Duckworth Calls Out DHS Secretary Noem for Intimidating, Preventing Oversight Watchdog from Doing its Job as DHS Agents Kill Americans in the Street

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is calling out U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem for making thinly veiled threats to invoke a never-used authority that is effectively a kill switch to prevent or end any DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation. Duckworth expressed alarm that Noem’s implied threats are intimidating this government watchdog into inaction, given the DHS OIG’s failure to conduct independent investigations into the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, despite DHS OIG regularly investigating such use of force incidents. The Senator’s concerns come after her meeting with DHS IG Cuffari where she sought further explanation for why her request for an independent investigation was denied. In the meeting, Duckworth learned that the DHS General Counsel, who officially reports to Secretary Noem, has communicated multiple times with DHS OIG personnel to “remind” them that Secretary Noem has the power to prevent or halt any independent DHS OIG investigation—a seemingly implicit threat made to prevent them from investigating potential abuses by Trump’s DHS. If true, the DHS’s actions undermine the independence of DHS OIG as well as its ability to protect the American people from this Administration’s abuses.

“I fear that repeated tacit threats from your Office of the Secretary to DHS OIG may have already succeeded in weakening DHS OIG’s operational independence—as evidenced by DHS OIG’s unusual lack of activity and engagement in the days that followed the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents,” wrote Duckworth in a letter to Secretary Noem. “DHS OIG’s failure to expeditiously initiate a use of force investigation was particularly notable given its past work regularly conducting such investigations of Border Patrol use of force, and the significant public outcry and growing bipartisan calls for such an independent investigation.”

These concerns also come after Duckworth pushed the DHS OIG multiple times to enhance its oversight of Trump’s DHS agents as they continue a pattern of unprecedented brutality across Illinois, Minnesota and beyond. In her letter, Duckworth noted how the section of U.S. Code that the DHS General Counsel “reminded” DHS OIG of—which effectively gives Secretary Noem the power to prevent or stop OIG investigations—has never been invoked, or even threatened to be invoked, by any DHS Secretary in American history. Duckworth also expressed alarm that DHS appears to have doubled down on this implicit threat by also making a highly unusual and unprecedented demand that DHS OIG disclose to Noem every active audit, inspection and investigation—including ongoing criminal investigations.

“Since meeting with Inspector General Cuffari, I suspect the DHS OIG’s odd inaction may be explained by the unprecedented and improper actions of the DHS General Counsel,” continued Duckworth. “A reasonable observer would interpret your General Counsel transmitting a ‘reminder’ email to the DHS OIG citing 5 U.S.C. §417—unprompted and seemingly out of nowhere—as a clearly implied, unspoken threat to discourage DHS OIG from conducting any investigations into sensitive or controversial matters, particularly where you or your direct reports may have engaged in waste, fraud or abuse.”

To ensure Secretary Noem is not successfully intimidating DHS OIG from doing its job and performing independent investigations into DHS agent use of force incidents, Duckworth is requesting the release of all emails and documents between DHS and DHS OIG related to this matter.

Duckworth is also seeking a commitment from Noem that she will never threaten to invoke 5 U.S.C. §417 and more.

For months, Duckworth has been pushing to require independent investigations from DHS OIG into Trump’s agents’ excessive and deadly uses of force against the American people:

October 17, 2025: In the wake of Operation Midway Blitz, Duckworth sent a letter to DHS and DOJ OIG calling for a joint task force to conduct independent investigations into Trump’s agents’ pattern of abuse against citizens of Illinois.

November 7, 2025: After Trump’s armed agents violently tore a teacher out of a Chicago daycare center in front of preschoolers, Duckworth sent another letter to DHS and DOJ OIG reiterating the need for an investigative joint task force.

January 21, 2026: After Trump’s agents in Minneapolis executed Renee Good in the street, Duckworth sent a letter reiterating and broadening her request for a joint task force to investigate the disturbing pattern of violent behavior by Trump’s agents in Chicago, Minneapolis and across the country.

January 23, 2026: DHS OIG shamefully denied Duckworth’s request for a joint investigative task force, just two days before Trump’s violent agents in Minneapolis executed U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ICU nurse Alex Pretti in broad daylight.

January 25, 2026: Duckworth announced she will seek to force independent investigations by DHS OIG into Trump’s agents’ excessive and deadly uses of force against Americans through an amendment to the DHS Appropriations Act.

January 26, 2026: Duckworth sent a new letter to DHS and DOJ OIG requesting an investigative joint task force after the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti.

A copy of the letter can be found below and on Senator Duckworth’s website:

Dear Secretary Noem: I write to express extreme alarm regarding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) implicitly threatening the independence of the DHS Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) by repeatedly reminding DHS OIG of an obscure authority—that has never been invoked in the history of DHS—that effectively empowers you to unilaterally prevent or kill any DHS OIG investigation, inspection or audit, and demanding that the DHS OIG provide you with a list of every active inspection, audit and investigation, including ongoing criminal investigations.

I fear that repeated tacit threats from your Office of the Secretary to DHS OIG may have already succeeded in weakening DHS OIG’s operational independence—as evidenced by DHS OIG’s unusual lack of activity and engagement in the days that followed the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents. DHS OIG’s failure to expeditiously initiate a use of force investigation was particularly notable given its past work regularly conducting such investigations of Border Patrol use of force, and the significant public outcry and growing bipartisan calls for such an independent investigation—which included support from the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders.

As you are aware, DHS OIG criminal investigators regularly conduct independent investigations into Border Patrol agent use of force incidents. As DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari informed my office, DHS OIG criminal investigators possess direct experience and expertise conducting independent use of force investigations regarding Border Patrol agents, and DHS OIG is better suited to conduct such investigations compared to U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, or any other DHS component, since DHS OIG criminal investigators are, at least in theory, independent of DHS.

Following my multiple requests to DHS OIG for enhanced oversight and investigations that began during Operation Midway Blitz in October 2025, I met with Inspector General Cuffari to demand an explanation as to why the DHS OIG refused to act on my request for proactive investigations of all use of force incidents related to the Trump administration’s aggressive and violent mass deportation operations.

Since meeting with Inspector General Cuffari, I suspect the DHS OIG’s odd inaction may be explained by the unprecedented and improper actions of the DHS General Counsel—who officially reports to you, the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security and potentially, Special Government Employee Corey Lewandowski.

Specifically, your General Counsel communicated with DHS OIG personnel, including through at least one email, and reminded DHS OIG of the existence of section 417 of title 5, United States Code (5 U.S.C. §417). This broad authority effectively empowers you to select from a broad range of pretextual options to unilaterally prevent or halt any “independent” DHS OIG investigation, regardless of your true intent for interfering with the work of an office that Congress authorizes and funds to serve as an independent watchdog over all DHS programs.

While 5 U.S.C. §417 appears to be contrary to the letter and spirit of the Inspector General Act of 1978, this matter has never caused controversy, because since DHS’s creation over two decades ago, no Secretary has ever invoked, or even threatened to invoke, 5 U.S.C. §417, to stop or halt a DHS OIG investigation.

My understanding is your General Counsel carefully worded at least one email to avoid explicitly threatening the DHS OIG with invocation of 5 U.S.C. §417. However, a reasonable observer would interpret your General Counsel transmitting a “reminder” email to the DHS OIG citing 5 U.S.C. §417—unprompted and seemingly out of nowhere—as a clearly implied, unspoken threat to discourage DHS OIG from conducting any investigations into sensitive or controversial matters, particularly where you or your direct reports may have engaged in waste, fraud or abuse.

In addition, your General Counsel, in a recent communication, again reminded DHS OIG of the existence of 5 U.S.C. §417—which is effectively your DHS IG investigation kill switch—and demanded DHS OIG disclose every active audit, inspection and criminal investigation—the latter demand representing an extremely unusual, perhaps even unprecedented request. Such an invasive fishing expedition by the DHS General Counsel appears to pave the way for you to begin shutting down DHS OIG investigations.

To ensure you are not successfully intimidating Inspector General Cuffari from performing independent investigations into Border Patrol agent use of force incidents, particularly the shootings that resulted in the murder of Alex Pretti and the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations officer, I request the following:

Public confirmation that you did not intend to seek, nor are seeking to, invoke 5 U.S.C. §417 to take any action related to forthcoming, ongoing or completed DHS OIG investigations, inspections, audits or other activity;

A detailed explanation as to why your General Counsel communicated with DHS OIG about 5 U.S.C. §417 on multiple occasions, including whether you, the Deputy Secretary or Mr. Lewandowski, directed, instructed, ordered or merely suggested that the General Counsel take such action;

A clear retraction of the DHS General Counsel request for a list of all active DHS OIG investigations, inspections and audits

All documents related to any communications between the DHS General Counsel or any other DHS official or Special Government Employee and the DHS OIG related to 5 U.S.C. §417;

All documents related to any discussions within the Office of the Secretary regarding 5 U.S.C. §417; and

A public commitment that, consistent with every single one your predecessors, you will neither invoke, nor threaten to invoke, 5 U.S.C. §417, and will request Congress amend this (never used) broad authority to either repeal or significantly limit it.

Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this urgent oversight inquiry. I request that you provide written responses and covered documents in a timely manner, on a rolling basis and no later than February 13, 2026. If you have any questions about this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me

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In Madison County, Duckworth Underscores Importance of Water Infrastructure Funding

[EAST ALTON, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted local, state and regional leaders to discuss ongoing water infrastructure challenges throughout Madison County. As PFAS contamination in drinking water supply has become more prevalent throughout the county, compounded with aging water infrastructure, Duckworth and leaders discussed the need for more funding for the region, an issue Duckworth has been a leader on. Photos from today’s meeting are available on the Senator’s website.

“For years I’ve been working to bring awareness to the water infrastructure problems that plague the nation and this region and bring in more funding and oversight,” Duckworth said. “As we learn more about the ongoing issues in Madison County it’s clear that we need a whole of government approach, bringing together federal, state and local agencies to support a full, comprehensive overhaul of the region’s water infrastructure. As this Administration continues to recklessly gut funding for clean water projects and initiatives that actually would make America healthier, I’m committed to doing what I can to help ensure our children have clean drinking water.”

Duckworth today met with a range of leaders in the region including Illinois State Senator Erica Harris (IL-SD-56), Illinois State Representative Katie Stuart (IL-HD-112), Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson, Maryville Mayor Wayne White, Glen Carbon Mayor Bob Marcus, Collinsville Mayor Jeff Stehman, Madison County Administrator Dave Tanzyus, Illinois Water Survey Director Jenna Shelton, National Great Rivers Research & Education Center Director Paige Mettler-Cherry, and leaders from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

As co-chair and co-founder of the U.S. Senate’s first ever Environmental Justice Caucus, Duckworth has been a strong advocate for bringing environmental justice to Illinois and the entire country. Her Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as the largest federal investment in water infrastructure in history to help rebuild our nation’s crumbling and dangerous water infrastructure, including $15 billion to replacement lead service lines and $5 billion for contaminants like PFAS, with many of the programs tailored to help low-income communities designed specifically for communities like Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis. Last month, Duckworth sought to block $125 million in Republican cuts to lead service line replacement projects by redirecting a portion of Trump’s exorbitant $2 billion U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) slush fund.

In the Metro East, Duckworth has long worked to bring attention to the environmental injustices,calling on EPA to conduct enhanced monitoring and enforcement of the area, requesting a formal public health assessment by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on the impact of decades of flooding in Cahokia Heights and working to provide federal oversight and funding to repair the failing water system and improve the community members lives. Duckworth has frequently met with residents to discuss the persistent inland flooding and environmental justice issues the community faces, including leading a federal delegation tour of the area. Duckworth, along with U.S. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) has secured funding for multiple projects throughout the Metro East to help repair the crumbling water infrastructure and assist local community organizations through the Congressionally Directed Spending process.

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Durbin Secures Support For Illinois Priorities In Recently Passed Package Of Five Government Funding Bills

The package included Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Defense; Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development; Financial Services and General Government; and State and Foreign Operations funding bills

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced the various priorities for Illinois he secured in the recently passed package of five government funding bills for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Defense; Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; and State and Foreign Operations for Fiscal Year 2026.

“With these five government funding bills, Congress has nearly completed the appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026. While the President proposed a budget that axed critical government programs and slashed medical research funding, Congress rejected these cuts on a bipartisan basis,” said Durbin. “But our work is not done. Because federal agents from CBP and ICE continue their reign of terror on American cities like Chicago and Minneapolis, we must see real changes at DHS before I am willing to consider voting to fund the agency.”

The bill also included several provisions that authorized and extended critical government programs:

Health Extender Package: Includes both the typical extensions for key mandatory funding programs until December 31, 2026, as well as new bipartisan policy reforms:

Community Health Centers / National Health Service Corps / Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education Program Funding: Extends and increases mandatory funding for Community Health Centers from $4.2 billion to $4.6 billion; for National Health Service Corps from $341 million to $350 million; and for the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education Program from $169 million to $225 million.

PBM Reforms: Includes bipartisan reforms to enhance transparency on PBM practices, end abuses that limit community pharmacies from participating in Medicare Part D insurance networks; and prohibit PBMs from collecting excess rebates from manufacturers for preferential formulary placement, and requiring savings to be passed onto customers.

Hospital, Provider, & Ambulance Payments: Delays by two years the scheduled Medicaid payment cuts to Disproportionate Share Hospitals. Extends certain bonus payments to rural hospitals and ambulance services, and continues COVID-era authorities under Medicare to furnish telehealth services and “hospital-at-home” programs.

Medicaid Enrollment for Kids: Includes a provision to streamline Medicaid enrollment for out-of-state pediatric providers.

Pediatric Drug Development: Includes several public health bills, including extending the authority for FDA and NIH to conduct pediatric clinical trials for cancer, and to continue the Priority Review Voucher program which seeks to incentivize drug development for rare diseases by providing a lucrative voucher for an expedited FDA review for companies that bring a new rare disease drug to market.

Haiti/Africa Trade Cooperation: The bill extends trade programs for Haiti and Africa through December 2026. These programs, increase market access and enhance supply chains for U.S. companies while supporting economic growth and countering Chinese influence in Haiti and Africa.

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

Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

Center for Middle School Civic Leadership, Chicago, Illinois: $720,000 to DePaul University to establish DePaul University’s Center for Middle School Civic Leadership.

Community Mental Health Program Expansion, Will County, Illinois: $1 million to the Joliet Fire Department to expand the community mental health program it developed to Will County. In Joliet, the program has resulted in a reduction in the regular users of their 911 system and a 50 percent reduction in suicides—including zero teenage suicides in two years.

Dental Clinic Expansion, Edwardsville, Illinois: $1.1 million to the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University to renovate and expand the dental clinic operated by SIU’s Dental School to increase pediatric and specialty services to the community. This clinic, which is staffed by professors and students of the dental school, is the safety net dental provider for the majority of Southern Illinois for children covered under Medicaid or uninsured patients.

Dental Clinic Expansion, Champaign, Illinois: $3.5 million to Parkland College District 505 to construct a new dental clinic and training facility. This will expand charity care services for hundreds of patients each year in the community and enable Parkland to increase enrollment for its dental hygienist program by nearly 40 percent.

Dental Surgery Clinic, Peoria, Illinois: $2 million to OSF HealthCare System to construct an outpatient dental clinic offering sedation and surgical services. Currently, Central Illinois lacks a dental sedation clinic, meaning most patients, especially Medicaid-enrolled, must travel to Chicago or Metro East for intensive dental surgery. OSF will construct four operatories to provide pediatric and specialty services for underserved populations.

Housing Support for Hospital Programs, Chicago, Illinois: $1.3 million to Center for Housing and Health to provide supportive housing to participants of the hospital-based violence recovery programs operated by University of Chicago and Cook County’s Stroger Hospital. Effective trauma and violence recovery work to support victims and prevent retaliations often requires rapid housing relocation. The Flexible Housing Pool provides housing assistance and case management services to individuals experiencing homelessness who excessively use hospital emergency departments, helping to reduce costs and improve health outcomes.

ICU Equipment, St. Clair County, Illinois: $1.25 million to Memorial Hospital Belleville to purchase ICU equipment including lifts, ventilators, and nurse monitoring technology.

Mentoring Programs, Chicago, Illinois: $500,000 to Youth Guidance to expand mentoring programs to five Chicago public schools, serving up to 275 additional youth, in addition to the 9,000 students they already serve in Cook County.

New Clinical Doctorate Programs, Adams County, Illinois: $1.32 million to Quincy University to purchase equipment and cover personnel expenses for two doctorate degree programs. These programs in occupational therapy and physical therapy will help meet current and future regional needs. Current and future university operating budgets include and will include funding for the occupational therapy and physical therapy graduate degree programs.

Nursing and Health Sciences Program, Bloomington-Normal, Illinois: $1 million to Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) to improve IWU’s nursing and health sciences program, including improving classroom technology and interactive space.

Oral Health Expansion, Cook County, Illinois: $700,000 to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois to expand a clinic to offer dental services to low-income and pediatric patients.

