On Senate Floor, Murray Calls Out Abuses by ICE and CBP: “Americans are demanding accountability, and we will settle for nothing less.”

Murray: “The American people need us to meet this moment. We need to rein in ICE and CBP. We need to call out the avalanche of lies. And most importantly, we need to stand up for our communities—because they are being terrorized by their own government.”

Murray: “If Republicans want Democratic votes to fix that—then they need to understand half-measures will not cut it. What Democrats are demanding is reasonable and it is necessary. None of what we are asking for is extreme for local law enforcement—so why don’t those basic standards apply to ICE. There’s no good answer. Sorry—but I don’t care if Stephen Miller wants a special force that’s empowered to beat up and detain or shoot whomever he doesn’t like. In America, we believe in due process. We believe in our Constitution. We believe in law and order—safe streets, law enforcement we can trust. If you don’t like that? Go to Russia.”

Murray: “If ICE and CBP do not want to be called secret police—then they should not be wearing masks and should be carrying identification 24/7. If they do not want to be accused of kidnapping people—then they should not be dragging people out of cars and houses without warrants. And if they do not want to be accused of being lawless—then they need to start following the law.”

Murray: “Democrats have made abundantly clear: we cannot continue funding a rogue Department without substantial reforms. Accountability at DHS must be written into law… We’ve put forth incredibly reasonable reforms… But we cannot kick the can down the road as Republicans want us to do. The time to rein in these rogue agencies is right now.”

***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full floor speech***

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to speak about ICE and CBP’s flagrant abuses of Americans’ basic constitutional rights—and the imperative for Congress to take action to rein in the agencies. She made clear that while she remains at the table to negotiate key reforms the American people are demanding, she will not support a stopgap funding bill to continue the unacceptable status quo, and she underscored that Republicans and the White House need to work with Democrats to finalize a bill that reins in ICE and CBP.

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

“What we have seen over the last many months is downright un-American: masked federal agents trampling people’s First, Second, and Fourth Amendment rights and more, breaking into people’s cars, teargassing protestors, using children as bargaining chips, and of course, killing American citizens in broad daylight.

“It is clear to just about everyone in every part of this country that—ICE and CBP are out of control—and must be reined in. Clear to everyone that is except maybe some Republicans in Congress.

“You know, for years, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have warned of government overreach and rogue federal agencies trampling Americans’ constitutional rights. They’ve gone to great lengths to speak out against ‘government tyranny’ when we ask mega corporations not to pollute. And you can bet they will scream to high heaven about ‘injustice’ and ‘government thugs’ when we ask billionaires to pay their fair share in taxes. Seriously! They will raise a racket for billionaires!

“But the truth is, the government tyranny Republicans long warned about is here—and many of them are just silent, they enabled it by cutting a $140 billion blank check for Secretary Noem to deploy masked ICE and CBP agents to terrorize our communities. ICE was spending beyond their funded level, so last summer Republicans handed Kristi Noem enough cash to fund an army.

“And she is using that blank check to send masked men going door-to-door asking for papers, charging into houses without a warrant, breaking car windows without a reason, staking out school zones, and dragging citizens and legal residents hundreds of miles away without so much as confirming their immigration status, or charging them with a crime.

“If Republicans are serious about their warnings on government tyranny, they must work with us to put an end to the insane attacks we’ve seen, including on Americans’ most basic rights. But right now, we still have some Republicans—who are seriously insisting masks have to stay on Trump’s secret police, and who are insisting DHS cannot be required to get judicial warrants before breaking into your home.

“We have a few Republicans acknowledging that the violence we’ve seen from ICE and CBP that must end, But we need to see more real, tangible progress to rein these agencies in through legislation—basic constraints upheld in law.

“Democrats are not asking for the moon—we are not trying to overhaul immigration laws. We are insisting on basic measures to protect our constitutional rights and hold these agencies accountable to some of the basic standards as local police.

“After all, if ICE and CBP do not want to be called secret police—then they should not be wearing masks and should be carrying identification 24/7. If they do not want to be accused of kidnapping people—then they should not be dragging people out of cars and houses without warrants. And if they do not want to be accused of being lawless—then they need to start following the law. But they have been ignoring law after law, and court after court.

“In a recent decision, a Bush-appointed judge—a former Scalia clerk!—in Minnesota appended a list of 96 court orders that ICE has violated. What else do you call that—except a rogue agency.

“The American people need us to meet this moment. We need to rein in ICE and CBP. We need to call out the avalanche of lies. And most importantly, we need to stand up for our communities—because they are being terrorized by their own government.

“It is not ‘targeted law enforcement’ when Trump sends 8,000 federal agents into one city—and has them go door-to-door. Especially not when agents literally tell people they are asking for papers solely because of how someone looks or speaks.

“It is not about our immigration laws when Trump is grabbing people who are following the law, people who have green cards in the mail, and even people who are U.S. citizens. It is not about stopping violent criminals when ICE is staking out schools and grabbing parents during pick up. In fact, just this week, we saw that the administration’s own data shows that only a tiny fraction of people they have detained are violent criminals.

“They have also taken military spouses, taken parents of Marines, they have even taken veterans. In fact, last week—they deported a veteran. Do my colleagues hear me here? Trump deported a veteran! Think about that. Sit with that. We cannot look away from what is happening in this country. Men who fought for our freedom—are being denied theirs. Being exiled from the country they risked their life for.

“Meanwhile, children—kids who have done nothing wrong—are having their parents snatched away from them or are being snatched up themselves in a cruel ploy to use them as leverage.

“Given how outrageous, how lawless, how heartlessly un-American, Trump’s crackdown has become, it’s clear why people across the country are demanding action. And I don’t just mean in opinion polls—though the polls do actually overwhelmingly support action to rein in ICE, and even Republican voters think ICE has gone way too far.

“But, I also mean people are demanding action in that great American way— protesting! Using their voice. Speaking out. Putting a spotlight on what ICE and CBP are doing to their friends and to their neighbors. And the Trump Administration’s response to that great American tradition—the First Amendment in action—has been about as unhinged, and un-American as it gets.

“The level of wanton violence and lawlessness we are seeing out of ICE and CBP is without comparison in recent U.S. history. This is the kind of stuff you expect out of Putin’s Russia. Agents are saying things to protestors like, ‘I will put a bullet in your head if you don’t shut up,’ or ‘You raise your voice… I erase your voice.’ And, Mr. President, the actions are even worse than the words.

“How many peaceful protestors have been tear gassed before Republicans think it’s a problem? How many children? Wasn’t the video of a drive-by gassing bad enough? What about the photo of the man pinned to the ground, getting sprayed in his face? How many car windows have to be shattered, and people dragged from their cars? No warrant—no nothing!

“Were you not outraged to see that woman on the way to a doctor’s appointment—dragged out of her vehicle for no reason? Were you not appalled to learn agents shattered a glass car window, dragged away a mother, and left a one-month-old baby in the back of the vehicle, blanket covered in glass shards? Were you not alarmed—to watch an agent point a rifle at the car window of someone sitting in their own driveway and bust out the window with a gun?

“How many people does ICE have to detain before Republicans stop sitting on their hands? How many kids do they have to tackle—like the young man at the Target that they slammed to the ground, marched off with, and then dropped him off miles away with no charges once they realized he was a U.S. citizen. There’s also the time they tackled a pregnant woman, or the time they marched a citizen out of his house in his underwear—in freezing weather.

“Agents have recklessly caused car accidents, only to arrest the person they ran into and then make things up. Agents have even tried to round up witnesses of their crimes and rush them out of state, and through deportation, before they can testify at a trial.

“How many people have to be murdered by federal agents in cold blood—until Republicans join us to stop this tyranny? And how many lies will Republicans tolerate? Because we have witnessed brazen, and dangerous, lies from this administration. They lied about Alex Pretti brandishing a gun—when he clearly never touched it. They lied about Renee Good trying to target agents with her car—when she was clearly just trying to drive away.

“They lied about a young woman ramming CBP agents before they shot her—only to drop the case against her. Newly released body cam footage shows the agent turned his wheel toward her vehicle. They said that an L.A. man was shot after he ‘weaponized his vehicle and began ramming law enforcement’—but body cam footage shows an agent’s gun go off by accident as he switched hands. They said someone in detainment died from suicide—when an autopsy found it was a homicide. They said someone got eight fractures in his skull from running into a wall on purpose—the man says he was beaten. Greg Bovino said he deployed tear gas on a crowd after someone threw a rock at him—only to admit the truth in court when confronted by video evidence.

“Mr. President, the list goes on, and on. And that’s just the lies we know about! Enough. Law enforcement cannot be lawless—but that’s exactly what we are seeing from ICE and CBP. And us Democrats have made abundantly clear: we cannot continue funding a rogue Department without substantial reforms. Accountability at DHS must be written into law.

