VIDEO: Blackburn Calls for New Nashville Electric Service Leadership, Praises Judicial Nomination for Western District of Tennessee

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) delivered remarks on the need to replace Nashville Electric Service leadership following the company’s failure to properly prepare for Winter Storm Fern, leaving thousands of Tennesseans still without power. Senator Blackburn also praised the nomination of Brian Lea to serve as the United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee ahead of the Senate’s vote to confirm him to the position.

Click here to download Senator Blackburn’s remarks on the Senate floor.

EXCERPTS OF REMARKS AS PREPARED

On Need for New Leadership at Nashville Electric Service Following Winter Storm Fern:

“By failing to properly prepare for Winter Storm Fern, the Nashville Electric Service—the 11th largest electric utility in the nation—put Tennesseans in harm’s way.”

“In recent years, the company slashed funding for one of the most important ways to prevent power loss. Across Nashville, hundreds of tree branches have broken off into power lines due to ice buildup. This is the main reason for the power loss. And it’s the responsibility of NES to trim trees around power lines to ensure this doesn’t happen.

“Between 2023 and 2025, the utility’s leadership cut funding for tree trimming services by $7 million. The reason? As CEO Teresa Broyles-Alpin told local media in August, ‘We care about the [tree] canopy. We have to live here, too.’ Instead of funding tree trimming, the utility has focused on DEI. Between 2023 and early 2024, NES held 102 DEI training sessions for employees.”

“It should be no surprise that when disaster struck, the utility was unprepared. People would get notices that their power was back on, but their electricity was not restored. People would try to call NES and report an outage, but the phone system was not working. Then they would pull up the NES website, but their online reporting was down.”

“This failure is simply inexcusable. On Friday, I sent a letter to NES demanding a clear explanation for why it failed to prepare for the storm and prevent massive power loss for thousands of Tennesseans. In response, the company refused to take any responsibility and said that power should be fully restored by next week. That would be a full two weeks of no power for many Nashville homes and businesses.”

“Let me be clear: Whoever is responsible for this disaster should be fired immediately—and replaced with competent leadership. This can never happen again.”

On Brian Lea’s Nomination to the Western District of Tennessee:

“In a few moments, this chamber will proceed to a cloture vote for the nomination of Mr. Brian Lea to serve as the United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee. I urge all my colleagues to vote to end debate and proceed to final confirmation.”

“Mr. Lea is an experienced lawyer who will serve our nation with excellence and integrity. He grew up in Memphis—graduating from Evangelical Christian School in 2002. He went on to receive his B.A. from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and attended the University of Georgia School of Law, where he graduated first in his class and served as Articles Editor of the Georgia Law Review.”

“He clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas and worked for years at one of our country’s preeminent law firms, Jones Day. While there, he handled everything from products liability cases and business disputes to constitutional litigation and intellectual property matters.”

“Most recently, he has served our nation in President Trump’s Justice Department, advising Attorney General Bondi on the implementation of the department’s policies and assisting with litigation.”

“Mr. Lea has the experience and qualifications to serve the American people as a district judge in the Western District of Tennessee. I know he will make the people of Tennessee proud.”

RELATED

Blackburn Presses Nashville Electric Service on Failure to Adequately Prepare for Winter Storm Fern


Blumenthal, Boozman, King & Duckworth Lead Bipartisan Push to Secure Long-Overdue Benefits for K2 Veterans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Angus King (I-ME), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) are calling on the Department of Defense (DOD) to review and confirm the presence of radiation and toxic substances at the Karshi Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan so the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can deliver K2 veterans exposed to radiation long-overdue benefits.

“We write to request a review of the toxic substances present at the Karshi Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan. Nearly 16,000 service members deployed to K2 from 2001 to 2005. These service members have since developed serious health conditions. Yet, the federal government has not provided a consistent explanation of the hazards they encountered, which denies them the answers, care, and benefits they deserve,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The Senators continued, “VA’s ability to recognize radiation-related exposures…remains dependent on confirmation from the Department of Defense (DOD). Without an accurate accounting of the toxic substances found at K2 by the Department, VA is unable to ensure veterans who suffer from conditions related to radiation, jet fuels, asbestos, chemical agents, and other toxins receive the benefits they deserve.”

The Senators pointed to early reviews identifying toxic substances at K2, and a study from the Army Medical Department Journal identifying a connection between K2 deployment and certain rare cancers associated with radiation exposure. They requested DOD conduct a review of the toxic and radiological substances present at K2, and a review of the potential health effects of combined exposure to the contaminants found at K2.

K2 was a military base in Uzbekistan where some of the first servicemembers were deployed in the Global War on Terror. It was a former chemical weapons site, and reporting has confirmed it was contaminated with uranium. While many K2 veterans suffer from radiation-exposure illnesses, VA has not utilized authorities from the PACT Act to expand coverage for veterans exposed to radiation at K2, citing no “enriched uranium was present at K2.” As a result, the Senators are pushing DOD to confirm uranium was found at K2 and resolve differences in records that are leading to the “federal government’s dismissal and denial of the hazards associated with [K2 veterans’] service.”

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

Dear Secretary Hegseth,

We write to request a review of the toxic substances present at the Karshi Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan. Nearly 16,000 service members deployed to K2 from 2001 to 2005. These service members have since developed serious health conditions. Yet, the federal government has not provided a consistent explanation of the hazards they encountered, which denies them the answers, care, and benefits they deserve.

Early reviews identified a range of toxic substances at K2. However, follow-up reviews have disputed their toxicity, creating delays and confusion for veterans seeking care. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has acknowledged that conditions at K2 posed immediate and long-term risks to military personnel. VA’s ability to recognize radiation-related exposures, however, remains dependent on confirmation from the Department of Defense (DOD). Without an accurate accounting of the toxic substances found at K2 by the Department, VA is unable to ensure veterans who suffer from conditions related to radiation, jet fuels, asbestos, chemical agents, and other toxins receive the benefits they deserve.

These veterans dispute the federal government’s dismissal and denial of the hazards associated with their service. The Army Medical Department Journal previously identified a potential connection between K2 deployment and certain rare cancers associated with radiation exposure. Additionally, evidence submitted to the Federal Register by a former member of the US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine’s environmental assessment team confirms that enriched uranium was found at K2. If true, DOD must acknowledge enriched uranium was found at K2, as it explains the prevalence of cancer-related health conditions among K2 veterans. A complete review by the Department would resolve the differences in records.

We respectfully request the following:

Review all sources of information regarding toxic and radiological substances at K2, including health record data, scientific research, and information provided directly by service members.

A review of the potential health effects of combined exposure to contaminants found at K2. Previous reviews have focused on the health effects of exposure to each contaminant.

The men and women who served at K2 were among the first service members of the War on Terror and did so under difficult and hazardous conditions. They and their families deserve health care and benefits that account for the risks they encountered. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your continued commitment to those who served.

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Blumenthal Statement on Release of Annual Veteran Suicide Report

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today issued a statement following the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) release of its National Veterans Suicide Prevention annual report, revealing a decrease in veteran suicides from 2022 to 2023. At a Committee oversight hearing last week, Blumenthal pressed VA Secretary Doug Collins for the release of this delayed report, which should have been published last year.

“Veterans suicide is one of our nation’s most serious problems. While we saw a decrease in the number of veterans losing to their life to suicide in 2023, more needs to be done. We must safeguard lifesaving resources like the Veterans Crisis Line, address the shortage of mental health professionals at VA, and ensure every single veteran seeking mental health care gets that care in a timely manner. I’ll continue working to reduce this grim number by bolstering the suicide prevention, mental health care, and support programs relied upon by veterans, and fighting against any effort to diminish the critical care they provide.”

VA’s report shows 6,398 veterans died by suicide in 2023. Additionally, 61% of veterans who died by suicide in 2023 had no contact with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and were not receiving VA benefits. The suicide rate among veterans in VHA care with mental health or substance use disorder diagnoses fell 34.7%. This data highlights the importance of both strengthening VA’s direct care system and expanding outreach and suicide prevention efforts for veterans who are not engaged in VHA health care.

Last month, Blumenthal’s released a comprehensive report, Breaking the Pact: Impacts of Trump, DOGE, and Doug Collins’ Ongoing Assault on Veterans, detailing the harm and impacts of the Trump Administration’s draconian directives and cuts on veterans. Among its many findings, the report revealed a historic loss of staff, dire health care staffing shortages, and spiking VA mental health care wait times. Based on these findings, Blumenthal has asked Secretary Collins for updated facility-by-facility data for wait times on mental health care access—noting that the public data shows nearly one-third of facilities have wait times for new patients exceeding 40 days.

Blumenthal has been a stanch fighter to improve and expand veterans’ mental health care. Last year, he introduced the BRAVE Act—comprehensive legislation to strengthen VA’s mental health workforce, infrastructure, and services, including renewing the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. This first-of-its-kind grant provides funding for local organizations combatting veteran suicide. Blumenthal also successfully attached an amendment to protect the life-saving Veterans Crisis Line from future cuts by the Trump Administration in the Fiscal Year 2026 federal funding bill.

