Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Demand Tariff Refunds for Working Families and Small Businesses

The Trump administration has collected an estimated $175 billion in illegal tariff revenue

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, along with 23 of their Senate colleagues, demanded that the Trump administration immediately begin to process refunds for tariffs and customs duties following the Supreme Court declaring Trump’s tariffs illegal.

“The American people — small business owners, importers, manufacturers, and the consumers who ultimately bore the cost of these illegal taxes — deserve better than this stonewalling,” the senators wrote. “This money does not belong to the federal government. It belongs to the businesses and individuals you illegally taxed.”

The Trump administration has collected an estimated $175 billion in illegal tariff revenue, raising taxes on products from nearly every foreign country and jacking up prices for working families. In total, Coloradans paid a staggering $760 million in tariffs before the Supreme Court ruling.

The Trump administration previously recognized that it must refund, with interest, any money unlawfully collected. However, it is unclear what timeline, process, or other guidelines the Trump administration would follow to provide refunds.

“The Supreme Court’s ruling was not, as [Secretary Bessent] characterized it, “a loss for the American people.” It was a reaffirmation that no president is above the law,” the senators concluded.

Hickenlooper is an outspoken opponent of Trump’s reckless tariff regime. He recently introduced the Tariff Refund Act of 2026, which would fully refund businesses who paid the administration’s illegal tariffs. Earlier last year he introduced a similar bill, the Small Business RELIEF Act, which would have exempted small businesses from the admin’s sweeping tariffs and provided refunds for the tariffs they already paid.

Hickenlooper also signed onto an amicus brief challenging the Trump administration’s illegal tariffs that was ultimately considered by the Supreme Court. In October, he helped pass a bipartisan Senate resolution to end President Trump’s reckless 50% tariffs on Brazil.

Over the summer, Hickenlooper chaired a field hearing of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee in Denver to highlight the strain the outdoor recreation industry is facing under the Trump administration’s chaotic tariffs.

Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Bessent:

Your comments following the Supreme Court’s decision to correctly invalidate this administration’s illegal tariff regime are completely unacceptable, as is the administration’s apparent decision to deny automatic refunds of these illegally collected tariffs.

On Friday, after the Supreme Court’s ruling, you said “the American people won’t see” the billions of dollars in tariff revenue unlawfully collected from them. Then, on Sunday, you doubled down, dismissing questions about refunds as “bad framing,” repeatedly insisting the matter is “up to the lower court” rather than the administration, and refusing to answer whether small business owners who bore the cost of these illegal tariffs would ever get their money back.

These statements stand in direct contradiction to your own prior commitments and are a slap in the face to American businesses and families who you illegally taxed by well over $130 billion. In January, you said that issuing tariff refunds “won’t be a problem” for the Treasury, and that “if the court says it, we’d have to do it.” The Court has said it. In a 6-3 ruling, it found that the president exceeded his legal authority. You need to give the people their money back.

The American people — small business owners, importers, manufacturers, and the consumers who ultimately bore the cost of these illegal taxes — deserve better than this stonewalling. This money does not belong to the federal government. It belongs to the businesses and individuals you illegally taxed.

The administration must immediately:

Direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to begin processing automatic refunds for all tariffs and customs duties unlawfully collected under IEEPA since January 20, 2025;

Establish a transparent and expeditious refund process that prioritizes small businesses and ensures that funds are returned to those who bore the costs;

Provide a clear public timeline — no longer than 90 days — for the initiation of refund disbursements; and

Cease any efforts to delay, condition, or deny refunds pending further litigation, in keeping with your prior assurances that refunds would be issued if the Court ruled.

The Supreme Court’s ruling was not, as you characterized it, “a loss for the American people.” It was a reaffirmation that no president is above the law. The true loss for the American people would be an administration that collected over $130 billion in illegal taxes and then refused — with a smile and a shrug — to give it back. If this administration does not act, Congress will.

Sincerely,

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Hickenlooper, Bipartisan Senators Reintroduce Bill to Accelerate AI Innovation, Strengthen U.S. Leadership

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Maria Cantwell, Todd Young, and Marsha Blackburn recently reintroduced their bipartisan Future of AI Innovation Act, which lays the foundation to maintain U.S. leadership in the global race to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. The legislation authorizes the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) to take steps to accelerate groundbreaking AI innovation, develop governance standards, and promote partnerships between government, business, and academia to advance AI research.

“Artificial intelligence has enormous potential, but it’s up to us to make sure it’s harnessed for responsible innovation,” said Hickenlooper. “Our bipartisan Future of AI Innovation Act empowers the U.S. AI Safety Institute to develop the research, standards, and partnerships we need without compromising our position at the forefront of this technology.”

Specifically, the Future of AI Innovation Act would:

Authorize the NIST Center for AI Standards and Innovation to develop AI standards to promote long-term innovation in AI.

Create new AI testbeds through public-private partnerships to evaluate AI models and make discoveries by using AI integrated with emerging technologies, such as quantum hybrid computing and robotics.

Establish national competitions to spur private sector AI solutions and innovation. The grand challenges would prioritize finding AI solutions through the integration of advanced AI technology and emerging technologies like quantum computing.

Accelerate AI innovation by directing federal science agencies to share curated datasets with the public to accelerate new advancements in AI applications.

Form an international coalition with U.S. allies to cooperate on AI standards, research, and development.

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

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PHOTOS & VIDEO: Hirono Holds Spotlight Forum on Trump’s Dangerous Attacks on Minority Students

~ Video of the full forum can be found here and photos can be found here ~

~ Video of Senator Hirono’s opening remarks can be found here ~

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) held a spotlight forum titled, “ED’s Attacks on Minority Students: Defunding Programs, Limiting Opportunities,” which highlighted the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) efforts to dismantle support for over 800 Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) that serve over five million students nationwide. Since the beginning of his administration, Trump has targeted programs that support students across the country, especially ones that help to serve those from low-income backgrounds, students of color, and first-generation students.

In September, ED announced that $350 million in federal funding would be redirected from MSIs to other programs. The Trump Administration followed this up in December, announcing that they would be “winding down” MSI programs moving forward.

“From threatening to withhold funding and rescinding grants, to threatening to wind down entire programs altogether, Trump and his regime have been carrying out a coordinated attack on education since Day One, and have targeted any and all programs that promote diversity, equity, or inclusion,” said Senator Hirono. “Under the false pretense of addressing ‘discrimination,’ this administration is further limiting access to higher education for underserved and underrepresented groups by targeting funding already appropriated by Congress. All students, regardless of their background, deserve access to the quality education that will set them up for success, and I remain committed to working with my colleagues to combat this regime’s attacks on students and our communities.”

Specifically, the forum focused on the importance of MSIs in promoting access to higher education and the devastating impacts of defunding these programs for millions of students across the nation.

The forum featured testimony from:

Mr. John D. Keenan, President, Salem State University, and Government Relations Committee Board Member, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities

Ms. Jo Ann Paanio, Policy Director, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans

Dr. Rowena Tomaneng, President, Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education

Dr. Mike Hoa Nguyen, Associate Professor and Principal Investigator for MSI Data Project, University of California, Los Angeles, and Board Member, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center

Mr. Julian Holland, Member, National Coalition of Predominantly Black Institutions

The forum also featured pre-recorded remarks from:

Ms. Lourdes M. Rosado, President and General Counsel, LatinoJustice

Dr. Lui Hokoana, Chancellor, Maui College, University of Hawaii System

Mr. Joshua Tran, Student, Duke University School of Law

In addition, it featured student remarks from:

Mr. Kevin Adams Williams, Student, University of Massachusetts Boston

Ms. Diana Castro, Student, University of California, Santa Cruz

At the forum, Senator Hirono was also joined by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

“I’ve seen firsthand how federal programs like TRIO empower students—particularly those who would not otherwise have been able to graduate high school, get into college and build a better future,” said Senator Shaheen. “The Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle longstanding programs and restrict funding for higher education are dangerous and will hinder innovation, raise barriers to education access and harm students' chances to succeed across our country.”

“Hispanic-Serving Institutions expand opportunity not only for Hispanic students, but for entire campus communities and regional economies,” said John D. Keenan, President of Salem State University and Government Relations Committee Board Member, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. “When we invest in these historically underfunded institutions, we strengthen student success, workforce readiness, and innovation in ways that benefit all learners. Supporting HSIs is an investment in social mobility, economic growth, and the future competitiveness of our nation.”

“AANAPISIs are integral to the backbone of the higher education system ensuring that first generation, immigrant, and multilingual students from AAPI families with low income have the opportunity to succeed and thrive no matter where they’re from or what their zip code might be,” said Jo Ann Paanio, Policy Director at the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans. “We cannot address and close equity gaps in higher education by closing down the targeted supports, services, and systems that students need. Investing in AANAPISIs means investing into the next generation of young leaders and changemakers.”

