Environmental Justice Caucus Co-Chairs Duckworth, Booker, Markey Slam Trump Administration for Eliminating EPA’s Ability to Protect Public Health from Climate Change

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA)—co-chairs of the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus—issued the following statement ahead of Donald Trump and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin rescinding the 2009 endangerment finding today, undoing a landmark determination that requires the EPA to address greenhouse gas emissions and pollution because of the threat that climate change poses to public health and welfare. By rescinding the endangerment finding, the Administration will effectively declaw the EPA’s ability to protect public health and will eliminate the vehicle greenhouse gas pollution standards, giving big businesses a green light to pollute our air and devastate environmental justice communities.

“Donald Trump is once again sacrificing our future to protect polluters’ profit margins. The endangerment finding is the key legal foundation that directs the government to act on climate change to protect the health of Americans—and annihilating it will make it even more difficult for the federal government to enact commonsense policies to protect the environment and our public health. Environmental justice communities, which already face much higher rates of illness and shorter lifespans from exposure to heavy pollution, will be especially devastated. This disastrous decision reverses decades of progress and ignores decades of legal and scientific precedent, and its negative impacts won’t just be felt immediately, but for generations to come as well. It’s yet another Trump-created disaster for American families, all to line his billionaire donors’ pocketbooks, as Americans pay the price.”

As co-chairs of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, Duckworth, Booker and Markey have long pushed to strengthen and defend environmental justice efforts across the country. Last September, the three Senators joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus in opposing EPA’s plans to reverse the endangerment finding. Last month, Duckworth sought to block $125 million in Republican cuts to lead service line replacement projects by redirecting a portion of Trump’s $2 billion U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) slush fund. Last year, the three Senators condemned Republicans’ cuts to environmental justice, and Duckworth and Booker condemned the Trump Administration for shutting down all of EPA’s environmental justice offices and slashing over 30 EPA regulations that have helped protect our nation’s public health and the environment for decades.

Duckworth, Booker and Markey—along with U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)—last year urged EPA Administrator Zeldin to reopen the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), which Duckworth and Booker led the charge to create. Duckworth, Booker and Markey also helped introduce legislation that would permanently codify the Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) in response to Attorney General Bondi’s order eliminating all environmental justice efforts at the DOJ.

For years, Duckworth and Booker have led the charge pushing for their A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act—the most comprehensive environmental justice legislation in history—which would help achieve health equity and climate justice for all, particularly in underserved communities and communities of color that have long been disproportionately harmed by environmental injustices and toxic pollutants.

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Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Trump Administration Terminating Federal Funding For Health Grants In Illinois

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement regarding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) terminating more than half a billion dollars in funding for four Democratic-led states, including Illinois, which is used to prevent deadly disease outbreaks and to keep Americans safe and healthy.

At least $170 million of this funding may be part of the Administration’s cuts for Illinois projects, including funding for the prevention of HIV and other viral diseases; funding to train pediatricians to address food allergies, sepsis, and mental illness in children; and funding to prevent chronic diseases like diabetes.

“Most states, red and blue alike, receive federal funding for many of these subjects, yet only the states that voted against Donald Trump in the 2024 election saw their funding cut. This is disgusting. Americans should not be punished with their health care because of who they voted for—yet our constituents are now at elevated risk of disease because of President Trump’s cuts.

“The vindictiveness of this President knows no bounds. Cutting funding for Americans’ health care does not make America great. It makes us weaker, poorer, and sicker.”

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Durbin Statement On Drawdown Of Federal Immigration Agents In Minnesota; Votes Against DHS Funding Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced that the Administration will be pulling back its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Durbin also voted against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill.

“I’m happy that ICE has announced it is leaving Minnesota, and I salute Minnesotans for standing up to ICE’s lawlessness and cruelty. But understand, this masked secret police force is not going away, and their evil agenda will terrorize a new set of victims. That is why Congress must change the law and make it clear that what ICE is doing must be stopped before they strike next. Because today’s bill did not include serious legislative reforms to DHS, I voted no.”

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Durbin, Warnock, Schneider Introduce Investing In Tomorrow’s Workforce Act

The legislation will support training programs to ensure workers are not left behind as automation accelerates

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), along with U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), today introduced bicameral legislation that increases federal investments in worker training and helps prepare workers for the jobs of the future. The Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act would ensure that American workers have the skills needed to successfully navigate the transition into higher-skilled positions and in-demand industries. It has been estimated that nearly 50 percent of jobs in the United States could be at risk due to automation. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated these trends, with one recent study by the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicating that roughly 40 percent of current workers will require reskilling as a result of future automation.

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

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

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

Jobs most affected by automation are those held predominantly by groups that are already vulnerable, such as low-income earners and people of color. An International Monetary Fund report found that previous pandemic events have accelerated automation, and that economies with higher robot density see a larger increase in inequality in the medium term.

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

A 2023 report found that automation will pose a risk to 900,000 to 1.5 million jobs in Illinois, or to 14 to 25 percent of its workforce.

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

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

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

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

A one-pager on the Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act is available here.

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Passed by Senate Commerce Committee: Fischer’s MAP for Broadband Funding Act

Today, the Senate Commerce Committee passed Senator Deb Fischer’s (R-NE) Modernization, Accountability, and Planning (MAP) for Broadband Funding Act to provide oversight of the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Broadband Funding Map, ensuring it functions effectively for the public, government agencies, and broadband providers.

Fischer originally created the Broadband Funding Map as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With oversight needed to ensure federal agencies are utilizing the Map to its full potential, the MAP for Broadband Funding Act will ensure that these agencies are reliably reporting their funding data to the FCC in a complete and timely manner.

“Closing the digital divide requires strong oversight of the Broadband Funding Map,” Fischer said. “My bill ensures federal agencies fully use the Map to maximize broadband buildout, while safeguarding taxpayer dollars. I’m glad the Senate Commerce Committee advance it, and I’ll keep pushing to get it signed into law.”

Background:

The MAP for Broadband Funding Act provides fresh oversight of the FCC’s Broadband Funding Map. This will ensure effectiveness and transparency in its mission to identify duplicative broadband deployment projects and expand networks to communities in need of internet access.

To meet this goal, the bill:


Gallego, Rounds Introduce Bill to Increase Transparency for Everyday Investors

WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced the Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act to increase corporate transparency for everyday investors in companies with multi-class share structures.

“When companies sell one kind of stock to everyday investors and another kind to insiders, it’s hard to know who really holds the power in that company,” Senator Gallego said. “In order to level the playing field between the everyday Americans and the powerful elites, we need more transparency. This bill requires companies to disclose how much voting power each share has, so that everyday investors know what they’re getting into and can make the best decisions with their money.”

“Multiclass share structures have been used in U.S. markets for many years and can be important for certain companies, especially family-owned businesses focused on long-term growth,” said Senator Rounds. “At the same time, investors should have clear, easy-to-understand information about who controls voting power. Our legislation takes a practical, balanced approach by improving disclosure so shareholders can clearly see when insiders or large investors hold greater influence, strengthening transparency and confidence in our capital markets.”

A multi-class share structure occurs when a company issues two or more classes of shares that have different voting rights. This allows insiders to control decision-making while holding a smaller fraction of the company’s stock than would be necessary in a traditional one-share, one-vote structure. The structure is increasingly common at fast-growing technology firms.

READ MORE: Senate takes aim, gently, at tech companies’ supervoting stock (Semafor)

Multi-class share structures may pose significant risks for investors, including limiting investors’ abilities to influence management, direct strategy, and hold misaligned boards accountable. Additionally, these arrangements are often opaque, leaving everyday investors without a clear picture of who holds power inside a company. In 2018, the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee found the current disclosure rules inadequate to protect investors from the risks of multi-class share structures.

The Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act would:

Require companies with multi-class share structures to disclose shareholders’ voting power, including the number of shares owned by specified persons and the amount of voting power held by specified persons.

Specified persons refers to directors, director nominees, executives, or anyone who owns 5% or more of the company’s total voting power.

“The Council of Institutional Investors applauds Senators Ruben Gallego and Mike Rounds for their Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act. When insiders hold disproportionate power without clear disclosure, shareholders can’t accurately assess risks or hold boards accountable. This bill will give our members the transparency they deserve, strengthen shareholder rights, help protect the interests of long-term investors across the country.”

A one-pager on the bill is available HERE.


WATCH: Gallego Grills DHS Leadership Over ICE Agents Acting Like “Influencers”

WASHINGTON – Today, during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) pressed ICE leadership on its agents’ dangerous use of force, weapons mishandling, unprofessional conduct, and rushing training timelines.

