Amata’s IGIA Message Stresses Infrastructure

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata gave remarks on an infrastructure and security theme Wednesday at the Interagency Group on Insular Affairs (IGIA), hosted by the Department of the Interior (DOI) at their DC headquarters, in which she tied American Samoa’s local infrastructure and economic efforts including fishing to overall U.S. security and regional objectives.

Territory Representatives and Governors with Secretary Burgum and federal officials at IGIA

Following her greetings and appreciation to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula, the governors and congressional representatives from the other territories, and federal interagency officials, Congresswoman Amata began her policy remarks by thanking the administration not only for the April 17, 2025, Executive Order reopening fishing in the PRIMNM but for the ongoing commitment to defend that effort from litigation, as fishing strengthens American Samoa’s economy and U.S. food security. “I remain confident that we won’t allow this to fall to the wayside, and we’ll soon restore common-sense, responsible fishing to the area.”

IGIA Action Items were part of the presentation

In keeping with that priority, she called on the administration to support a permanent American Samoa economic development credit in the next round of tax and budget reconciliation legislation.

She highlighted the key role of the Western Pacific Fisheries Management Council in decisions regarding waters and stewardship, which follow the health of fish stocks. “They have historically determined the fishing boundaries around our islands based on science and long-term viability of fish stocks,” she noted. “I do not sit on or vote in the council, but Congress has put their trust in their judgment for over 50 years through the Magnuson Stevenson Act. We all have opinions, but they have the actual science, and we look to them for our final decisions on sustainable fishing practices.”

Representatives and Governors during IGIA with Secretary Burgum speaking

After remarks detailing the Pacific strategic efforts of China’s People’s Liberation Army and a sequence of events showing their activities in the Pacific Islands, she emphasized the need for American Samoa’s own air traffic control tower, saying, “An air traffic control tower is urgently important to our national security. In the current socio-political climate, it simply does not make sense for an American territory to be relying on another country to monitor our airspace and surrounding area.”

She reiterated her longstanding advocacy for a stronger Coast Guard presence, noting Governor’s Pula’s support for the same policy position, while “China’s own coast guard has been operating far into the Pacific allowing their fishing fleets to move in intimidating droves on the high seas.”

Congress recently passed the NDAA, followed by 2026 Defense appropriations, with an increase of $20 billion in support for Indo-Pacific operations. “I know this administration takes the threat of Chinese influence seriously, but this enemy doesn’t sleep,” Congresswoman Amata said. “As is often said, ‘war is won on logistics’ and to that end, I also want to encourage further investment in territorial infrastructure.”

Representatives of the Pacific US Territories speaking with Chase Wilson, Associate Director, WH Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

Pointing to healthcare as a priority, she noted piecemeal improvements over the years to the LBJ Tropical Medical Center, founding in 1968, but said “the facility remains woefully out of date. A healthy country is a strong country, and Americans in the territories deserve quality medical treatment.”

Encouraging multiple federal departments including DOI, DOC, and DoD to work together holistically to strengthen economic and critical infrastructure capacity in American Samoa, she declared, “investing in the port of Pago would be a solid place to start and is a win-win for national security and our local economy.”

In closing, she called for the administration’s support for her bill H.R. 6158, the American Samoa Statutory Nationality and Citizenship Act, which streamlines bureaucratic hurdles for individual U.S. Nationals from American Samoa seeking to convert to full citizenship. U.S. Nationals owe permanent allegiance to the United States and have all the same rights and responsibilities as citizens; except we cannot vote in federal elections and do not qualify for select federal positions such as those with high level security clearances.

“DOD has indicated that a legislative fix would be a good recruitment and retention tool, allowing enlisted American Samoans to be promoted to officer rank and reducing bureaucratic hurdles for their dependents,” Amata said. “We are currently at a stage when everyone needs to come together to move America forward, and passage of H.R. 6158 will allow a small but fiercely loyal group of Americans to better participate in the country.”

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Congresswoman Luz Rivas Demands ICE Cease Unconstitutional Actions Outlined in “Secret Memo”

LOS ANGELES — After whistleblower reports revealed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are circulating a memo encouraging agents to forcefully enter people’s homes without a judicial warrant – a direct violation of the Fourth Amendment – Congresswoman Luz Rivas (CA-29) sent a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons urging him to cease the agency’s unconstitutional and irresponsible actions.

“This ‘secret memo’ is an unconstitutional policy that claims to authorize ICE agents to forcibly enter the homes of certain noncitizens without a judicial warrant or without the individual’s consent,” wrote Congresswoman Rivas. “Our country is built on the constitutional foundation of due process and inalienable rights for all. Not only is the substance of the ‘secret memo’ unconstitutional, it was distributed in a manner that lacks transparency and destroys public trust.”

Whistleblowers claim that the “secret memo” was addressed to all ICE personnel, but was not distributed widely. Instead, the whistleblowers claim, the “secret memo” was distributed to a select group of officials who were directed to verbally brief ICE agents on the new policy.

Congresswoman Rivas continued: “ICE is operating with a blunt disregard for constitutional rights and treating civil liberties as optional. These are warning signs that our country is shifting from the rule of law to rule by force. Our country is shifting from a democracy to authoritarianism. And ICE is the spearhead to our democracy’s decline.”

A full copy of the letter can be found here.

Background:

On January 7, 2026, anonymous whistleblowers revealed that ICE agents were circulating a “secret memo” to allow agents to forcibly enter private homes without a judicial warrant.

The memo was not widely shared within ICE, however the memo was circulated to supervisors then verbally given to train new ICE agents. The memo authorizes ICE agents to use force to enter a residence based solely on a narrower administrative warrant to arrest someone with a final order of removal. This differs from a judicial warrant that is signed by a judge.

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Salazar, Díaz-Balart, Giménez, Moody Mark 30 Years Since the Downing of the Brothers to the Rescue Planes; Call for Indictment of Raúl Castro

Miami, FL — Today, U.S. Representative María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) joined Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26) and Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), alongside Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL), family members of the victims, and leaders of the Cuban American exile community, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1996 downing of two Brothers to the Rescue aircraft and to formally call for the indictment of Raúl Castro for his direct responsibility in the state-sponsored murder of four innocent men.

On February 24, 1996, Cuban military fighter aircraft intentionally shot down two unarmed civilian planes in international airspace, resulting in the deaths of Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos A. Costa, Mario M. de la Peña, and Pablo Morales, three United States citizens and one lawful permanent resident.

Three decades later, the Members stood united in urging accountability at the highest levels of the Cuban regime and reaffirmed that justice for the victims remains a moral and legal imperative.

“For 67 years, the Cuban people, in Miami and on the island, have lived through repression and exile under the Castro regime,” said Rep. María Elvira Salazar. “As we mark the anniversary of the shooting down of two unarmed civilian planes and the killing of three U.S. citizens and one lawful permanent resident, we remember a crime that for decades went unanswered. But this moment is different. Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio, accountability is finally within reach. It’s time to indict Raúl Castro and bring this dictatorship to an end. Freedom is no longer a distant dream.”

“Thirty years ago, Raúl Castro carried out a brutal attack that murdered innocent Americans whose only mission was to save lives,” said Congressman Díaz- Balart. “We gather not only to honor their memory, but to reaffirm that crimes against Americans cannot be ignored, excused, or forgotten. There must be accountability for those responsible. I commend President Trump for his maximum pressure campaign against anti-American regimes and for always prioritizing our national security. The United States must continue to stand firmly with the Cuban people in their pursuit of freedom, justice, and democracy.”

“Today, we reaffirmed a simple truth: justice delayed is justice denied. Nearly three decades after the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown, the Castro regime has never been held accountable for the cold-blooded murder of Americans carrying out a humanitarian mission," said Rep. Gimenez. "The facts are clear, the evidence is overwhelming, and responsibility leads directly to Raúl Castro. If America First means defending our citizens and confronting tyranny in our hemisphere, then the time has come for the Department of Justice to act and finally hold Raúl Castro accountable.”

Last week, Representatives Salazar, Díaz-Balart, Giménez, and Malliotakis formally called on the Department of Justice to reopen its investigation into Raúl Castro and pursue every available legal avenue to achieve accountability.

Read the full letter here.


Salazar, Díaz-Balart, Giménez y Moody Marcan 30 Años del Derribo de las Avionetas de Hermanos al Rescate; Piden la Acusación contra Raúl Castro

Miami, FL — Hoy, la congresista María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) se unió a los congresistas Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26) y Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), junto a la senadora Ashley Moody (R-FL), familiares de las víctimas y líderes del exilio cubano, para conmemorar el 30.º aniversario del derribo, en 1996, de dos avionetas de Hermanos al Rescate y exigir formalmente la acusación contra Raúl Castro por su responsabilidad directa en el asesinato, patrocinado por el Estado, de cuatro hombres inocentes.