"Defunding AANAPISIs does not simply reduce federal spending—it dismantles proven infrastructures that advance retention, completion, and workforce preparation,” said Dr. Rowena M. Tomaneng, President, Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education. “These programs are not supplemental; they are essential to closing equity gaps for first-generation and low-income students. Their loss will reverse hard-won gains, widen disparities, and weaken institutions that serve as gateways to opportunity.”

“Minority-Serving Institutions are the backbone of American higher education and engines of economic opportunity,” said Dr. Mike Hoa Nguyen and Principal Investigator for the MSI Data Project and Board Member of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center. “Empirical research demonstrates that investing in MSIs yields exponential returns, driving social mobility and ensuring millions of students have a pathway to academic and professional achievement.”

"Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) are more than just schools with high Black enrollment; they are legally distinct from Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well,” said Julian Holland, Member of the National Coalition of Predominantly Black Institutions. “PBIs are federally designated economic engines that support communities within systemic barriers. Defined by the 2008 Higher Education Act, these institutions serve over 300,000 students across 19 states and over 60 institutions—most of whom are first-generation or low-income—acting as vital community anchors that drive the regional workforce. PBIs stand steadfast in our commitment to serving all our students, yet the discontinuation of grants impacts the resources and supports our students can access. We implore all that value accessible and affordable education to boldly support funding for these essential programs."

Video of the full forum can be found here and photos can be found here.

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DMV Senators Introduce Legislation to Support Chesapeake Bay Restoration

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) introduced the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Advancement for Training, Education, Restoration, and Science (WATERS) Act to reauthorize the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Chesapeake Bay Office (CBO), which supports the restoration of the Bay and connects local businesses, nonprofits, schools, and residents to coastal resilience and restoration efforts.

“The Chesapeake Bay is the heart of so many Virginia communities, supporting fisherman and local businesses, offering unique educational opportunities to students, and serving as a hotspot for recreation,” said Warner. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation that works to ensure the Bay remains a resource for generations to come.”

“The Chesapeake Bay plays a critical role in Virginia's economy and seafood industries, and we must take steps to protect the waters and shores of the region,” said Kaine. “The Chesapeake WATERS Act will provide vital training and education for the many stakeholders across our schools, businesses, and nonprofits who want to help preserve and restore the Bay for generations to come.”

“A healthy Chesapeake Bay is vital to the livelihood of communities across our region, and NOAA plays a pivotal role in protecting this natural treasure. This legislation will help ensure that this program has the resources it needs to continue its restoration efforts, environmental education opportunities, and more – supporting the mission of safeguarding the Bay for generations to come,” said Van Hollen.

“The Chesapeake Bay is the heart of Maryland and a treasure for communities all across the mid-Atlantic. I will continue fighting to improve water quality and increase federal funding so the Chesapeake can continue to serve not just Maryland but the entire nation,” said Alsobrooks.

Specifically, the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act:

Reauthorizes the NOAA CBO, which has been a leading partner in the Bay restoration effort and fishery community. The bill allows the NOAA CBO to collaborate with universities, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to promote integrated coastal observations, including monitoring and observing restoration activities in the Bay; collecting and analyzing data related to marine resources; and organizing information for use by policymakers, resource managers, and the public.

Directs the NOAA to support the coordinated management, protection, characterization, and restoration of Bay habitats and living resources, as well as the Interpretive Buoy System – which collects water quality, meteorological, and oceanographic data used by scientists, fisherman, and those recreating on the Bay – along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.

Authorizes the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, a CBO competitive grant program for environmental education projects that connects students throughout the watershed with the Bay.

“All of us who call the Bay home owe a debt of gratitude to NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay office. From cutting-edge climate science, to outdoor education, to leading one of the largest oyster restoration efforts in the world, NOAA is building a stronger future. This bipartisan legislation ensures NOAA can keep doing this vital work. We’re thankful for the leadership of Senator Warner and our other members of Congress around the Bay in the Chesapeake Bay WATERS Act,” said Keisha Sedlacek, Senior Policy Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

“The Choose Clean Water Coalition wholeheartedly endorses the Chesapeake WATERS Act, which reauthorizes NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO). Whether through restoring the Bay’s oyster population, protecting striped bass and other native species from the onslaught of invasive blue catfish, or helping steward the next generation through outdoor education experiences, NCBO is a critical player in our work for clean water and healthy communities. It is vital they receive continued support as we enter the next chapter of the Bay restoration effort,” said Kristin Reilly, Director of the Choose Clean Water Coalition.

Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA-02), and Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03).

Read the full bill here.

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Kaine, Schumer, & Schiff Push for Vote on Iran War Powers Resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), announced that they will force a vote in the coming days on their War Powers Resolution to ensure any U.S. participation in hostilities against Iran is explicitly authorized by Congress. It would not prevent the U.S. from defending itself or Israel from an Iranian attack. The War Powers Resolution is privileged; it was introduced on January 29 and may be called up for a vote on the Senate floor.

“Last month, President Trump threatened military strikes against the Iranian regime because of its crackdown on brave Iranian protesters. Now, he’s threatening military force over Iran’s nuclear program despite claiming last year that it was ‘totally obliterated’ during Operation Midnight Hammer. It is clear that President Trump and his team have no strategy, and we shouldn’t risk the lives of U.S. servicemembers and Americans in the region for a mission with unclear objectives,” said Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees. “President Trump must come to Congress before using military force unless absolutely necessary to defend the United States from an imminent attack. The American people do not want another forever war, and we should be focused on lowering costs at home, not starting unnecessary and wildly expensive wars abroad. We should have a debate in Congress in full view of the American public so they can understand what’s at stake. We will force a vote on our bipartisan War Powers Resolution in the coming days and make every senator decide whether they think it is in the best interest of the United States to send our nation’s sons and daughters into harm’s way.”

“Donald Trump must make the case to Congress and the American people on what the objectives or strategy would be for any potential military campaign against Iran. The American people deserve to know the why and the how of any planned action against Iran before we risk the lives of our sons and daughters,” said Leader Schumer. “Iran’s ongoing campaign of terrorism, regional destruction and oppression of the Iranian people must be met with a coherent strategy built on strength and clarity. This resolution ensures this administration cannot sleepwalk this country into an endless and costly war. It is vital that Congress stand up for its constitutional duty.”

“Donald Trump has once again deployed massive amounts of American firepower abroad without Congressional approval to use military force,” said Schiff. “And behind closed doors, our nation's military leaders are raising the alarm about the risks to U.S. troops during a potential attack on Iran, while the public is left in the dark. Congress must reassert its war powers, or it risks losing them for good.”

Last June, the Senate voted on a similar War Powers Resolution introduced by Kaine to prevent the use of military force against Iran unless explicitly authorized by Congress. The June resolution gained bipartisan support but did not receive enough votes to advance.

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Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor on His Bipartisan War Powers Resolution to Stop Unauthorized War in Iran

FULL VIDEO OF KAINE'S FLOOR SPEECH IS AVAILABLE HERE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, spoke on the Senate floor on his bipartisan War Powers Resolution to ensure any U.S. participation in hostilities against Iran is explicitly authorized by Congress. The bipartisan resolution, which Kaine introduced on January 29, is privileged and will be called up for a vote in coming days. It would not prevent the U.S. from defending itself or Israel from an Iranian attack.

“I rise to discuss a matter that will likely be before the body next week: a vote on my bipartisan War Powers Resolution to advance the proposition that we shouldn’t be at war against Iran without a vote of Congress,” Kaine said. “I believe very strongly that a war with Iran today is both unnecessary and dangerous.”

“The President says we may need to go against Iran to stop their nuclear program. We had stopped it through diplomacy. Do we really prefer war to diplomacy?” Kaine continued. “And President Trump – in the bombing of Iran in the summer – you’ll remember he said we had obliterated the Iranian nuclear program. Well, if that was true six months ago, there is no need for us to invade Iran now to stop their nuclear ambitions.”

Kaine continued, “The President has said we may need to go to war against Iran to protect the protesters. There are protesters against dictatorial governments all over the world. Are we going to put our sons and daughters into harm’s way against those nations to protect protesters?”

“Iran is a bad guy. Iran punishes protesters. Iran is engaged in all kinds of activity in the region – funding terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen,” Kaine said. “[Is Iran] worth wasting U.S. lives, U.S. money, and U.S. credibility over?”

“My time as Governor from 2006 to 2010 coincided with the mass deployment of Virginians into wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as the Governor of Virginia, I had an authority over members of the Virginia National Guard,” Kaine said.