Watch Senator Gallego’s questioning HERE.

See additional photos of the hearing HERE.

Read excerpts of Senator Gallego’s questioning below:

Senator Gallego began his questioning by playing a video of ICE agents murdering Renee Good in Minnesota, as well as instances of weapons mishandling, use of nonlethal force, and unprofessional conduct by ICE agents on the field.

Gallego: “ICE code of conduct says that all ICE employees must behave professionally and must be a model for all to follow. [Todd Lyons, ICE Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director], yes or no, is the behavior you just witnessed a model of what you think agents should follow?”

Gallego: “After Renee Good was shot, the agent called her a “fucking bitch” on camera. Yes or no, is this how your agents are trained to act?”

CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott: “No, sir.”

Gallego: “Is that professional in that regard?”

Gallego also highlighted ICE agents’ expedited training timeline, which places agents with weapons on the ground after just weeks of academy training.

Gallego: “So the [on the job training program] is happening in places like Minnesota. So somebody who has probably never handled a weapon after 42 days is going to be inserted into Minnesota — into a high stress environment?”

ICE Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Todd Lyons: “They could, yes.”

Gallego: “That explains a lot.”

Gallego: “In one of the videos you saw earlier, there was a CBP agent that is hitting Mr. Pretti in the face with a tear gas canisters. Without actually talking about that specific event, where in any training manual have you been taught […] that you should use something like that as a weapon against a civilian?”

Mr. Lyons: “I haven’t.” […]

Gallego: “Why are you not supposed to use a pistol to pistol whip someone or a canister of tear-gassed while you are restraining somebody? Do you know from your training why they told you not to do that?”

Mr. Lyons: “Why don’t we do that? You are not going to pistol whip an individual for fear that the weapon is going to go off.”

Gallego: “Exactly. What we have seen consistently is a lot of CBP agents that are clearly either violating or putting other people in danger or themselves in danger. The fact they are doing that tells me there is a command structure element that allows that to happen because we consistently see it all the time on video.”

Gallego also called out the agent murdered Renee Good, who was recording on his personal phone while handling a firearm.

Gallego: “If you look at the Renee Good shooting, why is the agent holding a camera phone and a weapon at the same time? […] In what world, in what training between all of your training in weapons handling have you ever been taught [that] the appropriate use of holding a weapon [is] at the same time holding a camera phone? Did you have any training on that from your time in ICE, law enforcement, or the CBP?”


Gillibrand, Colleagues Introduce Legislation To Increase Financial Transparency Of Trump White House, Government Officials

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Financial Disclosure Modernization Act to increase transparency around government officials’ financial disclosures.

This commonsense legislation would update and expand the monetary values that elected and senior government officials are required to disclose in order to provide the American people with a better understanding of the financial holdings and interests of their leaders.

“It’s simple: elected officials should be focused on your family’s financial security, not their own personal wealth,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Right now, the rules meant to shed light on politicians’ finances are broken, letting some of our most powerful leaders hide how much they’re really worth. The American people deserve full transparency. Our Financial Disclosure Modernization Act would help clear the fog and show you where your leaders’ money comes from so you know whose side they’re truly on. It’s time for leaders in Washington to put working families first, not line their own pockets.”

Under the Ethics in Government Act, senior government officials are required to disclose their financial holdings and income using reporting value categories established in statute. However, the law is outdated. Currently, the highest value categories in disclosure forms for income is capped at “greater than $5 million,” while the highest value category for other reportable holdings – including interests, liabilities, transactions, and qualified blind trusts – is limited to “greater than $50 million.” President Trump, senior administration officials, and other individuals subject to disclosure requirements hold assets that far exceed the statute’s existing reporting thresholds.

This legislation would expand all reporting value categories to a new upper tier of “greater than $1 billion” to capture more precise and transparent disclosures by officials with substantial assets.

Along with Senator Gillibrand, the bill is sponsored by Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Congressman Dave Min (D-CA-47) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This legislation is endorsed by Democracy Defenders Action, Public Citizen, CREW, POGO, American Oversight, Common Cause, People for the American Way (PFAW), and Take On Wall Street.

Senator Gillibrand has championed transparency and good government throughout her career. She led Senate passage of the STOCK Act in 2012 and became the first member of Congress to post a daily public report detailing her official meetings, personal financial disclosures, earmark requests, and tax information. In 2023, she introduced the bipartisan Ban Stock Trading for Government Officials Act to establish strict stock trading bans and enhanced disclosure requirements for members of Congress, senior executive branch officials, and their spouses and dependents. Earlier this year, she continued that effort by introducing the Restore Trust in Congress Act – bipartisan, bicameral legislation to prohibit stock holding and trading by members of Congress.

The full text of the legislation is available here.

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Gillibrand, Colleagues Lead Bipartisan Effort To Protect Lake Champlain Basin

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Lake Champlain Basin Program Enhancements Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would renew funding for the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) for five years at $35 million. The legislation supports ongoing conservation work and efforts to protect the lake’s health. It would also strengthen the program’s financial and administrative efficiency with input from local partners and the Lake Champlain Steering Committee.

“The Lake Champlain Basin is a vast, historic, and invaluable resource that is deeply important to communities in the North Country and must be protected,” said Senator Gillibrand. “For families, farmers, and small businesses across Upstate New York, Lake Champlain is central to daily life and local economies. This legislation will help ensure the Basin continues to provide clean drinking water, safeguard critical wildlife habitats, and support tourism and local jobs for years to come.”

Senator Gillibrand introduced the legislation alongside Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) and Becca Balint (D-VT-AL) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Lake Champlain is a crown jewel of Upstate NY. The Lake Champlain Basin Program is how we protect the natural beauty of Lake Champlain’s waters and wildlife, which are essential to the region’s tourism economy. That is why I’m proud to introduce legislation to keep this program running,” said Senator Schumer. “This critical legislation will strengthen the preservation of Lake Champlain’s health and beauty, ensuring residents and people coming from across the country can enjoy this gorgeous and historic lake. I’ll keep fighting to ensure Lake Champlain remains an economic anchor for the Adirondack region’s outdoor-recreation economy and continues to inspire generations to come.”

“Lake Champlain is an important part of Vermont’s culture. The Lake Champlain Watershed is a designated resource of national significance, provides drinking water to an estimated 250,000 people, and is home to shipwrecks, Revolutionary War-era forts, and abundant aquatic ecosystems. That’s why investing in the Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program, which has supported conservation, healthy ecosystems, and thriving rural communities, is vital,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to partner with Rep. Stefanik on this effort to support the important work of the LCBP and ensure it continues for years to come.”

“Lake Champlain is one of Vermont’s most treasured natural resources, and we must do everything we can to protect it,” said Senator Sanders. “For the past 30 years, the Lake Champlain Basin Program has worked to reduce pollution, restore habitats, mitigate harmful invasive species and educate residents and visitors. I look forward to seeing the good work the program will continue to do over the next five years to protect Lake Champlain for current and future generations.”

The lawmakers’ bill would strengthen local oversight of LCBP operations while reauthorizing the program through 2032. Specifically, the legislation would:

Establish a process through which the EPA and the Lake Champlain Steering Committee may periodically evaluate the efficacy of LCBP’s fiscal agent—the organization that helps manage LCBP finances and executes grant awards—and, if needed, select a new fiscal agent for the program.

Reauthorize LCBP funding at $35 million annually through 2032.

Formally authorize the partnership between LCBP and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, allowing for greater support for the Lake and collaboration between Federal, State and local, and non-governmental partners.

Read the full text of the bill here.

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Senator Gillibrand Statement on DHS Funding

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) released the following statement regarding Republicans’ refusal to negotiate much-needed reforms and fund the Department of Homeland Security:

“While the president is gutting health care for working New Yorkers, he’s diverting our tax dollars to ICE, creating chaos in our communities and making us less safe. Public safety cannot be achieved without public trust.

It is disappointing that Republicans in Congress continue to block commonsense reforms to an out-of-control ICE. These critical reforms would strengthen public safety, protect American citizens’ rights, and bring much-needed oversight to a rogue department operating without accountability. Absent meaningful reforms, I will not support a blank check for President Trump’s lawlessness.”

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Senator Gillibrand Statement On Trump Administration Repeal Of Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) issued the following statement after the Trump administration repealed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) endangerment finding related to emissions. The endangerment finding is the scientific determination that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare. Finalized in 2009, it serves as the legal foundation that allows the EPA to regulate climate pollution under the Clean Air Act from major sources including cars, power plants, and industrial facilities. The repeal strips the EPA of a critical tool to limit emissions that directly harm public health.

