Gillibrand, Schumer Announce Over $22 Million In Federal Funding For The Bronx

Senators Secured Federal $$$ For NYCHA Enhancements, Community Centers, Health Infrastructure, and More

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced $22,371,000 in federal funding for critical projects in the Bronx in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding package that was signed into law yesterday. The senators personally secured funding for these projects as congressionally directed spending items.

“This year’s funding will help support significant projects in the Bronx, from broadband expansions and community center upgrades in high-need communities to affordable housing construction,” said Senator Gillibrand. “With tens of millions of dollars going directly to organizations across the five boroughs, I am proud to be delivering this much-needed federal funding to improve the lives of New Yorkers and to keep New York City flourishing.”

“I’m proud to deliver over $22 million in federal investments to support Bronx residents and communities,” said Senator Schumer. “These funds boost vital local projects including food pantry distribution, NYCHA renovation projects, investments at St. Barnabas Hospital, and much more. I won’t stop fighting to deliver the resources needed to support our communities and the organizations that help them flourish.”

A full list of funded projects in the Bronx is below:

$6 million for the Food Bank for New York City

This award will fund the renovation of the Food Bank for New York City’s 90,000-square foot warehouse in Hunts Point, Brooklyn to allow for greater food distribution capacity. Renovations will support the organization’s ability to distribute approximately 15 million additional pounds of food annually to families most in need.

$5 million for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to Upgrade Plumbing at Patterson Houses

This funding will support critical renovations at NYCHA’s Patterson Houses complex as part of the NYCHA Building Line Initiative (BLI), which includes comprehensive plumbing and renovation projects that aim to address mold and leaks.

$3 million for Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County

This funding will support the Claremont House Project, which will develop a 66-unit affordable co-op with the goal of promoting homeownership in the Bronx.

$2 million for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Initiative to Provide Internet Services for Low-Income New Yorkers

This funding will support the Neighborhood Internet Initiative, a partnership between the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York Public Library to build a broadband network that provides free internet to low-income households, including those that receive Section 8 rental assistance.

$2 million for BronxWorks to Renovate the Carolyn McLaughlin Community Center

This funding will be used for renovations of the Carolyn McLaughlin Community Center’s kitchen, electrical infrastructure, HVAC system, and bathrooms. The center serves as a vital community resource and economic engine in the Bronx, housing a Head Start program, afterschool and summer camp services for school-aged youth, adolescent development programs, an intake office and older adult center for seniors, housing counseling, eviction prevention, and benefits services for families.

$1,371,000 for the Mosholu-Montefiore Community Center

This funding will support critical repairs at the Mosholu-Montefiore Community Center’s main facility. This building is a critical community resource that houses an older adult center, early child care services, afterschool/youth services, and additional support services, including a food pantry.

$1 million for Fordham University Workforce and Entrepreneurship Center

This funding will support the renovation of a vacant former industrial space on Fordham Road in the Bronx to create a fully-accessible hub that will serve the community with entrepreneurship support, job training, and other resources leading to educational attainment and economic opportunities.

$1 million for Montefiore Medical Center’s Moses Campus

This funding will support electrical infrastructure enhancements at Montefiore Medical Center’s Moses Campus. This initiative will centralize power distribution to optimize power management and distribution efficiency.

$1 million for St. Barnabas Hospital Strategic Infrastructure Investment

This funding will be used to purchase advanced biplane interventional radiology imaging equipment to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes. The hospital currently uses a single plane imager that has outlived its useful life.

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Gillibrand Statement On String Of Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes In Brooklyn

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand made the following statement regarding a string of anti-Muslim hate crimes in Brooklyn:

“I am angered by the Islamophobic attacks that took place in South Brooklyn. Our Muslim neighbors deserve to feel safe practicing and wearing articles of their faith in the city they call home.”

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Schumer, Gillibrand – After Years Of Direct Advocacy – Deliver $194 Million To Finally Upgrade The NY National Guard’s LC-130H “Ski-Bird” Fleet At Stratton Air National Guard Base In Schenectady County

For Years, Schumer Fought To Deliver This Funding, Visiting Stratton Air National Guard Base, Writing To Secretary Of The Air Force And Bringing NSF And NY National Guard Top Brass Together To Win Support For New Ski-Birds, Which Just Passed As Part Of Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Budget Bill

Senators Say Recapitalizing The 109th Airlift Wing’s Ski-Bird Fleet Is Vital For Flight Safety And Advancing U.S. National Security Interests In The North & South Poles, And Enhancing U.S. Competitiveness Against Russia And China

Schumer: We Finally Landed New Ski-Birds For The 109th Airlift Wing!

After years of advocacy and personally visiting Stratton Air National Guard Base in Schenectady County to launch his push, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, along with U.S. Senator Gillibrand, today announced Congress has passed a whopping $194 million in new federal funding to finally begin recapitalizing the aging LC-130H “Ski-Bird” fleet with the newer J-model aircraft.

The just-passed Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) defense funding bill for the first time includes $194 million to develop and procure a brand-new LC-130J “Ski-Bird” platform and begin upgrading the 109th Airlift Wing’s fleet in Schenectady County. For years, Schumer has fought for this federal funding, which he says is essential for the military to reach remote parts of Antarctica and the Arctic, and now, after years of pushing, these new ski-birds will finally land to continue this vital mission in the Capital Region.

“We just landed a major victory for Schenectady County, the NY National Guard, and America. After years of work, we have finally gotten the funding to purchase new top-of-the-line Ski-Birds for the Stratton Air National Guard Base! For years, I’ve fought to bring new ski-birds to Schenectady County to ensure the brave men and women of the 109th Airlift Wing have the support they need to execute their mission in the Arctic and Antarctic theaters and beyond. It took a lot of work, but this nearly $200 million investment to begin recapitalizing the aging LC-130H aircraft will ensure America maintains its leadership in the polar theaters,” said Senator Schumer. “The brand-new J model LC-130s will improve aircrew safety and advance our national security interests by enhancing our competitive edge against competitors like China and Russia. The 109th Airlift Wing is the only U.S. military unit in the world that flies these aircraft, and this funding will ensure this essential work continues right here in the Capital Region for years to come.”

“This is a huge win for Schenectady County and the brave service members of the New York Air National Guard,” said Senator Gillibrand, member of the Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees. “After years of advocacy, we have secured the funding needed to deliver a state-of-the-art ski-equipped aircraft to the 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base. These men and women carry out some of the most challenging missions on Earth, operating in extreme weather, and they need equipment that can go head to head with those conditions. This investment to replace the aging LC-130H fleet with new J-model aircraft will strengthen mission readiness, protect our aircrews, and ensure the United States remains a leader in polar operations.”

“I am ecstatic that we have received funding to recapitalize the aging fleet of existing LC-130H aircraft at the 109th Airlift Wing in Scotia, NY. I recently returned from visiting our Airmen in Antarctica who are part of this extraordinary and one-of-a-kind mission, and the funding could not come at a better time. The 109th’s mission is paramount to our national defense, and new ski birds will continue to ensure we are mission ready. I want to thank Senator Schumer for his many years of strong advocacy and help to secure this funding. I would also like to thank the bipartisan efforts to support our nation’s defense which made this funding a reality,” said Major General Ray Shields, Adjutant General, New York National Guard.

This is the culmination of years of work by Senator Schumer, who fought relentlessly to deliver this funding. In 2024, Schumer wrote to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to urge the Air Force to prioritize recapitalizing the LC-130H fleet and personally visited the 109th Airlift Wing—the only U.S. military unit in the world that flies these aircraft—in person to double down on the urgent need to recapitalize the LC-130H fleet and formally launch his push to secure federal funding for the procurement of two new LC-130Js in the FY25 appropriations cycle, ultimately delivering $29 million in the final FY25 federal spending package for non-recurring engineering to define mission and capability requirements for a modern LC-130H polar airlift platform.

Schumer said after more than 30 years of year-round service in harsh environments, these planes—several of which were built in the 1970s and operate on technology developed in the 1950s—are rapidly approaching the end of their service life, jeopardizing mission success, aircrew and operator safety, and U.S. national security. The senators said the airplanes often suffer reliability issues and high maintenance costs, with only four planes out of the ten total in the fleet being mission-capable at any given time. Additionally, nearly all of the aircraft in the fleet have components that require total replacement, most of which the 109th AW is unable to complete, as many of the LC-130H model’s parts are no longer in production due to the platform’s age and commodity. With both U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), which oversees the polar airlift mission, and the 109th AW, which supports the NSF’s polar science research missions and is the only U.S. military unit in the world that flies these planes and supports the polar airlift mission set, expressing the urgent need to recapitalize, Schumer took action to push for this major federal funding and upgrade the fleet to support U.S. national security and scientific research. The funding today is in addition to $29 million for non-recurring engineering secured in last year’s Fiscal Year 2025 defense appropriations package.