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Booker, Rounds, Heinrich, Lieu, and Obernolte Reintroduce Bipartisan AI Grand Challenges Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) along with Congressmen Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA), reintroduced the AI Grand Challenges Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill to harness the promise of artificial intelligence to solve complex problems across a range of sectors, including health, energy, environment, national security, materials science, and cybersecurity – as well as address AI system-specific challenges like bias mitigation and content provenance.

The bill directs the National Science Foundation to establish an AI Grand Challenges Program and administer prize competitions – with $1 million minimum prizes – to incentivize researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators to harness AI to address specific and measurable challenges to benefit the United States and serve the public good.

“New Jersey has long been a hub of cutting-edge research and development—from the invention of the transistor at Bell Labs in Murray Hill in the 1940s, to groundbreaking AI research at our companies and universities today,” said Senator Booker. “I'm proud to lead this bipartisan bill to harness the power of artificial intelligence to tackle pressing challenges and deliver real benefits to people across our state.”

“AI has the potential to improve quality of life for New Mexico families — from treating rare diseases to lowering costs by improving the efficiency of our electrical grid. Unfortunately, too much of private investment in AI is focused on building tools whose main effect is making it possible to create large-scale harmful content and automate away good-paying jobs,” said Heinrich. “I’m proud to introduce legislation that will help unlock AI’s potential for good by making this technology more accessible, even as more work remains to ensure AI is developed and deployed responsibly to meet our greatest challenges in this generation and the next.”

“The impact that AI has already made on our country is promising, but we haven’t even scratched the surface on harnessing its full potential,”said Senator Rounds. “The ability to make progress in the fields of science, technology and especially health care will be revolutionary and could even lead to the cures of many diseases. Grand challenges have proven successful in ways to advance new scientific discoveries. Our legislation would create an AI Grand Challenges program that encourages innovation in the use of AI.”

“Spurring innovation in AI is essential to maintaining America’s leadership in this critical field. By leading in AI research, innovation, and deployment, we can ensure strong safeguards are built in as the technology evolves. I am pleased to work with Rep. Obernolte and Senators Booker and Rounds on the AI Grand Challenges Act, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to ensure AI delivers meaningful benefits for American families, said Congressman Lieu."

“The AI Grand Challenges Act will ensure the U.S. continues to lead in artificial intelligence research and development across critical sectors such as health, energy, and cybersecurity,” said Congressman Obernolte. “By incentivizing breakthroughs, we are paving the way for transformative advancements that will harnesses the incredible potential of AI to solve some of our nation’s most pressing challenges.”

“Prize competitions are an underutilized tool to encourage and incentivize open innovation, test new approaches, and widen the participant pool for diverse ideas. As AI becomes increasingly more ubiquitous, it is important that the public, private sector, and government work together to solve or advance the field in areas that matter to everyone—healthcare, energy, manufacturing, cybersecurity, and more. It is exciting to see the value and the potential of prize competitions encapsulated in this legislation,” said Ali Crawford, Senior Research Analyst, Center for Security and Emerging Technology.

Grand challenges and prize competitions have been used for centuries to achieve ambitious but achievable goals. They were used in the 1700s to find a way to accurately measure the longitude of ships at sea; in the early twentieth century to advance the state of the art in aviation; and in the early twenty-first century to accelerate the development of autonomous vehicle technology.

In the past 15 years alone, the U.S. federal government has run hundreds of prize competitions. They are cost-effective because they pay only for success; they attract large and diverse groups of participants from across disciplines who are singularly focused on achieving a particular goal; and they elevate the prominence of problems that need solving.

There are notable examples that demonstrate the promise of AI to address major scientific challenges. In recent years, AI has been used topredict the 3D structure of proteins, which may improve drug discovery and lead to better treatments and cures; to discover entirely new materials that may help to improve the efficiency of batteries and superconductors; and to deliver breakthroughs in medical screening and imaging to better detect disease.

The AI Grand Challenges Act will build on this momentum and further support the development of new innovations to benefit society.

To read the full text of the bill, click here.


U.S. Senator Katie Britt Applauds Judiciary Committee’s Advancement of GUARD Act, U.S. Attorney Nominee Thomas Govan

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today attended a Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Business meeting, where the committee voted to advance her bipartisan legislation, the Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception (GUARD) Act, as well as Alabamian Thomas Govan, President Trump’s nominee to serve as the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. The GUARD Act awaits a full Senate vote, and Govan requires Senate confirmation.

“I’m thrilled to see my bipartisan legislation with Senator Gillibrand advance unanimously out of committee today. This important legislation would give local law enforcement agencies the tools they need to investigate financial fraud, particularly scammers who prey on our elderly citizens. Advancing this bill today is another important step towards bringing these faceless cowards who prey on vulnerable Americans to justice.

“I am also proud to have vote[d] to advance the nomination of one of Alabama’s very own, Thomas Govan. His expertise, professionalism, and deep knowledge of the legal system provide him with an incredible foundation on which to serve the Middle District of Alabama,” said Senator Britt. “I applaud President Trump’s nomination and am eager to see him confirmed soon.”

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Capito Secures CDS Award for Berkeley County Public Service Water District

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environmental and Public Works (EPW) Committee and a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the Berkeley County Public Service Water District (BCPSWD) in Berkeley County, W.Va.

This award, which was secured through a CDS request made by Chairman Capito in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), will be used to support existing water needs and also future growth, which is expected to bring additional business, residential, and recreational development to Berkeley County.

“As Berkeley County continues to grow and develop, the need for additional clean water infrastructure is critical. This funding is one step in the process of directing the needed resources to provide clean water to the growing number of residents and businesses in Berkeley County,” Senator Capito said.“As chairman of the Environmental and Public Works Committee and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am proud to utilize the CDS process to help make this project a reality.”

In October of 2024, Senator Capito attended the groundbreaking announcement for the Bunker Hill Water Treatment Plant, which is part of the Berkeley County Water PSD’s network of treatment plants. Earlier that year, Senator Capito announced that BCPSWD would receive $3 million from the EPA for renovations to help refurbish the 65-year-old plant.

Individual award details listed below:


Senators Collins, Rosen Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Accounting Education

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced the bipartisan Accounting STEM Pursuit Act that would help address workforce shortages in the accounting profession. The bill comes as the accounting profession, like many sectors of the economy, is facing a shortage of talent to fill the jobs available. In Maine, many municipalities have struggled to find accountants to conduct their annual audits.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 124,000 job openings nationwide for accountants and auditors are projected each year, on average, over the next decade. At the same time, fewer students are pursuing accounting degrees than in prior years.

“Mathematics and technology skills can help students unlock countless doors to high-paying, in-demand fields. One of those doors leads to the accounting profession, whose work plays a key role in providing capital markets with confidence and assurance in financial reporting,” said Senator Collins. “Our bipartisan bill would recognize accounting as a STEM subject and strengthen the pipeline of future accountants, who play a vital role in our financial system.”

“Students don’t always know what career paths are out there until they’re exposed to different options in the classroom,” said Senator Rosen. “By recognizing the accounting profession as a valuable STEM career pathway, we can help promote and expand access to high-quality accounting education programs and make sure the next generation is ready to fill good-paying accounting jobs.”

“Designating accounting as a STEM pathway acknowledges how deeply technology and analytics are embedded in the work accountants do every day,” said American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) President & CEO Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA. “It will help expose students to the profession, strengthening workforce development in the accounting profession and improving access for more students. We thank Senators Collins and Rosen for their efforts to have accounting designated as a STEM curriculum and urge Congress to move this legislation forward.”

The Accounting STEM Pursuit Act would recognize accounting as a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) profession and amend the Every Student Succeeds Act to add accounting education programs as an allowable use of K-12 grant funding. The bill would also promote high-quality accounting instruction for members of groups underrepresented in accounting careers.

The complete text of the bill is available here.

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Cornyn Applauds Committee Passage of Ryan Raybould as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved President Trump’s nomination of Ryan Raybould to be U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas:

“Throughout Ryan’s time serving as my Chief Counsel, I had a front-row seat to his deep understanding of the law and our nation’s judicial system. Paired with his tenure as a former federal prosecutor, this experience makes him the ideal choice by President Trump to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Dallas,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I was proud to recommend Ryan for this position with Senator Cruz and vote to advance his nomination out of the Judiciary Committee today, and I look forward to seeing how he will continue serving Texans in this role once confirmed.”

Mr. Raybould was previously a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis in the Government, Regulatory, and Internal Investigations Practice Group. Before joining Kirkland & Ellis, Mr. Raybould served as Chief Counsel for Sen. Cornyn, where he helped draft and negotiate numerous pieces of legislation that became law on key issues such as national security, government accountability, and drug diversion control. Mr. Raybould also advised Sen. Cornyn’s work on the Judiciary Committee and the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control. Prior to serving as Sen. Cornyn’s Chief Counsel, Mr. Raybould was a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice for almost seven years, including as Deputy Chief of the White Collar and Public Corruption Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Raybould investigated and tried cases involving public corruption, tax fraud, securities fraud, cybercrime, national security, violent crime, money laundering, and other white-collar crimes. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School.