“Now, my Democratic counterparts and I have been at the table the whole time. We’ve put forth incredibly reasonable reforms. Reforms that would increase accountability and transparency and compliance with constitutional rights. Reforms that do not impact DHS’s ability to detain convicted, violent criminals. And we remain committed and ready to land a funding bill that enshrines those reforms into law—and ensures FEMA, TSA, and other important functions get funded.

“But we cannot kick the can down the road as Republicans want us to do. The time to rein in these rogue agencies is right now. We cannot waste another moment—and if Republicans refuse to make the changes the American people are demanding, they are forcing a Republican shutdown of DHS.

“The chaos, the brutality—all of it has happened at the explicit direction of this President and a Republican Congress that wrote him a blank check for ICE and CBP.

“If Republicans want Democratic votes to fix that—then they need to understand half-measures will not cut it. What Democrats are demanding is reasonable and it is necessary. None of what we are asking for is extreme for local law enforcement—so why don’t those basic standards apply to ICE. There’s no good answer. Sorry—but I don’t care if Stephen Miller wants a special force that’s empowered to beat up and detain or shoot whomever he doesn’t like.

“In America, we believe in due process. We believe in our Constitution. We believe in law and order—safe streets, law enforcement we can trust. If you don’t like that? Go to Russia.

“So, Democrats are focused on getting a bill—but it has to be a bill that reins in the abuses we are seeing from ICE and CBP. And until a bill is negotiated, we cannot kick the can down the road and give license to Noem to continue the chaos with another CR that continues funding for ICE and CBP.

“Americans are demanding accountability, and we will settle for nothing less.

“And so, Mr. President, given the track record of lawlessness from ICE and CBP—which seems to be growing longer every single day. I will be voting no on the procedural vote today—and on Republicans’ inadequate proposal.

“The alleged withdrawal from Minneapolis is long-overdue—but it is not nearly enough to end the chaos and the violence we are seeing nationwide.

“We need real reform. We cannot let the Trump Administration act like things are business-as-usual when it is tear gassing peaceful protestors, detaining people in a complete violation of their rights, and even murdering citizens in cold blood. We cannot trust the same people who are lying about what is happening, to be truthful about accountability. We cannot trust the same administration that is purposefully trampling our rights, and causing this chaos—to end it.

“Late last night, we received more details on the White House’s proposal—and what’s clear at this point: it does not come close to addressing Americans’ grave concerns about how ICE and Border Patrol are operating. So, Mr. President, we need to see a lot more movement to rein in these rogue agencies.

“So, Congress has to do its job—and I will continue to negotiate in good faith to deliver the reform and accountability we need to see. But we have to stop this outrageous tyranny.”

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SEAHAWKS SUPREMACY RECOGNIZED IN THE U.S. SENATE: Senators Murray and Cantwell Join 12s Across Washington State in Celebrating Seahawks as Super Bowl Champions

ICYMI: Seahawks Super Bowl champions after Patriots shut down by unmatched Dark Side defense

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced a resolution commemorating the Seattle Seahawks winning Super Bowl LX. On Sunday, February 8, 2026, the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots, 29-13, to win Super Bowl LX.

“Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks on a well-earned Super Bowl win. We’re excited to welcome them back home—and celebrate a hard-fought victory. Our players brought the grit, the 12s from every part of our state brought the heart, and now—our team is bringing home the trophy,” said Senator Murray. “It just goes to show: you can’t spell Washington state without a big W! Go hawks!”

“The Seahawks exemplified the best of the Pacific Northwest on their run to the Lombardi Trophy. From their innovative offense, to their dominant defense, to their historic special teams, they were committed to playing – and winning – as a complete team. Our entire region is proud, and you saw that today as hundreds of thousands packed downtown Seattle to cheer them on. Congratulations to Jody Allen, John Schneider, and Coach Macdonald on their leadership. Thanks to Kenneth Walker III, Sam Darnold, Devon Witherspoon, and the whole team for a Super Bowl performance we’ll never forget,” said Senator Cantwell.

This is the Seahawks’ second Super Bowl victory and fourth Super Bowl appearance—and definitely not the last. The Seahawks finished 14-3 in the regular season, first in the NFC West, on their way to victories over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round and the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game.

The Seahawks opened up a lead in the first quarter of Super Bowl LX which they never relinquished throughout the game. Seattle’s unmatched Dark Side defense held the New England Patriots scoreless through the first half of the game and forced punts on eight of their opponents’ first nine possessions. The Seahawks became the first team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl and commit zero turnovers over the course of their full postseason (including divisional round, conference championship, and Super Bowl).

Running back Kenneth Walker III dominated the Patriots defense, running 94 yards over 14 plays in the first half alone and becoming the first running back to win Super Bowl MVP honors in almost 30 years. Kicker Jason Myers scored five field goals, setting a new record for the most field goals in a Super Bowl and becoming the first player at any position to score more than 200 points over an entire season in NFL history, establishing a new record of 206 points, as part of a strong special teams performance. Quarterback Sam Darnold capped a strong first season with the Seahawks with a 16-yard pass to AJ Barner to score the game’s first touchdown. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon hit Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in the fourth quarter and forced an interception by linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who carried the ball 45 yards to a touchdown. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s remarkable season made him a unanimous All-Pro selection and the second Seahawk ever to win AP Offensive Player of the Year.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald led his team to victory, becoming the first head coach to win a Super Bowl as the primary defensive play caller, and the third-youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl. General manager John Schneider, who was named the NFL Executive of the Year for 2025, constructed a second Super Bowl-winning roster for the Seahawks, with entirely new players and head coach from the team’s last Super Bowl win, becoming the first NFL executive to do so with the same organization. Seahawks chair Jody Allen played an important role in maintaining the winning culture established by previous owners, while pushing the organization to develop innovative strategies.

Every member of the Seahawks roster contributed to their decisive victory in Super Bowl XL and the Seahawks win would not have been possible without the support of 12s, the greatest fans in the world.

The full text of the resolution can be found HERE.

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Padilla Statement on Trump Nominating Only Republicans to Bipartisan FEC

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, issued the following statement after President Trump announced the nominations of two Republicans to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). This follows Donald Trump’s refusal to nominate a Democrat to a seat made vacant over one year ago by his firing of Ellen Weintraub, whom he illegally fired after she spoke truthfully about foreign election interference and Trump’s corruption:

“Donald Trump illegally fired Ellen Weintraub in retaliation for speaking the truth about foreign election interference and corruption in his first term. Trump has since issued unlawful executive orders aimed at seizing control of our elections and dismantling the independence of agencies like the FEC. This capricious move to nominate only Republicans to the traditionally bipartisan FEC — while ignoring the open Democratic seat — undermines the independence of our elections institutions and shows, once again, that he is attempting to tilt the scales in his favor.

“Congress created the FEC following the Watergate scandal as an independent watchdog for the American people — not to protect Donald Trump. The White House must immediately submit a bipartisan slate of nominees to the FEC, and the Senate must thoroughly evaluate whether each nominee is prepared to uphold the law and protect the integrity of our democracy.”

As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with jurisdiction over the Federal Election Commission, Senator Padilla is a leader in the fight for campaign finance reform. He is a lead cosponsor of Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s misguided and destructive Citizens United v. FEC decision, which removed campaign finance restrictions and enabled organizations to spend unlimited money to influence elections. Last year, Senator Padilla denounced the illegal firing of FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub and led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind his attempt to fire her. Last month, Padilla joined several Democratic colleagues on the floor to mark the anniversary of the Citizens United decision and call to take back our democracy from the unlimited influence of billionaire donors.

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Padilla Votes Against More Funding for Trump’s ICE and CBP

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, issued the following statement after voting against another bill to fund Donald Trump’s out-of-control Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP):

“ICE and CBP don’t need more money; they need to be held accountable. Donald Trump and Republicans want Americans to forget about their lawless immigration roundup, but we won’t.

“Two U.S. citizens gunned down in broad daylight by ICE and CBP officers and agents. Eight people already dead in ICE custody in the last six weeks alone. Thousands of others — immigrants and American citizens alike — indiscriminately shot at, assaulted, and detained with no respect for the Constitution or due process. Young children detained, malnourished, and mistreated. Enough is enough.

“I’m a firm NO vote on more funding for ICE and CBP, only for accountability. We cannot let Donald Trump’s out-of-control ICE and CBP continue to wreak havoc in communities across America with no regard for public safety or the rule of law.”

Senator Padilla has been a leading voice in opposition to President Trump’s cruel and indiscriminate mass deportation agenda, including against his unprecedented, illegal militarization of Los Angeles and other American cities like Minneapolis. Late last month, Padilla spoke on the Senate floor to hold the line against any additional funding for President Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after the brutal killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by ICE and CBP officers and agents. He also voted “no” against funding ICE and CBP’s lawless and reckless actions. Additionally, Padilla joined leading immigration advocates and interfaith leaders at an “ICE Out for Good” rally and vigil to condemn the Trump Administration’s abuses against American communities and to demand ICE and CBP leave Minnesota after Good’s killing. At a bicameral spotlight forum last week, Padilla denounced DHS agents’ violent tactics and disproportionate use of force as they enact President Trump’s mass deportation agenda in American cities.

