PASSED: Sen. Moran’s FY2026 Commerce, Justice & Science Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) – today released the following statement after the Senate voted 82 to 15 to pass his FY2026 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill as part of a three-bill appropriations package:

“This appropriations package provides critical funding for our nation’s federal law enforcement and for many of our nation’s federal agencies that conduct important scientific research, bolster economic growth and promote U.S. national security. As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee, I worked to make certain this appropriations bill strengthens the programs that are important to Kansas – support for local law enforcement to combat violent crime and disrupt fentanyl trafficking, investments to bolster economic growth and resources to provide critical 24/7 weather coverage – while also taking steps to make reductions in spending so taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely. I appreciate the support from my colleagues to fund critical programs that strengthen our nation’s federal law enforcement, invest in NASA’s Artemis program, support scientific research and improve our economic competitiveness.”

The three-bill package includes the FY2026 Appropriations Bills for Commerce, Justice and Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment. The funding package passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a vote of 397 to 28 and now heads to the President’s desk. The CJS bill reduces spending by nearly $500 million compared to last year’s spending levels.

Sen. Moran spoke on the Senate floor before the legislation’s passage in the Senate, highlighting the critical programs funded through the legislation, emphasizing the fiscal responsibility of the bill and urging his colleagues to support final passage.

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Full Remarks

Federal investments from Sen. Moran’s Commerce, Justice and Science bill will go toward:

Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration to promote exports from small- and medium-sized businesses.

Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security to enforce export controls and protect sensitive technologies from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries.

Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to ensure adequate staffing in trade negotiations.

Bureau of the Census to support the bureau’s efforts to begin preparations for the 2030 Decennial Census.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to help maintain U.S. leadership in cutting-edge fields such as quantum information science and artificial intelligence.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve weather forecasting and early warning systems that protect lives and property and to promote the timely replacement of aging weather satellites.

U.S. Marshals Services to support efforts to apprehend and detain violent fugitives and criminal aliens.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to support efforts to disrupt and dismantle the Mexican cartels that are flooding the U.S. with fentanyl.

U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to support efforts to bring, indict, convict and incarcerate violent criminals and drug trafficking organizations.

Office of Justice Programs that support police and sheriff departments such as Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act programs, and DNA and forensics-related activities.

Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office Programs, such as the COPS Hiring Program, Regional Information Sharing Services, and Anti-Methamphetamine and Anti-Heroin Task Forces.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for exploration activities, including to return U.S. astronauts to the lunar surface and eventually Mars, and for NASA science to study the Earth from satellites while also investigating the deepest parts of space from Earth launched telescopes and probes.

National Science Foundation (NSF) to sustain U.S. leadership in scientific discovery, including continued investments in quantum information science, artificial intelligence, Regional Innovation Engines and critical research facilities.

Veterans Treatment Courts to equip veterans with specialized support services and accountability tailored to their military experience, including federal resources to establish a National Center for Veterans Justice.

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Sen. Moran Secures Over $29 Million in Federal Resources for Water Infrastructure Projects in Kansas

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations – today announced over $29 million in federal investments in Kansas by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The federal resources were included in the FY2026 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, which passed the Senate as part of a three-bill appropriations package. The legislation now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

“The federal investments secured in this legislation will help improve and modernize critical water infrastructure projects across Kansas,” said Sen. Moran. “These resources will bolster the work of the Army Corps of Engineers to reduce the risk of severe flooding, preserve the long-term sustainability and operations of waterworks in our communities and protect Kansans’ homes and businesses from devastating impacts from severe weather. Investing in the future of our water infrastructure will help to keep local residents safe for generations to come.”

Federal investments secured for USACE projects in Kansas:

Council Grove Lake – $13,725,000 to fund the completion of outstanding operation and maintenance work at Council Grove Lake in Morris County.

Marion Lake – $8,030,000 to fund the completion of outstanding operation and maintenance work at Marion Lake in Marion County.

Wilson Lake – $3,505,000 to fund the completion of outstanding operation and maintenance work at Wilson Lake in Ellsworth County.

Tuttle Creek Lake – $1,826,000 to fund the completion of outstanding operation and maintenance work at Tuttle Creek Lake in Riley County.

Kanopolis Lake – $830,000 to fund the completion of outstanding operation and maintenance work at Kanopolis Lake in Ellsworth County.

Coffeyville – $500,000 to fund the study of flood risk management at Coffeyville in Montgomery County.

Shunganunga Creek Basin – $500,000 to fund an investigation to evaluate flood risk management in the Shunganunga Creek Basin in Shawnee County.

Smoky Hill River – $400,000 to fund an investigation of restoring the stream and habitat of the Old Channel of the Smoky Hill River in Saline County.

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Moreno, Klobuchar Introduce Bill to Exempt Multiemployer Plans From Automatic Enrollment

WASHINGTON – Senators Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and Amy Klobuchar (D- Minn.) introduced the Multiemployer Plan Relief Act, a bipartisan bill that provides targeted relief from the automatic enrollment mandate for multiemployer union retirement plans. Representatives Mike Carey (R-Ohio), Brad Finstad (D-Minn.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), and John Larson (D-Conn.) introduced a companion bill in the House.

“Hardworking Ohioans deserve retirement plans that work for them,” said Senator Moreno. “This bill removes unnecessary red tape from automatic enrollment rules, allowing Americans’ rightfully earned benefit plans to continue serving them without added compliance burdens from frequent job changes.”

“Workers in construction, trucking, and manufacturing rely on multiemployer union retirement plans to build financial security and prepare for their futures. While automatic enrollment can be a helpful tool to boost retirement savings, it doesn’t work the same way in multiemployer settings, where frequent job changes and uncoordinated payroll systems pose serious logistical challenges,” said Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation provides relief for workers and businesses with multiemployer union retirement plans, so that we’re not imposing one-size-fits-all mandates where they don’t fit.”

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Murkowski Celebrates Major Wins for Alaska in Interior Appropriations Bill

Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) secured a wide range of Alaska priorities and policy wins in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee, Murkowski used her leadership position to shape the legislation to reflect Alaska’s unique needs—strengthening public safety, supporting subsistence and Native communities, advancing responsible resource development, and investing in wildfire response and natural hazard mitigation.

H.R. 6938, which also includes two other spending bills, has now passed both the House and Senate, and heads to the President’s desk for his signature.

“Alaska is unique, and our federal policies must reflect that reality,” said Senator Murkowski. “As Chair of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee, I worked to ensure this bill helps Alaska communities become more resilient and better prepared for natural disasters, while ensuring that we are treated as a true partner in federal decision-making. From wildfire management and subsistence access, to infrastructure, clean water, management of our public lands, and consultation with Alaska Native entities, these investments are about making a meaningful impact in communities across the state.”

FY26 Interior-Environment Appropriations Bill Highlights

The Senate Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies oversees a broad portfolio of federal agencies with major responsibilities in Alaska, including the Department of the Interior (DOI), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Indian Health Service (IHS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Strengthening wildfire response and community protection

Recognizing the growing wildfire risk across Alaska and the country, Senator Murkowski ensured the inclusion of $1.517 billion for Wildland Fire Management at DOI, including $370 million for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund. The U.S. Forest Service’s wildland fire management is funded at $2.43 billion, maintaining robust suppression and preparedness capabilities. Additional report language allows the Forest Service to use bark beetle mitigation funding on non-federal lands when states identify wildfire risks to nearby communities.

Ensuring consultation with Alaska Native entities

Multiple provisions reinforce the importance of meaningful consultation with Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations. The bill includes language on the importance of reducing cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and supports consultation with Tribes in P.L. 280 States on law enforcement needs to improve public safety in their communities.

Supporting Alaska Native lands and economic interests

The BLM Alaska Conveyance account is funded at $32.7 million, a $1 million increase over FY25, to advance long-overdue land transfers. The bill also provides $500,000 to conduct an appraisal of lands owed to Eklutna, Inc. under the North Anchorage Land Agreement, which is an essential step toward completing the settlement in ANCSA. An additional $1.5 million supports Alaska Native entities that have entered into 17(b) easement agreements with BLM.

The bill includes report language expressing that the Administration must follow the law and permit access from the Ambler Mining District to the Dalton Highway in accordance with ANILCA, while also directing agencies to improve critical mineral permitting timelines under a provision Murkowski authored in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Also included are an additional $3 million and report language for probate requiring BIA to provide a report on staffing needs, resource needs, and the average amount of time it takes to complete the probate process for eligible States and what opportunities exist to improve timeliness to comply with regulatory deadlines.

Investing in fisheries, subsistence, and wildlife management

The bill includes $4.7 million for the Pacific Salmon Treaty, including $1.5 million for implementation of the Yukon River Salmon Agreement. Funding is also provided for the National Wildlife Refuge Fund, the Alaska Nannut Co-management Council, the Eskimo Walrus Commission, and the Prescott Firefighter Grant Program. Report language addresses subsistence snowmachine access, traditional knowledge, community safety related to polar bears, and management of the Alaska Maritime and Kenai National Wildlife Refuges. Also included is $2 million in funding to address trail maintenance needs within National Forests in States and Territories outside of the continental United States.

