Monday: Blumenthal & Robert Garcia to Receive Testimony from ICE Whistleblower at Forum on DHS Abuses

[WASHINGTON, DC] – On Monday, February 23, 2026 at 3 PM ET, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, will hold a bicameral public forum on constitutional violations and abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Monday’s forum will include testimony from:

Anonymous ICE Whistleblower: This whistleblower – a former ICE employee speaking publicly for the first time – will discuss new immigration enforcement training methods and policies, including authorizing warrantless entry to the homes of U.S. citizens.

Teyana Gibson Brown: Ms. Gibson Brown is a U.S. citizen and resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota. In January, ICE agents forcefully entered her home without a judicial warrant, breaking down her door and pointing guns at her family.

Stevan Bunnell: Mr. Bunnell served as General Counsel for the Department of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2017. He spent 17 years as a federal prosecutor, including as Chief of the Criminal Division at the US Attorney’s Office in Washington, DC.

Next week’s event is the third public forum Blumenthal and Garcia have hosted as part of their ongoing inquiry into the lawless and abusive tactics used by federal immigration agents. In December, Blumenthal and Garcia received testimony from five U.S. citizens who were assaulted, detained, and denied their constitutional rights by agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Earlier this month, the members hosted a forum focused on the violent tactics and disproportionate use of force by DHS agents, featuring three U.S. citizens who were violently assaulted and the brothers of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a U.S. citizen and resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in January.

WHO: U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA)

Members of the Senate and House of Representatives, including members Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Anonymous ICE whistleblower; Teyana Gibson Brown, U.S. citizen and resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Stevan Bunnell, former DHS General Counsel

WHEN: Monday, February 23, 2026 at 3 PM ET

WHERE: G50 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC

LIVESTREAM: A livestream will be available here.

-30-


Booker Condemns Trump’s EO Protecting Toxic Pesticide Manufacturers

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, issued the following statement condemning Trump’s executive order that directs federal agencies to boost the production of herbicide glyphosate, a chemical known to cause cancer:

“This executive order is a slap in the face to the thousands of Americans who have gotten cancer from glyphosate. Trump’s executive order is nothing more than an attempt to protect one of the biggest producers of a toxic pesticide from legal liabilities. The message from this Administration is clear: chemical company profits are more important than your health.

That is why we need to swiftly pass my Pesticide Injury Accountability Act, which would ensure that every person harmed by a toxic pesticide has their day in court. My bill would create a federal right of action so that no matter what state you live in—and no matter what executive orders are signed—chemical companies won’t be off the hook if their products make you sick.”


Booker, Schumer, Durbin, Klobuchar, Warren, Blumenthal, Hirono, Welch Demand Paramount CEO & Chairman David Ellison Preserve All Records Related to Proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Transaction

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Peter Welch (D-VT) sent a letter to Paramount Chairman & CEO David Ellison requesting he preserve all records related to the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery transaction.

“On February 3, 2026, the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights held a hearing titled “Examining the Competitive Impact of the Proposed Netflix-Warner Brothers Transaction.” Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Revenue & Strategy Officer Bruce Campbell testified. Although Paramount’s parallel bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery prompted an invitation for you to appear, you declined. In your letter rejecting the invitation, you characterized the Paramount bid as “only an offer.” However, an offer is a legally recognized step in the merger review process — and this one was well advanced. DOJ had issued a Second Request for Information on December 23, 2025, and Paramount was actively working to comply, demonstrating that the transaction was documented and moving forward,” the Senators wrote.

On January 29, 2026, when David Ellison declined to testify, he offered to provide written testimony. Senator Booker subsequently requested that testimony, seeking insights on the proposed sale of Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount’s parallel bid, and asking Ellison to address concerns about political interference in the merger review process. Ellison’s response failed to address these issues.

“Last week, Paramount-Skydance announced that it certified substantial compliance with the Department of Justice’s December 23, 2025, Second Request for Information, commencing a 10-day waiting period for DOJ’s review. The announcement expressed strong confidence that Paramount will secure “the necessary clearances quickly and efficiently” because, in its estimation, the acquisition does not “raise any competition concerns.” However, we can assure you that it raises significant competition concerns that the Senate has not had an opportunity to examine. The pattern of evasion, combined with Paramount’s apparent confidence that a politically sensitive transaction will clear without difficulty, warrants serious scrutiny. In light of these developments, and pursuant to Congress’ oversight responsibilities, this letter serves as notice to preserve records related to the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery transaction,” the Senators continued.

In furtherance of Congress’ oversight responsibilities and any potential investigation, the Senators directed Paramount to preserve the following documents upon receipt of this letter:

All communications, information, and documents related to Paramount’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and the DOJ’s Second Request for Information, including communications with President Donald Trump, members of his family, or individuals associated or affiliated with President Trump; Administration officials, including White House and DOJ political appointees; and DOJ Antitrust Division officials.

All communications, information, and documents related to lobbyists or other intermediaries retained to represent Paramount or who otherwise advocated on behalf of Paramount in connection with the proposed transaction, including any currently or formerly affiliated with the Trump Administration or any business associated with President Trump or members of his family.

All communications, information, and documents related to donations and other contributions made, directly or indirectly, to President Trump, his causes or interests, including through political action committees and other outside organizations.

The Senators also asked Mr. Ellison to provide written responses to a series of questions probing reported allegations that he used personal relationships behind the scenes to improperly influence approval of the merger.


Budd Joins CTE Caucus Co-Chairs in Leading Bipartisan Resolution to Recognize February as Career and Technical Education Month

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined his Senate co-chairs on the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), in introducing a bipartisan resolution recognizing February 2026 as Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month.