Oral Health Initiative, Chicago, Illinois: $268,000 to McDermott Center (Haymarket Center) purchase dental equipment and supplies. By adding dental screenings and cleanings, dental extractions, and other oral hygiene services, Haymarket will enhance its ability to provide all relevant health services to its clients.

Pediatric Dental Expansion, Rock Island County, Illinois: $328,000 to Community Health Care, Inc. to furnish clinics with new dental equipment to expand services to pediatric patients.

Trauma & Violence Recovery Center, Chicago, Illinois: $1.5 million to Sinai Health System to establish a trauma recovery center for victims of violence. Despite being a major safety net hospital that treats a high volume of gunshot victims, Sinai relies on external community partners for its violence recovery programming. Sinai will launch its internal program, serving more than 2,000 patients annually, to integrate clinical and community services through its extensive investment in Community Health Workers.

Violence Recovery & Intervention Program, Chicago, Illinois: $1 million to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago to support the expansion of the new hospital-based violence recovery program, serving pediatric victims of violence with trauma-informed mental health and recovery services. Studies show these interventions help break the cycle of violence and high re-injury rate by addressing the emotional, psychological, and social harms from the injury.

Workforce Development Program Expansion, Chicago, Illinois: $750,000 to ASI, Inc. to expand services by supporting additional personnel, training certifications, equipment, supportive services, and education services.

Transportation, Housing, And Urban Development

91st Street Infrastructure Improvement Project, DuPage County, Illinois: $750,000 to DuPage County make improvements to enhance pedestrian safety, to include sidewalk and lighting work, in the unincorporated area of DuPage County near Willowbrook.

Capital Improvements, Chicago, Illinois: $500,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago to make capital improvements at the Bartlett J. McCartin Boys & Girls Club in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago.

Construction of the National Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, Chicago, Illinois: $2.5 million to Illinois Institute of Technology to fund construction of a facility to serve as the National Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (NIAM). The NIAM on IIT’s Bronzeville Campus will train more than 4,000 students in advanced manufacturing fields through in-person instruction and online curricula.

Economic Hub Project, Carbondale, Illinois: $693,000 to Carbondale Community Arts, Inc. to make facility improvements for an economic hub.

Equipment Upgrades, Chicago, Illinois: $722,000 to Navy Pier Inc. to upgrade the Pier’s surveillance apparatus to ensure the safety of the Pier’s guests and businesses.

Facilities Improvements and Technology Upgrades, Carbondale, Illinois: $500,000 to Southern Illinois University’s (SIU) Center for Teaching Excellence to revitalize learning spaces at the SIU campus and community colleges throughout Southern Illinois.

Facility Improvements, Springfield, Illinois: $450,000 to the Lincoln Presidential Foundation for facility improvements at the Visitor Center at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site.

Fire Truck, North Chicago, Illinois: $861,000 to the City of North Chicago to purchase a new fire truck, as the City’s current fire truck has exceeded its useful life by nearly 10 years.

Food Security Project, Hamilton, Illinois: $2.5 million to the City of Hamilton to establish a rural health village, in partnership with Memorial Hospital, to address food insecurities in the region by offering meal subscription/prescription programming, home-delivered meals, and more.

Homelessness Prevention Project for the City of Aurora, Illinois: $1 million to the City of Aurora for renovation and expansion of a homeless shelter.

Land Remediation, Will County, Illinois: $3 million to the State of Illinois, in coordination with the State of Michigan, to remediate 3.6 acres of land on the bank of the channel of the Des Plaines River needed for construction of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Interbasin Project.

Metra’s O’Hare Express Infrastructure Study: $1.5 million to the Commuter Rail Division of the RTA to conduct a study on express train service between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and downtown Chicago.

Station Improvements, Macomb, Illinois: $134,000 to the Illinois Department of Transportation to make improvements to Macomb’s Amtrak Station, including HVAC upgrades, electrical work, and painting.

Supportive Housing Development, Arlington Heights, Illinois: $750,000 to Full Circle Communities for construction of a housing development to support veterans and persons with disabilities.

Track Reconstruction Design, Chicago, Illinois: $2 million to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to fund design of track reconstruction of CTA's Blue Line Forest Park Branch from Western Avenue to Lathrop Avenue, a roughly 6.5-mile section of the line. This reconstruction is needed in order to improve safety and on-time performance of the Forest Park Branch.

Trail Extension, Normal, Illinois: $1.9 million to the Town of Normal to fund engineering and construction of a trail connection. This will close a gap in pedestrian and bicycle accommodations between the existing Constitution Trail network and major employers located in west Normal and promote safe multimodal travel by separating pedestrians and cyclists from motor vehicles.

Transit Improvements for Vermilion County, Williamson County, and Jackson County, Illinois: $3.711 million to the Illinois Department of Transportation to fulfill ongoing transit needs, including vehicle and equipment purchases, maintenance, and other improvements for transit agencies serving Carbondale, Marion, and Danville.

Transportation Center Pedestrian Access Improvements, Normal, Illinois: $1.6 million to Connect Transit to improve pedestrian access to the City of Bloomington's Downtown Transportation Center.

Workforce Accelerator Program, Chicago, Illinois: $1 million to the North Lawndale Employment Network to transform a vacant lot across the street from its workforce development campus to offer an agricultural and environmental workforce accelerator program.

Financial Services and General Government

Digitization Initiative, Eureka, Illinois: $200,000 to be used by Eureka College to digitize the College’s archives that chronicle the history of Eureka College—the first Illinois institution of higher education to admit men and women equally—and its role in educating Ronald Reagan, a future U.S. president. This initiative will make these records more readily accessible to the public while safely preserving the original materials.

Digitization Initiative, Galena, Illinois: $300,000 to be used by the Galena-Jo Daviess County Historical Society to digitize records and artifacts chronicling the history of Galena between 1820-1870, allowing it to better showcase and make accessible records, papers, and photographs that chronicle Galena's unique place in American military and political history. This effort is being undertaken in conjunction with the construction of a new Galena and U.S. Grant Museum.

Entrepreneur and Business Center Initiative, Joliet, Illinois: $800,000 in funding to allow Joliet Junior College to provide training and advising to entrepreneurs with a focus on women, minorities, and veteran-owned small businesses. This will allow the College to expand current efforts to support small business owners by adding additional business advisors for one-on-one consultations, as well as offer workshops and trainings to students and the public.

Entrepreneurship Center, Chicago, Illinois: $513,000 in funding to allow the Chicago Urban League to provide training and support to entrepreneurs and small businesses at a 15,000 square foot facility in Chatham, including technology management, procurement, personnel management, and youth entrepreneurship training.

Small Business Development Initiative, Quincy, Illinois: $400,000 in funding to allow John Wood Community College to develop and implement a small business development initiative with a focus on AI to bolster small business creation in the Quincy region by providing AI training workshops, seminars, consulting services, networking events and industry forums.

Small Business Educational Initiative, Rockford, Illinois: $800,000 in funding to allow Rock Valley College to provide essential training and support to small businesses and entrepreneurs through the Rock Valley College Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The SBDC will work with the City of Rockford to focus on educational classes and one-on-one training to assist business owners in gaining access to capital, buying/selling businesses, and deal structuring.

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

Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

National Institutes of Health (NIH): $48.7 billion to support biomedical research, which rejects the President’s budget proposal to cut $18 billion to NIH. The bill also prohibits the Trump Administration’s proposals to: (1) cap indirect cost rates at 15 percent; and (2) reduce the number of grants awarded by requiring NIH to fund all multi-year grants in one lump sum. It includes targeted increases of $128 million for cancer research and $100 million for Alzheimer's research, and a $15 million increase for the expansion of clinical trial access for ALS patients.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): $9.2 billion for disease prevention and health promotion, which rejects the President’s proposal to cut $4 billion or 50 percent to CDC funding.

Community Violence & Trauma: The bill provides:

Within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) $140 million school mental health program, $12 million will fund the Trauma Support in Schools grant program that Durbin and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) created in 2018;

$9 million for the CDC Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) program that Durbin and Capito created in 2018, which countered the President’s budget proposal to eliminate the program;

$101 million for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, which funds hospital violence prevention efforts in Illinois and $2 million for the Interagency Task Force on Trauma-Informed Care that Durbin and Capito created in 2018;

$25 million for CDC and NIH firearm injury prevention research; and

$18 million for CDC’s community violence initiative, including Durbin’s report language aligned with the work of his Chicago HEAL Initiative.

Congenital Heart: $9.25 million for CDC’s research, data collection, and awareness-building activities for congenital heart disease.