El 24 de febrero de 1996, aviones de combate de la Fuerza Aérea cubana derribaron intencionalmente dos aeronaves civiles desarmadas en espacio aéreo internacional, causando la muerte de Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos A. Costa, Mario M. de la Peña y Pablo Morales, tres ciudadanos estadounidenses y un residente permanente legal.

Tres décadas después, los legisladores reiteraron su llamado a la rendición de cuentas al más alto nivel del régimen cubano y reafirmaron que la justicia para las víctimas continúa siendo un imperativo moral y legal.

“Durante 67 años, el pueblo cubano, en Miami y en la isla, ha sufrido la represión, el exilio y la persecución del régimen castrista”, expresó la congresista María Elvira Salazar. “Hoy no solo recordamos el derribo de dos avionetas civiles desarmadas y el asesinato de tres ciudadanos estadounidenses y un residente permanente legal; denunciamos un crimen de Estado que durante décadas quedó impune. Pero esa impunidad se terminó. Bajo el liderazgo del presidente Trump y del secretario Rubio, la rendición de cuentas ya está en marcha. Es hora de acusar a Raúl Castro y cerrar el capítulo más oscuro de esta dictadura. La libertad de Cuba no es un sueño, es un proceso irreversible.”

“Hace treinta años, Raúl Castro perpetró un ataque brutal que asesinó a estadounidenses inocentes cuya única misión era salvar vidas”, dijo el legislador Díaz-Balart. “Nos reunimos no solo para honrar su memoria, sino también para reafirmar que los crímenes contra estadounidenses no pueden ser ignorados, excusados ni olvidados. Debe haber rendición de cuentas por parte de los responsables. Valoro el liderazgo del presidente Trump y aplaudo sus acciones decisivas de máxima presión contra regímenes antiestadounidenses, así como su compromiso de priorizar siempre nuestra seguridad nacional. Estados Unidos debe mantenerse firme e inquebrantable junto al pueblo cubano en su lucha por la libertad, la justicia y la democracia.”

“Hoy reafirmamos una verdad sencilla: la justicia tardía es justicia denegada. Casi tres décadas después del derribo de Hermanos al Rescate en 1996, el régimen de Castro nunca ha rendido cuentas por el asesinato a sangre fría de ciudadanos estadounidenses que llevaban a cabo una misión humanitaria”, dijo el congresista Carlos Gimenez. “Los hechos son claros, la evidencia es abrumadora y la responsabilidad conduce directamente a Raúl Castro. Si “America First” significa defender a nuestros ciudadanos y enfrentar la tiranía en nuestro hemisferio, entonces ha llegado el momento de que el Departamento de Justicia actúe y finalmente haga rendir cuentas a Raúl Castro.”

La semana pasada, los representantes Salazar, Díaz-Balart, Giménez y Malliotakis solicitaron formalmente al Departamento de Justicia reabrir la investigación sobre Raúl Castro y utilizar todas las herramientas legales disponibles para garantizar la rendición de cuentas.

Lea la carta completa aquí.


Rep. Salinas Leads House Agriculture Committee Colleagues in Letter to Trump Administration Requesting Briefing Ahead of USMCA Joint Review

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) led seven of her colleagues in a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to request a briefing for the House Agriculture Committee ahead of the joint review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The letter notes that during the USMCA Joint Review the United States, Mexico, and Canada will evaluate their current trade deal and deliberate its renewal, recission, or review. The letter stressed that USMCA has played a vital role in reducing trade barriers, supporting millions of American jobs, and sustaining farm income. A dedicated briefing would help ensure Congress is fully informed and positioned to chart the best path forward for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities during the Joint Review process.

Click here or see below for the full letter:

Dear Ambassador Greer:

We respectfully request a briefing from you and your team for the House Agriculture Committee given the importance of agricultural trade to the United States economy.

The upcoming United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Joint Review represents a critical point in time for Congress, the Administration, Canada, and Mexico to decide to renew, rescind, or review the USMCA trade deal that entered into force over five years ago. It is critical that this process be transparent and informative so that Congress can accurately assess the best path forward for the American people as it pertains to the USMCA trade deal.

We recognize and thank you for speaking with the House Ways & Means and Committee and the Senate Finance Committee about the Trump Administration’s focus and goals for the USMCA review process. As you stated in your remarks to the Committees of Jurisdiction, the USMCA Implementation Act requires you to report to Congress at the outset of the USMCA Joint Review process. Given the significant impact of trade negotiations on America’s agricultural economy, we would be grateful for the opportunity to hear directly from you.

The United States is the world’s largest agricultural exporter, with total agricultural exports valued at $176 billion in 2024. Over a third of these exports were destined for Mexico and Canada which totaled nearly $59 billion dollars in 2024. The reduction in trade barriers associated with USMCA has supported the increase in agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico, which have quadrupled over the last 25 years. These U.S. agricultural exports support output, employment, income, and purchasing power in both farm and nonfarm sectors. Every $1 billion of U.S. agricultural exports in 2023 supported approximately 5,997 U.S. jobs throughout the economy. With agricultural output in the U.S. growing faster than domestic demand for products, U.S. farmers and agricultural firms have looked toward export markets to help sustain prices and revenues.

Due to this demonstrated significance of agricultural trade to the U.S. economy, this briefing for the House Agriculture Committee would be crucial for providing greater insight and transparency so that Congress can pave the best way forward during the USMCA Joint Review process.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and we look forward to the possibility of a briefing from you and your team.

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Brown Leads Oversight Letter to DHS on ICE’s Troubling Mass Surveillance Tech

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), has led a letter with Oversight Committee colleagues demanding answers regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s use of powerful surveillance tools to collect and analyze cellphone location data across entire neighborhoods.

Reports indicate that DHS and ICE have acquired various surveillance tools that can track every cell phone in certain communities, which it has used to – among other objectives – intimidate legal observers and peaceful protestors.

Brown serves as Ranking Member on the Committee on Oversight’s Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Subcommittee. The letter is signed by 12 members. Brown’s letter was sent to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem earlier today.

“Trump’s ICE has been a public safety and civil rights disaster, and now we have heard reports of tools that could enable dragnet digital surveillance of entire communities,” said Congresswoman Brown. “Technology that can map where people live, work, worship, seek medical care, or attend protests demands the highest level of legal scrutiny, not secrecy and silence. DHS must immediately explain its legal authority and its privacy safeguards. Mass location tracking without a warrant should alarm every American, regardless of party. I do not trust this Department to police itself when it comes to sensitive personal data, and Congress will not look the other way.”

In October 2025, Rep. Brown led a separate letter with Reps. Summer Lee and Yassamin Ansari demanding information regarding ICE’s use of Paragon Solutions, a spyware company capable of covertly accessing private data on Americans’ cell phones without their knowledge or consent.

The letter is cosigned by Rep. Yassamin Ansari, Rep. Greg Casar, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Rep. Stephen Lynch, Rep. Dave Min, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. Emily Randall, Rep. Lateefah Simon, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and Rep. James Walkinshaw.

The text of the letter is as follows:

February 19, 2026

The Honorable Kristi Noem

Secretary

Department of Homeland Security

2707 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue,

SE Washington, DC 20528

Dear Secretary Noem:

We write as members of Congress concerned about recent reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has acquired surveillance tools from Penlink designed to collect and analyze cellphone location data across entire neighborhoods.[1] Mass surveillance of entire communities or city blocks raises serious questions about data privacy and potential violations of civil liberties.

Penlink reportedly collects cellphone location data and allows users to search this data to understand which cellphones were in certain locations at certain times and what other locations those cellphone users have visited.[2] Location data can reveal intimate details of a person’s life, including where they live, work, worship, go to school, or seek medical care. DHS could use these tools to identify individuals for targeting based solely on their presence in certain locations, without a warrant or probable cause and regardless of their citizenship or residency status. The indiscriminate collection of such data poses significant risks to privacy and civil liberties, particularly as federal agents are reportedly identifying and tracking individuals observing the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[3] As the ACLU recently declared, “This is a very dangerous tool in the hands of an out-of-control agency.”[4]

DHS’s acquisition of Penlink’s surveillance technology comes shortly after DHS awarded a contract with the foreign spyware company Paragon, which operates a software that can reportedly gain full access to all information on a mobile device without the device owner’s knowledge or consent. Using this technology, DHS can potentially access encrypted applications, the phone’s location data, and messages and photographs saved to the phone.[5] The continued acquisition of such spyware technology suggests DHS is relying on mass data collection techniques that the Department can use without cell phone users’ knowledge and which may operate outside of constitutional guardrails.

Americans should be able to trust their government to uphold the Constitution and respect fundamental rights. Instead, DHS appears to be engaging in broad surveillance practices to monitor entire communities, violating Americans’ basic civil rights and civil liberties to punish dissent and advance the President’s cruel and unconstitutional mass deportation agenda.