Last year, Senators Padilla and Blumenthal introduced the Accountability for Federal Law Enforcement Act to allow individuals — regardless of citizenship — the right to sue federal law enforcement officers and agencies in civil court for violations of their civil and constitutional rights.

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WATCH: Padilla Rallies Against SAVE Act, Moves to Block Federal Agents From Policing Polling Centers

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of both the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, took to the Senate floor to condemn Congressional Republicans’ attempts to pass the SAVE America Act, an extreme voter suppression bill that passed in the House of Representatives last night. Padilla also announced an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security funding bill to stop any federal law enforcement and military personnel from illegally patrolling polling sites.

This comes after President Trump’s threats to “nationalize” elections, his deployments of the National Guard into Democratic cities, and calls from his former White House advisor Steve Bannon for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to “surround the polls come November.” It is already illegal for federal troops and law enforcement, including ICE, to intimidate voters and interfere in our elections; Padilla’s amendment would prohibit funds from being used for those purposes.

Republicans’ latest attempt to pass an updated version of the anti-voter SAVE Act threatens to disenfranchise millions of eligible American citizens in an election year by creating even more burdensome documentation requirements, among other voter suppression provisions. Despite investigations repeatedly showing that voter fraud is extremely rare, Republicans’ voter suppression bills would make voting significantly harder for tens of millions of married women, military members and spouses, and rural, low-income, and minority voters. Padilla emphasized that the SAVE Act and SAVE America Act would risk disenfranchising 21 million citizens who can’t readily access their passports and birth certificates, 69 million American women who have changed their name from what’s printed on their birth certificates, and 60 million Americans living in rural communities who would have to travel long distances just to prove their voting eligibility in person.

The SAVE America Act would also fuel attacks against hardworking election officials and illegally require states to hand over their unredacted voter rolls with sensitive personally identifiable information to the Trump Administration.

“Elections are the bedrock of our American democracy. And despite what the President and his big circle of election-denying conspiracy theorists would have Americans believe, the truth is that our elections are indeed free. Our elections are indeed fair. And our elections are indeed secure. That’s why the revamped, new and made worse SAVE Act, passed by the House last night and designed to compel states to give over to Donald Trump their voter rolls, is not just a solution in search of a problem, it’s a very bad solution at that.”

“Audit after audit, and investigation after investigation — in red states and in blue states — have all reached the same conclusion. That voting by noncitizens — which, by the way, is already a felony — is so exceedingly rare that it is statistically almost non-existent. Which tells us something very important though: it means our current laws are working.”

Padilla blasted President Trump for perpetuating the repeatedly disproven Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen — a lie that compelled the Administration to send Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in raiding a Fulton County, Georgia elections office late last month. Earlier this week, Padilla and Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) demanded an Intelligence Community briefing on election security concerns as Gabbard, President Trump, and others continue to give inconsistent explanations of who tasked Gabbard with seizing these 2020 election materials and why she was involved. An unsealed search warrant affidavit on Tuesday also revealed that this fishing expedition was based on a referral from Kurt Olsen, the President’s “Stop the Steal” lawyer now working in the White House.

With the first round of early voting beginning today in the midterm election primaries, Padilla warned that Republicans are laying the groundwork to restrict the right to vote in a desperate attempt to cling to power. He emphasized that “Republicans would rather change the election rules” than change their harmful agenda that is raising costs for working families and spreading terror across American communities. As President Trump calls for the federal government to “take over” elections, Padilla stressed that the Constitution gives power over elections to Congress and the states, not the Executive Branch.

“It’s important for the American people to understand [that] this Republican effort to jam the SAVE Act, as they call it, through isn’t happening in isolation. There’s a bigger picture here. This bill is part of a much broader effort by Trump and his Republican enablers to lay the groundwork for the rigging of upcoming elections, including the midterms this November.”

“It seems to me that the SAVE Act is really only intended to save Republicans and Trump from facing the consequences of their failed policies.”

Padilla criticized the Administration’s strong-arm tactics to force states led by Democrats to surrender their complete, unredacted voter rolls or face retaliation. 24 Democratic-led states, including California, currently face lawsuits targeting their voter registration lists. Last month, Pam Bondi sent a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz pushing him to hand over the state’s voter rolls as part of an exchange for the Administration calling off its dangerous deployment of ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and agents to Minneapolis, an operation that has already led to the unjustified killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.

Amid these threats to elections — as well as the threat that ICE or other armed federal agents could be deployed to polling places — Padilla concluded by offering his amendment to explicitly bar any federal funds from being used to direct federal law enforcement or military personnel to polling places or election offices. He underscored that his amendment would reinforce existing law to prevent voter intimidation and election interference and protect state and local election officials.

“Armed federal agents at polling locations is voter intimidation and has no place in our democracy.”

“It is time to send the Administration a clear message that in the United States of America, elections will be decided by the voters — not by force. Colleagues, we, as a Congress, have a responsibility to act to protect the elections entrusted by the Constitution to us and to the states before it’s too late.”

“We have a responsibility to reject this SAVE Act, to keep federal law enforcement away from polling locations, and to make clear once and for all that elections and our sacred right to the ballot box belongs to the people.”

Video of Senator Padilla’s remarks are available here and can be downloaded here.

Senator Padilla has led the charge opposing President Trump and Republicans’ reckless attempts to restrict the right to vote. Last May, Padilla stopped Senator Mike Lee’s (R-Utah) attempt to pass the anti-voter SAVE Act through the Senate by unanimous consent. He also convened a Rules Committee Democrats spotlight forum focused on Congressional Republicans’ SAVE Act and Trump’s illegal anti-voter executive order. As President Trump marked 100 disastrous days in office, Padilla led his Democratic colleagues on the Senate floor to speak out against the SAVE Act and the Trump Administration’s attacks on election integrity. Last April, he warned Secretaries of State, Lieutenant Governors, and Chief Election Officials across the country of the devastating potential impacts of the SAVE Act, concerns that have been echoed by top election officials across the country. Padilla also led a letter sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts on voting rights in Native American communities of the SAVE Act and Trump’s executive order. Most recently, he has strongly condemned Republicans’ MEGA Act and SAVE America Act, which would impose even more severe restrictions than the SAVE Act.

Last month, Senator Padilla and Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) led 26 Senate colleagues in pushing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to stop its unlawful pressure campaign to coerce dozens of states into providing the Trump Administration their voter rolls, which include voters’ personally identifiable information. Padilla also spoke to the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Elections Committee, sounding the alarm on the Trump Administration’s serious threats to election administration and security, while pushing states’ chief election officials to protect the fundamental right to vote.

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Peters Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Give States Flexibility to Respond to Local Workforce Needs

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would provide states and Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs) with budgetary flexibility to implement programming that responds directly to local employment needs. Peters’ Lifelong Learning Act would update the 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to allocate additional resources to workforce training programs that address current talent shortages by upskilling existing employees and reconnecting individuals to the job market. Currently, WOIA provides federal funding to LWDBs, but the amount of funding that can be utilized for specific programs is limited.

“I’m proud to lead this commonsense legislation that would allow local workforce development leaders, who know their communities best, to implement the right strategies for strengthening their regional job markets,” said Senator Peters.“This bipartisan legislation empowers communities to respond to changing employment needs and connect more individuals to in-demand jobs.”

The Lifelong Learning Act updates WIOA guidelines, allowing LWDBs to:

Utilize up to 30 percent of their Adult and Dislocated Worker budget for Incumbent Worker Training (IWT), which helps employers equip current employees with in-demand skills that expand career opportunities and avert layoffs. IWT programs have been crucial in helping LWDBs respond to broad labor market issues, such as increased automation and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. WIOA currently limits LWDBs from investing more than 20 percent of its budget for IWT programs.

Expand the allowable cap for transitional job training opportunities from 10 to 15 percent, allowing LWDBs to offer more programs aimed at recruiting individuals back into the labor force. This includes programs for justice-involved individuals, young adults transitioning out of foster care, and those who have inconsistent work histories.

Allow LWDBs to serve as the one-stop operators in local workforce areas to provide an integrated and coordinated system for delivery of workforce development programs and services tailored to local needs. WIOA includes a requirement that LWDBs identify and select a one-stop operator via a competitive process.

Peters reintroduced this bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO). The legislation is endorsed by the Michigan Works! Association, Third Way, and the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). Below are statements in support of the legislation:

“By providing states with additional tools to tailor workforce programs, the Lifelong Learning Act will empower Michigan Works! Agencies to better connect job seekers with quality training, support employers facing persistent talent shortages, and build a more resilient economy for communities across our state,” said Ryan Hundt, Chief Executive Officer of Michigan Works! Association.

“We applaud Sen. Peters for recognizing that local workforce boards need the flexibility to respond to rapidly evolving labor market conditions,” said Andrew Bercich, CEO of the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). “A strong public workforce system depends on empowering employers and communities to work together to meet talent needs and expand pathways that connect jobseekers to in demand careers. NAWB is proud to endorse this important legislation.”