Health and Dental Workforce: The bill provides:

$13.5 million for Durbin’s SIREN Act grants to rural EMS agencies;

$130 million for the National Health Service Corps;

$21.25 million for the CDC’s Oral Health program;

$55 million for school-based health centers; and

$44 million for Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Oral Health program, which funds UIC’s dental school; $28.5 million for HRSA’s Nurse Faculty recruitment program; $47 million for HRSA’s Area Health Education Centers program, which builds the pipeline of local students into health careers; and $14 million for HRSA’s Rural Training Track program to help hospitals open new rural residency programs.

CDC’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Programs: $246.5 million to support tobacco use prevention and cessation programs through the CDC’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion program.

Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME): $395 million for children’s hospitals to train and provide the next generation of pediatric doctors.

CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program: $51 million to protect children from lead exposure by funding programs that support surveillance and technical capacity, provide lead poisoning prevention training to public health professionals, and support childhood blood lead surveillance systems, among other items.

Title X Family Planning: $286.5 million for the Title X family planning program, which provides comprehensive and confidential family planning services and preventive health services.

Social Security Administration: $14.8 billion for SSA’s administrative expenses.

CDC’s National Asthma Control Program: $33.5 million to track asthma prevalence, promote, asthma control and prevention, and build capacity in state and community health programs.

HRSA’s Organ Donation and Transplantation: $59 million for organ donation and transplantation activities.

CDC’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Program and Legionnaire’s Prevention: $40 million to provide critical support to epidemiologists and laboratory scientists who are instrumental in addressing various food, water, and vector-borne outbreaks—such as exposure to Legionella bacteria, which can lead to Legionnaire’s disease.

Epilepsy: $11.5 million within the CDC to improve awareness and education, eliminate stigma, and better connect people with epilepsy to health and community services.

Sec. 317 Immunization Program: $681.9 million for the national immunization program authorized under Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act at the CDC. This funding will support continued critical efforts to boost vaccination rates.

Runaway and Homeless Youth Program: $146.2 million for the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs (e.g., Basic Center Program, Street Outreach Program). This funding will continue to support critical programs to address youth and young adult homelessness across the United States. The bill also includes report language to direct HHS to issue timely notices for RHYA funding opportunities and directs it to issue separate funding opportunities for the Street Outreach Program.

Refugee and Entrant Assistance: Includes approximately $5.2 billion for benefits and services provided to refugees, asylees, special immigrant visa recipients, and unaccompanied children apprehended.

Post-Release Services, Legal Services/Access to Counsel, and Child Advocates: Includes language directing Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to provide post-release services, access to counsel and child advocates, and in-person Know Your Rights presentations and legal screenings. The bill requires legal services to continue to be provided to unaccompanied children absent exigent circumstances.

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program: $4.045 billion to help low-income households and seniors with their energy bills. The bill also includes report language urging HHS to fill vacancies that may impact the distribution of LIHEAP funding.

Department of Education (ED)

Dismantling ED: Clarifies there is no authority to transfer fundamental responsibilities of ED to other federal agencies. The report requires ED and other agencies that have signed Interagency Agreements to provide biweekly briefings on implementation of the transfer of ED programs to other federal agencies.

Open Textbooks: $7 million for Open Textbook Pilot program, which Durbin created, and Durbin’s report language that directs ED to disaggregate grantee data on courses that are subject to fees from data on courses that use free open textbooks.

Pell Grants: Maintains the maximum Pell award at $7,395 for the 2026-27 school year.

Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA): $2.06 billion for FSA to oversee the federal student loan program, higher education accountably enforcement, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, and the Repayment Assistant Plan.

Impact Aid: $1.6 billion for Impact Aid to provide critical funding for local educational agencies that are unable to benefit from a state and local tax base due to the presence of federal property in their district.

Early Education Programs: $12.4 billion for Head Start: $8.8 billion for Child Care and Development Block Grant; $540 million for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Grants for Infants and Families; $420 million for IDEA Preschool Grants; and $315 million for Pre-School Development Grants.

Education for Low-Income Students: $18.4 billion to provide financial assistance to school districts with high rates of low-income students and students at risk of not meeting academic achievement requirements.

21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC): $1.3 billion for 21st CCLC to support afterschool and summer learning opportunities to help students in high-need schools.

Migrant Education Program: $375.6 million for the Migrant Education Program to assist states in helping ensure all migrant students receive a high-quality education.

Full-Service Community Schools: $150 million for Full-Service Community Schools to provide comprehensive academic, social, and health services for students, students’ family members, and community members.

Strengthening Predominately Black Institutions (PBI): $22.7 million for the Strengthening PBIs program to help expand capacity at schools like Chicago State University to serve low- and middle-income students, especially Black students.

Federal Work Study: $1.23 billion for Federal Work Study, which provides grants to institutions of higher education to help students meet the costs of postsecondary education through part-time employment.

International Education and Foreign Language Studies (Domestic and Overseas Programs): $80.6 million for key programs that encourage U.S. students to learn foreign languages and to have international cultural and educational experiences.

Teacher School Leader Incentive Program: $60 million to support teachers and school leaders in high-need schools to enhance student academic performance and narrow achievement gaps between high and low-performing students.

Department of Labor (DOL)

Workforce Training for Employees Dislocated by Automation: Includes Durbin’s report language affirming the Appropriation Committee’s support for funding for demonstration and pilot programs relating to the training needs of workers who are or are likely to be dislocated due to automation.

Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO): $110 million for the REO program, to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that offer essential employment services and workforce preparation for formerly incarcerated adults and youth.

Apprenticeship Grants: $285 million in Apprenticeship Grants, to support registered apprenticeship activities. Includes Durbin’s report language encouraging the Department of Labor to fund apprenticeship opportunities in local communities that have high rates of unemployment and high rates of community violence.

Job Corps: $1.76 billion for Job Corps to connect disadvantaged youth to education and job training pathways.

Wage and Hour Division: $260 million for Wage and Hour Division to support the Division’s work to recover wages workers are owed and combat exploitative child labor.

YouthBuild: $105 million for the YouthBuild program, to help connect disconnected youth with work readiness and industry-driven credential training opportunities.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA )Title I Programs: $875.65 million for Adult Employment and Training Activities; $948.13 million for Youth Training; and $1.1 billion for Dislocated Workers Employment and Training Activities. The programs support job training programs, including state formula grants.

Opportunity Youth: Includes Durbin’s report language encouraging DOL to use WIOA funds for technical assistance and demonstration projects that support programs that allow opportunity youth who are out-of-school, have limited work experience, and live in communities of high violence and unemployment rates to participate in the workforce, including programs that provide youth with mentoring services.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC): Includes Durbin’s report language setting aside $2.5 million to continue efforts to reduce the processing backlog for the WOTC program.

Unemployment Insurance State Administration Grants: $2.75 billion to help states implement unemployment compensation programs and assist states in modernization of technology, document sharing, and enhanced customer service.

Defense

Defense Medical Research: Following dramatic cuts to defense medical research in the FY25 continuing resolution (CR), Durbin secured strong funding at a $2.7 billion topline and restored $1.27 billion for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.

Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA): $3.7 billion for DSCA. Within this funding, Durbin secured:

$200 million for his Baltic Security Initiative;

$400 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the Pentagon to place contracts for equipment to send to Kyiv; and

Report language reaffirming Congress’ ironclad support for NATO and its 32 member states, and its territorial integrity.

USO: $24 million to support USO’s programs, entertainment, and services at more than 250 locations across the U.S. and around the world, including seven locations in Illinois, and eight aircraft carriers.

Impact Aid: $70 million for DoD’s Impact Aid program, which provides financial assistance to school districts across the country to compensate for the lost local tax base due to nearby federal property.

Pay Raise for Military Personnel: 1 percent pay raise for military personnel.

Rock Island Arsenal:

$100 million for the Arsenal Sustainment Initiative to continue to stabilize labor rates at all three arsenals;

$80.5 million to continue manufacturing of the Shop Equipment Contact Maintenance Vehicles.

$5 million for the Additive and Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, which now houses the jointless hull printer, the latest 3D printer in the world;

Army Organic Industrial Base report language to prevent layoffs without advanced warning and stabilize labor rates at the Arsenals, particularly critical as the Army pursues its ambitious ATI proposals; and

Bill language prohibiting the closure of the Rock Island Arsenal Museum, which was facing threats under an Army plan to overhaul its museums enterprise.

Scott Air Force Base:

Retains Durbin’s bill language prohibiting a divestment of any C-40 aircraft from the current Air Force fleet.