“Career and Technical Education programs don’t just help provide students with the skills they need to enter the workforce, they are pivotal to breaking the ‘bachelor’s or bust’, one-size-fits-all approach to education and career preparedness. CTE Month recognizes the programs and hard-working educators who have helped train millions of Americans with the expertise to go into the workforce and keep America building and innovating,” said Senator Budd.

“Growing up working in our family’s ironworking business and later serving as the principal of a technical school in Honduras, I’ve seen firsthand the impact career and technical education can have on people. I’m proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce this legislation and will continue to fight to expand access to CTE programming to ensure all Virginians have the skills they need to fill critical jobs,” said Senator Kaine.

“This resolution recognizes the importance of career and technical education and encourages more educators and students to seek out CTE programs. Preparing the students of today for the jobs of tomorrow will lead to more opportunities, a stronger economy, and a highly skilled workforce,” said Senator Young.

“I’m committed to creating pathways to connect Wisconsinites to good-paying careers in the trades and making sure businesses across the state have the workforce they need to grow and thrive. Career and Technical Education is a worthwhile investment in Wisconsin’s students, workforce, and future, and I’m proud to join my Republican and Democratic colleagues to show just that,” said Senator Baldwin.

U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

U.S. Representatives Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.-15) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), House co-chairs of the CTE Caucus, introduced the resolution in the House of Representatives.

U.S. Representatives Aaron Bean (R-Fla.-04), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.-01), Bryan Steil (R-Wis.-01), Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.-25), Sam Graves (R-Mo.-06), Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.-01), Tracey Mann (R-Kan.-01), Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.-02), Don Bacon (R-Neb.-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.-03), James Moylan (R-Guam-At-large), Josh Harder (D-Calif.-09), Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.-07), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.-11), Angie Craig (D-Minn.-02), Mike Bost (R-Ill.-12), Henry “Hank” Johnson (D-Ga.-04), John Carter (R-Texas-31), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.-08), Rudy Yakym (R-Ind.-02), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.-04), Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.-23), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-06), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.-01), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.-08), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.-03), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.-20), Brad Finstad (R-Minn.-01), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.-03), and Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.-11) joined in introducing the legislation.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

As a member of the CTE Caucus, Senator Budd is a leading supporter of career and technical education and expanding access to CTE programming. Last year, his PELL Act was signed into law as part of the Working Families Tax Cut Act, expanding Pell Grant eligibility for high-quality, short-term workforce programs.

###


ICYMI: Capito Op-Ed: Democrats Turn Their Backs on DHS and ICE When America Needs Them Most

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In an op-ed published for FOX News, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, underscored her strong support for fully funding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and standing firmly behind U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. In the piece, Senator Capito also draws attention to Democratic efforts to weaken enforcement authority and restrict cooperation with state and local law enforcement.

The full op-ed is available hereand below.

Democrats turn their backs on DHS and ICE when America needs them most

By: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)

FOX News

February 19, 2026

As the debate over the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill continues, one truth is becoming increasingly clear: Democrats are refusing to stand with the very law enforcement officers tasked with protecting our communities. Instead of supporting DHS and ICE in carrying out their mission, they are pursuing a dangerous crusade to weaken enforcement and undermine the rule of law.

My Democratic colleagues are attempting to strip DHS enforcement authority, diminish operational capacity, and restrict cooperation with state and local law enforcement. At a time when border security and interior enforcement are critical to public safety, they are choosing politics over protection.

I refuse to accept that. I stand firmly with the courageous men and women of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These professionals carry out a difficult and often dangerous mission to safeguard our communities. They deserve our respect, our gratitude, and the resources necessary to do their jobs effectively.

The DHS bill before us reflects those priorities. This is the same bill that both Republicans and Democrats negotiated in a bipartisan manner, and the same bill Republicans were ready to pass to ensure full-year funding for the department.

The bill, as it stands now, provides the tools required for interior enforcement, enabling ICE agents to identify, detain, and remove individuals who break our laws and pose risks to the public. But it’s important to understand that this legislation goes far beyond immigration enforcement. It includes vital funding for the various missions carried out every day by agencies like FEMA, TSA, Secret Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and so many more.

the 260,000 individuals who work to counter cyberattacks, secure our borders and coastlines, and protect critical infrastructure—just to name a few.

Recent events here in West Virginia illustrate how effective enforcement can work when there is cooperation. In a statewide operation earlier this month, ICE agents partnered with state and local law enforcement to arrest more than 650 individuals illegally present in the United States, including those with serious criminal histories. This operation took place successfully with minimal disruption to the public. Furthermore, the operation stands in stark contrast to the unrest and disorder we have seen in other parts of the country—like Minnesota—where local cooperation has broken down and enforcement actions have been met with chaos and confrontation.

Shutting down or hamstringing an agency of DHS’s size and importance does not make oversight easier. It does not strengthen accountability. And it certainly does not solve a single challenge we face at our borders or inside our communities. Instead, it jeopardizes our national security and weakens the very institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law.

That is why the demands coming from Democrats in this debate are so troubling. Rather than ensuring our national security personnel have what they need, Democrats have pushed repeatedly for provisions that would erode enforcement authority, restrict ICE operations, and block cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement. In doing so, they are not standing with DHS — they are actively working to undermine it.

West Virginians deserve better than political gamesmanship when it comes to homeland security. They deserve leaders who will stand unequivocally with the men and women of DHS and ICE, not wage an ideological campaign against them.

I will continue fighting to ensure that ICE has the resources, the authority, and the support it needs to do its job. Weakening enforcement is not compassion. It is neglect. And it is the communities we represent—from small towns in West Virginia to cities across the country—who will bear the consequences.

Protecting West Virginians will always be my priority. That starts with standing firmly behind DHS and ICE — and rejecting efforts to weaken them.

