal workforce.

The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 split the former Civil Service Commission into distinct agencies with distinct missions. Relevant here, it assigned personnel policy making to OPM and adjudication of workforce appeals to the MSPB. Congress intentionally sought to prevent precisely the outcome where the agency that sets personnel policy also adjudicates claims that those policies are being applied incorrectly or unlawfully. This proposed rule runs directly contrary to that framework, effectively recreating parts of a discredited system that Congress intentionally abandoned.

The rule seeks to move the appeals adjudication to OPM’s Merit System Accountability and Compliance (MSAC). However, the MSPB has the experience, precedents, and procedures to review these probationary employee appeals that MSAC does not have. MSAC lacks the balanced governing board of the MSPB, reports directly to the OPM Director, and has no demonstrated capacity to handle a surge in these types of appeals. Through MSPB review, there is a prudent separation between the agency setting personnel policy and the agency deciding if these policies are being applied lawfully. Under this proposed rule, OPM could direct agencies to make probationary terminations and then adjudicate those same actions, eliminating any meaningful independence.

This conflict of interest is not hypothetical. While federal civil servants across the country give their talent, expertise, and dedication to serve the American public by providing critical services, the Trump administration has already demonstrated its desire to politicize the federal workforce, even taking illegal actions against probationary employees. As part of their dismantling of the federal workforce, the administration sent letters to probationary employees that cruelly and wrongly claimed they were fired for subpar performance at the direction of OPM. Recognizing the unlawfulness of these actions, a federal court ruled that the Trump administration illegally fired roughly 25,000 federal probationary employees. These actions underscore how probationary status has been abused in practice by an administration willing to weaponize personnel processes for political ends.

In light of this demonstrated pattern of unjust and illegal treatment of probationary employees, this proposed rule is especially dangerous to civil service protections, as it eliminates requirements for hearings and discovery during the appeals process that would be typical at the MSPB. Partisan political discrimination cases frequently rely on nuanced motive, credibility, and informal communications. This evidence cannot be meaningfully assessed without discovery or witness testimony. Without access to evidence or a neutral factfinder, the burden placed on employees becomes effectively insurmountable. Under this proposal, appeals would be limited to a paper-only, agency-controlled record, with hearings provided only if OPM deems them “necessary.” As a result, this structure makes such claims nearly impossible to prove and, in practice, could amount to a sham review process. In a worst-case scenario, an administration could rely on external indicators—such as voter registration data or political activity—to justify removals, while denying employees any meaningful opportunity to challenge those decisions so long as discriminatory motives or reasons for termination were not explicit.

Additionally, the American public deserves a merit-based, nonpartisan civil service that recruits and retains the best talent across the nation. The administration has called for the recruitment of top scientific and technical expertise in the federal government. However, talented prospective employees become less likely to join a workforce where political influence and diminished due process create instability and risk. Recent mass firings including highly skilled employees in AI and technical fields with strong performance records have already caused significant reputational harm to the federal government’s brand as an employer, signaling to prospective recruits that even excellent performance offers no protection. The proposed rule and the administration’s attack on the civil service undermines its ability to keep and hire top talent by building uncertainty for new employees and creating less flexibility for managers.

As members of Congress, we have seen the critical services that the nonpartisan, highly skilled federal workforce provides to the American public. We must ensure that the civil service is insulated from political retaliation and has a right to due process all while hiring and retaining top talent. This rule is antithetical to those aims. We urge OPM to reject this proposed rule and work with Congress to effectively manage workforce operations.

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Warner: Why is Tulsi Gabbard in Fulton County?

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement on the FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia:

“There are only two explanations for why the Director of National Intelligence would show up at a federal raid tied to Donald Trump’s obsession with losing the 2020 election. Either Director Gabbard believes there was a legitimate foreign intelligence nexus – in which case she is in clear violation of her obligation under the law to keep the intelligence committees ‘fully and currently informed’ of relevant national security concerns – or she is once again demonstrating her utter lack of fitness for the office that she holds by injecting the nonpartisan intelligence community she is supposed to be leading into a domestic political stunt designed to legitimize conspiracy theories that undermine our democracy. Either is a serious breach of trust that further underscores why she is totally unqualified to hold a position that demands sound judgment, apolitical independence, and a singular focus on keeping Americans safe.”

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Warnock Rallies Congressional Black Caucus to Protect $0 Premiums

In a letter to House and Senate leadership, the Congressional Black Caucus echoed Senator Warnock in calling for a clean extension of the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits

Premium tax credits are a lifeline for enrollees with the lowest incomes; research shows even small premiums are often a barrier to coverage

Senator Warnock has made protecting health care for the 1.2 million Georgians at risk of losing coverage due to Washington Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill his highest priority

Congressional Black Caucus: “The clean extension includes the pivotal expansion of $0 premium plans, which drove record enrollment across all states, but especially in the deep south over the last five years”

ICYMI: POLITICO: Key group of Democrats opposes GOP’s pitch to eliminate no-premium ACA plans

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) rallied his colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in calling on House and Senate leadership to advance a clean extension of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits (ePTCs). Premium tax credits are a lifeline for low-income enrollees. Research shows even small premiums are often a barrier to coverage for enrollees with the lowest incomes.

“Enhanced premium tax credits are critical to bringing health insurance coverage within financial reach for everyday Americans,” the lawmakers write. “Families are struggling, and monthly payments create administrative hurdles for people who are trying their best, only to be buried in paperwork.”

Due to health care cuts in President Trump and Washington Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law in July, ACA health insurance tax credits expired at the end of 2025. The expired ACA credits has increased insurance premiums for ACA customers across the country, and millions are expected to drop their ACA insurance or downgrade to lower quality plans because of higher premiums. As a result, Georgia faces some of the steepest cuts to its health care sector in the country at $3.7 billion.

“A minimum premium would also raise costs in real time for Americans who already signed up for a $0 premium plan in December 2025 and have budgeted their annual health costs with this in mind…We urge you to pass a clean extension of the ePTCs and, at a minimum, protect $0 premium plans in any healthcare legislation,” the lawmakers conclude.

Copy of the letter can be found HEREand below.

“Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Thune, Leader Jeffries, and Leader Schumer:

We urge you to support a clean extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTCs) and, at minimum, support the retention of $0 premium plans for qualifying ACA Marketplace enrollees in any health care legislation package. Last week, with bipartisan support, the House passed a clean extension of enhanced premium tax credits to protect affordable health insurance for millions of consumers who access coverage via the ACA Marketplace. The clean extension includes the pivotal expansion of $0 premium plans, which drove record enrollment across all states, but especially in the deep south over the last five years.

Enhanced premium tax credits are critical to bringing health insurance coverage within financial reach for everyday Americans, including Black Americans. Prior to the introduction of ePTCs in 2021, Black Americans not only bore a disproportionate brunt of economic and health-related adversity during the emergence of the COVID- 19 pandemic, but were also more likely to be uninsured. Importantly, enhanced premium tax credits increased coverage for all Americans across racial and ethnic groups, though coverage gains were especially pronounced for Black individuals and families. Failure by the Senate to pass a clean extension of ePTCs would be especially devastating to Black adults and families. Analysis suggests that continued lapse in the ePTCs will lead to coverage loss for more 170,000 Black adults in 10 metropolitan areas alone, and that such coverage loss, if sustained, would result in the preventable death of 200 Black adults each year.