“One of the most emotional was a day that I went to the Virginia War Memorial to watch a homecoming. U.S. troops coming out of Afghanistan had landed at a base in New Jersey, and they had hopped on a bus to come back to Virginia to reunite with their families,” Kaine continued. “They exited the bus. They got in formation, and their commander announced that this National Guard unit was now returned – all present and accounted for.”

“I saw in his face that for that entire six-month deployment, he labored under the incredible strain of wanting to be able to say those words at the end of the deployment – ‘all present and accounted for,’” Kaine continued. “It made me think of the other homecomings I had been to where the commander couldn’t say those words, and it made me think about them and what they had labored under.”

“I made a vow when I came to this body that I would do everything in my power to fight tooth and nail against sending our sons and daughters into unnecessary wars,” said Kaine. “I’m on the Armed Services Committee. I’ve voted for war authorizations. If we need to go to war to defend this country, then those who’ve signed up to do that – knowing that that might be a possibility – they’re ready to serve to defend the nation. But an optional war at the whim of a President, ordering troops here and there around the globe as if they are a palace guard, for no articulate rationale puts our kids at risk in a completely unacceptable way.”

“We will have a vote next week on something that I believe is just bedrock constitutional law: we shouldn’t be at war without a vote of Congress,” said Kaine. “We shouldn’t be at war with Iran unless members of this body have the guts to have a debate and vote and put their thumbprint on it and say this is in the national interest. No shortcuts. No end runs around Congress. No end runs around debate in front of the American people and laying out the stakes for them.”

“Haven’t we learned something from a quarter of century of war in the Middle East? I hope we have. I hope my colleagues will join me next week in suggesting no war unless we vote to authorize it,” Kaine concluded.

Kaine has been a leading voice against unauthorized wars during his time in the Senate. Last June, the Senate voted on a similar War Powers Resolution introduced by Kaine to prevent the use of military force against Iran unless explicitly authorized by Congress. The June resolution gained bipartisan support but did not receive enough votes to advance. In January, Kaine forced a vote on his bipartisan War Powers Resolution on Venezuela, which gained enough Republican support to advance but was then sidestepped by Republican leadership to avoid losing further votes.

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WATCH: In SASC Hearing, Kelly Presses Pentagon on Using Outdated Chips in U.S. Weapons Systems

“Some of our most advanced weapon systems are relying on chips that are old, sometimes outdated and sometimes decades behind the state-of-the-art technology.”

This week, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on our nation’s supply chains of critical minerals and semiconductor chips, Arizona Senator and Navy combat veteran Mark Kelly questioned Department of Defense officials about the continued use of outdated semiconductor technology in major U.S. weapons systems. Kelly raised concerns that the slow transition to newer, more secure fabrication facilities is preventing the military from accessing the most advanced chips available, potentially undermining national security.

Kelly emphasized that thegovernmentis falling behind assemiconductorchip technology moves faster than the Pentagon can keep up: “The DoD’s procurement programs do not operate at the same kind of speed. The end result is some of our most advanced weapon systems are relying on chips that are old, sometimes outdated and sometimes decades behind the state-of-the-art technology. Historically, DoD has relied on a small number of trusted foundries.”

Kellyalsohighlighted that whilehe has ledCongressin fundingprograms to provide secure, cutting-edge chip production, manyweaponsprograms continue to rely on older foundries: “We’ve worked on this committee for years to try to solve this issue by placing production lines that meet DoD’s security requirements in commercial fab facilities so DoD can get those leading chips without compromising in any security in these programs. There’s a couple of them. One is the Secure Enclave. The other is the Microelectronics Commons. And these programs, they’ve been stood up and they’re fully funded and they’re getting ready to produce some chips. There’s just one problem here: major DoD programs are still choosing to have the old, outdated foundries produce the chips, not the new ones.”

Kelly secured a commitment from Assistant Secretary Michael P. Cadenazzi to work with the Committee on policy changes to help accelerate the transition of legacy systems to the newer, more secure semiconductor infrastructure Congress has already funded.

Sen. Kelly questions Assistant Secretary Michael P. Cadenazzi during a SASC hearing.

Click here to download a video of Kelly’s remarks. See the transcript below:

Sen.Kelly:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Cadenazzi, did I get that right?

Assistant Secretary Michael P.Cadenazzi:

Yes, senator.

Sen. Kelly:

And Mr. Frankston. Thank you both for being here. I want to ask you about how we supply semiconductors to the defense industrial base. As you both know, semiconductors go in a lot of stuff used by our military and semiconductor technology advances rapidly. Moore’s law says processing power doubles every 18 months. The DoD’s procurement programs do not operate at the same kind of speed. The end result is some of our most advanced weapon systems are relying on chips that are old, sometimes outdated and sometimes decades behind the state-of-the-art technology. Historically, DoD has relied on a small number of trusted foundries, which are fabs that not only serve, they serve government customers. So, would you both agree that this approach has not succeeded at protecting DoD’s access to the best chips in the world for its most important programs?

Assistant Secretary Michael P.Cadenazzi:

Senator, we’ve perennially underinvested in the technology and the engineering necessary to migrate our systems to go ahead and leverage the most current state of the art chips. And as a result, we do have a legacy infrastructure which produces a large number of the chips that meet our needs, which are essentially based upon older technology. So, concur entirely.

Sen. Kelly:

So it sounds like an area where we could put some focus on and try to fix.

Cadenazzi:

Absolutely, Senator, it is a challenge.

Sen. Kelly:

So, we’ve worked on this committee for years to try to solve this issue by, placing production lines that meet DoD’s security requirements in commercial fab facilities so DoD can get those leading chips without compromising in any security in these programs. There’s a couple of them. One is the Secure Enclave. The other is the Microelectronics Commons. And these programs, they’ve been stood up and they’re fully funded and they’re getting ready to produce some chips.There’s just one problem here: major DoD programs are still choosing to have the old, outdated foundries produce the chips, not the new ones. So, would you both agree that there are meaningful strategic advantages to sourcing leading edge chips for our major programs?

Cadenazzi:

Senator, I concur in the need for us to go out and continuously improve the security of our chip infrastructure and the chips themselves, and that the tools that are in place under a secure enclave, etc., provide us new alternatives to deliver upon that.

Sen. Kelly:

Why haven’t we use those alternatives?

Cadenazzi:

So, there’s price considerations and engineering considerations with migrating from the current chip infrastructure to new chips and new security models. And I think inherently it’s a cost issue that programs have been incentivized to sort ofgo short shrift on this and not pay the bill, and that we need to incentivize them to pivot to actually investing in the infrastructure changes necessary to take full advantage of this for the future.

Sen. Kelly:

Could you give it a can you give an example of how much how much more does a chip coming out of the Secure Enclave cost for like a weapon system, percentage wise?

Cadenazzi:

Senator, I’m not sure I can comment thoughtfully on the cost so we can get back to you on that. I think there’s a bigger issue of the certification cost for these new systems. When you change the chips, you often have to requalify systems in their performance. It becomes a cost driver for tests, for engineering. There’s a whole bunch of ancillary pieces that go into it. And the bill gets pretty large, millions of dollars into the tens of millions of dollars, to go ahead and make these changes, unfortunately.

Sen. Kelly:

How about for new weapon systems, something that’s brand new?

Cadenazzi:

The challenge you had is that often the firms that deliver these weapons systems are incentivized for ease of access and approval to leverage infrastructure that’s already approved and tools that are already approved. So therefore, to go ahead and launch a new weapons platform with a brand-new security or, or I.T infrastructure, whatever that might be, or microelectronics infrastructure, is often cost prohibitive and not incentivized by the programs themselves.

Sen, Kelly:

But we but we funded the Secure Enclave and the Microelectronics Commons. Are they not approved?

Cadenazzi:

Senator, I believe that they are, and that we’re in the process of migrating to that those requirements over the next five years or so. However, I do think there’s going to be a bit of a tail and a lag and particularly a bill associated with how we make that migration work.

Sen. Kelly:

What we could what could we do to make that migration happen more quickly?

Cadenazzi:

Senator, I think we’d be keen to work with you in the Committee on, authorities and changes to policy that would help us drive those changes and an understanding of the costs associated with that, to make it work going forward.

Sen. Kelly:

All right. Thank you.


King Grills Defense Nominee on National Guard in Cities, Boat Strikes

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today grilled potential Trump Administration officials on the legality and ethics of national guard deployments in American cities, as well as the controversial boat strikes in the Caribbean. In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Senator King questioned Mr. Mark R. Ditlevson, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas Security Affairs, on the role of the Department of Defense, legal ramifications of DoD decision making, and his personal priorities if nominated to the post.

Senator King began the conversation by asking about the classification authority of the strikes in the Caribbean, focusing on the September 2nd missile strike.

“Have you seen the second video from September 2?” King questioned.

Ditlevson responded, “Yes Senator, I have. I am aware of that particular video.”