Advancing public safety and justice in Alaska Native communities

The Bureau of Indian Affairs receives $570 million for Public Safety and Justice, a $14.5 million increase over FY25. Under Tribal Justice Support, $21 million is provided for P.L. 280 courts. The bill includes report language supporting tribal law enforcement, wellness courts, and public safety facilities in remote Alaska communities. Legacy provisions address the disproportionate representation of Alaska Native children in foster care, preservation of Native languages, subsistence pilot programs, and continued support for shelters such as the Emmonak Women’s Shelter.

Preparing for earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and climate risks

The USGS receives targeted increases to improve hazard monitoring across Alaska, including expanded funding for earthquake early warning systems and landslide hazard programs, ShakeAlert expansion into Alaska, and the Alaska Mapping Initiative. It also maintains funding for volcano hazard programs. The bill also includes $1.5 million in new funding to support the development of engineering solutions to enhance glacial outburst monitoring and floor risk mitigation within the National Forest System.

Improving clean water, infrastructure, and environmental health

The bill provides $1.63 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $1.1 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, maintaining strong investments in water infrastructure. It includes $2 million for a new Above Ground Storage Tank Grant Program, $20 million for Alaska Contaminated Lands cleanup, and $30.7 million for safe drinking water technical assistance—particularly for rural and small communities. Additional funding supports transboundary watersheds, wood stove certification, airshed grants, sewer overflow mitigation, and Superfund cleanup. Additional funding supports geothermal assessments, critical mineral mapping, and continued monitoring of transboundary watersheds such as the Unuk River.

Expanding health care capacity in Alaska

The Indian Health Service receives $8 million for maternal health improvements, a $1 million increase from FY25, along with $31 million for new staffing packages at Alaska facilities, including the Chugachmiut Regional Health Center in Seward and Mount Edgecumbe Medical Center in Sitka.

Protecting Alaska from one-size-fits-all regulations

The bill includes Murkowski-led provisions clarifying the application of the Endangered Species Act to sage grouse, prohibiting federal regulation of the lead content of ammunition and fishing tackle, restricting greenhouse gas reporting requirements, and addressing the use of small remote incinerators—policies aimed at preventing unnecessary regulatory burdens on rural and subsistence communities.

Investing in American Culture, Arts, and Humanities

The bill provides funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support arts and humanities projects nationwide. This includes grants for education, public outreach, cultural programming, and community-based initiatives. NEH funding also encompasses dedicated support for humanities grants and a matching grants program that leverages private contributions to strengthen preservation, research, and educational efforts across the country.

Also included is funding for the Smithsonian Institution to support research, preserve and expand the national collections, modernize and protect facilities, and enhance public exhibits and education programs. Additional funding was also provided for facilities capital needs to repair, revitalize, and modernize Smithsonian buildings and infrastructure nationwide.

In addition to programmatic funding to help Alaskans, Murkowski was able to secure investments specific to 19 Alaska communities, projects that have been requested and prioritized by local governments and organizations:

Bristol Bay: $3.86 million for the collection, processing, staging, and backhaul of scrap metal waste to prevent environmental contamination and protect subsistence resources.

Fairbanks: $3 million to expand natural gas infrastructure in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, supporting cleaner energy use and improved air quality.

Homer: $937,868 to update a drinking water facility.

Hoonah: $5.121 million to upgrade the Icy Strait Point force main sewer system, supporting the community’s wastewater treatment capacity amid increased use.

Ketchikan: $6 million to upgrade the Charcoal Point wastewater treatment plant, improving reliability and long-term wastewater management for the community.

King Cove: $2 million to upgrade the city’s solid waste processing facility as the existing landfill nears the end of its useful life.

Petersburg: $8 million to complete planning and engineering for a new wastewater treatment facility to replace outdated infrastructure.

Prince William Sound: $250,000 for beach rehabilitation to repurpose high-density polyethylene pipe and remove debris impacting coastal habitats.

Sitka: $10 million for the design and construction of a new wastewater effluent disinfection system to modernize Sitka’s wastewater treatment facility and improve water quality.

Teller: $700,000 to purchase new landfill processing equipment to increase capacity and improve waste management operations.

Unalaska: $3.4 million to replace the Captains Bay drinking water line, improving reliability and water delivery for the community.

Wasilla: $1.93 million for the design of the Wasilla–Palmer water system interconnect to increase redundancy and strengthen regional water security.

Whittier: $1.59 million to replace aging and near-failing wastewater lift stations that pose risks to public health and environmental safety.

Wrangell: $10 million to upgrade the municipal wastewater treatment plant to ensure continued compliance with water quality standards and support community health.

Yakutat: $1.504 million to construct water and sewer infrastructure for the Forest Highway Subdivision, improving basic services for residents.

Statewide (Tribal Communities): $500,000 for the Cook Inlet Tribal Council to support dissemination of the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children’s report, “The Way Forward,” and to develop a toolkit to assist with implementation of its recommendations.

Statewide (North Slope and Northwest Alaska): $241,000 for the Robert Aqqaluk Newlin Sr. Memorial Trust’s Uqapiaqta Iñupiatun Adult Fluency Program to support adult Inupiaq language learners through elder gatherings, staffing, and curriculum development.

Statewide: $1.5 million for the Alaska Trails Initiative to construct the Grant Creek Bridge and extend the Iditarod National Historic Trail between Moose Pass and Grant Creek, expanding recreational and historic trail access.

Statewide: $3.5 million for the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection to carry out fuels reduction projects aligned with Community Wildfire Protection Plans, helping protect communities from wildfire risk.

Senator Murkowski will begin accepting appropriations requests from Alaskans for programmatic and Congressional Directed Spending for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) on January 26, 2026.

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Murkowski Introduces Resolution Affirming U.S. Partnership with Denmark and Greenland

Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced a concurrent resolution affirming the United States’ enduring partnership with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland. The Senate Concurrent Resolution follows President Trump and his administration’s recent comments about acquiring Greenland, including through the potential use of military force.

“Whether through defense cooperation, such as our shared military assets at Pituffik Space Base, or the development of critical minerals that will strengthen our national security, every one of our strategic goals can be accomplished with Greenland as a partner. At a time when we really can’t agree on much of anything, this is a resolution that all members of Congress should be willing to put their names behind,” said Senator Murkowski. “Safeguarding our relationships with our NATO allies should be paramount, with Greenland treated as our partner, not a possession.”

The text of the resolution can also be found below.

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Affirming the partnership between the United States and Denmark and Greenland.

Whereas the United States, the Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland maintain a close partnership based on shared democratic values, collective security, and mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity;

Whereas the United States maintains a long-standing defense presence in Greenland in cooperation with the Kingdom of Denmark and the Government of Greenland, contributing to collective security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic region;

Whereas Denmark and Greenland are important partners under the North Atlantic Treaty, which was ratified by Congress in 1949;

Whereas Article 1 of the North Atlantic Treaty requires NATO members to settle any international dispute in which they are involved by peaceful means and to refrain from the threat or use of force;

Whereas recent public statements by senior executive branch officials have suggested that the United States may seek to acquire Greenland, including through the potential use of miliary force;

Whereas such statements have prompted public concern and objections from the Governments of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland, and other NATO allies who have reaffirmed that Greenland is not for sale and that its future must be determined by its people;

Whereas leaders in Denmark and Greenland have emphasized that threats, pressures, or coercive rhetoric have no place between allies and undermine trust essential to collective security; and

Whereas the Constitution of the United States vests in Congress the exclusive authority to declare war, authorize the use of military force, and regulate the expenditure of funds for national defense: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

(1) the United States Government affirms its respect for the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark, including Greenland, consistent with longstanding treaty commitments, including the North Atlantic Treaty;

(2) any change in the status of Greenland, or any use of United States military force involving Greenland, must comply with treaty obligations and is subject to authorization by Congress;

(3) the United States should continue to strengthen diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation with Denmark and Greenland through partnership, consent, and alliance-based engagement; and

(4) the Arctic remains the most secure when the United States leads through cooperation with allies rather than coercion.

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Murkowski Secures Key Alaska Priorities in Appropriations Package

Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today highlighted major Alaska priorities secured in an appropriations “minibus” bill that moves Congress closer to avoiding a January 30 funding lapse for key federal agencies. H.R. 6938 includes the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS), Energy and Water Development (EWD), and the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) bills. With this package of appropriations bills, Murkowski helped to ensure core investments critical to Alaska’s economy, public safety, infrastructure, and scientific leadership.

“While tough choices were made, we protected the priorities that matter most to Alaskans: our fisheries, public safety, energy security, Arctic research, and coastal infrastructure,” Senator Murkowski said. “This is exactly why the regular order appropriations process matters—it allows us to come together and build a product through compromise that meets the needs of our people and communities. With passage of these three bills, we have completed half of the appropriations for FY26, and we are pressing hard to complete the remaining bills before the end of January.”