Naval Station Great Lakes:

$10 million for the Navy’s plan to demolish, remediate, and redevelop the condemned military housing community Halsey Village; and

$165 million for the Joint DoD-VA Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago.

Transportation and Housing and Urban Development

Department of Transportation: Includes $28.5 billion in total funding

Capital Investment Grants (CIG): $1.7 billion for grants to fund the extension and improvements of existing transit systems, which includes $350 million for the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line Extension Project.

Amtrak: $2.43 billion in nationwide funding to support Amtrak operations, with $1.58 billion for the National Network.

BUILD (formerly RAISE) Grants: $145 million to fund innovative transportation projects that will create jobs and have a significant impact on the nation, a region, or a metropolitan area.

Passenger Rail Grant Programs: The two rail grant programs were reauthorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and address gaps in supporting and growing our nation’s rail infrastructure:

Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grants: $137.4 million for the CRISI program.

Federal-State Partnerships for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant (FSP) Program: $65 million for FSP grants for capital improvement projects that expand or establish intercity passenger rail service.

Midwest Rail Commission Study: Includes Durbin’s report language directing the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the establishment of a federally authorized commission for the purposes of developing a long-term delivery strategy for Midwest rail.

FRA Rail Research & Development Center of Excellence (COE): Supports the Federal Railroad Association’s (FRA) intent to use no less than $2.5 million of its and development funding for the FRA COE, which Durbin established in IIJA and secured funding for in FY22, FY23, and FY24. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was competitively selected to host the COE.

Blocked Crossings Causes & Solutions Identification: Includes Durbin’s report language directing the FRA to include in its annual report potential solutions and best practices to improve safety, mobility, and emergency response capabilities at highway-rail crossings.

Emergency Response Blocked Crossing Reports: Includes Durbin’s report language urging the FRA to require states receiving track inspection funding to require first responders to report verified blocked crossing incidents to the FRA’s blocked crossings portal, which Durbin established through previous appropriations legislation. It also directs the FRA to continue working with stakeholders to identify root causes of blocked crossings and identify solutions.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): $22.6 billion for the FAA. This includes $13.7 billion for FAA operations and $4 billion for facilities and equipment. This funding will allow the FAA to hire 2,500 additional air traffic controllers; improve air traffic control facilities, equipment, and systems; improve the aircraft certification process; improve hazardous materials transport oversight, and more.

Airport Improvement Program: $4.5 billion for airport improvement grants for capital improvements at the nation’s airports, including investments that emphasize capacity development, safety improvements, and security needs.

Digital Alert Technologies: Includes Durbin’s report language urging National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to deploy digital alert technologies, with local law enforcement, that can provide up-to-date information about dynamic road conditions to drivers.

NHTSA Rulemakings: Includes language directing NHTSA to continue to provide quarterly briefings on the status of all major rulemakings to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. This was a response to Durbin’s request regarding the finalization of the automatic emergency braking (AEB) rule. In 2024, DOT finalized a rule requiring AEB on all new light vehicles by 2029 as required by Durbin’s Protecting Roadside First Responders Act, which was enacted with IIJA. However, the Trump Administration delayed the implementation of this rule.

Automated Track Inspections: Includes no less than $21.6 million to support the FRA’s fleet of advanced inspection vehicles that accompany its field inspectors to validate the railroads’ inspection programs and advance research priorities, with a special emphasis on routes transporting passengers and hazardous materials.

Department of Housing and Urban Development: Includes $84.3 billion for total funding

HEAL Initiative Pilot Program: Includes $5 million to support efforts between HUD and HHS to provide direct technical assistance to communities leveraging programs like Medicaid to cover and provide housing-related supportive services and behavioral health care. The bill includes Durbin’s report language acknowledging that several studies have demonstrated that interventions based on social determinants of health can help support housing permanency.

Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes: $295 million to provide funding to state and local governments to develop cost-effective ways to reduce lead paint hazards.

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): $529 million to help cities and states address the housing crisis facing people living with HIV/AIDS.

Homeless Assistance Grants: $4.4 billion to provide funding to state and local governments for emergency shelters, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, and other crisis response programs.

Housing Counseling: $58 million to enable housing counseling organizations to provide foreclosure prevention counseling, mortgage counseling before and after purchase, rental counseling, homelessness prevention counseling, and fair housing education.

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO): $86 million to provide resources to nonprofit fair housing organizations that tackle discrimination and predatory lending and ensure that our nation’s fair housing laws are enforced.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): $3.3 billion to provide states and localities with resources for low-income communities, including housing rehabilitation, supportive services, public improvements, and economic development.

Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME): $1.25 billion to provide state and local governments the funding necessary to provide affordable housing in low-income communities.

Public Housing Capital and Operating Funds: $3.2 billion for Capital Funds and $4.68 billion for Operating Funds, including $30 million for emergency capital needs; $10 million for safety and security measures, with report language supporting safety and security improvements to protect tenants; and $25 million for lead remediation.

Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance: $38.4 billion, which includes $600.6 million for Tenant Protection Vouchers; $15 million to expand the HUD-VASH program; and $30 million in incremental vouchers for youth aging out of/involved with the foster care system.

Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) and Rural Capacity Building Program (RCB): $12 million for SHOP and $5 million for RCB. Both programs support affordable housing in rural communities.

Section 4 Capacity Building Program: $46 million for the program. This program allows HUD to partner with national nonprofit community development organizations to provide education, training, and financial support to local community development corporations (CDCs) across the country.

Choice Neighborhoods Program: $25 million to provide funding for the transformation, rehabilitation, and replacement of distressed public and HUD-assisted housing.

Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program: $156.4 million to provide funding for an asset-building program to serve more households, both within already-established Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher FSS Programs.

Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NeighborWorks): $158 million to create opportunities for Americans to live in affordable and safe homes by providing community development organizations in all fifty states with financial resources and counseling services.

Financial Services and General Government

U.S. Department of Treasury

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund: $324 million to promote access to capital and local economic growth in low-income urban and rural communities across the nation.

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN): $185.2 million to safeguard the financial system from illicit use and combat money laundering.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS): $11.2 billion for IRS and includes Durbin’s report language urging IRS Criminal Investigation to prioritize investigations of money laundering, violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, and criminal violations of the tax code.

Sanctions and Levinson Act (on American Hostages): Includes Durbin’s report language encouraging sanctions enforcement against countries such as China, North Korea, and Belarus. The bill also includes requested language directing full enactment of the Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage Taking Accountability Act to help with Americans taken hostage abroad.

U.S. Judiciary

Court Security: $892 million for court security, including $20 million for the U.S. Marshals Service to provide security for federal judges.

Federal Defender Services: $1.766 billion to ensure that the government is meeting its constitutional obligation to provide counsel to indigent defendants. In August, Durbin led all U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in a letter to appropriators outlining the serious impacts of insufficient and inconsistent funding for Defender Services and urging robust funding for FY26.

Federal Courts and Other Judicial Services: $6.1 billion to provide for the necessary expenses of the courts, including salaries and expenses for Probation and Pretrial Services.

United States Sentencing Commission: $22.68 million to promote transparency and proportionality in sentencing through the establishment and amendment of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, as well as through collection, analysis, and distribution of federal sentencing data.

Independent Agencies

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC): $365 million to foster open, transparent, competitive, and financially sound markets; ensure market integrity; and protect market participants from fraud, exploitation, and abusive practices.

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): $150.9 million to protect consumers from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from consumer products.

Election Assistance Commission (EAC): $23.86 million to improve election accessibility and advance election security efforts. The bill also provides the EAC with $45 million for election security grant to state to improve the administration of elections for federal office.

Federal Election Commission: $80.857 million to ensure the administration and enforcement of federal campaign finance laws.

Federal Communications Commission: $416 million to further initiatives in promoting broadband access and deployment.

General Services Administration (GSA): Includes Durbin’s report language requiring GSA to provide advance notice and consultation before any actions might be taken with respect to the potential disposal or development, as opposed to the demolition, of the federally owned buildings adjacent to the Dirksen Courthouse.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): $2.15 billion for oversight of financial markets and market participants, as well as enforcement of securities laws and facilitation of capital formation.

Small Business Administration: $1.1 billion to ensure SBA continues the vital role it plays in providing loan and financing opportunities to help create and sustain American small businesses, including $3 million for the direct microloan and $41 million for microloan technical assistance to help small businesses access credit; $20 million for the State Trade Expansion Program to provide matching federal funds to states and territories to carry out export promotion efforts for small businesses; and $250 million to help small businesses recover from disasters.