“What possible justification is there for the classification of that video where the first video 45 minutes earlier was on Fox News the next day along with the secretary? Why is the second video classified?” King asked in response. “I have seen it and I don't understand why the American public is being denied the opportunity to see it. What is the justification for its classification?”

Ditlevson replied, “Senator, I appreciate the concern on the video and what it shows. I can't speak to the release ability –“

“How come? You’re where the policy guy,” King interjected. “What is the policy that says this should be classified bit of information?”

“Senator, that’d be outside the purview of my particular office. We were not the classification authority for that particular video and the process and procedures governing declassification—” Ditlevson responded.

King concluded, “I appreciate it if you take this question back. Because I have not, I have asked the secretary directly and not yet gotten a justification for why that video is classified. Except that it is embarrassing.”

Senator King then asked the nominee about the limits of the Department of Defense, stressing the National Guard should not be a local law enforcement organization.

King shared, “I have got to tell you in your list of priorities: “focused on securing our homeland by bolstering security at our borders,” no objection, no problem. “Dismantling narco-terrorist networks,” no objection, 100%. “Deterring adversary threats,” no problem. But your final one is “restoring law and order in our cities.” That is not the role of the Department of Defense. We have state police, we have local police. It is not the role of the military to restore order in our cities. What concerns me is if indeed it’s the President that designates a designated terrorist organization, what are the limits of that and what is to keep this president or a different president from saying some group they don't like inside the country is a designated terrorist organization, and therefore could apply military forces. I hope you will come back to me with the answers to my questions.”

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator King is recognized as an authoritative voice on national security and foreign policy issues. He has been outspoken in his concerns over the boat strikes, going on national TV to stress that such attacks are defined by the Pentagon’s manual of war as illegal. In a hearing last September, Senator King also pressed the nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict in the Department of Defense (DoD), about his views on the legality of the recent unprecedented lethal strikes on vessels in the Caribbean ordered by the Trump Administration.

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Lee, Durbin Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Efficiency in Crime Sentencing

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced two pieces of bipartisan legislation with Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) to protect Americans’ constitutional right against unjust imprisonment and cut government waste to help law enforcement focus resources on the most dangerous criminals. Details on the Smarter Sentencing Act and the Smarter Pretrial Detention for Drug Charges Act are outlined below.

“These bills protect the Fifth Amendment right of all Americans against unjust imprisonment and keep tax dollars where they’re most efficient,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Judges need more discretion to consider each defendant’s individual and unique circumstances, and our prisons need to be able to focus resources on the most dangerous criminals. Our bipartisan legislation will protect Americans’ constitutional rights and eliminate federal waste.”

“Outdated policies stemming from the failed ‘War on Drugs’ continue to impose lengthy, one-size-fits-all sentences for many nonviolent drug offenses. It’s costly, overcrowds our prisons, and strains budgets at the expense of other important law enforcement and crime prevention programs,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “Our bipartisan bills will modernize these misguided and expensive sentencing laws and allow many nonviolent drug offenders to return to their communities more quickly, without threatening public safety. I thank my colleague Senator Lee for his longtime partnership in this effort.”

The Smarter Sentencing Act

Over half of federal inmates are serving sentences for drug offenses, and many were convicted of an offense carrying a mandatory minimum penalty. By lowering mandatory sentences for certain nonviolent drug offenses, the bill provides federal judges more flexibility to determine when the harshest penalties should apply on a case-by-case basis.

The bill does not repeal any mandatory minimum sentence, nor does it lower any maximum sentence. Rather, its approach allows judges to dole out the harshest penalties where they are warranted, while allowing judges to moderate sentences based on individual circumstances. Additionally, this bill only applies to nonviolent offenses.

Senators Lee and Durbin first introduced the Smarter Sentencing Act in 2013. Since then, several important reforms first proposed in the bill were included in the landmark First Step Act, enacted into law in 2018. The central remaining sentencing reform is reducing mandatory minimum penalties for certain nonviolent drug offenses.

The bill is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

The following organizations support the Smarter Sentencing Act: National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Due Process Institute, Federal Public and Community Defenders, Dream.org, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

Bill text is available here.

The Smarter Pretrial Detention for Drug Charges Act

Senators Lee and Durbin introduced this bill as pretrial detention rates in the federal system are increasing across all demographic groups. By eliminating the blanket presumption of pretrial detention for most federal drug charges, a tailored, individualized assessment can be conducted for each defendant on a case-by-case basis.

Under the Bail Reform Act of 1984, which governs federal pretrial detention, the release of defendants is generally presumed unless a judge finds a risk of flight or potential danger to the community. This is the appropriate standard for defendants due to the presumption of innocence.

However, this release presumption is reversed for certain criminal charges, creating a presumption of detention without regard to the circumstances and background of the accused. One example of these “presumption” charges is any drug offense that is punishable by 10 years’ imprisonment or more (the vast majority of federal drug offenses). This presumption, a relic of an antiquated and failed approach to combatting the last drug epidemic, treats nonviolent drug offenses like terrorism, hijacking, and other serious violent crimes. According to the Probation and Pretrial Services Office of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, this presumption has “become an almost de facto detention order for almost half of all federal cases.”

A 2017 Probation and Pretrial Services Office study found that this presumption does not correctly identify which defendants are higher risk. For example, it found no significant difference in rates of failures to appear between presumption and non-presumption cases, and presumption cases had fewer violent rearrests than non-presumption cases. The study concluded that the presumption of detention in drug cases has been an “unsuccessful attempt” to identify high-risk defendants based primarily on the charge and “has contributed to a massive increase in the federal pretrial detention rate, with all of the social and economic costs associated with high rates of incarceration.”

The bill is cosponsored by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

The following organizations support the Smarter Pretrial Detention for Drug Charges Act: National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Due Process Institute, Tzedek Association, Drug Policy Alliance, American Civil Liberties Union, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, Dream.org, Right on Crime, Black Public Defender Association.

Bill text is available here.

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Utah Delegation Recognizes Huntsman Cancer Institute for Service to Utah Families

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) thanked the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) for its dedicated service to Utahns affected by cancer in a letter published today. Joining Senator Lee in recognizing HCI’s contributions to cancer research and care is Utah’s entire congressional delegation: Senator John Curtis (R-UT) and Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT-01), Burgess Owens (R-UT-04), Celeste Maloy (R-UT-02), and Mike Kennedy (R-UT-03).

The letter reads as follows:

Dear Dr. Ulrich,

We the Utah Congressional Delegation would like to convey our sincere gratitude to the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah. HCI is Utah’s only National Cancer Institute and the only such center serving the Mountain West. HCI alleviates the burden of cancer diagnoses for individuals and families across our state and region.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Utah. This year alone, more than 15,000 Utahns will receive a cancer diagnosis, and nearly 4,000 will die of the disease. HCI has distinguished itself as a national leader by making discoveries that translate directly into lifesaving clinical advancement. Pioneering work in genetics, precision oncology, population sciences, immunotherapy, and cancer prevention research has improved the lives of countless individuals and families in the region. By identifying cancer causing genes and deploying targeted strategies for early detection and treatment, the institute elevates Utah’s longstanding leadership in genetics and cancer research. These efforts are complemented by ongoing infrastructure projects, including the Huntsman Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in Vineyard, Utah and an expansion of the region’s only center for proton therapy. HCI serves an important role as a national leader in advancing research and care innovations that seek to improve access to cancer patients in rural communities.

In response to the need for healthcare professionals in Utah, HCI trains the next generation and develops Utah’s healthcare workforce. Through strong academic partnerships and exceptional training programs, the institute prepares researchers, clinicians, nurses, and allied health professionals who will meet the future challenges of cancer prevention, treatment, and research. In many cases, the nation looks to these people as the foremost experts in their respective fields.

We are proud of and grateful for the Institute’s commitment to excellence and innovation, and we recognize its indispensable role in improving outcomes for patients and families across Utah and the Mountain West.

Access the full text of the letter here.

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ICYMI: Senator Lindsey Graham: Iran is Facing a Berlin Wall Moment — History is Watching Us Now

Iran is facing a Berlin Wall moment — history is watching us now

By Senator Lindsey Graham

Fox News

February 26, 2026

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/sen-lindsey-graham-iran-facing-berlin-wall-moment-history-watching-us-now

Over the past few weeks, there has been great speculation regarding the growing unrest in Iran and what action, if any, the United States will take in response. One fact that remains clear is that the Iranian regime finds itself at its weakest point since 1979. As such, the world has reached a pivotal crossroad — one that will define the course of history for generations.