Four of the top 10 largest Black metro areas are in non-expansion states, where many of those hard-working families would otherwise be eligible for Medicaid and therefore $0 premium plans, had their state expanded Medicaid.

That is why we are deeply concerned that a proposal to eliminate $0 premium plans would risk insidious harm to Black Americans. Families are struggling, and monthly payments create administrative hurdles for people who are trying their best, only to be buried in paperwork. A minimum premium would also raise costs in real time for Americans who already signed up for a $0 premium plan in December 2025 and have budgeted their annual health costs with this in mind.

In short, both the original ACA and the enhancement of premium tax credits met a need for Black communities, and Black Americans stand to lose if the Senate passes legislation that cuts the ACA by eliminating $0 premium plans across the board. We urge you to pass a clean extension of the ePTCs and, at minimum, protect $0 premium plans in any healthcare legislation.”

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Warnock Statement on Senate Markup of the Digital Commodity Intermediaries Act

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after his vote to consider passage of the Digital Commodity Intermediaries Act in the Senate Agriculture Committee.

“I am bitterly disappointed that the majority chose to abandon the bipartisan pathway that is needed to pass a bill into law. While I voted no today, I am not done working on this legislation. The bipartisan draft included some very strong policy provisions, many of which will help protect consumers who trade and invest in crypto. When I was elected to the Senate, I promised that I would always center the people, and I take that commitment seriously. I look forward to continuing to work with the majority, with consumers and investors, and with industry stakeholders to pass a market structure bill into law that protects consumers and ensures that there are clear rules for digital asset investors, customers, and businesses.”

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ICYMI: Warren, Nadler, Monopoly Busters Caucus Co-Chairs Lead Colleagues in Questioning Pepsi on Price Discrimination, Misleading Congress; FTC on Possible Political Influence

Recently unredacted FTC complaint suggests PepsiCo engaged in discriminatory pricing favoring Walmart over small independent retailers, raising prices for consumers

Complaint raises concerns that Pepsi made false claims in response to congressional inquiry, Trump FTC’s dismissal of Pepsi suit was politically motivated

Text of Letter to Pepsi (PDF) | Text of Letter to FTC (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust, and the co-chairs of the House Monopoly Busters Caucus — Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), and Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) — led lawmakers in pressing PepsiCo (Pepsi) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on whether Pepsi used discriminatory pricing practices that favored Walmart over smaller retailers and raised questions about possible political motivations in the FTC’s decision to dismiss its price discrimination lawsuit against the company.

“[A] newly unsealed FTC complaint … raises fresh questions about whether Pepsi is engaging in discriminatory pricing strategies in favor of large chain stores that force smaller, independent retailers – and American consumers that shop at these retailers – to pay higher prices,” wrote the lawmakers to Pepsi Chair and CEO Ramon Laguarta. “This newly disclosed information reveals new details about Pepsi’s troubling pricing practices, and also appears to indicate that Pepsi’s responses to our previous inquiry into this matter were evasive and inaccurate.”

“As food prices remain sky-high, the FTC should be enforcing the [law] to promote fair competition in the food industry, rather than giving dominant retailers and suppliers a free pass to continue discriminatory pricing practices that reduce consumer choices and raise prices,” wrote the lawmakers to FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson.

Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, also signed on, along with Representatives Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).

Last January, the FTC sued Pepsi under the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a law that prohibits sellers from engaging in anticompetitive and discriminatory pricing practices. The suit alleged that Pepsi violated the RPA by extending unfair pricing to a big box retail customer, later revealed to be Walmart. Smaller, independent retailers were not offered the same pricing advantages, forcing them to pay more for the same product — and forcing higher prices onto American consumers that shop at those stores.

In May, Senator Warren and lawmakers wrote to Pepsi, underscoring the apparent RPA violations the FTC had laid out in its heavily redacted complaint. Days later, just before the court was expected to unseal portions of the complaint, the FTC abruptly dismissed the case. Shortly after, Pepsi responded to the lawmakers’ letter, disputing the key argument in the FTC’s complaint and writing that “PepsiCo’s pricing architecture is designed to ensure that all retailers – regardless of size or channel – receive competitive, non-discriminatory pricing, discounts, and promotional support.”

Last month, a largely unredacted version of the FTC’s complaint against Pepsi was unsealed, including direct quotes from internal documents that reveal Pepsi does provide Walmart with unique promotional payments and services for the purposes of advantaging Walmart and exerting control over retail prices in the resale of Pepsi soft drinks. The unredacted complaint suggests that the claims Pepsi made in its May response to Senator Warren and lawmakers were evasive and inaccurate and raises serious questions as to whether there was any legitimate basis for Trump’s FTC to dismiss the case.

In their new letter to Pepsi, the lawmakers pressed the company on its apparent false claims — a serious matter if false or misleading information was in fact provided in response to a Congressional inquiry — and once again pushed the company on concerns regarding its discriminatory pricing strategies.

In their letter to FTC Chair Ferguson, the lawmakers raise questions as to why the FTC dismissed the complaint before the internal Pepsi documents cited in the complaint became public and whether the FTC dismissed the complaint due to political reasons. The lawmakers also urge the FTC to reopen its lawsuit against Pepsi and vigorously enforce the RPA against other suppliers and retailers engaging in similar practices.

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ICYMI - Warren: Senate Must Step Up, Stop ICE’s Violence

“Donald Trump wants us to write him another blank check and let ICE keep rolling in the dough…I’m a hell no…We cannot give one more penny to Trump’s ICE while its masked, poorly-trained agents terrorize people all across this country.”

Video of Floor Speech (YouTube)

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) spoke on the floor of the Senate calling for a complete overhaul of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and said she would be voting against any additional funding for the agency until serious constraints are included to stop ICE’s violence.

Senator Warren condemned the brutal killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by ICE agents. She highlighted the arrests of five year old Liam in Minneapolis and Marcelo Gomes da Silva in Massachusetts.

“The people ICE grabbed up, the people they shot, are not threats to you and me…The risk is not from them. The risk increasingly comes from out-of-control ICE agents who can’t follow the basic training…This invasion by ICE is not making any of us safer,” said Senator Warren.

“I want to be clear: If it were up to me, Congress would completely overhaul ICE, strip the agency down to its studs, repeal billions in Trump’s bloated spending, and end these abuses entirely,” Senator Warren continued.

She called on her colleagues in the Senate to stand up to these abuses of power and reject the DHS funding bill in front of the Senate this week, along with clawing back Congress’ previous funding for ICE.

“Congress has the power to claw back those funds. Congress needs to use that power and take back that money so that Congress has meaningful oversight over an out-of-control ICE,” she said.

“Democrats are ready to rein in this rogue agency, but we need Republicans in Congress to stop this violence as well…Being ‘disturbed’ doesn’t change anything—and the ICE agents who are waving around loaded guns know that. Republicans in the Senate have the power to do something and start righting these wrongs,” she continued.