United States Postal Service: $274 million for the Postal Inspector General (IG) to promote the efficiency, accountability, and integrity of the Postal Service. Includes bill language prohibiting funding for the closing or consolidation of small and rural post offices and includes report language regarding the consolidation of postal offices, including small and rural postal offices; and report language addressing continued mail theft and violent crimes targeting postal employees.

State and Foreign Operations

Maintains strong funding and enhanced oversight for U.S. foreign assistance programs that had been recklessly gutted by President Trump, reasserting the role of Congress and making critical investments that advance our national interests and promote our values. These include programs such as:

Water and Sanitation Programs: $451 million to implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor and Water for the World Acts.

Global Health: $9.4 billion in total, including $1.2 billion for the Global Fund.

Peace Corps: $410.5 million.

Food Security and Agricultural Development Programs: $720 million to support partnerships between U.S. universities and developing country research institutions, including the University of Illinois Soybean Innovations Lab.

Abducted Ukrainian Children: $15 million to help track and return Ukrainian children abducted to Russia.

Great Lakes Fisheries: $52 million to combat invasive species and other programs to support the Great Lakes.

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Fischer Supports Nebraska Cattle Ranchers, Calls For Real Solutions to Lower Beef Prices

Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) released the following statement in support of Nebraska’s cattle ranchers after President Trump signed an executive order permitting an increase of Argentine beef imports into U.S. grocery stores:

"Nebraska produces the world's best beef. Instead of imports that sideline American ranchers, we should be focused on solutions that cut red tape, lower production costs, and support growing our cattle herd.”

Permalink: https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/2/fischer-supports-nebraska-cattle-ranchers-calls-for-real-solutions-to-lower-beef-prices


Gallego, Kelly Introduce Legislation to Cut Red Tape, Speed Up North Rim Restoration

WASHINGTON – Today, Arizona Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly introduced the North Rim and Kaibab National Forest Restoration Act to expedite cleanup and restoration efforts following last year’s devastating Dragon Bravo and White Sage Fires.

“The Grand Canyon is not only one of our most treasured landscapes, it is a vital economic driver for Northern Arizona. The communities that rely on Grand Canyon area tourism dollars cannot afford to wait when it comes to restoration efforts,” said Senator Gallego. “This commonsense bill will cut red tape, ensuring contractors can be quickly and easily hired to speed up cleanup and rebuilding efforts.”

“The Grand Canyon is special not only for Arizona but also for our country, and last summer’s fires on the North Rim devastated park facilities and hit local communities hard,” said Senator Kelly. “Restoring it quickly brings tourism back to the region, supports local small businesses, and keeps this iconic place open for future generations. Senator Gallego and I look forward to working with Representative Crane and the entire Arizona delegation to get this national treasure open and running as quickly as possible.”

Under normal federal procurement laws, contracting for services like cleanup, rebuilding, and forestry restoration involve approval and bidding processes which can take years. The North Rim and Kaibab National Forest Restoration Act would streamline this process by granting the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service emergency contracting authority to bypass standard delays and accelerate renewals.

READ MORE: Arizona US senators to introduce bill expediting North Rim reconstruction (KNAU)

“Coconino County supports the North Rim and Kaibab National Forest Restoration Act of 2026, granting authority to the United States Forest Service and the National Park Service to respond swiftly and thoughtfully to rebuild and restore the Grand Canyon National Park North Rim and the Kaibab National Forest following the devastation of the Dragon Bravo and White Sage Fires. We are grateful to Senators Kelly and Gallego for embracing the need for this bipartisan legislation and moving the issue forward to see the natural treasures that are the Grand Canyon and the Kaibab National Forest restored,” said the Coconino County Board of Supervisors.

“The Grand Canyon Trust supports the Grand Canyon North Rim restoration legislation led by Senators Kelly and Gallego in the Senate and by Representative Crane in the House. We appreciate their responsive leadership in advancing a thoughtful, urgent response to the devastation caused by the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires. Rebuilding the North Rim is about far more than infrastructure; it is about restoring a place of profound ecological, cultural, historic, and economic significance to northern Arizona and southern Utah, Tribal nations, gateway communities, and the country as a whole,” said Ethan Aumack, Executive Director, Grand Canyon Trust.

“This legislation is a critical step to supporting Grand Canyon National Park’s recovery after the devastating Dragon Bravo Fire. Senator Gallego and Senator Kelly have brought forward a strong solution that grants emergency authority to the National Park Service to efficiently rebuild the North Rim’s iconic facilities, while taking great care to preserve the historic structures that survived the fire. Just as important, it ensures new construction respects the historic character of the North Rim as it is remembered, so this treasured place can welcome visitors again while protecting the natural resources that make it so special,” said Christina Hazard, Legislative Director for Government Affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association.

Read the full text of the legislation HERE.


Gillibrand, Scott Introduce Legislation To Promote Drug Origin Transparency

This week, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rick Scott introduced legislation—the Consumer Labeling for Enhanced API Reporting and Legitimate Accountability for Base Entity Listings (CLEAR LABELS) Act—to add country of origin labeling requirements to the U.S.’s prescription drug supply chain.

“Americans deserve to know where their prescription drugs are manufactured so they can make informed health care decisions,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The CLEAR LABELS Act would shine a light on pharmaceutical manufacturing by making this information readily accessible to patients, pharmacists, and providers while strengthening accountability across the supply chain. As the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I will keep fighting to make sure every American has access to safe, effective, lifesaving medications and the clear, reliable information they need.”

“As parents and grandparents, we do everything we can to make informed, safe decisions that keep our families safe and healthy,” said Senator Rick Scott. “But right now, families are being kept in the dark about where their drugs are coming from. America’s drug supply is dependent on our enemies like China and countries such as India to manufacture our drugs and ingredients, often with limited transparency and oversight. This broken process leaves patients in the dark about where their drugs come. Families deserve to have confidence that the medicines they take are safe, regulated, and clearly labeled. That’s why I’m leading the bipartisan CLEAR LABELS Act with Ranking Member Gillibrand to add country of origin labels to your medicines and help ensure every American can feel comfortable knowing what’s in their medicine cabinet.”

Many prescription drugs, and their active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), are manufactured overseas, particularly in China and India. However, current federal labeling requirements do not require public disclosure of where those ingredients or finished products are made. As a result, patients, pharmacists, and health care providers lack visibility into the origins of their medications. Transparency is the first step in determining vulnerabilities in the drug supply chain to prevent threats to the availability of safe and effective medications for American patients.

The CLEAR LABELS Act would require prescription drug labels to disclose the original manufacturers of prescription drugs and APIs to ensure patients, providers, and regulators have clear, upfront information about where the drugs they rely on day after day are made.

This legislation builds on bipartisan efforts led by Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Gillibrand, including an investigative report and more than a dozen inquiries to federal agencies and industry leaders requesting information on the U.S.’s dangerous overreliance on foreign-manufactured generic drugs.

The full text of the CLEAR LABELS Act can be found here.

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Grassley, Klobuchar Lead Bipartisan Crack Down on Money Laundering

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) reintroduced the Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Finance and Counterfeiting Act to enhance criminal money laundering statutes.

“Criminal enterprises and terrorist organizations depend on ill-begotten cash to carry out their dark deeds. As money laundering methods have evolved over time, so must the government’s efforts to exact justice,” Grassley said. “Our bipartisan bill would enhance enforcement measures and penalties, ensuring law enforcement has the tools they need to track down dirty money, hold criminals accountable and prevent further crimes.”

“As criminals and terrorist organizations develop new methods to launder money, we must provide our law enforcement with the tools they need to keep American communities safe. This bipartisan legislation makes necessary updates to anti-money laundering statutes and counterfeiting laws, ensuring the law enforcement community can stay one step ahead of those working to undermine our nation’s safety and security,” Klobuchar said.

The legislation is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the National Association of Police Organizations and the National District Attorneys Association.

“By clarifying the law in response to recent court decisions, strengthening penalties and expanding investigative authorities, this legislation will restore critical law enforcement tools and help disrupt transnational criminal organizations. The Fraternal Order of Police strongly supports this bill, which would prevent criminals and terrorists from profiting from their crimes and protect public safety and national security. We are grateful for the leadership of Chairman Grassley and Senator Klobuchar on this legislation, and we look forward to working with them,” said Patrick Yoes, President of the Fraternal Order of Police.

“The National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys supports the Combatting Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Counterfeiting Act because it closes critical gaps in federal money-laundering law that have made complex financial crimes harder to prosecute. By clarifying intent standards, addressing informal and unlicensed money transfer systems and allowing related laundering transactions to be charged more effectively, the bill gives career prosecutors clearer tools to hold criminals accountable. These targeted reforms will strengthen investigations, improve prosecutorial clarity and better reflect how modern money-laundering schemes actually operate,” said the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys.