Sen. Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) recommended Mr. Raybould to President Trump following an extensive review and interview process of the candidate pool by the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee (FJEC). Sen. Cornyn and Sen. Cruz established the FJEC, a bipartisan panel of leading attorneys in Texas, to help identify the most qualified candidates to fill judicial and U.S attorney vacancies. The panel reviewed applications, interviewed candidates, and made recommendations to the Senators, who interviewed individuals before making their recommendations to the President.


Cornyn Highlights New World Screwworm Prevention Efforts

WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) highlighted the federal government’s efforts to prevent and combat the spread of the highly destructive New World screwworm, including legislation led by the Senator that was signed into law last year and the creation of a sterile fly facility in South Texas. Excerpts from Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

“This vicious pest touches all of our lives one way or another. If the New World screwworm spreads to Texas, infecting cattle and killing livestock, the already high price of beef will continue to increase.”

“Fortunately, President Trump and U.S. Department of Agriculture [Secretary] Brooke Rollins have made defeating the New World screwworm a priority.”

“I’ve been working closely with the USDA and other stakeholders to promote these efforts, and I’ve introduced legislation to authorize funding.”

“Planning is currently underway with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct a domestic sterile fly production facility in South Texas. It will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly production facility and will work in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico to help eradicate this pest and protect American agriculture.”

“While the New World screwworm poses a direct threat to cattle ranchers [and] all of us who enjoy a good hamburger or a steak, I think this should be encouraging news. The fly has yet to land here in the United States, but it’s close and we’re taking active steps to prevent its continued northward spread.”

“I’m confident that under Secretary Rollins and President Trump’s leadership, we will be prepared to meet this nasty parasite if it arrives in the United States. Texas cattle ranchers and beef lovers alike can rest assured knowing that Secretary Rollins, President Trump, and the United States Congress are on the job.”


Cornyn Op-Ed: Illegal Aliens Are Driving Drunk. It’s Time Congress Stops Them

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) authored the following op-ed in the Daily Caller on his Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act, legislation he recently introduced to keep Americans safe on the roads by ensuring illegal aliens who drive drunk and kill or seriously maim someone can be arrested, detained, and removed from the United States as aggravated felons and also permanently barring them from obtaining an immigration status.

Illegal Aliens Are Driving Drunk. It’s Time Congress Stops Them

Senator John Cornyn

Daily Caller

February 5, 2026

https://dailycaller.com/2026/02/05/opinion-illegal-aliens-are-driving-drunk-its-time-congress-stops-them-sen-john-cornyn/

Last January, Katie Abraham and Chloe Polzin, two college students in Illinois, were killed in a hit-and-run crash by Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal alien from Guatemala who was driving drunk. Katie was just 20 years old. Her dad described her as “intelligent,” “so funny, so witty,” and someone who “had this way of bringing people in and making them feel seen.” Because of Julio Cucul-Bol, Mr. Abraham will never be able to walk his daughter down the aisle. Nearly the same age, Chloe celebrated her 21st birthday just one week before the fatal crash. An avid swimmer who competed in the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics, she had a zeal for travel and enjoyed volunteering. As an organ donor, Chloe was able to save five lives, and I hope it’s a comfort to her family knowing that Chloe’s heart beats on.

Across our country, mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters are having to bury family, friends, and loved ones who’ve died at the hands of criminal aliens who never should have been allowed in our country in the first place. It doesn’t have to be this way.

That is why I introduced the Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act to help keep Americans safe while driving on our roads. My bill would ensure that aliens who drive drunk and kill or seriously maim someone can be arrested, detained, and removed from the United States as aggravated felons. Specifically, any illegal alien who is convicted of a DWI or DUI that results in death or serious bodily injury of another individual would face mandatory detention and could be sentenced up to 20 years in prison for attempting illegal re-entry into the United States.

Furthermore, the Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act permanently bars these monsters from receiving legal status in the future. It’s not enough to simply deport these criminal aliens; we must stop them from ever entering our country again. No longer can the United States continue the status quo of allowing illegal aliens who drive drunk to endanger innocent lives. Anyone who dares to try will be met with the full wrath of the American justice system and shown zero mercy.

The sobering and ugly truth is that the tragedies of Katie, Chloe, Laken Riley, Kayla Hamilton, Jocelyn Nungaray, and so many others could have been prevented if the Biden administration simply enforced the law. Instead, President Biden’s careless open-border policies, including his Operation Allies Welcome program and other Biden-era parole programs created in an end-run around Congress, opened the flood gates for hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens to waltz into the United States.

Thanks to President Trump, we’ve already seen incredible progress towards holding these despicable individuals accountable. Last October, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem highlighted more than 140 illegal alien truck drivers who were arrested during Operation Midway Biltz. These aliens were found guilty of numerous crimes, from driving under the influence, to drug trafficking, child abuse, and more. As I continue working with the Trump administration, we will combat the crisis that President Biden created for the good of Texans and all Americans.

As the father of two daughters, I know firsthand that there are few moments in life as scary as handing your 16-year-old a pair of car keys. The world is a dangerous place, but our roads can be safer if we pass the Stop Illegal Aliens Drunk Driving Act. My message to potential offenders is clear: If you enter the country illegally and harm innocent citizens, we will find you, we will punish you, and we will make sure you never step foot on American soil again.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353

February 5, 2026

Cotton Introduces Bill to Increase State Cooperation with Federal Immigration Laws

Washington, DC — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) yesterday introduced legislation to ensure states comply with federal immigration enforcement. The Enforce Immigration or Lose Transportation Act would encourage better cooperation and prioritize safety by conditioning transportation funding to states based on compliance with federal immigration laws.

“States that don’t comply with federal immigration laws don’t just endanger their own citizens, they put the whole country at risk. My bill ensures that these states don’t receive another dime of federal transportation funding until they cooperate with federal immigration authorities,” said Senator Cotton.

Text of the bill can be found here.

The Enforce Immigration or Lose Transportation Act would:

Allow the Secretary of Transportation to withhold funding from states that do not comply with federal immigration law.

Empower the Department of Transportation to audit state practices and issue regulations to ensure compliance with the federal transportation and immigration law.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353

February 5, 2026

Cotton Statement on Expiration of New START

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement on the expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty:

“The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, also known as New START, expired today, and America is better for it. For too long, this flawed agreement has handcuffed America while our adversaries have expanded their arsenals. Today marks not an end, but a beginning—the beginning of America's return to nuclear strength and the end of the era of unilateral restraint. The treaty's expiration is an overdue correction of a strategic mistake that left America vulnerable to two nuclear peer competitors, Russia and Communist China.”

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Cramer Welcomes North Dakota Witness to EPW, Questions Panel on State and Federal Cybersecurity Cooperation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee heard from North Dakota cybersecurity specialist Matt Odermann during a hearing examining cybersecurity challenges impacting water infrastructure across the nation.

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chairman of the EPW Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, introduced Odermann, an executive board member of the North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association and Cybersecurity Supervisor at Minnkota Power Cooperative in Grand Forks.

In introducing Odermann, Cramer emphasized his “more than a decade of experience in cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection, with a strong understanding of the unique challenges facing rural water systems.”

Odermann described the capacity challenges rural systems face, noting he has“seen firsthand the cyber security challenges that play out in a converged [information technology] and [operational technology] environment. The vast majority of water and wastewater systems in this country serve communities of 10,000 people or less. We have the same responsibility as large water utilities to deliver safe drinking water every second of every day. The difference for us, though, is scale. Small systems operate with limited staff, limited revenue, and limited technical capacity. Most do not have in-house cybersecurity personnel. In rural America, cybersecurity is not a question of indifference. It's a question of capacity.”

Turning to solutions, Oderman then highlighted partnership and practical guidance as the path forward, stating “with the right balance of partnership, practical guidance, and resources, we can strengthen cybersecurity across America's water infrastructure, not through fear, but through collaboration and resilience.”

Odermann outlined five principles in his testimony for strengthening rural water system cybersecurity, including leading with assistance instead of enforcement, funding mandates for cybersecurity measures, focusing on foundational controls such as phishing prevention, strengthening weak passwords, and updating legacy equipment. He emphasized the need to rely on established trusted partners like organizations utilities already depend on and stressed the importance of recognizing diversity of system size.

Cramer began his questioning by highlighting Odermann’s first recommendation of leading with assistance rather than enforcement. Referring to a previous question by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) on cyber considerations for liability insurance, Cramer asked about the market aspect of insurance as a mechanism for assistance rather than enforcement.

“The fiduciary responsibility of being on a board, you typically look at, you know, how do we cover our risk?” said Odermann. “And cyber insurance definitely is part of that. And that is definitely driving some organizations to strengthen their cyber defenses because if you're a higher risk, you pay higher insurance premiums. If you desire more coverage, they're going to investigate you a little bit more, make sure that, hey, is this somebody we can actually cover or not? So the point about cyber insurance driving some of the changes is happening already.”