Senator Warren ended with reading into the record a statement from Alex Pretti’s final medical student, saying the statement gave her a “sliver[] of hope.”

“[I]f we don’t speak up, we are complicit in this violence…If we don’t speak up, we are giving up on our democracy and our country…It is time to make meaningful change. And that change starts right here in the United States Senate,” said Senator Warren.

Transcript: Speech on ICE’s Actions Across AmericaFloor of the U.S. SenateJanuary 28, 2026

Senator Elizabeth Warren: “Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man.”

Those are the words of Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti, who over the weekend was killed by masked federal agents in Minneapolis.

I am here to be part of getting the truth out.

Masked federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, an American citizen, in broad daylight.

Alex was an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. A nurse for veterans.

He was a son. A brother. A friend. A caretaker.

And he was killed while he was trying to help a woman who had been pushed to the ground by a federal agent.

The last words that Alex spoke on this earth were, “Are you all right?” Those are the words of a good man trying to help someone who had been knocked down by an out-of-control ICE agent.

Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

And Mr. Pretti was not the first.

17 days earlier, ICE agents shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old American citizen and mom dropping off her kid at school. She had stuffed animals in her glove compartment. While ICE agents cursed at her, her last words on this earth were: “I’m not mad at you.”

There have been more incidents. ICE agents detained Liam, a five-year-old boy, who was literally ripped off the streets by the strap of his Spiderman backpack. A preschooler.

In Massachusetts, Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high schooler, was arrested by ICE on his way to volleyball practice. And Rumeysa Ozturk, a student at Tufts University was cornered by six masked agents, shoved into an unmarked van, and taken to a detention facility in Louisiana.

And it goes on and on and on, story after story after story.

The people ICE grabbed up, the people they shot, are not threats to you and me. They are not violent criminals that Trump promised to go after. They are not, as Trump said, “the worst of the worst.” No. These are our neighbors, they are our friends, they are our colleagues, they are people who treat us when we are sick.

The risk is not from them. The risk increasingly comes from out-of-control ICE agents who can’t follow the basic training manual that our local police, our state police and our National Guard are all trained to follow. This invasion by ICE is not making any of us safer.

And if we don’t put a stop to it, these masked agents are going to kill more people.

We are at a turning point in our country.

And what we do next is a question now in front of the United States Senate — in front of my colleagues here today.

This week, we are tasked with funding the government, and one part stands out. Last summer, Trump and the Republicans lavished ICE with $75 billion. That’s more than their annual budget for seven years. And maybe that is why ICE is handing out $50,000 recruiting bonuses.

Now, in this budget, Trump and the Republicans want to reward ICE with $10 billion an additional in funding.

That’s right: Donald Trump wants us to write another check, hand it over to ICE, and let them keep rolling in the dough.

But here’s my view: I am a NO. I am a hell no.

We cannot give one more penny to Trump’s ICE while its masked, poorly-trained agents terrorize people all across this country.

It is time for the Senate to step up and stop ICE’s violence.

We must stand united and we must fight back and we must do it now.

I want to be clear: If it were up to me, Congress would completely overhaul ICE, strip the agency down to its studs, repeal billions in Trump’s bloated spending, and end these abuses entirely. And I’m going to keep fighting for that.

There are also some immediate, common sense steps we can take right now.

Here’s some of what I’m fighting for.

One: End ICE’s violence. No more roving patrols and profiling people on the street. No more treating people like they’re guilty just because of their skin color or because they speak with an accent. No more threatening people with guns just because they are recording what is going on.

Two: Follow the law. ICE must follow the same rules as everyone else in law enforcement: get a warrant from an independent judge before barging into people’s homes and snatching people from their families. And make no mistake: there should be real consequences for anyone who knocks down someone’s door without a real warrant. This is the United States of America, and last I checked, the Constitution still matters. We must enforce it.

Three: Accountability. It’s about time Border Patrol and ICE wear a damn badge. No more masked secret police. Let me say it again: no more masked secret police.

And real accountability means accountability for Renee Good, it means accountability for Alex Pretti, it means accountability for every other victim of these federal agents. DHS must cooperate with state and local officials for real, independent investigations of these shootings. End these cover-ups. We need transparency and accountability for victims of ICE’s violence.

Part of the reason that ICE officers can act like they have no oversight is that Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress pre-funded ICE for years in their “Big Beautiful Bill.” As things stand right now, ICE can skate by for years without getting a budget—and without any oversight—from Congress. And you know those health care cuts that are closing hospitals and causing people’s health insurance premiums to spike? That is the money that is now being used by ICE to terrorize our communities. That is wrong. Congress has the power to claw back those funds. Congress needs to use that power and take back that money so that Congress has meaningful oversight over an out-of-control ICE.

And that should just be the start.

I am urging every single Senator – Democrat and Republican – to vote no on this budget bill and stop bankrolling ICE’s abuses.

And I want to put a finer point on this: Republicans control the White House. Republicans control the Senate. Republicans control the House of Representatives.

Democrats are ready to rein in this rogue agency, but we need Republicans in Congress to stop this violence as well. I know that there are Republicans right now who are seeing what we’re seeing in Minnesota, and they know it is wrong. It is time to speak out. Silence is complicity.

Grow a spine. Show some backbone. Being "disturbed" doesn’t change anything—and the ICE agents who are waving around loaded guns know that. Republicans in the Senate have the power to do something and start righting these wrongs. Help the Democrats put meaningful constraints on ICE. Help our people be safe.

To everyone who is angry, I’m angry too. I’m furious, and I’m here in the Senate to fight back for you. But it’s in moments like this that we must resist the urge for that anger and fear to take over. It is time to turn our anger into action.

So I want to end with this.

I saw a post by Alex Pretti’s student that I want to read excerpts from into the record. This is all a direct quote.

“I was Alex Pretti’s final nursing student. For the past four months, I stood shoulder to shoulder with him during my capstone preceptorship at the Minneapolis VA Hospital. There he trained me to care for the sickest of the sick as an ICU nurse. He taught me how to care for arterial and central lines, the intricacies of managing multiple IVs filled with lifesaving solutions, and how to watch over every heartbeat, every breath, and every flicker of life, ready to act the moment they wavered.

“Alex carried patience, compassion and calm as a steady light within him. Even at the very end, that light was there. I recognized his familiar stillness and signature calm composure shining through during those unbearable final moments captured on camera.

“It does not surprise me that his final words were, ‘Are you okay?’ Caring for people was at the core of who he was. He was incapable of causing harm.

“He spoke out for justice and peace whenever he could, not only out of obligation, but out of a belief that we are more connected than divided, and that communication would bring us together.

“Please honor my friend by standing up for peace, preferably with a cup of black coffee in hand and a couple of pieces of candy in your pocket, just as he would. Step outside with your dog, breathe in the world, hike or bike as he loved to do, and let yourself find peace in the quiet moments within nature. Stand up for justice and speak with those whose views differ from your own. Hold your beliefs with strength, but always extend love outward, even in the face of adversity.

“Take one step, no matter how small, to help heal our world. Through these acts, carry his light forward in his name. Let his legacy continue to heal.”

Like many of you, I see the video of his death, and I am gutted. I see him lying on the ground as two ICE agents pump a total of ten bullets into him. I see his lifeless body on that cold Minneapolis street and I feel sadness and anger and horror down to my bones.

