Ricketts Leads Nebraska Delegation Letter Supporting Nebraska Beef

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) led the Nebraska congressional delegation in sending a letter to President Donald Trump, expressing support for Nebraska beef after a trade agreement with Argentina. The letter underscores the importance of trade policies that create opportunities, stabilize markets and lower consumer prices.

In the letter, Senator Ricketts and the delegation emphasized Nebraska’s status as the Beef State. The letter also emphasizes how market stability in the cattle industry is critical to America’s food security.

The letter reads:

“Nebraska is the beef state. Our ranchers are the lifeblood of our economy. Thank you for your continued efforts to strengthen our economy and provide markets for our ranchers through international trade deals. The recent Argentina deal opens new export opportunities for U.S. beef while aiming to address consumer prices. We applaud the increased market opportunity for Nebraskan producers who produce the best, safest beef in the world.

“The United States’ cattle inventory is at 75-year lows. Despite historically low supply, demand for beef remains strong. Consumers choose U.S.-produced beef because it is the best, safest beef in the world. We must continue to fight for policies that support Nebraskan ranchers and their efforts to rebuild the herd. Growing the herd is the only long-term strategy for lowering consumer prices. We cannot import our way to lasting lower prices for consumers. It is paramount to ensure any imports meet the same strict safety standards as our producers.”

Read the full letter here and below.

Dear President Trump,

Nebraska is the beef state. Our ranchers are the lifeblood of our economy. Thank you for your continued efforts to strengthen our economy and provide markets for our ranchers through international trade deals. The recent Argentina deal opens new export opportunities for U.S. beef while aiming to address consumer prices. We applaud the increased market opportunity for Nebraskan producers who produce the best, safest beef in the world.

The United States’ cattle inventory is at 75-year lows. Despite historically low supply, demand for beef remains strong. Consumers choose U.S.-produced beef because it is the best, safest beef in the world. We must continue to fight for policies that support Nebraskan ranchers and their efforts to rebuild the herd. Growing the herd is the only long-term strategy for lowering consumer prices. We cannot import our way to lasting lower prices for consumers. It is paramount to ensure any imports meet the same strict safety standards as our producers.

American producers meet and exceed rigorous U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections, regulations for medicines, and measures for pathogen control to ensure consumer safety and satisfaction. All imports must be held accountable to the terms of the agreement and required to meet the same safety standards as U.S. producers. The anticipated dramatic increase in imports will require more USDA inspectors in Argentina to ensure safety standards are met. Without this expanded inspection capacity, non-compliant products could slip into the U.S. market and taint our secure supply chain. Imported beef that does not meet USDA standards would be catastrophic for public confidence and the reputation of U.S. beef. Taking steps to ensure the safety of consumers and the domestic herd, including expanded inspection capacity in Argentina, is essential to ensuring the integrity and reliability of the beef supply chain.

The Argentina deal expands market access for U.S. beef while placing limits on imported beef cuts. This is a significantly better approach for our ranchers than last year’s Argentinian beef announcement. Following that announcement, the markets dropped, and Nebraskan producers lost as much as $300 per head overnight. This kind of market volatility does not provide stability. It creates uncertainty and price fluctuations that directly harm cattle producers. This instability discourages herd growth, and in turn, keeps consumer prices from coming down.

As we work to reduce prices for consumers, opening markets and securing new trade deals strengthens the foundation of U.S. cattle production. New markets provide the stability needed for producers to grow the herd and result in lower prices for consumers. You have advanced this work and so have many of your cabinet-level agencies. We appreciate your continued efforts.

Stability and consumer confidence must also be top priorities when importing beef. Subjecting all imports to robust meat inspections to ensure they meet American health standards is the only way to provide consumers with this confidence.

We look forward to working with you and the administration to enact policies that promote stability, affordability, and long-term food security.


Ricketts Praises EPA for Rescinding Endangerment Finding: “Common-Sense is Back”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, praised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after it rescinded the Endangerment Finding. Ricketts said the following:

“The Obama-Biden EPA was a rogue agency. Yesterday’s elimination of the Obama-Biden Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding marks the single greatest deregulatory action in U.S. history. It consistently raised costs on farmers, ranchers, and small business owners across the country. Rescinding the Endangerment Finding provides economic relief for Nebraskan consumers, producers, and manufacturers. This commonsense action restores rule of law to the EPA, and it will return over a trillion dollars back to American’s wallets.”


Sen. Rick Scott Honors Victims of Tragic Shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Ahead of Anniversary

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, ahead of the eighth anniversary of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Senator Rick Scott and Senator Ashley Moody announced the introduction of their commemorative resolution honoring the 17 innocent lives lost on February 14, 2018.

Senator Rick Scott said, “It is with a heavy heart that we remember the 17 beautiful lives that were taken far too soon by a senseless act of violence in Parkland, Florida eight years ago. No matter how many years pass, the heartbreak of the day remains as we remember the students and educators whose lives were stolen by pure evil. I often think about who they would be today and the bright futures they never had the chance to pursue. While nothing can undo the pain their families, friends, and loved ones continue to endure, we are committed to honoring the lives lost, preserving their memory, and fighting to make sure this never happens again. I thank Senator Ashley Moody and our colleagues for joining in this act of remembrance through this resolution.”

Senator Ashley Moody said, “Eight years ago, the tragedy at Parkland took 17 innocent lives far too soon. Please join me on this somber day as we pray for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas community. I am grateful to Senator Rick Scott for working with me on this important resolution as we continue the fight to ensure our children are safe.”

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Sen. Tim Scott introduces legislation to make Medicare plan choices clearer for seniors

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced the Apples to Apples Comparison Act of 2026, legislation requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide seniors with clear, comparable data when choosing between Medicare Advantage (MA) and traditional Fee-for-Service coverage. By giving seniors accurate cost and coverage information, the legislation empowers them to choose the plan that best meets their health care needs.

“Seniors deserve straightforward, accurate, and easily understandable information to help them make informed decisions about their health care,” said Sen. Scott. “Too often, seniors are left comparing apples to oranges when evaluating their options between traditional Medicare versus Medicare Advantage, and that confusion can have real consequences for their health and finances. This bill will provide seniors the clear, comparable data they need to confidently choose the plan that best meets their needs and protects both their health and their pocketbooks.”

“America’s seniors deserve to know that policymaking impacting their Medicare coverage is informed by accurate and unbiased information. The Apples to Apples Comparison Act will ensure that comparisons of the performance of Medicare Advantage and fee-for-service Medicare are based on complete, reliable information and consistent methodology – not on flawed extrapolations or agendas,” said Mike Tuffin, president and CEO, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

“As physician groups seeking to be held accountable for the costs and quality of health care, members of America’s Physician Groups greatly value the cost-effective care that they can provide through close partnerships with Medicare Advantage plans. That’s why we have a stake in enactment of the bipartisan Apples to Apples Comparison Act and are very pleased that Sen. Scott is sponsoring the Senate version. Policymakers need better information to evaluate Medicare Advantage, which is fundamentally a different program from Original Medicare and can’t be judged well by inaccurate government comparisons between the two. Requiring better and more valid measurements and transparency will go a long way to assuring both policymakers and the public that we have the tools needed to understand these programs and oversee them effectively,” said America’s Physician Groups (APG).

“The Council for Affordable Health Coverage supports the Apples to Apples Comparison Act. For too long, policymakers and Medicare beneficiaries have lacked a clear, standardized way to compare Medicare Advantage with fee-for-service Medicare. This commonsense legislation brings much-needed transparency by making Medicare spending data accurate, accessible, and comparable,” said Joel White, president, Council for Affordable Health Coverage (CAHC). “By empowering beneficiaries with better information and encouraging competition based on quality and value, this bill strengthens Medicare without reducing benefits or limiting access.”

“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce applauds Senator Tim Scott for introducing the Apples toApples Comparison Act. The proposed legislation is a smart and straightforward step to bring clarity and consistency to MedPAC analysis,” said Lexi Branson, vice president for health policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

BACKGROUND

The legislation builds on Sen. Scott’s long record of supporting MA while improving transparency in the system.

MA is a private insurance option under Medicare that provides most beneficiaries with coverage for services not included in traditional Medicare, including dental, vision, fitness, telehealth, and prescription drug coverage with lower deductibles.

MA provides seniors a more affordable, flexible, and comprehensive alternative to traditional Medicare, also called Fee-for-Service.

MA enrollment has grown significantly both in South Carolina and nationwide, rising from 12 percent of beneficiaries in South Carolina in 2009 to 44 percent in 2023, and from 24 percent nationally in 2009 to 51 percent in 2023.

As of 2024, 97 MA plans are available in South Carolina.

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Senate Commerce Committee Advances Shaheen-Backed Legislation to Review and Strengthen FAA’s Safety Management System

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) applauded the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s vote to advance legislation that she helped introduce to improve the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) safety oversight and the agency’s ability to identify and address aviation safety issues. The FAA SMS Compliance Review Act is led by Senator Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member of the committee.