“This administration is once again putting big polluters’ profits over working families’ health, worker safety, and our children’s future. This reckless decision will raise costs for everyone and comes at a time when this administration is actively blocking opportunities for good-paying jobs and affordable energy right here in New York. I will fight every day to put people before powerful special interests, lower utility bills for working families, and ensure every American has the chance to breathe clean air and build a better life.”

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Senator Gillibrand Statement On Trump Firing Of U.S. Attorney Donald T. Kinsella Hours After Appointment

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement after the White House fired newly appointed interim U.S. Attorney for New York’s Northern District, Donald T. Kinsella:

“This is the latest example of the chaos of the Trump administration failing Americans and making New Yorkers less safe. Instead of focusing on public safety and appointing qualified leaders to uphold the rule of law, the Trump administration continues to advance unqualified political loyalists while firing those who are qualified and competent. Upstate New Yorkers are not political pawns, and they deserve a justice system defined by integrity, not this juvenile nonsense.”

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Grassley Questions Stakeholders on USMCA Benefits Ahead of Joint Review

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, questioned stakeholders about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s (USMCA) benefits to the U.S. economy, including strengthening supply chains against unfair competition from countries like China, ahead of a joint review of the agreement later this year.

Grassley also emphasized the importance of congressional consultations in trade negotiations and asked about dairy access to Canada.

As then-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley played a leading role in shepherding the historic USMCA trade agreement into law.

VIDEO

On the importance of congressional consultation in trade:

Congressman Brady, you and I have worked on stuff like this for a long time, and [we] worked together on USMCA about six years ago.

It seems to me we had great congressional input at that time. It made USMCA stronger, fairer and more stable than it could ever otherwise be.

So, I’d like to have you explain the practical importance of congressional consultation in trade negotiations.

How USMCA strengthens supply chains against unfair competition from China:

In your testimony, you talked about how the USMCA has strengthened the United States and our supply chains against unfair competition, particularly from China.

Could you please explain [how] some of the chapters have protected the United States from unfair practices and the benefits that could result from repeating these chapters in new agreements?

On dairy access into Canada:

If the United States were to get fair treatment for dairy access under the Trade Rate Quotas, would there be additional issues you’d like to see addressed?


Head of ICE Admits to Senator Hassan at Senate Hearing that DHS Leadership Statements “Bias” Ongoing Investigations into Good/Pretti Deaths

Click Here to Watch Senator Hassan’s Full Exchange at Today’s Hearing

WASHINGTON – At a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing today, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) pressed the head of the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Todd Lyons, on the unacceptable lawlessness of ICE agents in cities across the country that is making communities less safe. Under questioning from Senator Hassan, the head of ICE admitted that recent comments from the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and White House Homeland Security Advisor Steven Miller “put a bias” onto the ongoing investigations into the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

During a key exchange, Senator Hassan pressed Director Lyons on comments Secretary Noem and Stephen Miller made in the immediate aftermaths of the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. “Your testimony doesn't make any sense. If it would impede or bias the investigations for you to say right now – when you know a lot more than we did right after the shootings – whether Renee Good or Alex Pretti were domestic terrorists...then why wouldn’t it impede or bias the investigations for Secretary Noem and Stephen Miller to say the same thing about the same people?”

In response, Director Lyons admitted that “any comments that are made publicly, privately, text, email, or Instagram posts, whatever, is going to put a bias” on the investigation – saying, in essence, that Secretary Noem and Stephen Miller’s characterizations of Renee Good and Alex Pretti as a domestic terrorists biased the ongoing investigations into their deaths.

“We're here today because Americans are outraged by the deliberate intimidation, trampling of civil rights, and lawlessness from this administration that has left two Americans shot dead – two American citizens shot dead – by masked federal agents,” said Senator Hassan at the start of the hearing. “Immigration enforcement needs to combine strong border security with a targeted, focused effort on removing violent criminals. Instead, this administration's divisive, dangerous, and deadly actions are making our communities less safe.”

Additionally, at the hearing, Senator Hassan pushed ICE leadership to work with local leaders in Merrimack and address their concerns about a proposed ICE facility in the town, which the Department of Homeland Security has thus far refused to do.

Senator Hassan has called on Congress to work on a bipartisan basis to act to both keep important government services funded – including FEMA and TSA workers and Coast Guard servicemembers paid – while also enacting common-sense protections for the basic civil rights of Americans against the recent lawless behavior by ICE.

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Senator Hawley Calls for Minnesota AG Keith Ellison to be INDICTED

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-mo.) grilled Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for cooperating with fraudsters in his state and called for him to resign.

Senator Hawley questioned Ellison, “You are familiar with the $9 billion in historic fraud out of your state, including the $250 million in the Feeding Our Future program alone?”

“I am familiar with it,” Ellison responded.

“Because the people who ran the Feeding Our Future program came to you in your official office in the state capitol, December 11, 2021 and asked for your help in getting investigators off their backs,” stated Hawley. “They complained to you for upwards of an hour about state investigators going after them, and they begged you to help them, and you agreed to it amazingly, and we know you did. That’s because it’s all caught on tape…Why’d you help them?”

“I didn’t help them,” Ellison claimed.

“You took $10,000 from them 9 days after the meeting… You helped fraudsters defraud your state and this government of $9B, and you got a fat campaign contribution out of it,” Hawley said. “You ought to be indicted.”

“He’s lying and that’s the truth,” Ellison replied, despite public reporting to the contrary.

“No, this is all on the record, sir. Did you bother to investigate where the money that you facilitated their fraud for, where it went? Do you know where it went, what it was used for the fraudulent money?” Hawley challenged. “I do because we just heard testimony about it yesterday, because we hundreds of millions of millions of dollars to terrorist groups, to transnational criminal organizations, to the drug trade, to drug trafficking, to child trafficking, and you took $10,000 and helped them do it.”

“Sir, you should resign,” the Senator asserted.

Earlier this week, Senator Hawley held a hearing on Minnesota fraud in his Homeland Security Subcommittee that included testimony on the rampant Minnesota fraud.


KTSM: Borderland lawmakers demand briefing on El Paso airspace closure

Regional lawmakers are demanding a classified briefing with members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet regarding the Federal Aviation Administration’s temporary airspace closure that halted all El Paso air traffic Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, Feb. 11.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Veronica Escobar and Gabe Vasquez, including Democratic New Mexico Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday, Feb. 12, demanding a classified briefing.

“Events like this are inexcusable and cause lasting degradation of trust among communities with their local and national leaders. We look forward to the briefing,” read part of the letter.

As KTSM previously reported, the FAA and the Department of War temporarily closed airspace to “address a cartel drone incursion over El Paso,” Duffy said on Wednesday.

Travelers were stranded in El Paso, with many scrambling to rebook flights or rent cars to reach their destinations. Initially, the FAA said the restriction could last up to 10 days, but it was lifted over seven hours later.

According to FlightRadar data, nearly 20 percent of El Paso’s scheduled air traffic was impacted during the restriction.

Many lawmakers, including Escobar and Vasquez, called out the administration for a lack of communication during the airspace restriction.

“There are standard rules and procedures for how our airspace is controlled, including when the Department of Defense is conducting any testing in our region. These procedures keep Americans safe and prevent disruption to civil airspace. This morning, the Administration decided to steamroll those policies and close a major city’s airspace without notifying state and local officials. That is unacceptable,” Vasquez said.

“I’m grateful for the member of our federal workforce who flagged the TFR for me, especially given that the FAA never informed me, the City of El Paso or the professionals who operate at the El Paso International Airport about the closure. The amount of misinformation being spread — including by the White House — is alarming and unhelpful. I spent much of today briefing my fellow members of Congress both in the House and the Senate – this after assuring local leaders and the public that there was no risk to the community. El Pasoans were rightfully alarmed by how the federal government carried all of this out. To be clear: this was the result of incompetence at the highest levels of the administration,” Escobar said.


Albuquerque Journal: Luján, Heinrich vote against DHS funding

New Mexico’s U.S. senators voted against yearlong funding for the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday, alongside all but one Senate Democrat, pushing the federal agency closer to a shutdown.

Congress has passed annual funding for the majority of the federal government since the shutdown in November, but money for Homeland Security has become a point of conflict after videos of DHS agents killing protesters in Minnesota made international headlines and sparked more demonstrations.