“Local workforce boards understand what workers and employers across their communities need to thrive—knowledge that is essential for adaptation in our rapidly changing economy,” said Gabe Horwitz, Senior Vice President of the Economic Program at Third Way. “The Lifelong Learning Act will ensure local workforce boards are equipped with the flexibility and tools they need to help businesses grow and workers succeed. We applaud Senator Peters and Senator Budd for their commitment to making our workforce development system reflect the needs of regional economies across the country.”

Peters has led numerous efforts to expand access to skills training opportunities and help more Michiganders secure in-demand, good-paying jobs. In 2023, he introduced legislation to strengthen reentry initiatives that prepare individuals for employment and connects them with workforce training initiatives. He previously helped enact bipartisan legislation that included provisions he authored to expand access to career and technical education (CTE) opportunities outside of the traditional four-year degree career pathway. Peters introduced bipartisan legislation that was signed into law to allow more veterans to use their GI bill benefits toward securing a registered apprenticeship.

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Reed Statement on Trump’s Failed Attempt to Indict Democrats for Seditious Conspiracy

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, after a federal grand jury refused to indict a group of Democratic lawmakers -- all of whom had served in the military or in intelligence roles – who called on members of the military and intelligence community not to comply with unlawful orders, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:

“It is outrageous that the Administration attempted to push such reckless, criminal charges. But it is not illegal for members of Congress to recite the Uniform Code of Military Justice. And the grand jury did the right thing by standing up for free speech. Indeed, Trump’s Secretary of Defense and his Attorney General both said the same thing as these Democratic officials.

“All Americans should be disturbed by the Trump Administration’s attempts to corrupt the criminal justice system and direct it against the President's perceived enemies. Those who brought this case have lost badly and they should be held accountable if they engaged in professional misconduct.

“Rule of law must remain paramount.”

U.S. Attorney for the District of DC Jeanine Pirro led the failed effort to indict the lawmakers, who included: U.S. Representatives Jason Crow (D-CO), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Chris Deluzi (D-PA) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) along with U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) over a video posted on social media this past November.


Ricketts, Coons, Kim, and Bera Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Calling on Taiwan to “Meet the Moment,” Boost Defense Spending to Deter Communist China

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Chris Coons (D-DE), senior members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Young Kim (R-CA-40), and Ami Bera (D-CA-06), senior members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the leadership of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan. The letter expresses serious concerns over reports that a Taiwanese supplementary defense budget request may only be partially funded. The letter stresses that a robust, multi-year defense budget is critical to deterring increasing aggression from Communist China. The letter is signed by 37 members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.

The letter reads:

“Both the United States and Taiwan must do more to deter PRC aggression. For our part, the U.S. must address the massive backlog in weapons deliveries to Taiwan. You have our commitment to continue to work together to ensure Taiwan gets the capabilities it needs, faster. Likewise, we need Taiwan to step up with us. We commend Taiwan for making important progress in strengthening its military readiness, reserve forces, and asymmetric defense capabilities. Nevertheless, we fear that without significant increases in Taiwan’s defense spending at levels reflected in President Lai’s proposed special budget, this progress will be insufficient.”

It goes on to say, “we hope you will support a robust, multi-year special defense budget, as well as annual funding at levels that adequately meet the moment and send a clear signal of Taiwan’s will to defend itself.”

Read the full letter here and below.

Dear Speaker Han Kuo-yu, Chair Cheng Li-wun, Chair Huang Kuo-chang, and Caucus Whip Ker Chien-ming,

As friends of Taiwan, we write to express our concerns with ongoing deliberations in the Legislative Yuan to only partially fund a supplementary budget request to enhance Taiwan’s defensive capabilities.

The United States shares a strong and enduring partnership with the people of Taiwan. It is built upon shared democratic values, close economic ties, and a mutual dedication to Indo-Pacific peace and stability. Since passage of the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States has remained committed to Taiwan’s security and ability to defend itself against coercion. This has been demonstrated through sustained security cooperation, including expanded training, enhanced interoperability, and arms sales.

However, the threat posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against Taiwan has never been greater. Xi Jinping is focusing every element of the PRC’s national power to control Taiwan. Xi hopes to achieve this through illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions that undermine Taiwan’s will to resist. These measures include regularly operating inside Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone, increasing incursions across the median line, harassing fishing vessels, and cutting undersea cables. At the same time, Xi remains willing to use military force to achieve his goal. As evidence of this, large-scale People’s Liberation Army exercises in October 2024, April 2025, and December 2025 demonstrated its growing preparations for a blockade or invasion.

In response to this worsening threat environment, both the United States and Taiwan must do more to deter PRC aggression. For our part, the U.S. must address the massive backlog in weapons deliveries to Taiwan. You have our commitment to continue to work together to ensure Taiwan gets the capabilities it needs, faster. Likewise, we need Taiwan to step up with us. We commend Taiwan for making important progress in strengthening its military readiness, reserve forces, and asymmetric defense capabilities. Nevertheless, we fear that without significant increases in Taiwan’s defense spending at levels reflected in President Lai’s proposed special budget, this progress will be insufficient.

We understand the complexities that surround government funding debates.Legislators must represent the will of our constituents and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent effectively. However, we also have the responsibility to fund our militaries at levels that address the critical threats we face. As such, we hope you will support a robust, multi-year special defense budget, as well as annual funding at levels that adequately meet the moment and send a clear signal of Taiwan’s will to defend itself.

Thank you for your leadership and your continued commitment to Taiwan’s democratic system and long-term security. We look forward to continued cooperation between our legislatures and our peoples.


Schatz Secures $1 Million Earmark To Improve Moloka‘i Airport

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) secured $1million in congressionally directed spending, also known as an earmark, in this year’s appropriations deal for Moloka‘i Airport. The funding will be used to rehabilitate the runway and taxiways at MKK to prevent future airport disruptions.

“For many residents on Moloka‘i, air travel is critical for daily life – it helps people get to work, reach medical care, and stay connected with family and friends,” said Senator Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This new earmark funding will help improve the Moloka‘i Airport, making its runway and taxiways safer and more resilient.”

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Schatz Statement On Trump’s Repeal Of Clean Air Protections

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump took actions to procure dirty coal power for government installations and to repeal the landmark 2009 Endangerment Finding, which established that greenhouse gases pose a threat to the public and provides the authority to regulate emissions from sources like power plants and vehicles.

“None of these actions will stop energy costs from skyrocketing. These moves lock us into outdated, expensive fossil fuels like coal instead of the clean energy sources that are already the cheapest and fastest to build. You don’t get lower bills by propping up yesterday’s energy.

“Trump’s decision to roll back these protections will also mean dirtier air, leading to more illnesses and preventable deaths. This isn’t about affordability; it’s about protecting polluters while putting people’s lives at risk.”

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SCHUMER STATEMENT ON THE 17th ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRAGIC COLGAN AIR FLIGHT 3407 PLANE CRASH IN WESTERN NY

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today released the following statement on the seventeenth anniversary of the Colgan Air Flight 3407 plane crash in Western NY:

“Seventeen years ago, the tragic Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash forever changed Western NY. But in the midst of unimaginable suffering, the families of those we lost turned grief into action and pain into purpose, championing the most significant aviation safety reforms in decades. Time after time since then, I have proudly worked alongside them to beat back special interests and those who have sought to weaken the rules we passed to honor Flight 3407. Their unwavering dedication has changed the course of aviation history in America and has undoubtedly saved many lives. While we mourn the precious lives lost that day, we reaffirm their memory by continuing to protect and strengthen the aviation safety standards that serve as their legacy for all Americans.”

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Scott, Luján introduce bipartisan legislation to leverage cutting-edge technologies to accelerate nuclear waste cleanup

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced the Combining Laboratory Expertise to Accelerate Novel Solutions for Minimizing Accumulated Radioactive Toxins (CLEAN SMART) Act, legislation that would build on the success of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Network of National Laboratories for Environmental Management and Stewardship (NNLEMS) to accelerate nuclear waste cleanup. The CLEAN SMART Act would formally establish and properly fund NNLEMS to leverage the best available science and technology of the nation’s labs to support DOE’s cleanup efforts.

DOE, acting through the Office of Environmental Management (EM), currently holds responsibility of finishing cleanup at 15 sites across our nation that hold nuclear waste from the Manhattan Project and the Cold War. Unfortunately, costs to decommission these remaining sites continue to grow and are estimated to near $700 billion for a completion date near the end of the century. As DOE launches the Genesis Mission to advance scientific research and innovation, the CLEAN SMART Act provides critical support by strategically integrating cutting-edge technologies like AI and high-performance computing into environmental remediation. This integration is designed to revolutionize the cleanup processes at DOE sites, including at Savannah River National Laboratory.