In addition to the LC-130H fleet’s value to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) polar research mission, Schumer underscored the importance of recognizing the national security implications of failing to recapitalize the LC-130H fleet, explaining that the North and South Poles have grown in their strategic importance to the US’s ability to compete with Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), both of which have rapidly expanded their presence in the polar regions in recent years. Schumer also explained that as the only ski-equipped airlift platform capable of operating in Arctic and Antarctic environments, the LC-130H fleet provides mission-critical logistical support to regions that conventional aircraft cannot access, making it a centerpiece of US efforts to maintain a strategic advantage in the polar theaters.

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Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $1 Million For Corning Museum Of Glass To Expand Programs To School Children & Boost Education Initiatives

Legislation Includes Fed Funding For Corning Museum Of Glass To Support Economic Growth And Support New Learning Opportunities For Students

Schumer, Gillibrand: Fed $$ Is Secured For Critical Community Investments In Corning Museum Of Glass

After Schumer personally visited the Corning Museum of Glass, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced they have secured $1,000,000 in federal funding for the Corning Museum of Glass to develop STEAM curriculum for K-12 students in underserved school districts, which thanks to the senators was just signed into law as part of the Fund for the Improvement of Education in the in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill. The senators personally secured funding for this project through congressionally directed spending.

“The Corning Museum of Glass is a crown jewel of the Southern Tier’s arts and tourism economy. I was proud to visit this iconic museum and promised to help the museum expand its educational programs. I’m thrilled to announce that, following my personal push, I have just helped pass $1 million in federal funding into law to help the museum develop a new curriculum using glass and glass blowing as a teaching tool for understanding science through art,” said Senator Schumer. “This boost will give the museum the resources it needs to ensure local school children in the Southern Tier and beyond can experience the wonderful world of glassmaking and science and the rich history of Corning.”

“The Corning Museum of Glass is an Upstate New York treasure, and these federal dollars will expand educational opportunities for students across the Southern Tier,” said Senator Gillibrand, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “I’m proud to have fought to secure these funds, and I’ll keep working to bring more federal dollars home to the Southern Tier.”

This federal funding secured by Schumer and Gillibrand in the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill, which was just signed into law, will help the museum expand its educational initiatives with a focus on school-based tours and expanding access for historically underserved school districts. The museum’s current school tour options include curriculum-based activities related to art, history, and science. In 2023, the museum’s Education Department served 5,479 students on school tours, 143 schools, and 135 school districts. About 20 to 30 percent of participating schools are repeat visitors year to year. This funding will also support a pilot program to provide transportation to ensure access for underserved students beyond the Southern Tier, including in the Capital Region and New York City.

The museum also integrates materials for elementary, middle, and high school students using the New York State curriculum. Using both formal and informal education methods, the museum designs workbooks and modules for teachers to continue lessons begun during demonstrations at the museum in the classroom so students can understand science—encompassing chemistry, physics, earth sciences, and glassmaking—through art. This funding will also help the museum reach schools and students beyond the Southern Tier.

Schumer and Gillibrand explained that the funding was included as a congressionally directed spending request submitted by the senators through the Department of Education in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill that was just signed into law.

Schumer has a long history of fighting to support the Corning Museum of Glass. Schumer helped save the museum from closing after the pandemic by delivering $10.5 million in relief, including $5.5 million from the Save Our Stages grant program, which he created in the American Rescue Plan as his first act as Majority Leader. This helped the museum keep nearly 200 staff on payroll during the pandemic.

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Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $9.6 Million In Federal Funding For Rochester-Finger Lakes Projects

Senators Secured Federal $$$ For Affordable Housing, Infrastructure Upgrades, Educational and Apprenticeship Programs, and More

Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that they secured $9,650,000 in federal funding for critical projects in the Finger Lakes region in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding package that was signed into law yesterday. The senators personally secured funding for these projects as congressionally directed spending items.

“This nearly $10 million federal investment will support critical community projects in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region. From constructing new indoor upgrades to the Rochester Public Market for shoppers and farm-sellers, to driving the tourism economy by transforming the former Auditorium theater into a modern world-class home for Rochester Broadway Theater League productions to boosting our local workforce, we are building a safer and better future for New Yorkers throughout the Rochester-Finger Lakes region,” said Senator Schumer. “These projects will help local institutions support economic growth, while keeping our community safe and creating new opportunities. I will always fight to deliver more federal resources for institutions in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region to support the community’s needs.”

“These federal dollars will drive real growth throughout Rochester and the Finger Lakes region,” said Senator Gillibrand.“From financing critical infrastructure improvements to bolstering apprenticeship programs, this funding will support projects that help New Yorkers thrive. I’m proud to have helped secure this funding, and I’ll keep working to bring home resources that make a real difference in our Upstate communities.”

The federal funding comes from the FY2026 funding package that was signed into law yesterday and includes the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill; the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education funding bill; and the Financial Services and General Government funding bill, among others.

A full list of funded projects in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region is below:

$2 million for expansion of the Rochester Public Market

This award will fund construction of the Indoor Market Space and Nutrition and Events Center at the Rochester Public Market, which provides a source of affordable, healthy food in an area with limited access to full-service grocery stores. This funding will also support small farms, small businesses, and the agriculture community in the region.

$2 million for the Multi-Craft Apprenticeship Preparation Program (MAPP)

MAPP is a state-certified, direct entry apprentice readiness program that equips low-income individuals with skills for careers in the building and construction trades. This funding will support the organization’s expansion through the renovation of a newly acquired 54,000-square foot training center for workforce development activities.

$2 million for Canal Street District Rehabilitation in the Town of Lyons

This funding will be used to remove and redevelop at least seven hazardous buildings to create a new 55,000-square foot commercial and residential mixed-use space, including at least 25 affordable housing units for seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans.

$1 million for Renovation of Smyth Hall at Nazareth University

This project will address the healthcare workforce shortage, improving access to quality care, and reducing costs through the deployment of cost-effective Physician Assistants (PAs). Nazareth University is playing a key role in training advanced practice providers to help close the healthcare workforce gap.

$1 million for Rochester Broadway Theatre League for Project Restoration 2026

This project will restore the nearly 100-year-old Auditorium Theater West Herr Performing Arts Center, a vital community asset and an historical and architectural significant landmark as well as a major employer in Rochester.

$850,000 for the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA)

This award will allow for the purchase and installation of a hydrogen fueler boil-off capture system on RGRTA’s existing hydrogen bus fueler, supporting further deployment of clean hydrogen fuel cell electric buses in the near future.

$800,000 for Rochester General Hospital’s Regional Health Logistics Hub

These funds will be used for the construction of a Logistics Hub to manage patient transfers and the transportation of critical health care supplies throughout the Finger Lakes and North Country regions.

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Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $9+ Million For Community Projects In Western New York

Legislation Includes Fed Funding For A New Community Center In The Town Of Newstead And Economic Development Projects Throughout Western New York

Schumer, Gillibrand: Fed $$ Is Secured For Critical Community Investments In Western New York

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced they have secured $9,275,000 in federal funding for Western New York projects, which thanks to the senators was just signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Consolidated Appropriations bill. The senators personally secured funding for these projects through congressionally directed spending.

“This $9+ million investment will support critical community projects throughout Western New York. From helping build a new community center in the Town of Newstead to boosting economic development opportunities, we are building a better future for Western New Yorkers,” said Senator Schumer. “These projects will help institutions enhance workforce development, create new jobs, feed the community, and address rural healthcare shortages. I will always fight to deliver more federal resources for institutions in Western New York to support the community’s needs.”

“These federal dollars will power real growth across Western New York,” said Senator Gillibrand, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “From bolstering critical nutrition programs to supporting economic development across the region, this money will make a real difference for New Yorkers. I’m proud to have fought to secure these funds, and I’ll keep working to bring more federal dollars home to Western New York.”

A full list of funded projects is below:

$500,000 for FeedMore Western New York’s New Consolidated Facility

FeedMore Western New York, which serves more than 165,000 individuals through home-delivered meals, community dining, food bank distribution network, workforce development, nutrition education, and mobile farm market programs, will construct a new consolidated facility to expand its programs and add new services. This project will strengthen FeedMore’s capacity to serve vulnerable populations in Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, and Cattaraugus counties while addressing rapidly rising food insecurity.