Given these serious implications, I ask that you provide a briefing for committee staff on the following topics by March 5th, 2026:

Internal DHS communications and messaging regarding DHS acquisition of location-based electronics surveillance, including Penlink and other technologies that monitor electronic devices via location data;

Any legal justification DHS has identified that would justify mass electronic surveillance of individuals without a judicial or administrative warrant;

How DHS intends to store, use, and dispose of data collected through the Penlink system; and

Who will be granted access to data collected using Penlink technologies, the processes for granting access, and the process for monitoring for any abuses of such access.

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X. If you have any questions about this request, please contact Committee Democratic staff at (202) 225-5051. Thank you for your prompt attention to this request.

Sincerely,

[Signatures]


Democratic Women’s Caucus Caregiving Task Force Co-Chairs Simon, Dingell, and Pettersen and Rep. Bonamici Demand HHS Secretary Kennedy Withdraw Rule that Undermines Child Care Access

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Last week, Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Caregiving Task Force Co-Chair Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (CA-12) joined fellow Caregiving Task Force Co-Chairs Debbie Dingell (MI-06), and Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), alongside DWC member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), to lead 23 members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus in demanding Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reverse a proposed rule that would make child care less affordable and accessible.

The Members wrote to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, warning that the Restoring Flexibility in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) (RIN) 0970-AD20 (proposed rule) would jeopardize the financial stability of women and families as well as child care providers.

The Members explained that the proposed rule would repeal the 2024 CCDF Final Rule (current rule), creating more barriers to accessible child care. The current rule protects families from excessive costs, stabilizes child care programs, and increases child care options for families.

“One of the most significant provisions in the 2024 CCDF Final Rule [current rule] capped child care copayments at 7 percent of household income. Prior to this change, some states already capped copayments at 7 percent of family income, but other states charged co-payments as high as 27 percent of family income. Additionally, before the 2024 Final Rule [current rule], copayments as a percentage of family income continued to increase for many families over the last two decades. The proposed rule, (RIN) 0970-AD20, asserts the 7 percent cap is not necessary. We disagree. Without the capped payments, families could be forced to pay even more for the child care they need.”

The Members also warned that repealing the current rule would further destabilize the child care workforce—primarily underpaid women, women of color, and immigrants.

“The 2024 CCDF Final Rule [current rule] provided greater stability for child care workers through improved payment rates and practices. This included shifting provider payments to be closer in alignment with the private-pay market through paying providers prospectively, a requirement of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. Congressional Republicans and the Trump administration have alleged fraud in the child care system, in part due to paying providers for services before they render them even though this was a policy used in the first Trump administration. Child care providers operate on increasingly thin margins and paying providers in advance allows for greater stability in the child care market, which is why some states, both red and blue, already used this important payment practice.”

The Members concluded by calling for sustained federal investment in child care to expand access, improve affordability, and support working families.

“This proposed rule (RIN) 0970-AD20 does nothing to lower costs for working families and nothing to support women and children...Women and families must be able to access child care that best meets their children’s needs. For these reasons, we strongly oppose the proposed rule, (RIN) 0970-AD20.”

As Co-Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus Caregiving Task Force, Congresswoman Simon is committed to defending against the Trump Administration’s attacks to child care and health care, as well as building a future where the care economy is prioritized, care workers have the rights and benefits they deserve, and child care is affordable and accessible. Recently, in January 2026, she joined her colleagues to demand a reversal of the Trump Administration’s illegal funding freeze for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) programs in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York.

Read the full letter here.

In addition to letter leads Congresswomen Lateefah Simon, Debbie Dingell, Brittany Pettersen, and Suzanne Bonamici, the letter was signed by Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández, Jasmine Crockett, Judy Chu, Norma J. Torres, Sara Jacobs, Emily Randall, Nikema Williams, Jill Tokuda, Kelly Morrison, Joyce Beatty, Sarah McBride, Julie Johnson, Andrea Salinas, Deborah K. Ross, Pramila Jayapal, Lois Frankel, Sarah Elfreth, Rashida Tlaib, Nellie Pou, Nydia M. Velázquez, Frederica S. Wilson, Haley M. Stevens, April McClain Delaney, Laura Friedman, Veronica Escobar, Julia Brownley, Zoe Lofgren, Summer L. Lee, Delia C. Ramirez, Jahana Hayes, Linda T. Sánchez, and Jennifer L. McClellan.

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Congressman Eric Sorensen Delivers Over $200 Million to Support Rock Island Arsenal

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) is proud to announce that he secured over $200 million in federal funding to support several initiatives at Rock Island Arsenal that will protect jobs, support servicemembers, and expand the Arsenal’s Manufacturing Center of Excellence.

“I’m proud to bring home federal funding to support Rock Island Arsenal in its mission to provide good-paying jobs for my neighbors, develop cutting-edge technology, and support the Quad Cities economy,” said Congressman Eric Sorensen. “In this bill, we’re also protecting the Rock Island Arsenal Museum so that people from across the country can learn about the important history of the Arsenal as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. I look forward to working alongside our community to continue to support Rock Island Arsenal’s critical mission.”

"We are tremendously grateful for the consistent and tremendous support from our Congressional Delegation, especially the advocacy that Congressman Sorensen has provided to Rock Island Arsenal, a strategic capability for America’s national defense and a critical asset for our Quad Cities community. The FY26 defense appropriations bill contains some significant funding to support work at Rock Island Arsenal. As an example, there is robust funding to support efforts at the Additive and Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence that helps to rapidly scale the Army’s Sky Foundry drone production effort," said Shawn Creamer, Executive Director, Rock Island Arsenal Defense Alliance.

The funded projects include:

$100 million for the Army’s Arsenal Sustainment Initiative, which helps to stabilize labor rates at the Rock Island Arsenal and two other Army arsenals.

$80.5 million to continue manufacturing the Next Generation High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) Shop Equipment Contract and Maintenance (SECM) at the Rock Island Arsenal in partnership with AM General, allowing troops to better to maintain systems on the ground.

$5 million for the Rock Island Arsenal’s Advanced and Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, the Army’s hub for next generation additive manufacturing innovation.

$1 million for equipment to begin additively manufacturing CCA wings at the Rock Island Arsenal’s Advanced and Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence.

$29 million for other projects being completed at or alongside the Rock Island Arsenal.

Bans funding from being used to close the Rock Island Arsenal Museum.

Congressman Eric Sorensen represents Illinois’ 17th District in the United States House of Representatives. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for more than 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.

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Strickland Launches Annual Congressional Art Competition

Lacey, WA – Today, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) announced that her office will begin accepting submissions for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. This annual program is an opportunity to recognize, honor, and encourage young artistic talent across the nation.

“Every year, I am inspired by the creativity and talent of students across Washington’s 10th District,” said Strickland. “The Congressional Art Competition is an opportunity to celebrate their unique voices and perspectives. I encourage every student with a passion for art to share their vision and be part of this proud tradition.”

This year’s competition includes a theme to guide student artwork. The 2026 theme is “Natural Beauty.” Students are asked to share their artistic expression of what natural beauty means to them.

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students living in Washington’s 10th Congressional District. If you are unsure which Congressional District you reside in, you can find out here.

Artists will have their artwork featured in the local Congressional Art Competition Ceremony this spring. The winning artwork will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol, and the artist will be recognized at the Congressional Institute. The exhibit in Washington, D.C., will include the winning artwork from all participating districts from around the country. The winning artwork is also featured on the House’s Congressional Art Competition page.

The following is a summary of the Congressional Art Competition rules:

Artwork entered in the contest may be up to 26 inches by 26 inches, may be up to 4 inches in-depth, and may not weigh more than 15 pounds. Artwork is due on Wednesday, April 15th, 2025. Please attach a high-resolution photo of your art as well as thestudent release formin an email to:Sara.Develle@mail.house.gov.

For more information and official rules, please visit: https://strickland.house.gov/services/art-competition or call Congresswoman Strickland’s District Office at 360-459-8514.

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is Whip of the New Democrat Coalition, Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.

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Ranking Member Subramanyam Statement on Arrest of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Ranking Member of the Military and Foreign Affairs Oversight Subcommittee, released the following statement after news of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s arrest:

“Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has evaded justice for too long. He appears repeatedly in the documents we have uncovered as having knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein's crimes and is specifically named by victims as someone who engaged in wrongdoing.

Yet he has continued to ignore our calls to cooperate with the Oversight Committee's investigation. We hope today's arrest will lead to answers and show that there will be accountability even if you hide, regardless of how rich and powerful you are.”


Rep. Subramanyam, Sen. Kaine Lead Effort Pushing Administration to Make Exemption for International Adoptions

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) led a bicameral effort to pressure the Trump administration to provide a clear, categorical exemption for adopted children that would allow international adoptions to continue. Earlier this year, the administration announced that visa issuances would be paused for applications from 75 countries, claiming without evidence, that immigrants are a financial burden on Americans.