“Our country’s national laboratories reflect the best of American innovation, including the world-class work being done at the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina,” said Senator Tim Scott. “The CLEAN SMART Act takes a bipartisan approach to harnessing that expertise to accelerate nuclear cleanup while protecting taxpayer dollars. I am proud to work with Senator Luján to deliver practical solutions and ensure these sites are cleaned up efficiently and responsibly.”

“Across the country, our National Labs—like Sandia and Los Alamos—are home to our brightest minds who drive innovation and scientific advancement,” said Sen. Luján. “As we continue to address our nation’s environmental legacy from the Manhattan Project and the Cold War, I’m proud to partner with Senator Scott to introduce the CLEAN SMART Act to leverage the expertise of our National Labs to speed up the cleanup process while saving taxpayers billions. I’ve long fought to improve the lives of those impacted by nuclear waste, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill signed into law.”

The CLEAN SMART Act would:

Codify and fund the Network of National Laboratories for Environmental Management and Stewardship

Improve interagency coordination on environmental management research, including on areas of basic research

Direct DOE to maintain a comprehensive technology development and deployment plan that promotes the full range of research and development options

Require corrective actions when projects go over budget, incorporating recommendations from the U.S. Government Accountability Office

Full text of the bill can be found here.

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Thune Joins Martha MacCallum on Fox News, The Guy Benson Radio Show

Clickhere to watch Fox News andhere to listen to The Guy Benson Show.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Martha MacCallum on Fox News and the Guy Benson radio show.

On Democrats’ DHS shutdown:

“This is another completely avoidable shutdown, but it does make you start to question … the Democrats’ motivation. There have been productive conversations taking place between Republicans and Democrats on this final funding bill for DHS. And the Dems, at least right now, are choosing to walk away … The Democrats just really don’t want a solution. They want a political issue, which is what happened last fall during that long, 43-day shutdown.”

[…]

“Federal employees at any of these agencies shouldn’t be held hostage yet again to a government shutdown. And we gave the Democrats every opportunity to keep the government open, including to allow for negotiations to continue, and they opted instead to shut down … Maybe [Democrats] think this is good politics, but I don’t think it’s good politics for anybody, particularly when … their message … right now is, ‘We’re okay with defunding law enforcement. We’re okay with defunding the police and all these other agencies that are impacted by this appropriations bill.’”

On DHS funding negotiations:

“[Democrats] had insisted on a two-week window in order to negotiate [DHS funding]. And I told them that it takes two weeks just to get something across the Senate floor, let alone negotiate and strike a deal. And of course, it took them 10 days to submit their list of demands. The White House … came back with a counterproposal, so there’s been some paper trading back and forth.

“But what I can tell you, having watched all this, is that the White House … has been very reasonable, and they have moved a long way in terms of … trying to reach an agreement here that would keep the government open. But the very idea that the Democrats wouldn’t even allow us to extend the time to negotiate and to strike that deal before they shut the government down … suggests … that they’re not … sincere or serious about trying to solve this and to fund the government, but rather to try and score some political points by not doing it.”

On Republicans’ efforts to support law enforcement:

“Tom Homan was sent [to Minnesota], deescalated things, got law enforcement working with the elected leadership … and they’re lessening their footprint there. I think the administration has been responding to what some of that public sentiment suggests. But it also is important to remember that [law enforcement] have a job to do, and they need to be able to do their job safely …

“The President did a great job of securing the border and getting dangerous illegal aliens out of the country. They continue that effort, and the people who are delivering on that objective for the president and for the American people … need to be protected when they do it. So that’s the other side of this issue.”


Thune on DHS Funding: The Ball Is in Democrats’ Court

Clickhereto watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):

“Mr. President, Homeland Security appropriations expire tomorrow.

“And there are concerning signs that Democrats are prepared to walk away from the table and allow funding for critical Homeland Security agencies to expire.

“Funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“The TSA.

“The Coast Guard.

“Cybersecurity.

“And more.

“Mr. President, I want to take just a moment to review how we got here.

“Because it was a mere three weeks ago, we had a bipartisan agreement on the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill.

“Bipartisan, Mr. President.

“Both House and Senate Democrats had signed off.

“That bipartisan agreement included additional funding for body cameras for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

“It included funding for deescalation training for ICE.

“And it included additional oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol spending.

“We were all set to pass this bill.

“And then Democrats reneged on the agreement.

“And so, here we are.

“Circumstances changed, I understand that.

“But some Democrats were already signaling they were prepared to walk away from the deal before the most recent events in Minneapolis even transpired.

“So Democrats wanted to reopen negotiations.

“Despite our bipartisan agreement, Republicans agreed to their request for additional time to consider this bill before final passage.

“Democrats wanted two weeks.

“Republicans warned – I warned at the time – that more time would be needed – that it would be almost impossible to come to an agreement and pass a renegotiated bill in that timeframe.

“But Democrats insisted.

“And to prevent them from shutting down a large portion of the federal government, Republicans agreed to their request.

“Unfortunately, once they got their two-week agreement, Democrats showed little urgency when it came to negotiations.

“It took them more than a week to come up with a list of demands.

“They didn’t provide legislative text until this past weekend.

“But now they have the gall to suggest that it’s Republicans who are slow-walking things.

“Mr. President, the White House responded to Democrats’ list of demands within two days, and sent proposed legislative text over yesterday.

“And it is an extremely serious offer.

“On top of that, the White House has continued to show it’s committed to taking action on its own, with Tom Homan this morning announcing the withdrawal of almost all agents from Minnesota.

“It’s clear, Mr. President, that the White House is serious.

“But it’s increasingly looking like Democrats are not.

“Now, I’m not sure if Democrats thought the White House would just accede to every one of their demands, or what, but they cannot reasonably expect to reach an agreement without actual negotiation with give and take from both sides.

“We warned Democrats they were not allowing enough time for this process.

“But they insisted on their two-week-timeframe CR anyway.

“And now that we have been proven right, the onus is on Democrats to agree to an additional CR to allow time to complete the negotiations.

“Unless, of course, Democrats are more interested in a political issue than they are in an actual outcome.

“Because it’s starting to look like Democrats might not have been interested in actual reforms.

“As I mentioned, they left an agreement on the table that would have provided for body cameras, deescalation training, and increased spending oversight.

“And now, instead of allowing adequate time to negotiate on additional measures, they’re threatening to shut down the Department of Homeland Security – which will get them exactly zero changes to the status quo.

“So what is it – what is it, Mr. President – that Democrats want?

“Policy changes?

“Or is it a political issue?

“Mr. President, Democrats are never going to get their full wish list.

“That’s not the way this works.

“Republicans, for example, will not agree to measures that make it impossible … for law enforcement officers to do their jobs.

“But Democrats can build on the measures that Republicans have already agreed to if they actually engage in serious negotiations with the White House.

“So, Mr. President, the ball is in Democrats’ court.

“Are they going to shut down the Department of Homeland Security – which would be their second shutdown this fiscal year?

“Or are they going to allow for the time to negotiate with the White House and get agreement on a final bill?

“That’s the question before the house, Mr. President.

“We had a bill, negotiated carefully, that Democrats had signed off on – which, as I said, they reneged on.

“Wanted to revisit it, more time to negotiate – which we agreed to.

“We suggested at the time that probably four to six weeks would be an adequate amount of time in which to negotiate the changes, or some of the changes, the reforms, other things on top of the ones that have already been in the bill, that they want.

“And they said two weeks.

“They used over a week of that … to actually come up with their list of demands, to which the White House responded quickly.

“And again, right now they are sitting, in front of them a counterproposal from the White House.

“A reasonable, good faith offer, as I said.

“So, the question, again, before the house, Mr. President, is, are they serious, or aren’t they?

“Is this about politics, or is it about solutions?

“I’d like to believe that we’re actually here to try and solve this problem and to fund the government – not just the Department of Homeland Security, but all the agencies of government that are covered in that bill.

“To include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, TSA, Coast Guard, cyber security – those are all parts of this.

“It’s pretty important stuff, Mr. President, I would argue.

“The Democrats are going to have an opportunity later today to vote, not only on the bill as passed by the House – which they negotiated and then walked away from, which funds all these things I just mentioned – we will have that vote, and they will also have an opportunity to allow for an extension, for additional time, time which we all knew was going to be necessary to actually reach a final deal.

“So it really is in their court.

“And it’s not something that – you know, they can point fingers at the Republicans or the White House – these are all things, we have accommodated them literally in every way, in an attempt to try and reach an agreement that would, having been in good faith offered by the White House, to work with them to reach a deal that would satisfy some, if not all, but certainly address some of their concerns and demands, and do it in a way that keeps the government funded and keeps these important agencies operating.

“That’s the question, and it’s really up to them.

“So we’ll find out, I guess, later today the answer to that question, Mr. President.

“But I would simply say that we will be voting to keep the federal government funded, to keep it open, to keep these important agencies so critical to the functioning of our federal government, and the employees who work there, who shouldn’t be held hostage in a government shutdown.

“We will be voting today to keep all of those open with reforms – with reforms – to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the very thing the Democrats have said they wanted, then walked away from, and now are insisting that all the concessions that have been made by the White House to date aren’t adequate, and yet they aren’t willing to extend the time to continue the negotiations.