But here's what's given me slivers of hope: It's every single person who’s speaking out and refusing to stay silent in the face of these injustices. It is the post from his last student. It’s the hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans who haven’t been baited into violence, but who instead continue to show up and peacefully protest.

They are a reminder that now is the time to dig deep, stand up, and say clearly: What ICE is doing is wrong and we can stop it. We must stop it. It’s time to get ICE out.

Because if we don’t speak up, we are complicit in this violence. If we don’t speak up, we are giving our OK to a federal agency that is openly and aggressively violating the Constitution. If we don’t speak up, we are giving up on our democracy and our country.

It is time to speak up. It is time to make meaningful change. And that change starts right here in the United States Senate.

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Warren Presses OpenAI CEO on Spending Commitments and Bailout Requests After CFO Suggests Government “Backstop”

“American taxpayers deserve answers to ensure that they do not end up on the hook for OpenAI’s bills while executives and shareholders reap the profits.”

“OpenAI appears to be privatizing profits while seeking ways to let the public defray the costs of any potential failures of its business strategy.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter requesting specific details from OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, regarding its spending commitments and the circumstances under which OpenAI would seek a taxpayer bailout to help meet these commitments. There is a gap between OpenAI’s spending commitments and revenues, which has spurred public discussion of an “AI bubble,” and the company recently made overt requests for federal government support to “backstop” its financial commitments.

Recent reporting indicates that OpenAI is “losing money at a faster pace than almost any other startup in Silicon Valley history.” In the first half of 2025, OpenAI reported losses of $13.5 billion, and estimates suggest additional losses of $11.5 billion in the third quarter of 2025. As part of OpenAI’s strategy of scaling its computing capacity, the company has committed to spending nearly $1.4 trillion over the next eight years through a series of complex and often circular partnerships with various players within the AI industry, including Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, and CoreWeave.

“Given these financing strategies and potential broader risks to the economy, I am concerned that your company is now laying the groundwork for government guarantees for the trillion-dollar AI industry, falling back on the classic strategy of privatizing profits and socializing losses,” wrote the senator.

At the same time as OpenAI claims financial stability, the company has made repeated requests for taxpayer support. In March 2025, OpenAI sent a letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) advocating for “[t]ax credits, loans, and other vehicles the US government can direct” for companies “building AI infrastructure.” In October, the company also sent a public comment letter to OSTP Director Michael Kratsios requesting that OSTP and Congress extend a tax credit meant for semiconductors to the broader AI supply chain, and in November the Chief Financial Officer echoed these requests in a public interview, suggesting the federal government provide “the backstop, the guarantee that allows [data center chip] financing to happen.”

Even as OpenAI is publicly requesting taxpayer support, the company is reportedly “paying employees more than any tech startup in recent history,” with an average stock compensation of $1.5 million per employee.

“Tax credits and loan guarantees are important tools that the federal government should deploy to support critical industries, strengthen supply chains, and create well-paying American jobs,” wrote the senator. “But these tools should not be deployed in a way that asks taxpayers to shoulder the risks while enriching company executives and investors.”

“OpenAI appears to be privatizing profits while seeking ways to let the public defray the costs of any potential failures of its business strategy,” continued the senator.

In November 2025, Senator Warren, the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, sent a letter to David Sacks, White House Special Advisor for AI and Crypto, and Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, requesting information about any Trump Administration plans to use taxpayer dollars to prop up OpenAI and other AI companies at the expense of working-class Americans. Senator Warren noted the Trump Administration’s close ties with AI executives and donors raised concerns that the Administration could bail out AI executives and shareholders while leaving taxpayers to foot the bill. The White House failed to respond to that letter.

In her new letter to OpenAI, Senator Warren requested additional information regarding OpenAI’s business model, its plans to fulfill its spending commitments, and its appeal to the White House for taxpayer support by February 13, 2026.

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Welch Leads 14 Bicameral Colleagues on Bill to Reduce Barriers to Organic Agriculture in Vermont

Legislation would help more producers transition to and maintain organic practices

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, today led 14 bicameral lawmakers in reintroducing the Opportunities in Organic Act, legislation designed to help farmers and other agricultural producers transition to organic practices and build successful and sustainable businesses. The Senators’ legislation would help eliminate steep barriers farmers often face to enter the industry, including high certification costs and insufficient technical assistance from existing United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. The bill is led in the House of Representatives by Reps. Alma Adams (D-NC-12) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19).

“Organic production has huge benefits for our rural economies and our environment. But farmers can’t make the switch to organic practices without help,” said Senator Welch. “We need to make changes that better support folks looking to make the transition to organic—and thrive while they do so. This bill is a win for Vermont’s rural farmers and communities.”

“North Carolina farmers looking to join the quickly growing organic agriculture market face barriers that prevent them from fully participating in this opportunity,” said Rep. Adams. “The Opportunities in Organic Act would make it easier for farmers to bring healthy, sustainable food to market, assist small-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers with the transition, and provide much-needed technical assistance to producers. Farmers want to reach new markets while building healthy soil, ecosystems, and communities, and I’m proud to introduce this bill with Congressman Jimmy Panetta to deliver this opportunity for the agriculture community.”

“Despite the rising demand for organic agricultural products, some producers are finding it difficult take full advantage of these opportunities due to cost and skill barriers,” said Rep. Panetta. “I’m proud to author and introduce this legislation that would allow organic producers to overcome those barriers by streamlining reimbursements for organic certification and connecting them with the training, skills, and relationships they need to be successful. By expanding programming and services for these producers, we can ensure that our farmers are capitalizing on the immense opportunity that exists in the organic marketplace.”

The bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).

“Organically grown food has many benefits, including no use of toxic pesticides, no antibiotics given to farm animals, and increased soil health. However, farmers need more support to transition to organic and maintain those beneficial practices,” said Senator Booker. “The Opportunities in Organic Act helps organic farmers, which in turn will make organic groceries more affordable for Americans.”

“Pennsylvania has always been a leader in organic farming. Our small farms deserve the support to keep up with the growing industry demands,” said Senator Fetterman. “I am proud to support The Opportunities in Organic Act that will help more Pennsylvania farmers go organic and ensure our commonwealth remains a leader in this kind of agriculture.”

“American farmers are the backbone of our Upstate economy. It is vital that the federal government continues to invest in their critical contributions as they deliver fresh, healthy food to our communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Our Opportunities in Organic Act will promote sustainable farming and help eliminate the steep barriers that farmers face when transitioning to organic methods. I will continue fighting to ensure organic farmers in New York and across the nation have the resources they need to thrive for generations to come.”

“While organic practices have tremendous health, environmental and economic benefits, producers face inefficient financial and logistical barriers to establishing organic farming practices,” said Senator King. “The Opportunities in Organic Act helps farmers with the high costs and hurdles associated with entering the organic business—a win-win for rural producers and consumers.”

“For years, America’s farmers have wanted to expand domestic organic food production and help our country reap the benefits of cleaner air, higher crop yields, and a more resilient, sustainable food supply,” said Senator Murphy. “This bill would cut red tape and give our farmers the support and investment they need to meet our country’s growing demand for organic food – and provide a real boost to rural communities in the process.”