“Increasingly frequent near-misses and close calls over the last several years—coupled with recent aviation tragedies—are important reminders that we must do more to keep our skies safe, and that all starts at the top with the FAA,” said Senator Shaheen. "By establishing an independent panel of experts to make recommendations for an agency-wide safety management system, our legislation would address long-standing concerns at FAA and help keep the flying public safe. I’m glad to see this important legislation was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support out of committee.”

The full text of the bill can be found HERE.

A section by section summary can be found HERE.

The bill directs the FAA to establish an independent expert review panel to make recommendations for a comprehensive, integrated and effective FAA safety management system (SMS) to better predict, manage and mitigate safety risks across the agency.

The FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026 has been endorsed by: The Families of Flight 5342; Tim & Sheri Lilley, parents of Flight 5342 first officer Sam Lilley; Dr. Javier De Luis, Lecturer, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Organization Designation Authorizations (ODA) Expert Panel Member; Dr. Najmedin Meshkati, Professor Civil/Environmental Engineering; Industrial and Systems Engineering; USC Aviation Safety and Security Program University of Southern California, Organization Designation Authorizations (ODA) Expert Panel Member; Bret Oestreich, National President of Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association; the National Air Traffic Controllers Association; Captain Jason Ambrosi, Air Line Pilots Association, International; First Officer Nick Silva, Allied Pilots Association President; and Captain Jody Reven, President, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association.

Senator Shaheen is a firm advocate for aviation safety, including through her work to strengthen the air traffic controller (ATC) workforce. In the wake of last year’s tragic collision at DCA, Shaheen called on the FAA to urgently work with Congress to address staffing shortages. Recently, Shaheen secured language in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to support ATC workforce development. In 2025, Shaheen introduced the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Workforce Development Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation to address ATC staffing shortages, improve working conditions for controllers and ensure the safe transportation of people and goods within U.S. airspace. Shaheen also authored the Air Traffic Controller Hiring Reform Act, which was signed into law as part of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and required the FAA to prioritize the hiring of veterans and graduates of FAA Certified Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) schools as Air Traffic Controllers.

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Maryland Delegation Members Press Trump’s ICE for Plans to Address “Deeply Disturbing” Conditions in Baltimore Holding Rooms

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Representatives Kweisi Mfume, Steny Hoyer, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Sarah Elfreth, April McClain Delaney, and Johnny Olszewski (all D-Md.) wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons regarding their serious concerns with inhumane conditions and reported violations of legal rights that individuals face while in custody in the Baltimore ICE Field Office’s holding rooms.

“As members of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation, we are deeply concerned with reported conditions at ICE’s Baltimore Field Office located at 31 Hopkins Plaza in Baltimore, Maryland. A recent video depicted dozens of individuals confined in a small holding room without adequate sleeping accommodations, sanitation facilities, or sufficient space,” the lawmakers began. “The conditions revealed in the video are deeply disturbing and necessitate more information as to how the field office and agency are enforcing our immigration laws safely and humanely.”

“These conditions are part of a pattern of disturbing reports of prolonged detainment, overcrowding, and inhumane conditions at ICE’s Baltimore Field Office. To make matters worse, our constituents have also reported that detainees are routinely denied due process and access to counsel, family visitation, and medical care,” they wrote.

The lawmakers also noted ICE’s continued obstruction of lawful Congressional oversight – citing previous attempts to view the holding rooms that have been met with refusals, postponements, and procedural roadblocks based on questionable legal reasons which have twice been blocked by a federal court.

“In addition to ICE’s initial refusal to permit the members’ July 28, 2025, inspection, more recent requests have been postponed or denied, further limiting oversight access to the field office and its holding rooms. As our courts have made clear, this is an unacceptable obstruction of Congress’ oversight role. As billions of dollars in taxpayer funding fuels ICE’s operations, we have a duty to our constituents to conduct oversight around the use of these funds. These most recent reports further necessitate continued congressional oversight,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers added that questions previously raised and submitted to Baltimore field office and ICE headquarters employees following the aforementioned oversight visit last summer went unaddressed. They pressed the Trump Administration officials to respond to those along with several new questions regarding the treatment of detainees held at the field office.

“We would also alert you to ICE’s lack of responsiveness to repeated outreach by our legislative and constituent services staff at the agency-level, as well as the Baltimore Field Office. Staff requests for information, clarification, and engagement have reportedly gone unanswered or unresolved. This lack of communication constitutes blatant obstruction of our congressional oversight role, and hinders our ability to respond to our constituent Maryland families seeking assistance,” they stressed.

“For that reason, we are enclosing a list of questions our delegation submitted to ICE on August 27, 2025 following the oversight visit by Senator Van Hollen and Alsobrooks and Representatives Mfume and Elfreth on August 13, 2025. To date we have not received answers to these questions regarding ICE’s policies and practices for providing food and nutrition to detainees, access to showers and hygiene supplies, family visitation policies, and a process for filing and investigating concerns regarding detention and facility conditions,” they wrote, going on to outline the series of questions for the Administration officials’ response, including on current conditions in the facility.

Text of the letter can be viewed here and below.

Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons:

As members of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation, we are deeply concerned with reported conditions at ICE’s Baltimore Field Office located at 31 Hopkins Plaza in Baltimore, Maryland. A recent video depicted dozens of individuals confined in a small holding room without adequate sleeping accommodations, sanitation facilities, or sufficient space. Representative April McClain Delaney, who conducted an oversight visit to the field office and holding rooms recently, shared that ICE confirmed the video is authentic and was taken in a holding room at the Baltimore Field Office. The conditions revealed in the video are deeply disturbing and necessitate more information as to how the field office and agency are enforcing our immigration laws safely and humanely.

The conditions shown in the video are not acceptable. The holding rooms have no beds—only concrete benches and a barren floor, requiring many individuals to lie on the floor with thin mats and foil blankets. Representative McClain Delaney reported that detainees are “not allowed to leave that [room] ever—the entire time—even to use the bathroom or get a shower.” There is a toilet with a partial privacy wall, providing only minimal privacy. Detainees shared with Representative McClain Delaney that they were hungry and thirsty, and she noted that the rooms were “very crowded.” These conditions are part of a pattern of disturbing reports of prolonged detainment, overcrowding, and inhumane conditions at ICE’s Baltimore Field Office. To make matters worse, our constituents have also reported that detainees are routinely denied due process and access to counsel, family visitation, and medical care.

Our concerns are compounded by the agency’s continued efforts to obstruct congressional oversight. On July 28, 2025, following reports of inhumane conditions in the holding rooms at ICE’s Baltimore Field Office, members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation—including Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Representatives Kweisi Mfume, Johnny Olszewski, Jr., Sarah Elfreth, and Glenn Ivey—were denied access to the office and its holding rooms while attempting to conduct a lawful oversight visit. This visit was undertaken pursuant to the lawmakers’ explicit statutory authority to perform inspections of “any facility operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security used to detain or otherwise house” individuals in ICE custody, and explicitly bars the agency from preventing such visits or from requiring Members of Congress to provide prior notice. It was not until more than two weeks later that ICE permitted members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation access to the field office and its holding rooms—more than enough time to have altered the conditions.

At that time, ICE cited its then-newly instituted oversight visitation policy for initially denying the members’ access to the field office and its holding rooms. The oversight visitation policy required at least 7 days’ advance notice for visits to detention facilities and contented that Section 527(a) of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118–47), which bars DHS from preventing Members of Congress from conducting oversight visits to any facility “used to detain or otherwise house” individuals in DHS custody, did not apply to ICE field offices because they purportedly are not detention facilities.

In December, a federal judge found ICE’s oversight visitation policy contrary to the law and blocked its implementation while the lawsuit continues. Despite the judge’s order, ICE reinstituted the 7-day advance notice requirement with new, dubious legal reasoning. Recently, the judge blocked that policy, as well.

In addition to ICE’s initial refusal to permit the members’ July 28, 2025, inspection, more recent requests have been postponed or denied, further limiting oversight access to the field office and its holding rooms. As our courts have made clear, this is an unacceptable obstruction of Congress’ oversight role. As billions of dollars in taxpayer funding fuels ICE’s operations, we have a duty to our constituents to conduct oversight around the use of these funds. These most recent reports further necessitate continued congressional oversight.

We would also alert you to ICE’s lack of responsiveness to repeated outreach by our legislative and constituent services staff at the agency-level, as well as the Baltimore Field Office. Staff requests for information, clarification, and engagement have reportedly gone unanswered or unresolved. This lack of communication constitutes blatant obstruction of our congressional oversight role, and hinders our ability to respond to our constituent Maryland families seeking assistance.