FY26 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations Highlights

Protecting Alaska Fisheries and Coastal Communities

Alaska’s seafood industry continues to endure a variety of challenges, including competitive markets that are manipulated by Russia, rising costs, and declining stocks. Senator Murkowski focused on using the CJS bill to strengthen Alaska fisheries and coastal communities through targeted and measured increases.

Key wins include:

$7 million increase for Fisheries Data Collections, Surveys, and Assessments. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) depends on this data for fishery management and conservation to keep oceans and fisheries healthy.

$2 million increase for the Fishery Survey Contingency Fund, bringing total funding to $6 million. This funding provides augmentation capacity for NOAA to ensure robust fishery stock assessment surveys.

$10 million for Saltonstall-Kennedy Grants to help promote, develop, and market U.S. fisheries.

$500,000 increase for the Pacific Salmon Treaty, funded at $42 million, supporting cooperative fishery management between the United States and Canada.

Full funding for fishery stock assessments, management councils, Sea Grant, salmon management and treaty obligations, interjurisdictional fisheries grants, and electronic monitoring and reporting.

$65 million for NOAA vessel recapitalization, maintaining critical shipbuilding capacity necessary for fisheries surveys and Arctic operations.

Strengthening Weather, Tsunami, and Ocean Monitoring

Alaska is the most seismically active state in the nation and faces additional threats from hazards such as volcanoes, landslides, and tsunamis. Alaska’s often-severe climate also demands robust infrastructure to monitor weather and ensure the safety of our people.

Senator Murkowski ensured that relevant federal programs were fully funded. The bill also includes a $5 million increase for the National Data Buoy Center to enhance real-time maritime safety in Alaska, as well as a $5 million increase for the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which provides tools and forecasts to improve safety, protect the environment, and support fishermen.

Investing in Arctic Science and Research

Senator Murkowski is a leading voice on Arctic policy and has relentlessly pushed for investments critical to a comprehensive U.S. Arctic strategy. The bill preserves strong support for Arctic and polar research, including $250 million for the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) EPSCoR program, which builds local STEM capacity.

The bill also reinforces NSF support for Arctic research and Tribal engagement, while maintaining congressional intent for NASA cryospheric science and polar observation missions to better understand Alaska’s rapidly changing environment.

Advancing Public Safety and Justice in Alaska

Alaska’s vast, remote terrain and rural population present unique public safety challenges. Senator Murkowski again focused on addressing these needs by securing funding and oversight provisions across the Department of Justice.

Continued support for Violence Against Women programs, including increases for STOP Grants, Sexual Assault Services, and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner programs.

Investments in Tribal and statewide justice programs, including youth mentoring, drug courts, veterans’ treatment courts, and the Regional Information Sharing System.

Retention of strong oversight language for DOJ and FBI operations, including reporting requirements related to the relocation of the FBI headquarters and field office staffing.

In addition to broader programmatic funding to help Alaskans, Murkowski was able to secure investments in the CJS bill that are specific to 17 Alaska communities or entities—projects that were requested and prioritized by local governments, Tribal organizations, and Alaska-based institutions:

Anchorage: $305,000 for the Anchorage Police Department to enhance the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, supporting efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute child sexual predators.

Bethel: $70,000 for the City of Bethel to upgrade security systems at the Bethel Police Department, improving safety for officers and the public.

Cordova: $355,000 for the Prince William Sound Science Center to purchase an oceanography profiler, supporting long-term climate and ecosystem monitoring in the region.

Dillingham: $3.5 million for the Bristol Bay Science and Research Institute to conduct in-season genetic analysis to reduce bycatch of Western Alaska chum salmon in the Bering Sea pollock fishery.

Ketchikan: $3 million for the City of Ketchikan to replace its radio communication system, an essential public safety upgrade identified following recent landslides to improve emergency response and community resilience.

Valdez: $5.5 million for the City of Valdez to replace obsolete and failed emergency services communication towers and equipment, strengthening emergency response capabilities.

Statewide: $1.5 million for the University of Alaska Fairbanks to improve salmon counting through the development of drone-borne maritime lidar technology.

Statewide: $1.5 million for the University of Alaska Anchorage to support a Biotechnology Research Commercialization Initiative, helping advance innovation and applied research leveraging Alaska’s unique Arctic environment.

Statewide: $2 million for the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation to support the Alaska Seafood Modernization Initiative, investing in processing innovation, workforce development, and infrastructure improvements.

Statewide: $2.5 million for the North Pacific Research Board to support the Northern Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Program.

Statewide: $3.5 million for the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to support services for survivors of gender-based violence across Alaska.

Statewide: $1 million for the State of Alaska Department of Public Safety to provide physical addresses necessary to implement Next Generation 911, improving emergency response accuracy and system resiliency.

Statewide: $500,000 for the Bering Sea Fisherman’s Association to build capacity for Tribes and Tribal organizations to participate as Cooperating Agencies in federal environmental analysis and decision-making processes.

Statewide: $165,000 for the Alaska Ocean Observing System to deploy Imaging Flow Cytobots to monitor and detect harmful algal blooms in coastal Alaska waters.

Southeast: $500,000 for Sealaska Heritage Institute to develop marine workforce programs for Alaska youth, supporting long-term workforce needs in fisheries and ocean sciences.

Statewide: $498,000 for the Tanana Chiefs Conference to launch a Mobile Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) pilot program to provide coordinated care to survivors.

Statewide: $1 million for the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center to provide training and technical assistance to support survivor-centered and trauma-informed Tribal justice systems.

FY26 Energy and Water Development (EWD) Appropriations Highlights

Sustaining Alaska Energy Security and Innovation

Senator Murkowski ensured that her core energy priorities were preserved in the EWD bill while rejecting several proposed Administration cuts.

Key Department of Energy highlights include:

$3.1 billion for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs, rejecting a proposed multi-billion-dollar reduction.

Continued funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program and the State Energy Program, which help Alaskans make efficiency upgrades to lower costs and stay warm in the winter.

$8.4 billion for the Office of Science, reinforcing National Labs, advanced computing, and Arctic science capacity.

$75 million for Indian Energy activities to support Tribal energy development, as well as language to safeguard formula funding for tribal-led energy initiatives.

Significant investments in electric grid infrastructure, including transformers and grid components.

$3 million for the Arctic Energy Office, including $1 million to support the deployment of a microreactor at Eielson Air Force Base.

Language supporting ARPA-E’s continued research and development of supporting cold climate and Arctic-centric topics.

A mandatory report on how DOE can use existing funds to provide a loan guarantee for a natural gas pipeline in Alaska.

The highest-ever funding level for the Water Power Program, including $30 million for private sector or university-led awards for innovative marine energy systems and language requiring DOE to expeditiously fund pre-approved and prospective tidal energy pilot projects in Alaska.

Language urging DOE to allocate all available hydroelectric incentive funding to maintain affordable hydro-based power in Alaska and avoid fallback to diesel generation.

$16.7 million to continue methane hydrate production, including for testing on the North Slope that will demonstrate how to successfully produce gas hydrates at commercial rates.

$25 million to support research and development of geothermal technologies, including pilot projects that could take place in Alaska, and $100 million for enhanced geothermal system demonstrations.

$71.5 million for research, development, and demonstration of carbon dioxide removal technologies.

Supporting the Denali Commission and Rural Infrastructure

The Denali Commission delivers some of the most cost-effective investments and services of the federal government by reducing administrative and overhead costs while providing on-the-ground knowledge and experience in the communities they serve. The agreement provides $18 million for the Denali Commission, including a $2.5 million bulk fuel set-aside, reinforcing its role in addressing energy security and safety in rural Alaska Native villages.

Advancing Alaska Ports, Navigation, and Coastal Mapping

Senator Murkowski ensured continued support for Alaska’s maritime infrastructure, including $18 million for the National Coastal Mapping Program, with no less than $6 million dedicated to Arctic coastal mapping, and $11.8 million for Inland Waterways Navigation Charts. The bill also strengthens reporting requirements to ensure equitable funding for remote and subsistence harbors across Alaska.

In addition to programmatic funding to help Alaskans, Murkowski was able to secure investments specific to three Alaska communities, projects that have been requested and prioritized by local governments and organizations:

Nome: $41.6 million for the Port of Nome Modification project to expand port capacity, improve navigation safety, and strengthen Arctic maritime infrastructure.

Juneau: $200,000 for Auke Bay navigation improvements to enhance safe vessel access in a heavily used marine corridor.

Homer: $840,000 for studies to further substantiate existence, location and quality of potential geothermal resources on Mt. St. Augustine.

The FY26 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Highlights will be covered in a separate press release.

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Murphy, Blumenthal, Warren Introduce Legislation To Bolster Fishermen In Response To Climate Change

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced legislation to better support commercial fishermen as they respond to shifting fish populations due to climate change. The Supporting Healthy Interstate Fisheries in Transition (SHIFT) Act would require that the U.S. Department of Commerce consider the changing geographic ranges of fish populations as it oversees federal fishery management plans and quota allocations.