---

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee and is also a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee. She is the Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, making her the fourth highest ranked Senate Republican.


PHOTOS: Capito Visits Congressionally Directed Spending Projects in Putnam and Cabell Counties

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, traveled to Putnam and Cabell counties where she made stops focused on Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) allocations she helped secure.

First, Senator Capito traveled to Eleanor, W.Va. where she toured the Winfield Locks and Dam, a critical navigation facility on the Kanawha River operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Senator Capito secured a $6.9 million CDS allocation in Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) and an additional $8 million CDS allocation in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) to support facility improvements.

“The Winfield Locks and Dam is a vital component of the Kanawha River navigation system, keeping commerce flowing safely and efficiently,” Senator Capito said. “I’ve been proud to support federal funding over the years to modernize and strengthen this infrastructure to ensure Winfield remains reliable, efficient, and competitive for decades to come. Investing in projects like this means investing in West Virginia workers and our economy, and I was glad to see how these projects are helping to do just that.”

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visits with officials during a tour of the Winfield Locks and Dam in Eleanor, W.Va. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visits with officials during a tour of the Winfield Locks and Dam in Eleanor, W.Va. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) tours the Winfield Locks and Dam in Eleanor, W.Va. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visits with officials during a tour of the Winfield Locks and Dam in Eleanor, W.Va. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

Next, Senator Capito traveled to Huntington, W.Va. where she visited Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. During the visit, Senator Capito announced two CDS allocations for the medical school that she secured in FY26. The first allocation was for $15 million to support the Marshall Medical School Stimulation Center, and the second allocation was for $1.9 million for the Marshall Medical School Center for Informatics and Population Analytics. Both allocations will expand Marshall’s capacity to train healthcare professionals, advance research, and serve communities across West Virginia.

“Marshall University and its outstanding medical program play an integral role in preparing the future doctors of our state, and it is important to me that students and faculty have access to the best resources and facilities,” said Senator Capito. “The investment announcements today represent more than just funding— they represent a strong commitment to the future of health care in West Virginia. They will expand opportunity, strengthen workforce development, and reinforce Marshall’s role as a leader in medical education and research.”

“Senator Capito’s leadership and steadfast support through the appropriations process continue to make a meaningful difference for Marshall University and the people of West Virginia. Her investment in our strategic growth areas — research, workforce development and innovation — amplifies our ability to serve both our state and the nation. We are deeply grateful for her partnership. Through her leadership, Senator Capito continues to open doors and expand opportunities for future generations of West Virginians,” Brad D. Smith, President of Marshall University, said.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visits the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) delivers remarks at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

Individual allocation details listed below:

$6,900,000 FY22 CDS award to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support a roller gate replacement at the Winfield Locks and Dam.

$8,000,000 FY24 CDS award to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support roller gates and Harbor expansion.

$15,000,000 FY24 CDS award to Marshall University (Cabell County, W.Va.) for Marshall Community Health Institute.

$15,000,000 FY26 CDS award to Marshall University (Cabell County, W.Va.) for theDevelopment of a State-of-the-Art Medical Simulation Center to Enhance Clinical Care and Improve Rural Medicine.

$1,900,000 FY26 CDS award to Marshall University (Cabell County, W.Va.) Marshall University School of Medicine - Center for Informatics and Population Analytics.

# # #


Cassidy Releases Statement Applauding President Trump’s Major Disaster Declaration Approval Following Severe Winter Storm

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), released the following statement applauding President Trump’s approval of an expedited federal Major Disaster declaration following Winter Storm Fern, which caused widespread power outages, road closures, and water system disruptions across northern Louisiana. Cassidy, alongside all members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, expressed support for Governor Jeff Landry’s request for an expedited federal Major Disaster declaration.

“This cannot bring back the lives of those whose lives were lost, but it can help with recovery. And we need recovery as soon as possible,” said Dr. Cassidy. “I was privileged to lead the letter asking that this occur.”

###


Cassidy Tours LSU Health Shreveport Laboratory

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, visited LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) to tour the site of the new laboratory he supported through appropriations funding. The lab will help North Louisiana and the United States improve public health and safety, train doctors and researchers, and study infectious diseases.

“America invests in Louisiana because we have the people and the drive to deliver results,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This lab will strengthen public safety and support life-saving research right here in Shreveport.”

In addition to touring the lab, Cassidy met with the leadership of LSUHS, including Lester Johnson, MD, FACS, the Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for the school.

“LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS) is immensely grateful to Senator Cassidy for his leadership in securing the $7 million appropriation from Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2022 which made the creation of the BSL3+ lab possible,” said Dr. Johnson. “I appreciate Senator Cassidy’s continued support of LSU Health Shreveport and for him being briefed earlier today on new opportunities for LSUHS to further strengthen translational science in support of LSU’s goal of becoming a top 50 research university.”

Cassidy secured $7 million for the lab in the Fiscal Year 2022 Health and Human Services Appropriations bill. Cassidy also secured $6 million in the Fiscal Year 2025 Senate Defense Appropriations package for the National Disaster Medical System Pilot Program, which added LSUHS as one of only eight sites in the nation to expand emergency medical care in a disaster. Then in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, that pilot program was replaced by the Military-Civilian Medical Surge Program, a permanent program within the U.S. Department of Defense which will continue to include LSUHS. Finally, Cassidy recently secured another $20 million to support that surge program in the Fiscal Year 2026 Senate Defense Appropriations package.

###


Sens. Cruz, Lee, and Scott Introduce Bill to Prevent Childcare Fraud

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action and Federal Rights joined Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights and Chris Coons (D-Del.) in introducing the Count the Crimes to Cut Act. The bill requires the Attorney General and the heads of other agencies to create and make available to the public lists of all federal criminal statutory offenses, including the elements for each offense.