For that reason, we are enclosing a list of questions our delegation submitted to ICE on August 27, 2025 following the oversight visit by Senator Van Hollen and Alsobrooks and Representatives Mfume and Elfreth on August 13, 2025. To date we have not received answers to these questions regarding ICE’s policies and practices for providing food and nutrition to detainees, access to showers and hygiene supplies, family visitation policies, and a process for filing and investigating concerns regarding detention and facility conditions. On behalf of our constituents, we again request responses to the enclosed, previously submitted questions as well as the following additional questions by no later than February 26, 2026:

Representative McClain Delaney reported that ICE shared with her that the video was in fact taken in a holding room at the Baltimore Field Office. Please confirm the authenticity of the video, including the location, approximate date, number of individuals visible in the footage, and conditions depicted?

What immediate corrective actions, policy changes, or directives, if any, have ICE or DHS leadership implemented in response to the conditions depicted in the video, and when were they issued?

Do the conditions shown in the video exist today?

Have there been recent instances of individuals with medical needs being held in the holding rooms? If so, have their needs been met? Please describe the nature of the medical issues and the care provided.

Are the gender-specific hygiene needs of detainees being met while in detention? Please describe the policies and practices in place to ensure timely access to appropriate hygiene products, including menstrual products, and the process by which detainees can request such items.

How many individuals are currently being held at the Baltimore Field Office at 31 Hopkins Plaza as of the date of February 11, 2026?

How many individuals were being held at the Baltimore Field Office on each of the days from Monday, January 19, 2026, to Friday, January 30, 2026?

What is the maximum capacity of each of the holding rooms at the field office for standing room only vs. overnight stays, including the holding room shown in the video?

What is the average length of time individuals are being held at this facility prior to transfer or release? Please include:

The average length of stay beginning from January 20, 2025, to present.

The average length of stay for each quarter of 2025.

The average length of stay since January 1, 2026.

What is the longest length of stay an individual has experienced at the Baltimore Field Office since January 20, 2025?

ICE has shared with members of the Maryland Delegation that it is operating under a waiver to its 12-hour limit for detention in the holding rooms, which was issued on February 5, 2025, and must be re-evaluated one year after issuance. The waiver allows for the detention of individuals up to 72 hours in the holding rooms.

What is the consequence for the Baltimore Field Office should it hold individuals in its holding rooms past the 72-hour period allowed by the waiver?

If ICE has held individuals at the Baltimore Field Office holding rooms for longer than 72 hours, what “exceptional circumstances” does the agency believe permitted it to do so?

What factors will determine whether the 12-hour rule waiver is extended or rescinded?

Enclosure:

Availability of privacy releases at the Baltimore Field Office, specifically:

Are family members able to provide privacy releases to detained family members?

If not, why not?

If so, what protocols should the family follow to deliver the privacy release?

Are there any limitations on the documentation that attorney can bring for a meeting with a client?

Is there any reason an attorney would not be allowed to have their client at the Baltimore Holding Room sign a privacy release?

Percentage of detainees held at the Baltimore Field Office (or taken into custody by Baltimore ERO) without a criminal conviction;

Specifically, statistics on:

Percentage with and without criminal conviction;

ICE Threat level breakdown of those taken into custody by Baltimore ERO for 2023, 2024, 2025, and thus far in 2026

Status - percentage of legal permanent residents, undocumented persons, individuals with Withholdings of Removal in place

Breakdown of locations individuals are being taken into custody (city, county, neighborhood breakdown)

Breakdown of nationalities taken into custody by ICE Baltimore ERO, including:

Percentage of detainees held at the Baltimore Field Office from African nations

Longest time a detainee was held at the Baltimore Field Office, as well as:

What food options are provided?

Where is the shower located for extended stays?

How and when does ICE determine when a detainee’s stay warrants a shower?

Technical details as to ICE’s process for determining where, when, and how (transportation) detainees are transferred to other locations, including:

Please detail the specific metrics used when transferring each individual (i.e. geographical considerations, capacity considerations, etc.).

How and when are families notified of transfers?

Are families allowed visitation prior to transfers?

Additional Post-Visit Questions


Warner Passes Health Care Priorities in Government Funding Bills

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) applauds the congressional passage of a bipartisan health package advancing numerous Virginia priorities. This legislation includes several provisions authored and championed by Sen. Warner that expand telehealth services, lower drug costs, rein in Pharmacy Benefit Mangers (PBMs), protect rural health services, research maternal morality prevention, and fund cures and treatments for pediatric cancer.

“As premiums and out-of-pocket costs continue to rise, Virginians and folks across the country are struggling to afford health care coverage,” said Sen. Warner. “There is still a ton of work to be done to ensure that working families are not priced out of care, but I’m proud that Congress was able to take this step and work together in a bipartisan manner to pass many necessary provisions that will ensure telehealth is accessible, minimize the role of PBMs as a middle man, protect rural health labor and delivery services, allow for multi-cancer early detection screenings, and much more.”

This package includes several Warner-led or cosponsored provisions, including:

An expanded telehealth package that extends Medicare telehealth flexibilities for two years; requires Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue guidance with best practices on providing telehealth services accessibly; allows cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services to be provided by telehealth in Medicare in 2026 and 2027; and directs the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to help health care providers learn how to screen for medication-induced movement disorders over telehealth.

The PREVENT DIABETES Act, legislation that authorizes the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) Expanded Model to include virtual-only programs through 2029.

The reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Type 1 Diabetes – which researches how to prevent and cure type 1 diabetes – for one year.

Core provisions from Sen. Warner’s Patients Before Middlemen Act and the Senate Finance Committee’s PBM Price Transparency and Accountability Act, legislation that protects access to pharmacies by requiring Medicare drug plans and PBMs to allow any willing pharmacy to participate in-network and prohibits PBMs from linking their fees from Part D plans to the price of drugs. Also, it ensures Medicare can confirm the PBMs are providing value by requiring PBMs to report on drug price and other information to Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans, requiring PBMs to define and apply drug and drug pricing terms in contracts with Medicare plans transparently and consistently, and empowering Part D plans with new audit rights with respect to PBMs.

The PBM Reporting Transparency Act, legislation that holds Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) accountable for providing good value to seniors and Medicare by requiring information about the contracts between PBMs and Medicare prescription drug plans to be made public.

The Keeping Obstetrics Local Act, legislation that requires State Medicaid programs to conduct studies on the costs of providing maternity, labor, and delivery services in rural hospitals and hospitals that serve a high proportion of Medicaid beneficiaries and submit a report detailing the results of this study to HHS.

The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, legislation to reauthorize programs that support efforts to improve the mental health of health care providers.

The 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025, legislation that supports 9/11 responders’ and survivors’ health by updating the funding formula for the World Trade Center Health Program for FY2026 through 2040 and requiring a report to Congress from the HHS Secretary that assesses the anticipated budgetary needs of the Program.

The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act, legislation that improves access to necessary out-of-state care for children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by requiring states to establish a process through which qualifying pediatric out-of-state providers may enroll as participating providers without undergoing additional screening requirements.

The Rural Hospital Support Act, legislation that extends critical Medicare programs that increase payments to certain rural hospitals for one year.

The Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act, legislation that extends critical add-on payments for ground ambulance services, including higher ones for rural areas, for two years.

The Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, legislation that adds multi-cancer early detection (MCED) blood screening tests as a covered benefit under the Medicare program, effective January 1, 2029.

The PREEMIE Reauthorization Act, legislation that addresses public health and prevention activities related to preterm birth through Fiscal Year 2030. Also, it directs HHS to establish a working group to coordinate federal activities related to preterm birth, infant mortality, and other adverse birth outcomes. Lastly, it directs the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to conduct a study and issue a report on the costs of preterm birth and the factors and gaps in public health programs that contribute to preterm birth.

The Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act, legislation that reauthorizes support for State-based maternal mortality review committees through Fiscal Year 2030. Also, it directs HHS to disseminate best practices on maternal mortality prevention to hospitals, professional societies, and perinatal quality collaboratives.

The Give Kids a Chance Act, legislation that helps develop cures and treatments for pediatric cancer. This includes providing FDA authority to require pediatric cancer trials for drugs that are used in combination with active ingredients that currently meet the standard of care for adult cancer but have potential for pediatric use; providing FDA authority to enforce against companies that fail to meet pediatric study requirements; and extending FDA priority review voucher program through Fiscal Year 2029 to incentivize the development of drugs for rare pediatric diseases.

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Warnock Condemns USDA Decision to Stop Benefits for Farmers Who’ve Faced Discrimination

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), released the following statement after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced they would stop defending benefits for farmers who’ve faced discrimination in USDA farm loan programs.

“This action by the USDA demonstrates the Trump administration’s commitment to saving an old vision of America that harkens to some of the darkest days of our country,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“Despite what they want us to believe, farmers of every color and creed have helped make American agriculture strong. I was proud to secure funding in the Inflation Reduction Act to help address historic discrimination faced by American farmers at the hands of the USDA. While it wasn’t enough, it was a meaningful attempt toward rebuilding trust with farmers who had been hurt by decades of discrimination. Even today, farmers of color are still denied loans at higher rates than their white counterparts. I will continue to hold USDA’s feet to the fire to ensure that all our nation’s farmers receive the support and assistance they deserve.”