Cramer followed up by explaining how rural water systems, often collaborate and partner, but maintain their desire to protect their sovereignty and autonomy. He then asked for a “best practice that has worked for each of you as a way just give us a little guidance.”

“I mean, I think that you know we as a large systems example, we want to work together with everyone,” said Scott Dewhirst, Deputy General Manager for Engineering and Technology at Fairfax Water. “I think we engage with our colleagues across the state and Virginia, for instance, and share ideas and share best practices. I think to Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC), I think that's a great example, we can all collaborate together. I think that we can bring awareness to incidents as they occur, and that becomes a central clearing house for everyone in the country. It gives us a way to manage those threats and make sure people, large [or] small, it doesn't matter where you are in the country, is aware of those threats that can take mitigation steps to correct that. So I think WaterISAC is a great tool to kind of weave through all of us to give us their standards and protection.”

“Definitely using trusted partners that already have those relationships built out, that state primacy agencies and as state associations have a footprint and everything community in North Dakota,”answered Odermann. “For example, they know those circuit riders by name, probably have their cell phone… They probably know their kids' names and things like that. That's a very trusted relationship. What doesn't work is, you know, I have a 15 page bulletin information [disclosure]. That doesn't land with an operator in a small system. But definitely the trusted partners is where we work the best.”


DOT Awards $100,000 to Mercer County Airport

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded$100,000 to the Mercer County Regional Airport Authority. This award supports the removal of ground penetrations to the approach surface which were identified as obstructions by the FAA.

The AIG Program was established by the fully-paid-for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to provide airports with funding for modernization and safety projects. Since its creation, airports in North Dakota have received over $61 million in program funding.


Duckworth Joins Cantwell, Markey in Call for Accountability After Bedford’s Violation of Ethics Agreement May Yield the Sitting FAA Chief Millions

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the CST Aviation Subcommittee—Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) called on the Department of Transportation (DOT) General Counsel Gregory Zerzan for information and accountability regarding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford’s refusal to comply with his ethics agreement and divest his shares in Republic Airways. Instead, Bedford stalled while Republic Airways completed a merger with Mesa Air Group, which appears to have vastly increased the value of his holdings.

“According to recent SEC filings, individuals who held vested restricted stock units in Republic at the time of the merger’s closing—which included Mr. Bedford—are entitled to receive common stock in the newly-combined company valued at 38.9933 shares per each share of legacy Republic stock,” the Senators wrote to General Counsel Zerzan. “In other words, in violating his ethics agreement, it appears Mr. Bedford turned his 16,733 shares of private Republic stock into more than 652,470 shares of stock in the newly-combined, public company.”

Under his ethics agreement, Bedford was required to divest his Republic stock no later than October 7, 2025. In their letter, the Senators reviewed a series of troubling actions taken by Bedford, including his last-minute attempt to amend his ethics agreement on the grounds he was too busy to comply. Although the Office of Government Ethics rightly denied the request that same day, under questioning by the Senators in December, Bedford confirmed he retained his Republic shares months past his deadline to fully divest and could not say when he would fulfill his obligation to do so.

“Given the undisputed fact that Mr. Bedford failed to comply with his ethics agreement, it is now incumbent upon DOT and the DAEO (designated agency ethics official) —who reports to you—to initiate appropriate disciplinary or corrective actions to address Mr. Bedford’s noncompliance,” the Senators wrote. “This is especially true if Mr. Bedford has benefitted financially due to his flagrant noncompliance. A lack of accountability in this case would send the message that senior DOT officials can disregard their ethical commitments without consequence. That is unacceptable.”

The full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:

Mr. Zerzan:

We request documents and information regarding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford’s lack of compliance with his ethics agreement and the actions your office is taking to address this ethical violation. In recent testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Mr. Bedford confirmed he still retained his shares in Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. (Republic) months past the required deadline to divest. Mr. Bedford further claimed that he could not provide Congress a date by when he would fulfil his ethical obligation.[1] Recent Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings indicate that Mr. Bedford may receive a windfall totaling millions of dollars by holding onto his Republic shares months past his deadline to divest.[2] As the top lawyer for the Department of Transportation (DOT) who oversees the Department’s ethics office,[3] you bear responsibility for ensuring Mr. Bedford complies with his ethics agreement and ensuring all Department officials are held accountable for their ethical violations.[4]

Under his ethics agreement, Mr. Bedford was required to divest his significant equity stake in Republic no later than October 7, 2025.[5] Although Mr. Bedford apparently took certain steps to divest his Republic stock leading up to this deadline,[6] he waited until the last day to submit a letter to your office requesting a 60-day extension.[7] In his request letter, Mr. Bedford claimed the “demands on my time” stemming from his work leading FAA “created an unusual hardship for me to ensure full compliance with the 90-day timeframe” required in his ethics agreement to divest from Republic.[8] That same day, a DOT deputy general counsel serving as the DOT designated agency ethics official (DAEO) transmitted Mr. Bedford’s request to OGE and “encourage[d] OGE to grant” his request.[9] According to documents we obtained, your office also had a call with OGE on October 7, 2025, during which OGE denied Mr. Bedford’s extension request and explained that “OGE does not consider being busy with work to be either an unusual hardship or the basis to permit someone to amend their ethics agreement.”[10] Nevertheless, as of December 17, 2025, Mr. Bedford still had not divested his Republic stock, and we have received no indication that he has done so since then.[11]

Amid Mr. Bedford’s ongoing violation of his ethics agreement, Republic completed a merger with Mesa Air Group (Mesa), which the company announced on November 25, 2025, seven weeks after Mr. Bedford was required to fully divest from Republic.[12] According to recent SEC filings, individuals who held vested restricted stock units in Republic at the time of the merger’s closing—which included Mr. Bedford[13]—are entitled to receive common stock in the newly-combined company valued at 38.9933 shares per each share of legacy Republic stock.[14] In other words, in violating his ethics agreement, it appears Mr. Bedford turned his 16,733 shares of private Republic stock into more than 652,470 shares of stock in the newly-combined, public company.[15] The stock price for the now-public company closed at $19.62 per share at the end of the first week of January 2026, meaning Mr. Bedford could have sold his shares for potentially more than $12.8 million.[16]

OGE’s requirements and federal regulations are clear: It is the responsibility of OGE—not Mr. Bedford, and not the Department—to determine whether an official seeking to modify their ethics agreement post-confirmation “faces an unusual hardship” justifying an extension.[17] Importantly, per OGE guidance, agency ethics officials are supposed to engage OGE about a potential modification only if they believe a modification is “necessary.”[18] If the relevant criteria are met, OGE must ultimately approve a modification request.[19] In this case, the record shows that OGE found Mr. Bedford faced no “unusual hardship” and did not grant his request.

Given the undisputed fact that Mr. Bedford failed to comply with his ethics agreement, it is now incumbent upon DOT and the DAEO—who reports to you—to initiate appropriate disciplinary or corrective actions to address Mr. Bedford’s noncompliance.[20] This is especially true if Mr. Bedford has benefitted financially due to his noncompliance. A lack of accountability in this case would send the message that senior DOT officials can disregard their ethical commitments without consequence. That is unacceptable.

In addition to ensuring the Department upholds federal ethics requirements, we seek clarity on the role officials in your office played in facilitating Mr. Bedford’s modification request. During his testimony on December 17, 2025, Mr. Bedford repeatedly indicated that ethics officials in DOT’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) were largely responsible for his lack of compliance—notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Bedford is responsible for ensuring compliance with his own ethics agreement.[21]

Specifically, Mr. Bedford testified that he “applied for the extension at the advice of the career ethics officers,” after which he “heard nothing back from the career ethics officers to the contrary.”[22] Mr. Bedford also cited the merger between Republic and Mesa and testified that DOT ethics officials advised him “to seek an extension due to the fact that the agreement to merge Republic and Mesa was being delayed.”[23] Mr. Bedford further testified that his “intention was always to complete the merger and to sell the shares in the market. That was my intention coming into government. That intention hasn’t changed.”[24] This is not the justification that Mr. Bedford relied on in his request letter to your office or that your office conveyed to OGE to argue that Mr. Bedford faced an “unusual hardship.”[25] And it does not appear to be a justification that would satisfy OGE’s high standard for seeking an extension in the first place.

Material violations of ethics agreements are exceedingly rare and serious matters. OGE has emphasized that ethics agreements are “not mere aspirations”; they reflect senior political appointees’ “specific commitments to resolve potential conflicts of interest and a timeframe for executing those commitments.”[26] Mr. Bedford’s conclusory representation that he has continued to recuse himself from participating in particular matters that have a direct and predictable effect on Republic is no excuse or substitute for violating an ethical commitment he made to the United States Senate. And his apparent longstanding “intention” not to divest from Republic until after it merged with Mesa—which should have no bearing on his ability to comply with his ethics agreement—raises questions about Mr. Bedford’s candor and whether he sought to profit from his delay.