As demand grows, FeedMore continues to operate out of two legacy facilities that are severely overcapacity, have failing infrastructure, and cannot be expanded. The new 197,000 square-foot consolidated facility, located in Hamburg, New York, the geographic center of FeedMore’s four-county service area, will dramatically increase operational efficiency and service capacity. The project will double warehouse space, add eight loading docks, expand cold and dry storage, and significantly enlarge the commercial kitchen, allowing FeedMore to more than triple daily meal production.

$500,000 for Capital Improvements for Jamestown’s National Comedy Center

The funding will make capital improvements at the National Comedy Center, including exhibit enhancements and renovations to the Center’s entry area, to allow for the retention of local jobs, attract new visitors, and boost economic activity in the region.

The National Comedy Center generates significant tourism-driven economic impact, drawing the vast majority of its visitors from outside the region and outside New York State. This investment will help maximize private and local investments, expand consumer spending, and solidify the National Comedy Center’s role as a catalyst for job creation, small business growth, and long-term economic revitalization.

$1,100,000 for St. Bonaventure University for Transforming Rural Healthcare in New York with the Center for Rural Health Innovation and Service

This funding will be used to establish the Center for Rural Health Innovation and Service, a training hub for rural healthcare, and address critical provider shortages in rural Western New York by training a pipeline of healthcare professionals with cutting-edge technology and best practices to serve underserved communities.

Rural communities in Cattaraugus, Allegany, and neighboring counties face severe healthcare disparities, driven by persistent shortages of trained providers and limited access to care. Leveraging the expertise and partnerships of St. Bonaventure University’s DePerro School of Health Professions, the Center will deliver cutting-edge training using advanced simulation technology, telehealth education, and community-based initiatives to improve access and outcomes.

The Center will focus on recruiting, training, and retaining healthcare professionals, while also continuing education for existing providers and partner with local organizations to implement sustainable, community-driven healthcare solutions. This investment will reduce healthcare access gaps, lower preventable healthcare costs, and strengthen rural healthcare infrastructure, ensuring equitable access to high-quality care for underserved populations across Western New York.

$5,000,000 for Town of Newstead Community Center

The new 32,000 square-foot Community Center will expand community services and promote healthy lifestyles to address the Town’s rapid growth of both senior membership and youth recreation programs. The facility will include a dedicated Senior Center serving more than 880 members, along with recreation and wellness spaces supporting over 350 youth, offering cultural, social, educational, and fitness programming for all ages. The Community Center will also serve as an emergency warming shelter during severe weather events, equipped with backup power to protect vulnerable residents.

This project reflects extensive public input and exemplifies sustainable, inclusive community development. Without external funding, the full project cost would impose a significant burden on local taxpayers. Federal investment is critical to ensuring this essential community resource becomes a reality for the Town of Newstead and the Village of Akron.

Dawn D. Izydorczak, Town Supervisor for Town of Newstead said, “The Town of Newstead is honored to have our Community Center project selected for $5,000,000.00 in Congressional funding. With the help of Congressman Langworthy, working in a bi-partisan effort with Senator Schumer, the Town will now be able to begin work on a very important project for our community. This Community Center will provide a much-needed new home for our Senior Citizens as well as serving the recreational needs of every age group in our community. The Center will offer Senior programs, sporting programs, art classes, educational classes, and more. It will be a place for our residents to socialize and exercise. I thank the members of Congress and the Senate for their support of our project.”

$1,000,000 for Canisius University for Innovative Classroom Technology Equipment for Transformative Learning

Canisius will use this funding to develop flexible learning options including evening, weekend, and online courses to accommodate working adults’ schedules and update credit evaluation processes to recognize lived experiences, and the valuable knowledge adult learners bring to their education. This funding will outfit classrooms in the University’s Old Main Academic Center with updated technology, promoting flexible and high-tech learning to benefit both students and professors. These enhancements will support degree completion programs, micro-credentials, certificates, and stackable credentials that create clear pathways to well-paying jobs in fields such as information technology, education, business, and healthcare.

By investing in modern classroom technology and flexible learning environments, Canisius University will broaden its reach beyond campus, expand access to education throughout Western New York, reduce unemployment, and strengthen the regional workforce, creating a more inclusive, adaptable, and competitive economy.

$650,000 for Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency for Ripley Interstate Industrial Park

Funding will construct a left-hand turn lane on Shortman Road for traffic to access the Ripley site, which is located near Interstate 90, and will position Chautauqua County to attract new companies and jobs and increase its tax base.

This project removes a critical infrastructure barrier to development at a site identified as a prime location for industrial, warehousing, distribution, and light-manufacturing uses. The State of New York has already demonstrated its commitment through a $5.25 FAST NY investment, underscoring the project’s regional and statewide importance.

By funding this essential roadway improvement, Chautauqua County will unlock development at one of the region’s most competitive industrial sites, strengthen Western New York’s economic competitiveness, and help reverse long-standing job losses, delivering lasting economic benefits to the region and the State.

$525,000 for Niagara University: Elevating Education for Tomorrow

This funding will enhance workforce development, student educational experiences, and community engagement through Niagara University’s Theatres and Castellani Art Museum by upgrading equipment and technology and including lighting and audio to provide high-quality productions and exhibitions that attract over 20,000 visitors annually. These upgrades will enhance lighting and audio technology, support the installation of a new rigging system, and improve safety measures and infrastructure.

This investment in modernized equipment provides students hands-on experience with professional production technologies, strengthen the regional creative workforce, and support New York’s growing film and television industry, while reinforcing Niagara University’s role as a leading educational and cultural anchor for Western New York.

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Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Nearly $3 Million In Federal Funding For Capital Region Projects

Funding Package Includes Federal $$$ For Food Bank Expansion, Hudson Valley Community College, St. Peter’s Hospital, and Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial

Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that they secured $2,750,000 in federal funding for critical projects in the Capital Region in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding package that was signed into law yesterday. The senators personally secured funding for these projects as congressionally directed spending items.

“This nearly $3 million investment will support critical community projects in the Capital Region. From supporting the wonderful Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York to boosting our local workforce development opportunities, we are building a safer and better future for New Yorkers throughout the Capital Region,” said Senator Schumer. “These projects will keep our community fed and healthy while helping our local institutions. I will always fight to deliver more federal resources for institutions in the Capital Region to support the community’s needs.”

“These federal dollars will provide vital support to communities across the Capital Region,” said Senator Gillibrand. “From supporting education and research to expanding food bank capacity, this money will make a real difference for Upstate New Yorkers. I’m proud to have fought to secure these funds, and I’ll keep working to bring more federal dollars home to the Capital Region.”

The federal funding comes from the FY2026 funding package that was signed into law yesterday and includes the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill; the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education funding bill; and the Financial Services and General Government funding bill, among others.

A full list of funded projects in the Capital Region is below:

$1 million for Expansion of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York

This funding will be used to expand the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York’s current facility to better serve clients.

$850,000 for Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC)’s Applied Technology Education Center

This funding will allow HVCC to acquire classroom and laboratory technology, furnishings, and equipment to outfit its new Applied Technology Education Center workforce development facility on its main campus in Troy. When completed, the facility will bolster HVCC’s welding and fabrication workforce training offerings.

$600,000 for the Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial

This funding will support the creation and deployment of pop-up educational memorial exhibits for traveling educational programming. Memorials will be deployed in venues like schools, museums, and community centers to educate students and the public about the Holocaust.

$300,000 for St. Peter’s Hospital for Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Disease Research

This funding will be used to establish a clinical research unit focused on advancing the treatment of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) diseases through research projects, novel interventions, and improved patient care.

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Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Nearly $30 Million For Community Projects In The Hudson Valley

Legislation Includes Fed Funding For Transportation Improvements, Public Safety Investments, Boost Local Projects And Services At Hudson Valley Institutions And More

Schumer, Gillibrand: Fed $$ Is Secured For Critical Community Investments In Hudson Valley

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced they have secured $29,398,000 in federal funding for Hudson Valley projects, which, thanks to the senators, was just signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated Appropriations bill. The senators personally secured funding for these projects through congressionally directed spending.

“This nearly $30 million investment will support critical community projects in the Hudson Valley. From improving our roads to creating new facilities to support the growth of our community, we are building a safer and better future for New Yorkers throughout the Hudson Valley,” said Senator Schumer. “These projects will help local institutions support economic growth, while creating new learning and work opportunities. I will always fight to deliver more federal resources for institutions in the Hudson Valley to support the community’s needs.”

“These federal dollars will power real growth across the Hudson Valley,” said Senator Gillibrand, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “From helping to finance the Washington Street Bridge Reconstruction in Poughkeepsie to supporting critical education opportunities at the New York School for the Deaf in White Plains, this money will make a real difference for New Yorkers. I’m proud to have fought to secure these funds, and I’ll keep working to bring more federal dollars home to the Hudson Valley.”