“It’s really kind of an ironic position to be in, but they seem to have embraced it.

“So, we’ll have the votes.”


Tuberville Chairs Senate Armed Services Subcommittee Hearing Focused on Improving Quality of Life for Servicemembers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) chaired a Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel hearing focused on improving the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families. The hearing featured testimony from several senior enlisted leaders, including Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff David Isom, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Perryman IV, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Wolfe, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John Bentivegna.

Read Sen. Tuberville’s opening statement below or watch on YouTube or Rumble. Watch the full hearing here.

“The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel meets this afternoon to hear from the senior enlisted leaders of our armed forces about quality-of-life investments across the Department of Defense. I want to thank all of our witness for joining us today and for their service into our country. You all represent the backbone of our military and enlisted service members make up more than 80% of the total force, and you are the voice of those who serve us every day. You see morale, discipline, and readiness up close. We value that perspective and we need it.

I commend the services for returning their focus to war fighting and lethality and for moving away from distracting DEI programs that do not strengthen combat effectiveness. Our military exists to fight and to win—and to win wars. High standards and discipline matter. I strongly support returning to a culture focused on performance and mission.

You know, at the same time, quality of life is a core readiness issue. The Department invests billions of tax dollars in critical war fighting capabilities and rightly so. But too often, the most basic investments that directly support service members day-to-day like housing, dining, facilities and family support are treated as secondary. Taking care of the things that take care of our service members is not a distraction from readiness, it is foundational to it.

In recent years, the [Senate] Armed Services Committee, and this subcommittee in particular, has prioritized investments to support service members and their families, including increasing pay, expanding access to child care, improving spouse employment opportunities, and strengthening military healthcare. We did this because taking care of our people is essential to maintaining a strong and capable military. You know, this hearing is an opportunity to circle back and find out whether those investments have resulted in meaningful improvements—and where our gaps still exist.

We also want to hear directly from you about the initiatives you are leading to support morale and quality of life across your formations. The goal today is to get honest feedback identified. What needs improvement and ensure both Congress and the Department are focused on their most important asset, the men and women in uniform. So, thank you for all appearing today. I look forward to your testimony.”

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

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Tuberville Continues Push for Banning Sharia Law in America

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in introducing the Defeat Sharia Law in America Act, which would help root out and stop the spread of Sharia Law in the U.S. by clarifying that discriminating in the provision of goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations on the basis of Sharia Law is in violation of the Civil Rights Act.

“Sharia Law is not a religion; it is a death cult and has no place in this country,” said Sen. Tuberville.“People are afraid to call out Sharia Law for what it is: an ideology that calls for the killing of freedom-loving Americans. We have to take action against this poisonous ideology and protect Americans from the growing threat of Radical Islam.”

“Sharia Law is the antithesis of the rights, beliefs, and values that make Texas and America great, and we must root out and eradicate this existential threat to our way of life,” said Sen. Cornyn.“I’m introducing the Defeat Sharia Law in America Act to ensure anti-American jihadists and those who dare to try and implement Sharia Law’s hateful ideology in our freedom-loving, God-fearing communities are stopped and held accountable for their radical discrimination and flagrant violation of our Constitution.”

Read full text of the legislation here.

BACKGROUND:

The Defeat Sharia Law in America Act ensures that the Civil Rights Act’s antidiscrimination provisions apply when an establishment is trying to implement Sharia Law. The legislation would clarify that discriminating in the provision of goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations on the basis of Sharia Law is discrimination and in violation of the Civil Rights Act. The bill would also prevent the private unconstitutional implementation of Sharia law by adding a rule of construction.

MORE:

Tuberville Joins Sharia-Free America Caucus to Warn of Rise of Radical Islam in U.S.

Tuberville on Radical Islam: “The Enemy is Now Inside the Gates”

Tuberville Calls for Mass Deportation of Radical Islamists

Tuberville: “Radical Islam is Fundamentally Incompatible with our Western Values”

Tuberville Introduces Legislation to Ban Sharia Law in the United States

Tuberville: Ban Sharia Law and Eradicate Islamic Extremism from the United States of America

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

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Warner, Warren Press Commerce Secretary Lutnick on Reportedly Pushing Out Key Officials Working to Counter Cyber Threats Posed by China

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, raising concerns about reports that the Trump administration dismissed or forced out senior national security officials responsible for countering China’s intelligence and cyber attacks against American technology and communication systems.

“We write to express concern about reports that you have dismissed or forced out key national security officials who were working to counter China’s intelligence and cyber threats against American technology supply chains and communications infrastructure,” wrote the senators.

The Commerce Department’s Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS) serves as a critical line of defense against foreign technology threats, with authority to investigate, restrict, or ban foreign-linked technologies that could be used for espionage or to disrupt critical infrastructure. According to public reporting, Elizabeth Cannon, the office’s executive director, resigned following pressure from senior Trump officials. Cannon’s resignation was received shortly after one of her deputies was placed on administrative leave.

In the letter, the senators warn that the loss of leadership at the agency risks undermining the nation’s ability to defend against cyber-enabled threats from China and raises serious questions about whether the Administration is sidelining national security professionals to avoid confronting Beijing. The senators also noted that the work of this crucial office has stalled under Secretary Lutnick’s tenure with two anticipated rules – one regulating connected trucks and buses, and another regulating Chinese drones – that have not materialized.

They continued, “Diminishing OICTS, and now pushing out its leadership, sends a clear signal that truly standing up to China is not a priority of this Administration. These developments are also part of a troubling pattern of actions that weaken the U.S. response to threats from foreign adversaries.”

Warren and Warner are demanding detailed answers from the Commerce Department, including who ordered the dismissals, who is currently leading OICTS, and whether investigations or rulemakings have been delayed as a result. The senators requested a response from Secretary Lutnick by March 4, 2026.

“Americans deserve to have leaders who will stand up for them against foreign threats—not sideline the very professionals charged with that mission. We urge you to put Americans’ national security first and reinstate professional leadership at OICTS,” the senators concluded.

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Warner, Commerce Committee Pass Legislation to Strengthen FAA’s Safety Management System

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) along with his colleagues on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee passed the FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026. The bill directs the FAA to establish an independent expert review panel to make recommendations for a comprehensive, integrated and effective FAA safety management system (SMS) to better predict, manage and mitigate safety risks across the agency.

“As legislators, we need to do everything in our power to make sure that nothing like last year’s mid-air collision near DCA ever happens again,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m thrilled to see this bill pass out of the Commerce Committee, and I urge my colleagues to swiftly bring this to a vote in the Senate. It is the FAA’s responsibility to keep the flying public safe, and this bill creates a much-needed independent, expert-driven process to identify system-wide safety improvements so that they can be addressed in order to prevent another tragedy.”

In addition to Warner, this bill was sponosred by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

“The NTSB has found that the FAA’s weak oversight and failure to act on the safety data it had collected contributed to the tragic mid-air collision near DCA one year ago,” said Sen. Cantwell. “This bill will bring in outside safety experts to recommend how FAA can create an agency-wide Safety Management System that will identify and correct safety risks and prevent future incidents. The bill aligns with NTSB’s call to ensure that FAA’s SMS is effective, employee safety concerns are acted upon, and safety culture at FAA is strengthened.”

“From the deadly DCA crash to the spike in near misses and air traffic control equipment outages, there are too many alarm bells ringing that we must strengthen safety in our aviation system,” said Sen. Duckworth. “It’s the FAA’s job to keep the flying public safe, so it only makes sense that the FAA should be held to the highest standard of safety when it comes to its own policies and procedures. I’m proud that our legislation passed through committee and is now that much closer to ensuring that the FAA is optimizing effectiveness in its work to strengthen aviation safety and protect passengers and crew.”

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

"Families and businesses from Burlington to Seattle rely on the FAA to ensure they reach their destination safely. But missed warning signs and lapses in judgement at the agency have led to unspeakable tragedy and avoidable loss of life—it should never happen again," said Sen. Welch. "We need to ensure there's independent accountability at the FAA to better identify and fix risks to keep Americans safe in our skies."

In his response to the Committee following his nomination hearing, FAA Administrator Bedford expressed support for Ranking Member Cantwell’s longstanding push to ensure a stronger, and more integrated FAA-wide SMS. Administrator Bedford has also expressed support for a stronger FAA SMS as part of FAA’s Flight Plan 2026.

In its preliminary report following the January 29, 2025 mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a regional commercial jet operating as American Airlines flight 5342 that took the lives of 67 people, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found the FAA failed to act appropriately in response to safety data pointing to over 15,000 near misses between helicopter and commercial fixed-wing aircraft at DCA during the approximately three-year period leading up to the tragedy.