Specifically, the Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Finance and Counterfeiting Act would:

Update counterfeiting laws to prohibit state-of-the-art counterfeiting methods;

Increase penalties for bulk cash smuggling;

Ensure money laundering laws apply to informal value transfer systems used by drug traffickers and terrorists;

Prohibit the cross-border shipment of blank checks for the purpose of evading reporting requirements;

Establish a new money laundering violation that prohibits the transfer of funds into or out of the United States with the intent to violate U.S. income tax laws;

Prohibit conspiracies to create illegal money services businesses;

Grant wiretapping authority to investigate currency reporting, bulk cash smuggling, illegal money services businesses and counterfeiting offenses;

Grant the U.S. Secret Service the explicit authority to investigate ransomware crimes and other uses of unlicensed money transmitting; and

Update the Federal Deposit Insurance Act’s recordkeeping requirements to ensure compliance by financial institutions.

Bill text is available HERE.


Q&A: New Law Helps Kids with Complex Medical Needs

With U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley

Q: What prompted your decades-long advocacy for kids with complex medical needs?

A: Parents work their tails off to provide for their kids, from putting food on the table to putting money away for their education. Most days, moms and dads are burning the candle at both ends to make it through the homework grind and shuttle their kids to daycare or after-school activities. Now imagine the stress tens of thousands of parents shoulder to navigate medical appointments for kids with complex medical needs. For decades, I’ve worked to help remove barriers to care for parents of children with disabilities. During my first term in the U.S. Senate, I was inspired by a young Iowan named Katie Beckett. At 5 months old, Katie contracted viral encephalitis resulting in damage to her central nervous system. She lived for 3 ½ years in the hospital, in part because Medicaid rules wouldn’t pay for her care at home. I worked with former Rep. Tom Tauke and Sen. Tom Harkin to secure Medicaid reforms during the Reagan administration that would allow patients like Katie to receive care at home in their communities, rather than in an institution. Since then, the “Katie Beckett waiver” has allowed hundreds of thousands of young Americans to receive home and community-based care and save taxpayer dollars.

In the years to follow, I continued my efforts on behalf of families caring for kids with special needs. I pushed bipartisan legislation with former Sen. Edward Kennedy to empower parents to work without fear of losing Medicaid coverage for their kids with multiple medical needs. After many years, strong grassroots advocacy helped get our bill across the finish line. President George W. Bush signed The Family Opportunity Act into law on Feb. 8, 2006. My bill was inspired by a mom from Red Oak, Iowa who moved to the East Coast to obtain special medical care for her son. She passed up pay raises so her son wouldn’t lose Medicaid coverage for treatment and services needed for his medical care. Too many vulnerable families were falling through the cracks, turning down better-paying jobs or even giving up custody of their own children to keep Medicaid coverage for rehabilitation services and medical treatments for their kids. On a sliding payment scale, my bipartisan law allows states to extend Medicaid “buy in” coverage for families with children with disabilities and created Family-to-Family Health Information Centers in each state to help parents navigate and arrange health services for their children with special needs. The law is pro-work, pro-family and pro-taxpayer.

Q: What is the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act?

A: During President Trump’s first term, I secured another bipartisan victory for families struggling to coordinate care for kids with complex medical needs, such as cancer, congenital heart disease, epilepsy, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy or other chronic health conditions. Co-sponsored by Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, the Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act, often called the ACE Kids Act, is designed to help improve health outcomes, reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and ease coordination for families. Consider that children with complex medical needs require on average five or six specialists; some see dozens of allied health care professionals for their care. Our legislation empowers families and their child’s team of health care professionals to streamline a continuum of care on a patient-by-patient basis. The law establishes a pediatric health home for kids with complex medical conditions and reforms Medicaid payment rules to encourage better coordination of care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services fully implemented the Ace Kids Act in 2022.

Iowans know that once legislation is signed into law, I keep a close eye on its implementation to ensure it’s working as intended. While the ACE Kids Act made good progress, more work was needed. So, I partnered once again with Sen. Bennet to introduce the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act. I call it ACE Kids 2.0. Thanks again to tireless grassroots advocates and strong bipartisan cosponsorship from nearly half the Senate, our bill crossed the finish line in February and President Trump signed it into law. I hope this will give parents more peace of mind knowing these updates will remove regulatory burdens for lifesaving care. Too often, children with complex medical needs are blocked or delayed from receiving specialized care from out-of-state pediatric care providers. This legislative victory will allow states to streamline screening and enrollment processes while maintaining strong program integrity measures, so that children get timely access to care. I’m proud to champion the dignity of children with special needs and ease some of the burdens on parents who want to see their beloved kids survive and thrive.


KOB: Sen. Martin Heinrich talks impact of Immigrant Safety Act

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich supports New Mexico’s new Immigrant Safety Act, which prevents local governments from contracting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for civil immigration violations.

The law, signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday, aims to keep local law enforcement focused on community safety rather than immigration enforcement.

“This is a place where we have to take a stand and say, ‘This is not how we do law enforcement in the United States of America,'” said Heinrich.

Heinrich emphasized that New Mexico is sending a clear message with the act’s passage.

“We’re not going to be complicit in this federal program that is showing us so much overreach, so much abuse of people who are here lawfully,” he said.

Local focus

The law also prohibits using public property to assist with federal detention, reflecting a focus on real criminal activities like human trafficking and cartel involvement.

“When immigration enforcement is focused on people who are doing human trafficking, who are part of cartels, everybody supports that,” said Heinrich.

Heinrich addressed concerns about potential repercussions from the federal level, stating, “I think it is more important than ever for people across this country to raise their voices.”

He added, “I’m not in control of that, you know, I do not predict the things that will come out of this White House, because it is unpredictable.”

There are ICE detention centers in Torrance, Cibola and Otero counties.


Albuquerque Journal: State to launch free broadband workforce training

SANTA FE — A recent $2 million federal grant awarded to the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion is set to develop the next generation of technicians to connect even the most remote reaches of the state to high-speed internet, the nervous system of the digital age.

The state broadband office, created in 2021, is set to leverage the infusion of federal dollars to launch a free three-year statewide workforce development program, which hosts its first classes on Feb. 9 in Santa Fe and March 16 at Jemez Pueblo.

“And those ones are already full,” said OBAE Director Jeff Lopez, whom Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed to lead the department last June. “We’ve gotten a really significant amount of interest because of all that the certification would provide for these workers. The next (class) is in San Juan College in Farmington.”

The state broadband office partnered with the Department of Workforce Solutions to create the program and contracted with Building Industry Consulting Service International to provide lab equipment, workbooks, tools and teaching equipment.

“The state workforce development plan identifies broadband expansion as a priority sector because the industry is critical to New Mexico’s future and offers good jobs with strong career ladders,” DWS Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair said in a statement. “With historic broadband investments underway, this partnership and training program, together with our other broadband workforce initiatives across the state, are preparing New Mexicans for the jobs needed to build equitable broadband access statewide.”

Each class includes five days of “hands-on training,” covering introductory broadband installation, fiber-optic installation, copper-based cabling installation and technician training.

U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich helped secure the federal grant to fund the three-year program through the fiscal year 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Act, according to a news release.

“Expanding broadband access across our communities is essential for accessing health care, job opportunities, and education. That’s why I’m proud to have helped secure $2 million in funding for the New Mexico Office of Broadband Workforce Development Program,” Luján said.

The goal of the training program aligns with OBAE’s core mission — connecting every household and business in New Mexico to the high-speed internet grid, entailing average download speeds of 100 megabits per second and upload speeds of 20 megabits per second.

“When the office was first created, we were behind the average nationally,” Lopez said. “Now about 9 in 10 households and businesses, or 90%, have access to broadband.”

He expects that to increase to 94% by year's end as the broadband office continues to deploy public funding.

The federal Broadband Equity, Access and Development Program, a $42.45 billion initiative meant to connect all Americans to high-speed internet, is expected to bring broadband to all New Mexicans in the coming years, Lopez added.

The federal government last month approved a $382 million broadband infrastructure proposal for the New Mexico broadband office, which will award 31 grants through the BEAD program, created in 2021 under former President Joe Biden as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

A total of 90 applications for funding were reviewed, and OBAE has greenlit 17 projects across 32 of the state’s 33 counties. Grant recipients include nine internet service providers and satellite companies, five cooperatives and three tribal communities, according to a press release.

The infrastructure set to bring broadband to new areas of the state includes a mix of fixed wireless, fiber and low-Earth orbit satellite technologies, all of which Lopez described as “future-proof.”