A full list of funded projects is below:

$5,000,000 for New York School for the Deaf’s Career and Technical Education Facility

This funding will support the construction of a new 6,500 square foot career and technical education facility to prepare deaf and hard-of-hearing high school students and recent graduates for future careers in the building and construction trades.

$5,000,000 for Town of Ramapo’s Streetscape Improvements

This funding will be used towards the installation of pedestrian safety measures, including traffic signals, turning lanes, walking paths, and sidewalks in the Town of Ramapo.

$4,000,000 for the Village of New Square’s Road Infrastructure Improvements

This funding will be used to complete much-needed improvements to NYS Route 45, widening Village roads, completing paving improvements, enhancing traffic flow, and increasing the safety of motorists and pedestrians to address long-standing concerns about road conditions and motorist/pedestrian safety in the Village of New Square.

$3,400,000 for City of Poughkeepsie’s Washington Street Bridge Reconstruction

This funding will be used to reconstruct the deteriorated Washington Street Bridge, which supports vehicular and pedestrian traffic through the central business district of Poughkeepsie and to the Hudson State Historic Park.

$2,600,000 for Rockland County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety & Crime Prevention Initiative

This funding will be used to construct a new first-responder reality-based training facility for the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office to increase law enforcement capacity, ensure effective law enforcement operations, and enhance public safety throughout the County. With funding, a new training facility will be constructed with scenario-based training spaces to include a realistic school, bank, retail store, courtroom, jail cell, hotel room, restaurant, mini-mart, stairwells, and space for crime scene processing of blood splatter evidence.

$1,800,000 for DAY ONE Early Learning Community for Expansion of the Apprenticeship Program to Address Child Care Shortages

This funding will allow the Early Learning Community’s Teacher Apprenticeship Program (TAP) to deepen its existing services within Ulster County and expand services to additional counties in New York State through replication sites. TAP includes 250 hours of experiential learning, supervised by mentor teachers, and 150 hours of reflective supervision and classroom instruction by an experienced Lead Instructor. TAP’s cohort model forges connections, trust, and supportive relationships among the apprentices, which extend beyond the training cycle, essential to retention in a profession of high turnover.

$1,500,000 for Machne Gila for Camp Gila Food Service Modernization Project

This funding will assist in the construction of a new kitchen and dining facility at Camp Gila and serve over 1,000 low-income campers under the federal Summer Food Service Program, reducing long-term costs through energy-efficient operations. It will strengthen the local economy by creating construction jobs to modernize an outdated facility while improving food safety, accessibility, and service efficiency.

$1,064,000 for Dellinwood Institute Facilities Enhancements at the Anderson Center for Autism

This funding will be used for the purchase and installation of a new septic system for Anderson Center for Autism’s Staatsburg, NY campus. This septic system is an integral part of the construction of a new healthcare and training facility, the Dellinwood Institute for Global Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Care. This facility will seek to address the increasing demand for professional autism care at the regional, national, and global levels through workforce development programs and advancing healthcare-related higher education.

$1,000,000 for Kaser Bus Transit in Rockland County

This funding will help Rockland County and the Village of Kaser purchase new buses to ensure the local transit system can continue to operate without interruption.

$1,000,000 for Camp HASC Kitchen & Dining Room Renovation

This funding will strengthen Camp HASC’s infrastructure, enabling high-quality, community-based care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, reducing long-term costs tied to emergency services and institutional care. It supports New York’s commitment to inclusive, accessible services and aligns with statewide priorities. Locally, the project boosts the economy through job creation and increased tourism, while also improving the quality of life for families of individuals with IDD.

$1,000,000 for City of Kingston for Safe & Accessible Flatbush & Foxhall Project

This funding will improve the road safety, walkability, livability, and attractiveness of Midtown Kingston, which will spur economic growth for businesses and communities and enhance travel connections to the Waterfront and Uptown neighborhoods. Kingston’s economic strength positively impacts other locations in the region with the provision of new jobs and the draw of tourists who explore nearby attractions and patronize businesses along their travel routes. Safety improvements are critical to expanding travel options, which lead to economic strength in the region. Schumer in the spring of 2024 stood at the notorious Foxhall Avenue rail crossing in midtown Kingston to push for this federal funding.

$534,000 for Hudson Valley Shakespeare Free/Reduced-Cost Public School Arts Education Expansion

This funding will expand performances and educational programming for school groups, offering 15 matinees to provide roughly 4,500 local students and educators with outstanding Shakespeare performances. This funding will also be used to defray costs for schools’ transportation.

$500,000 for the Town of Ramapo’s Ready Transit

This funding will alleviate the local burden of startup costs, reduce Ramapo’s carbon footprint, and support New York’s climate goals by advancing clean, sustainable transportation. As this community has grown by over 20% in the past 10 years, the evolving cultural needs of its residents, who predominantly walk or use over 2,000 local taxis, have contributed to reduced traffic congestion and lower accident rates. This project is a smart investment in health, equity, and the environment.

$500,000 for The Hudson River Museum’s Planetarium for the Next Generation of Explorers

This funding will preserve a vital STEM education hub that reaches over 15,000 students and 80,000 visitors annually from 45 states. As the only public planetarium between NYC and Albany, it advances scientific literacy, innovation, and workforce readiness. For the local community, it is an irreplaceable launchpad for curiosity and opportunity.

$500,000 for Town of Mamaroneck Safety and Economic Renaissance Roundabout Project

This funding will enhance safety, improve access to local businesses, and foster economic growth. It is important to New York as it alleviates congestion at the I-95 Exit 17 ramp and improves regional connectivity, especially near the Metro-North station. The project also supports infrastructure improvements that will catalyze affordable housing and area revitalization. For the local community, it promotes long-term economic growth, improved quality of life, and increased property values.

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Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $1 Million In Federal Funding For North Country Economic Development Projects

Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that they secured $1.1 million in federal funding for two critical projects in the North Country in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding package that was signed into law yesterday. The senators personally secured funding for these projects as congressionally directed spending items.

“This more than $1 million investment will support critical community projects in the North Country. From creating more affordable housing opportunities to boosting our local workforce, we are building a better future for New Yorkers throughout North Country,” said Senator Schumer. “These projects will help local institutions support economic growth, while create new work opportunities. I will always fight to deliver more federal resources for institutions in the North Country to support the community’s needs.”

“These federal dollars will power real growth in the North Country,” said Senator Gillibrand. “By supporting the development of workforce housing and training programs for advanced manufacturing skills, these funds will help working-class New Yorkers get safe housing and good-paying jobs. I’m proud to have helped secure these funds, and I’ll keep fighting to bring more federal dollars home to Upstate New York.”

The federal funding comes from the FY2026 funding package that was signed into law yesterday and includes the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill and the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education funding bill, among others.

Funded projects in the North Country:

$750,000 for the Lake Champlain – Lake George Regional Planning Board for Workforce Housing Development

This funding will support the development of workforce housing in the North Country to address the high cost of residential construction and limited construction workforce in the Adirondacks. This project will seek to provide pathways to homeownership near major employment centers to connect job seekers with long-term employment opportunities.

$350,000 for the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce’s Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Development Program

This funding will subsidize training in advanced manufacturing skills for the greater Plattsburgh community in partnership with Clinton Community College. A skilled workforce will not only see more opportunities for upward mobility but also benefit the local economy and regional employers who are facing a shortage of skilled labor.

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Schumer, Gillibrand, Mannion Announce $850,000 In Federal Funding For Syracuse International Airport To Replace Baggage Claim Equipment

Current Baggage Claim System Is Decades Old And Cannot Keep Up With Increase In Travelers, Forcing Some Travelers To Spend More Than One Hour Waiting To Pick Up Their Bags

With Micron Coming To Central NY And Syracuse Region In The Middle Of Economic Growth, New Baggage Claim Equipment Is Essential To Ensuring Transportation Infrastructure Can Meet Growing Demand

Schumer, Gillibrand, Mannion: Fed $$ On The Way To Help Syracuse Reach New Heights!

Today, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Congressman John Mannion announced they are delivering $850,000 in federal funding for Syracuse International Airport (SYR) to replace its baggage claim equipment, which thanks to the senators was included as Congressionally Directed Spending in the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill that was just signed into law.

“A modernized Syracuse International Airport means the continued success of the community and all of Central New York. I’m proud to deliver $850,000 in federal funding to replace Syracuse’s outdated baggage claim equipment and help the greater Syracuse region reach new heights,” said Senator Schumer. “With Micron coming to Syracuse and the region experiencing a boom in economic growth, it is more important than ever to ensure we have the infrastructure we need to keep up with more travelers in the region. I will always fight to ensure our airports have the resources needed to deliver a safe, efficient, and comfortable experience to travelers.”