First, let’s examine how we got to this point. After the attacks of October 7, Israel was determined to give new meaning to the phrase “Never Again” and has relentlessly gone after the terrorist networks that perpetrated the attack. With assistance from the United States, they tremendously degraded not only the nuclear capability, but also the missile capability and general military readiness of Iran. It is ironic to me that one of the main reasons Iran is so crippled stems from October 7, yet it serves as a silver lining that has sprung from one of the greatest atrocities in modern history, nonetheless.

The second major factor is that the people in Iran have risen up and taken to the streets by the millions. Daily life is miserable, and with no viable economic growth potential, the future remains hopeless as long as the ayatollah stays in power. The bravery of the protesters, combined with the military thrashing given by Israel and the United States, has placed this regime at a tipping point.

The next question, arguably most important, is where do we go from here. President Donald Trump has two lines in the water: a diplomatic line and a military line. While diplomatic negotiations are always worth pursuing within reason, my ultimate hope is that regime change will be achieved. This will come about in one of two ways: either the current regime changes its ways — which I find unlikely — or the Iranian people will take over once the regime falls.

To those who resist regime change: why do you wish to see this regime continue as it is? The ayatollah and his henchmen slaughter people for protesting, they beat young women to death for wearing their headscarves improperly, and they have overseen the largest state sponsor of terrorism for decades. Who wants that to continue? I certainly don’t, nor do the Iranian people. The people are the ones demanding regime change, and we should stand behind them.

When asked by the world media what the protesters in Iran should do, President Trump boldly said, “Keep protesting. Help is on the way.” I believe that to be the correct statement, and it will be historical in nature if the regime collapses.

Trump’s support for the protesters, in conjunction with America’s display of strength in Operation Midnight Hammer, has created the largest opportunity for peace and prosperity in the Mideast in over 1,000 years. If this regime is replaced, normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel becomes possible again. The people of Iran will chart their own destiny, and terrorist networks across the region, such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis will atrophy even further. My trip last week to Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia — three states facing threats from Iran and its proxies — reaffirmed to me that each of these possibilities are not only attainable, but would be extremely beneficial to the United States and our allies.

On the other hand, we must remember who we will be forced to reconcile with if the regime holds. At the helm is the ayatollah, a religious zealot who orchestrated an assassination attempt on President Trump’s life. When he chants death to America and death to all the Jews, he means what he says. If the ayatollah remains in charge after all this bluster, I fear the problems that will arise will haunt the region for decades and America even further.

With the fate of millions at stake, I am praying for President Trump as he makes one of the most consequential decisions any president can make. I know President Trump to be a man of his word. He is reluctant to get entangled in wars with no end, yet unafraid to use force.

It is my strong view that history is watching every move we make. If we follow through by sending help to the protesters risking their lives, we will have a 21st Century Berlin Wall moment. Ronald Reagan’s determination to stand up to communism paid dividends for the entire world when the Soviet Union crumbled under its own weight. What followed was a new birth of freedom around the globe, liberating millions who knew nothing but oppression.

If the ayatollah falls, it will set in motion a similar sequence of events across the Middle East. All the terrorist proxies will be left hanging, the Abraham Accords will expand exponentially, the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel will be back on the front burner, and the Iranian people will come to know what all human beings desire most: freedom. The ripple effects of this regime’s destruction will bring forth tremendous, positive change across the region that will echo across the world.

Only time will tell what will happen next. For now, we must be smart, and we must be bold.

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Hawley, Merkley Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ban Wall Street from Buying Single-Family Homes

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced the Homes for American Families Act and an update of the HOPE for Homeownership Act, a comprehensive package to prohibit large institutional investors from buying up single-family homes. Their legislation is a response to the homeownership crisis in America, which has been exacerbated by deep-pocketed Wall Street investors flooding the housing market and purchasing homes.

“Wall Street has exploited the American housing crisis, turning the nation’s housing stock into a portfolio of rental properties,” said Senator Hawley. “Families deserve to be able to buy their own homes and achieve the American dream without competing with big investment companies that irrevocably drive up housing prices. That’s why I am introducing legislation to ban Wall Street from buying single family homes once and for all.”

“Houses in our communities should be homes for families, not profit centers for hedge funds,” said Senator Merkley. “As corporate investors invade the housing market nationwide, we need action to protect hardworking Americans achieving the dream of homeownership. Now with bipartisan support, we have wind in our sails to finally crack down on billionaire corporations gobbling up American homes. I’m ready to work with the President, Republicans, and Democrats to get this over the finish line.”

The Homes for American Families Act would:

Prohibit large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, townhouses, and condominiums.

Empower the Department of Justice with enforcement authority for civil violations and prioritized antitrust review for purchases of residential real estate by large institutional investors.

Senator Hawley is also joining Senator Merkley in introducing an updated version of the HOPE for Homeownership Act, which would push large institutional investors and hedge funds to divest their holdings of single-family homes through tax changes.

Read the full bill text for the Homes for American Families Act here.

Read the full bill text for the HOPE for Homeownership Act here.

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Merkley Condemns Hong Kong Court Sentencing Pro-Democracy Advocate’s Father

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and past Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)—issued a statement following the sentencing of Kwok Yin-sang, the father of U.S.-based activist Anna Kwok, who was put on trial in Hong Kong after Anna spoke out against Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong:

“The United States must never back down in the face of China’s campaign of global repression. Kwok Yin-sang’s cruel sentencing is the latest act of the Chinese government reaching across borders to silence dissent, wherever it appears. He was put through a sham trial—via a Hong Kong court acting on China’s behalf—because his daughter Anna spoke out against Beijing’s abuse of the basic rights of Hong Kongers.

“The Chinese and Hong Kong governments’ coordinated crackdown on free speech and the rule of law makes clear that Beijing’s goal is forced control of the people of Hong Kong. As long as this repression continues, the U.S. cannot allow China to rely on institutions such as Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) to enable intimidation and surveillance on American soil.

“One part of holding China accountable is to pass my bipartisan Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act, which would require the State Department to certify whether HKETOs should continue to receive diplomatic privileges in the United States. While HKETOs nominally promote business and trade, in reality, they are outposts of repression as China has shredded any meaningful liberty that Hong Kong once had. Republicans and Democrats must be unequivocal that there will be consequences for Beijing’s destruction of Hong Kong’s autonomy. We stand with Hong Kongers across the globe as they fight for their rights and their future.”

As past Chair of the CECC and a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Merkley has led the charge to spotlight China not just silencing people inside Hong Kong but engaging in transnational repression by going after their families overseas. He leads the bipartisan HKETO Certification Act with current CECC Chair Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Senator John Curtis (R-UT), and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to crack down on the Chinese government-controlled HKETOs in the U.S. Following her father’s conviction, Anna Kwok called on U.S. lawmakers to pass Merkley’s bipartisan bill.

Merkley also leads the Transnational Repression Policy Act—landmark, bipartisan legislation that takes aim at the growing threat of transnational repression to hold foreign authoritarian governments and individuals accountable when they stalk, intimidate, or assault dissidents and diaspora communities across their borders, including in the United States.

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Sheehy, Merkley Introduce Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act

Washington, D.C. – Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the bipartisan Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to provide Air Traffic Controllers more tools and training to keep American airspace safe.

“America is the birthplace of aviation, and our hardworking air traffic controllers deserve the tools and support to do their jobs safely and effectively. As our airspace grows more congested and complex, far too many controllers do not have access to critical, 21st century technology. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan bill to close that gap, protect American families, and keep our airspace the safest in the world,” said Senator Sheehy.

“Oregon’s small and regional airports are an important partner in keeping the flying public safe. Our simple bipartisan bill unlocks resources for these airports to make critical safety upgrades if they need it, something we should all get behind,” said Senator Merkley.

The bill aims to improve controllers’ situational awareness by:

Requiring the FAA to acquire and install APRTs at federal contract towers that do not currently have STARS or other advanced situational awareness systems,

Directing the FAA to establish a training program for these towers to ensure that controllers can effectively integrate and use APRTs, and

Providing authority for the FAA to fund acquisition, installation, and operating expenses of APRTs at contract towers and authorizing the FAA to reimburse contract tower airports that have independently acquired and installed APRTs prior to FAA action.

Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined Sheehy and Merkley in introducing the Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act. The bill is supported by the Regional Airline Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Airlines for America, and National Business Aviation Association.