Organic agriculture has a wide array of environmental and health benefits, including enhancing soil fertility and structure, which can boost crop yield and help reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. By reducing the use of fossil fuel-based fertilizers and toxic pesticides, organic farms further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the health of farmers, farmworkers, and consumers who might otherwise be exposed to dangerous pesticides.

Organic practices also make farms more resilient to extreme weather patterns and climate change, helping farms to simultaneously fight future climate change and increase their own resilience to the climate impacts we are already experiencing.

The Opportunities in Organic Act helps mitigate challenges farmers and producers face when transitioning to organics by modernizing USDA’s reimbursements for organic certification and expanding the department’s available expertise for organic agriculture. Specifically, the bill would expand the existing National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program into a comprehensive Opportunities in Organic Program by:

Increasing USDA’s technical assistance for producers to advance organic practices;

Making organic practices more accessible for agricultural producers from socially disadvantaged groups and underserved regions by increasing cost-share payments for organic certification and granting USDA flexibility to exceed current cost-share caps; and

Providing additional support for non-governmental organizations working to help producers transition to organic practices.

The Opportunities in Organic Act of 2026 is endorsed by the Agriculture & Land-Based Training Association (ALBA); Beyond Pesticides; California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF); Carolina Farm Stewardship Association; Environmental Working Group; Dr. Bronner’s; Family Farm Defenders; Farm Aid; Friends of the Earth; Greensward New Natives LLC; Green America; Kanalani Ohana Farm; Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association; Marbleseed; Michigan Organic Food & Farm Alliance; National Co+op Grocers; National Family Farm Coalition; National Organic Coalition; National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition; Natural Grocerse; New Entry Sustainable Farming Project; Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance; Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA); Northeast Organic Farming Association of Massachusetts (NOFA-MA); Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA-NH); Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY); Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT); Northeast Organic Farming Association – Interstate Council; Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey (NOFA NJ); National Resources Defense Council (NRDC); Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association; OneCert, Inc.; Oregon Tilth; Organic Farmers Association; Organic Farming Research Foundation; Organic Seed Alliance; Organic Trade Association; Organically Grown Company; Quick Organics; Sierra Harvest; Slow Food USA; Strengthening Organic Systems, LLC; The Cornucopia Institute; The Land Connection; Union of Concerned Scientists; University of Minnesota Student Organic Farm; Virginia Association for Biological Farming; and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

“Demand for organic food continues to grow at a rapid pace, but U.S. organic production is struggling to keep pace,” said Abby Youngblood, Executive Director, National Organic Coalition. “We need to reduce the barriers that farming operations face if we are going to meet this demand with U.S. organic production, instead of ceding those markets to organic imports. The Opportunities in Organic Act is a wise investment to help more operations build resiliency, steward healthy soil, and take advantage of the growing demand for organic food in the marketplace.”

Senator Welch has led bipartisan efforts to support and strengthen Vermont’s organic industry. In July, Senator Welch reintroduced the Organic Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Reporting Yields Act (O DAIRY) Act, legislation to expand federal support for organic dairy farmers by extending emergency assistance to farmers facing losses and increase investments in the organic dairy industry. Last Congress, Senator Welch also led his colleagues in calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to bolster investments in federal programs that support organic infrastructure, as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Appropriations Bill.

Learn more about the Opportunities in Organic Act.

Read and download the full text of the bill.

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Welch Reintroduces Bicameral ‘EMS ROCS’ Act to Support EMS Providers in Rural Communities

Bill Aligns Medicare Payments for EMS Providers with Community Needs, Ensures EMS Can Provide Essential Medical Care to Rural Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), members of the Senate Finance Committee, alongside U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-VT-At-Large), today reintroduced the Emergency Medical Services Reimbursement for On-scene Care and Support (EMS ROCS) Act, bicameral legislation that would require the government to pay for vital EMS services provided to individuals on Medicare.

Currently, Medicare does not reimburse EMS providers unless the patient is transported to a hospital. However, EMS providers regularly deliver vital services on-scene when responding to 911 calls. In rural communities, the demand for EMS services for medical emergencies continues to increase—especially for Medicare beneficiaries, who make up about 40% of patients treated by EMS.

“Vermont’s EMS providers deliver essential medical services in rural communities, and they deserve to be reimbursed for that work. That’s why it only makes sense that our government should pay for vital EMS services, regardless of whether someone needs an ambulance ride to the hospital,” said Senator Welch. “We need commonsense solutions modernize Medicare to ensure that EMS are paid for their lifesaving work—our bill does just that.”

“Simply put, EMS are the first responders to some of people’s most difficult moments, and often are the difference between life and death,” said Senator Sanders. “We must do everything we can to ensure they receive the support and resources they need and deserve, and that includes reimbursement for all the care they provide. Rural communities in Vermont and across the country depend on their essential services and this bill is a right step forward in helping EMS agencies get fairly compensated for these services – even when transportation to the hospital is not needed.”

“For rural Americans, our EMS providers are often heroes that deliver lifesaving care on scene when hospitals are far away and minutes matter,” said Rep. Balint. “They should be paid for that work regardless of whether it’s provided at home or in the ambulance. The EMS ROCS Act is a crucial step towards fixing the ‘no payment’ loophole and preserving access to care for rural Vermonters.”

In addition to Senators Welch and Sanders, the legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

“EMS workers are truly the best of us with unbelievably tough jobs. In moments of life and death, they show up ready to help,” said Senator Fetterman. “Right now, Medicare doesn’t reimburse them unless a patient is transported to a hospital, even if care is provided on the scene. We should be fighting to make sure EMS workers are compensated for the care they provide, and that’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues on the EMS ROCS Act to help do right by these professionals.”

“Emergency services are a critical lifeline for Coloradans in times of crisis,” said Senator Bennet. “It is crucial that EMS professionals receive compensation for their lifesaving services. Coloradans should not be forced to make unnecessary trips to the hospital, and our emergency providers should not go without pay for the care they provided. This legislation is essential to ensuring Medicare patients get appropriate treatment and their providers get appropriate payment.”

Inflationary pressures, coupled with the increasing volume of services that are ineligible for reimbursement, pose a serious threat to EMS providers, particularly those serving rural and older communities. These challenges are forcing EMS providers to curtail service and, in some areas, shut down services entirely. In recent years, several EMS providers in rural Vermont have closed their doors due to mounting expenses, leaving local residents with fewer options for emergency services.

The EMS ROCS Act is endorsed by the American Ambulance Association, National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), National Rural Health Association, and the Vermont Ambulance Association.

“The National Rural Health Association applauds Congresswoman Balint and Senator Welch for introducing the EMS ROCS Act. Rural EMS providers face unique challenges due to higher fixed costs over a lower volume of services, greater distances for responding to calls, and workforce shortages. Additionally, Medicare under-reimburses for rural transports by 89%. NRHA is proud to have bicameral support for legislation that improves challenges in Medicare reimbursement for rural EMS, which will expand access to emergency services and improve healthcare in rural areas,” said Alan Morgan, CEO, National Rural Health Association.