“Travelers in Syracuse deserve modern, reliable airport infrastructure that keeps travel safe and efficient while helping Central New Yorkers reach new heights,” said Senator Gillibrand, ranking member of the Transportation and Housing Appropriations Subcommittee. “I’m proud to have secured these federal dollars that will improve efficiency and enhance the passenger experience at Syracuse Hancock International Airport, and I will keep fighting to deliver investments that strengthen our infrastructure and support economic growth across the region.”

“I’m committed to help build the world-class airport this region expects, deserves, and needs as a global hub for semiconductor manufacturing and to support our economic growth,” said Congressman John Mannion. “This investment at Syracuse Hancock International Airport builds on my long record of securing infrastructure funding for the airport and strengthening traveler safety, including legislation I led to create the Airport Authority Police force. As Central New York continues to grow, our transportation infrastructure has to keep pace. I’m grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for their partnership in delivering federal support that improves quality of life for residents and keeps our region competitive.”

“This investment is a major win for Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR), and we are incredibly grateful for the support and advocacy of Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative Mannion,” said Jason Terreri, Executive Director of the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority. “This funding will support a critical baggage system upgrade needed to address capacity demands and continued airport growth. Our current system is outdated and operating at its limits. This project will improve reliability, enhance TSA and airline operations, and provide the capacity necessary to support expanded air service. As Central New York prepares for transformative economic growth, including Micron’s historic investment in the region, ensuring our airport can efficiently serve passengers and businesses is essential to the region’s long-term success.”

The lawmakers explained that the current baggage claim system contains original equipment from the 1980s. The carousels are designed to handle a single flight for smaller aircraft. With the shift of regionalizing air service at SYR, most aircraft operating at SYR have more seats and therefore more bags. Baggage from a single flight can no longer fit on the carousels, requiring Airline staff to remove all luggage after a single pass through the baggage claim area. Additional flights arriving in similar time slots must wait until the baggage claim area is cleared before unloading bags for passenger pick up, often forcing travelers to wait longer than an hour to collect their luggage due to capacity constraints.

The funding secured by the lawmakers will help replace the outdated baggage claim equipment with high-capacity slope-plate conveyors. The new equipment will help fill the capacity gap that exists today by allowing quicker removal of luggage from the baggage carts, minimizing passenger wait times, and reducing the stress on Airline staff. This will better position SYR to meet the demands of the Syracuse region, which is in the midst of economic growth with the recent groundbreaking of Micron and more new businesses coming to the region, resulting in increased air service.

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The New York Times: A Trump ‘Blockade’ Is Stalling Hundreds of Wind and Solar Projects Nationwide

“There’s a real intention to slow these things down,” said David Carroll, chief executive of Engie North America, which develops wind, solar, battery and gas projects.

Mr. Carroll estimated that roughly 40 percent of Engie’s planned renewable projects could be affected by the federal permitting bottleneck, including several wind farms on private land in the Midwest. Wind projects that require federal permits are “nearly impossible” to advance right now, he said.

Most of the wind and solar projects affected by the permitting slowdown were expected to come online in 2027 or later. Without them, companies say, the country could face a shortage of power and ratepayers could see even higher electric bills at a time when affordability has become a national concern.

“Demand from utilities is astronomical,” said Sandhya Ganapathy, chief executive of EDP Renewables North America, a leading wind and solar developer. “But now permitting is becoming much more difficult, which means many projects may never come online or take forever to come online.”

Wind and solar developers also often need to work with the Fish & Wildlife Service to alleviate concerns that projects might harm protected species like bald eagles or desert tortoises. Wind farms need clearances from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Much of that permitting has come to a standstill. Career staffers are often unsure how to move forward with once-routine work such as approving plans for access roads, developers say. Former Interior Department officials say it is unworkable for the secretary to review each of the hundreds of small decisions needed to approve projects.

Kevin Smith, the chief executive of Arevon, a solar and battery developer, said his company has 7,000 megawatts worth of projects in development on private land. About half require federal consultation.

“Historically this was a check-the-box process,” Mr. Smith said. “Now that everything has to go up to the secretary’s desk, it’s essentially a pause on permitting.”

Other obstacles are emerging.

In Indiana, Patoka Solar is a proposed 250-megawatt solar array on private land that could affect local wetlands. To apply for a federal water permit, the developer needs to use a taxpayer-funded database to document the effects on wildlife. Yet the Interior Department has barred wind and solar companies from using that database, making it “impossible” for the project to advance, according to court filings in a lawsuit against the agency by a coalition of clean energy groups.

In Illinois, the Kaskaskia Wind project has been delayed indefinitely while waiting for wildlife and water permits, the filings said. The project has now lost its spot in line to connect to the grid after its developer had already invested $10 million.

Elsewhere, wind farms are stalled because the Defense Department has stopped finalizing agreements designed to address the risk that turbines interfere with radar, companies said.

Not all projects are blocked. Exus Renewables North America recently received clearances from the Federal Aviation Administration to upgrade existing wind farms in Pennsylvania, but only after a “severe delay” of nearly seven months, said Jim Spencer, the company’s president. He attributed the delay to staffing shortages.

In response, some companies have spent “several million dollars” to install technology that shuts down wind turbines if eagles are detected nearby, even if the risk of deaths was low, the filings claimed.

Others are asking politicians for help.

Last summer, Gov. Joe Lombardo of Nevada, a Republican who is up for re-election this year, wrote to Mr. Burgum saying the Interior Department’s reviews have “not only stopped solar development on federal lands in Nevada, but also on private land” and asked for a more workable process. Nevada gets one-third of its electricity from solar.

In December, the Interior Department began advancing a large solar-and-battery project in northern Nevada, known as Libra. Governor Lombardo’s office did not reply to an interview request.

Some companies are pivoting to the fossil fuels preferred by the Trump administration. The burning of oil, gas and coal are the main drivers of global warming.

Some hope that voter frustration over electricity prices might persuade the Trump administration to ease restrictions on wind and solar power.

Still, “at a certain point the uncertainty becomes so corrosive to the financing of projects that things start to fail,” said Jason Grumet, chief executive of the American Clean Power Association, which represents renewable energy companies.


Albuquerque Journal: US Senate payout provision repealed

Congress repealed a measure that allowed U.S. senators to sue the Justice Department and receive $500,000 or more for subpoenaed phone records.

The repeal was included in appropriations bills that President Donald Trump signed into law Tuesday. Sen. Martin Heinrich sponsored the original repeal legislation and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández sponsored a similar measure in the House, although both New Mexico Democrats voted against the appropriations package.

The now-repealed “Arctic Frost” measure required the FBI and the Justice Department to notify Congress when a senator is under investigation and if their personal information is being subpoenaed, and retroactively allowed senators to sue the Justice Department for $500,000 in compensation for each phone record accessed. Eight Republican senators could have benefited from it immediately, as their phone records were subpoenaed during a federal investigation of an election interference case against Trump.

“Getting this done is a win for taxpayers and a rejection of an ill-conceived cash grab that would have taken money away from public safety and used it to line politicians' pockets,” Heinrich said in a statement.

The shutdown deal was delayed last week over South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s objections to repealing the lawsuit provision. The Republican senator championed the measure when it first passed into law last year. In a floor speech, Graham criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for not speaking with him about the repeal ahead of House passage. Graham said he would have been willing to remove compensation for senators from the “Arctic Frost” provision, but thinks senators should still be notified when their phone records are subpoenaed.

“We should all want to be notified as senators in a separate branch of government (that) the executive branch is looking at our phone records, unless we’re charged or being investigated for a crime,” Graham said.


Heinrich, Luján Join Effort to Uphold Protections for Kids in Immigration Detention

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined 25 of their Senate colleagues in filing an amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals urging the Court to uphold the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement, which sets critical minimum standards for children in immigration detention and continues to be the single most effective protection for detained noncitizen children.

The senators are filing the amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit case, Flores v. Bondi, where the Trump Administration claims that the detention funding in Republican’s “One, Big Beautiful Bill Act” overrode the protections provided in the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement. The amicus brief rejects the government’s baseless claims and explains that the reconciliation process cannot be used for such policy overhauls and that such a policy override would have been stricken from the bill.

“[The Administration] argue[s] that by appropriating funds for family residential centers, Congress expressed approval of family detention. But Section 90003 did not authorize any new program or establish any new directive with respect to detention—it appropriated money for detention capacity already authorized by law,” the senators wrote to the Court. “Courts should not infer that an appropriation implicitly repeals substantive law.”

“If Congress sought to override the Flores Settlement or eliminate certain protections for detained children, it would have legislated in the same manner—expressly and through regular order,” the senators concluded.