Statements of Support:

“Horizon Air applauds Senators Sheehy and Merkley for their leadership in advancing legislation that strengthens aviation safety, particularly for many regional and rural airports that do not have access to radar. It’s essential we equip our air traffic controllers with the modern situational awareness tools they need to safely manage flights. Airborne position reference tools represent a practical, safety-enhancing capability that can improve operational awareness and reduce safety risk, and it is our sincere hope to see APRTs deployed at as many airports as needed.” – Andy Schneider, President and CEO of Horizon Air

“As we work to modernize America’s air traffic control system, ensuring federal contract towers are equipped with proper situational awareness technology and surveillance tools is a no brainer. These tools better ingratiate controllers as to the full picture of their airspace and the surrounding areas, improving safety for those on the ground and in the sky. We thank Senators Sheehy and Merkley for taking action on this issue.” – Airlines for America

“This off-the-shelf technology will have a huge and immediate impact at many contract tower facilities across the country that currently manage a significant amount of mixed operations without any digital assistance. APRT is critical to reducing risk and maintaining operational safety. We are pleased to see this important safety legislation introduced in the Senate and urge its swift passage.” – National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen

“AOPA appreciates Senators Sheehy, Merkley, Daines, and Wyden for their leadership in introducing this important aviation safety bill. Federal contract towers are a vital part of our national airspace system—representing roughly half of all towered airports—and this legislation closes a longstanding gap. Installing Airborne Position Reference Tools (APRTs) at towers that currently lack them will give controllers greater situational awareness and enhance safety for pilots across the country.” – Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

“The U.S. Contract Tower Association commends Senators Sheehy, Merkley, Daines, and Wyden for introducing bipartisan legislation that calls on the FAA to equip contract towers with technology that will improve airborne situational awareness for air traffic controllers. Their common-sense and cost-effective proposal will enhance aviation safety at smaller commercial service and general aviation airports around the county, and we urge Congress to adopt it as soon as possible.” – U.S. Contract Tower Association Executive Director Brad Van Dam

“The Regional Airline Association strongly supports the Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act and applauds Senators Sheehy and Merkley for their leadership in advancing this critical legislation and for working closely with RAA on this important safety priority. Traffic complexity has increased at many smaller and mixed-use airports, yet some contract tower facilities do not yet have access to the real-time situational awareness tools that are standard at larger airports and that enhance controllers’ visibility of aircraft operations. Closing this gap in risk mitigation is a practical, data-driven step that will equip controllers and pilots serving smaller communities with the appropriate tools to further strengthen safety margins and help ensure that safety advancements reach passengers and communities large and small.” – Faye Malarkey Black, RAA President and CEO

Background:

Many airports, particularly smaller and rural ones under the Federal Contract Tower (FCT) program, still lack modern situational awareness technology such as Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems (STARS) or other radar-integrated displays. Of the 266 Federal Contract Towers, more than 90 lack any surveillance tools. In towers at these airports, controllers rely on visual observation and radio calls, tools that can become strained during periods of high traffic, complex mixed operations, or reduced visibility. This technology gap can contribute to missed traffic conflicts or delayed recognition of emerging hazards.

As part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, Congress directed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to approve technology to improve operational situational awareness at FCTs, after years of requests from airports asking for assistance in addressing this technological gap.

Last summer, the FAA approved the first Airborne Position Reference Tool (APRT), which uses ADS-B data to present controllers with a real-time display of local airspace. Since then, APRTs have already been deployed at several airports around the country, and controllers and operators report that APRTs significantly enhance situational awareness and improve controller confidence, bolstering safety.

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

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Sen. Moran Statement on Retirement of Cindy McCain as World Food Programme Executive Director

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) released the following statement after the announcement that Cindy McCain will be stepping down from her role as Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP):

“Over the past three years leading the World Food Programme, Ambassador Cindy McCain has been a champion in the fight against global hunger. Under her guidance, WFP has saved lives, provided food security for millions of hungry individuals around the world and helped support the stability of nations in need. As co-chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus, I had the opportunity to work closely with her on initiatives to feed the hungry, and I saw firsthand how her compassion and service touched many lives. I want to thank Ambassador McCain for her service, and I am praying for her full recovery.”

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Sen. Moran Applauds Removal of Lesser Prairie-Chicken Listing

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry – today applauded the removal of the lesser prairie-chicken from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), following a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas:

“The removal of the lesser prairie-chicken from the endangered and threatened species list is a major win for Kansas farmers, ranchers and rural communities. For years, Kansas producers have worked to protect the bird’s habitat through voluntary, locally-driven conservation efforts, but the listing’s burdensome federal regulations put severe strain on many Kansas industries. I have worked to oppose the listing of the lesser prairie-chicken for more than a decade, and I applaud today’s decision to remove the listing and continue to support local efforts to promote voluntary solutions that will protect the bird’s habitat without placing unnecessary burdens on our agricultural community.”

Items to Note:

In August 2025, Sen. Moran applauded the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas decision that the lesser prairie-chicken listing should be removed.

Sen. Moran last year joined his colleagues in introducing legislation to bolster the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), helping to promote conservation efforts by maximizing enrollment options for producers seeking to preserve wildlife habitat.

In January 2025, Sen. Moran joined his colleagues in introducing legislation to delist the lesser prairie-chicken as endangered and threatened under the ESA.

On May 3, 2023, Sen. Moran gave remarks on the Senate floor applauding the passage of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolution of Disapproval to nullify the listing of the lesser prairie-chicken as a threatened species under the ESA. The CRA was later vetoed by President Biden, and Sen. Moran voted to override the veto.

On July 16, 2021, Sens. Moran and Marshall and Rep. Mann led a group of their colleagues in requesting a 90-day extension to the comment period for the proposed listing of the lesser prairie-chicken.

On May 21, 2021, Sen. Moran joined his colleagues in urging the Biden administration’s U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to not list the lesser prairie-chicken under the ESA.

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Murkowski, Sullivan Introduce Legislation to Bolster Alaska’s Tsunami Preparedness

Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (both R-AK), along with Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), introduced legislation that would strengthen infrastructure and warning systems for tsunamis in Alaska and across the country. The Tsunami Warning, Research, and Education Act of 2026 would reauthorize the Tsunami Warning and Education Act for five years.

“When it comes to tsunamis in coastal Alaska, the difference between extreme danger and safety can be a matter of moments,” said Senator Murkowski. “We can’t afford anything less than a rigorously updated and effective tsunami warning infrastructure. This legislation strengthens the tools our communities rely on—from real-time data and improved communications to coordinated drills and hazard planning—so that Alaskans have the fastest possible warning and the clearest path to safety when every second counts.”

“With more coastline than any other state, Alaska faces some of the highest tsunami risks in the nation,” said Senator Sullivan. “Dozens of coastal communities depend on accurate forecasting, strong research, and coordinated preparedness to stay safe. The legislation that we introduced reinforces those essential capabilities—strengthening our ability to understand hazards, improve warnings, and ensure every community has the tools it needs to be tsunami-ready.”

Alaska sits along a highly active seismic zone, forcing our coastal communities to face some of the most immediate and severe tsunami risks in the United States. Unlike distant events that may allow hours for warning, locally generated tsunamis, which are triggered by earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic activity, can reach shorelines throughout the state within minutes. This leaves little time to respond, making preparedness, public awareness, and hazard planning essential to protecting lives, infrastructure, and coastal economies. This legislation ensures communities have access to accurate risk assessments, evacuation planning tools, and timely safety information.

Specifically, the Tsunami Warning, Research, and Education Act of 2026 would:

Reauthorize appropriations for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tsunami programs at $35 million for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, an increase of $9.235 million above fiscal year 2026 appropriations.

Require NOAA to evaluate and improve tsunami alert communications, maintain fail-safe tsunami warning capabilities, and conduct annual tsunami warning drills with federal, state, local, and Tribal partners.

Expand NOAA’s coordination efforts on tsunami warnings, preparedness, and response to include Tribes.

Protect NOAA’s access to timely and essential seismic data from the Alaska Earthquake Center.

Require each Tsunami Warning Center to hire a Tsunami Warning Coordinator to coordinate with state, local, and Tribal emergency managers.

As a senior appropriator, Senator Murkowski has been instrumental in directing funding through appropriations bills toward tsunami monitoring and warning programs. Most recently, she oversaw a $5 million increase for the National Data Buoy Center to enhance real-time maritime safety in Alaska, as well as a $5 million increase for the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which provides tools for forecasting.


Murphy, Blumenthal Join Democratic Senate Colleagues In Demanding Independent Probe Of Funds Used By ICE, CBP To Carry Out Trump's Cruel Immigration Enforcement

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and 18 of their Senate colleagues in calling on the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to probe the cost of President Donald Trump’s violent escalation of federal immigration enforcement. The senators are requesting a comprehensive assessment and accounting of the supplemental funds, including the roughly $75 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and approximately $65 billion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), provided by Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

“Last summer, Congress provided extraordinary supplemental resources for immigration enforcement in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including roughly $75 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and approximately $65 billion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP). These sums represent a dramatic expansion of those agencies’ typical annual budgets. Yet there is no comprehensive public accounting of how funds provided for immigration enforcement in H.R. 1 are being obligated and/or spent,” wrote the senators.