“With his reintroduction of the EMS ROCs Act, Senator Welch demonstrates yet again his profound support for the quality medical care our paramedics and EMTs deliver every day to Vermonters. By ensuring that ambulance service organizations are reimbursed for on-scene medical treatment, regardless of patient transport, this legislation aligns policy with the advancements in pre-hospital medical care,” said Drew Hazelton, President, Vermont Ambulance Association.

In November, Senator Welch joined Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) in introducing the bipartisan Comprehensive Alternative Response to Emergencies (CARE) Act to require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to test a five-year “treatment-in-place” model in which Medicare reimburses EMS providers when they treat a patient outside of the hospital, such as for minor medical incidents, rather than transporting them to a hospital for care.

Learn more about the EMS ROCS Act of 2026.

Read and download the full text of the bill.

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Press Releases

Rep. Aguilar Delivers Over $1 Million to Fight Crime & Improve Public Safety in San Bernardino

The grant funding will allow the City of San Bernardino to fight crime and improve safety by purchasing unmarked mobile surveillance vehicles, surveillance cameras and license plate readers

Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) announced that he secured $1,031,000 in funding for the City of San Bernardino’s Mobile Crime Prevention Program. This critical funding will improve public safety by expanding and supporting the City’s surveillance technology, enhancing law enforcement’s ability to monitor and respond to incidents more effectively, prevent and solve crimes and apprehend criminals. You can watch the full video of the press conference here and find photos from the event above and here.

“I first ran for Congress in order to bring home federal dollars that help improve the quality of life for working families here in the Inland Empire, including making our community safer,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “That’s why I am so proud to have secured more than $1 million in community project funding for the City of San Bernardino’s Mobile Crime Prevention Program. This project will improve public safety by giving our law enforcement the tools they need to better prevent and solve crimes, apprehend criminals and respond to incidents. This funding is an investment in our community’s future and marks a step toward a stronger, safer San Bernardino. I’ll continue to fight for more resources and to improve Californians’ lives here in the Inland Empire.”

“Public safety is the foundation of a strong San Bernardino,” said Mayor Helen Tran, City of San Bernardino. “When residents feel safe, communities thrive, businesses grow, and families can take pride in their neighborhoods. These federal dollars will help us strengthen that foundation and better meet the demands of our city. On behalf of the City Council, our dedicated public safety professionals, and the residents of San Bernardino, thank you, Congressman Aguilar, for standing with our city and investing in the safety of our community. We look forward to continuing our partnership and to putting these funds to work for the residents of San Bernardino.”

“Last year, our department experienced a remarkable reduction in crime, thanks to the hard work of our officers, professional staff, and strong partnerships with our community,” said Darren Goodman, Chief of Police, San Bernardino Police Department. “This funding allows us to build on that success by investing in technology that will further enhance public safety, improve our response capabilities, and help us continue driving crime down across San Bernardino.”

In January 2026, Rep. Aguilar helped pass the Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2026, which included $7.4 million in federal community project funding grants for seven projects in California’s 33rd Congressional District.


Press Releases

Rep. Aguilar Delivers Over $1 Million to Strengthen Public Safety and Security in Rialto

The community project funding will help the City of Rialto improve public safety by purchasing essential surveillance technology and software for emergency response and crime prevention

Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33) announced that he secured $1,031,000 in community project funding for the City of Rialto’s Police Station Technology, Safety and Equipment Project. This grant funding will improve public safety and security by allowing the Rialto Police Department to develop a Real-Time Crime Center and Dispatch Center to better respond to incidents, purchase essential surveillance technology and strengthen the department’s cybersecurity. You can watch the full video of the press conference here and find photos from the event above and here.

“It is crucial that our law enforcement is equipped with the tools they need to do their jobs so they can keep residents safe,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “That’s why I am so proud that I secured over $1 million in funding for the hardworking men and women of the Rialto Police Department who protect our community every day. This project will improve public safety and reduce crime by allowing the Rialto Police Department to develop a Real-Time Crime Center and Dispatch Center to more effectively monitor and respond to incidents. I’ll continue to fight for more resources that help make life better and safer for Inland Empire families.”

“With Congressman Aguilar’s support, the Rialto Police Department will have the tools to respond faster and keep our community safer,” said Mayor Joe Baca, City of Rialto. “The new Real-Time Crime Center is a major step forward in protecting our residents and giving our officers the technology they need.”

“I’d like to express my appreciation to Congressman Aguilar for supporting this investment in the Rialto Police Department’s Real-Time Crime Center,” said Mark Kling, Chief of Police, Rialto Police Department. “This funding will help to establish Rialto as the premier police agency in the County and help keep our community safe well into the future.”

In January 2026, Rep. Aguilar helped pass the Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2026, which included $7.4 million in federal community project funding grants for seven projects in California’s 33rd Congressional District.


Arrington: “Kevin Warsh is the right man for the job.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) released the following statement after President Trump nominated Kevin Warsh to serve as Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System:

“Kevin Warsh is the right man for the job.

“Kevin is a longtime friend and former White House colleague—one of the smartest and most talented people I have ever served with.

“Kevin is a conservative economist, financial markets expert, and respected authority on fiscal, monetary, and economic policy.

“Kevin is a strong leader with deep convictions for free people, free markets, and fiscal responsibility. He has questioned the Fed’s recent failures, criticized the Fed’s overreach of the past, and rightfully admonished the Fed’s complicity in the explosion of our national debt.

“He has dedicated his career to serving our great country and advancing the principles that made America the most powerful and prosperous nation in human history.” – Chairman Arrington.

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Rep. Austin Scott Announces 2026 Congressional Art Competition

Tifton, Ga.—U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) today announced that his office is taking submissions for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition.

All high school students (9-12th grade) who reside in or attend school in the Eighth Congressional District are encouraged to participate.

The winning entry will be displayed in the United States Capitol for a year alongside artwork from every congressional district across the country. Artwork submitted must be original in concept, design, and execution, no larger than 26” x 26” x 4”, and can be in the form of paintings (oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.), drawings (pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers), collage (must be two dimensional), prints (lithographs, silkscreen, block prints), mixed media, computer-generated art, or photography.

All artwork must be framed and submitted by April 17th at one of the following drop-off locations:

Rep. Scott’s District Office in Warner Robins: 120 Byrd Way, Suite 100, Warner Robins, GA

Rep. Scott’s District Office in Tifton: 127-B Central Ave N, Tifton, GA

Artwork that is submitted on a canvas does not require framing; however, it must have hooks affixed for hanging.

This year, all the entries from across the district will be displayed at the Syd Blackmarr Art Center in Tifton, Georgia, for an exhibit and awards ceremony in early May.

To learn more about the Congressional Art Competition, visit here.


Barr Secures $1 Million for Regional Industrial Park Water Improvements for Bourbon and Nicholas County

Carlisle, KY— U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY-06) secured $1,000,000 in federal funding for the Bourbon and Nicholas County Regional Industrial Park. Barr pushed the funding through the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026. He voted for the appropriations package earlier this month and President Trump recently signed the funding bill into law.

The funding will support critical water infrastructure improvements for the Regional Industrial Park. These improvements will provide reliable water service to support industrial development, attract new businesses, and strengthen economic growth across Bourbon and Nicholas counties.