The members and senators said, “Following this abrupt policy change, we have heard grave concerns from constituents in the final stages of international adoptions that have been years in the making. These families have completed all required U.S. immigration, financial, and child-welfare vetting and have waited years for the opportunity to bring their children home. However, adoption visa protocols require immigrant visas, which are now on pause. As a result of this decision, these families’ plans to bring their children to the United States are facing uncertainty.”

The letter to the Department of State and Secretary of State Marco Rubio cites public reports that more than 300 international adoptions have already been disrupted or halted due to this policy change.

The members and senators continued, “While we have heard through correspondence with the Department that Americans going through the adoption process can qualify for an exception under the National Interest Exception, we strongly urge you to immediately officially establish categorical exemptions for adoption-related visas, consistent with long-standing U.S. practice, and transmit this information to the public, so these American families can unite with their children.”

The following members and senators joined Rep. Subramanyam and Sen. Kaine on the letter to the State Department: Senators Baldwin (WI), Blumenthal (CT), Booker (NJ), Coons (DE), Cortez-Masto (NV), Markey (MA), Merkley (OR), Padilla (CA), Van Hollen (MD), Warner (VA), Wyden (OR), and Representatives Beyer (VA), Davis (IL), Doggett (TX), Keating (MA), McClellan (VA), Moulton (MA), Scott (VA), and Walkinshaw (VA).

The full letter can be found here and below.

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Dear Secretary Rubio,

On January 14, 2026, the Department of State announced that, effective January 21, 2026, the Department would be “pausing all visa issuances” for applications from 75 different countries. In the announcement, the Department stated, without evidence, that immigrants are a financial burden on Americans.

Following this abrupt policy change, we have heard grave concerns from constituents in the final stages of international adoptions that have been years in the making. These families have completed all required U.S. immigration, financial, and child-welfare vetting and have waited years for the opportunity to bring their children home. However, adoption visa protocols require immigrant visas, which are now on pause. As a result of this decision, these families’ plans to bring their children to the United States are facing uncertainty.

Public reports indicate that the State Department’s blanket refusal to issue visas for these children has already disrupted or halted international adoptions for approximately 300 U.S. families. The result is that children who are already legally part of U.S. families are forced to remain separated from their parents and siblings, often residing in orphanages or foster care placements abroad, with no clear timeline for reunification. This outcome is unprecedented and horrifying, particularly given that international adoption visas have historically been exempt from prior travel restrictions, national security suspensions, and processing pauses.

While the Department has stated that the rationale for pausing immigrant visa issuance is concern over public charge and financial burden, the application of this policy to adoption cases falls far outside of any asserted scope of the policy’s intent. Extensive screenings by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the State Department Consulates already ensure that adoptive families have demonstrated the ability to bear full financial responsibility for their children.

While we have heard through correspondence with the Department that Americans going through the adoption process can qualify for an exception under the National Interest Exception, we strongly urge you to immediately officially establish categorical exemptions for adoption-related visas, consistent with long-standing U.S. practice, and transmit this information to the public, so these American families can unite with their children.

Thank you for your attention to this critical and time-sensitive matter.


Thompson Now Accepting Community Project Funding Requests for Fiscal Year 2027

BELLEFONTE, Pa. – U.S. Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) today announced that he will begin accepting Community Project Funding (CPF) requests for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27).

“The people in Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District know best when it comes to projects that will improve public safety, quality of life, and our communities,” Rep. Thompson said.

Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the U.S. Constitution entrusts Congress with the authority to make appropriations through law. It is the legislative branch’s duty to determine how discretionary federal funds are allocated to local government entities, nonprofit organizations, or geographic locations. While there are no guarantees that a community project will be funded, they are all competitively evaluated by the Committee on Appropriations.

Rep. Thompson is accepting applications until Close of Business on March 6, 2026.

The FY27 Community Project Funding (CPF) Request Form can be found here.

The FY27 General Appropriations Request Form can be found here.

For more information, please call 202-225-5121.


Congressman Van Drew Celebrates Historic Federal Investments Headed to South Jersey

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew released a list highlighting some of the federal funding he has secured for South Jersey over the past year through the federal budget, competitive grants, and targeted infrastructure investments. In total, hundreds of millions of dollars are being brought back to New Jersey's Second Congressional District.

"South Jersey will not be forgotten," said Congressman Van Drew. "Our communities deserve their share, and I will keep fighting to make sure we get it. What we secured this past year is real money, for real projects, delivering real results, and we are not done yet. There are even more exciting funding announcements coming in the months ahead, and people across South Jersey are going to continue to see this funding take shape and transform their communities."

Examples of Projects Funded and Receiving Funding:

$ Tens of Millions, Beach Replenishment: Commitment from the Army Corps of Engineers to fast-track funding for beach replenishment along the Jersey Shore.

$425,000,000, U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May: Provides funding for a new state-of-the-art indoor training center that consolidates seamanship training, firefighting training, physical fitness, classrooms, and graduation spaces into a single structure. Other major components include a new small-arms firing range, gallery cafeteria, and pier. The funding also provides for the total recapitalization of the barracks system.

$43,000,000, FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center Improvements: Provides funding for sustainment and infrastructure improvements at the Tech Center, including upgrades to electrical systems and resiliency projects.

$2,100,000, National Aviation Research and Technology Park (NARTP) Advanced Aviation Testing Corridor: Establishes a civilian/military drone testing corridor in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force, NASA, and the FAA to improve our ability to detect and manage drones in national airspace.

$10,508,000, Infrastructure Projects Across South Jersey: Provides funding for various projects, including Atlantic Avenue resurfacing and traffic light synchronization.

$37,800,000, Dredging and Erosion Mitigation: Provides funding for dredging and erosion mitigation across South Jersey, including dredging the Absecon Inlet, Cold Spring Inlet, New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, and Maurice River, as well as building outfall pipes and mitigating erosion in Atlantic City.

$24,300,000, Cape May City Seawall Flood Mitigation Project: Provides funding to build a protective seawall in Cape May.

$3,000,000, Atlantic Cape Community College Capital Fund: Supports the creation of a dental hygiene school, expanding access to healthcare education and local career opportunities.

$8,298,000, Airports Across South Jersey: Provides funding to improve and expand the infrastructure at Atlantic City International Airport, Woodbine Airport, Millville Airport, Cape May Airport, and Ocean City Airport.

$13,300,000, Head Start Programs: Provides funding for Head Start early childhood education projects across the district.

$1,000,000 ($500,000 each), Maurice River and Salem River: Historic "New Start" funding to study increasing the depth of the Maurice River and Salem River.

$2,625,000, Corbin City K9 Training Facility: For the construction of a modern K9 law enforcement training facility in Corbin City.

$2,000,000, Salem Town Bank Pump Station: To support the design and construction of flood mitigation infrastructure in Salem City.

$500,000, HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers: Supports a national expansion of the South Jersey-based HERO Campaign's designated-driver/traffic safety programming.

$1,000,000, Swedesboro Lead Pipe Abatement: Replaces lead pipes and improves drinking water safety in the Borough of Swedesboro in support of their objective to be "lead free".

$500,000, Cape May Desalination Plant: Brings in the United States Army Corps of Engineers to support the construction of a water desalination plant which serves Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, Cape May City, Cape May Point, West Cape May, and part of Lower Township.

$600,000, Gandy's Beach: Funds an Army Corps investigation to design shore protection features at Gandy's Beach in Cumberland County, which suffered a disaster in early 2024.

$750,000, Long Beach Township Sewer Main Replacement: Funds replacement of aging sewer main infrastructure to reduce failures/overflows and improve service reliability.

$1,000,000, Aviation Maintenance Training Academy: Establishes an Aviation Maintenance Training Academy at the Atlantic City International Airport in conjunction with the Atlantic County Economic Alliance, the U.S. Air Force, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the National Aviation Research and Technology Park, and aviation businesses. This will create a pipeline for workers and former military personnel to gain skills and access job opportunities in lucrative private sector aircraft maintenance positions.


Rep. Gabe Vasquez Meets with New Mexico Farmers and Ranchers in Albuquerque to Set 2026 Farm Bill Priorities

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On February 17, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) convened his Agriculture Advisory Group at the Gutierrez-Hubbell House in the South Valley to hear directly from New Mexico farmers, ranchers, food banks, state officials, and agricultural advocates about their top priorities and challenges as Congress prepares to take up the 2026 Farm Bill next week.

The meeting brought together a broad cross-section of New Mexico’s agricultural community, including representatives from the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, Agri-Cultura Cooperative Network, Farm to Table, National Young Farmers Coalition, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, Dairy Producers of New Mexico, New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association, Roadrunner Food Bank, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau and the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association, among others.

As a Member of the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Vasquez convened the group to solicit feedback on the recently released Farm Bill text and to better understand what New Mexico producers need to see included — and excluded — before next week’s committee debate.