Given these concerns, please provide the following documents and information no later than February 19, 2026:

Confirm the date on which Mr. Bedford fully divested his Republic stock pursuant to his ethics agreement. If he still has not fully divested from Republic as of the date of this letter, provide formal notification to this Committee every 14 days on the status of Mr. Bedford’s divestiture until he has fully divested, consistent with 5 C.F.R. § 2634.804.

A complete description of all actions DOT has taken since July 9, 2025, to ensure Mr. Bedford complies with his ethics agreement.

A complete description of all actions DOT has taken to follow the directives specified in OGE Program Advisory (PA) 19-09 with respect to Mr. Bedford’s modification request. Please specify the date on which DOT first contacted OGE to discuss Mr. Bedford’s modification request, as required under OGE PA 19-09.

A complete description of why DOT ethics officials believed it was “necessary” for Mr. Bedford to obtain a modification to his ethics agreement.

All communications between DOT ethics officials and OGE regarding or relating to Mr. Bedford’s modification request,[27] including copies of any notes memorializing an October 7, 2025, call between DOT ethics officials and OGE.

All communications between DOT ethics officials and Mr. Bedford regarding or relating to Mr. Bedford divesting from Republic or related ethical obligations, including:

All communications regarding or relating to whether Mr. Bedford had a contingency plan if OGE denied his modification request; and

All communications reflecting why Mr. Bedford selected 60 days for his modification request.

A complete description of any corrective, disciplinary, or other action the Department has taken or intends to take to address Mr. Bedford’s ethics violation, if any, including whether the Department will require Mr. Bedford to forfeit any gains he receives beyond the value his Republic shares would have been worth had he sold them on or before October 7, 2025, as required. If none, please explain why the Department believes no action is appropriate in this case.

Mr. Bedford testified on December 17, 2025, that he “briefed the entire FAA front office team, political team, and the career ethics officers about the agreement.” Provide the date on which this briefing occurred, a list of all participants who attended this briefing, and a complete description of the information conveyed during this briefing.

Did any official in OGC, including the DAEO, advise Mr. Bedford that he could seek a modification of his ethics agreement for the purpose of delaying his divestment of Republic stock until after the merger with Mesa closed, as indicated in Mr. Bedford’s testimony on December 17, 2025? If yes, specify the legal authority that supports this basis for a modification request.

Did any official in OGC, including the DAEO, communicate with Mr. Bedford regarding his October 7, 2025, modification request between October 7 and December 1, 2025? If yes, provide copies of all such communications.

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Durbin, Bipartisan Group Of Senators Host Speaker Of The Parliament Of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, along with a bipartisan group of Senators hosted the Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, and Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S., Olha Stefanishyna. U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) also attended. During the meeting, they discussed the ongoing peace talks between Ukraine and Russia and President Putin’s continued assaults on Ukraine’s power grid despite agreeing with President Trump to halt such attacks during negotiations.

“The depths of Vladimir Putin’s evil knows no bounds, and we heard directly from Mr. Stefanchuk today about the millions of Ukrainians suffering amid Russia’s attacks on the power grid in the dead of winter,” said Durbin. “As reports have emerged that peace talks have stalled, now more than ever, we need to work in Congress to support our Ukrainian ally.”

“In recent days, the brutality of Russia’s ongoing attacks on civilian energy infrastructure has been put on full display,” said Shaheen. “Despite Russia's craven tactics, Ukraine's brave defenders continue to hold the line. At today's meeting with Speaker Stefanchuk, I reiterated my commitment to advancing my bipartisan legislation to tighten sanctions on Russia — including its shadow fleet — to hold China accountable for enabling Putin’s war and to strengthen Ukraine's defense. It's high time that Congress take these steps to put Ukraine in the best possible negotiating position against Russia so that Putin's war may finally be brought to a just and lasting end.”

“Putin’s ruthless invasion of Ukraine sparked the largest land war in Europe since World War II. By helping Ukraine in the face of this onslaught, we’re not just standing with our ally, we’re supporting American security and American values. I appreciate Speaker Stefanchuk coming to Washington to meet with leaders about the situation on the ground and discuss what can be done to achieve a stable, meaningful and lasting peace,” Grassley said.

“I, along with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, remain in awe of the bravery of the Ukrainian people who are so effectively defending their homeland and their freedom against overwhelming odds,” said Duckworth. “As Donald Trump continues to cowtow to Putin while weakening our national security, our meeting with Speaker Stefanchuk was an opportunity to underscore that there is wide bipartisan support in Congress for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s aggression. In the months and years ahead, we know we must follow Ukraine’s lead as it fights to end Putin’s war of choice and works to rebuild and recover in a way that is best for its people.”

“Our conversation with Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Stefanchuk today was marked by unity and clarity. It was devastating to hear about Putin’s heartless attacks on Ukrainian civilians—thousands of killer drones have destroyed homes, schools, and power plants in the middle of winter,” said Welch. “Ukraine’s resilient democracy is on the front lines of the free world. I will continue to work with President Trump and our European allies to ensure Ukraine has the tools they need to defend their sovereignty.”

“Amid Putin’s intransigence at the negotiating table and his continued daily attacks on civilians across Ukraine, the Ukrainian people remind us every day what it looks like to fight and die for democracy, for their country, and for the West. I was glad to see Chairman Stefanchuk again today to reaffirm Congressional support for continued and robust U.S. military, intelligence, and economic support for Ukraine,” said Bennet. “Even as diplomacy plays out, Russia must pay a further price for its continued aggression. Congress must also ratify and clarify the United States’ long-term commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and security – an effort I look forward to helping lead with my bipartisan colleagues. Only by demonstrating our firm resolve and by strengthening cooperation with our allies can the United States secure our vital interests in Europe, and defend the principle of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.”

“Chairman Stefanchuk and the Ukrainian people have set a high standard of bravery in the face of Putin’s vicious attacks,” said Whitehouse. “While our own country’s president frequently takes the side of the murderous Russian despot, a bipartisan group of senators welcomed Chairman Stefanchuk to the Capitol. We stand firm in our commitment to supporting Ukrainians until this war ends with their victory.”

Last year, Durbin introduced legislation to prohibit the United States from recognizing the Russian Federation’s claim of sovereignty over Crimea or any other forcibly seized Ukrainian territory, including any related airspace or territorial waters.

Durbin introduced the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act, legislation that would provide temporary guest status to Ukrainians and their immediate family members who are already in the United States through the “Uniting for Ukraine” parole process. The bill allows Ukrainians to stay and work in the U.S. until the Secretary of State determines that hostilities in Ukraine have ceased and it is safe for them to return. Bill text can be found here.

Durbin has also joined Shaheen, Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and others in leading a simple resolution that expresses continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condolences for the loss of thousands of lives to Russian aggression; rejects Russia’s attempts to militarily seize sovereign Ukrainian territory; reaffirms U.S. support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine; and states unequivocally that Ukraine must be at the table for negotiations on its future.

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Durbin, Blumenthal, Pallone Introduce Bill To Prohibit Sale Of Tianeptine

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-06) today introduced the Prohibiting Tianeptine and Other Dangerous Products Act, legislation that would prohibit tianeptine from being marketed to consumers.

Tianeptine is an unapproved drug that is marketed as a purported dietary supplement and sold under labels such as “Neptune’s Fix.” Ingestion of tianeptine has led to an increase in calls to poison control centers and severe adverse effects requiring visits to emergency rooms nationwide. According to America’s Poison Control Centers, 391 tianeptine cases were reported nationwide in 2023, a sharp spike when compared to the four cases in 2013.

In May 2025, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Makary issued a public statement, warning health care professionals about the risks of tianeptine. While FDA has taken some action to protect Americans from these products, tianeptine continues to be marketed and sold to Americans—even children—because it does not have much-needed enforcement authorities.

The Prohibiting Tianeptine and Other Dangerous Products Act would give FDA the additional enforcement authority to rid the market of tianeptine, and protect American consumers.

“Americans put their trust in dietary supplements to improve their health, but some unscrupulous companies are abusing that trust by marketing dangerous ingredients in some of these products, like tianeptine,” Durbin said. “Consumers have gotten sick and even died. That’s why I’m introducing the Prohibiting Tianeptine and Other Dangerous Products Act to rid the market of tianeptine and protect American consumers.”

“Stopping ‘gas station heroin’ requires stronger FDA oversight to protect consumers. Harmful and potentially addictive substances, including gas station heroin, are being marketed to Americans as dietary supplements—posing a serious and even life-threatening risk to consumers. The Prohibiting Tianeptine and Other Dangerous Products Act will protect consumers from the side effects of ‘Neptune’s Fix’ and other deadly so-called dietary supplements by strengthening the authority of the FDA to remove these hazardous products from shelves across the country,” said Blumenthal.