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Warnock, Durbin Introduce Bill Supporting American Workforce in Automation Era

The Investing In Tomorrow’s Workforce Act supports training programs, helping ensure workers are not left behind as automation and AI accelerate

Senator Warnock recently introduced the Pathways to Prosperity Act which would allow more technical college students to “earn while they learn,” among other incentives for businesses and technical colleges

Senator Reverend Warnock: “The American worker is the backbone of this nation, and although we are on the forefront of a new technological era with the advancements of AI and automation, we must continue to support our workers with the tools they need to be successful well into the future”

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) introduced the bicameral Investing In Tomorrow’s Workforce Act.

The bill increases federal investments in worker training and helps prepare workers for jobs of the future. The Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act would ensure that American workers have the skills needed to successfully navigate the transition into higher-skilled positions and in-demand industries. It has been estimated that nearly 50 percent of jobs in the United States could be at risk due to automation. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated these trends, with one recent study by the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicating that roughly 40 percent of current workers will require reskilling as a result of future automation.

“The American worker is the backbone of this nation, and although we are on the forefront of a new technological era with the advancements of AI and automation, we must continue to support our workers with the tools they need to be successful well into the future,” said Senator Warnock. “As the world advances, our workforce must be equipped to advance with it. That is why I am proud to work alongside Senator Durbin on this legislation supporting our workers.”

“An investment in America’s workforce is an investment in our economy. As automation becomes a part of our workforce, we must equip American workers for the future,” said Senator Durbin. “The Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act will reaffirm our standing as an innovative global economic power while strengthening the middle class.”

“Innovation and new technologies are changing our economy and creating new opportunities for employment and growth. While we innovate, we need to also invest in preparing workers for these new opportunities,” said Representative Schneider. “I’m proud to join Senators Durbin and Warnock to introduce the Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act to help prepare American workers for the jobs of the future and foster innovation that will ensure the U.S. remains a global economic leader.”

Investments in the training needed to transition workers into these new opportunities are at historic lows. The United States typically spends about 0.1% of Global Domestic Product (GDP) on active labor market policies—significantly less than many European countries and less than half of the level of workforce investments made in the United States 30 years ago.

Specifically, the Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act would:

Invest in Workforce Training. The bill would create a grant program through the Department of Labor to support industry partnerships in developing and carrying out training programs for workers who are, or are likely to become, dislocated because of advances in technology, including automation.

Expand Current Programs. The bill would increase funding for National Dislocated Worker Grants and amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to ensure workers who are dislocated by automation are included in WIOA programs.

Senator Warnock has championed workforce development since coming to the Senate. His bipartisan Pathways to Prosperity Act would allow more technical college students to “earn while they learn,” incentivizing business and technical colleges to partner to create high-wage career pathways, align job training curriculum, and scale apprenticeship programs for students. He successfully bolstered the workforce development pipeline for aviation workers in previous Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization legislation. Additionally, the Senator has introduced legislation to address shortages in education professionals to staff Head Start classrooms. Senator Warnock has also secured funding for regional tech hubs in the CHIPS and Science Act after bringing top Administration officials to a pilot regional tech hub at Georgia Tech.

The Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act is supported by the National Skills Coalition.


Warnock Files Amendment to Block Immigration Detention Centers from Social Circle, Oakwood

The amendment is in direct response to the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to build massive detention centers in rural towns despite unified opposition among community members

The amendment was filed for the latest funding package for the Department of Homeland Security, which runs out of funding today, February 13th

Senator Reverend Warnock: “I’m standing with the residents of Social Circle and Oakwood and fighting to BLOCK these detention facilities from towns that don’t want them”

ICYMI from the AJC: U.S. Sen. Warnock moves to block ICE detention warehouses in Georgia

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) filed an amendment to the continuing resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security that would block the purchase of warehouses that will serve as detention centers in Social Circle and Oakwood, Georgia. Specifically, the amendment would prohibit the use of federal funds for the acquisition, construction, renovation, or expansion of ICE detention centers in Social Circle or Oakwood, Georgia.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is reportedly considering purchasing a warehouse that will serve as a detention center in Oakwood, Georgia. The news comes weeks after ICE finalized plans to purchase a 10,000-person detention center in Social Circle, Georgia, which has a population of roughly half that size. Both facilities face unified opposition from local elected officials and community leaders.

“The people of Georgia want secure borders; they do not want massive immigration detention centers in their backyards,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “If the Trump Administration focused on getting violent criminals out of the country, we would not need new detention centers straining Georgia’s rural communities. That’s why I’m standing with the residents of Social Circle and Oakwood and fighting to BLOCK these detention facilities from towns that don’t want them.”

Following a visit to Minneapolis, Minnesota to meet with faith leaders and visit the memorial sights for Alex Pretti and Renee Good, Senator Warnock opposed funding for ICE at the end of January until there is significant accountability for immigration enforcement in Georgia, and across the country.

Read a copy of the amendment HERE.

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As Tax Filing Season Ramps Up, Warren, King, Lawmakers Press Trump Administration Over Decision to End Direct File

“Taxpayers deserve a free and functional filing option that keeps their information secure.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Angus King (I-Maine) led their colleagues in pressing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Chief of Taxpayer Services Ken Corbin on the Treasury Department’s decision to end Direct File, the IRS’s free online tax filing program, and instead promote Free File, a long-troubled partnership between private tax preparation companies and the IRS.

Warren and King were joined by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.).

“We are concerned that Free File will not be sufficient to address taxpayers’ needs for free tax filing options considering its history of ineffectiveness,” wrote the lawmakers.

Last November, the Treasury Department announced that Direct File would not be available in 2026, despite 94% of users describing their experience as “excellent” or “above average.” Instead, the Trump Administration has chosen to promote Free File, which outsources online tax preparation to third parties.

Free File has a history of ineffectiveness, revealed in a series of independent watchdog reports. Free File’s usage has declined since hitting its peak usage in 2004. Free File partners have deliberately misled taxpayers into paying for assistance when they are eligible to file for free. Additionally, a 2023 Congressional report revealed members of the Free File partnership were “shockingly careless with their treatment of taxpayer data” and leaked sensitive taxpayer data to private tech companies, putting taxpayers’ most sensitive information at risk.

In comparison, Direct File was truly free for all users, with no additional fees, and sensitive taxpayer information was held by the IRS and carefully protected, not leaked to private companies.

“Taxpayers with low and moderate incomes deserve a free and functional filing option that keeps their information secure,” wrote the lawmakers.

“While the Administration has claimed that Direct File was unnecessary due to the availability of Free File, it is clear that Free File is an inadequate substitute for Direct File,” continued the lawmakers.

The lawmakers requested that Secretary Bessent and Mr. Corbin provide a detailed response to their series of questions by February 26, including their plans to address Free File’s inefficiencies.

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ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Criticizes Trump’s Use of Tariffs to Benefit Big Tech, Cost U.S. Manufacturing Jobs, Urges Stronger Worker Protections in USMCA Review

Warren: “Instead of going to bat for these billionaire companies, Donald Trump should be using our leverage in these trade negotiations to improve conditions for American workers.”

Video of Exchange (YouTube)

Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called on the Trump Administration to use the upcoming joint review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to strengthen the agreement’s protections for American workers and consumers—rather than as an opportunity to secure giveaways for corporations and billionaires. President Trump has said that his across-the-board tariffs would create “millions and millions of new manufacturing jobs” and restore U.S. manufacturing to its former glory. Instead, the United States has lost over 70,000 manufacturing jobs over the last year.

Trump’s chaotic, across-the-board tariffs are not targeted at building up strategic sectors. Instead, he’s using them to build economic leverage that he uses to secure giveaways for billionaire corporations and Big Tech—rather than American workers and consumers. Just recently, the Trump Administration announced it would be willing to reduce its tariffs on European steel—tariffs theoretically designed to boost U.S. steel manufacturing jobs—in exchange for the E.U. weakening its Big Tech regulations.

Senator Warren questioned AFL-CIO Trade Specialist Eric Gottwald about whether Trump’s tariffs have resulted in manufacturing jobs returning to U.S. workers. Mr. Gottwald testified that the across-the-board tariffs have not led to widespread reshoring of manufacturing and instead contributed to an estimated loss of 70,000 manufacturing jobs.

Senator Warren argued that, instead of using our leverage in the USMCA review to do Big Tech’s bidding, we should strengthen the USMCAto ensure American workers are not forced to compete with workers in countries that fail to uphold basic labor standards. The senator pointed to USMCA’s rapid response enforcement mechanism (RRM), a provision that allows countries to implement tariffs on specific facilities for labor violations. Mr. Gottwald testified that RRM is “an incredible advance in labor enforcement.” He recommended expanding its scope to cover occupational safety, health protections, and anti-discrimination safeguards, while ensuring the mechanism maintains its rapid nature, as delays in arbitration have limited its effectiveness.

Senator Warren concluded the hearing by urging the Trump Administration to use the USMCA review to secure stronger labor standards rather than prioritize corporate interests: “Instead of going to bat for these billionaire companies, Donald Trump should be using our leverage in these trade negotiations to improve conditions for American workers.”