“Working with my Agriculture Advisory Group is about ensuring New Mexico agriculture has a seat at the table,” Vasquez said. “Before I cast a vote for a Farm Bill, I want to hear directly from the people who grow our food and cattle, steward our land, and feed our communities, and I will make sure their voices are heard next week in Washington.”

During the meeting, participants shared priorities ranging from strengthening local food systems and supporting small and specialty crop producers to protecting dairy and livestock operations, expanding market access, improving conservation tools, and addressing food insecurity across the state following cuts to food assistance under the Republican tax law.

In addition to Farm Bill priorities, immigration enforcement and workforce stability were covered during the discussion, including concerns about recent ICE activity affecting farm labor operations. Rep. Vasquez reiterated his support for enforcing immigration laws while focusing enforcement efforts on individuals convicted of violent crimes — not destabilizing farms and critical food supply chains. He also discussed his Strengthening Our Workforce Act, which would create a structured, two-year conditional pathway to lawful permanent residency for non-citizens working in critical industries such as agriculture, provided they meet strict eligibility and employment requirements, pass a background check and pay a fee.

The Congressman and his office will continue gathering input from stakeholders across New Mexico as the Farm Bill legislative process moves forward.


Vindman Launches Federal Workforce Caucus, Stands Up for Virginia Federal Workers

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Eugene Vindman (D-Va.-07) joined U.S. Representatives James Walkinshaw (D-Va.-11) and Steny Hoyer (D-Md.-05), U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and 21 other lawmakers in launching the bicameral Federal Workforce Caucus to bolster efforts to protect federal employees and ensure that they can serve the American people free from political influence.

“Virginia is home to tens of thousands of federal workers, contractors, and service members who serve with a dedication to country, not political party. As their Representative, a 25-year Army officer, and as the husband of a former federal employee, I know that federal workers are essential to the success, safety, and stability of our nation,” said Vindman. “I will never back down from a fight to protect and honor those who choose a life of service. I am proud to be an inaugural member of the federal workforce caucus.”

The Federal Workforce Caucus will provide a platform for Members of Congress to:

Support and strengthen the federal civilian workforce and the merit-based civil service, ensuring it continues to serve American families and businesses effectively;

Protect the integrity and nonpartisan nature of federal employment;

Promote policies that enhance recruitment, retention, and morale across federal agencies;

Showcase examples of how government programs and federal employees positively impact the lives of Americans;

Develop and advance data-driven policies that foster modernization and innovation in the federal workforce, including pay competitiveness, performance optimization, and professional development; and

Encourage dialogue among Members of Congress, current and former federal employees, unions and organizations representing federal workers, and subject-matter experts to guide efforts to modernize government and build a workforce capable of meeting Americans’ needs.

Additional members of the Caucus include U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) and U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-Va.-03), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.-04), Don Beyer (D-Va.-08), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.-10), Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.-02), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.-03), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.-04), April McClain Delaney (D-Md.-06), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.-07), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.-17).

“Donald Trump and Russell Vought claim that our federal workers are ‘villains’ who ought to be ‘put in trauma.’ That’s dead wrong. Federal employees are patriotic professionals who provide vital services to the American people every day. I have fought to protect them from DOGE’s crusade, and Congress must do the same. That’s why I’m pleased to help found the Federal Workforce Caucus,” said Hoyer.

“Federal workers deliver essential public services on behalf of the American people every day – they are the patriotic civil servants who care for our veterans, conduct food safety inspections, provide aid to communities struck by disaster, and so much more. But from day one, the Trump Administration has relentlessly attacked them and jeopardized the services they provide – as they pursue their ultimate goal of replacing qualified civil servants with political cronies who will do Trump’s bidding without regard for the law. We’re launching the Federal Workforce Caucus to stand united against this Administration’s attacks, to support our federal workers, and to protect the integrity of our merit-based civil service,” said Van Hollen.

“As Co-Chair and Founder of the Federal Workforce Caucus, I’m proud to lead this effort to advocate for our dedicated federal workers and the good government values they uphold,” said Walkinshaw. “Virginia is home to nearly 150,000 federal workers, including more than 60,000 in Fairfax, who care for veterans, protect our food supply, respond to disasters, and keep essential programs running. Too often, they are treated as political targets instead of the backbone of an effective, nonpartisan civil service. This Caucus will be on the front lines defending merit-based public service and advancing policies to strengthen recruitment and retention, boost morale, and modernize pay and professional development. We will work every day to ensure government delivers world-class services for all Americans.”

“Virginia is home to hundreds of thousands of hardworking public servants who keep our country safe and provide critical services to their fellow Americans,” said Kaine. “As the Trump Administration attacks and vilifies this dedicated workforce, we must push back. I’m glad to join my colleagues in launching the Federal Workforce Caucus to protect and strengthen the federal workforce.”

“When federal workers take their oath, they don’t pledge allegiance to whoever is in the Oval Office, they pledge an oath to this nation and our constitution. They deserve our gratitude and respect, yet instead, this Administration has unleashed a witch hunt against our civil servants. The Federal Workforce Caucus is focused – through legislation, advocacy, and dialogue – on protecting our civil servants and allowing them to continue to serve the American people,” said Alsobrooks.

“Federal workers in Virginia and across the country are the backbone of services Americans depend on,” said Warner. “As the Trump administration continues to target federal workers and use them as political bargaining chips, it is critical for lawmakers to come together and defend the job security, pay, and benefits of our dedicated civil service.”

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Watson Coleman Joins New Jersey Democratic Delegation in Statewide Initiative to Stop Proposed ICE Warehouse in Roxbury

Yesterday, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) joined Congressman Rob Menendez's statewide initiative to oppose the proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) warehouse facility in Roxbury Township, New Jersey. Menendez’s effort is joined by Senator Andy Kim and Congressmembers LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Herb Conaway Jr., MD (NJ-3), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Donald Norcross (NJ-1), Frank Pallone (NJ-6), and Nellie Pou (NJ-9).

“After his Administration bragged about wanting to treat immigrants like ‘Amazon Prime,’ the latest development in Trump’s cruel anti-immigrant agenda is using massive warehouses for immigrant detention,” said Congressman Menendez. “I have personally witnessed abhorrent conditions at Delaney Hall, and the idea that this Administration wants to replicate them at an even bigger scale at warehouses not meant for human occupancy is horrific. By adding your voice to our initiative, we will send a clear message to the Trump Administration that New Jersey will not stand for this dehumanizing and cruel treatment of our neighbors in any community in our state.”

“ICE, in its actions around the country, has displayed an increasing dismissal of human rights. New Jersey at large, including the community of Roxbury, has rejected this as antithetical to the values of our great state,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “The Trump administration's commitment to rewarding the private prison industry, the first megadonor to max-out to the President's political campaigns, has been made apparent. They value degradation, corruption, and absolute loyalty to Trump above all else. A concentration camp in Roxbury would be a symbol of this immorality. The people of New Jersey have said loud and clear, 'ICE is not welcome here.' This initiative will shout that declaration from New Jersey to the White House.”

“From Roxbury to Newark, Private Detention Centers have no place in New Jersey,” said Senator Kim. “These companies have shown they'd rather put their own profits over the care they're supposed to provide. We can’t risk more injuries, accidents, and chaos that puts our communities at risk. You deserve to have your voice heard as we hold these companies and the Trump Administration accountable, which is why I stand with my colleagues as we take action to protect those who call New Jersey home.”

“We want ICE out of New Jersey, not another massive detention center in our community. From Delaney Hall to facilities all across the country, ICE proven that they have no regard for due process or human dignity,” said Congresswoman McIver. “They skirt oversight and accountability, trying to hide brutal conditions of detention because they are unacceptable. Our community will reject this latest move by the Trump administration.”

“Converting an industrial facility in Roxbury Township into an ICE detention center is inhumane and deeply wrong. I strongly oppose this proposal, and I will fight any effort to turn our communities into sites of mass detention,” said Congressman Conaway Jr., MD “Similarly, I raised the alarm when there were proposals to use Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst as a migrant detention facility because our communities should not suffer from the administration’s blatant disregard for human life. The same principle applies in Roxbury. I will not stand by while federal officials attempt to expand a system that has already led to unsafe conditions, chaos, and harm.”

“Immigration enforcement must be carried out professionally, lawfully, and with fact-driven accountability — because no individual and no government agency is above the Constitution,” said Congressman Gottheimer. “We need clear, commonsense, enforceable guardrails for immigration enforcement — led with professionalism, the rule of law, and respect for human life.”

“From Minnesota to New Jersey, we’ve seen what happens when ICE comes into our communities. Just last week, there was an ICE raid in Lindenwold, and video online shows children running away in terror after learning ICE agents were nearby,” said Congressman Norcross. “Now there’s a proposal to turn a warehouse in Roxbury Township into another ICE detention center. It’s more of the same from Donald Trump, and his administration continues to set policies that fail to uphold the Constitution and lack transparency. We deserve honesty from our leaders, not operations carried out in the shadows that leave communities shaken. Today, I join my congressional colleagues in urging New Jerseyans to make their voices heard and respond to our survey. It’s going to take all of us speaking out to hold this administration accountable.”