Sen. Cruz said, "Criminal laws are opaque and scattered across thousands of pages of statutes and regulations, preventing Americans from understanding when they might be crossing into criminal conduct. Congress has a responsibility to make the criminal code knowable and accessible to enhance transparency, accountability, and clarity in federal criminal law. I’m proud to join Senators Lee and Coons in introducing this bipartisan bill.”

Sen. Lee said, “Our federal criminal code is massively over-inflated, with thousands of crimes making it impossible for anyone to fully understand the criminal liability they face. We cannot fix what we refuse to measure, and this bill ensures Congress and the public have the facts necessary to make smarter, safer policy decisions.”

Sen. Coons said, “We need to reexamine the sprawling system of federal crimes and penalties tucked into new laws and inserted into old ones that Congress has created over decades. This bipartisan, commonsense bill will create a database of all federal crimes, so lawmakers can determine the reforms needed to make the law fairer, saner, and more effective.”

The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).

Click here to read the bill.

BACKGROUND:

The federal code includes thousands of offenses, but there is currently no complete, accessible list of all federal crimes, preventing citizens, businesses, and lawmakers from understanding the full scope of criminal liability. The House version of this bill, H.R. 2159, passed the House of Representatives by voice vote.

Under the Count the Crimes to Cut Act:


Sens. Cruz, Lee, Coons Introduce Bill to Modernize Federal Criminal Code


Curtis Statement on New USPTO Community Engagement Office in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY, UT—U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) issued the following statement on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)’s announcement that a new community engagement office will be opened at the University of Utah:

“Today’s announcement is an investment in American ingenuity and reinforces Utah’s leadership in research, technology, and entrepreneurship. Utah is ranked among the fastest-growing innovation economies in the country and has always been a place where bold ideas take root and grow. The new community engagement office will help ensure that our innovators have the tools, resources, and federal partnership they need to compete and win in the global economy.”

Background:

The new community engagement office location will serve innovators in part of the eight-state area formerly serviced by the Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office. The eight-state area includes: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Nebraska.

The USPTO reimagines its community engagement footprint as an agile model to meet innovators where they are. The University of Utah is an R1 institution with one of the strongest commercialization pipelines in the Mountain West. It has significant federal research activity at over $781M in FY25 with an aggressive plan for growth. The University also provides industry partnerships spanning biotech, AI, advanced engineering, and energy in addition to the S.J. Quinney College of Law with an intellectual property (IP) specialization. Utah is ranked among the fastest-growing innovation economies in the country with a high volume of individual and first-time inventors who would immediately benefit from a USPTO presence.


Durbin Joins Padilla, Sanders To Demand Trump Administration Reverse Its Decision To End Federal Funding For Minority-Serving Institutions

Senators blast Department of Education’s reliance on baseless legal reasoning behind determination to deem MSIs unconstitutional and cut off federal funding

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in urging the Department of Education to immediately reverse the Trump Administration’s harmful decision to unilaterally halt federal funding for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). In their letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, the Senators criticized the Education Department’s flawed usage of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) baseless decision to deem these programs unconstitutional, risking the education of millions of students of all ethnicities and backgrounds by cutting off discretionary and mandatory funding.

“This decision is yet another example of this Administration attempting to circumvent Congress and its obligations to follow the law,” wrote the Senators. “Unilaterally deciding that long-standing programs are unconstitutional, absent a ruling from the judiciary, sets a dangerous precedent and disrupts needed support that colleges and students rely on.”

“We urge you to allocate Title III and V discretionary and mandatory funds as Congress intended so that these institutions, which educate millions of working-class Americans, can continue to successfully serve every student they enroll and continue to be economic engines for the communities they serve across this nation,” continued the Senators.

The Senators blasted DOJ’s legal justification for declaring that both discretionary and mandatory MSI grant funding is unconstitutional, citing DOJ’s reliance on a Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College that discusses race-based admissions policies, not race-based funding allocations. The Senators emphasized that the factors a college or university can consider when evaluating a student for admission, as addressed in the Supreme Court decision, are unrelated to whether a school should be considered an MSI and that relying on that precedent is an “inappropriate subversion of duly-enacted federal law.” MSIs are evaluated for consideration of federal funding based on the student population they serve, not their admission policies.

Thirty-two MSIs are located in Illinois. There are more than 800 federally recognized MSIs, including Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs). MSIs enroll over five million students, many of whom are first-generation college students. These institutions rely on federal funding to provide vital supports and services for students to help them complete their degrees. Historically, these programs have been authorized on a bipartisan basis. The Trump Administration’s decision to end funding for MSIs threatens the institutions’ ability to adequately serve their students of all backgrounds.

In addition to Durbin, Padilla, Sanders, Booker, Hirono, Luján, and Warnock, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Last year, Durbin joined Padilla, Sanders, Booker, Hirono, Luján, and Warnock, alongside 21 Senate colleagues, to demand Secretary McMahon immediately reverse course on the Trump Administration’s harmful decision to reallocate $350 million in discretionary funding for MSIs.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

February 18, 2026

Dear Secretary McMahon:

We write to express our strong opposition to the Administration’s decision to unilaterally halt federal funding for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) based on a unilateral determination by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that these programs are unconstitutional. These longstanding programs have been authorized and funded by Congress for decades, and the Administration’s baseless decision to deem these programs unconstitutional needlessly disrupts the fiscal stability of thousands of colleges and universities that educate millions of students of all ethnicities and backgrounds.