Before funding DHS, Democrats have called for an end to "roving patrols" of immigration enforcement agents, tightened rules for warrants, a ban on agents wearing masks and a requirement for body cameras. They are also seeking a uniform code of conduct for ICE and all federal agents and for independent investigations of any misconduct.

“We now know that these agents were going into people's homes without securing warrants, arguably violating the United States Constitution and our rights as Americans as well,” said Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M. “What was being proposed, including body cameras, IDing yourself, is no different than what we see with local law enforcement. Local law enforcement across the country abide by these rules, and I don't understand why there's so much opposition from Republican colleagues to be able to do this.”

Along with Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, DHS also oversees the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard. If no funding bill passes, those agencies could see a lapse in funds by Saturday.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said not funding DHS is "the wrong message to send to the world at this point in time" and jeopardizes airport security and the nation's cybersecurity.

"That’s telling the rest of the world the Democrat party doesn’t think that protecting America is safe," she said.

DHS did get an influx of money from the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” particularly when it came to money for ICE and CBP. Congress appropriated $75 billion for ICE last year on top of a more typical $10 billion annual appropriation.

The White House sent lawmakers a proposal for funding DHS this week, an offer Senate Majority Leader John Thune called “extremely serious.”

“On top of that, the White House has continued to show it’s committed to taking actions on its own, with (White House Border czar) Tom Homan this morning announcing the withdrawal of almost all agents from Minnesota,” Thune said in a Senate floor speech.

Luján said the White House proposal lacked details and commitment.

“The White House, in their responses to all of this, simply were not providing any information or details, and — as they always do — refused to commit to any changes whatsoever,” Luján said. “We did not see any of our Republican colleagues change their opposition to any reforms being included.”

Republicans also tried to pass a two-week continuing resolution to keep DHS temporarily funded, which Democrats blocked.

Democrats have advocated for a continuing resolution that funds every DHS agency except ICE, an idea Republicans did not get on board with.

"I will vote to fund TSA. I will vote to fund FEMA. I will vote to fund the Coast Guard. But I will not vote to give another dollar to ICE until they are committed to the rule of law,” Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said in a statement.


Santa Fe New Mexican: New Mexico's congressional delegates demand answers on El Paso airspace closure

New Mexico’s congressional delegates are demanding answers after a sudden closure of airspace over El Paso and a nearby area of southeastern New Mexico disrupted flights early Wednesday morning amid a dispute between the Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA announced late Tuesday it was closing the airspace around El Paso and Santa Teresa for 10 days. Some travelers were stranded briefly before the closure over El Paso was lifted Wednesday morning.

Initial reports on the reason for the closure led to further confusion, with an official blaming a “cartel drone incursion.” The Associated Press later reported the Pentagon had planned to test a laser to shoot down drones operated by Mexican drug cartels, causing friction with the FAA.

“Medical evacuation flights had to be diverted, commercial air carriers were forced to cancel as many as half their flights for the day, and people were left stranded,” U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat whose district includes Southern New Mexico, said in a statement. “The American people deserve better than the chaos and lack of transparency we keep seeing from this Administration.”

An area west of Santa Teresa along the Mexican border was still closed to flights Wednesday, although the Doña Ana County International Jetport was not affected, according to Vasquez’s office.

Despite a meeting scheduled later this month with the FAA to discuss the issue, sources told the AP, the Pentagon wanted to go ahead and test a laser targeting cartel drones, which are common along the border, prompting the FAA to shutter the airspace to ensure commercial air safety. It was not clear whether the laser was deployed.

Earlier Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said a response to an incursion by Mexican cartel drones had led to the airspace closure and that the threat had been neutralized.

Duffy said in a post on X that the FAA and the Defense Department “acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion. The threat has been neutralized and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.”

Duffy did not say how many drones were involved or what specifically was done to disable them.

“What I can say definitively about the El Paso airport closure is that there was not a threat to the El Paso airport or its airspace and there was no legitimate reason to shut it down,” U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich wrote in a post on X. “Now we need answers about why airspace in New Mexico still remains closed.”

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján shared similar thoughts after meeting with FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on Wednesday.

“While I am still seeking full details, one thing is clear: travelers should not have had to endure the chaos they experienced,” he said.

Luján said he would keep pushing for more information.

“As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the FAA, I’ll continue pressing for clear and accurate information,” he said. “I hope to receive a full classified briefing as soon as possible.”

Forty-three flights, totaling more than 5,900 seats, were scheduled to depart from the El Paso airport Wednesday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Seven departing flights had been canceled as of midday Wednesday, according to flight tracker FlightAware — as well as another seven flights scheduled to arrive at the airport. About a dozen more were delayed.

Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas Democrat whose district includes El Paso, said neither her office, the city of El Paso nor airport operations received advance notice of the closure. She said she believed the shutdown was not based on Mexican cartel drones in U.S. airspace, saying that “is not what we in Congress have been told.”

Pentagon officials declined to comment on Escobar’s remarks and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office referred questions to the FAA.

“I believe the FAA owes the community and the country an explanation as to why this happened so suddenly and abruptly and was lifted so suddenly and abruptly,” Escobar said during a news conference.

Vasquez said the Trump administration’s statements have been “misleading at best and a cover-up for their incompetence at worst.”

He also expressed skepticism over their account of events, saying the Trump administration “has provided no proof of a drone incursion that would warrant this large scale, 10-day response.”

“Through my conversations with federal and local officials, it has become abundantly clear the FAA was tracking the DOD’s counter drone tests for multiple days, and the FAA responded — in error — with the disproportionate response of abruptly closing our airspace for 10 days,” he said.


Source New Mexico: NM wildfire claims office director on ‘administrative leave’ following six-figure payout

Jay Mitchell, director of a multi-billion-dollar federal claims office for northern New Mexico wildfire victims, has been placed on “administrative leave” following revelations of a six-figure payout he received for smoke damage at his Angel Fire home, according to an email Source New Mexico obtained Thursday.

Mitchell and his wife Lisa received payments totaling more than $500,000 for smoke damage and business losses from the 2022 Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire through a $5.45 billion fund administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to documents obtained by Source New Mexico and New Mexico PBS.

Since Source first reported on those payments two weeks ago, calls have increased for Mitchell’s resignation, including from members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. A group of several dozen protesters gathered outside the Las Vegas branch of the claims office earlier this week, also calling on him to step down.

In a joint statement Thursday, U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, along with U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, called the development a “step in the right direction to rebuild trust and provide relief for impacted families.” The New Mexico Democrats were the architects of the FEMA compensation program bill in Congress.

The statement notes “still outstanding questions” regarding the claims office and its operations and says the delegation “will continue pressing for accountability and stable, trusted leadership.”

In a separate statement, Leger Fernández, who represents the 3rd Congressional District in which the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon occurred, said the delegations needs “accurate and timely information” about how many claims have been made, how much funding remains available and the timeline for paying outstanding claims.

“And of course, we need the office to comply with their legal duty to report to Congress so we can share that information with the public,” her statement said.

Paul Judson, a Washington, D.C.-based FEMA deputy assistant administrator, wrote an email to claims office employees around 9:20 a.m. Thursday informing them that FEMA had placed the office’s program manager and deputy program manager, referring to Mitchell and his deputy Jennifer Carbajal on “administrative leave.”

Judson’s email does not provide reasons for or length of the administrative leave, but does note that,“This step does not reflect a finding of wrongdoing.”

According to the email, Juan Ayala, a “senior FEMA official,” is on-site effective immediately to oversee operations. According to Ayala’s LinkedIn profile, he currently works as public affairs director for FEMA’s Region Six headquarters in Dallas. Region Six includes New Mexico.

The office’s work of processing claims will continue “uninterrupted,” Judson wrote, and other “staff roles, responsibilities, and workflows remain unchanged.”

Source’s Jan. 28 story revealed that Mitchell, who has run the office since April 2024, and his wife received payments last July for their home and her business far from the wildfire perimeter in an area that his neighbors said was largely untouched in the wildfire.

Meanwhile, some wildfire victims are still awaiting payment nearly four years after the fire began, including those who lost their homes and whose businesses suffered.

Carbajal, the office’s deputy director, has held that role since the wildfire began. Source also obtained documents showing she accepted payments last August of about $27,000 in business losses for a company called Maia Consulting, Inc.

The documents show Carbajal dissolved the corporation at the end of 2022, shortly before she began work at the claims office. An archived version of Maia Consulting’s website described the company as a veteran-owned small business helping rural businesses embrace digital marketing and other technologies.

A claims office spokesperson, in a statement provided to Source on Thursday afternoon, said that, “at this time, there is no finding of wrongdoing” regarding improper payments at the office, and the office’s work continues.