The amicus brief was led by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, it was joined by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dick Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The full amicus brief the senators filed to the Ninth Circuit can be found here.

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ICYMI: During Committee Markup, Heinrich Stresses Need to Advance Conservation Bills and Protect Public Land Roads

WASHINGTON — In his opening statement at a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee business meeting to examine pending legislation, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Committee’s Ranking Member, stressed the need for the committee to consider conservation bills in its markup agenda.

“I am disappointed that there are no conservation bills under consideration today,” said Heinrich. “No bills that would protect even one more acre of public land for our children and grandchildren.”

Heinrich also voiced his concerns with S.90, The Historic Roadways Protections Act, which would put the Bureau of Land Management’s travel management plans in Utah on hold for decades, sowing chaos to the management of these lands.

During the markup, Heinrich stressed the importance of preserving access to public lands noting the harms of bypassing and gutting processes that the Federal Land Policy and Management Act requires to promote balanced road use and development.

VIDEO: Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks during a Committee business meeting, February 4th, 2026

“There is no way for the courts to figure out which of these 36,000 miles of potential roads qualify for the grandfathering provision passed by Congress in 1976 in a timely manner.”

“So, supporting this bill would effectively halt any agency actions indefinitely,” Heinrich noted. “The solution isn't to tie the hands of land managers using the one tool that might actually get us there while we wait another 50 years for federal judges to get us out of this.”

A video of Heinrich’s opening remarks is here.

A transcript of Heinrich’s remarks as delivered is below:

Thank you, Chairman.

We have twelve bills on our agenda today, many of which I look forward to supporting.

These bills address some important topics for our constituents—safety in national parks, places to bury loved ones, studying sites for future designations.

I am however disappointed that there are no conservation bills under consideration today. No bills that would protect even another acre of public land for our children and grandchildren.

There are conservation bills this committee could consider today, bills whose sponsors asked for them to be included on today’s agenda.

Bills that would designate wilderness in Colorado, expand a park in California.

Or bills to establish new historic sites to remember national heroes like Justice Thurgood Marshall and civil rights leader Ralph Abernathy.

Now, I am glad our committee is taking care of the local public lands concerns all our communities have. It’s important work.

But in addition to that, I hope our future business meetings can reflect a more balanced agenda that includes the conservation of places that make our states the places we love.

I also want to make one comment on S. 1321, to transfer some land and associated infrastructure from the Department of Energy to Grand County, Utah.

I have no objection to transferring this DOE land.

I do have some concerns about the specifics of how this site would be conveyed while groundwater remediation by the Department of Energy is incomplete.

I hope that we might work on a technical amendment to clarify the standard for completion of remediation before the full Senate considers this legislation.

Would you like me to talk about your R.S. 2477 legislation now, or?

Chairman Lee: It’s up to you, I don’t believe we have a quorum present yet.

Ranking Member Heinrich: Okay. I’ll go ahead and do that now.

This bill seems simple on its face: Pause administrative actions until the courts can adjudicate some claims. But the problem is that these aren't just any claims.

At issue are more than 12,000 individual roads and two tracks totaling nearly 36,000 miles.

That's literally enough roadway to get from here to San Francisco and back 12 times over, or circle the Earth and get halfway around again.

And all of these ways are in just one state alone.

There is no way for the courts to figure out which of these 36,000 miles of potential roads qualify for the grandfathering provision passed by Congress in 1976 in a timely manner.

So, supporting this bill would effectively halt any agency actions indefinitely.

I also want to talk about why it matters, where roads are, and where they aren't.

As someone who used to be a guide in southern Utah, there's a reason that Congress decided in 1976 that it would no longer be legal for any person to decide to put a road anywhere on our public lands.

Public land roads serve important purposes.

They get people to trail heads and fishing holds. They provide access to neighboring private land. They facilitate energy production and transmission lines.

But they also have consequences and downsides.

Roads fragment habitat. They wash sediment into streams. They allow invasive species to spread.

88% of wildfires are started by human activity, and 95% of human caused fires begin within a half mile of a road.

So, like everything else on public lands, that means that roads need to be a matter of balance.

We need enough roads to get people where they need to go, but not so many that we lose elk habitat and trout streams.

We need access, but not at the cost of more human caused wildfires. Which means that we need to actually plan what roads should stay open and which ones cause more harm than good.

The good news is that FLPMA has provided a way for us to do this.

The BLM is directed to produce resource management plans to balance all of the many uses on public lands, including transportation.

And to do this, the BLM developed travel management plans which help resolve these road claims in Utah.

Those plans incorporated input from everyone who uses public lands, and this bill would put all that work on hold while we wait for federal judges to sort out 36,000 miles of claims on roads that may or may not have existed 50 years ago.

I would love to resolve R.S. 2477, issues once and for all. I've dealt with them for my entire adult life.

But the solution isn't to tie the hands of land managers using the one tool that might actually get us there while we wait another 50 years for federal judges to get us out of this.

So with that, Chairman, I’m going to turn it back to you.


Ranking Members Heinrich, Huffman, Garcia Demand Transparency from Trump Administration on Taxpayer-Funded Mining Spending Spree

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) in sending a letter to the U.S. Secretaries of Defense, Energy, Commerce, and the Interior demanding documents and a briefing on the Trump Administration's unprecedented acquisition of equity stakes in multiple mining and mineral companies using taxpayer dollars.

Since July 2025, the Trump Administration has gone on a spree, aggressively acquiring ownership stakes in Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, Korea Zinc, and USA Rare Earth. The federal government is now a significant shareholder in each company—a level of state control over private industry with few precedents in American history—and the Administration has signaled that even more equity deals are in the pipeline. The secrecy surrounding these deals and whether President Trump is profiting behind the scenes erodes public trust and forces Americans to foot the bill.

“By privileging select corporations through direct ownership—essentially picking winners and losers—the government may undermine broader market competition and the development of innovative technologies or mineral or material substitutions,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter demands the legal justification for the equity stakes, the criteria used to select these companies over competitors, and policies in place to prevent conflicts of interest when the government regulates companies in which it owns stock.

The lawmakers noted, “To date, there has been no public disclosure of procedures or safeguards in place to ensure these ownership stakes do not influence permitting decisions, regulation generation, alteration, or enforcement, contracting decisions, or any other agency decisions relating to these mining and minerals projects."

The letter also asks whether Administration officials, their families, Trump campaign donors, or Trump Organization affiliates hold personal stakes in any of these companies — and demands answers on what happens to Americans' money if these bets go bad, who benefits if they pay off, and whether Congress will ever be notified when the government buys or sells stock.

“Ensuring these taxpayer dollars are effectively invested and potential proceeds are responsibly managed, without risk of corruption or conflicts of interest, is a matter of national security and public trust and warrants Congressional oversight,”the lawmakers wrote.

Read the full letter here.

Additional Background

Red flags surround the Administration's critical minerals acquisitions. USA Rare Earth, which received federal investment in late January, hired Cantor Fitzgerald to help with fundraising — a firm chaired by Brandon Lutnick, the son of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The Administration announced equity investments in Trilogy Metals while simultaneously directing agencies to fast track permitting for Ambler Road, a controversial project needed to access Trilogy Metals’ proposed mine. Trilogy Metals’ third-largest shareholder is John Alfred Paulson, a Trump megadonor and economic advisor.

In recent decades, the federal government has taken equity stakes in private companies only during financial emergencies: financial sector and automaker bailouts during the 2008 financial crisis and airline rescues during the pandemic. The Trump Administration is doing something entirely different: using taxpayer money to buy stakes in companies while simultaneously regulating, permitting, and enforcing rules over those same firms. The federal government is picking winners and losers in an emerging industry, and taxpayers foot the bill if those bets go bad.

Before making these investments, the Administration moved to shield its dealmaking from scrutiny by issuing Executive Order 14241 in March 2025, which waived congressional notification requirements under the Defense Production Act for projects exceeding $50 million. The order also waived SEC disclosure requirements that normally force mining companies to prove their projects are economically viable before attracting investors, protections designed to prevent American taxpayers and investors from getting burned on speculative ventures.

President Trump and Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” provided nearly $13 billion for direct Defense Production Act grants and approximately $350 billion in available financing for critical minerals and related projects. In an unprecedented move, the Administration used this funding to buy equity stakes in private companies. The Administration also began funding equity deals using $39 billion provided the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 intended for semiconductor incentives.

Read the full letter here and below:

Dear Secretary Hegseth, Secretary Wright, Secretary Lutnick, and Secretary Burgum:

We write regarding the federal government’s equity acquisitions in the federally regulated mining and materials companies Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, Korea Zinc, and USA Rare Earth.