Transcript: The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement: Evaluating North American Competitiveness

Senate Finance Committee

February 12, 2026

Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, President Trump campaigned for office on a promise to, quote, "lower costs on day one"—those were his words—and now here we are, it's a year later, and the cost of groceries is up, the cost of utilities is up, the cost to build a home is up, healthcare premiums are skyrocketing. Trump also promised to create "millions and millions of new manufacturing jobs," and he also promised that his tariffs would bring factories "roaring back."

So, here we are, a year later, and we've lost manufacturing jobs. And look, I believe in tariffs as a tool, but Trump's reckless across-the-board tariffs aren't aimed at building up strategic sectors, and to the extent they've created leverage with our trading partners, he's frittered it away doing favors for giant multinational corporations, not helping out American workers. So today, we're talking about how the US should approach renegotiation of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the successor to NAFTA, but based on the last year, I am worried that the administration will not use US leverage to negotiate on behalf of American workers.

Mr. Gottwald, you are a trade expert with the AFL-CIO. Are Trump's across-the-board tariffs bringing back manufacturing jobs to the US?

Mr. Eric Gottwald: Thank you for the question, Senator. The short answer is no. The tariffs that he imposed in April, these Liberation Day across-the-board tariffs, we haven't seen the reshoring of manufacturing jobs due to those. And the latest data, year over year, we've lost 70,000 manufacturing jobs.

Senator Warren: So, we've lost 70,000 manufacturing jobs over the last year of Trump's presidency?

Mr. Gottwald: Correct.

Senator Warren: You know, I have to say, I wish it were surprising, but it's not when you see how Trump is using tariffs as leverage in talks with trading partners. And here's an example: Trump hiked tariffs on European steel. Okay, I get that. Allegedly, it was going to be to boost US steel manufacturing, but then his administration said, oh, they would roll back those steel tariffs if the EU weakened its laws regulating Big Tech. Now, mind you, the European laws are common-sense regulations. They're about consumer protection and privacy and breaking up monopolies.

Mr. Gottwald, when Trump said he'd be willing to reduce tariffs on steel imports if the EU repealed regulations on Big Tech, did that help American workers?

Mr. Gottwald: No.

Senator Warren: And that's just one example. So, again and again, Trump has slapped on tariffs, hiking prices that Americans pay, and then turned around and turned some of them off because some billionaire CEO called or made a donation and wanted some tariff relief. And now, the USMCA is scheduled to expire in July, meaning we have real leverage. If the US is going to sign back on, we need to tighten the rules so American workers aren't competing with workers in countries that treat their workers like dirt and trash the environment as well. One way to do that would be to strengthen the USMCA rapid response enforcement mechanism that lets us put tariffs on specific facilities when they violate collective bargaining laws.

Mr. Gottwald, how could the US use our leverage to improve this tool and actually help workers?

Mr. Gottwald: The rapid response mechanism has been an incredible advance in labor enforcement and trade agreements. It's not perfect, and we could make it better. Here's some ideas. One, we could not just address—currently, it's focused on freedom of association and collective bargaining, two very important fundamental worker rights, but we could expand that to other worker rights. Think about occupational safety and health, the right to be free from discrimination, and other things that affect the competitive balance. So, we could broaden the scope of rights affected. The other thing we can do is make sure the mechanism is delivering on time. The rapid part of it—at times we've seen when cases go to arbitration under the mechanism, they've dragged on a little too long. So, we'd like to explore ways to keep it rapid.

Senator Warren: I appreciate that. You know, look, right now, Big Tech is paying millions to lobby for more giveaways in the USMCA, including provisions that can make it harder for the US government to be able to protect American citizens misuse of data. Instead of going to bat for these billionaire companies, Donald Trump should be using our leverage in these trade negotiations to improve conditions for American workers. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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Warren, Duckworth, Quigley, 40+ Lawmakers Sound Alarm on Trump's Immigration Agenda Hurting Families' Child Care Access, Raising Costs

Trump’s admin making it harder for families to find and afford child care while slashing funding for child care in states

“The Trump Administration’s policies risk eliminating a significant number of trained caregivers from an already strained system, reducing access to care and raising child care costs for American families”

“Rather than making child care more affordable, President Trump has done the opposite by withholding billions of dollars in federal funding from child care providers, and rescinding protections meant to ensure that child care providers can stay afloat”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), along with Representative Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), led over 40 colleagues in pressing the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Children & Families (ACF) on how the Trump Administration’s immigration policies are shrinking the child care workforce and driving up costs for American families. This letter comes amid reports of ICE activity at and around child care facilities and growing staffing shortages nationwide.

“These policies — paired with the Administration’s recent moves to slash federal support that made child care more affordable — are an attack on American families,” wrote the lawmakers.

The American economy heavily depends on immigrant workers in the child care sector, making up approximately 20 percent of the U.S. child care workforce and totaling more than 282,000 workers. In parts of Florida, Texas, New York, and California, that share is even higher — in some places as high as 70 percent.

Over the last year, President Trump has enacted a cruel and aggressive immigration agenda, including eliminating legal immigration pathways, stopping lawful immigration processes, and ramping up indiscriminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests. Those arrested include critical child care providers taking care of children in their communities.

The Trump Administration’s immigration policies have significantly impacted immigrant child care workers and the families whose children they care for. Following the administration’s decision to revoke a long-standing policy protecting “sensitive locations” from ICE raids, ICE enforcement activities are now occurring at child care facilities, with agents apprehending and detaining employees in front of children and their families. Other child care workers have been stripped of their work permits and forced to leave their jobs.

These actions are pushing providers to leave the child care field, and programs have seen sharp staffing declines. Some estimates say the Administration’s immigration agenda could reduce the child care workforce by 15 percent — over half a million workers — as the child care sector loses both immigrant and U.S.-born workers. This — along with Trump administration efforts to slash federal support that makes child care more affordable — is an “attack on American families.”

“Rather than making child care more affordable, President Trump has done the opposite by withholding billions of dollars in federal funding from child care providers, and rescinding protections meant to ensure that child care providers can stay afloat,” wrote the lawmakers.

“As Members of Congress committed to supporting American families and maintaining an affordable, reliable child care system, we seek to ensure that federal enforcement practices are not unintentionally driving up costs, destabilizing child care programs, or undermining the safe, supportive environments that children need to thrive,” continued the lawmakers.

The lawmakers requested that, by February 26, 2026, ACF share any information available regarding the impact of immigration operations on child care staffing shortages, including data on staffing shortages, enrollment declines, projected cost increases, and how coordination with DHS on enforcement actions may disrupt federally funded child care programs.

Other signers include: Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representatives Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Herb Conaway (D-N.J.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), George Latimer (D-N.Y.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.).

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Welch Condemns DHS’ Violent Mass Deportation Policy on Senate Floor

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to condemn the escalating chaos and violence from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers under President Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership. In his remarks, Senator Welch recounted stories of people who have faced ICE’s violence and brutality firsthand and called for Congress to candidly assess the impact of the Trump Administration’s violent mass deportation policy.

“Homeland Security got $75 billion from Congress—not from votes on our side—but it was really what allowed for this mass round-up of people from workplaces, from farms, from schools. All in service of a political agenda that is not about protecting Americans but is serving the political interests of the president and the fiendish design of Stephen Miller with the implementation of a reckless Kristi Noem,” said Senator Welch.

Watch Senator Welch’s full remarks below and read his full remarks as delivered here.

Senator Welch has been an outspoken voice opposing Secretary Noem’s leadership of the Department of Homeland Security. The Senator called for Noem’s resignation in July, citing her mishandling of FEMA and handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign. Earlier this month, Senator Welch led his colleagues in demanding Noem resign as Secretary, and has said she should be fired or impeached by Congress if she refuses.

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Wyden, Merkley Push FAA to Implement Emergency Safety Regulations Following Deadly Helicopter Crash

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today pressed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to explain what it’s doing now to prevent another deadly helicopter crash like the one last month in Arizona that killed four Oregonians.

“While a thorough investigation is necessary to develop comprehensive, data-based recommendations, it’s clear that immediate action must be taken to prevent another similar tragedy,” the senators wrote in their letter to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “As the investigation proceeds, we urge you to continue working closely with the NTSB and promptly adopt initial safety suggestions they may have based on their preliminary findings.”

On January 2, 2026 a helicopter carrying four family members from Oregon struck a slackline suspended across Telegraph Canyon in the Tonto National Forest in Arizona. Everyone on board was killed.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its initial findings from its investigation into the crash on January 21, 2026. The full investigation could take over a year to complete. As a result, Wyden and Merkley pressed the FAA over what immediate actions could be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future. Specifically, they asked:

Please describe how the FAA currently regulates slackline visibility and notifications for pilots.

In light of this tragic helicopter crash, what are you doing to ensure awareness of existing FAA regulations regarding marking and notifications of obstructions? How will you work with other agencies and organizations to share these policies?