“FEMA is fully committed to supporting the citizens of New Mexico impacted by the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon fires. This is yet another mess we inherited from the broken Biden administration and are focused on delivering assistance with integrity and accountability,” the unsigned statement reads.

“FEMA has ZERO tolerance for wrongdoing or misappropriation of funds—every allegation is thoroughly investigated and taken seriously. Our priority and focus remain on supporting eligible claimants and ensuring all claims are handled fairly and transparently. We will not be distracted from our mission to support recovery and uphold the highest standards at all levels of the Claims Office.”

Judson’s email urges current claims office employees to avoid “speculation or distraction” and to focus their efforts on paying out claimants. The office has paid out roughly $3.4 billion of the $5.45 billion Congress awarded it, according to the latest figures from the office.

“We expect all employees to remain focused on serving claimants, to safeguard claimant privacy, and to conduct themselves professionally at all times,” Judson wrote. “Internal personnel matters should not be discussed externally and internal information should not be disseminated externally.”

Judson also promised that F


E&E News: Senate Dems probe DOE using carbon capture funds to prop up coal

Top Senate Democrats are investigating the Department of Energy's plan to prop up aging coal plants with millions of dollars Congress originally set aside to advance carbon capture technologies and improve energy resiliency and environmental protection in rural areas.

Senate Appropriations ranking member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Senate Energy and Natural Resources ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) told Energy Secretary Chris Wright in a letter shared with POLITICO's E&E News that the agency’s move to repurpose the funding “flies in the face of the law.”

The Wednesday letter refers to DOE’s use of more than half-a-billion dollars from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to support coal projects. Former and current agency officials, legal experts, and some lawmakers have argued that repurposing the funds undermines the law.

The statute authorized and appropriated almost $3 billion to capture heat-trapping gases from big emitters through demonstration and pilot programs.

A department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

DOE in a notice of funding said it was providing $525 million to build, restart, overhaul or retrofit coal-fired plants that are shuttered or scheduled to retire before 2032.

In the notice, the agency states that the funding being offered up is unobligated money that lawmakers originally set aside under the bipartisan infrastructure law for the now-defunct Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, or OCED.

Congress directed the office, which was dissolved by the Trump administration in a recent reorganization, to use the money for carbon capture demonstration and large-scale pilot projects, and energy improvements and environmental protection in rural or remote areas.

While DOE instructed applicants to “integrate carbon capture demonstration phases,” current and former department staffers say the notice is vague; doesn’t describe in detail when to incorporate carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS); and allows applicants to move ahead with near-term "reliability upgrades” without requiring carbon capture at the outset.

The department on Wednesday announced recipients of that funding, including coal plant operators in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. The agency’s announcement did not mention carbon capture technology.

When asked about the funding, DOE last month said the language of the notice of funding was meant to provide flexibility with respect to project phasing, and all projects “must complete applicable coal fired power plant construction, modernization or upgrades as well as a CCUS pilot or demonstration” within the “proposed project period of performance,” which is six years.

But Heinrich and Murray said the funding opportunity draws $350 million from “unobligated balances provided explicitly to commercialize carbon capture” and that those funds could now be diverted to recommission coal plants, which is “in clear defiance of congressional intent.” DOE, they said, is also “inappropriately using $175 million originally provided for energy improvements in rural and remote areas.”

“The president cannot substitute his policy preferences for requirements in law, and that includes refusing to spend funds Congress requires the president to spend and steering those investments to unfunded priorities,” the senators wrote. DOE, they said, “must faithfully execute the law and expend the funds for the purposes provided.”

They senators also said that if the Government Accountability Office determines that the DOE awards violate the Antideficiency Act, awardees must return all funding in the future.

“The Department is knowingly and intentionally redirecting funds intended to reduce pollution to instead further the Trump administration’s policy of propping up coal-fired power plants,” they wrote.

“This policy will not only cause more pollution in communities nationwide while harming public health and the environment, it will also raise energy costs at a time when the American people are already feeling the pinch with record high energy bills.”

The senators are calling on DOE to explain by Feb. 25 what authorities the agency relied on to repurpose the money, how the agency will ensure recipients install CCUS and how the funding announcements complies with federal law.


Heinrich, Luján, Leger Fernández Statement on FEMA Announcement Regarding Hermit’s Peak Claims Office Leadership

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) issued the following joint statement on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announcement regarding Hermit’s Peak Claims Office leadership:

“The FEMA announcement, following calls for action from the New Mexico delegation, is a step in the right direction to rebuild trust and provide relief for impacted families. There are still outstanding questions regarding the Claims Office status and operations, and we will continue pressing for accountability and stable, trusted leadership.

“FEMA and the Claims Office must work urgently to help New Mexicans recover by prioritizing total loss and burn scar claims, ensuring clear and timely communication, and delivering transparency.”

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Heinrich Opposes DHS Funding Lacking Needed Reforms

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting against advancing funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without any commonsense reforms to address lawlessness by the agency.

"I will vote to fund TSA. I will vote to fund FEMA. I will vote to fund the Coast Guard. But I will not vote to give another dollar to ICE until they are committed to the rule of law,” said Heinrich.

Heinrich remains committed to reforming and reining in DHS to get them focused on human traffickers, not harassing children, attacking communities, and killing American citizens.

In January, Heinrich opposed funding for DHS because it did not include commonsense reforms and made it clear that, “We need a restoration of the rule of law within immigration enforcement.” Heinrich also called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or be fired due to DHS’ lawlessness, including the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.

For more information on Heinrich’s actions to protect Americans, Tribal members, and Dreamers from wrongful searches and harassment by ICE, click here.

For more information on Heinrich’s actions to support local law enforcement with the tools they need to keep our communities safe, click here.

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Hickenlooper, Hassan, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Child Care Access for Working Coloradans

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Todd Young, and Thom Tillis reintroduced the bipartisan After Hours Child Care Act. The bill would expand existing child care programs, or establish new facilities, so parents can remain in the workforce and provide for their families while working non-traditional work hours.

“Access to child care is a form of economic freedom,” said Hickenlooper, member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee. “Too many parents leave the workforce because they are unable to find child care that is affordable and accessible. We need childcare options that will make it more available for working families. ”

The bill would:

Expand capacity for an existing, child care program to serve families working nontraditional hours.

Support efforts to establish an on-site child care program at a workplace.

Ensure that federal funds supplement current efforts by requiring 25 percent match.

Require a report every two years on the bill’s effectiveness in improving child care availability.

Hickenlooper has been a fierce critic of the Trump administration’s senseless political attacks on Colorado. At the end of January, Hickenlooper sent a letter with the Colorado delegation urging the administration to immediately reinstate more than $300 million in frozen child care and social services funding for Colorado.

Earlier this month, Hickenlooper toured a Colorado Springs YMCA and met with families and child care professionals getting hammered by Trump’s weaponization of child care funding.

Hickenlooper leads the bipartisan Child Care Modernization Grant Act, which would reauthorize and improve the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to help provide quality, affordable child care to America’s working families.

Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

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Hickenlooper Heralds Committee Passage of His Bill to Clear Space Junk, Protect Space Exploration

ORBITS Act would create landmark program to clean up dangerous orbital debris threatening space exploration, satellites, and commercial space operations

Bill unanimously passed Senate last Congress

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, celebrated the committee passage of his bipartisan Orbital Sustainability (ORBITS) Act. The bill would establish a first-of-its-kind demonstration program that would reduce the nearly 1 million pieces of space junk in orbit.

“Space junk speeding through Earth’s orbit endangers our satellites and space operations,” said Hickenlooper. “Removing that debris is common sense and needs to happen before it causes real damage to essential space operations.”

The ORBITS Act passed the Senate unanimously in the 117th Congress and 118th Congress.

Space junk, or orbital debris, currently threatens human space exploration, scientific research missions, and emerging commercial space services. There are approximately 8,000 metric tons of debris currently in orbit, including at least 900,000 individual pieces of debris that are potentially lethal to satellites. Because of the threats from debris already in orbit, simply preventing more debris in the future is not enough. The ORBITS Act will jumpstart a program focused on research, development, and the demonstration of technologies capable of safely carrying out successful Active Debris Remediation (ADR) missions to create a robust commercial market for these services.

In recent years, NASA canceled a planned spacewalk and maneuvered the International Space Station (ISS) to avoid colliding with orbital debris. Due to growing amounts of debris, the ISS has performed numerous Pre-Determined Debris Avoidance Maneuvers (PDAM) in the past year alone.