“Connecticut’s fishing industry is so important to our state’s economy, but it’s being held back by outdated, decades-old federal laws that don’t allow our fishermen to adapt to an unpredictable and fast-changing climate,” said Murphy. “This bill will modernize our fisheries management laws for the 21st century - allowing our fishermen to stay ahead of fish migrations, maximize their catch, and reduce their costs - and bring us one step closer to our goal of a sustainable, blue economy for Connecticut.”

“This legislation addresses outdated fishing requirements and ensures that climate change conditions like rising water temperatures that shift fish stocks are prioritized in fishery management plans. Our changing climate has seriously altered our oceans, forcing fishermen to travel far distances to earn a living or throw back valuable fish. With the SHIFT Act, we will make sure fishery management plans accurately reflect the drastic impacts of climate change—bolstering our local fishermen and raising the tides for our state’s blue economy,” said Blumenthal.

Restrictions on the species and number of fish that can be caught in Atlantic waters haven’t been updated in decades, even as warming ocean temperatures have caused fish populations to shift dramatically northward. As a result, commercial fishermen are forced to travel significant distances to access fish populations—or toss valuable fish back into the ocean. The SHIFT Act requires the Secretary of Commerce to account for climate change impacts on the distribution of fish populations when making quota allocations and fishery management plans for Atlantic states.

The SHIFT Act is endorsed by Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, Pew Charitable Trusts, American Saltwater Guides Association, Earthjustice, Environmental Defense Fund, and the National Audubon Society.

"As marine fisheries shift and transform in response to climate change, there is an urgent need for policy guidance on how to best conserve them and support fishing communities for the long term. The SHIFT Act would respond by updating management frameworks to keep pace with shifting fish stocks, reduce user conflicts, and promote precautionary management of emerging fisheries. These solutions have a key role in securing a resilient future for our fisheries,” said Molly Masterton, NRDC Senior Attorney.


Murphy Introduces Bill To Give Scotland, CT A Single ZIP Code

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday introduced a bill that would mandate the U.S. Postal Service assign Scotland, Connecticut a single, unique ZIP Code. Despite having a population of fewer than 2,000 residents, Scotland, CT has six ZIP codes. For years, Connecticut families who call Scotland home have struggled to navigate the many ZIP codes of their town, complicating important tasks from registering to vote, to sending their kids to school, and paying taxes.

In the 118th Congress, Murphy and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-2) introduced bicameral legislation to apply a single, unique zip code to the town of Scotland. The House passed a measure incorporating Courtney’s provision, but the calendar year ended before the Senate could put the provision up for a vote. This bill continues the Connecticut legislators’ efforts to provide common sense to the ZIP code designation of Scotland, CT, and relief to Scotland families.

“After years of navigating zip code insanity, the people in Scotland deserve a single, unique zip code to represent the place they call home,” said Murphy. “Changing a zip code may seem like a small thing, but it will make a huge difference for the close-knit community of Scotland and prove that government can still work for regular people. I look forward to ending this headache for Scotland families once and for all.”

“The people of Scotland face the serious consequences of having six ZIP Codes for a town of less than 1,600 people. Delivery of Social Security notices and checks, Medicare information, prescription medications, and absentee ballot applications are disrupted day in day out. Residents have paid their taxes to the wrong town and sent their children to the wrong school,” Courtney said. "Town leaders have advocated for years with Senator Murphy and I to fix this dysfunctional system, which unfortunately, the Post Office’s foot dragging on has required action by Congress. Last July, the House passed a single ZIP Code mandate for Scotland. Hopefully, Senator Murphy’s bill will add to the momentum to fix this issue once and for all.”


PASSED: Murray Secures Over $5 Billion for WA Priorities in Three-Bill Funding Package; Historic Funding for Hanford, $190 Million for Howard Hanson Dam, Rejecting Trump Cuts

In major triumph over Trump, Murray undoes Russ Vought’s cancellation of funding for Howard Hanson Dam, singlehandedly steers major federal funding back to HHD

Murray protects critical funding Washington state counts on, successfully defeats Republicans’ extreme policy riders in negotiations

Murray: “I said I would tear up Trump’s budget and write a new one—and I did… President Trump is going to sign a bill that continues construction at the Howard Hanson Dam that he tried to eliminate.”

Murray brings home over $5 billion for WA – securing $331.438 million in Congressionally Directed Spending and a record $3.22 billion for Hanford

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, led Senate passage of three bicameral, bipartisan fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills: the Energy and Water Development; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; and Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bills. The three-bill package passed the Senate by an overwhelming 82-15 vote today after passing the House last week. It now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

Throughout negotiations as Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murray fought to protect the programs and investments that matter most to working families across the country and successfully defeated over 140 extreme Republican policy riders. Senator Murray secured billions in funding for Washington state in this package of funding bills.

Senator Murray secured more than $5 billion directly in total funding for Washington state, which does not include funding for national programs that will later be allocated on a competitive or formula-specific basis. The $5 billion figure includes $3.22 billion for the Hanford site and $331.438 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for local projects across Washington state in the three funding bills that comprise the package.

A full, searchable list of funded CDS projects Senator Murray secured is available HERE.

“I said I would tear up Trump’s budget and write a new one—and I did. As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, I made sure Washington state had a strong voice and a seat at the table at every step in negotiations over these spending bills—and I am proud to be bringing home billions of dollars for critical projects and programs across Washington state in this package,” Senator Murray said.

“This legislation delivers significant wins for Washington state—from record funding for Hanford, to new investments in salmon recovery, to $190 million for Howard Hanson Dam and provisions that make sure Trump cannot corruptly rip away funding for Army Corps projects in blue states like he did last year. I fought to make sure these bills represented the voices of everyone from Hanford workers to Tribes, to firefighters and scientists.

“While President Trump proposed severe cuts to programs that power our economy, deliver scientific breakthroughs, and help working families get by, my Democratic colleagues and I protected the investments that matter most to families and our economy and defeated scores of extreme far-right policies.

“These are not the bills I would have written on my own; they are the result of tough bipartisan negotiations with Republicans who control every branch of government. But these bills ensure that Congress—not Donald Trump—is deciding how taxpayer dollars get spent. This package funds everything from salmon restoration to critical flood control projects—this is funding Washington state needs. As far as I’m concerned, for as long as I am the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, Washington state priorities are going to be federal priorities. President Trump is going to sign a bill that takes care of our Tribes, invests in salmon recovery, powers the Hanford cleanup, and continues construction at the Howard Hanson Dam that he tried to eliminate.”

Highlights, key provisions, and funding Senator Murray secured in each of the three funding bills are below:

Energy and Water Development Bill

“As Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, I made sure Washington state came out on top when it came to this bill that funds so much critical work in our state,” Senator Murray said.

“Last year, the Trump administration corruptly zeroed out funding for the Howard Hanson Dam and stripped away Army Corps construction dollars from states like Washington—an outrageous abuse of power made possible by a Republican funding bill that handed even more authority to Trump. This bill rebukes that effort—and delivers $190 million for the Howard Hanson Dam to finally begin construction on a critical project to reduce flood risk and ensure long-term water reliability for over one million people in the region. This legislation invests in important research at our universities and National Laboratories, including Pacific Northwest National Lab, and supports new efforts like the Northwest Regional Commission that will deliver a real boost to rural communities across our region.

“After the Trump administration once again tried to shortchange Hanford in its budget request, I negotiated a funding bill that delivers record funding to accelerate the cleanup effort sitewide. This bill is a major step in the right direction and a rejection of the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine the Hanford cleanup mission. I will always stand up for Hanford workers and the Tri-Cities—we cannot do nuclear waste cleanup on the cheap.”

Senator Murray secured:

A record $3.22 billion for Hanford—$277 million or a 9.39% increase over last year’s funding level. This amount includes $1.051 billion for Richland operations, and $2.173 billion for the Office of River Protection—a $235.7 million increase over fiscal year 2025.

Within Richland, the bill includes necessary funding for the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility Supercell 11 project, minor construction projects to support 24/7 operations, and efforts to prepare the site to begin shipping Transuranic Waste (TRU) in 2028. Notably, the legislation Senator Murray negotiated rejects major cuts to Richland that were proposed in the Trump administration’s FY26 budget request, which would have been devastating for the Hanford workforce.

Within the Office of River Protection, the bill includes $611.5 million for the High Level Waste (HLW) facility ($11.58 million above FY25 spend plan levels), and $480 million for Direct-Feed Low Activity Waste (DFLAW) facility operations ($89.5 million above the FY26 budget request level). This funding will enable the site to accelerate waste retrievals and throughput at DFLAW.