“This industrial park will drive economic growth and create opportunities for businesses and families in Bourbon and Nicholas counties for years to come. Reliable water infrastructure is essential to moving this project forward, and I was proud to advocate for this funding during the appropriations process,” said Congressman Barr.

Nicholas County officials have identified this project as a top priority to improve water reliability and promote economic growth. The funding will help ensure the Regional Industrial Park is equipped with the infrastructure needed to attract new businesses and support future development.

“This project has been a top priority for Nicholas County, and Congressman Barr’s leadership made it possible,” said Nicholas County Judge Executive Steve Hamilton. “These water improvements will significantly enhance the Regional Industrial Park and help us attract new employers, expand opportunities, and grow our local economy.”

“This investment strengthens the partnership between Bourbon and Nicholas counties and positions our Regional Industrial Park for future growth,” said Bourbon County Judge Executive Michael Williams. “We’re grateful to Congressman Barr for delivering the funding needed to support economic development and job creation across our shared region.”


Rep. Barry Moore holds Telephone Town Hall on Democrat Shutdown

Washington, D.C.- Yesterday, Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL) joined Americans for Prosperity-Alabama (AFP-AL) for a telephone town hall to discuss the Democrats shutdown of the federal government and how it is hurting Alabama families and businesses.

The telephone town hall served as a chance for Alabamians to ask questions on the Democrat shutdown and what solutions Congressman Moore is working on to reopen the government and prevent shutdowns in the future.

“Democrats cannot continue to play political games at the expense of hardworking Alabama families,” said Rep. Moore. “It’s time to end the political theater, reopen the government, and put in place real reforms that ensure the American people are no longer used as leverage. Fiscal responsibility and accountability are not partisan. They are common sense, and Alabamians deserve nothing less.”

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Rep. Barry Moore introduces Freedom to Fuel Act

Washington, D.C.- Congressman Barry Moore (AL-01) today introduced the Freedom to Fuel Act alongside Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND). This legislation restores common sense to the federal rulemaking process by stopping the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from imposing unnecessary and burdensome regulations on something as basic and essential as a gas can.

“For years, farmers, construction crews, small businesses, and homeowners have been forced to use government-mandated, slow-pour, spill-prone gas cans that break easily and make simple tasks harder," said Congressman Moore. "From day one, President Trump and Republicans have been committed to cutting red tape, empowering American workers, and restoring common sense. The Freedom to Fuel Act is one more step toward eliminating outdated rules and bringing policy that makes the American people's lives easier back to Washington.”

“Who hasn't had the maddening experience of filling up a lawnmower or snowmobile with gas only to spill it everywhere because of the terrible nozzles? Gas cans contribute only a tiny share of emissions, yet the Biden administration created an emissions mandate that resulted in this frustrating design,” Fedorchak said. “Glad to work with Rep. Moore on the Freedom to Fuel Act to roll back this nonsense.”

The issue stems from a 2007 EPA rule that imposed strict evaporative-emissions limits on all portable fuel containers made after January 1, 2009. The rule pushed manufacturers toward complicated, vent-less designs that hinder fuel flow, cause spills, and increase breakage. It also saddled small manufacturers with costly testing and certification requirements - all without delivering meaningful environmental benefits.

Key Provisions of the Freedom to Fuel Act:


Rep. Barry Moore introduces Safeguarding US Rulemaking Act

Washington, D.C.- This week, Congressman Barry Moore (AL-01) introduced the Safeguarding U.S. Rulemaking Act, legislation that closes a dangerous loophole allowing foreign adversaries to submit public comments on federal regulations. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) is leading the companion bill in the Senate.

“For too long, hostile governments like Communist China have legally inserted themselves into America’s regulatory process,” said Rep. Moore. “This is not a hypothetical - Beijing has already been caught trying to shape our rules. If China wants to influence regulations, they can do it in their own country. Federal rulemaking should reflect the voices of the American people, not the agendas of adversaries working against our national interests. This bill puts an immediate stop to foreign adversary interference and strengthens the integrity of U.S. policymaking.”

"The rulemaking process exists to give Americans a voice in their government, not to let foreign adversaries rig the system in their favor,” said Senator Lummis. “China has submitted comments pushing for stricter power plant rules to hobble American energy, while doing the exact opposite at home to power their own economy. My bill ensures our regulatory process serves the American people, not communist regimes trying to keep Biden-era regulations in place to undermine our energy independence and economic strength."

Under current law, any “interested person” may submit comments on proposed federal regulations. That standard includes foreign adversary governments and the entities they control. Agencies are not required to verify the identity of commenters, allowing foreign adversary governments to quietly inject themselves into the process.

Key Provisions of the Safeguarding U.S. Rulemaking Act:

Prohibits foreign adversary governments designated by the Department of Commerce from submitting comments on federal rulemakings.

Bars foreign adversary nationals, entities, and subsidiaries—including those owned, incorporated, or controlled by adversary nations—from participating in the comment process.

Preserves access for U.S. citizens, domestic entities, and foreign stakeholders from non-adversary nations.

Establishes clear statutory protections to prevent foreign-government interference in the regulatory system.


Rep. Barry Moore Praises FY26 NDAA as a Major Win for Our Servicemembers, National Security, and President Trump’s America First Agenda

Washington, D.C.- Congressman Barry Moore (AL-01) released the following statement after voting in support of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which delivers sweeping reforms to strengthen America’s military, restore accountability, and fully advance President Trump’s America First national security agenda.

“The FY26 NDAA is a clear victory for our warfighters, for our national defense, and for the American people,” said Rep. Barry Moore. “President Trump is rebuilding the strongest military in the world, and this bill delivers the tools, resources, and reforms needed to keep America safe while restoring the values that make our Armed Forces the greatest fighting force ever assembled. In addition to critical tools and reforms, the bill provides a 3.8% pay raise for our servicemembers, which is an essential investment in the people who defend our nation. I’m proud to stand with President Trump and support a bill that restores American strength at home and abroad.”

The FY26 NDAA includes major provisions that:

Codify President Trump’s efforts to end left-wing ideology, DEI mandates, and wokeism in the military, restoring a culture focused on lethality, meritocracy, readiness, and accountability.

Fully fund and expand authorities for the Department of War to support DHS in securing our southern border, ensuring our military can assist in combatting the national security crisis created by years of open-border policies.

Reform the Department of War's acquisition process to align with President Trump’s executive order, cutting red tape and accelerating delivery of cutting-edge weapons and technologies to the warfighter.

Strengthen quality of life for servicemembers by carrying out President Trump’s promise of a 3.8% pay raise and enhanced benefits for military families.

Support key Trump defense priorities, including the Golden Dome, F-47 fighter aircraft, submarines, advanced warships, and autonomous systems.

Revitalize America’s defense industrial base by authorizing new authorities and funding to onshore supply chains, expand defense manufacturing jobs, and rebuild production capacity here at home.

Increase burden-sharing from our allies, advancing President Trump’s insistence that partner nations pay their fair share for their own defense.

Advance American shipbuilding, bolstering domestic yards and restoring U.S. naval dominance.