Specifically, the bill contains the following provisions:

Orbital Debris Remediation List

Directs NASA, in coordination with the Departments of Commerce, Defense, and the National Space Council, to publish a list of debris objects that pose the greatest risk to the safety of orbiting spacecraft and on-orbit activities

Active Orbital Debris Remediation Demonstration Program

Directs NASA to establish a demonstration program to partner with industry in developing technology for remediating debris objects through repurposing or removal from orbit

The NASA program will promote competition by incentivizing two or moreteams of technology developers to conduct demonstrations of successful debris remediation

Asks NASA to partner with other nations to address debris in orbit that belongs to them

Active Debris Remediation (ADR) Services

Encourages the U.S. government to buy ADR services from industry partners once they succeed in the demonstration and are commercially available

Requires an economic assessment of the long-term demand for ADR services

Uniform Orbital Debris Standards

Directs the National Space Council to update the Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices (ODMSP) used by U.S. government space missions

Encourages the FAA and FCC to use the updated standards and practices as the basis for federal regulations applicable to all space activities

Directs the U.S. to encourage other nations to align their regulations with ours to encourage effective and non-discriminatory regulation worldwide

Space Traffic Coordination Standard Practices

Directs the Department of Commerce, in coordination with the National Space Council and the FCC, to develop and promote standard practices for avoiding near misses and collisions between spacecraft in orbit

Key supporters of the bill include the Aerospace Industry Association, Secure World Foundation, and CONFERS.

Full text of the ORBITS Act is available HERE.

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Hickenlooper, Peters, Budd Re-intro Bipartisan Bill to Boost Job Opportunities for Local Workforce

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Gary Peters, and Ted Budd reintroduced the Lifelong Learning Act, which would give states and Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDBs) more flexibility to address local workforce needs. The bill would update the 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to direct additional resources toward training programs that equip workers with new skills and reconnect people to the job market. Currently, WIOA funding limits how much LWDBs can spend on specific programs.

“If we want a workforce that can keep up with a changing economy, we have to give local communities the flexibility to adapt,” said Hickenlooper. “This bill modernizes training programs and ensures investments go towards what actually works for Coloradans so they can succeed in the future.”

“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 Peters. “This bipartisan legislation empowers communities to respond to changing employment needs and connect more individuals to in-demand jobs.”

“In today’s labor market, practical knowledge and on-the-job training are essential, especially for workers who may have lost their jobs or who face some career uncertainty. Increasing funding flexibility for training programs and offering Workforce Development Boards more leeway is critical for modernizing the American workforce and closing the skills gap. I am proud to join Sen. Peters and Hickenlooper in this bipartisan effort that will help workers and employers alike keep our economy moving forward,” said Budd.

The bill updates WIOA guidelines, allowing LWDBs to:

Increase the cap on Adult and Dislocated Worker funds for Incumbent Worker Training from 20% to 30%, supporting worker upskilling and layoff prevention amid challenges like automation and COVID-19.

Expand the allowable cap for transitional job training opportunities from 10% to 15% 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.

“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.” said Andrew Bercich, CEO of the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB).

Hickenlooper chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, where he has championed apprenticeship and workforce development opportunities. As governor, he jumpstarted CareerWise Colorado, a nonprofit designed to create statewide apprenticeship opportunities to prepare students for high-paying, competitive jobs at Colorado companies. He recently helped pass his Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act out of the Senate, which would expand access to job counseling services for Gold Star and surviving spouses.

Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

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Hickenlooper, Sanders, De Lauro, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Guarantee Leave for Sick Workers

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and 168 of his congressional colleagues introduced the Healthy Families Act, which would ensure workers get up to seven paid sick days each year.

“Every American deserves to take care of their families without the fear of losing a paycheck or their job. This should be the bare minimum expectation for American workers.” said Hickenlooper.

The U.S. is the only major country in the world that doesn’t provide paid time off for short-term illnesses. Nearly 27 million workers lack any paid sick time entirely. 58% of low-income, private-sector workers aren’t able to access paid sick days. Without guaranteed paid sick leave, workers are forced to make the choice between getting a paycheck and caring for their own and their family’s health.

“It is an international embarrassment that the United States of America remains the only major country on Earth not to guarantee paid sick days to workers. Working together, we must end that embarrassment,” Sanders said. “It’s not radical to ensure that every worker in America receives the paid sick days that they need. What’s radical is that we have corporations in America making billions in profits, denying paid leave to working moms and dads when their kids get sick. That’s radical.”

“Federal law does not guarantee working Americans a single paid sick day,” DeLauro said. “No one should face the impossible choice of either caring for their health or keeping their paycheck, especially during the current cost of living crisis. But nearly 27 million hard-working people must make this decision every time they get sick. Not only is it the right thing to do, but a lack of paid sick days hurts the American economy by reducing productivity, increasing the spread of illness which leads to higher health care costs, and causes financial strain on workers. That is why I am proud to sponsor this effort with Senator Sanders to ensure that workers are able to follow the directive of public health officials and stay home when they are sick without the fear of losing their paycheck.”

Workers without paid sick leave are three times more likely to delay or forgo necessary health care for themselves and nearly twice as likely to forgo medical care for their families compared to working adults with paid sick days. However, workers with access to paid sick leave are 28% less likely to suffer nonfatal occupational injuries, and employers who provide paid sick leave see 25% less turnover in their workforce.

The Healthy Families Act would:

Guarantee every worker in America up to seven paid sick days each year, to be used to recover from their own illnesses, access preventive care, provide care to a sick family member or attend school meetings related to a child’s health condition or disability.

Simplify how employers calculate paid sick leave. Workers would earn a minimum of one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a minimum of 56 hours per year.

Allow employers to use their existing policies if they exceed minimum standards.

Allow victims of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault to use their paid sick days to recover or seek assistance.

Hickenlooper has also introduced the Caring for All Families Act, which would modernize the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) by updating the definition of family to include a broader range of caregiving relationships covered by FMLA’s protections and leave for small needs like doctor’s appointments.

The full text of the legislation can be found HERE.

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Hickenlooper Statement After NO Vote on DHS Funding Bill

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement after voting NO on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill:

“The American people have seen with their own eyes that ICE is out of control. The agency needs a top-to-bottom overhaul.

“We proposed commonsense reforms — like body cameras, judicial warrants, and strict restraints on the use of force — things that are standard for local law enforcement agencies. Yet President Trump and the Republicans have chosen to shut down the government rather than work with us.

“We’ll use every tool at our disposal until ICE is overhauled to keep our communities safe.”

Hickenlooper has consistently pushed for more oversight and transparency for federal immigration enforcement efforts, and has worked to help families desperately searching for loved ones arrested by ICE. Last month, Hickenlooper spoke on the Senate floor to denounce the horrifying killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, condemn the reports that families in Eagle County found “death cards” left in the cars of family members taken by ICE agents, and to demand the overhaul of ICE. He’s shown up at ICE facilities to conduct congressional oversight visits and raise concerns about ICE disregarding due process. He helped launch an investigation into ICE’s unlawful obstruction of congressional oversight and introduced bills to ban ICE from wearing masks, prevent immigration enforcement from targeting schools, hospitals, polling locations, and places of worship, and cut back the excessive funding that MAGA Republicans gave them.

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Hirono, Colleagues Demand ICE Immediately Halt Actions Against Children

~ Recent events demonstrate Trump Administration’s deliberate attempt to target unaccompanied minors ~

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and 8 colleagues in writing a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons, and the Director of the Justice Department’s Executive Office of Immigration Review Daren Margolin, urging the Trump Administration to halt enforcement actions against minors and develop policies aimed at protecting them.

“Due to the Administration’s actions, immigrant children are being held in custody for substantially longer periods of time, including children never previously detained. Children released from ORR custody in January 2025 were held for an average of 37 days. In grave comparison, children released in August 2025 were held almost five times as long, for an average of 182 days,” the senators wrote. “To make matters worse, the Administration has sought repeatedly to terminate the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement, which sets minimum standards for the humane treatment of children in custody. It is unconscionable that this Administration believes that children belong behind bars and should be stripped of protections that ensure access to food, water, and other necessities while in detention.”

The senators continued, highlighting that this administration is breaking records for the amount of children being deported.

“April 2025, more than 8,000 children age 11 or under received a removal order—the highest monthly number in over 35 years. And in the first six months of the Administration, nearly 15,000 children under the age of four were ordered deported. The vast majority of these children did not have legal representation,” the senators continued.