Congress first established MSI programs on a bipartisan basis in the 1986 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and expanded them in subsequent reauthorizations. MSIs have received bipartisan support over the course of six administrations presided over by presidents of both parties. That was true during President Trump’s first term, when he signed the FUTURE Act into law, to secure permanent funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges (TCCUS), and MSIs.

More than 800 federally recognized MSIs currently serve over five million students, many of whom are first generation college students and come from low-income backgrounds. These include Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). More than half of all MSI students qualify for Pell grants, and HSIs enroll 37 percent of the nation’s Pell recipients. As directed by Congress in Section 312(b) of the Higher Education Act, institutions to be eligible for MSI funding, are evaluated on their current enrollment (e.g. among the students they enroll, 15 to 25 percent of existing students must be from a particular student population), have lower than average expenditures, and must enroll high percentages of students receiving Pell grants or need-based aid.

On September 10, 2025, grantees who were recipients of discretionary grant funds under six programs received a letter that the funds were being reprogrammed because the Department of Education (Department) believed that “racial quotas” were unconstitutional. At the time, the Department recognized that while it had statutory authority to reprogram the discretionary funds, the mandatory funds provided to MSIs, which have been required in statute since 2007, could not be reprogrammed and would continue to be dispersed. The Department then added that it would continue to consider the underlying legal issues associated with the mandatory funding mechanism in these programs.

On December 2, 2025, the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued an opinion analyzing the constitutionality of the Department of Education’s MSI programs and determined that both the discretionary and mandatory grants for HSIs, ANNHSIs, ANNAPISIs, and NASNTIs, and the formula-based PBI programs, are unconstitutional. On December 19, the Department of Education stated that it was evaluating the full impact of the OLC opinion on the affected programs.

While the Department of Justice’s opinion cites to the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, 600 U.S. 181 (2023) (“SFFA”), that decision pertained specifically to the factors a college or university can consider when evaluating a student for admission. Those factors are unrelated to the determination of whether a school should be considered an MSI, and relying on that precedent— when there has been no specific court determination that MSIs are unconstitutional—is an inappropriate subversion of duly-enacted federal law. MSIs are not directed nor required to employ race-conscious admissions policies for their enrollment; they are evaluated based on the population of students they already serve at the time they are applying for funding.

Furthermore, the funding provided to eligible MSIs through Title III and V grants is provided to the institution, not to specific students. The benefits of the funds are directed towards all students that attend those colleges, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. Without these funds, under-resourced institutions would not be able to adequately support their students’ success and the economic benefits for the local communities where these institutions are located would be lost.

Notably, the OLC opinion does not differentiate grants to Native American or Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native serving institutions from other MSI grantees. The opinion incorrectly lumps these institutions with all MSIs, even as federal law has long recognized that these programs serve categories of students that are not racial but rather political classifications. Notably, 90 percent of Native students enroll in traditional public and private colleges, including NASNTIs and ANNHSIs, and the federal government has a fundamental legal responsibility to Native students’ education that is not based on race but on treaties, statutes, court decisions, and the trust responsibility. Further, last year the Department recognized this “unique political and legal relationship” when it took the position that American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian history is not classified as diversity, equity, and inclusion and pledged to “continue to deliver on all statutory grant programs that support American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students.” NASNTIs and ANNHSIs are statutorily authorized to receive federal support from the Department to strengthen their capacity to serve American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students.

Furthermore, this action is inconsistent with the policies of this Administration. Nearly a half dozen agencies have clarified that programs that serve American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians do not constitute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) activities prohibited by President Trump’s executive orders. Grants supporting Native communities with which the federal government holds trust and treaty obligations do not impose racial quotas or restrict admissions based on race, but rather deliver on the federal trust responsibility to provide an education for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians because of their unique legal status and political relationship with the United States.

This decision is yet another example of this Administration attempting to circumvent Congress and its obligations to follow the law. Unilaterally deciding that long-standing programs are unconstitutional, absent a ruling from the judiciary, sets a dangerous precedent and disrupts needed support that colleges and students rely on.

We urge you to allocate Title III and V discretionary and mandatory funds as Congress intended so that these institutions, which educate millions of working-class Americans, can continue to successfully serve every student they enroll and continue to be economic engines for the communities they serve across this nation. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

-30-


Durbin Slams Cancer Screening Cuts For Medicaid Patients In Republicans’ “Big, Beautiful” Budget Bill

CHICAGO—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today held a press conference at UI Health’s Mile Square Health Center to discuss new research findings that show how Medicaid cuts from Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will reduce lifesaving cancer screenings for Illinoisans. Medicaid covers three million people in Illinois, including 1.5 million children. The program is responsible for two-thirds of seniors in nursing homes and it is a lifeline for hospitals and health clinics.

“The Republicans in Congress and President Trump achieved the largest cut to health care coverage in American history last summer when they passed their ‘Big, Beautiful’ budget bill,” Durbin said. “A recent study from the University of Chicago determined that these Republican health care cuts will likely result in one million missed cancer screenings in just two years. By throwing Americans off insurance, Republicans in Congress have increased the risk that one million of our neighbors will not have their cancer caught early. This is their health care legacy.”

Dr. Adrian Diaz, a surgical oncologist at the University of Chicago, published findings last month that the insurance coverage losses under OBBBA will result in an estimated 1.2 million missed lung, breast, and colorectal cancer screenings within two years. The OBBBA cuts $1 trillion in federal Medicaid spending over the next decade, and Illinois is projected to face a $48 billion federal funding cut, or 19 percent—resulting in approximately 500,000 Illinoisans losing coverage.