Are you considering any immediate adjustments to FAA policies in order to increase the physical marking or visibility of slacklines? Are there any options the FAA could explore related to the standardized marking, lighting, or other visual measures that would allow slacklines to be more easily identified by pilots during both daytime and nighttime operations?

Will the FAA consider implementing a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over slacklines as a precautionary and interim measure until the NTSB issues final recommendations? What factors does the FAA consider in making TFR determinations?


Young Applauds White House Maritime Action Plan, Urges Passage of SHIPS for America Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) today applauded after the Maritime Action Plan released this afternoon by the Trump Administration, as directed under President Trump’s executive order titled “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,” signed on April 9, 2025:

“I am grateful to President Trump and his team for devoting time and attention to revitalizing our maritime industrial base,” said Senator Young. “This plan is a much-needed, holistic approach to restore American commercial shipping dominance. There is substantial overlap between the President’s vision and the plan we’ve proposed in the SHIPS for America Act. The announcement today should serve as a wake-up call for Congress to act quickly on this bill in order to provide the legal authorities and resources necessary to make this plan a reality. It’s time to make American ships again.”


WATCH: 'Hariana Interview with Congressman Christopher Smith, Chairman of the Africa Subcommittee'

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, sat down with journalist Hariana Verás Victória to discuss the findings of his latest congressional hearing on the DRC-Rwanda conflict and the implementation of President Trump’s “Washington Accords.” Rep. Smith also detailed his decades-long work as a lawmaker on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Africa Subcommittee to advocate for an end to the violence and fighting in the region. The full interview can be viewed by clicking here.

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Ranking Member Foushee Calls for Resignation of Secretary Lutnick for Relationship to Epstein

WASHINGTON, DC (February 14, 2026) — Today, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) called for the resignation of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick following the publication of new evidence detailing his relationship with convicted child sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein. Recently released Epstein files reference Secretary Lutnick 223 times and reveal that he interacted with Epstein and visited his island after previously claiming he had cut off contact.

“The American people deserve better than a government led by individuals with deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted child sex trafficker,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04). “Secretary Lutnick misled the public about the extent of his relationship with Epstein, which included multiple interactions after Epstein’s conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. He must resign immediately. Even now, serious questions remain about whether additional meetings have yet to be disclosed. This moment emphasizes the need for full transparency regarding the Epstein files to ensure accountability and justice for survivors and the American people.”

Rep. Valerie Foushee is the Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. Last year, Rep. Foushee pressed Secretary Lutnick to reverse proposed cuts to NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce and joined Senator Elizabeth Warren in calling for an investigation into Secretary Lutnick's family's financial interests related to the rapid expansion of AI data centers without adequate federal oversight. She now joins fellow House Democrats who have called for Secretary Lutnick’s resignation.


Rep. Gillen Joins Seaford Manor Students to Deliver Valentines for Nassau County Veterans

SEAFORD, NY — On Friday, February 13, Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04) met with students and teachers from Seaford Manor Elementary School to collect homemade cards as part of her annual Valentines for Veterans initiative. This program encourages students and community members to create handmade cards for local veterans across Nassau County.

"Valentines for Veterans is a wonderful tradition that honors the over 30,000 veterans in Nassau County,” said Rep. Gillen. “Our veterans risked their lives in service to our country and we can never fully repay them for their sacrifices. But through simple acts of kindness like these cards, we can show our appreciation, remind them that their service is never forgotten and teach our children the importance of honoring those who defended our freedoms.”

Nassau County is home to more than 30,000 veterans and since taking office, Rep. Gillen has been a tireless advocate for bipartisan solutions that support those who have served our country. She has co-sponsored nearly 30 bipartisan bills in Congress to help strengthen veterans’ mental health care, disability compensation, VA benefits and medical research.


Rep. Gillen Statement on DHS Shutdown

GARDEN CITY, NY — Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04) released the following statement regarding the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

“After the horrific killings of American citizens by federal agents, it is clear that Congress must exert its power over DHS and rein in this unchecked agency. Other law enforcement agencies are expected to operate within the bounds of the law to prevent the abuse of power, and ICE must be held to those same standards.

“I’m urging Republicans and the White House to negotiate in good faith to come to a bipartisan agreement to end the shutdown of DHS and pass meaningful reforms for ICE. I have in the past and will again oppose any funding that does not include guardrails for ICE enforcement and enact greater accountability measures.”


REPS. GIMENEZ, DIAZ-BALART, SALAZAR, AND MALLIOTAKIS MAKE THE CASE FOR INDICTING RAUL CASTRO

MIAMI, FL – Today, U.S. Representatives Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), and Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump urging his administration to pursue accountability for the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown by considering the indictment of Raúl Castro for his role in the cold-blooded murder of four individuals aboard two unarmed civilian aircraft.

Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez said, “For nearly three decades, the Castro regime has evaded justice for the cold-blooded murder of Americans in the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown, shot out of the sky while carrying out a humanitarian mission. The evidence is overwhelming, the chain of command is clear, and responsibility leads directly to Raúl Castro. America First means defending our citizens, confronting tyranny in our hemisphere, and ending decades of impunity. The time has come for the Department of Justice to act and hold Raúl Castro accountable for the murder of innocent Americans.”

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart said, “President Trump is a strong ally and a symbol of hope for the brave activists struggling for democracy, while also standing firm against the ruthless dictators that oppress them. Raul Castro has been at the center of the Cuban regime’s crimes for nearly seven decades. February 24 will mark thirty years since the heinous shootdown of two unarmed civilian aircraft in international waters by the Cuban military, under the command of then-Defense Minister Raul Castro. This resulted in the murders of four innocent humanitarians – three American citizens and one U.S. resident.

"We commend President Trump for prioritizing U.S. national security in his foreign policy decisions. The anti-American, terrorist regime in Cuba has spread its malign influence throughout the globe with few consequences. The thugs who have oppressed, tortured, and killed must face justice – and accountability should start at the top."

Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salzar said, “For decades, Raúl Castro and the regime officials who ordered this vile attack have hidden behind the protection of a brutal dictatorship, escaping justice while the families of the victims were left to carry the pain alone. Now we have a real chance to correct this historic injustice," said Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar. "We are calling on the Department of Justice to reopen the case, follow the evidence all the way to the top, and use every legal tool available, including international arrest notices, to hold those responsible for the murder of Americans accountable. This was a regime-sponsored military operation approved at the highest levels. The evidence is clear, the responsibility is undeniable, and the era of impunity must end.”

Read full letter HERE.

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LEADER JEFFRIES ON MS NOW: “WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE IN THIS FIGHT UNTIL WE WIN THIS FIGHT FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE”

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MS NOW’s Velshi, where he made clear that House Democrats will not support any legislation that allows Donald Trump and Kristi Noem’s Department of Homeland Security to use taxpayer dollars to brutalize and kill American citizens.

ALI VELSHI: Joining us now is Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Representative Jeffries, good to see you again. Thank you for being with us this morning.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning.

ALI VELSHI: Number one on your list of demands is something you’re calling targeted enforcement, which includes making it explicit that federal agents can’t just enter private property without a judicial warrant. Talk to me about this. I would assume that your colleagues across the aisle would agree with that. This is not a Democratic or a Republican concept, it’s a Constitution concept.

LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s exactly right. It’s an American concept. The Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures has been a part of our fabric since the very beginning of our constitutional Republic. It’s incredible to us that Republicans have decided to draw a hard line in the sand. Our view on this is pretty clear. Judicial warrants should be required before ICE agents or any DHS personnel can storm private property, rip Americans out of their homes or brutalize people as we’re seeing on the streets of American towns, cities and villages. This is a pretty straightforward concept. We also believe that there has to be an end to roving patrols. Donald Trump promised that the administration was going to target violent felons who are here in the country illegally. That’s not what is being done. And we need to end the violence, end the brutality and end the killing of American citizens, in part by protecting sensitive locations like houses of worship, schools, hospitals and polling locations. And we also need to make sure that there are independent investigations. Pam Bondi cannot be trusted to investigate or prosecute ICE agents who violate the law.

ALI VELSHI: You talk about polling locations. This becomes very relevant to a lot of people because if you believe that ICE and CBP and federal agents are just out there randomly arresting people, A, that could impede your ability to cast a ballot. There are primaries going on for the next several months and then we’ve got an election. And B, if you believe that even as an American citizen, you’re not particularly safe, that means, you know, for people who are a little worried about going to vote, this feels like it’s not about immigration enforcement only, it’s about scaring people about being out in public.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Republicans are on the run politically all across the country. They’re losing in states, whether that are red states, blue states or purple states. We’ve just seen Republicans experience devastating losses in back-to-back weekends in Texas and in Louisiana, overperforming the 2024 Trump numbers in Texas by 31 points and then in Louisiana by 37 points. So Republicans have clearly come to the conclusion that they cannot win a free and fair election and they’ve adopted voter suppression as an electoral strategy, which is one of the reasons why we are making sure that there is a clear separation between DHS and immigration enforcement activities that they undertake, which need to be fair and just and humane and the ability for state and local officials to ensure that there are free and fair elections in the November midterm.