The lawmakers added, “Over the last year, the Administration has also launched an unprecedented attack on the sponsors and guardians of unaccompanied children. According to reporting, enforcement operations targeting parents and caretakers of immigrant kids have led to nearly 3,000 arrests. Instead of targeting violent criminals, the Administration appears to be using children as bait to easily locate and target family members and sponsors for deportation.”

“The Administration’s actions paint a deeply troubling picture for the fate of immigrant children in our country. DHS and ICE are intent on detaining and removing children from the country without regard for constitutional or statutory protections,” the senators concluded.

In their letter, the senators request answers to the following questions no later than February 23, 2026:

Please provide any internal guidance, policy, or memorandum governing any changes in Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR’s) mission since January 2025.

Under what circumstances does DHS transfer unaccompanied children into ORR custody?

How many children has CBP transferred into ORR custody since January 2025? How many children has ICE transferred into ORR custody since January 2025?

Of the children that DHS has transferred into ORR custody since January 2025, how many were separated from a parent or other family member? How many were removed from their sponsors due to the sponsor’s immigration status?

How many individuals age 18 or younger has ORR detained in immigration custody since January 2025? How many individuals age 18 or younger has the Administration arrested in the interior of the country and placed in ORR custody since January 2025?

In addition to Senators Hirono, Markey, and Merkley, the letter is also signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

Senator Hirono is a leading champion in the fight for comprehensive immigration reform and continues to advocate on behalf of immigrant communities in Hawaii and across the country, especially in the wake of the Trump Administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement agenda. Last year, Senator Hirono reintroduced the Reuniting Families Act of 2025, legislation to strengthen protections for immigrant families and address long-standing problems in a family immigration system that hasn’t seen meaningful reform in more than three decades. She also cosponsored the Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act, legislation to reverse provisions in the Republican tax law (the “Big Ugly Bill”) that harm unaccompanied children who are seeking safety from trafficking, abuse, and exploitation in their home countries. Last year, Senator Hirono also cosponsored the Temporary Immigration Judge Integrity Act, legislation to prevent inexperienced temporary immigration judge appointments in light of the Trump administration’s abuse of loopholes in current regulations.

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Attorney General Bondi, Secretary Noem, Secretary Kennedy, Acting Director Lyons, and Director Margolin:

Since assuming office, the Trump administration has systematically targeted unaccompanied children for removal. Last year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) went to the extreme length of attempting to remove a group of unaccompanied minors to Guatemala in the dead of night without a shred of due process. The Administration has also detained unaccompanied children in growing numbers, sent enforcement officials to the homes of children released from custody, lured children with payments to self-deport, and fined minors with hefty fees. The Administration’s cruel actions have gravely imperiled immigrant children and exacerbated fear among an already sensitive group. We write to urge you to halt misguided enforcement actions against minors, follow the law, and implement policies aimed at protecting this vulnerable community.

The Trump administration has voiced an interest in locating children previously determined to be unaccompanied and now living with sponsors and in protecting these minors from human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. However, the panoply of actions targeting these very minors contradict the Administration’s avowed intent. For months, the Administration has eviscerated important legal protections that safeguard immigrant children, sought to dismantle child welfare standards, and conducted immigration enforcement aimed at children and their sponsors. These actions have increased the number of children deported without proper vetting to dangerous conditions, separated more families, and worsened detention conditions.

Early last year, the agency statutorily tasked with the care and placement of unaccompanied minors—the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—granted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and DHS access to their databases containing sensitive information on unaccompanied children. Armed with this information and other data sources, DHS embarked on a campaign to target unaccompanied children, locating their whereabouts and conducting so-called “wellness checks.”

According to reporting, the Administration has sent armed law enforcement agents wearing tactical gear—instead of officials trained in child welfare—to children’s homes to conduct these supposed “wellness checks.” For instance, in May 2025, a 28-year-old man and his two teenage brothers were awoken by DHS officials at their home in Boston, Massachusetts, in an unplanned welfare check on the younger siblings. The brothers reported feeling anxiety and confusion at this visit, as they had previously checked in with ORR in more than a dozen required calls. The Administration has reportedly returned over 600 children living with sponsors to ORR custody after these checks. And, in November 2025, the Administration announced it would use its standing agreements with state and local law enforcement to expand these home visits.

Due to the Administration’s actions, immigrant children are being held in custody for substantially longer periods of time, including children never previously detained. Children released from ORR custody in January 2025 were held for an average of 37 days. In grave comparison, children released in August 2025 were held almost five times as long, for an average of 182 days. To make matters worse, the Administration has sought repeatedly to terminate the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement, which sets minimum standards for the humane treatment of children in custody. It is unconscionable that this Administration believes that children belong behind bars and should be stripped of protections that ensure access to food, water, and other necessities while in detention.

Moreover, last summer, agents with DHS’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began interviewing children in ORR’s custody at shelters. The interviews, which lack proper trauma-informed procedures, are also causing fear and intimidation among children. They also suggest that ORR, an office historically tasked with the care of children, has been turned into a tool of Trump’s mass deportation agenda.

The Administration has also dismantled child-friendly immigration court practices and affirmatively adopted other practices that harm children. Since January 2025, when the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) rescinded the Director’s Memorandum on Children’s Cases (DM 24-01)—which provided guidance to the courts on the handling of children’s proceedings—the immigration courts have become increasingly inhospitable to children. Immigration judges are granting fewer continuances for children to find counsel, government attorneys are moving to rush cases, and children are being ordered removed even when U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has granted them legal relief.

Unsurprisingly, this Administration is breaking records for the deportation of young children. In April 2025, more than 8,000 children age 11 or under received a removal order—the highest monthly number in over 35 years. And in the first six months of the Administration, nearly 15,000 children under the age of four were ordered deported. The vast majority of these children did not have legal representation.

The situation reached a fever pitch on the Saturday night of Labor Day weekend 2025 when the Administration attempted to unlawfully remove Guatemalan unaccompanied children from the country without a shred of due process. In the middle of the night, the Administration woke up dozens of children, drove them to an airport, and put them on airplanes for removal. These actions are an apparent violation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (“TVPRA”), a law that sets specific procedural protections for the removal of unaccompanied immigrant children. And although a federal court stopped this particular removal from taking place, the Administration’s assault on unaccompanied minors is ongoing.

The efforts to double down on targeting unaccompanied children have only accelerated in recent months. In October 2025, DHS rolled out a $2,500 payment to incentivize unaccompanied teenagers to self-deport. These payments—billed as a “one-time resettlement support stipend” to children age 14 and older—are a tool to bypass due process protections that apply to children by requiring minors to waive their rights under the TVPRA. At the same time, the Administration is also levying $5,000 fines on unaccompanied minors fleeing unsafe conditions —another tactic to instill fear and encourage children to self-deport. We are concerned about the coercive effect of these payments and fines and ultimately, of shipping children off to dangerous conditions.

Over the last year, the Administration has also launched an unprecedented attack on the sponsors and guardians of unaccompanied children. According to reporting, enforcement operations targeting parents and caretakers of immigrant kids have led to nearly 3,000 arrests. Instead of targeting violent criminals, the Administration appears to be using children as bait to easily locate and target family members and sponsors for deportation.

In addition to actions against unaccompanied children, the Administration’s immigration arrest dragnet is also resulting in family separations and in the increased detention of families. In Maine, a five-year-old girl waited to be picked up after school, only to learn that ICE had arrested her mother. And in Minneapolis, federal agents arrested five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father and quickly sent them to an immigration detention center in Texas. These stories illustrate an Administration intent on disregarding the rights of parents, the well-being of children, and the importance of keeping families unified.

Altogether, the Administration’s actions paint a deeply troubling picture for the fate of immigrant children in our country. The DOJ, DHS, and HHS are intent on detaining and removing children from the country without regard for constitutional or statutory protections. In order to help us and the public better understand the Administration’s policies affecting immigrant children, we write to request answers in writing to the following questions no later than February 26, 2026.

Please provide any internal guidance, policy, or memorandum governing any changes in ORR’s mission since January 2025.

Under what circumstances does DHS transfer unaccompanied children into ORR custody? How many children has DHS transferred into ORR custody following a “wellness check”? How many children has DHS transferred into ORR custody following an ICE or USCIS check-in? How many children has DHS transferred into ORR custody following interactions with local law enforcement?

How many children has CBP transferred into ORR custody since January 2025? How many children has ICE transferred into ORR custody since January 2025?

Of the children that DHS has transferred into ORR custody since January 2025, how many were separated from a parent or legal guardian? How many children were removed from their sponsor’s care due to the sponsor’s immigration status?