$412.5 million for Army Corps of Engineers projects and $80.955 million for Bureau of Reclamation projects across Washington state, including CDS projects:

$190 million for construction at Howard Hanson Dam. This project supports fish passage, ensures reliable water supply for cities like Tacoma and Covington, and provides critical flood risk reduction along the Green River. During last month’s historic flooding, the Army Corps of Engineers stored record amounts of water behind the dam, preventing an estimated five feet of additional flooding in Auburn. This funding is combined with language in the bill that applies broadly but will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to incrementally fund the project by modifying the existing design and construction contract within 60 days of this bill’s enactment. While the project originally needed $500 million to move forward with construction, this language allows the Corps to get the Howard Hanson Dam project back on track with this award. Once complete, the project will continue to protect communities, improve water reliability, and enhance ecosystem resilience for generations to come.

$56.78 million total for Columbia River Fish Mitigation—through CDS and programmatic funds—to maintain fish passage facilities so fish can migrate past dams on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.

$2.33 million for pre-construction engineering and design for the Seattle Harbor project to deepen navigation channels at the Port of Seattle.

A historic $3.47 billion for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund—a longtime priority for Senator Murray—to invest in our nation’s port and waterway infrastructure, including in Washington state.

Bill language explicitly directing the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to fully implement language Senator Murray championed in the 2020 Water Resources Development Act that requires the Corps to provide additional funding to Donor and Energy Transfer ports, which contribute more to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund than they can access. The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma are both Donor ports, and this language will help them get their fair share from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.

$8.4 billion for the Office of Science at the Department of Energy—a $160 million boost over last year’s funding level—which supports cutting-edge research at our national laboratories and more than 300 universities, including at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and universities across Washington state. This funding protects PNNL and other labs from further layoffs.

$854 million for the Office of Biological and Environmental Sciences, which supports the Office of Sciences’ climate science and energy programs, funding major projects across PNNL.

$180 million in direct support for PNNL facilities in the Tri-Cities, including $65 million for the Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, $96 million for the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement User Facility, and $19 million for construction of the Microbial Molecular Phenotyping Capability project.

$60 million in funding to support ongoing infrastructure improvement projects at PNNL’s Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory in Sequim and $24 million to continue the Powering the Blue Economy Initiative.

$4.8 million to support the Grid Storage Launchpad at PNNL, which is helping commercialize new grid-scale energy storage technologies.

New bill language to block the Department of Energy from changing existing facilities and administrative indirect cost agreements. This reverses the harm inflicted on universities, non-profits, state and local governments, and private businesses, and ensures all entities receiving grant funding can appropriately fund their overhead.

Bill language to adjust funding for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council for inflation. This supports the Council’s critical work supporting the Bonneville Power Administration’s regional power and conservation planning efforts.

$4.885 billion for the Office of Nuclear Energy at the Department of Energy, including $3.1 billion in repurposed supplemental funding to support the deployment of advanced reactor technologies. This includes the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program’s two demonstration projects—one is from TerraPower in Washington state and the other is from X-Energy, which will include a project in the Tri-Cities.

$805 million for the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, including $70 million for the milestone program. This funding supports burgeoning fusion startups like Helion Energy, Zap Energy, and Avalanche Energy in Washington State.

Establishes a new Northwest Regional Commission (NWRC), with $1 million in startup funding. The NWRC will include Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, and will focus on underserved and economically-challenged areas—providing grants for everything from health care facilities, to transportation infrastructure, to rural broadband, and workforce development.

Senator Murray secured $235.455 million for 11 CDS projects in the bill, which are listed HERE.

A full summary of the bill Senator Murray negotiated is available HERE.

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill

“This bill rejects President Trump’s reckless proposed cuts to scientific research and programs that keep Americans safe and protects funding that our state counts on. It delivers new resources for priorities that really matter in Washington state—from salmon recovery, to research funding for our universities, to economic development programs that our Tribes rely on,” Senator Murray said.

“The legislation I negotiated rebuffs Trump’s attempts to slash NASA programs and delivers new investments in our aerospace economy, where Washington state is proudly leading the way. I’m excited to bring home funding for new research efforts across Washington state, including $50 million for a scientific research center at WSU, $10 million for a new computing data center at UW, and $3 million for groundbreaking wind tunnel research—among so much else.

“I fought hard to secure increased resources for the Office on Violence Against Women, which funds programs addressing the scourge of domestic violence and sexual assault. And I’m proud we were able to boost funding for programs that help survivors of sexual assault, like the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program I established years ago with help from a constituent from Washington state. While this bill doesn’t include everything I fought for, it is a strong compromise that will help keep America competitive and protect the research and public safety programs families rely on every day.”

Senator Murray secured:

Key funding for salmon recovery and habitat restoration:

$75.75 million for the Pacific Salmon account at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a $750,000 increase over FY25 funding levels.This funding is critical to support the agency’s work with Endangered Species Act-listed Pacific salmon species.

$27.5 million for Mitchell Act salmon hatcheries, a $4 million increase, to help raise salmon and steelhead for release in the Columbia River Basin for harvest and conservation purposes.

$65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, which provides funds to states and Tribes to protect and restore Pacific salmon and steelhead populations. The Trump administration proposed eliminating this program altogether in their budget request.

$28 million in NOAA construction funds for critical improvements and upgrades at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle.

$1 million for the Northwest Straits Initiative, a community-led effort to restore marine habitats in the Northwest Straits region. This funding continues a longstanding effort by Senator Murray to restore and protect the Puget Sound for generations to come.

$1.5 million for management, intervention, and mitigation of invasive European Green Crab.

$720 million—the highest funding level ever—for grants to prevent violence against women and better support survivors, especially Native women on Tribal lands. This funding is provided under the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and includes:

$12 million, a $2 million increase, for a grant program—established by Senator Murray—to increase access to sexual assault nurse exams. This funding will support grants for regional Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training, salaries for SANEs and Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs), and technical assistance and resources to increase access to SANEs and SAFEs.

$51 million, an increase of $1 million, for transitional housing assistance for survivors.

$55 million for grants for legal assistance for survivors.

$14.5 million, an increase of $3.5 million, for special Tribal criminal jurisdiction grants.

Through Congressionally Directed Spending, Senator Murray also secured $1.75 million for services for sexual assault survivors at the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center.

$10 million for University of Washington to create secure computing and data infrastructure for A.I. research to expand Washington state’s AI workforce and talent pipeline and strengthen our competitive edge in A.I. and advanced computing.

$8.75 billion for the National Science Foundation to continue promoting American competitiveness through scientific discovery, to continue the momentum of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, and further facilitate AI research.

$49 million for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)—one of which is located in the Tri-Cities—rejecting Trump’s proposal to close one facility.

$50 million for Washington State University to establish a new Scientific Research Center, to study aquatic resources and ecosystems, aiding in the restoration of pacific salmon, and filling a critical gap in existing research capacity in the Pacific Northwest. The funding positions the region as a hub for future research and investment. The project’s key components include construction of a new Pacific Salmon Resiliency Research and Training Center, renovations of WSU’s Aquatic Phenomics Research Center and Aquatic Pathobiology Laboratory, and the acquisition of AI computing and IT infrastructure.

$24.44 billion for NASA to continue the country’s—and Washington state’s—leadership in space exploration and technologies. This funding includes:

$7.783 billion for Deep Space Exploration and the continued development of the Human Landing System for the Artemis missions.

$4 million, a $1.5 million increase, for an academic consortium within the Biological and Physical Sciences. Senator Murray has been pushing for NASA to expand its footprint into the Pacific Northwest to capitalize on the growth in aerospace innovation happening in Washington state.

$10 million for a new center of excellence for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion that could be located in Washington state.

Additional resources for Tribal businesses and economic development, including $5 million for the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration’s Assistance to Indigenous Communities program—a program that Senator Murray started. The legislation also includes $5 million for the Office of Native American Business Development, and $6.5 million for assistance to Tribal and Native-owned businesses through the Minority Business Development Agency.

Provides $540 million for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), rejecting President Trump’s proposal to eliminate the largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans. It also includes a provision to permit LSC recipients to operate with boards of directors that include more fiscal experts and community representatives—something Senator Murray has advocated for.

Senator Murray secured $70 million for 8 CDS projects in the bill, which are listed HERE.

A full summary of the bill Senator Murray negotiated is available HERE.

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill

“This bill rejects the Trump administration’s attempts to decimate America’s cherished public lands, and delivers critical investments in our National Parks and forests, in Washington state and across the country. Importantly, we were able to secure full funding for essential wildfire preparedness and suppression efforts. In Washington state, we know all too well how much this work matters,” Senator Murray said.

“This bill delivers record funding for EPA’s Puget Sound Geographic Program—a program I go to bat for every single year—to invest in crucial work happening on the ground to protect and restore our Puget Sound ecosystem.

“I take seriously my responsibility to be a voice for Washington state’s Tribes, and this bill rejects nearly $1 billion in cuts for our Tribes that President Trump wanted to make and instead protects funding for Tribal programs including critical health care services and essential government services, from roads to housing. Ultimately, this legislation is a bipartisan compromise, but it’s important that we were able to fight back against efforts to hollow out agencies that protect our public lands and support our Tribes—and to deliver critical resources communities across Washington state are counting on.”