“Every week, I sit across from patients and tell them they have cancer. And very often, that diagnosis starts with a screening test, a mammogram, a colonoscopy, that caught their cancer early enough for us to cure it,” Dr. Diaz said. “Cancer screening is not luxury care. It is one of the most evidence-based and cost-effective tools in medicine. Yet the One Big Beautiful Bill cuts Medicaid funding and creates new barriers that will cause eligible patients to lose coverage. We should protect and strengthen Medicaid coverage, simplify eligibility, and fund cancer screening programs not create new barriers to care.”

The numbers are likely conservative as Dr. Diaz’s research focused only on the impact of two new eligibility restrictions that take effect in 2027: cumbersome work requirements on low-income adults who gained coverage under the ACA’s Medicaid expansion that bury recipients in red tape and have been shown to have no impact on employment figures; and re-enrollment requirements every six-months through extensive documentation. OBBBA added other limitations, which were not measured by Dr. Diaz, such as reductions on provider taxes used to fund hospitals, and new $35 co-pays for most services.

“The latest annual report from the American Cancer Society shows that, for the first time in our nation’s history, we have reached a 70 percent five-year survival rate across all cancers combined,” said Dr. Pamela Ganschow, Director, University of Illinois Cancer Center. “Even more striking, the largest gains have been in some of our most advanced and historically fatal cancers, like lung cancer. This progress reflects decades of investment…it did not happen by accident. It happened because we invested in prevention, screening, early detection, treatment access, and survivorship care. Coverage made access to care possible. BUT we are now at risk of a serious backslide.”

The OBBBA cancer screening cuts are not the only threat to public health. Last week, the Trump Administration announced plans to terminate $600 million in public health grants administered by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for four Democratic-led states: Illinois, California, Colorado, and Minnesota. The cuts targeted several core public health programs used for disease detection and monitoring, workforce development, HIV prevention and data collection, lead poisoning prevention, violence prevention, and chronic disease activities. The estimated $170 million in potential cuts to Illinois affect the Illinois Department of Public Health and Chicago Department of Public Health, as well as individual grants to Lurie Children’s Hospital, University of Chicago, American Academy of Pediatrics, and community groups.

-30-


Fischer Applauds Funding for Long-Overdue Peru Levee Repairs

Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that $43.7 million will be allocated to repair the Peru levee along the Missouri River following the historic flooding in 2019:

“After years of work, I’m extremely pleased the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide over $43 million to repair the Peru levee along the Missouri River. This investment will help protect lives, property, and most importantly, ensure the Peru community is better prepared for future flooding.”


Gallego Condemns Trump EPA for Placing Corporate Profits Over Americans’ Health, Demands Answers

WASHINGTON – Following recent moves by the Trump administration’s Environmental Protect Agency (EPA) to cease counting health benefits when conducting cost-benefit analysis for Clean Air Act rules and to repeal the endangerment finding that underpins the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has joined dozens of his colleagues in pushing back and demanding answers.

“This administration continues to make it clear that they care more about lining the pockets of oil executives and fossil fuel billionaires than they do about the health and wellbeing of Americans,” said Senator Gallego. “Not only will these decisions cost Americans their health and in some cases their lives, but they will also increase health care spending, cause energy bills to skyrocket, and make transportation more expensive. That’s why I’m demanding answers.”

In a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Senator Gallego and his colleagues raised concerns that by changing the cost-benefit analysis to factor in only the costs to industry—and not the costs to human life—the EPA risks Americans’ health and could cost billions in higher health care spending. Should EPA apply this policy when reconsidering the current nationwide PM2.5 standards, the agency risks costing Americans, “between $22 and $46 billion in avoided morbidities and premature deaths in the year 2032,” the Senators wrote. “The total compliance cost to industry, meanwhile, [would] be $590 million … the expense of forgoing the $22 to $46 billion benefit would burden Americans across the country in lives lost, more frequent and severe illnesses, missed school days and lost labor productivity, [while] the $590 million in savings would go mostly into the pockets of a small group of Trump’s fossil fuel donors.”

Senator Gallego and his colleagues are also launching an investigation into the EPA’s decision to release the endangerment finding, raising concerns that the administration did not engage in a transparent notice-and-comment rulemaking and moved to finalize the rescission before completing its required regulatory review. “When an agency signals that the outcome of a proceeding is preordained, public participation becomes performative rather than meaningful, undermining the legitimacy of the rulemaking process and violating basic principles of administrative law … Presidential policy preferences do not give EPA carte blanche to bypass statutory mandates to engage in good faith with sound science and public input in favor of predetermined outcomes,” wrote the Senators.


Gallego Introduces Legislation to Guarantee Paid Sick Leave to American Workers

WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), and 167 of their colleagues in introducing the Healthy Families Act to guarantee paid sick leave for workers.

“For many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, getting sick doesn’t just mean not feeling well, it means worrying about whether they’ll be able to pay that month’s bills or buy groceries for their family. And all too often, we see people showing up to work sick because they simply can’t afford to stay home,” said Senator Gallego. “I’m proud to help introduce this commonsense legislation to ensure hardworking Americans don’t have their paychecks put at risk just because they get sick.”

The U.S. today remains the only major country in the world that does not provide paid time off for short-term illnesses. Currently, nearly 27 million workers lack any paid sick time entirely, including 20% of the private sector workforce and 7% of the public sector workforce. Things are worse for low-income workers and households, with just 58% of low-income, private-sector workers able to access paid sick days. Without guaranteed paid sick leave, workers are forced to make untenable choices between getting a paycheck and keeping their jobs on the one hand and caring for their own and their family’s health on the other.

Workers without paid sick leave are three times more likely to delay or forgo necessary health care for themselves and nearly twice as likely to forgo medical care for their families compared to working adults with paid sick days. However, workers with access to paid sick leave are 28% less likely to suffer nonfatal occupational injuries, and employers who provide paid sick leave see 25% less turnover in their workforce. According to a study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, a universal paid sick days policy would reduce preventable visits to the emergency room and result in cost savings of $1.1 billion per year, including $500 million in savings for public health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

The Healthy Families Act would:

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

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

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

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

Read the bill text HERE.