This has spurred enhanced scrutiny of the efficacy of FAA’s own SMS and whether individual SMS at safety-critical FAA offices – including the Air Traffic Organization and the Aviation Safety Organization – are effective in identifying and correcting safety issues. The expert review panel created by this legislation would examine FAA’s agency-wide SMS as well as the individual SMS of these key FAA offices. The bill would also direct the panel to evaluate the efficacy of FAA employee voluntary safety reporting systems, a key component of a healthy SMS, and a subject highlighted by air traffic controllers during last summer’s NTSB’s investigative hearings on the January 29 mid-air collision, who voiced concerns about their ability to flag safety issues.

“Safety Management Systems have proven to be an effective tool in aviation, and are now required across the aerospace industry, from airlines to manufacturers. This bill helps ensure that the FAA itself is has an effective SMS that is able to work and interface with its industry counterparts for the benefit of the flying public.” - Dr. Javier De Luis, Lecturer, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Organization Designation Authorizations (ODA) Expert Panel Member

"I enthusiastically support this legislation and believe it addresses critical gaps in the FAA's safety management framework. The bill's comprehensive scope reflects a sophisticated understanding of SMS implementation challenges.” - Dr. Najmedin Meshkati, Professor Civil/Environmental Engineering; Industrial and Systems Engineering; USC Aviation Safety and Security Program University of Southern California, Organization Designation Authorizations (ODA) Expert Panel Member

“Frontline aviation maintenance professionals are the backbone of aviation safety. The FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026 reinforces the principle that safety management systems must be trustworthy and dependable for the professionals on the frontlines. When technicians are empowered to report hazards without fear of reprisal, the entire safety system becomes reliable and safer. Strong oversight, protect confidentiality, and a focus on fixing systemic issues—not blaming workers—are essential to a safety culture that truly delivers results.” - Bret Oestreich, National President of Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association

"The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) thanks Senator Cantwell for introducing the FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026, which, when passed, will result in critical improvements to the FAA’s Safety Management System." - National Air Traffic Controllers Association

"As the frontline operators of our nation’s aviation system, the Allied Pilots Association recognizes that a world-class safety culture must begin at the regulatory level. While the FAA has mandated SMS for airlines and manufacturers, it is essential that the agency itself be held to the same rigorous, data-driven standards. This bill is entirely necessary in ensuring the FAA has the robust internal safety systems necessary to protect the flying public." - First Officer Nick Silva, Allied Pilots Association President

The bill models the successful expert review panel convened due to Section 103 of the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act, which recommended key safety reforms to FAA and Boeing to strengthen safety culture and aircraft certification and production oversight in the aftermath of the 737 MAX crashes.

“I believe the FAA needs not only a strong workforce strategy to exercise the oversight of the manufacturers to ensure proper implementation of SMS,” said Sen. Cantwell, before asking the panel: “What SMS should the FAA implement in their own house to make sure that they are improving the safety culture and standing up on these important safety measures?”

In response, Dr. Najmedin Meshkati recommended the establishment of a specific expert panel to review the effectiveness of the FAA’s implementation of its own SMS.

The full bill text is here and a section by section is here.

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Warner, Colleagues Introduce Bill Calling for Study on Financial Impact of Federal Firings

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) joined his colleagues in introducing the Fiscal Harms of Federal Firings Act, legislation that would direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive study of the financial impacts of the Trump administration’s mass firings on state and local governments.

“The Trump administration’s reckless large-scale firing of federal workers has created serious harmful effects on the economy at federal, state, and local levels, and this legislation is critical in determining the full breadth of those impacts,” said Sen. Warner. “As Trump and his cronies continue to target federal workers and use them as political bargaining chips, I will continue working with my colleagues to defend our country’s dedicated civil service.”

This bill comes a year after the first waves of large-scale federal firings–many have been contested in court–sent state-administered programs in a scramble, such as unemployment insurance, Medicaid, workforce retraining, housing assistance, and other social services. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management reported that the federal workforce lost more than 317,000 employees in 2025. It also follows, by just one week, Trump’s latest assault on the federal workforce to implement a ‘Schedule Policy/Career’ category that could result in the stripping of protections and at-will firings of more than 50,000 federal employees.

The legislation would:

Direct the GAO to conduct a comprehensive study of the fiscal impacts of federal reduction in forces (RIFs) on state budgets;

Evaluate increased state expenditures for unemployment insurance, health care, workforce development, and housing assistance;

Assess impacts on state and local tax revenues and regional economic activity;

Identify states most affected by federal workforce reductions; and

Directs the Comptroller General to submit recommendations to Congress with policy options and best practices to mitigate negative fiscal and economic effects.

This bill is also sponsored by U.S. Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Alex Padilla (D-CA). U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-MD-06) and Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) introduced the legislation in the United States House of Representatives.

“This Administration has spent its first year driving up costs of goods, increasing health care costs, and spending our taxpayer dollars on a goon squad of masked men who are killing American citizens. But what’s the real threat in their eyes? Our patriotic civil servants. It’s a cruel lie meant to cause division and distract the American people from the awful things Republicans are doing. That’s why I’m proud to work with Rep. McClain Delaney on the Fiscal Harms of Federal Firings Act. Our legislation will force the Administration to come clean about the financial impacts of this Administration’s mass firings on state and local governments,” said Sen. Alsobrooks.

“The Trump Administration’s relentless attacks on federal employees are not only wreaking havoc on these workers and the essential public services they deliver but also straining local services and resources for our communities. This legislation will provide a clearer picture of the harm that this Administration has done – while giving Congress more tools to mitigate the damage, defend our merit-based civil service, and protect vital services Americans depend on,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“Donald Trump has wreaked havoc on our federal workforce, illegally firing tens of thousands of civil servants and driving many more to leave out of fear,” said Sen. Padilla. “Federal workers in California and across our country provide essential services every day, from taking care of our veterans, to building our infrastructure, to keeping our workplaces safe, and so much more. Americans deserve a full accounting of the impact of these reckless cuts on our families, neighbors, and communities.”

“These firings were reckless and cruel, upending the lives of dedicated public servants, disrupting critical services the American people rely on, and leaving state and community budgets, such as those in Maryland, in deficit,” said Rep. McClain Delaney. “The fight isn’t over. As Congresswoman for a district home to more than 35,000 government workers and active-duty service members, I will continue to push legislation to understand the full impact of these cuts so we can do right by these workers and the state and local governments that stepped up to help.”

“One year after the administration’s sweeping removal of more than 317,000 federal workers, the resulting widespread disruption to our state and local economies continues to be felt, especially in Virginia,” said Rep. Subramanyam. “We need to understand the true impact of these layoffs on our communities and budgets in order to fully recover and build a future where the contributions of federal workers and contractors to our economy are valued and protected.”

The bill was also endorsed by the AFL-CIO, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, National Federation of Federal Employees, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and National Treasury Employees Union.

Read the full bill text here.

Read more in The Baltimore Sun here.

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ICYMI: At Senate Hearing, Army Leader Confirms Poor Barrack Quality Affects Service Member Morale, Military Leaders Commit to Reducing Child Care Waitlists

Warren also presses military leaders to work through child care waitlist, commit to improving pay for military child care workers in the next year

Round 1: Barracks Exchange (YouTube) | Round 2: Child Care Exchange (YouTube)

Washington, D.C. — At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, Ranking Member of the Committee Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questioned military leaders on the impact of poor barrack conditions and inadequate child care on service member morale and readiness.

Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer confirmed that a failure to address mold, pests, and poorly maintained barracks “does affect morale.”

Senator Warren also asked the leaders about the use of nondisclosure agreements by landlords and whether it’s fair for private military housing providers to use them to keep military families quiet about their unsafe living conditions. Leaders from every service agreed it’s wrong for private companies to use nondisclosure agreements to prevent service members from coming to their commanders or Congress about poor housing conditions.

“Letting these private housing outfits come in and do a lousy job of keeping the housing operational, and then refuse to repair it unless people promise to be silent—agree to be muzzled—is just flat wrong. And I enlist your help in beating that out of our operations at the housing level,” said Senator Warren.

In her round about child care access for military families, Senator Warren pointed out that one of the leading reasons for the shortage of military child care workers was low pay. In the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Senator Warren secured a provision requiring the services to update their pay scales by April 2025. All of the leaders committed to reducing their service’s waitlist in the next year.

“You have the tools from Congress…And you have not picked them up and used them…[Military families] do not have a year that they can just set aside while they are waiting around on a 1,400 or a 2,700 child waitlist. They’ve got to have childcare now,” said Senator Warren.

“I hope when we come back next year I will be offering congratulations to every one of you because we have no babies waiting for the care they need,” concluded Senator Warren.

Transcript: Opening Statement at Hearing to Receive Testimony from the Senior Enlisted Leaders on Servicemember and Family Quality of LifeSenate Armed Services Subcommittee on PersonnelFebruary 11, 2026

Round 1: Barracks Reforms

Senator Elizabeth Warren: So we’ve got hundreds of thousands of our troops living in barracks all around the world. In fact, DoD requires enlisted service members to live in barracks during basic training and initial job training. Required, not optional. But DoD and the services have failed to address health and safety risks in unaccompanied housing—not just for a few years now—it has been for decades. A 2023 GAO report uncovered terrible conditions—mold covered ceilings and walls, sewage overflows, bedbugs, rodents, cockroaches. These are problems our troops should not have to live with even for a day. But barracks managers report that it takes “at least several months” to fix these problems.