“Tianeptine or ‘gas station heroin’ has no place on our store shelves. In just eight months, New Jersey had 41 calls to poison control related to this dangerous drug, which is essentially five calls a month. That’s beyond troubling. These products make people incredibly sick, often require hospitalization, and pose a particular threat to our nation’s children. I’m proud to partner with Senator Durbin to reintroduce this bill to ensure FDA has the power to prohibit the marketing of ‘gas station heroin,’” Pallone said. “I look forward to working together to remove tianeptine from store shelves and to stop the marketing of ‘gas station heroin’ products.”

According to FDA, tianeptine is a “potentially dangerous substance that is not FDA-approved for any medical use but is illegally sold with claims to improve brain function and treat anxiety, depression, pain, opioid use disorder and other conditions.” Tianeptine mimics the sedative effects of opioids.

In 2024, Durbin urged the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the American Herbal Products Association, and the United Natural Products Alliance to act against the inclusion of dangerous or illegal ingredients in products marketed as dietary supplements in the United States, such as tianeptine. In the letters, Durbin cited an investigative piece by ABC7 Chicago which found that Chris Haggarty, a 37-year-old man from Lorain County, Ohio, died after taking a supplement that included tianeptine last November.

Further, Durbin’s Dietary Supplement Listing Act would require dietary supplement manufacturers to list their products with FDA. In 1994, Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which provided FDA with authorities to regulate dietary supplements. However, DSHEA did not require dietary supplement companies to register their products with FDA—leaving the agency without the much-needed authority or information to properly understand or oversee the market.

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Durbin Condemns The Trump Administration For Ignoring The Constitution, Overwhelming The Judicial System Amid DHS’s Lawless Immigration Operation

Durbin: “If we have reached the point in this country [where the Executive Branch ignores the Constitution], for God's sake, are we anything less than an authoritarian state?”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting condemning the Trump Administration’s intimidation of federal judges amid the surge in immigration cases. His remarks come as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are carrying out the Trump Administration’s cruel mass deportation scheme and using aggressive—and sometimes deadly—tactics. During his opening, Durbin cited a New York Times article that examined the frustration federal judges face amid President Trump’s lawlessness in Minnesota during “Operation Metro Surge.”

Key Quotes:

“Over the span of more than a year, I have, and others have joined me, in asking questions of judicial nominees—if they become judges, do they believe that court orders need to be complied with, followed, by the parties to a lawsuit… Most of us who practice law understand they have to be taken seriously. But then there came the standard answer after that, and some people were incredulous that we would even raise the issue. A judge issues an order, [then] a party follows the order. But it turns out that’s not the case.”

“I recommend to my colleagues an article on the front page of The New York Times this morning. It’s entitled ‘Surge in Immigration Cases in Minnesota Pushes Prosecutors and Judges to the Brink.’ It’s a situation where a young lady who volunteered to try to help the immigration case docket, Julie Le, has testified in court as to what she literally is facing when it comes to court orders that are not complied with, and it reached the point where in her frustration, she said, I guess, too much for the Administration and they fired her this week.”

“Her [Julie Le’s] comments also opened the window up to a broader problem: how the courts in Minnesota are buckling beneath the weight of a deluge of cases arising from the statewide campaign that the Trump Administration called ‘Operation Metro Surge.’ All Americans know what happened with the two innocent people who were killed in the course of the operation, but this is another aspect. The articles goes onto say: ‘the turmoil in the courts has demoralized prosecutors, outraged judges, exhausted defense lawyers, and left many immigrants languishing in detention, and violation of court orders.’”

“The judge [Judge Jerry W. Blackwell, the federal judge who convened the hearing with Ms. Le] said, ‘If the government undertakes an enforcement operation of this scale, one that results in the detention of large numbers of people, including individuals who are lawfully present in the United States, then the government assumes a corresponding obligation to ensure that each detention complies with the Constitution and with court orders governing release. The volume of cases and matters, is not a justification for diluting constitutional rights and it never can be. It heightens the need for care.’”

“I bring this to your attention because I can remember that each one of the nominees dutifully saying that they would follow court orders. We now have a situation whereby design, the system is overwhelmed and court orders are being ignored. If we have reached that point in this country, then for God’s sake, are we anything less than an authoritarian state? If we cannot follow the Constitution and the rule of law in the courts in Minnesota or Illinois or wherever the case may be, shame on us.”

“If you happen to believe that what is happening in Minnesota is a good thing, perhaps you shrug your shoulders, but if you believe it has been an embarrassment and insult to the Constitution, [then] this is unacceptable.”

Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available herefor TV Stations.

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At Hearing on Autonomous Vehicles, Fetterman Declares “Respect the Parking Chair!”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) questioned a panel of industry leaders on autonomous vehicles (AVs), with a particular focus on how they impact Pennsylvania’s workers and how AV companies plan to keep roads and highways safe.

“Back in 1994, I worked with UPS drivers there and I was proud to work with the Teamsters back then. I also realized how difficult their way of life is but I also think that is something necessary we need to protect. I am not going to bash AV or any of these things nor am I a luddite…I see it is a necessary part of the future moving forward,” said Senator Fetterman in his opening remarks.

“I also want to acknowledge that Pittsburgh played a significant part of the history of developing AV…For me, I am going to be the voice for the 90,000 drivers here and I am going to be the Teamsters voice here…Those union members are very critical in this economy,” continued the senator.

As a former truck driver for UPS, Fetterman worked alongside the Teamsters and experienced firsthand the crucial role truckers have in our economy. As Pennsylvania’s senior senator, he represents a state that has the fifth most truck drivers in the nation.

Last year, Senator Fetterman stood with the Teamsters after the CEO of a self-driving truck company rejected the union’s demand for human operators to supervise their driverless vehicles. Fetterman remains concerned by efforts to replace workers with autonomous vehicles and asked Mr. Jeff Farrah, CEO of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, what he and his organization plan to do to address the concerns of workers, like the 90,000 truckers in Pennsylvania, who are afraid of losing their jobs to this technology. Mr. Farrah responded, “Truck drivers are an indispensable, critical aspect of our supply chain. They are the backbone of the American economy…The goal of the industry here is to coexist with autonomous trucks.”

Senator Fetterman then brought up Waymo’s recent decision to bring its robotaxi service to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and directed his line of questioning to Waymo’s Chief Safety Officer, Dr. Mauricio Peña. “How does your technology account for these kinds of different drivers and the cultures and different communities across my state and the country?” asked Fetterman, referencing the differences in terrain and street design across neighborhoods, and the driving culture and norms people are accustomed to in their communities. Senator Fetterman made a point to ask if Waymo’s autonomous cars would respect the parking chair, particularly after the recent snowstorms Pennsylvanians experienced.

“I would strongly encourage Waymo to incorporate that, to respect the parking chair. When you see examples of people that don’t, it doesn’t really end very well for folks,” quipped Senator Fetterman.


Fischer in Fox News: The EV scam that stuck taxpayers with the bill for elite perks

In case you missed it: U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, penned an op-ed in Fox News highlighting the inefficiency and unfairness of electric vehicle (EV) tax credits. Fischer also writes about her Fair SHARE Act, which would require EVs to contribute to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) to support the construction and maintenance of U.S. roads and bridges.

Read the op-ed here or below.

In 2022, Democrats rammed through what they misleadingly called the Inflation Reduction Act. The name was deceptive then, and the results are undeniable now: it didn’t reduce inflation. What it did accomplish was shovel hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars into "Green New Deal" subsidies — chief among them, electric vehicle (EV) tax credits that disproportionately benefited the wealthy.

At the time, I stood on the Senate floor and asked: Why should working Americans struggling with high prices be forced to subsidize luxury car purchases for the rich? Nearly every Senate Democrat voted to keep these handouts alive. Now, more than four years later, the data proves I was right.

The National Bureau of Economic Research found that seven out of 10 EV tax credit recipients would have bought an electric car anyway. In other words, taxpayers were footing the bill for decisions affluent households were already going to make. That’s not an incentive — that’s a windfall.

And who reaped that windfall? The wealthiest Americans. A study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that before the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, the top 5% of earners claimed half of all EV tax credit benefits, while the bottom 60% of earners received less than 3%. Democrats claim they fixed this by adding income caps, but they set the ceiling at $300,000 for joint filers.

Since when is $300,000 considered middle class? In what world should taxpayers be buying $80,000 SUVs for families earning three times the median household income?

The environmental case isn’t much stronger. Yes, EVs produce fewer emissions than gas-powered cars. But the Congressional Research Service highlights research showing that the credits mostly displaced sales of other efficient vehicles like hybrids. When you account for that substitution, the supposed climate benefits are overstated by nearly 40%. Simply put, these credits aren’t nearly as "green" as Democrats claim.

Meanwhile, the price tag was massive. That’s why I’m pleased we repealed these wasteful tax credits in July’s reconciliation law. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that this will save taxpayers $190 billion over the next decade. Republicans are saving taxpayers from this costly policy that was never going to deliver on Democrats’ own goal of 50% EV sales by 2030.

The verdict is clear: EV tax credits are inefficient, inequitable and irresponsible. They don’t meaningfully change consumer behavior, they don’t deliver the promised environmental gains and they drain taxpayer dollars into the pockets of the rich.