“It can support the speeds and latency for everything that we anticipate in the future to be communicated over these networks,” he said.


Source New Mexico: ‘They’ll never take our public lands from our public hands’: U.S. Sen. Heinrich rallies Roundhouse

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), clad in a camouflage vest over his collared shirt, took the mic in the Roundhouse rotunda Friday afternoon while onlookers crowded around the third-floor railing looking down.

“We have the leadership of the House and the Senate here in New Mexico stand up for public lands, water and wildlife in the last five years in a way that has never been seen in our state before,” Heinrich told the crowd. He pointed to the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund, which directs state money to land, water, agriculture and outdoor recreation projects. He said it has made New Mexico “the envy of much of the West.”

Heinrich’s remarks came as part of “Camo at the Capitol Day,” which was dedicated to giving climate and public lands advocates an opportunity to tell their state representatives that they support conservation policies. The New Mexico Wildlife Federation on social media encouraged attendees to wear camo to send the message: “We hunt. We vote. We matter.” Other speakers included Rep. Angelica Rubio (D-Las Cruces) and Sen. Angel Charley (D-Acoma).

“It makes me incredibly proud to be a New Mexican,” Heinrich told the crowd. “They’ll never take our public lands from our public hands.”

After his remarks, Source NM asked Heinrich about President Donald Trump’s nomination of former New Mexico Republican Congressman Steve Pearce to lead the federal Bureau of Land Management and the federal government’s attempts to sell off public lands.

If confirmed, Pearce, who founded an oilfield services company before entering the political arena, would oversee 245 million acres of public lands nationally that are used for recreation, grazing and the oil and gas industry.

“I’m going to reserve judgment until after his hearing,” Heinrich told Source NM. “But as you can imagine, having known him for 20 years and being on different sides of a number of different issues, I’m going to have some probing questions for him.”

Last summer, Heinrich was a vocal opponent of the federal government’s attempts to sell off public lands and roll back protections, such as the so-called “roadless rule.” On Friday, he said he believes the Trump administration has shifted its strategy to target public lands in a piecemeal fashion, rather than seeking to sell them wholesale.

“It’s a way for them to roll back some of the protections that we have created with the community involved and to do it in a way where they’re not taking on the whole country,” Heinrich, the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said. “We’re going to keep standing up for these places, because they’re part of our culture and they’re great for our economy and they’re a reflection of our democracy.”


Hickenlooper, Moran, Pettersen, Ciscomani Re-Intro Bipartisan Bill to Help Tribes, Rural Communities Access Funding for Water Conservation

Water Project Navigators Act would create grant navigator positions to help states, water districts, and Tribes secure federal funding

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Jerry Moran along with Representatives Brittany Pettersen and Juan Ciscomani reintroduced the bipartisan Water Project Navigators Act. The bill would establish a new program at the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to fund grant navigators who would help states, Tribes, and rural communities secure resources for projects that improve water efficiency, reduce water consumption, and enhance ecosystem resilience.

“Communities needing the most federal support for their water supply are often the ones who don’t get it,” said Hickenlooper. “Water project navigators will help get more projects developed, funded, and built for our rural and tribal communities.”

“Over the past few years, families, farms and communities across Kansas have been impacted by drought,” said Moran. “While there are federal resources available to help preserve water, accessing these resources can be a challenge for Tribal and rural communities. This legislation will connect these communities with the resources available to them to help combat the impact of droughts.”

“Water is life in Colorado, but as federal clean water programs face devastating cuts, rural communities need our support now more than ever,” said Pettersen. “Climate change is making droughts more frequent and more severe, and communities shouldn’t be left to navigate complex funding processes on their own. The Water Project Navigators Act ensures Tribes, rural towns, and local water districts have the support they need to draw down federal dollars, making sure the next generation can grow up in a secure, resilient Colorado.”

“In Arizona, water is our most precious resource. As the drought worsens in the West, it is now more important than ever that impacted communities have the necessary tools to secure federal dollars for critical multi-benefit water infrastructure projects,” said Ciscomani. “I am proud to have worked with a bipartisan, bicameral group of my colleagues on this legislation that will create a community navigator position through the Bureau of Reclamation to assist our constituents that need it the most in funding their water conservation efforts.”

Across the West, rivers and streams are threatened by severe drought and persistent wildfire. In Western rural and Tribal communities, aging infrastructure faces challenges from increasing water demand and changes in hydrology. The Bureau of Reclamation currently has grant programs to help states and local governments with water management challenges such as drought and persistent wildfire, but even with funding available, many rural and Tribal communities lack the necessary capacity and resources to apply for and access these federal resources.

Water project navigators would provide the technical assistance these communities need to plan, implement, and secure resources for projects that improve water efficiency.

Specifically, this bill would:

Help communities build capacity to develop and implement multi-benefit water projects.

Accelerate creation of projects that support a variety of water supply and sustainability goals.

Prioritize applicants with the most need, including Tribes and rural communities.

Work within eligible entities such as states, Tribes, regional local governments, special districts, conservation districts, and non-governmental organizations, tapping into local expertise to maximize federal resources on the ground.

The Navigators Program is inspired by Colorado’s Federal Technical Assistance Grants for Colorado Water Projects and the Colorado River District’s Water Conservation District’s Accelerator Grant Program.

“The Water Project Navigators Act builds on successful efforts in Colorado to provide critical investments in enhancing local capacity that, in turn, will promote the responsible stewardship of water resources for fish and wildlife while enhancing water security,” said Alex Funk, Director of Water Resources, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “We applaud Senators Hickenlooper and Moran’s leadership in working to reduce barriers facing our rural communities in accessing critical federal resources for water projects that are necessary to address the constant threat of drought and increasing pressure on water supplies in the American West.”

Text of the bill available HERE.

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Hirono, Colleagues’ Investigation Reveals How Private Student Loan Lenders Expect to Profit from Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’

Senators: “[These findings] underscore an urgent need for oversight of the private lending market as these companies prepare to cash in on the Administration’s agenda.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in releasing a new report revealing the findings of their investigation into how private student loan lenders will reap the benefits from cuts to federal student loan access enacted in Republicans’ ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ (OBBBA). The report is the first Congressional analysis of the impacts of the bill’s student loan restrictions on the private lending market.

“This report makes it even more clear that by placing an arbitrary cap on federal student loans, President Trump and his Republican allies are making it more expensive for everyday students to pursue higher education. Why? To support huge tax breaks for themselves and their billionaire buddies,” said Senator Hirono. “Students should be able to pursue higher education without taking on a lifetime of debt. I will continue to do everything in my power to ensure that we put an end to abusive practices that exploit borrowers, to institute further consumer protections, and to prevent companies from cashing in on this regime’s political agenda.”

The OBBBA set new caps on federal student loan borrowing for graduate students and others, paving the way for a significant expansion of the private student loan market. The private student loan market currently accounts for approximately 8% of student loan debt, but represents more than 40% of student loan-related complaints submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

“The anticipated expansion of the role of private lending is deeply concerning, since private student loan lenders have a long record of predatory practices that raise costs for borrowers and deprive them of basic consumer protections,” wrote the senators in the report.

The senators pressed six significant private student loan lenders, Citizens, College Ave, Navient, Nelnet, Sallie Mae, and SoFi—which, combined, lent over $14.7 billion via private student loans in 2024—to provide details on their policies, lending activity, and future plans related to OBBBA.

The investigation found that:

There is a history of persistent predatory behavior in the private student loan market and major lenders have been expanding their student loan activity each year;

Private student loan lenders expect more students to turn to private loans due to OBBBA’s loan limits, and at least one lender is already making plans to expand its loan offerings in response to this policy change;

Most of the private lenders surveyed offer minimal protections for borrowers who are defrauded by their schools or who face a sudden school closure;

Half of the private lenders surveyed either have sold student loans to private equity firms or plan to do so in the future; and

Private lenders do not yet have concrete plans in place to expand customer service capacity if they increased their student loan activity.

“Private student loan lenders have a record of utilizing abusive practices, including lying to borrowers about the availability of debt cancellation, autopay discounts, and unemployment protections for borrowers,” the senators warned.

In response to the findings, the senators called for careful oversight of any new private loan offerings targeting students and families affected by the federal loan caps and for experts to examine potential impacts of private lenders selling student loans to private equity firms.

“One year into the Trump Administration, President Trump and Secretary McMahon have made countless efforts to strip federal support from student loan borrowers as part of their crusade to dismantle the Department of Education…[These findings] underscore an urgent need for oversight of the private lending market as these companies prepare to cash in on the Administration’s agenda,” the lawmakers concluded.

The full text of the report is available here.

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