Senator Murray secured:

$56 million for the EPA’s Puget Sound Geographic Program—a $2 million increase from last year. Murray successfully fought to protect this program and increase funding, including for the Puget Sound Recovery National Program Office. This office, and a corresponding Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force, will work to implement salmon recovery plans, protect Tribal treaty rights, and reduce pollution in the region.

$3.5 million for the EPA’s Columbia River Basin Geographic Program, a $500,000 increase.

$3.27 billion for the National Park Service, including $2.87 billion for the operation of the National Park System—$1.15 billion higher than the level requested by President Trump. The bill provides the resources to sustain FY24 staffing levels and provides the funding necessary to support a full complement of seasonal staff during FY26.

$6.13 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, excluding additional funding for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve. The bill rejects the steep $1.4 billion cut to the Forest Service’s non-fire budget proposed by President Trump and provides funding for the Forest Service to improve forest restoration and fire risk reduction efforts on federal lands.

Fully funds essential wildfire preparedness and suppression efforts by providing $4.25 billion for wildfire suppression, of which $2.85 billion is for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund and continues to support the increased pay for federal firefighters enacted into law last year.

$64.1 million for Climate Adaptation Science Centers, a $1 million increase, one of which is hosted by the University of Washington. The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) was established to help safeguard the natural and cultural resources of Idaho, Oregon, Washington and surrounding river basins. The CASC is a federal-university partnership that produces relevant science on climate change impacts and adaptation actions for natural resource managers and policy-makers.

$56.7 million for Partners for Fish and Wildlife, including $1.28 million for Washington State Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups, which carry out important ecosystem restoration projects to support salmon recovery efforts.

$5.4 million for the Lower Snake River and Columbia River Basin through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to assist states and tribes with critical capital and maintenance projects to improve salmon and steelhead facilities along the basin.

$34.85 million for ShakeAlert, an earthquake early warning system that monitors for earthquakes and issues alerts.

$2.8 million in funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and U.S. Geological Survey, to coordinate and ensure a comprehensive federal approach to address the threat posed by European Green Crabs, mitigate species harm, and protect salmon along with native crab and other shellfish populations.

$2.49 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs—a $15.4 million increase from last year, including fully funding the Tribal Priority Allocations and increases across key areas such as social services and housing improvements. Across the board throughout this bill, Murray fought successfully to protect or increase funding for Tribal programs—rejecting Trump’s proposed cuts.

$1.37 billion in funding for the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to support school operational requirements, staffing, operating costs, Native language programs, scholarships, and support for remote learning. Murray successfully protected this funding, which supports 169 elementary and secondary schools, 14 dormitories, grants for 29 Tribally-controlled colleges, two postsecondary institutions, and two Tribal technical colleges across 23 states, including eight BIE-funded schools in Washington.

Senator Murray secured $25.983 million for 12 CDS projects in the bill, which are listed HERE.

A full summary of the bill Senator Murray negotiated is available HERE.

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Senate Passes Three-Bill Funding Package in 82-15 Vote

Democrats protect funding to lower families’ energy bills, key investments in scientific research, and much more

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Senate, in a 82-15 vote, passed three bicameral, bipartisan fiscal year appropriations bills: the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; and Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bills. The bills now head to the president’s desk to be signed into law. The House cleared the package in an overwhelming 397-28 vote last Thursday.

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“Today, we sent funding bills to the president’s desk that reject the steep cuts he wanted and protect investments that families across America depend on every day,” said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee. “This package saves a key program to save families on their energy bills, sustains our investments in scientific research, and protects essential funding for our public lands and Tribes, among so much else. Passing these bills reasserts Congress’ power of the purse and will prevent this administration from having the legal authority to decide for itself how to spend these taxpayer funds again. Democrats will keep fighting to protect investments in the American people—and I look forward to getting the rest of our bills across the finish line.”

Vice Chair Murray’s remarks on the package are available HERE.

A summary of the Energy and Water Development bill is available HERE. Bill text and report is available HERE.

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“Oregonians turned out in record numbers during my town halls last year and delivered a clear message: Congress must fight back against harmful funding cuts and do everything it can to protect our public lands, waters, and outdoor-driven economy. The FY 2026 Interior-Environment funding bill doesn’t go as far as I’d hoped, but it takes a solid stride toward taking on wildfire and smoke threats, supporting wildland firefighters, modernizing our water infrastructure, and fulfilling our trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribes,” said Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. “This bill also helps reassert Congress’ Power of the Purse in the face of President Trump’s authoritarian power grab and illegal funding cuts. The bill also rejects dozens of poison pill riders proposed by House Republicans and protects funding for operating and protecting our public lands, making it clear that Congress intends to ensure public lands stay in public hands. I look forward to this bill being signed swiftly into law to ensure communities in Oregon and across the nation have the necessary resources to tackle the greatest problems facing our environment, health, lands, air, and water.”

A summary of the Interior-Environment bill is available HERE. Bill text and report is available HERE.

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“As we face a lawless Trump Administration, Congress’s role in fighting for Americans’ priorities is all the more important. Within this bill, we worked to invest in those priorities, reject the Administration’s attempts to defund critical initiatives both in Maryland and nationally, and create new safeguards against their efforts to ignore Congressionally-mandated funds. This legislation will help boost economic opportunity and strengthen public safety in our communities,” said Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. “We also fought to reject the Trump Administration’s attacks on science, including at NASA Goddard, NOAA, and NIST – all based in my home state of Maryland. I also worked within this bill to secure language to reassert Congress’s oversight role in the new FBI headquarters and to ensure the new headquarters meets the mission and security needs of the FBI. While this bill is not perfect – including Republicans’ decision to strip my amendment requiring DOJ preserve and report to Congress on the Epstein files – it rejects many Republican poison pills that would make our communities less safe, trample Americans’ civil rights, restrict access to healthcare, impede important scientific research, and so much more. The investments we secured in this legislation were hard-fought, and this bill will help invest in and protect important priorities for the American people.”

A summary of the Commerce-Justice-Science bill is available HERE. Bill text and report is available HERE.

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Throughout negotiations, Democrats fought to protect the programs and investments that matter most to working families across the country. Among much else, this three-bill package delivers important investments for the American people:

FAMILIES’ ENERGY COSTS: Rejects President Trump’s push to eliminate the Weatherization Assistance Program that saves families an average of $372 per year on their energy bills by making energy efficiency upgrades. Instead, Democrats secured a $3 million increase in funding for the program.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: Rejects President Trump’s efforts to slash funding for the National Science Foundation by 57%, gut funding for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science by $1.1 billion, and slash NASA’s science budget by 47%. Instead, the package sustains research funding for NSF, provides $160 million more for the Office of Science, which supports critical research being conducted by 22,000 researchers at our 17 national labs and over 300 universities, and provides $7.25 billion for NASA’s science budget.

PUBLIC LANDS & NATIONAL PARKS: Rejects President Trump’s push to cut funding for the National Park Service by over $1 billion and provides the funding necessary to fully support the longstanding operations of America’s public lands.

FLOOD PREVENTION: Provides $10.44 billion for the Army Corps, a historic funding level, rejects President Trump’s push to cut funding by $2 billion, and reasserts congressional control over which projects get funded and how much funding they receive.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: Provides $7 million more for grant programs administered by the Office of Violence Against Women, rejecting President Trump’s efforts to cut over $200 million in funding for the office, which provides grants to communities nationwide to help survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: Rejects President Trump’s push to slash funding for the EPA—providing $4.7 billion above his request. Also rejects extreme riders that would enshrine detrimental policies in law.

TRIBES: Delivers essential funding to support Tribes and our treaty obligations to them—rejecting President Trump’s push to slash funding for Tribes by nearly $1 billion.

REASSERTS CONGRESSIONAL CONTROL: Prevents President Trump and his cabinet secretaries from unilaterally deciding how to spend taxpayer dollars. Right now, the Trump administration has significantly more discretion to decide how to allocate federal funding thanks to Republicans’ yearlong continuing resolution for fiscal year 2025, which failed to provide detailed funding directives for hundreds of programs and turned over decision-making power to the executive branch to fill in the gaps itself. This package provides detailed directives about how funds are to be spent—just as Congress has long done when writing full-year appropriations bills—so that Congress, and not the executive branch, decides how taxpayer dollars are spent.

REJECTS EXTREME REPUBLICAN RIDERS: Rejects over 140 extreme riders and proposals included in House Republicans’ draft bills—and many more sought by President Trump in his budget request.

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Senator Murray Urges Colleagues to Support Final Passage of Three-Bill Funding Package

ICYMI: Murray, Top Appropriators Release Three-Bill Minibus

***WATCH: Senator Murray’s Remarks***

Washington, D.C. – Ahead of the Senate’s vote today on final passage of a three-bill funding package, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks, encouraging passage of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; and Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills.

Text, summaries, and more information on the three bills in the package are available HERE.

Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

“I want to thank Chair Collins and Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro—as well as our fantastic subcommittee leaders, and all our staffs—for working so hard to put this package together.

“This vote is about returning power to the American people, protecting the funding that they count on, and making sure Congress—not Trump and Vought—decide how taxpayer dollars get spent.

“We have before us a package of bipartisan bills—the product of hard, serious negotiations—that reject devastating Trump cuts that would cut scientific research, raise energy prices, and make our communities less safe and prosperous.

“These bills protect key investments in scientific research, our Tribes, our public lands, and so much else—and they reassert the power of Congress to make our nation’s funding decisions.

“Congress—that’sus. So, let’s choose to exercise our power and make sure our states’ voices are heard by passing these bills now and getting them signed into law.”

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Padilla, Durbin, Klobuchar, Whitehouse Continue Pressing DOJ to Reject Taxpayer Payouts for January 6 Insurrectionists

Amid new January 6-related lawsuits, Senators demand answers following previous letters urging Attorney General Bondi to oppose refunds or rewards for rioters

Senators: “It is clear that these insurrectionists and their attorneys are trying every possible avenue to enrich themselves at taxpayer expense”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) urged the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to publicly reject efforts by January 6 rioters to receive payouts as these insurrectionists file claims for millions of dollars in taxpayer money.

The Senators pressed DOJ for more information after they did not receive responses to their previous pushes last year urging DOJ to disavow January 6 rioters’ attempts to secure a victim compensation fund like that used to compensate victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks and to seek refunds for restitution they paid for Capitol building damages. The Senators’ second follow-up letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi comes as January 6 rioters now pursue a third route to get taxpayer payouts: Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) lawsuits.

After January 6 rioters waited years to file their FTCA claims, most should presumably be barred under the law’s two-year statute of limitations, but per public reporting, DOJ has not yet rejected these claims. The Senators demanded answers to a series of questions regarding the number of FTCA claims, whether DOJ has rejected or approved any claims, whether the statute of limitations has expired on them, and any discussions regarding these claims or a special compensation fund for January 6 insurrectionists.

In December 2025, per public reporting, roughly 400 January 6 rioters, who the Trump Administration pardoned or granted clemency to, filed claims with DOJ under the FTCA, each seeking $1 to 10 million because they were prosecuted for their criminal actions. This appears to be the same group who, through their attorney, Mark McCloskey, previously lobbied DOJ to set up a victim compensation fund, which would be both deeply corrupt and unlawful. McCloskey has reportedly had several “positive meetings” with DOJ official Ed Martin — who reportedly supports compensating violent January 6 insurrectionists — but he filed the FTCA claims after talks stalled.

At the same time, leaders of the “Proud Boys” far-right militant organization are suing for $100 million — alleging violations of their constitutional rights and malicious prosecution. The Senators condemned these efforts by January 6 rioters and pushed Bondi to wholly denounce them.

“We write to urge you to categorically reject efforts by pardoned January 6 insurrectionists to seek tens of millions of taxpayer dollars in payouts from the Department of Justice,” wrote the Senators. “As the Nation reflects on the fifth anniversary of the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, and mourns the lives lost, we urge you to publicly reject these efforts to reward January 6 rioters for their criminal acts at the expense of American taxpayers.”

“You should put an end to this money grab by publicly committing that the Department will not attempt to create a compensation fund, will reject all related FTCA claims, and will vigorously defend the taxpayers in any related lawsuits,” continued the Senators.

The violent mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, attempting to prevent the certification of the 2020 election results, caused roughly $3 million in damages to the Capitol building, injured more than 100 law enforcement officers, and threatened members and their staff. Damage to the building included widespread vandalism, ruined furniture, shattered glass, broken doors, defaced artwork, and the desecration of the halls of Congress. Convicted January 6 insurrectionists paid about $400,000 in court-ordered restitution to cover the damages they caused, which has since been transferred to the Treasury Department, from where the funds can only be withdrawn by Congress.

As the Senate considers the FY 2026 appropriations minibus, Padilla and Whitehouse offered an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill that would prevent the Administration from using federal funds to provide financial compensation for prosecuted January 6 rioters, and would authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer court-ordered compensation that was previously paid by convicted January 6 rioters to offset the cost of repairs to the Capitol from the U.S. Treasury to the Architect of the Capitol.

Senator Padilla has repeatedly condemned the deadly January 6 Capitol insurrection and helped pass legislation to prevent similar attacks from threatening our democracy. Last week, on the fifth anniversary of the Capitol insurrection, Senators Padilla and Whitehouse introduced a pair of bills to prevent January 6 rioters from receiving refunds or cash rewards from the federal government that they are aggressively seeking from Trump’s Department of Justice. Padilla also led a Senate floor block alongside 17 of his Democratic Senate colleagues to honor the more than 100 law enforcement officers who were injured or later lost their lives. Before the floor block, Senate Republicans rejected his bipartisan resolution condemning the attack.

Padilla previously cosponsored and applauded the passage of the bipartisan Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, which modernized the outdated Electoral Count Act of 1887 to ensure the electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state’s vote for president.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Attorney General Bondi:

We write to urge you to categorically reject efforts by pardoned January 6 insurrectionists to seek tens of millions of taxpayer dollars in payouts from the Department of Justice. As the Nation reflects on the fifth anniversary of the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, and mourns the lives lost, we urge you to publicly reject these efforts to reward January 6 rioters for their criminal acts at the expense of American taxpayers.

We are deeply disappointed by the failure of the Department to respond to our May 2, 2025 and September 29, 2025 letters, which made clear that using taxpayer funds to reward January 6 insurrectionists would not only be insulting to the American public, but would also flout federal law. The January 6 insurrectionists left nearly $3 million in property damages in their wake and injured more than 100 law enforcement officers. The blanket pardon issued in January 2025 does not erase the real harm caused during the attack or the Department’s legal obligations to protect taxpayers from frivolous claims.

It is clear that these insurrectionists and their attorneys are trying every possible avenue to enrich themselves at taxpayer expense. Leaders of the Proud Boys have filed a lawsuit seeking $100 million in damages. Another attorney states he has had several “positive meetings” with senior DOJ official Ed Martin regarding cash rewards for January 6 rioters and is proposing a 9/11 style compensation fund. It bears repeating—the power of the purse belongs to Congress. Put simply, the Department does not have unilateral authority to create a fund to reward the January 6 insurrectionists, and we will adamantly oppose any effort in Congress to authorize one.

In addition, there is credible public reporting that nearly 400 insurrectionists have brought claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), seeking $1 million to $10 million per individual for alleged injuries and property damage they sustained when they were arrested and prosecuted for storming the Capitol on January 6. Given these insurrectionists waited years to raise these claims, most of them are presumably barred by the FTCA’s two-year statute of limitations, but the public reporting indicates that the Justice Department has not yet rejected the claims. Given the concerns raised by the ongoing reporting of insurrectionists lobbying the Department for cash payouts, we request timely responses to the following questions:

1. How many claims under the FTCA related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 has the Department received?

2. Has the statute of limitations run on any of the claims identified in response to Question 1?

3. Has the Department rejected any FTCA claims related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021? If so, when, how many claims, and on what grounds?

4. Has the Department approved any FTCA claims related to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021? If so, when, how many claims, and what was the total compensation?

5. Has anyone with the Department participated in discussions with individuals prosecuted for their involvement in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, or with their representative(s) about settling any FTCA claims or other ongoing litigation?

6. Has anyone with the Department participated in discussions with individuals prosecuted for their involvement in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, or with their representative(s) about setting up a special panel or compensation fund to award funds to those who participated in the attack?

7. What steps, if any, has the Department taken to set up a special panel or compensation fund to financially compensate any individuals prosecuted for their involvement in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021?

Finally, you should put an end to this money grab by publicly committing that the Department will not attempt to create a compensation fund, will reject all related FTCA claims, and will vigorously defend the taxpayers in any related lawsuits.

The Department of Justice has so far failed to respond to either of our previous letters on this topic, but the American public is owed an explanation. We ask that the Department provide a written response to this letter no later than January 30, 2026.

Sincerely,

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Padilla, Merkley Lead Senate Colleagues in Pushing Trump Administration to Reverse USPS Postmark Policy Undermining Vote-By-Mail

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) led 14 Senators in condemning a recent announcement from the United States Postal Service (USPS) regarding postmarking practices that will make it harder for Americans to vote by mail, especially those living in rural communities.

Right before the holiday season, USPS clarified its recent practices in a rule stating, “the postmark date does not inherently or necessarily align with the date on which the Postal Service first accepted possession of the mailpiece.” Due to recent Postal Service consolidations, this policy would have significant negative impacts on election administration in vote-by-mail states like California that rely on postmarks to decipher ballot eligibility, while hampering access to basic services like prescription drug deliveries, tax returns, and bill payments.