So here we are, a few years later, and these issues have not gone away. In a 2025 survey, soldiers reported mold, pests, and outdated and poorly maintained barracks. The survey also found it is still the case that “maintenance requests often take weeks or months to address, leading to a frustration among soldiers.” Army barracks got a rating of 68 out of 100. For anyone who’s keeping score, that gives them a D+.

Now, I heard each of you talk about readiness, so let me ask you, Sergeant Major Weimer. You are the senior enlisted leader for the Army. Does it undermine troop morale and readiness if soldiers report black mold on their ceilings and walls and they can't get anybody to fix it for months on end?

Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer: Ranking Member, thank you. When work orders do not get addressed in appropriate time, it does affect morale.

Senator Warren: Yeah. And I assume the same is true for rodents, the same is true for sewage overflows. Look—we need solutions, and we need them quickly. But we also need the right solutions, and this is what’s gotten really worrying. I'm concerned that the services are increasingly looking to privatize the barracks, and we have seen this movie and lived through it already.

We have seen what private companies have done with family housing—poor conditions like black mold, pest infestations, and broken HVAC units. Even when companies offer compensation because they have damaged property or they have created financial burdens because someone had to move their family out, had to stay in a motel for weeks on end, they force military families to sign nondisclosure agreements. Think about that: you do them wrong, treat them badly, and then as part of the hostage-taking here, before you will repair it, you insist that they sign a nondisclosure agreement so they can't tell anybody else about what went wrong. At least we know when the government operates the barracks, it does not prohibit the troops from coming to Congress with their concerns, going to their leadership with their concerns. I am very concerned that privatization will decrease oversight and accountability, especially if we don't take action here.

So I am going to ask a question of all of you: does anyone here believe that it is appropriate for a housing company to prohibit service members from reporting to their commander or to Congressional representatives that a company has failed to remove toxic mold in their room for over 10 months? I will just take a simple “yes” or “no” if you think it’s okay to do that. I will start down at this end.

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff David L. Isom: I think service members should always have access to their commanders to be able to report problems, ma’am.

Senator Warren: Okay. And to be able to tell Congress? This is part of what oversight is about. I want to make sure we are clear. Sergeant Major?

SEAC Isom: Yes, ma’am.

Sergeant Major Weimer: Ranking Member, that chain of command should be well aware of everything going on in that situation that you just declared.

Senator Warren: Okay, so you are not in favor of these nondisclosure agreements?

Sergeant Major Weimer: I am in favor of taking care of the family in that situation, Ranking Member.

Senator Warren: Wait, are you wobbling here on me on whether or not those nondisclosure agreements should be permitted?

Sergeant Major Weimer: I don't think a family should be put in a box where they cannot have accountability and be taken care of, Ranking Member. I have lived in houses. I don't understand how a family gets put in a corner for a nondisclosure. I have to do more research on that. But in that 10-month scenario, there should be a chain of command that knows everything that’s going on in that before anybody signs it.

Senator Warren: You know, Sergeant Major, I don't understand why you are trying to parse words here. The question is, as part of getting a repair, should any housing operator—that is working for the United States government and getting paid by the United States government—be able to say to a service member, “I'm only doing the repair after you sign an agreement that you won't tell anybody in your chain of command, or you won't tell any Congressional Oversight Committee about what this place was like?”

Sergeant Major Weimer: That right there, Ranking Member, they should not be able to do.

Senator Warren: Good, we’re clear.

Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO) of the Navy, John Perryman: Ranking Member, no.

Senator Warren: Okay.

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Carlos A Ruiz: No.

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, David Wolfe: Ranking Member Warren, absolutely not.

Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, John Bentivegna: No, they must not be forced to do that.

Senator Warren: Good, I appreciate this. You know, this may seem like a little side point, until it’s a family that has been put in a box, as you rightly put it, and they’ve got nowhere to go.

Our job is to make sure that our service members are taken care of. And I hear each of you saying that. But we have got to make this work on the ground. And I just start with something as essential as housing. And letting these private housing outfits come in and do a lousy job of keeping the housing operational, and then refuse to repair it unless people promise to be silent—agree to be muzzled—is just flat wrong. And I enlist your help in beating that out of our operations at the housing level.

So thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. We’ll keep working on this.

Round 2 - Child Care

Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. SEAC Isom, I have something I want to ask you about. If over half of enlisted service members left the military within just one year of joining, would that constitute a crisis?

SEAC Isom: Yes, ma'am.

Senator Warren: If you found out the reason for this attrition rate was low wages, what would you try to do?

SEAC Isom: I would come to you and ask for higher pay.

Senator Warren: Okay. And if we give you the money to do that, what would you do with that money?

SEAC Isom: We would pay those service members and hopefully increase recruiting and retention, ma’am.

Senator Warren: Well, you may remember we started this by noting: we have a waiting list of more than 7,800 children who are waiting for their childcare slots and not getting them. And the principal reason for that is we do not have enough people.

Do you know what the attrition rate is for people who are hired to be child care workers for our military right now? Don't know? It’s 50%. That is why I started with that hypothetical. It’s 50%.

And when you go ask those people—we have actually interviewed them and done studies—why did you leave? These were people who were attracted to the work, who like babies, who like little kids, who like working in a military setting, who liked the fact that the schedules are different, but it’s part of their contribution.

You know what they tell us is the number one reason they leave?

SEAC Isom: Low pay?

Senator Warren: Low pay. Okay, so last year—the year before last, actually—we got into the NDAA that our military services would have money, and that they would upgrade their pay scales by April 2025.

We can agree it’s now past April 2025, right? Which services have failed to do that? I am a little disturbed that you do not know any of these numbers. The Army, the Navy and the Air Force have not yet changed their pay scales, which might be the reason we have 7,800 children waiting for care.

So, I appreciate that everyone says they care about childcare, quality of life, all of it relates to readiness. You have the tools from Congress. We have already given them to you. And you have not picked them up and used them. So here is my question for the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force: we’re going to be back here a year from now—we do this every year—we are doing this on video right now. When I come back to ask these questions a year from now, are we still going to have a waiting list that is 7,800 babies long? Or will we have whittled that waiting list down because we are actually hiring enough child care workers to get the job done? Can I hear, please, from the Army?

Sergeant Major Weimer: Senator, our goal is to draw—

Senator Warren: I'm not asking your goal. I’m asking are you going to get it done?

Sergeant Major Weimer: Senator, we’re going to move out with a purpose.

Senator Warren: Navy?

MCPON Perryman: Senator, I believe the Navy has taken advantage of the increased pay scales authorized by Congress to the point that our current staffing is that 87%, which is up from the 60's in roughly FY 22. Our unmet need sits at about 1,400. We have significantly increased My Childcare Fee Assistance. And so I do think, to your point, we have moved out with the authorities, we are making significant progress in reducing our waitlist.

Another thing we did inside helping childcare workers is: for anybody who works for us, their first child is free. And then their second child is reduced further.

Senator Warren: Okay, that’s great but that does not reduce your waiting list. Do you think it is ok to have a waiting list of 1,400 kids?

MCPON Perryman: I do not think it is okay but—

Senator Warren: Have you updated your pay scales as you were required to do by April of 2025?

MCPON Perryman: Yes, ma’am, our pay scales have been updated.

Senator Warren: So you’re telling me the information I have that says you have not upgraded them is wrong?

MCPON Perryman: In my prep I was told we upgraded our pay scales.

Senator Warren: In mine, I was told you had not. Let’s go back and check that one. How about the Air Force?

CM Sergeant Wolfe: Yes, Senator Warren, same as the Navy. Under the information I have is that we have upgraded our pay scales.

Senator Warren: And how long is your waiting list right now?

CM Sergeant Wolfe: Right now we’ve got about 2,700 with unmet need across the Air Force and that’s absolutely not where we want to be for sure.

We are seeing initial indications that the first child free is having an impact because it is helping us keep people longer. So we are seeing some impact there. We don’t have enough time with that policy in place to know for sure. We think we have about a 7%-8% bump from that policy all by itself. And absolutely we are committed to making sure this number goes down over time and does not creep back up. You have that commitment.

Senator Warren: And when you say “over time,” can we just keep in mind that parents can’t wait? They do not have a year that they can just set aside while they are waiting around on a 1,400 or a 2,700 child waitlist. They’ve got to have childcare now. Our position should be that there are extra slots so they are able to pick up the slot.

So, I really want to say: Space Command, Marines, you nailed it. And let's keep it up because that is what we have to do. We cannot say we are a military that cares about families if we pretend to care about childcare and then we have a waitlist that’s got 7,800 babies waiting on it.

This is what oversight is about and I hope when we come back next year I will be offering congratulations to every one of you because we have no babies waiting for the care they need.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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