“This lack of transparency is part of a broader pattern in which the Trump administration has expanded domestic security operations while withholding basic cost information from Congress. We have serious concerns that this pattern reflects an increasingly authoritarian and unchecked approach to executive power. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that federal agencies are not using taxpayer dollars in ways that vitiate Americans’ civil rights or expand executive overreach,” the senators continued.

In addition to Murphy, Blumenthal, and Merkley, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined the letter.

The full request of CBO can be found HERE. A full transcript of the letter is available below.

Dr. Swagel:

We are deeply concerned by the Trump administration’s reckless immigration enforcement surge—unfolding on our streets and undertaken with virtually no transparency or accountability. It represents one of the largest expansions of federal immigration enforcement in modern history, including unprecedented increases in detention capacity, personnel, transportation, surveillance systems, and tactical deployments.

Last summer, Congress provided extraordinary supplemental resources for immigration enforcement in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including roughly $75 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and approximately $65 billion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP). These sums represent a dramatic expansion of those agencies’ typical annual budgets. Yet there is no comprehensive public accounting of how funds provided for immigration enforcement in H.R. 1 are being obligated and/or spent.

This lack of transparency is part of a broader pattern in which the Trump administration has expanded domestic security operations while withholding basic cost information from Congress. We have serious concerns that this pattern reflects an increasingly authoritarian and unchecked approach to executive power. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that federal agencies are not using taxpayer dollars in ways that vitiate Americans’ civil rights or expand executive overreach.

To support constitutional and statutory oversight, we request that CBO provide an independent assessment of the costs, obligations, and spending patterns associated with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies—both at the border and throughout the interior of the United States. Specifically, we ask CBO to:

Determine how much of the $75 billion provided by H.R. 1 to ICE has been obligated and/or expended to date, broken out by major categories such as detention, transportation, enforcement operations, personnel, technology, and security contracting.

Determine how much of the $65 billion provided by H.R. 1 to CBP has been obligated and/or expended to date, including spending on personnel, facilities, surveillance systems, vehicles, and border infrastructure projects.

Determine how much of the $12 billion provided by H.R. 1 to the Department of Homeland Security (in sections 90007 and 100051) has been obligated and/or expended to date.

Determine the total amount of funds that ICE, CBP, and DHS have obligated and/or expended since January 2025 for expanded interior enforcement operations, including any funding sources in addition to the supplemental appropriations provided by H.R. 1.

Identify future costs associated with sustaining the administration’s expanded enforcement posture, including staffing, detention, transportation, and technology requirements.

Provide any additional information CBO believes is necessary to understand the budgetary implications of these activities.

This request follows an earlier inquiry seeking a cost assessment of the Trump administration’s National Guard deployments to American cities. CBO found that the administration’s National Guard domestic deployments have cost taxpayers over half a billion dollars—information that Congress and the public had no access to until CBO’s report. Congress and the American people deserve the same level of independent scrutiny for ICE, CBP, and DHS’s use of the extraordinary funds provided by H.R. 1.

We request this analysis as soon as practicable. Thank you for your attention to this matter.


Murray Slams Trump Rollback of Key Worker Protections: “It’s an Outright Grift and Workers Should be Furious”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and the former chair on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the Trump administration’s moves to roll back worker protections. Today, the Trump nominee-packed National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced its decision to formalize the return of the first Trump administration’s joint employer rule. This coincides with this morning’s announcement from the Department of Labor of its intent to rescind the Biden Administration’s employee and independent contractor classification rule.

“Every day, little by little, the Trump administration is rigging the system to benefit giant corporations and shortchange workers—it’s an outright grift and working people should be furious. The joint employer rule is nothing more than a return to Trump’s anti-worker policies that let giant corporations skirt their basic obligations to employees—Trump is giving the biggest corporations cover to deny workers their ability to band together for better wages and working conditions and leaving millions of workers in the lurch, vulnerable to egregious violations of their rights.

“At the same time, today, the Trump administration announced they’re working to rescind the independent contractor rule. Trump wants to let giant corporations classify workers as contractors so that they don’t have to pay them minimum wage and overtime—these workers deserve fair pay.

“Under the Trump administration, giant corporations get giant tax breaks paid for by cutting Medicaid—the health care that the poorest workers are forced to rely on. Now, Trump wants those same corporations off the hook for every benefit, protection, and dollar they’d otherwise owe to millions of workers—it’s a shakedown. Republicans are proving time and again, they don’t care about workers—they don’t want to even let workers have crumbs, but billionaires can get trillions in tax breaks that will blow up our national debt. I am going to keep fighting for laws on the books that protect workers and build an economy that grows the middle-class, not just profit margins for the largest corporations on earth.”

Senator Murray has long led efforts in Congress to shield against employee misclassification and protect workers’ rights. In January of last year, Senator Murray forcefully condemned President Trump’s illegal firing of NLRB Member Gwynne Wilcox and the firing of Jennifer Abruzzo—Murray has consistently called for the immediate reinstatement of Wilcox and condemned Trump’s move as a breach of the NLRB’s independence. Senator Murray is fighting to pass—and is the original Senate author of—the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which, among other things, would close loopholes that allow employers to misclassify their employees and deny them protections under the law. Among many other pieces of pro-worker legislation, Murray also leads the Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act, to fight wage theft and protect workers hard earned wages, and the Paycheck Fairness Act to combat wage discrimination and help close the pay gap, and has helped lead the fight for paid family and medical leave since she first joined Congress. Most recently, Senator Murray reintroduced her Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (BE HEARD) in the Workplace Act, in response to Trump and Andrea Lucas, Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), eliminating workplace anti-harassment guidance and attacking transgender workers for using the locker rooms, bathrooms, and private spaces. BE HEARD takes critical steps to address workplace harassment, protects against discrimination based on gender identity and sexuality, and ensures workers can seek accountability and justice.


Padilla, Durbin, Kelly Blast DHS for Wrongfully Targeting and Removing DACA Recipients

In response to a letter the Senators sent in September, DHS confirmed that 261 DACA recipients have been arrested and 86 have been removed from the country since the start of Trump’s second term

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and lead author of the Dream Act, and Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) released the following statement after Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 261 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and 86 were removed from the country between January 1, 2025 and November 19, 2025.

This information from DHS came in response to a letter the Senators sent in September where they pressed Secretary Noem on the Trump Administration’s wrongful targeting of DACA recipients in its mass deportation scheme.

“News of DACA recipients being arrested and deported is deeply troubling. These arrests disrupt families, harm communities, and inflict unnecessary social, emotional, and economic costs. And it is a waste of taxpayer dollars. Secretary Noem’s response to our letter claims that 241 of the 261 DACA recipients arrested had ‘criminal histories,’ without providing any further details. DACA recipients go through strict background checks every time they renew this protection, and the Trump Administration has not hesitated to arrest immigrants with no serious criminal convictions and falsely label them the ‘worst of the worst.’ In the face of this Administration’s actions, it is important for Congress to protect young people who know no other home than the United States and continue the critical work to find a pathway to citizenship for them. We won’t accept partial information, and we demand that Secretary Noem provide more information on their basis for arresting and deporting DACA holders immediately.”

Senator Padilla previously took to the Senate floor to defend DACA recipients from DHS’ baseless claims and slam the Trump Administration’s push for DACA recipients to “self-deport.” He emphasized that these long-term residents — who were brought to the country as children — have been working, studying, and living legally in the United States since 2012 and are vital members of American communities.

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WATCH: Padilla Questions Panelists on Fighting Back Against Trump’s Attempts to “Take Over” Federal Elections

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, questioned elected officials and leading election experts during a Rules Committee Democrats spotlight forum he convened titled “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: Stopping the Trump Administration’s Attempted ‘Takeover’ of Elections.” Padilla heard from the panelists on efforts to expose and bring accountability for the Trump Administration’s anti-voter executive order, Fulton County election office raid, and potential to declare a national emergency to enable the President’s attempted election takeover.

The panelists at the forum included Mo Ivory, a Fulton County, Georgia Commissioner; Rob Bonta, California’s Attorney General; Norm Eisen, Founder of Democracy Defenders and Former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic; and Stephen Richer, Former Maricopa County, Arizona Recorder, Fellow at the CATO Institute, and CEO of Republic Affairs.

Padilla questioned Attorney General Bonta on Democratic state attorney generals’ collaborative efforts to successfully oppose Trump’s anti-voter actions, including his unconstitutional “election integrity” executive order last March.

PADILLA: Mr. Bonta, the lawsuit on the executive order from last March was referenced. I think that was the first, or among the first cases that you chose to take the lead on amongst your attorney general colleagues across the country. Through that case or others, can you speak to the value of the coordination and collaboration amongst attorney generals in this fight, and are there any sort of lessons that you would want other attorney generals to share, Democrat or Republican, that may not be part of this teamwork y’all seem to have going on?