If Democrats were serious about helping working families — instead of virtue-signaling about climate change — they would back policies that deliver a real return on investment.

A good place to start would be addressing the dwindling Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which is projected to run insolvent by 2028. While drivers of gasoline-powered cars pay into the HTF through the federal gas tax, EVs do not contribute at all despite their heavier batteries putting greater wear and tear on our roads and bridges. That means higher maintenance costs, and, once again, working Americans footing the bill.

That’s why I introduced the Fair SHARE Act, which would require EVs to contribute to this fund. I encourage my Democratic colleagues to cosponsor it and to work with me on including an EV fee in the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act. That would be a fairer, smarter policy – one that actually serves working families instead of subsidizing the wealthy.


Gallego Introduces Bill to Raise the Minimum Wage to $20 an Hour

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced the Give America a Raise Act to raise the minimum wage to $20 an hour.

“Across the country, people are struggling to make ends meets. But as the cost of groceries, housing, and utilities continue to go up, the minimum wage has remained stagnate for over a decade,” said Senator Gallego. “No one who works full time in this country should live in poverty. Building an economy that works for working people starts with ensuring not just a minimum wage but a living wage, and that’s what this bill does.”

READ MORE: Ruben Gallego Introduces Bill For $20 Minimum Wage (HuffPost)

The Give America a Raise Act would increase the minimum wage from the current level of $7.25 an hour to $20 an hour over three years. It would then index the minimum wage to the higher of either inflation or GDP growth – ensuring that when prices go up, wages keep up and that when the economy is doing well, working people share in the success they helped create.

Read the full text of the legislation HERE.


Gallego Presses Administration; Treasury Secretary Admits Taxpayers Would Pay if Trump Wins Lawsuits

‘You’re Plundering U.S. Taxpayer Dollars,” Gallego tells Treasury Secretary Bessent

WASHINGTON – Today, during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) grilled Department of Treasury Secretary – who is also serving as Acting Director of the IRS – Scott Bessent on his conflicts of interest in Trump’s lawsuits against his own federal government.

Watch Senator Gallego’s questioning HERE.

Senator Gallego questioned Secretary Bessent about President Trump’s lawsuit seeking $10 billion from the IRS. During the exchange, Bessent admitted that if Trump were to win or settle the lawsuit, U.S. taxpayers would foot the bill.

GALLEGO: So, you are fully aware that the President is suing your agency for $10 billion?

BESSENT: Yes.

GALLEGO: Would you agree that $10 billion is a good sum of money?

BESSENT: Yes, sir.

GALLEGO: What would that be cut from? Let’s say for some reason he actually wins that lawsuit, where would that $10 billion come from?

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BESSENT: The Treasury general account.

GALLEGO: So, taxpayers?

BESSENT: Yes.

Senator Gallego ended his questioning by making it clear that the Administration’s and Secretary Bessent’s conflicts of interest are at the expense of hardworking Americans.


Gillibrand Celebrates Full Funding Of Health Program For 9/11 Survivors And First Responders

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a virtual press conference to celebrate Congress’ passage of her legislation to fully fund the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).

“Fully funding the World Trade Center Health Program honors our promise to never forget 9/11 survivors and the brave first responders who put their lives on the line for our country,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Making sure our 9/11 first responders and survivors have the resources they need to cope with the long-term health effects from toxic exposure has been one of my top priorities for my entire service in Congress. I am relieved that, after years of fighting tirelessly for its passage, this funding has been signed into law.”

Twenty-five years after the September 11th attacks, first responders and survivors continue to be diagnosed with serious and often life-threatening 9/11-related health conditions, underscoring their ongoing need for care. The updated funding secured this week continues that commitment to making sure 9/11 responders and survivors receive the care they need, now and in the years ahead.

The WTCHP was established in 2011 as part of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act and was originally funded for five years at $1.6 billion. The program was reauthorized in 2015 and extended through 2090 with bipartisan support. In 2022, Senator Gillibrand led lawmakers in passing $1 billion for the WTCHP in the end-of-year spending bill, and in 2023, Senator Gillibrand helped secure an additional $676 million for the program. The updated funding secured this year continues that commitment to ensuring 9/11 responders and survivors receive the care they need, now and in the years ahead.

New Yorkers in every congressional district are enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program. A full breakdown of how many enrollees are in each district can be found here.

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Gillibrand, Marshall Host The 74th National Prayer Breakfast

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) hosted the 74th National Prayer Breakfast this morning at the United States Capitol, continuing a bipartisan tradition that dates back to the Eisenhower administration. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first president to attend the event in 1953.

The National Prayer Breakfast serves as a longstanding opportunity for members of Congress from both parties to come together in fellowship and prayer for the nation, its leaders, and the American people. The gathering emphasizes unity, humility, and faith amid the responsibilities of public service.

“The National Prayer Breakfast is a time-honored tradition that brings together leaders of both political parties in fellowship and prayer,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This event reminds us that even when we are separated by policy and politics, we are united by something far deeper. We are united in our faith; faith in God, faith in our country, and faith that we can come together to improve the lives of the American people.”

“Moments like this remind us that, despite our political differences, we share a common calling to serve with integrity and compassion,” said Senator Marshall. “Praying together for our nation, our leaders, and the people we represent helps refocus our hearts on what truly matters — faith, family, and country.”

To watch the full coverage of the event, click HERE.

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Gillibrand Statement on GUARD Act Passing Out Of Committee

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, released the following statement on the passage of her legislation, the Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception (GUARD) Act, out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Today’s committee passage brings us one step closer to giving law enforcement agencies the tools they need to protect seniors from financial frauds and scams.

As the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I know how devastating these scams can be for older adults and their families. In the past few years, bad actors have increasingly leveraged technology like artificial intelligence and the blockchain to rob older adults of their hard-earned savings. That is unacceptable.

I am proud to see this legislation move forward, and I will keep working across the aisle to make sure that older Americans are protected from financial exploitation.”

The GUARD Act would allow grantees of several existing federal grant programs to use funds to increase resources and personnel specifically to utilize the blockchain for investigating financial fraud. It would also permit federal law enforcement to assist state and local law enforcement with tracing tools for blockchain technology, bolstering their ability to catch fraudsters who use cryptocurrency to facilitate their crimes.

According to the FBI, seniors lost over $4.8 billion to scammers in 2024, with an average loss of $83,000. Cryptocurrency was used to facilitate the crime in over 30,000 reports of fraud against seniors, resulting in a net loss of about $2.84 billion – over half of the total. Older Americans are by far the most vulnerable and susceptible to cryptocurrency fraud, with over 10,000 more complaints referencing cryptocurrency than any other age group.

Senator Gillibrand has worked to prevent financial fraud throughout her time in office. As ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, she has led the fight to protect seniors from frauds and scams, raised awareness about predatory scammers targeting seniors, and demanded answers from those attempting to cut funding for agencies like the CFPB. She has also introduced legislation such as the National Strategy for Combating Scams Act, the Stop the Scammers Act, the Senior Financial Empowerment Act, and the DO NOT CALL Act, as well as the SNAP Theft Protection Act, the core of which was passed into law in 2022.

The full text of the GUARD Act is available here.

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Senator Gillibrand Statement On Trump Holding Gateway Funding Hostage In Exchange For Naming Rights To Dulles & Penn Station

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on a Punchbowl report that the president of the United States will release federal funds that he is withholding for the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project in exchange for the renaming of Washington Dulles International Airport and Penn Station in New York after himself. Yes, really:

“No. This is ridiculous. These naming rights aren’t tradable as part of any negotiations, and neither is the dignity of New Yorkers. At a time when New Yorkers are already being crushed by high costs under the Trump tariffs, the president continues to put his own narcissism over the good-paying union jobs this project provides and the extraordinary economic impact the Gateway tunnel will bring.

“I demand that the president put people first and unfreeze this project and all the others his administration has been holding hostage for his personal gain.”

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Grassley Pushes CMS to Provide Timely Follow Up Care for Children on Medicaid Who Have Experienced Suicidal Thoughts or Behaviors

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to address reported failures to provide follow-up care for children on Medicaid who have experienced suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Patients with an identified suicide risk history are at 300 times greater risk of committing suicide within one week of their discharge from medical facilities.

A September Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) report discovered that, of the 258,458 unique hospitalizations or child emergency department visits for suicidal ideations or behaviors in 2023, half of the children did not receive a follow-up visit in the week following their discharge. In 21% of cases, children did not receive any follow-up visits 60 days after being discharged.

“I have long advocated for programs supporting Americans’ mental health and demanded transparency from providers treating these issues,” Grassley wrote. “The [HHS OIG] report is particularly alarming considering that Medicaid currently provides coverage to 27 million children, and suicide is currently the second leading factor of childhood deaths in America—increasing a staggering 166% between 2016 and 2022.”

Experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend a follow-up within 72 hours, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Lifeline requires a follow-up within 24– 72 hours of the initial contact.