The Healthy Families Act is endorsed by 88 organizations, including AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Auto Workers (UAW), Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), National Nurses United (NNU), International Association of Machinists (IAM), Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED-IBT), Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BLET-IBT), the Teamsters Rail Conference, Transport Workers Union (TWU), Communications Workers of America (CWA), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), National Partnership for Women & Families, and A Better Balance.


Gallego Speaks on ICE Chaos, DHS Funding, and Immigration Reform in Yuma County

SAN LUIS – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) fielded questions in both English and Spanish at a town hall in San Luis, Arizona focused on immigration and workforce issues impacting border communities.

“I don’t have to tell you what we’ve seen in the streets. It is chaos that’s being done by ICE. […] A lot of people, [when] I talk to a lot of my Republican friends, they thought they were voting for enforcement and deportation of criminals only. And what we got is not that,” Senator Gallego said in his opening remarks. “Right now, ICE has more money than the United States Marine Corps, a fighting force that I served with. These are the jets, tanks, or anything else of that nature – ICE has more than that.”

Speaking on the ongoing DHS funding fight, Gallego emphasized the need for serious reforms to how the agency operates before he votes to give it additional resources.

“In two and a half weeks, we saw two Americans killed on our streets by federal law enforcement. I had to have a lot of training in the Marines. I unfortunately had to use a lot of my training in Iraq, and never have I ever seen that type of use of force. I never imagined you’d use that type of use of force on fellow Americans. It’s scary to think what is happening in areas that we don’t see. That’s [just] what we caught on camera,” Senator Gallego continued. “One of the things that I’m also very keen on is making sure that these people are held accountable, that there are standards, that there’s body cameras. And until we see that, I can’t – and this is very difficult to say an area like this, because I’m sure we all have friends that are employed by ICE or employed by Border Patrol – I can’t fund DHS until I know that there’s going to actually be proper safeguards, that American citizens and immigrant communities are being treated with respect, and that they actually are going after who we want them to go after, not the randomness we see right now.”

During the town hall, a constituent stood up and thanked the Senator in Spanish for coming to speak with the community and spoke in favor of immigration reform.

“Este país es el país más fuerte del mundo por el trabajo de los inmigrantes y sus hijos. También lo que nosotros tenemos que reconocer, especialmente los líderes del partido demócrata, que cuando tenemos poder, tenemos que pasar la reforma migratoria,” the Senator said in response. “Yo le digo, yo le doy mi promesa: si tenemos el control de los tres niveles de poder de nuestro gobierno y podemos pasar la reforma, la vamos a pasar o no va a pasar nada.”

“You can have professional law enforcement without militarization. This is why when you have people running through the streets of our country wearing masks and in military fatigues, and having weapons that I used in war and pointing them at US citizens – this should not be going on. […] You’re not doing that to go after criminals. You’re doing that to really suppress the population, and it is dangerous. It is scary,”Senator Gallego said in response to a question from a San Luis high schooler on the rapid militarization of American cities.


Gallego, Warren, Colleagues Push Fed Vice Chair Bowman on Troubling Leadership of Fed’s Supervision and Regulation Division

“This is a toxic mix of actions that leaves our banking system vulnerable to more bailouts and financial crashes, which will harm American families already struggling in President Trump’s economy.”

WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, along with colleagues on the Banking Committee, sent a letter to Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman, pressing Bowman on reports that she may have applied pressure or removed some of the Federal Reserve’s bank examiners from their roles after bank executives lodged complaints with her.

“It is critical that examiners be allowed to evaluate banks’ safety and soundness and their compliance with applicable laws and regulations without fear or favor. If the reporting is accurate, your decision to remove bank examiners at the request of banks themselves would be highly inappropriate and would create a chilling effect across the entire bank examiner workforce. Ultimately, American families and taxpayers may suffer the economic consequences of your efforts to relax the Fed’s oversight of the banking system,” the Senators wrote.

Read the full text of the letter HERE.

The letter was also signed by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).

Earlier this month, Senator Gallego led Senate Banking Committee colleagues in calling on Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran to immediately resign from the Federal Reserve Board after his term expired on January 31, 2026. Following the letter, Miran resigned from his position on the President’s Council of Economic Advisors.

Senator Gallego has introduced theFed Integrity and Independence Actto prohibit members of the Federal Reserve from holding multiple positions appointed by the President, including under a leave of absence. The bill came after the Senator questioned Miran about his commitment to preserving the independent, nonpolitical role of the Federal Reserve during his confirmation hearing.


ICYMI: Nonpartisan Whistleblower Advocacy Group Defends Grassley’s Arctic Frost Whistleblowers

BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – The Government Accountability Project (GAP), a nonpartisan whistleblower protection and advocacy organization, issued a statement defending whistleblowers’ legal right to release Arctic Frost records to U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), including grand jury materials.

GAP clarified that whistleblowers’ right to provide information to Congress is “unequivocally protected” and warned “branding [the whistleblowers’] disclosure as misconduct could indeed be an invitation to retaliation and create a chilling effect that threatens essential congressional oversight of this and every other Administration.”

In a speech on the Senate floor, Grassley condemned recent left-wing media efforts to intimidate, smear and discredit his Arctic Frost whistleblowers.

Read GAP’s full statement HERE and below.