“We write in strong opposition to the USPS’ decision to codify its decision to abandon the goal of timely postmarks by downgrading mail processing services,” wrote the Senators to USPS Postmaster General Dave Steiner. “We urge you to immediately reverse the underlying mail processing changes which contribute significantly to new postmark delays, including the policy described in the new USPS Postmarks and Postal Possession Final Rule. Moving away from postmarking mailpieces on the date they are received into the postal system presents significant negative consequences for millions of Americans conducting commercial transactions, government functions, which alarmingly includes voting.”

“We should be working to make voting easier for eligible voters, not harder,” continued the Senators. “These changes will only increase the likelihood of voter disenfranchisement. While voters can request a manual postmark at a post office, this is unrealistic for millions of voters who vote by mail and will only serve to discourage mail voting. Inevitably, many voters will not learn about the changes to their postal service until it is too late, creating uncertainty about whether their vote will be able to count.”

The Senators emphasized that many states determine mail-in ballot eligibility using the postmark date, and this change could lead to more ballots being rejected. Experts estimate at least a one-day delay for postmarks and mail delivery in rural areas.

They also highlighted that recent cost-cutting measures at USPS have led to facility closures and consolidations that acutely impact seniors, rural residents, and small businesses who rely on USPS for important personal and financial correspondence. Along with voting and tax issues, delayed postmarks will lead to application denials, late fees, missed deadlines for legal document submissions, overdue notices, and other challenges.

In addition to Padilla and Merkley, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

As Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight over federal elections, Senator Padilla has led the charge opposing President Trump’s attempts to restrict the right to vote across the country, including his attacks on vote-by-mail. Last week, Padilla and Senator Wyden led their colleagues in filing an amicus brief in Watson v. Republican National Committee, challenging Republican attempts to suppress mail-in voting. Following the November 2025 special elections, Padilla led a floor block sounding the alarm on the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to rig election rules one year out from the 2026 midterms.

Before coming to the Senate, Padilla established automatic and same-day voter registration, upgraded California’s voting systems to meet higher security standards, and expanded mail-in and in-person early voting as California’s Secretary of State.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Postmaster General Steiner,

We write in strong opposition to the USPS’ decision to codify its decision to abandon the goal of timely postmarks by downgrading mail processing services. We urge you to immediately reverse the underlying mail processing changes which contribute significantly to new postmark delays, including the policy described in the new USPS Postmarks and Postal Possession Final Rule. Moving away from postmarking mailpieces on the date they are received into the postal system presents significant negative consequences for millions of Americans conducting commercial transactions, government functions, which alarmingly includes voting.

On December 24, 2025, the Postal Service added a new section to its Domestic Mail Manual, formally stating “the postmark date does not inherently or necessarily align with the date on which the Postal Service first accepted possession of the mailpiece.” This means that many voters and other users of the Postal Service could no longer receive a postmark the day they cast their ballot or drop off their tax forms in the mail. Instead, they will receive a postmark date when their mail reaches a regional processing center, which is likely to be significantly further away from their community due to recent USPS consolidations.

This misguided decision to delay postmarks has potentially harmful implications for our election system, and vote-by-mail. Many states determine whether a mail-in ballot can be counted using the postmark date. Election officials are already concerned and warning that this change could ultimately lead to higher mailed ballots being rejected.

Postmarks delays are especially problematic in states that vote entirely or largely by mail. Rural areas across the country will be especially impacted as experts estimate at least a one-day delay in postmark and mail delivery in rural areas. In theory, a rural voter could submit their ballot in time according to their state law, but due to the changes you are implementing, their legally-cast ballot would not be counted as it sits in a local post office. As we enter a year with many local and federal elections, the risk of disrupting this vital democratic process demands your attention and action.

We should be working to make voting easier for eligible voters, not harder. These changes will only increase the likelihood of voter disenfranchisement. While voters can request a manual postmark at a post office, this is unrealistic for millions of voters who vote by mail and will only serve to discourage mail voting. Inevitably, many voters will not learn about the changes to their postal service until it is too late, creating uncertainty about whether their vote will be able to count.

Postmarks that do not match the date a mailpiece is first received by the USPS are often the direct result of eliminating twice daily mail dispatches from local post offices to regional processing centers under the Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) plan. Now, many mailpieces received after the first and only transfer truck leaves will sit overnight until the next daily transfer. This service downgrade should be reversed.

Delayed postmarks further pressure a mail delivery system struggling under the weight of ill-conceived cost-cutting measures. In recent years, mail processing facility closures and consolidations implemented under the disastrous “Delivering for America” plan have caused delays in mail delivery, affecting vital services like prescription deliveries, bill payments, and other essential communications. Seniors, rural residents, and small business owners have been particularly impacted by downgraded postal services. In addition to election and tax implications, delayed postmarks will result in late fees, missed legal document submissions, application denials, overdue notices, and increased costs for the American people.

In addition to restoring timely postmarks and ensuring voters aren’t negatively impacted, we urge the Postal Service to promptly engage cooperatively with union representatives to fully stand up the Postal Election Mail Task Force. Early engagement between management and postal workers will help ensure all necessary extraordinary measures are well understood and ready for implementation as election mail comes in for processing.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing your plans to address these concerns and request a response no later than 14 days from today.

Sincerely,

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Senate Advances Padilla, Banks Bipartisan Tyler’s Law to Fight Fentanyl Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions advanced bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) to help combat the fentanyl crisis. Tyler’s Law would direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide hospitals with guidance on incorporating fentanyl testing into routine emergency room drug screenings.

The legislation is named after Tyler Shamash, a Los Angeles teenager who died from fentanyl poisoning after he was admitted to the emergency room, where fentanyl was not included in the standard toxicology screen. Following Tyler’s tragic passing, California became the first state to pass Tyler’s Law in 2022. Senators Padilla and Banks’ bill is the companion to Representatives Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Bob Latta (R-Ohio-05), and Sydney Kamlager-Dove’s (D-Calif.-37) legislation in the House of Representatives.

“The fentanyl crisis is a matter of life and death for families in California and across the country,” said Senator Padilla. “Far too many people, including children, have tragically died from fentanyl overdoses. One of those lives lost was Tyler Shamash, a Los Angeles teenager whose hospital screening tests failed to detect the drug in his system. By advancing our bipartisan legislation, the Senate took an important step to honor Tyler’s memory by bringing California’s updated standard of including fentanyl in emergency room screenings to the federal level. Today we are one step closer to preventing these tragedies.”

“Too many families in Indiana and across America have lost loved ones to fentanyl poisoning. Tyler’s Law will help prevent these tragedies by promoting fentanyl testing in hospital emergency departments. I thank Tyler’s mother, Juli, for championing this legislation to make fentanyl testing a national standard, and I am proud to see it pass out of committee,” said Senator Banks.

“I have been working with Tyler’s mom, Juli, on this bill for years and am pleased that we’re seeing movement on it in the Senate,” said Representative Lieu. “Juli initially reached out to my office in 2023 to share Tyler’s story and ask what we could do. It was shocking and awful to learn through Tyler’s story that some hospitals do not test for fentanyl when treating patients suspected of overdoses. The solution seemed common-sense: ensure doctors and hospitals were testing for fentanyl when ordering drug panels. I have been grateful for the partnership of Representatives Kamlager-Dove and Latta and Senators Padilla and Banks on this bill. By moving this bill forward, we’re honoring Tyler’s memory and fighting to save lives.”

“No one should ever experience the heartbreak of losing a loved one to a fentanyl overdose, nor should anyone have to question whether that death could have been prevented. In 2018, my constituent, Tyler Shamash, tragically lost his life to an overdose because fentanyl was not included in the emergency room’s drug screening. Tyler’s Law aims to save countless lives by ensuring that overdose victims can receive critical care before it’s too late. I am deeply grateful to have met Tyler’s mother, Juli, whose strength and tireless advocacy led to California’s requirement for emergency rooms to include fentanyl in their drug screenings. Now, we must take the next step and make fentanyl testing a nationwide standard by passing this lifesaving legislation,” said Representative Kamlager-Dove.

“Illicit fentanyl and its analogs have claimed countless American lives, and we must continue to do everything we can to curb this deadly epidemic. That’s why I co-lead Tyler’s Law in the House of Representatives, which will help us better understand fentanyl overdoses and the testing shortfalls occurring in hospital emergency rooms. I appreciate the Senate for marking up this crucial piece of legislation, and I support this vital, bipartisan effort to save lives,” said Representative Latta.

Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances are the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States, accounting for over 70 percent of all overdose fatalities in 2023. By expanding fentanyl testing in emergency rooms, this legislation aims to save lives and provide critical information to help combat the nation’s overdose crisis.

Specifically, Tyler’s Law would direct HHS to:

Assess Fentanyl Testing Practices — Study fentanyl testing rates in hospital emergency departments, including associated costs and benefits.

Issue National Guidance — Provide hospitals with recommendations on implementing routine fentanyl testing.

Improve Diagnosis & Treatment — Enhance the identification of fentanyl exposure and guide prevention and treatment efforts.

More on Tyler’s Law can be read here.

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