ALI VELSHI: So this sounds, there’s an overlap between everything you just said and the SAVE Act, which just passed the House, probably won’t pass the Senate, but the point is, the SAVE Act is different from voter suppression, things we’ve talked about in prior years. The Republicans would like you to believe it’s just about photo ID. It’s much more significant and complicated than that.

LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely correct. And with respect to photo identification, every state has different requirements. New York State, for instance, has a photo identification requirement that’s been on the books and that has been administered fairly to allow people to continue to exercise their right to vote. This should remain a state issue. But the so-called SAVE Act is not about free and fair elections. This is spin. It’s a cover story because it actually would require states and localities, elections officials in those places, to hand over information to DHS. Why in the world would we allow that to happen when Donald Trump has explicitly said he’s trying to find a back door path to nationalizing the elections? We’re not going to let it happen.

ALI VELSHI: Congressman, talk to me about this reporting this week about Kristi, I’m sorry, about Kristi Noem and the mess that the Department of Homeland Security is in. You’ve actually talked about the fact, and others have talked about the fact that she should be impeached from her role.

LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely correct. Kristi Noem is a disgrace. She’s corrupt. She’s unqualified. She’s a stone-cold liar. How dare this woman say about two patriotic Americans, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, that they were domestic terrorists, when the American people know otherwise. And so, our view is why is Kristi Noem still around? Alex Pretti was killed on January 24 in cold blood. She should have been fired that very same day. And as House Democrats, we are prepared to move forward with impeachment proceedings, since it appears that Donald Trump has no interest in ensuring that Kristi Noem has accountability because of her clear failures. At the same period of time, You can’t just change personnel. They have to change policy. And the only way to ensure that ICE is actually reined in and brought under control consistent with what the American people would like to see, is to change things dramatically, boldly, meaningfully, through legislation. And that’s what this shutdown showdown is all about.

ALI VELSHI: So this is an interesting point. You can’t just change personnel, you have to change policy. I think that’s really important to remember because these are Donald Trump’s policies that Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi and Pete Hegseth and RFK are carrying out. So how do you think about that? Because people would like to see some people held to account for what they do, but Pam Bondi, that was some wild testimony before the House this week. Pete Hegseth is trying everything he can to prosecute six Members of Congress who have told members of the military that they don’t have to follow illegal orders. There’s a measles outbreak in Florida. RFK’s policies are at play there. So how do you address that? How do you, as a party, think about the fact that there are bad people doing bad things at Donald Trump’s bidding? What’s the fix for that, other than the elections in November?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we definitely have to use every legislative tool available to us to continue to aggressively push back against Donald Trump, Republicans and their extreme policies. And we’ve had some success, of course, in the House of Representatives, pushing back against them, forcing the issue of the Epstein Files into the public domain and actually passing legislation that Donald Trump was compelled to sign into law. And that’s an ongoing effort to ensure that there’s transparency and accountability related to what the survivors have boldly called for. We’ve been able to successfully push back against them in the House and force an up-and-down vote that was successful on a three-year straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits to try to save the healthcare of tens of millions of Americans and we continue to press our case now in the Senate. Most recently, in this past week, we were able to overturn one of Trump’s tariffs that had been imposed, we believe, unlawfully and recklessly on Canada, part of the Trump tariffs that have been raising costs on everyday Americans, when Donald Trump promised to lower the cost of living on day one. Costs, of course, aren’t going down, they’re going up and part of reason are the Trump tariffs. So it’s an all-hands-on-deck effort, legislatively, in terms of us pushing back. We have to continue to push back in the courts and when Donald Trump has crossed the line, as this administration has done repeatedly, sue the heck out of him and continue to win more cases than have been lost. And then ultimately, the hearts and minds of the American people have to be won over as we’ve been doing electorally, including taking back the House and the Senate in November.

ALI VELSHI: Let’s talk about that. As the wind blow now, a House Democratic success looks like a possibility. But until then, there’s this tiny little lead that the Republicans have in the House, and you just outlined a few examples where some Republicans have moved over. There are probably at least 20 Republicans who are in danger in November, and probably more. Do those end up being negotiations? Are you talking to these Republicans who come over and vote with Democrats or are they talking to their constituents and acting because of that?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, it’s certainly the case that public pressure is creating an environment where Republicans are being increasingly compelled to break with the extremism of Donald Trump and vote with us in a common sense fashion as we continue to do everything that we can as Democrats to drive down the high cost of living, to fix our broken healthcare system and now to make sure that immigration enforcement is fair, is just and humane, and we can get ICE under control, end the violence, end the brutality, end the killing of American citizens. We are having Member-to-Member conversations on given issues, and I think that we’ll continue to do that. But it will be anchored in values that are consistent with making life better for the American people. This my-way-or-the-highway approach that Republicans and Donald Trump adopted from January 20 of last year, that’s done. That’s over. That’s gotten them nowhere. And our view is that we’re going to continue to be in this fight until we win this fight for the American people. And if Republicans want to join us, all the better.

ALI VELSHI: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, good to see you. Thank you for joining us. The House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York.


Larsen Launches First Annual Valentines for Veterans Drive

Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced the establishment of an annual Valentines for Veterans drive. Valentines created by Northwest Washington students will be distributed to local veterans and servicemembers on February 14th.

“To all the women and men who have served our country, happy Valentine’s Day and thank you for your service," said Rep. Larsen. “I am glad that my office helped pass along well-wishes and gratitude to our veterans and servicemembers and I look forward to continuing this program in the years to come.”

Rep. Larsen visited the Oak Harbor Boys & Girls Club on February 7th to make Valentines Day cards for local veterans with kids in the community. Students at Edmonds-Woodway High School Key Club and Oak Harbor High School also made valentines.

Rep. Larsen’s office delivered the valentines created by local students to veterans at Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in Bellingham and Everett, and the Fleet Reserve Association and American Legion in Oak Harbor.

Larsen Fights for Veterans in Northwest Washington

In his time in Congress, Rep. Larsen has hosted more than 70 forums to hear directly from Northwest Washington state veterans about their needs, including five roundtables in September 2025. Following those conversations, he published ‘Listening to Veterans in Northwest Washington,’ a report capturing local veterans’ most pressing challenges and outlining policy recommendations for Congress and VA to address these concerns.

After hearing from local veterans about the lack of transportation options to VA health facilities, Rep. Larsen introduced the Veterans Access to Transit Act (VA Transit Act) last December to establish a Department of Transportation (DOT) pilot program to provide veterans with public transportation to VA facilities and veterans organizations. Rep. Larsen also introduced the Mammography Access for Veterans Act this February. This bipartisan legislation would expand veterans’ access to lifesaving breast cancer screenings through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

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Diaz-Balart, Salazar, Gimenez and Malliotakis Make the Case for Indicting Raul Castro

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), and Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump asking that his administration consider indicting Raul Castro for his involvement in the 1996 shootdown of the Brothers to the Rescue civilian aircraft which resulted in four murders in cold blood.

“President Trump is a strong ally and a symbol of hope for the brave activists struggling for democracy, while also standing firm against the ruthless dictators that oppress them. Raúl Castro has been at the center of the Cuban regime’s crimes for nearly seven decades. February 24 will mark thirty years since the heinous shootdown of two unarmed civilian aircraft in international waters by the Cuban military, under the command of then-Defense Minister Raúl Castro. This resulted in the murders of four innocent humanitarians – three American citizens and one U.S. resident.

We commend President Trump for prioritizing U.S. national security in his foreign policy decisions. The anti-American, terrorist regime in Cuba has spread its malign influence throughout the globe with few consequences. The thugs who have oppressed, tortured, and killed must face justice – and accountability should start at the top."

Read the full letter here.

Díaz-Balart, Salazar, Giménez, and Malliotakis argumentan a favor de una acusación legal contra Raul Castro

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Los representantes estadounidenses Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28) y Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) enviaron hoy una carta al presidente Donald J. Trump solicitando que su Administración considere acusar formalmente ante la justicia a Raúl Castro por su participación en el derribo en 1996 de las aeronaves civiles de Hermanos al Rescate, incidente que resultó en cuatro asesinatos a sangre fría.

“El presidente Trump ha sido un firme aliado y un símbolo de esperanza para los valientes activistas que luchan por la democracia, y se ha mantenido firme contra los despiadados dictadores que los oprimen. Raúl Castro ha estado en el centro de los crímenes del régimen cubano durante casi siete décadas. El 24 de febrero marcará treinta años desde el atroz derribo de dos aeronaves civiles desarmadas en aguas internacionales por parte del ejército cubano, bajo el mando del entonces ministro de Defensa, Raúl Castro. Esto resultó en el asesinato de cuatro inocentes humanitarios: tres ciudadanos estadounidenses y un residente legal de Estados Unidos.

Elogiamos al presidente Trump por priorizar la seguridad nacional de Estados Unidos en sus decisiones de política exterior. El régimen terrorista y antiamericano de Cuba ha propagado su maligna influencia por todo el mundo con escasas consecuencias. Los matones que han oprimido, torturado y asesinado deben responder ante la justicia, y la rendición de cuentas debe comenzar desde arriba".