“Our initiative is about giving New Jerseyans a voice before Trump turns a warehouse in Roxbury into a mass detention site for up to 1,500 people,” said Congressman Pallone. “Our communities should not wake up one day to find that human beings are being held in conditions designed for storage. We’ve seen the harm these facilities cause in New Jersey and across the country. If the Trump administration is moving forward with their plan to treat people like cargo, then the people of New Jersey deserve the chance to speak loudly and clearly before it happens.”

“The country has witnessed the Trump Administration’s efforts to target, detain, and deport members of our immigrant communities—and the chaos these actions have inflicted on our neighborhoods continues to grow each day,” said Congresswoman Pou. “That the Trump Administration is seeking to expand these failed and harmful policies by increasing immigrant detention facilities in New Jersey is unconscionable. Another ICE detention center is not welcome in our community. This initiative can amplify the voices of our constituents, many of whom have felt unheard and voiceless during this administration.”

The proposed facility has generated widespread opposition, including a resolution opposing the conversion of this warehouse into an ICE facility by the all-Republican Roxbury Township Council. The site is also reported to have no water or sewer capacity for ICE’s proposed usage.

New Jersey is home to more than two million immigrants who are a valued part of our community and essential to the state’s economy, workforce, and small businesses. Since President Trump took office, large federal detention contracts in New Jersey have produced unsafe conditions, unrest, and even deaths in custody. Rather than learning from these failures, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) now appears poised to escalate them by detaining people in warehouses, which are facilities designed for storage, not human safety.


PHOTO RELEASE: Webster Earns 100 Percent Award from FRC Action

Washington, D.C. — FRC Action, the legislative affiliate of the Family Research Council, recently recognized Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, as a One Hundred Percent Award winner for his work in Congress to support life, family values, and religious freedom.

“I am honored to receive the One Hundred Percent Award from FRC Action,” said Rep. Webster. "Ensuring our children’s and grandchildren’s future is built on the same freedoms we cherish requires us to stand firm on protecting our values. I will continue to support policies that protect the sanctity of life, defend religious freedom, and strengthen family values.”

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ICYMI: Rep. Whitesides Announces $1 Million Federal Investment into Local Law Enforcement at Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station

Rep. Whitesides Condemns the President’s Anti-Science Budget Proposal

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Senator Banks Delivers Remarks at Munitions Campus Groundbreaking Ceremony

Odon, IN – Today, Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) delivered remarks at the Munitions Campus Groundbreaking Ceremony near Naval Weapons Station Crane. This event marked the establishment of the new facility, set to become operational in 2027, that is dedicated to producing high-performance, cost-effective energetic components and solid rocket motors which will strengthen the military readiness and capabilities of the United States and our allies.

Senator Jim Banks: “The Munitions Campus is a generational investment into America’s defense industrial base. I’m proud that this project will take place in Indiana, which continues to support our military and national security.”

See more photos here.

Background:

Senator Banks is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The Munitions campus at Crane is part of an 1,100-acre defense-tech development and manufacturing hub set to begin operating in 2027. The project is expected to create thousands of jobs and spur $600 million in private spending.

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Senator Banks on Latest Fatal Crash Caused by an Illegal on Indiana Roads: “This is a National Crisis”

West Lafayette, IN, – Today, Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) released a statement on the February 18th fatal crash that killed 64-year-old Terry Schultz at the intersection of U.S. 36 and County Road 525 East in Hendricks County, Indiana.

Senator Jim Banks: “Another life taken on Indiana roads by a semitruck driver who never should have been here or behind the wheel in the first place.

How many times are we going to see this same story happen again? It feels like every single week there is another family planning a funeral because illegals who can’t read our road signs and don’t follow our laws are allowed on our highways.

This is not bad luck. This is not just another accident. This is a national crisis! I am sick of it.

We need real accountability and a major overhaul. I’m calling on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to investigate chameleon carrier networks in Indiana and will be introducing legislation to get unsafe, illegal drivers off our roads before another life is lost and another family gets destroyed.”

Fox News is reporting that the semitruck driver who ran a red light and caused yesterday’s fatal crash is an illegal alien from India who crossed the southern border illegally in 2018. He was issued a non-domiciled commercial driver’s license in Indiana in May of 2025 and is currently in ICE custody.

Last week, Senator Banks launched the TruckSafe Tipline for truckers and those who work in the trucking industry to share concerns about carriers employing or contracting with drivers who are not legally in the United States, who are not authorized to drive a truck, or who cannot meet required English-language safety standards.

The TruckSafe Tipline can be found here.

Reports submitted to the TruckSafe Tipline will be reviewed and shared with the U.S. Department of Transportation and its Office of Inspector General to help protect roadway safety and ensure a fair, lawful trucking industry.

Background:

According to a news release from the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office, a Freightliner semi-truck with a trailer was reportedly traveling eastbound on U.S. 36 when it allegedly ran the red light at the intersection.

Earlier this month, a Kyrgyzstani national who crossed the southern border illegally in December 2023 and was let into the U.S. by the Biden administration by using the CBP One cell phone app killed four Indiana men after swerving into oncoming traffic on State Road 67 in Jay County. The victims of the accident include a 50-year-old father, his two sons, ages 19 and 25, and one other person.

Over the weekend, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said AJ Partners, the carrier that employed the illegal alien involved in the Jay County crash has been removed from service and the school that helped the driver obtain a licenses has been shut down.

This was not the first fatal accident caused by an illegal truck driver on Indiana’s roads. In November 2025, a Georgian national who entered the country illegally during the Biden Administration in 2022 and was granted a commercial driver’s license by New York State caused a crash that killed Indiana National Guardsman Terry Frye. When the authorities tried to communicate with the foreign driver at the scene, they discovered that the driver could not speak English and required a translator, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

In October 2025, an illegal alien from Serbia and Montenegro driving a semi-truck on U.S. Highway 20 in Portage, Indiana caused a multi-car accident that killed a 54-year-old. Despite being in the United States illegally since 2011, the driver owned two trucking companies that received over $36,000 in COVID-19 relief funding.

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Senator Banks Visits Purdue with NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya

West Lafayette, IN, – Today, Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and National Institute of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya visited with Purdue University’s Office of Research Leadership.

Earlier this month, Senator Banks discussed the importance of fair health research funding for Indiana universities with Dr. Bhattacharya during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing titled “Modernizing the National Institutes of Health: Faster Discoveries, More Cures.”

Senator Jim Banks: “It was great to welcome NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to Purdue today. I’m grateful for his work modernizing the NIH to give world-class universities like Purdue a fairer shot at research funding and produce more life-saving medical treatments.”

While on campus, Senator Banks toured the Low Research Lab and hosted a community leaders roundtable. The roundtable included mayors, bipartisan state representatives, county council members, and business leaders from across West Lafayette and Tippecanoe and White counties.

Yesterday, Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) visited Purdue University, where he toured the College of Veterinary Medicine with Dr. Wendy Townsend, spoke with students in the Intro to Tech Diplomacy in International Affairs class, and met with Provost Patrick J. Wolfe and several of Purdue’s college deans.

Senator Jim Banks: “Great to tour Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine with Dr. Wendy Townsend yesterday. Purdue’s veterinary school is one of the best in the nation and doing incredible work for the future of vet medicine.”

Senator Jim Banks: “Thanks to Purdue Professor Matt Ellis for inviting me to speak with his class about the growing role of technology and AI in policy making. Great conversation with a bright group of students!”

See more photos from the visit here.

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Barrasso, Luján 988 Bill Advances in Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) applauded the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee for recently passing their bipartisan legislation to increase the efficiency of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline through assessing challenges to transmitting geolocation information.

“The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a vital tool that saves lives in Wyoming and across the country,” said Sen. Barrasso. “Our bipartisan bill makes important updates to this lifeline and will help us assess barriers to transmitting geolocation data with calls so we can better connect callers with local emergency services. With committee passage, we’re one step closer to getting this bill across the finish line in the Senate.”

“The 988 hotline is a vital resource for New Mexicans facing mental health crises and has saved lives across the country. Committee passage of our bipartisan legislation is an important step to make 988 more reliable and responsive for those in need,” said Sen. Luján. “This bill is an important step in understanding how to further improve location information for 988 calls, so we can ensure people are connected with local resources and emergency services when necessary.”

In 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took action to require service providers to route phone calls to 988 to the nearest call center based on geographic location. Last July, the FCC took steps to require geo-routing for texts. Previously, calls and texts were routed based on the phone’s area code, often resulting in a geographic mismatch.

The 988 Lifeline Location Improvement Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), James Risch (R-Idaho), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

This legislation is supported by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International (APCO).