How many individuals age 18 or younger has ORR detained in immigration custody since January 2025? How many individuals age 18 or younger has the Administration arrested in the interior of the country and placed in ORR custody since January 2025?

How many unaccompanied children has EOIR ordered removed since January 2025? How many accompanied children have been ordered removed by DHS since January 2025?

How many unaccompanied children have been removed from the United States since January 2025? How many unaccompanied children have been removed without a final removal order from an immigration judge since January 2025?

What kind of training has DHS or ORR provided to officials or personnel who conduct or oversee “wellness checks” on unaccompanied minors? Please provide copies of those training materials.

What services, if any, do ORR and DHS make available for children for whom concerns are identified during “wellness checks”? Please provide copies of those service materials and memorandums of understanding between the agencies and service providers.

What staff or officials are tasked with asking minors if they want to return home voluntarily? What kind of training has DHS or ORR provided to these officials? Please provide copies of those training materials.

Are DHS or ORR allowing legal counsel to explain to children the consequences of accepting voluntary return, including the waiver of the right to appear before an immigration judge?

Please provide any internal guidance, policy, or memorandum outlining DHS’s decision to offer $2,500 to incentivize unaccompanied children to self-deport. Please indicate which Administration officials prepared or wrote the relevant guidance, policy, or memorandum.

Please provide any internal guidance, policy, or memorandum outlining DHS’s decision to begin imposing a $5,000 fee on certain unaccompanied minors and proof of how officers are being asked to implement these decisions.

How many children has Customs and Border Protection removed from the country since January 2025?

It has become clear that the Administration is engaged in a coordinated, multi-pronged effort to target unaccompanied minors and their families. These ill-advised actions are causing irreparable harm and trauma to vulnerable children. It needs to stop now.

Sincerely,

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Hoeven: New National Guard Partnership with War Department Highlights State’s Role in Counter-UAS

Senator Worked to Bring Department-Wide Testing Efforts to North Dakota

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, announced that the Department of War will hold a Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) event in North Dakota from August 15-31 at Camp Grafton. The T-REX event follows Hoeven’s efforts to convince the Department of War to leverage North Dakota’s technology ecosystem to rapidly test and evaluate counter unmanned aircraft systems (cUAS) technology.

“We made the case to top Pentagon leaders that North Dakota is the ideal place to test and evaluate counter-UAS technology, thanks to our expertise and available range space,” Hoeven said. “As this partnership between DoW leaders and the North Dakota Guard develops, we expect additional T-REX events to be held on a regular basis.”

T-REX is a Department of War initiative designed to accelerate the development, testing and fielding of emerging technologies by providing a structured framework for experimentation. Through the T-REX process, the Department works with industry partners to evaluate and refine capabilities in realistic operational environments, ensuring readiness and effectiveness for future missions. At the Camp Grafton T-REX event, companies with promising cUAS technology will have the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities and allow the Department to determine if it should procure their systems.

The North Dakota National Guard will make range space available at Camp Grafton to host the T-REX event as well as provide logistics and communications support.

Hoeven told Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in a letter in August 2025 that the North Dakota National Guard and Camp Grafton could play a key role in supporting the Department’s efforts to rapidly develop and deploy cUAS technology. That letter led to a November meeting between Hoeven and officials from the Department of War’s Research and Engineering section to discuss ways to best utilize the state’s capabilities. Senator Hoeven connected these officials to the North Dakota National Guard to discuss T-REX, leading to today’s announcement.

The T-REX event builds on a series of efforts Hoeven has made to position North Dakota as a central hub for UAS and cUAS research, development and testing, including the creation of Project ULTRA, the establishment of the Air Force’s Point Defense Battle Lab, and support for Department of Homeland Security cUAS testing in conjunction with the University of North Dakota.

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Hoeven Outlines Efforts to Advance Crack the Code 2.0

Senator Continues Working to Partner North Dakota’s Oil & Coal Industries, Provide $50 Million in Federal Funding to Develop Large-Scale EOR Pilot Projects

WASHINGTON – While delivering remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate this week, Senator John Hoeven outlined efforts in North Dakota to advance Crack the Code 2.0, an initiative he is spearheading to partner the state’s coal and oil industries and strengthen U.S. energy security. Hoeven continues working with Energy Secretary Chris Wright, along with state and industry leaders, to move the $171 million initiative forward, with the senator:

Working to secure a total of $50 million in federal funding for Crack the Code 2.0.

The initiative will utilize large-scale pilot projects to advance the technical and commercial viability of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the Bakken.

Hoeven has provided $12 million in federal funding for the effort to date.

Having included a policy in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3), also known as the Working Families Tax Cut Act, to properly align the 45Q tax credit to incentivize the use of CO2 for EOR. Doing so:

Supports coal producers’ continued operations by providing access to a new revenue stream through selling CO2 to oil producers.

Provides a strong, long-term incentive for EOR, making it the clear, commercially-viable choice to improve oil recovery in the Bakken.

“Crack the Code 2.0 is about strengthening our nation’s energy security, keeping electricity reliable and affordable, and ensuring America remains energy dominant for generations to come… Producers are recovering only between 5 to 10 percent of oil in the Bakken, meaning billions of barrels remain untapped. The Bakken has already produced more than 5 billion barrels of oil, and EOR could unlock at least another 5 billion barrels. That’s more than doubling the amount of recoverable oil from one of our most important energy formations. Doing so will help increase our energy independence and lower costs for American families.

“Crack the Code 2.0 is also about keeping the lights on and strengthening our electric grid, especially as electricity demand continues to soar in the United States. North Dakota’s coal-fired power plants can provide a reliable supply of CO2 that could be captured and put to productive uses for EOR, creating a new revenue stream that helps keep these facilities operating long into the future. This is vital because we can count on our baseload coal-fired power plants to provide reliable electricity available 24 hours a day and in every type of weather condition.

“This is not simply good for North Dakota, it is critical for the United States. Every additional barrel produced at home reduces dependence on foreign sources, particularly from OPEC and adversaries like Iran and Russia. Every megawatt of reliable baseload power protects grid reliability and affordability. Ultimately, energy is the key input to economic activity and greatly impacts our quality of life, and our nation is fortunate to have abundant reserves of coal, oil and gas.

“The first effort to crack the code on the Bakken helped make our nation a global energy powerhouse and strengthened America’s geopolitical standing. Crack the Code 2.0 builds on this legacy, once again harnessing American innovation and unlocking energy resources that will support our economic and national security for decades to come.”

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HYDE-SMITH OPPOSES BILL TO CODIFY OFFSHORE ENERGY MORATORIUM

Miss. Senator Says Permanent Offshore Energy Restrictions Would Limit Work to Unleash American Energy

VIDEO: Senator Hyde-Smith Explains Opposition to Pending Outer Continental Shelf Legislation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today registered her opposition to legislation to codify an existing moratorium on oil and gas exploration on parts of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) as the Trump administration moves to revive offshore energy production.

At an Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing Thursday, Hyde-Smith said the American Shores Protection Act (S.3082) is unnecessary and could affect ongoing Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) work to develop a new five-year lease sale plan for offshore energy production.

“The bill comes as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management continues to advance the Draft Proposed Program for the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The proposal fulfills BOEM’s statutory responsibilities and aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order, Unleashing American Energy, which I have been so anxious to do,” Hyde-Smith said.

“The proposal considers all potential options in federal waters that could benefit the American people. Expanding opportunities in the Gulf could help meet growing energy demand, create jobs, and support refiners along the Gulf Coast,” the Senator continued. “Additional lease sales will help fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, benefiting states across the country, not just Mississippi.”

Hyde-Smith said S.3082 could restrict the administration’s authority to strengthen American energy production by prohibiting energy exploration, development, and production in certain OCS areas off the coast of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

“Congress should allow the BOEM’s process to proceed without restricting the administration's authority,” Hyde-Smith said.

Offshore energy production the in regions outlined in S.3082 is already prohibited under a 2020 moratorium, which President Trump extended to June 2032. President Trump retains the authority to rescind that moratorium at any time.

In addition, the current BOEM 11th National Oil and Gas Leasing Program is supported by the Outer Continental Shelf Governors Coalition, which is headed by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. A supportive OCS Governors Coalition comment letter, which states that the Gulf of America contains an estimated 29.6 billion barrels of oil and 54.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, was entered by Hyde-Smith into the hearing record.

Hyde-Smith serves on the Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee, which convened Thursday to receive testimony on 23 bills from stakeholders and administration officials.