BONTA: Thank you. The coalition, the collaboration, the partnership around, among the Democratic attorneys general, I think, has been incredibly powerful. We are all sort of sovereigns, a group of coequals, voluntarily coming together to team up to be a greater whole than the sum of our parts and to accomplish important results and deliver outcomes for the people when it comes to defending the rule of law, protecting our democracy, defending the Constitution, protecting rights and freedoms. And we started planning before Trump was elected, in case he was elected, and then we planned more between … his election and his inauguration. And we speak regularly, communicate regularly, every week, and it’s led to at least for California’s final number as of today, 59 lawsuits in less than that many weeks, and 80% victory rate, protecting $200 billion, protecting critical rights and freedoms like birthright citizenship and voting rights.

Padilla also asked Commissioner Ivory and Mr. Richer about the unlawful seizure of 2020 election ballots by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Fulton County, Georgia. The Senator recently demanded an Intelligence Community briefing following Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s presence at the raid. He heard from Commissioner Ivory on how Fulton County election officials are still doing their jobs ahead of the midterm elections. Mr. Richer also discussed his analysis of key White House lawyer and notorious election denier Kurt Olsen’s involvement as part of the basis for the warrant for the Fulton County FBI raid.

PADILLA: Aside from the legality, constitutionality of what’s happened and how that’s being addressed, what implication does that seizure have for folks preparing to administer the midterm elections on the election administration side, and for the public and voters’ perspective in whether or not or how they’ll participate in the primaries and the general.

IVORY: Thank you for that question. I will say that Fulton County election workers are steadfast in their devotion to administering the 2026 elections, as they have done with all elections. I immediately, when I heard about the raid, I immediately went down there because I felt that I wanted them to know that they were supported in their work, and to make sure that they knew that this should not deter them for their continued processing of what we need to do, beginning on April 27 when early voting begins in Fulton County. As far as voters go, I have assured and continue to send messages out to voters that you are the keeper of your vote, you are the one protecting your vote, and that you can make sure, if you have to go every day or every week to check your voter registration, that you should do that, because in Fulton County, elections are secure, they are fair, they are transparent, and there has never been a finding of any fraud in a Fulton County election. So voters need to know that we are doing all of the things that we have always done for them to make sure that they will have the opportunity to feel safe and to go vote in an election that is, has always been secure.

PADILLA: Mr. Richer, now you wrote an analysis of the warrant behind the Fulton County FBI raid. What concerns has it raised that Kurt Olsen, at the White House, an election denier, was named as part of the basis of this warrant?

RICHER: My concerns with the affidavit that was unsealed that was the basis for the probable cause finding for the warrant in Fulton County, my concerns were threefold. First, that it omitted important material from previous investigations into some of the allegations that are now being re-aired. Secondly, that it did no analysis of the credibility of the witnesses. And third, that it omitted a number of key witnesses who had been present during the elections and had served as third-party observers. To the second point, the credibility of some of the witnesses that were cited in the affidavit, according to the affidavit, the investigation into Fulton County was encouraged by Mr. Olsen, working for the Department of Justice. And Mr. Olsen, Kurt Olsen is somebody that we got to know in Arizona because he was heavily involved in the prelude and the aftermath of Kari Lake’s 2022 gubernatorial bid in Arizona. As a result of his legal advice, he was sanctioned by both the federal district court for Arizona and by the Arizona Supreme Court for putting false statements in his filings. And I thought that information such as that spoke to his credibility as a witness, and I thought it should have been disclosed in the affidavit for the search warrant in Fulton County.

Additionally, Padilla questioned Ambassador Eisen on the risk that the Trump Administration may declare a national emergency to implement sweeping anti-democratic changes to federal elections, including jeopardizing vote-by-mail. Ambassador Eisen made clear there is no basis for the declaration of a national emergency, and that the voter identification provisions President Trump is trying to push are unconstitutional.

PADILLA: Ambassador Eisen, we’ve talked a lot about some of the proposed changes for either how elections would be administered or how people can participate, vote-by-mail, no vote-by-mail, changes to voter registration requirements, et cetera. But underlying that is this discussion, debate about authority to make changes: the authorities of the President, the role of Congress, the administration authorities by the states. One of the more recent threats to justify sought after changes by the president is a potential Declaration of National Emergency. Can you elaborate just for a minute or two on what a Declaration of National Emergency would or wouldn’t do in terms of authority to impose changes?

EISEN: There is no national emergency with respect to our elections, Senator, as of course, you know. There’s been a pattern with this Administration using very various words in declaring national emergencies, and as has happened in hundreds of other occasions, the courts have been extraordinarily hostile to that, as they should be. … There is no elections emergency, nor if there were some type of an emergency, would the voter ID and other ideas that the President is unconstitutionally, unlawfully, and needlessly trying to force on us be appropriate.

A video of Padilla’s opening remarks is available here.

His full line of questioning is available to watch here.

His closing remarks are available to watch here.

The Rules Committee Democrats’ spotlight forum series continues to underscore the dangers of the Trump Administration’s unprecedented attacks on election security, integrity, and funding required to smoothly administer elections and protect American democracy. The first spotlight forum last May focused on Congressional Republicans’ Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and Trump’s illegal anti-voter executive order, both of which threaten to disenfranchise millions of eligible American citizens. The second forum last July focused on the Trump Administration’s disturbing voter suppression tactics and pressure campaign for racial gerrymandering in Texas and other Republican-led states.

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Peters Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Help Protect Michigan Small Businesses Against Unfair Trade Practices by Foreign Competitors

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) reintroduced his bipartisan Self-Initiation Trade Enforcement Act to support small and medium-sized businesses in Michigan that are negatively impacted by unfair trade practices from foreign competitors. Currently, many agricultural producers, manufacturers, and parts suppliers lack the resources needed to identify unfair practices and bring them to the attention of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Peters’ bipartisan bill would establish a task force to investigate these trade abuses and ensure the Department has the tools and abilities to support American businesses.

“Michigan small businesses have long been targeted by unfair trade practices from foreign competitors that make it hard to stay competitive. But the cost of taking on a foreign company or country for these harmful practices is simply not possible for one small business,” said Senator Peters. “Local industries, like our cherry growers and beekeepers, deserve a level playing field. That’s why I’m proud to lead this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to ensure we’re investigating and addressing trade abuses to help our small businesses thrive.”

Currently, manufacturers and agricultural producers face unfair foreign competition from others that use practices including dumping and subsidies on imported goods. Dumping is an unfair trade practice where foreign competitors intentionally lower the price of their goods to make it harder for American companies that produce raw materials, manufactured goods, and agricultural products to compete. While the Commerce Department holds the right to self-initiate antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, the power is rarely exercised.

The bipartisan Self-Initiation Trade Enforcement Act – which Peters reintroduced with U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) – would help mitigate the negative impacts of unfair trade practices on targeted businesses by establishing a team within the Commerce Department that is solely focused on analyzing trade data trends and listing potentially disturbing trade patterns for formal investigations, with an emphasis on cases impacting small and medium-sized businesses.

Peters’ bill is supported by the Cherry Marketing Institute and American Honey Producers Association.

“Creating a fair and competitive marketplace for U.S. tart cherry growers remains a top priority for the Cherry Marketing Institute. We appreciate Senator Peters’ continued leadership in reintroducing the Self-Initiation Trade Enforcement Act, which would strengthen the ability of U.S. specialty crop growers to respond to persistent unfair trade practices. Michigan cherry growers compete in a global market where prices are too often driven below the cost of production, and timely trade enforcement is essential to ensuring the long-term viability of our farms and rural communities,” said Amy Cohn, President of the Cherry Marketing Institute.

“The American Honey Producers Association applauds the efforts of Senator Peters to help small business including beekeepers, farmers and other small agricultural businesses who suffer from injury caused by unfair trading practices. The honey industry has long suffered from circumvention of antidumping orders, adulteration schemes, and other types of import fraud. Domestic beekeepers are a reliable source of a healthy sweetener and are pollinators of over 100 different crops, having a multiplier effect on the domestic agricultural economy. This makes them critical to America’s national food security. Domestic honey producers welcome this effort by Senator Peters to enhance the government’s ability to address pernicious unfair trade,” said Steven Coy, President of the American Honey Producers Association.

Peters has been a fierce advocate for Michigan small businesses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Peters introduced a legislative package to support manufactures by addressing short-term supply chain issues highlighted by the pandemic and the longer-term problems associated with national manufacturing. Peters also successfully led efforts to enact significant funding for the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) – a program that Peters helped establish as a member of the U.S. House. Further, Peters previously introduced bipartisan legislation, called the Make It in America Act, to make it harder for federal agencies to use waivers to get around Buy American requirements, require the federal government to give preference to American companies, and spend taxpayer dollars on American-made products and American jobs.

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