Background:

The 988 Lifeline Location Improvement Act would:

Instruct the FCC to open a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) to address the challenges to transmitting geolocation information with calls to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Direct the FCC to consider legal authorities, protection of consumer privacy, feasibility, technical implementation standards, assessment of funds, technical challenges for callers with disabilities, and current technology available.

Require GAO to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on the opportunities and challenges related to implementing geolocation in consultation with representatives from telecommunications, emergency centers, 911 service providers, small and rural local governments, community mental health centers, and individuals who have experience providing services for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have hearing loss.

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

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Bennet, Whitehouse, Colleagues Investigate EPA’s Decision to Disregard Health Benefits in Air Pollution Regulations

Denver— Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources, joined Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and 30 Senators to launch an investigation into the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to stop counting health benefits when conducting cost-benefit analysis for Clean Air Act rules that limit dangerous pollutants. The decision was announced in a recent rulemaking concerning power plant regulations and reveals EPA’s intention to apply this policy to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone, two of the most harmful air pollutants.

“EPA’s new policy is irrational. Even where health benefits are ‘uncertain’, what is certain is that they are not zero. It will lead to perverse outcomes in which EPA will reject actions that would impose relatively minor costs on polluting industries while resulting in massive benefits to public health – including in saved lives. It is contrary to Congress’s intent and directive as spelled out in the Clean Air Act. It is legally flawed. The only beneficiaries will be polluting industries, many of which are among President Trump’s largest donors,” wrote the senators.

The decision is based on EPA’s claim that calculating benefits for PM2.5 and ozone is too “uncertain,” yet the agency has long been able to quantify both the costs and benefits of human health effects in Clean Air Act standards. For decades, EPA and other federal agencies have conducted robust cost-benefit analyses under Executive Order 12866, comparing monetized health benefits with compliance costs as a foundational part of rulemaking. Both pollutants covered by the new rulemaking are well-documented drivers of serious health harms.

By factoring in only the costs to industry—and not the costs to human life—the Trump EPA risks Americans’ health and could cost billions in higher health care spending. Should EPA apply this policy when reconsidering the current nationwide PM2.5 standards, the agency risks costing Americans “between $22 and $46 billion in avoided morbidities and premature deaths in the year 2032,” the senators wrote. “The total compliance cost to industry, meanwhile, [would] be $590 million—between one and two one-hundredths of the estimated health benefit value.”

“EPA has frequently overestimated cost to industry when promulgating regulations in the past,” but even if the $590 million estimate is correct, “the expense of forgoing the $22 to $46 billion benefit would burden Americans across the country in lives lost, more frequent and severe illnesses, missed school days and lost labor productivity, [while] the $590 million in savings would go mostly into the pockets of a small group of Trump’s fossil fuel donors,”wrote the senators.

The senators emphasize that the shift contradicts EPA’s core obligation to protect health, the Clean Air Act’s directive to “protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare,” and commitments Administrator Zeldin himself made during his confirmation hearing, where he testified that, “the goal, the end state of all the conversations that we might have, any regulations that might get passed, any laws that might get passed by Congress” is to “have the cleanest, healthiest air, [and] drinking water.” Administrator Zeldin’s action now flies in the face of his earlier testimony.

“That EPA may no longer monetize health benefits when setting new clean air standards does not mean that those health benefits don’t exist—it just means that [EPA] will ignore them and reject safer standards, in favor of protecting corporate interests,” concluded the senators.

The senators are requesting documents and information related to this decision, including draft and final analyses, cost-benefit modeling, scientific justifications, communications with industry representatives, and any White House involvement, by February 24, 2026.

Last week, Bennet released a statement on the EPA’s rescission of the 2009 “Endangerment Finding,” the scientific determination that established that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health, and underpins the federal government’s authority to limit those emissions. He also joined 40 of his Senate Democratic colleagues to demand more information on the repeal of the 2009 Endangerment Finding and launch an investigation into this decision. In 2025, Bennet reintroduced the Cleaner Air Spaces Act (CASA) to provide grants to expand local clean air programs that provide free air filtration units to households and establish clean air centers in communities with a high risk of wildfire smoke exposure. Bennet has advocated for appropriate cost-benefit analysis of air pollution throughout his career, having first led the introduction of the Carbon Pollution Transparency Act in 2017 to provide a transparent, standard, and science-based method for accounting for the costs of greenhouse gas emissions in federal decision-making.

In addition to Bennet and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King, Jr. (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Administrator Zeldin,

We write in response to EPA’s apparent decision that it will no longer count health effects when conducting cost-benefit analysis for Clean Air Act rules limiting dangerous pollutants. In a recent rulemaking concerning power plant regulations, EPA has specifically announced its intention to apply this policy to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone, alleging that the benefits calculus for these pollutants is particularly “uncertain”.

EPA’s new policy is irrational. Even where health benefits are “uncertain”, what is certain is that they are not zero. It will lead to perverse outcomes in which EPA will reject actions that would impose relatively minor costs on polluting industries while resulting in massive benefits to public health – including in saved lives. It is contrary to Congress’s intent and directive as spelled out in the Clean Air Act. It is legally flawed. The only beneficiaries will be polluting industries, many of which are among President Trump’s largest donors.

The purpose of the Clean Air Act, as confirmed repeatedly by the text of the statute, is to promote clean air. In 1967, on the opening page of the Act, Congress stated that “air pollution…has resulted in mounting dangers to the public health and welfare” and determined that it was therefore the purpose of the Act to “protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare…” You yourself affirmed this directive under oath in your own confirmation hearing in January 2025, when you testified to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that “[EPA’s] mission is simple, but essential: to protect human health and the environment.” You can’t “protect human health” if you don’t count it.

Since the Clean Air Act’s inception, EPA has implemented its health-protecting mission through rulemaking and enforcement. For several decades, since the issuance of Executive Order 12866, EPA and other federal agencies have conducted robust cost-benefit analyses, comparing monetized expected health benefits against compliance costs, as an often-foundational component of rulemaking. Indeed, cost-benefit analyses are often relied upon by courts to determine if a rulemaking was reasonable and not “arbitrary and capricious”.

It is true that a cost-benefit analysis is an inexact metric for evaluating the value of a human life. It is also true that some health benefits are difficult to quantify to their full extent. But these points simply show that health benefits are often destined, even when monetized, to be undervalued—which makes it more important than ever that EPA at a minimum weigh those health benefits that are monetizable. Putting a minimum dollars and cents value on health assures the public that EPA is doing the work it is obligated to do; protecting the public health and considering compliance costs in the context of overall benefits, including the benefits that the Clean Air Act is designed to achieve. This assurance is doubly important now, when your EPA has shown time and time again that it values corporate profit over protecting the public. Instead of giving this assurance, your EPA now intends to set health benefits to zero.

EPA has declared that it will no longer monetize the benefits of reducing PM2.5 and ozone pollution, on the basis that the benefits of their reduction are “uncertain”. But the benefit of reducing air pollution is demonstrably not zero. PM2.5 pollution causes heart attacks, 7 asthma, 8 bronchitis, 9 lung cancer, 10 strokes, 11 premature births, 12 and death.Ozone pollution causes lung disease, asthma attacks, nervous system and cardiovascular problems, and reproductive issues. Economists and scientists have long established workable metrics for monetarily quantifying the health benefits of reduced pollution. The method for calculating PM2.5 benefits, according to a former EPA economist who worked at the agency from 1998 until 2025, is “one of the most heavily reviewed processes probably ever in the federal government, and [it] has been through many iterations in both Democratic and Republican administrations.” In setting its updated PM2.5 national ambient air quality (NAAQs) standards in 2024, EPA calculated a benefit of between $22 and $46 billion in avoided morbidities and premature death in the year 2032. The total compliance cost to industry, meanwhile, was calculated to be $590 million—between one and two one-hundredths of the estimated health benefit value. Moreover, as EPA itself acknowledges, compliance cost values themselves are subject to a significant degree of uncertainty. EPA has frequently overestimated cost to industry when promulgating regulations in the past. Finally, even assuming $590 million is correct, it must be noted that while the expense of forgoing the $22 to 46 billion benefit would burden Americans across the country in lives lost, more frequent and severe illnesses, missed school days and lost labor productivity, the $590 million in savings would go mostly into the pockets of a small group of Trump’s fossil fuel donors.

It seems self-evident that where EPA does conduct a cost-benefit analysis, it would be irrational to consider only the cost of setting standards, while ignoring the monetized public health benefits of those standards. Self-evident or not, we can rely on the edict of the Administrative Procedure Act, confirmed by Supreme Court precedent, which holds that agency rulemaking is arbitrary and capricious, and therefore invalid, when the agency fails to consider an important aspect of the problem. The devastating and astronomically expensive impacts that PM2.5, ozone, and other dangerous pollutants have on the public health is clearly an “important aspect” of the problem of regulating them. This clear conclusion is further supported by the Ninth Circuit case Center for Biological Diversity v. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in which that court vacated Bush-era vehicle standards after NHTSA failed to consider the benefits of reduced greenhouse gases in an associated environmental review. The court held that “NHTSA’s reasoning is arbitrary and capricious for several reasons. First, while the record shows that there is a range of values, the value of carbon emissions reduction is certainly not zero.”