Díaz-Balart's Honors Parkland Victims

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, we mark the eighth anniversary of the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which claimed 17 innocent lives, including 14-year-olds Alyssa Alhadeff and Alex Schachter. We remember the victims and their families.

Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart, Dean of the Florida Delegation, continues to lead efforts to strengthen school safety measures. Earlier this week, he met with Parkland families like Mr. and Mrs. Alhadeff, as well as Max Schachter, and joined as an original cosponsor of Congressman Burgess Owens’ (UT-4) Alyssa’s Act, which will establish national school safety standards, including silent panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement.

"Every February 14 since 2018 has been a somber reminder of the evil that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 young, innocent lives were murdered, and many others were forever changed by this senseless and merciless act of violence.

The safety of our communities and schools has always been a core priority for me, and I am grateful to work alongside Parkland family survivors like Max Schacter, who lost his precious son, Alex, and has since turned unimaginable grief into action to strengthen school safety nationwide. Together, we advanced commonsense legislation like the Luke and Alex School Safety Act, which created SchoolSafety.gov that shares tools and research for schools, districts, and communities, links federal resources that schools can use, and serves educators, parents, law enforcement, and officials.

Since then, we have not stopped working for additional school safety hardening measures, including the EAGLES Act and now Alyssa’s Act, another bipartisan federal legislation establishing national school safety standards, including silent panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement. It’s imperative that we sign these bills into law to make a real and lasting difference. We must and can protect our children and our schools, and I remain committed to leading that effort," said Díaz-Balart.


Rep. McBride and Secretary Hillary Clinton Urge Global Action to Defend Human Rights at Munich Security Conference

Munich, Germany — Today, Congresswoman Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined global leaders and former U.S. Secretary Hillary Clinton for a town hall discussion at the Munich Security Conference on the global state of human rights and the impact of democratic backsliding on protections for women, the LGBTQ+ community, and reproductive freedom amidst the global rise of authoritarianism.

“There is no question in the United States that—after decades of historic progress on gender equality writ large, and specifically more recently on LGBTQ rights— we are facing a well-organized, well-funded, right-wing regressive movement,” McBride began. “At the end of the day; transphobia, homophobia, misogyny, and sexism are all rooted in the same prejudice. The belief that one perception at birth should dictate who you are, how you act, what you do, who you love, and how you dress. That is why threats towards trans women are threats toward all women.”

The panel brought together global leaders and advocates, including Neil Datta, Executive Director and Founder of the European Parliamentary Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Rights; Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo; and Denis Mukengere Mukwege, the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Founder of Panzi Hospital and Foundation. The discussion was moderated by Secretary Clinton, now Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.

“We have to understand right now that gender equality is a barometer of democratic stability. And a strongman's greatest asset is scarcity. When there is scarcity in jobs, when there is scarcity of opportunity, they pick boogeymen and they blame them.” McBride continued. “They blame the immigrant. They blame the trans person. Now, increasingly, what we're seeing is they're not just blaming the immigrant or the trans woman—they're blaming all women.”

The conversation focused on five key areas: the global state of human rights; coordinated efforts to roll back established protections; the targeting of women’s rights and other vulnerable communities; how democratic backsliding paves the way for authoritarianism; and strategies to build stronger alliances in defense of fundamental freedoms. Rep. McBride emphasized that defending human rights abroad, especially women’s rights and fundamental freedoms, begins with strengthening democratic institutions and safeguarding equal rights at home.

“Right now, we are facing this global struggle between democracy and authoritarianism. We know that things are going to have to change. We know that we are in a new chapter. But, we have to preserve, while reforming, the global institutions that have helped to protect freedom and democracy.” McBride noted.

“We have to protect NATO. We have to protect the United Nations. We have to protect the Trans-Atlantic alliance. We’ve got to restore international aid from the U.S. government to help rebuild some of these NGOs that have been decimated. We have to recommit to building the infrastructure so that we guarantee that we don’t find ourselves in this situation again. So that we don’t underestimate the challenges that we face, and how precious our progress actually is.”

The Munich Security Conference comes at a moment of profound strain on democratic institutions and transatlantic relations. The conference allows leaders to examine current cooperation between nations, the future of critical alliances such as NATO, and the durability of the rules-based world order that has helped preserve peace and prosperity for generations.

As a freshman member of Congress and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. McBride’s participation in the Munich Security Conference reflects her commitment to advancing policies that preserve American leadership abroad while delivering results for Delaware.

Excerpt recordings and pictures from the town hall can be found here, and the full recording of the town hall can be found here.

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Ramirez, Velázquez Introduce Resolution Calling for an End to the Monroe Doctrine

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) joined Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) to announce the introduction of H.Res.1056, the New Good Neighbor Act. The resolution called for the annulment of the Monroe Doctrine and the establishment of a "New Good Neighbor" policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean. The resolution comes in direct response to the Trump administration's aggressive interventionism across the hemisphere under what they've dubbed the "Donroe Doctrine."

“For more than 200 years, the United States has used the Monroe Doctrine to justify a paternalistic, damaging approach to relations with Latin America and the Caribbean. As a result, the legacy of our nation’s foreign policy in those regions is political instability, deep poverty, extreme migration, and colonialism. It is well past time we change our approach,” said Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez. “We must recognize our interconnectedness and admit that the Monroe Doctrine undermines the partnership needed to confront the complex challenges of this century. We must become better neighbors. That is why I am proud to join Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez to develop an approach to foreign policy that advances our collective interests and builds a stronger coalition throughout the Americas and the rest of the world.”

“This administration's aggressive stance toward Latin America makes this resolution critical," said Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez. "Their 'Donroe Doctrine' is simply a more grotesque version of the interventionist policies that have failed us for two centuries. The United States and Latin America face shared challenges in drug trafficking, migration, and climate change. We can only solve these through real partnership, not coercion. We need to finally leave the Monroe Doctrine behind and pursue a foreign policy grounded in mutual respect and shared prosperity.”

The resolution responds to recent Trump administration actions, including the illegal military operation in Venezuela, President Trump's claims over Venezuelan oil reserves, and the pardon of convicted drug trafficker and former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández.

In addition to Velázquez and Ramirez, the resolution is cosponsored by Reps. Henry "Hank" Johnson (GA-04), Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Summer Lee (PA-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Greg Casar (TX-35), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Sylvia García (TX-29), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), and Lateefah Simon (CA-12).

From the invasion of Puerto Rico in 1898 to U.S. support for coups and dictatorships in Latin America throughout the 20th century, the resolution details the harmful effects of the policy over the past 200 years.

The resolution calls for:

The Department of State to formally confirm that the Monroe Doctrine is no longer a part of United States policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Federal Government to develop a ‘‘New Good Neighbor’’ policy in place of the Monroe Doctrine.

Developing a new approach to promoting economic development.

The termination of all unilateral economic sanctions imposed through Executive orders, and working with Congress to terminate all unilateral sanctions, such as the Cuba embargo, mandated by law.

New legislation to trigger the suspension of assistance to a government whenever there is an extraconstitutional transfer of power.

Prompt declassification of all United States Government archives that relate to past coups d’états, dictatorships, and periods in the history of Latin American and Caribbean countries characterized by a high rate of human rights crimes perpetrated by security forces.

Collaboration with Latin American and Caribbean governments on a far-reaching reform to the Organization of American States.

Supporting democratic reforms to the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and other international financial institutions.

Text of the resolution can be found here.


Rep. Sykes Statement on DHS Funding Lapse

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As a partial government shutdown takes effect, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) is calling out congressional Republicans for triggering this crisis by refusing to hold Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable under President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem:

“I do not support a blank check for ICE,” said Rep. Sykes.

“Congress has a responsibility to fund the government. We also have a responsibility to ensure that federal agencies operate within the law and respect constitutional rights. The current DHS funding proposal fails to include basic, common-sense reforms: requiring judicial warrants, mandating body cameras, prohibiting excessive force, and ensuring transparency in enforcement operations. These are reasonable guardrails that protect both public safety and civil liberties.

“Instead of working toward responsible reform, President Trump and congressional Republicans are choosing to protect the status quo and trigger a shutdown.

“Meanwhile, families in Ohio and across the country are still waiting for the lower costs they were promised on ‘day one.’ Groceries aren’t cheaper. Housing isn’t cheaper. Child care isn’t cheaper. This political brinkmanship does nothing to lower prices or help working families get ahead.

“I am ready to support a DHS funding package that includes real accountability and real solutions. What I will not support is legislation that ignores constitutional safeguards and fails to deliver for the American people.”

Rep. Sykes is urging immediate consideration of her bipartisan Pay Our Military Act to ensure members of the U.S. Coast Guard continue receiving their pay during the shutdown.

Rep. Sykes is urging Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans to negotiate in good faith, advance meaningful ICE reforms, and move a responsible funding bill that ends the shutdown.