In 2023, nearly 225,000 children aged 10–17 who were enrolled in Medicaid were hospitalized or visited the emergency department for suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

In the letter, Grassley asks CMS to share its progress in implementing the HHS OIG’s recommendation, as well as explain whether the agency plans to require state Medicaid programs to ensure children are seen for a follow-up within seven days of treatment for suicidal ideations.

Read the full letter HERE and below.

February 4, 2026

VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION

Dr. Mehmet Oz

Administrator

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Dear Administrator Oz:

I’m writing today with concerns regarding a recent Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) report entitled, “Most Children Enrolled in Medicaid Did Not Receive Timely Suicide-Related Followup Care.” The report is particularly alarming considering that Medicaid currently provides coverage to 27 million children, and suicide is currently the second leading factor of childhood deaths in America—increasing a staggering 166% between 2016 and 2022.

I have long advocated for programs supporting Americans’ mental health and demanded transparency from providers treating these issues. In 2022, I wrote to then-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Dennis McDonough raising concerns about the implementation of the VA Mission Act, which would ensure that veterans receive quality care in a timely manner. In 2023, I re-introduced the bipartisan Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act in an effort to help first responders who face long-term effects from providing emergency aid. More recently, on February 28, 2025, I wrote to then-Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Stephanie Carlton pressing for clear and accessible information on inpatient psychiatric facilities. In CMS’s response, the agency stated that the Social Security Act prohibits disclosing accreditation surveys and this limited its ability to include information from inspection reports. As a result, I introduced legislation aimed at boosting transparency within psychiatric facilities by allowing the HHS Secretary to disclose hospital accreditation inspection reports.

Patients with a history of suicide are at 300 times more risk of committing suicide within one week of their discharge from medical facilities, making it crucial that they be seen for a follow-up appointment within this period. Experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend a follow-up within 72 hours, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Lifeline requires a follow-up within 24-72 hours of the initial contact, and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention recommends a follow-up within seven days after discharge.

Alarmingly, the HHS OIG discovered that in half of the 258,458 unique hospitalizations or child emergency department visits for suicidal ideations or behaviors in 2023, children did not receive a follow-up visit in the week following being discharged. In 21 percent of cases, children did not receive any follow-up visits 60 days after being discharged, which is particularly troubling considering the risk continues months after treatment. The OIG has recommended that CMS should assist the 24 identified states, which provided less than half of children follow-up care within seven days of being treated for suicidal ideations or behaviors.

Accordingly, so Congress can conduct oversight, please answer the following questions no later than February 28, 2026:

What steps has CMS taken to close the open recommendation from the September 2, 2025, report? Provide all records.

Will CMS require State Medicaid programs to ensure children are seen for a follow-up within 7 days of treatment for suicidal ideations? If not, why not?

What, if any, systems does CMS have in place for hospitals to communicate their need for additional assistance with these issues?

Does CMS plan to develop or promote training modules for pediatricians, family physicians, and other non-behavioral providers to recognize and manage suicidal risk among children while they await specialist care? If not, why not?

Thank you for your prompt review and response. If you have any questions, please contact Tucker Akin with my Committee staff at (202) 224-5225.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley

Chairman

Committee on the Judiciary


Judiciary Committee Advances Three U.S. Attorney Nominations and Bipartisan Crime Legislation

WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the following nominations:

Thomas Govan, to be United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, by a vote of 12-10;

Zachary Keller, to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, by a vote of 13-9; and

Ryan Raybould, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, by a vote of 14-8.

The committee also voted to advance three bipartisan bills:

The GUARD Act, led by Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (R-N.Y.), to protect seniors from financial frauds and scams.

The Drone Espionage Act, led by Sens. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), to protect military installations from unauthorized surveillance.

The Safe Cloud Storage Act, led by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), to assist law enforcement investigations into child sexual exploitation.

Watch the executive business meeting HERE. Read Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) opening statement HERE.

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Hickenlooper Welcomes $197.4 Million for Colorado Communities in 2026 Funding Bills

Hickenlooper secured $145 million for 113 home-grown projects

Since elected, Hickenlooper has delivered $470 million for 388 Colorado projects

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper welcomed more than $197.4 million in funding for Colorado projects. Hickenlooper himself secured more than $145 million for 113 projects across 62 communities and 38 counties through the congressionally directed spending (CDS) process.

“These projects are about getting on-the-ground results for Colorado,” said Hickenlooper. “They are driven by Coloradans for Coloradans, making sure our communities are constantly improving.”

CDS projects help local governments and non-profits address priorities across Colorado, including investments in affordable housing, health care, transportation infrastructure, wildfire resilience, small business development, and public safety.

In his time as Senator, Hickenlooper has secured more than $470 million in funding for Colorado priorities through the CDS process.

Of the more than $197 million in funding included in this year’s bills for Colorado communities, Hickenlooper secured $145.7 million for 113 projects. A full list of the funded projects is below.


Hattiesburg secures $1M in federal funding for Edward Street project

By Delaney Dukes

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - After weeks of back-and-forth in Washington, Congress passed a spending package.

Among the bills making up that package are funds headed to Hattiesburg.

Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker said the city has secured $1 million in federal funding for the Edward Street Project, thanks to work by Congressman Mike Ezell and Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s offices.

Edward Street is a major connection between William Carey University, South Hattiesburg and Downtown.

The project includes drainage improvements, new asphalt, landscaped medians, expanded sidewalks and lighting.

“We want every neighborhood to see progress,” said Barker. “If part of Hattiesburg is developing and the other part is not, then we’re not fully doing the job. And so that’s why you’ve seen such an investment in infrastructure and public safety facilities in that area of the city, because we think that infrastructure will lead to development.

“Now, this is a $9 million project, so every bit that you can get from state and federal sources helps. So between this and our NPO funds of $2 million and the city providing $6 million local funds, we have the funding over this year to go forward with that project.”


Trump funding boost gives Natchez $2 million start on Canal Street bridge replacement

Trump-approved $2M gives Natchez key funding to replace the Canal Street Bridge, as city seeks $3.8M more for the $5.8M project to safeguard downtown access.

Jan Griffey, The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — President Donald Trump has signed legislation that includes another funding boost for Natchez, said Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson.

"Just a few days after approving $1.178 million for our Fine Avenue infrastructure replacement project, the President has now approved another $2 million to assist in the replacement of the Canal Street Bridge," Gibson said on Thursday. "Again we wish to express thanks to Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who, as chairman of the Senate THUD Subcommittee, led the effort for Natchez to receive this important funding.

"We also appreciate the support of Sen. Roger Wicker, who fully supported Sen. Hyde-Smith by co-sponsoring this spending request as it made its way through the Senate and eventually won passage by the House," he said. "Thanks also goes to former U.S. Congressman Gregg Harper and Brett Bailey with Harper and Bailey Government Solutions, who have worked tirelessly to help us.

"We still have more to raise, but $2 million is a fantastic start. Keeping Canal Street open is vital to our local economy, and the replacement of this bridge will ensure the vitality of our city for years to come," Gibson said.

The total cost of the replacement project is estimated to be approximately $5.8 million. "The $2 million award is a great start toward fully funding the project," Gibson said.

The City of Natchez and the Mississippi Department of Transportation have together invested approximately $950,000 in repairs to the bridge, which has resulted in a five-year lifespan extension accompanied by routine inspections and a continued prohibition on 18-wheelers using the bridge, he said.

"Replacement of the bridge is necessary to ensure the continued safety of all who desire to access beautiful downtown Natchez," Gibson said.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen at its last meeting voted unanimously to make the city's number one ask of the Mississippi Legislature to provide the remaining $3.8 million in funds for the replacement of the Canal Street Bridge.

Aldermen also asked the Adams County Board of Supervisors to support that request that the state Legislature fund the remaining $3.8 million needed for the bridge.


Warner & Kaine Slam Trump Administration Rule to Make It Easier to Fire Federal Workers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) slammed the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) final rule that will allow the Trump Administration to reclassify and fire federal employees without cause or appeals rights. Schedule Policy/Career, previously known as Schedule F, is a policy that President Donald Trump pursued during his first term to strip federal workers of their protections and carry out politically motivated firings.

“For decades, our nonpartisan civil service has set us apart from other countries and enabled us to have stability and continuity no matter who is in the White House. The Trump Administration’s move to reclassify federal employees to make it easier to fire them for political reasons will hurt these workers and their families, threaten our national security, and make it harder for Americans to access the services they need. If we want to continue to lead the world, then we must have a federal workforce based on merit, not politics. We will continue to do everything we can to protect these dedicated public servants, many of whom live in Virginia.”

Warner and Kaine, members of the Federal Workforce Caucus that launched earlier this week, have strongly pushed back against the mass firings and politicization of the federal workforce. Last May, Warner and Kaine sent a letter opposing OPM’s rule change. The senators previously introduced the Saving the Civil Service Act, legislation to protect the merit-based federal workforce system and prevent any position in the competitive service from being reclassified to Schedule P/C.

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