The Supreme Court has also recognized that considering health benefits is of fundamental importance. In Michigan v. EPA, 25 the Supreme Court rejected an EPA power plants rule promulgated under section 112 after the agency determined that it need not consider cost of compliance when determining that it was “appropriate and necessary” to regulate the source in question. The Court disagreed, expressing its concern that it would not be rational or “appropriate” to “impose billions of dollars in economic costs in return for a few dollars in health or environmental benefits”, and further that EPA’s interpretation was legally flawed because it could “preclude[] the Agency from considering any type of cost”, including harms to “human health or the environment”.27The Court did not specifically direct EPA to monetize health benefits in Michigan, but its reasoning and dicta throughout suggested an underlying understanding that such a calculation is an important aspect of reasonable rulemaking. Crucially, the Court noted, “[c]onsideration of cost reflects the understanding that reasonable regulation ordinarily requires paying attention to the advantages and the disadvantages of agency decisions.”28 This statement, read both ways, reflects the logical understanding that where EPA estimates compliance costs in dollars, it should also monetize associated public health benefits – what matters are the relative costs and benefits, and the agency needs to calculate both in order to compare them.. EPA might contest that “paying attention” to health benefits does not require monetizing them, but failing to do so risks comparing apples and oranges and, as discussed above, vastly underestimating the dangers of deregulation.

When you appeared before the Committee at your confirmation hearing, you testified: “the goal, the end state of all the conversations that we might have, any regulations that might get passed, any laws that might get passed by Congress” is to “have the cleanest, healthiest air, [and] drinking water.” And when Senator Blunt Rochester asked you to confirm that it was still your position that “EPA’s mission is to protect the health of the public and the environment,” you responded simply “yes.” Yet now, faced with the opportunity to consider quantifiable statistics about human health, you choose to ignore them entirely. That EPA may no longer monetize health benefits when setting new clean air standards does not mean that those health benefits don’t exist—it just means that you will ignore them and reject safer standards, in favor of protecting corporate interests.

To help us better understand EPA’s decision-making process, please respond to the following requests for information and documents no later than February 26, 2026:

On what basis did EPA make the decision to no longer quantify health effects of PM2.5 and ozone pollution when undertaking the cost-benefit analysis as part of its Clean Air Act rulemaking? In your answer, please include a discussion of all EPA experts and offices consulted as part of the decision-making process.

What exactly will EPA take into account when undertaking Clean Air Act rulemaking cost-benefit analyses? Please clearly identify all factors it will consider as “costs” and all factors it will consider as “benefits.”

Has EPA discussed ceasing to quantify health effects of other pollutants, in addition to PM2.5 and ozone? If so, which pollutants?

Before making the decision to no longer take health effects into account when undertaking clean-air rulemaking cost-benefit analyses, did EPA consult with any third parties, including but not limited to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Surgeon General, public health experts, and interested civil society groups such as the “Make America Healthy Again” movement?

a. If yes, please provide the date of each such meeting and a description of the matters discussed.

b. If no, why not?

Please produce any documents, including contemporaneous notes, memorializing any internal or external discussions and communications concerning items (1) through (4). Please also produce all communications between and among EPA and third parties, including but not limited to the White House, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of the United States Surgeon General, and the fossil fuel industry concerning items (1) through (3), including but not limited to emails, briefing materials, talking points, calendar entries, reports, memoranda, internal analyses, and correspondence.

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Blumenthal Reintroduces Jaime's Law to Combat Gun Violence

[Hartford, CT] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) announced the reintroduction of Jaime’s Law, a commonsense bicameral piece of legislation that would require instant background checks to prevent criminals from illegally purchasing ammunition.

Under current law, dangerous individuals such as violent criminals and domestic abusers are prohibited from purchasing a firearm as well as ammunition. However, unlike firearms, federal law does not require a background check to prevent the illegal purchase of ammunition. Jaime’s Law would close this loophole by requiring buyers to either provide a license for the firearm or undergo an instant background check using the FBI National Instant Background Check System (NICS) before purchasing the ammunition. NICS is the same quick and easy process that applies to the purchase of firearms.

Jaime’s Law is named in honor of Jaime Guttenberg, one of 17 victims murdered in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018.

“This legislation closes a dangerous loophole by requiring background checks on purchases of ammunition—a commonsense solution to combat the epidemic of gun violence in our country. Eight years ago, Jaime Guttenberg’s mom and dad received a phone call that is every parent’s worst nightmare. Named in her honor, this legislation imposes life-saving background checks on ammunition purchases to prevent more senseless tragedies from devastating American families and plaguing our communities,” said Blumenthal.

“No family should endure the heartbreaking agony of losing a loved one to gun violence. Yet every day, families across America still endure this torment, and the lifetime of anguish it brings. Thankfully, more of those impacted by it are joining courageous parents like Fred Guttenberg and other gun safety advocates, to demand that Congress confront this public health crisis,” said Wasserman Schultz. “That’s why I'm proud to reintroduce Jaime’s Law, named in honor of Fred’s talented and compassionate daughter. This crucial legislation is part of the multifaceted legal approach we need to finally end the gun violence epidemic. A required background check to buy ammunition is already in place. But closing this loophole, to actually enforce that law, can and will save lives.”

“This Saturday will be 8 years since the Parkland shooting and the murder of my daughter. Because of what happened to my family and our community, I have spent the following years working to reduce gun violence. Because of the work done during the Biden Presidency, gun violence has come down significantly. We proved that effective policy and government can work to enhance public safety and reduce the risk of gun violence,” said Fred Guttenberg, founder of Orange Ribbons For Jaime. “In spite of the efforts of this administration to undo so much of that life saving work, recently the President and his cabinet recognized the reality of gun violence and too many guns on our streets. While I do not expect them to take any action on that, perhaps this administration and Congress could join us with support for Jaime's Law. Jaime's Law seeks to do nothing more than extend background checks to ammunition. We are a nation awash in weapons. However, they do not work without ammunition. Let's work together to pass Jaime's Law this year.”

“It’s simply common sense that individuals prohibited by law from purchasing ammunition should be unable to buy it, but the Brady Background Check system does not allow for background checks on ammunition purchases — weakening our nation’s ability to prevent senseless tragedies,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy at Brady. “Jaime’s Law will expand the background check system to allow for background checks to be run ahead of ammunition purchases and ensure that only licensed vendors can sell ammunition to the public. Brady applauds Senator Blumenthal and Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz for honoring Jaime Guttenberg and all of those lost to preventable gun violence with the reintroduction of this important legislation.”

Many states, like Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, California, and New York, led the way in requiring a background check to obtain a license to purchase or possess ammunition. Yet we know gun safety measures save far more lives when they are enacted nationwide, and purchasers don’t evade background checks by crossing state lines, or shopping for lax state regulations. Various experts point to enforcement of existing ammunition prohibitions as one of the most non-invasive, yet effective strategies for curbing gun violence.

Find the full bill text here.

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Blumenthal Statement on Pause of Trump Administration Rule to Slash Disability Ratings for Thousands of Veterans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released a statement following the Trump Administration’s decision to halt its new interim final rule at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that would immediately change how veteran disability ratings are evaluated. This rule would lower disability ratings and compensation awards for disabled veterans by not taking into account their baseline conditions. While VA Secretary today halted the rule, he has not outright rescinded it.

“While I’m encouraged the Secretary has temporarily walked away from his short-sighted policy to slash disability benefits for thousands of veterans, this rule must be permanently rescinded. This proposed policy would do nothing but reduce the compensation veterans are due, and scare them into avoiding the life-improving medication they need – harming their physical and mental health. I will be introducing legislation to align VA policy with the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims’ ruling that a veteran’s disability rating must be strictly based on that veteran’s underlying condition.”

Yesterday, Blumenthal joined Veterans Service Organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Disabled American Veterans (DAV), in raising concerns over this rule.

Earlier this week, VA published an interim final rule to change how veteran disability ratings are evaluated without the normal public comment period. This new rule reverses the previous standard established by the Ingram v. Collins court case issued in 2025, which required VA to discount the impact of medication when evaluating the severity of claims disability. Instead, the rule directs examiners to rate veterans’ disabilities as they present and disregard the impact of medication. This would require VA to issue a lower disability ratings, despite evidence showing veterans meet the requirements for higher ratings.

Through Ingram v. Collins, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims required VA to discount the impact of medications when adjudicating claims for disabilities for which the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities does not explicitly mention medications. This applies to veterans who take maintenance medications for their disabilities. The VA rule prohibits medical examiners from estimating or discounting improvements to the disability due to the effects of medication or treatment.

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