We support federal investments in secure, resilient, and sustainable American critical mineral supply chains to power the American economy. This goal has had robust bipartisan support through multiple congresses and administrations, with billions of taxpayer dollars appropriated. However, the Trump Administration eliminated important transparency and accountability measures before making high-risk, market-shaping investments. Ensuring these taxpayer dollars are effectively invested and potential proceeds are responsibly managed, without risk of corruption or conflicts of interest, is a matter of national security and public trust and warrants Congressional oversight.

Prior to these acquisitions, the Trump Administration waived certain Congressional notification requirements and investment limits for public financing of mines through the Defense Production Act (DPA) in Executive Order 14241, “Immediate Measures To Increase American Mineral Production.” This executive order also authorizes public investments in domestic and foreign mines by the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Export Import Bank (EXIM), and Department of Energy (DOE).

Executive Order 14241 further waives for federal agencies Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosures intended to inform investors about the economic viability of a mine. To attract private investors, publicly traded mining companies must provide an independent economic feasibility study substantiating the mineral deposit's value, among other material disclosures. The SEC requires these disclosures to help protect investors from mining projects that may not be feasible. Waiving these disclosures for all federal agencies empowered to invest in mineral supply chains, both domestically and abroad, increases financial risk to taxpayers for public investments.

Between July 2025 and January 2026, the Trump Administration used taxpayer money to buy equity in Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Vulcan Elements, Korea Zinc, and USA Rare Earth, and warrants for additional stock from Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, and USA Rare Earth. These acquisitions make the federal government a significant shareholder in each company. To date, there has been no public disclosure of procedures or safeguards in place to ensure these ownership stakes do not influence permitting decisions, regulation generation, alteration, or enforcement, contracting decisions, or any other agency decisions relating to these mining and minerals projects.

Structuring these investments in Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, Korea Zinc, and USA Rare Earth as equity stakes risks locking federal policy to the fortunes of individual firms. By privileging select corporations through direct ownership—essentially picking winners and losers—the government may undermine broader market competition and the development of innovative technologies or mineral or material substitutions. Federal equity positions tie taxpayer dollars to corporate balance sheets, incentivizing Administration officials to defend individual corporate interests, creating potential ethical and regulatory conflicts of interest, and potentially prioritizing corporate profits over the interests of the American people.

These risks are magnified by the scale of available federal funding for mineral projects. Public Law 119-21 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) provided nearly $13 billion for direct DPA grants and approximately $350 billion in available financing for critical minerals and other projects. Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, and Korea Zinc each received public financing through programs authorized or re-authorized under this statute. Vulcan Elements, Korea Zinc, and USA Rare Earth received financing from the Department of Commerce’s CHIPS Program Office, which is dedicating $39 billion from the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 to “provide incentives for investment in facilities and equipment in the United States.”

To assist the Committees’ oversight responsibilities, please provide the following documents by no later than February 26, 2026.

1. All documents and communications related to the structure and approval of equity deals between your agency and Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, Korea Zinc, and USA Rare Earth by the Office of Strategic Capital and the Office of the Undersecretary for Acquisitions and Sustainment of the Department of Defense, the CHIPS Program Office of the Department of Commerce, and any other agency(s) involved, including but not limited to any documents and communications relating to:

a. The terms of the agreements;

b. The legal authorities and any legal analyses relied upon in allowing the U.S. Government to become a shareholder in these companies;

c. The justification for pursuing equity stakes in critical minerals companies, including mechanisms of financial assistance other than the purchase of equity stakes that you considered for each project;

d. The criteria used to select these specific companies, including a description of other companies considered and the reason those companies were not selected;

e. The public financing programs employed to acquire shares in Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, Korea Zinc, and USA Rare Earths;

f. The source of the appropriated funds used to acquire these shares, including but not limited to funds appropriated for national defense or critical mineral supply chain programs under the Defense Production Act or the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing, or reallocation of funding from the CHIPS and Science Act;

g. The legal and regulatory framework governing the management and use of any revenue generated from these equity stakes, including whether the funds return to the Treasury or are retained by an agency for use without further Congressional approval;

2. A list of the entities from which the U.S. Government purchased shares and:

a. All documents and correspondence between your agency and each of those entities related to the structuring and approval of said stock purchases;

b. Documentation of any other active federal contracts, loans, other forms of financial assistance, including applications for federal assistance by the entities; and

c. Documentation of any applications for federal permits or environmental reviews by the entities, including but not limited to reviews under the National Environmental Protection Act or mining plans of operations;

3. All documents and communications related to the review and approval process for purchasing the equity stakes in Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, Korea Zinc, and USA Rare Earth by the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Legal Counsel, or any other office within the Executive of the President;

4. All documents and communications related to consultations with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding disclosure obligations when the federal government holds material equity positions in publicly traded companies;

5. All documents and communications related to policies, procedures, or guidance in place to manage conflicts of interest in permitting, environmental review, or enforcement actions against regulated companies in which the federal government takes an equity stake;

6. All documents and communications related to permits or regulatory changes being modified or accelerated in relation to industrial projects by companies in which the federal government has an equity stake;

Please provide a briefing to Congress no later than February 26, 2026, at which you should be prepared to answer the following questions:

Where is the profit generated by the stake in the companies held and for what purpose is it used? What are the terms of the agreements? What legal framework exists for the money to go back to the taxpayer? What framework exists for revenue sharing among local, state and Tribal governments?

What oversight mechanisms exist for Congress in examining these deals? Will the Government Accountability Office or various agency Inspectors General review implementation?

Will Congress receive regular reports or notifications when the government acquires or divests equity in a private company?

How does the Administration distinguish between investments made for national security purposes and those that might distort competition in the private sector?

Do any individuals employed by the Administration (including spouses and children), major donors to the Trump campaign, or affiliates of the Trump Organization have equity positions in any of the companies listed? If so, when did they obtain those equities?

What are the financial, governance, and other risks potentially faced by taxpayers, investors, companies, and the broader market as a result of these equity stakes?

The House Natural Resources Committee has jurisdiction under House Rule X.1(m) to conduct oversight and investigations of matters related to mining on public lands and public lands generally. The House 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. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has jurisdiction under the Senate’s Standing Rules to conduct oversight and investigations of matters relating to energy and resources development.

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Hickenlooper, Colleagues Form Federal Workforce Caucus

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper joined 25 colleagues to establish the Federal Workforce Caucus. Members of the caucus will work to protect federal workers and strengthen our merit-based federal civil service so dedicated public servants can deliver for the American people without political interference.

“Colorado is home to more than 60,000 public servants who work for government agencies,” said Hickenlooper. “This caucus will help ensure they can continue to work hard each day to provide essential services to help Coloradans thrive.”

Members of the caucus will work to:

Strengthen the federal civilian workforce and the merit-based civil service system.

Protect the integrity of federal employment.

Advance policies that improve recruitment, retention, and workforce morale across federal agencies.

Highlight stories that show how government programs and workers improve the lives of the American public.

Develop and advance policies that encourage modernization and innovative practices across the federal workforce.

Facilitate dialogue among Members of Congress, former and current federal employees, organizations, and unions representing federal employees, and subject-matter experts.

Hickenlooper has been a longtime advocate for workforce development and apprenticeship programs. As governor, he jumpstarted CareerWise Colorado, a nonprofit designed to create statewide apprenticeship opportunities to prepare students for high-paying, competitive jobs at Colorado companies. He is the Ranking Member of the Employment & Workplace Safety Subcommittee for the Senate HELP Committee.

Hickenlooper has also fought against the Trump admin’s reckless treatment of federal workers. He introduced legislation to protect federal worker unions. He also called out the Trump admin’s mass firings of federal workers in Colorado.

“The Trump administration’s relentless attacks on our federal workers are meant to scare those who serve the American people into serving a president’s political agenda. Ripping up federal workers’ union contracts and pushing experts out of their jobs all across the country has made it harder for workers to deliver the essential services we all rely on. As the White House escalates its attacks, we commend Senator Van Hollen and members of the new Federal Workforce Caucus for joining us in the fight to protect federal workers and the critical services they provide,” said Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO President.

“Over the past year, people and communities have protested, lawyers have sued, and courts have issued orders to protect our civil servants. It is an honor today to mark the establishment of a bipartisan, bicameral congressional caucus to support the people who work for all us – our nonpartisan, merit-based civil service. The Congressional Federal Workforce Caucus could not come at a more pivotal time. As the Trump-Vance administration and its allies escalate threats to our nation’s elections, our nation’s communities, and our nation’s civil servants, it is time to use all tools our democracy provides to push back and move forward. We are grateful to these lawmakers for taking an important step to protect and strengthen the civil service not just for today, but for the ability to build the people-centered government we all will need in the future,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward.