Achieve nearly $20 billion in savings, driven in part by DOGE-initiated reforms included in President Trump’s budget request.

Ensure our military is prepared for a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific, providing new authorities and investments to deter adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party.

Extend authorities used by President Trump to eliminate terrorists who threaten Americans at home and abroad.

Codify President Trump’s executive order on energy independence, including the use of next-generation nuclear technologies to power military installations and strengthen resilience.


Rep. Barry Moore: "To protect America's children, abuse disguised as medical intervention must end"

Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Barry Moore (AL-01) led debate on the House floor for H.R. 3492, the Protect Children's Innocence Act, which protects children from doctors who are pushing radical surgeries and procedures. H.R. 3492 codifies an Executive Order signed by President Trump in January 2025 that directed the Department of Health and Human Services to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.

Watch Rep. Moore's opening remarks below:

"We as a nation are facing one of the greatest crises of our time, child abuse disguised as medical intervention. Children are being coerced by adults in positions of authority into life-altering and medically questionable gender transition procedures without a full understanding of the meaning or the impact. Democrats have embraced an extreme position on this so-called gender-affirming care. They are more interested in promoting their radical left policies than protecting our children from harm. Despite the American public's widespread rejection of the practice in 2024, the radical left continues to distort the debate surrounding so-called gender-affirming care."

Rep. Moore's full remarks can be seen here: High-res

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Rep. Barry Moore supports Kayla Hamilton Act

Washington D.C. – Today, Congressman Barry Moore (AL-01) voted in support of the Kayla Hamilton Act. This bill aims to enhance federal efforts to combat the trafficking of children by amending the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008.

“This bill puts the safety of children first, plain and simple," said Congressman Moore. "Kayla Hamilton’s tragic story is a stark reminder of what happens when the government fails to do its most basic job - protect innocent children. The Kayla Hamilton Act closes dangerous loopholes revealed during the Biden Administration that allowed traffickers, gang members, and illegal aliens to exploit vulnerable children, and it requires background checks, gang screenings, and accountability before a child is placed with a sponsor. Protecting Americans is non-negotiable, and this bill ensures that stricter requirements are in place for both the unaccompanied minors and the sponsors they are placed with.”

The Kayla Hamilton Act will:

Require thorough background and criminal history checks for individuals and households where unaccompanied alien children are placed.

Screen children 12 years and older for gang involvement, including identification of gang-related tattoos and markings.

Prohibit release of unaccompanied alien children on their own recognizance to ensure proper oversight.

Ensure children deemed flight risks or dangerous are placed in secure facilities during immigration proceedings.

Prevent placement of children with individuals who have convictions for sex offenses, trafficking, domestic violence, child abuse, murder, or other serious crimes.

Improve coordination between the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Justice to better protect children from exploitation and trafficking.


“Warsh Can’t Just Get A Rubber Stamp” – Joint Economic Committee Senior House Dem. Beyer

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Senior House Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee and member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, today urged the Senate to subject President Trump’s Fed Chair nominee, Kevin Warsh, to “hard questions about independence and monetary policy.”

Beyer said:

“Trump chose Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair because his father-in-law is a billionaire donor, the brains behind Trump’s idiotic scheme to invade Greenland. He also chose him because Warsh has shown willingness to wildly alter his views on monetary policy based on who is in the White House, and because he is ‘out of central casting.’

“The Senate should note these bad qualifications and remember Warsh’s awful track record at the Fed during the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession. These concerns along with Trump’s attacks on the Fed mean this nominee must face hard questions about independence and monetary policy. Warsh can’t just get a rubber stamp.”


Rep. Smith on the Senate’s failure to invoke cloture on and advance the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, issued the following statement in response to the Senate’s failure to invoke cloture on the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act:

“I am extremely disappointed in my Senate colleagues’ failure to invoke cloture on and advance the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act, critical legislation that would have supported pregnant and parenting students seeking to complete their degrees.

“This common-sense legislation would have required colleges and other higher learning institutions to provide pregnant and parenting students with helpful resources, details about accommodations, and information about how to file a complaint. The miracle of pregnancy should not be viewed as an ‘inconvenience’ by schools and administrators, let alone an inhibitor of higher education.

“This bill sends a clear message that motherhood and education are not mutually exclusive: assistance, resources, and accommodations are in-place and available.

“The unconscionable decision of Senate Democrats to vote against cloture reflects an unwillingness to offer care to young parents throughout the United States, who continue to pursue college-level or higher degrees during pregnancy or post-birth. There should be clear, bipartisan support for students who are pursuing an education and working towards a viable career path while caring for children or preparing to give birth. Young parents and their children need Congress to be their fierce advocates, not powerful adversaries.”

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Tues., February 3: Rep. Chris Smith to chair hearing on Belarus"Human Rights in Belarus Today: Political Prisoners and the Ongoing Crackdown"

On Tuesday, February 3rd, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) and author of the landmark Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 and multiple reauthorizations, will chair his eighth congressional hearing focused exclusively on the human rights crisis in Belarus.

Since 2020, the government of Belarus—a dictatorship led by Alexander Lukashenko for more than 30 years—has been engaged in an ongoing crackdown on democratic opposition. Yet, even as this repression has continued, Belarusian authorities have—since 2025—released 123 political prisoners in connection with diplomatic engagement led by the Trump administration. Despite these developments, more than 1,100 political prisoners remain incarcerated, and the Belarusian democracy movement continues to operate largely in exile.

WHAT: Congressional hearing on the dire human rights situation in Belarus, the U.S. government’s efforts to promote and advance democracy and fundamental human rights in the country, and recommendations for congressional action.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 from 2:30 to 4:30 PM

WITNESSES: (Partial list)

Sergey Tihanovski, Former Political Prisoner

Dzianis Kuchynski, Head of International Affairs Department and Diplomatic Advisor to the President-elect of Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Vytis Jurkonis, Director of Freedom House in Lithuania

Jasmine D. Cameron, International Human Rights Lawyer, Visiting Scholar at American University Washington College of Law

WHERE: 2255 Rayburn House Office Building; livestreaming on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/live/ZrNNuYFTEJE?si=lHRnqrMNnzxgfsak

WHO: Co-Chairs of the TLHRC, other members of the Commission, and witnesses

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Wed., February 4: Rep. Chris Smith to chair Foreign Affairs hearing"Defending Religious Freedom Around the World"

On Wednesday, February 4th, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, and Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, will chair a joint hearing on the current state of religious persecution throughout the globe and examine the United States’ efforts to defend and advance religious freedom worldwide.

WHAT: Congressional hearing on the status of religious persecution throughout the globe, with a focus on Nigeria, China, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, and North Korea. The hearing will also assess U.S. efforts and initiatives to promote religious freedom in those countries and beyond.

WHEN: Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 at 10:30 AM

WITNESSES: (Partial list)

The Honorable Sam Brownback, Former Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State

Grace Drexel, Daughter of Pastor Ezra Jin

Dr. Stephen F. Schneck, Former Chair, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom

WHERE: 2172 Rayburn House Office Building and livestreaming on YouTube

WHO: Chairman Chris Smith, Chairwoman Maria Salazar, other members of the HFAC Africa and Western Hemisphere Subcommittees, and witnesses

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