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Hickenlooper, Colleagues Urge USFS to Address Worsening Trail Conditions, Protect Outdoor Recreation Access in National Parks

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, along with 20 of his Senate Democratic colleagues, called on the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to address the alarming USFS internal report that agency staffing shortages and under-investments have risked Americans’ access to our public trails.

“The public land recreation economy contributes over $350 million every day to our national economy, $128 billion every year, and the National Forest System (NFS) plays a significant role in that contribution,” wrote the senators. “The report’s conclusions raise serious questions about the public’s ability to enjoy National Forest Trails, particularly as the Forest Service adjusts to a workforce that has declined by at least 16 percent in the last year.”

Hickenlooper has been fighting to protect our public lands and National Parks from attacks by the Trump administration. Last year, after the administration recklessly fired 3,400 USFS employees, Hickenlooper immediately sounded the alarm and called on Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to reinstate them. Hickenlooper also introduced two bills to reinstate the thousands of NPS and USFS workers the Trump administration illegally fired.

Full text of the letter is available HERE or below:

Dear Chief Schultz:

We write with strong concerns regarding a December 2025 report published by the U.S. Forest Service on the status of the U.S Forest Service’s National Trail Program. The report warns of significant challenges in sustaining trail operations and recreation access, as well as potential loss of decades of investments in trail infrastructure.

The public land recreation economy contributes over $350 million every day to our national economy, $128 billion every year, and the National Forest System (NFS) plays a significant role in that contribution. There are over 164,000 miles of trails in the NFS, with 84 million people annually visiting trails and 143,000 jobs supported by recreation and tourism spending. Considering the importance of the National Scenic and Historic Trails statutorily created by Congress for the Forest Service to manage, and the Forest Service National Trail Program in general, the report findings that public access and overall recreation satisfaction “will continue to decline in 2026 and beyond without direction to prioritize investments into these programs,” is troubling.

The report draws on input from 290, mostly district-level, Forest Service staff to assess current challenges facing Forest Service trail operations. It found that workforce shortages and loss of trails expertise, low morale, poor communication, operational gaps, and stalled and unfunded contracts and agreements threaten decades of investments into the Forest Service’s trail system. The report’s conclusions raise serious questions about the public’s ability to enjoy National Forest Trails, particularly as the Forest Service adjusts to a workforce that has declined by at least 16 percent in the last year.

A key finding of the report is that workforce vacancies, hiring freezes, and lost skills are weakening the agency’s ability to maintain trails and effectively leverage partners’ contributions to the upkeep of trails. Beyond staffing challenges, the Forest Service National Trail Program identifies unclear priorities, inconsistent messaging, and misalignment of priorities and resources as ongoing barriers to trail maintenance. The report also highlights deficiencies in grants and agreement (G&A) management as a primary challenge to maintaining Forest Service trails.

Given the importance of this issue, we request responses to each of the following questions no later than February 18, 2026, on the Forest Service’s plan to address the immediate needs listed in the report.

What is the Forest Service’s plan and timeline for addressing all of the issues raised in the report?

Is the Forest Service planning to extend externally funded and disaster-funded Permanent Seasonal Employee (PSE) positions?

Please describe the steps the Forest Service is planning to take to increase G&A capacity in the trail program.

How will Forest Service leadership provide accurate, consistent direction and resources to all levels of the agency to ensure the trails program can implement its mission?

Will the Forest Service consider restoring direct hire authority for the Youth Conservation Corps program?

How is the Forest Service planning to ensure appropriate staffing levels are restored and maintained?

How will the Forest Service invest in training for partners, and volunteers on trail maintenance and operations?

The National Trails System Act of 1968 requires the Forest Service to provide for the development and maintenance of the National Scenic and Historic Trails (NSHT) under its jurisdiction. Given the report’s findings, what is the Forest Service’s plan for ensuring all statutory requirements of the National Trails System Act of 1968 are met for the NSHT under the Forest Service’s jurisdiction?

Forest Service staff and partners are critical to maintaining the over 164,000 miles of trails in the National Forest System. The challenges and impacts in the Program report are deeply concerning and raise questions about what steps the Forest Service will take to maintain the public’s ability to access and use Forest Service trails. We look forward to your timely response on this important matter.

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HYDE-SMITH, COLLEAGUES ADVANCE ‘MAKING NATIONAL PARKS SAFER ACT’

Hyde-Smith Cosponsored Bill to Improve 911 Emergency Call Service within National Parks System

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today supported committee passage of legislation she cosponsored to improve public safety by updating 911 emergency call capabilities inside the National Park System.

Hyde-Smith serves on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that approved the Making National Parks Safer Act (S.290) on a voice vote Wednesday. Hyde-Smith is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan measure, which was introduced by U.S. Senator John Barrasso, M.D. (R-Wyo.).

“Our national parks are wonderful and beautiful public assets, but they can also be dangerous. We have the technology to make our national parks safer, which is why we want the Interior Department to determine the path to achieve an upgraded 911 system,” Hyde-Smith said.

S.290 would direct the U.S. Department of the Interior to develop a plan to upgrade NPS 911 call centers with Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology to enable call centers to receive text messages, images, and video submissions in addition to traditional phone calls. These improvements would help emergency responders to locate and assist callers in need of emergency assistance quicker and more accurately.

The updated capabilities would also allow calls to be forwarded to any working call center during natural disasters or technical disruptions.

The legislation directs the Interior Department to consult with state and local emergency operations and stakeholders, as well as relevant federal agencies, in its development of NG911 systems. The plan should also address the estimated cost of implementing NG911 technology across the National Park System.

Additional S.290 cosponsors include U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).

The Public Safety Next Generation 911 Coalition, National Emergency Number Association (NENA), and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) are among the groups supporting the legislation, which is now available for consideration by the full Senate.

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Hyde-Smith thanks Trump for signing bill with provision to aid Franklin County Hospital

Senator Hyde-Smith was in the Oval Office with President Trump on Tuesday for the signing of appropriations bills.

By Frank Corder

Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) joined fellow lawmakers for a White House signing ceremony for the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations package in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump (R) turned to the Mississippi senator and said, “Cindy Hyde, come on. Say something.”

“There’s a little hospital in [the package], a rural hospital Meadville, Mississippi, called Franklin County Hospital. It would have closed the end of this month without this bill,” Hyde-Smith told the President. “Thank you, thank you from everybody in Mississippi, especially Franklin County.”

Trump responded by adding, “We’ve covered the rural very well, nobody ever thought it was possible because we had a lot of opposition from the Democrats, as you know.”

The legislation signed into law Tuesday includes language in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill to reinstate the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation for the Franklin County Hospital, which Hyde-Smith noted the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rescinded on January 15.

Resending the CAH designation for the Franklin County Hospital meant it would no longer be eligible for federal resources intended to help sustain the financial viability of rural hospitals and assure access to essential medical services, the senator noted.

Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped craft the funding package. She said in a statement after the signing that there is still work to do “to improve rural healthcare in Mississippi, but I’m very happy that we’ve acted to help the Franklin County Hospital and give it a stronger chance to be on a stronger financial footing.”


India, US announce trade deal; there’s ag uncertainty

Hagstrom Report

President Trump announced a trade deal with India on Monday, but there are few details and analysts say the prospects for the deal are uncertain.

Trump said on Truth Social that India agreed to stop buying oil from Russia and buy from the United States and Venezuela, which should “help END THE WAR in Ukraine.”

Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC that the deal would reduce India’s tariffs on American industrial goods to zero from about 13.5% and eliminate duties on U.S. tree nuts, fruits, vegetables, wine and spirits. In exchange, the United States will reduce its tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50%.

Greer did not mention any new U.S. access to India’s markets for rice, beef, soybeans, sugar or dairy, which are highly guarded commodities that India excluded from its recent trade deal with the European Union, Reuters pointed out.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the U.S. will “export more American farm products to India’s massive market, lifting prices, and pumping cash into rural America,” helping reduce the United States’ $1.3 billion agricultural trade deficit with India, BBC reported.

Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said Tuesday that sensitive sectors such as agriculture and dairy have been protected in the deal, but opposition parties disrupted Parliament over the deal’s potential impact on agriculture, the Associated Press reported.

The International Dairy Foods Association headlined the U.S.-India deal “emerging” in a news release.

IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes said, “IDFA supports a stronger U.S.-India trade relationship and is grateful to President Trump and his administration as well as the government of India for working toward that common goal.”

Shrimp is one of the Indian sectors that could benefit, The Times of India said.

High tariffs have hurt India’s shrimp export. “Indian equity markets responded almost immediately, with shrimp exporters among the clearest beneficiaries,” the Times said.