Whistleblower Retaliation Should Never be Undermined

Government Accountability Project

February 17, 2026

Recently, some commentators have suggested that whistleblowers acted illegally by disclosing grand jury information to Senator Chuck Grassley and the Senate Judiciary Committee. The evidence they shared was reportedly relevant to allegations that Special Counsel Jack Smith had engaged in surveillance of eight Congressional offices. The claim of illegality relies on Justice Department memoranda concluding that disclosures about prosecutions "are not likely to be protected" by the Whistleblower Protection Act because they implicate grand jury secrecy laws. In effect, the argument suggests that these whistleblowers are legally subject to termination or even criminal prosecution.

As an organization dedicated to protecting lawful whistleblowers, we have to state that the conclusion is incorrect.

First, federal employees do not need the Whistleblower Protection Act to communicate lawfully with Congress. Since the Lloyd–La Follette Act of 1912, their right to furnish information directly to Congress has been unequivocally protected. The law states:

The right of employees, individually or collectively, to petition Congress or a Member of Congress, or to furnish information to either House of Congress, or to a committee or a member thereof, may not be interfered with or denied.

The only exception concerns classified information, for which Congress created limited, specific procedures under the Intelligence Whistleblower Protection Act.

Second, if supported by a reasonable belief, such communications are independently protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act. That statute shields lawful disclosures, including public disclosures, unless the information is classified or specifically prohibited from release by statute. In MacLean v. Department of Homeland Security, 574 U.S. 383 (2015), the Supreme Court ruled 7–2 that restrictions on whistleblowing must be expressly stated by Congress in statute; they cannot be delegated broadly to other government entities. Whistleblowers are entitled to clear notice of any limitations. With respect to grand jury materials, Congress delegated rulemaking authority to the Supreme Court, but court rules do not override statutory whistleblower free speech protections.

The right to communicate freely with Congress is essential to effective oversight of Executive branch abuses of power. It is foundational for constitutional checks and balances. For decades, Congress has relied on whistleblowers to expose coverups and misconduct by providing evidence that may not be available to the public. Protecting this channel is critical to ensuring that federal employees understand they have a lawful alternative to silence.

Government Accountability Project does not take a position on the facts of alleged Biden administration misconduct, because we have not reviewed the evidence, but we know the law. If their concerns were supported by a reasonable belief, these whistleblowers had every right to share the evidence with Congress. This is important because branding their disclosure as misconduct could indeed be an invitation to retaliation and create a chilling effect that threatens essential congressional oversight of this and every other Administration.

Government Accountability Project affirms what we have stood by for nearly 50 years now: the risks of retaliation faced by whistleblowers should never be undermined or doubted. Under every administration, whistleblowers have faced daunting retaliation for speaking truth to power, and for releasing legally valuable information in the name of transparency and to combat fraud, waste and abuse.


Heinrich Cosponsors Legislation to
Stop Grocery Price Gouging

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) cosponsored the Stop Price Gouging in Grocery Stores Act of 2026, legislation that will prohibit corporations from leveraging new technologies to increase grocery costs for New Mexicans.

Corporations collect and purchase Americans’ personal data to create a detailed profile of consumers. This data, coupled with mobile apps, electronic shelf labels, facial recognition, and other biometric technology, allows companies to charge different people different prices for the same item; this is often referred to as surveillance pricing. Additionally, some of the nation’s largest grocery chains appear poised to implement the widespread use of electronic shelf labels – a technology that allows stores to change the price of an item in a matter of seconds from a remote location that will almost certainly enable surveillance pricing schemes. This is happening at a time when New Mexicans are already struggling to afford food and everyday household items.

The Stop PriceGouging in Grocery Stores Act will protect New Mexico families from corporate price gouging at the grocery store by:

The Stop Price Gouging in Grocery Stores Act is led by U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jackie Rosen (D-Nev.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

The bill is endorsed by The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW).

Full bill text is available here.


Heinrich, Luján Demand Further Investigation into Trump Administration’s Unlawful Dismantling of the Minority Business Development Agency

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) sent a letter demanding the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate potential violations committed during the U.S. Department of Commerce’s illegal dismantling of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the only federal agency tasked with promoting the growth and competitiveness of minority-owned businesses. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Luján called on the Trump’s Commerce Department to provide an update on the status of the MBDA which the administration has tried to illegally dismantle.

On March 14, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order aimed at eliminating the MBDA and other federal agencies. Despite an earlier commitment from U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that he would not eliminate the MBDA, following Trump’s Executive Order, the Commerce Department proceeded to carry out the illegal dismantling of the MBDA.

In April 2025, 21 State Attorneys General filed a lawsuit seeking to put a stop to the destruction of the MBDA. In May 2025, the federal district court issued a Preliminary Injunction that prohibited further implementation ofTrump’s Executive Order and directed the Commerce Department to reverse its dismantling of the MBDA. In November 2025, a Permanent Injunction ordered the Trump Administration to reverse its actions and restoreMBDA’s personnel and grantmaking capacities. The Commerce Department ignored these court orders and took several actions to dismantle the MBDA, including terminating the funding for at least nine MBDA business centers and sending Reduction in Force (RIF) notices to terminate the last 24 employees still working at the agency.

“[N]ew information has come to light indicating Secretary Lutnick and other Department officials may have violated — and may continue to violate — a May 13, 2025, Preliminary Injunction and subsequent November 21, 2025, Permanent Injunction issued by a federal district court ordering the Trump Administration to reverse its actions against the MBDA and restore its personnel and grantmaking capacities,” the senators wrote to GAO Comptroller General Orice Williams Brown. “Congress has a compelling interest in ensuring executive branch officials comply with court orders guarding against unlawful attempts to dismantle federal agencies like theMBDA, which Congress statutorily authorized and funded on a bipartisan basis.”

“Although the Department later rescinded the RIFs after Congress passed legislation requiring it do so and before the district court could rule on whether the Department’s actions violated the court’s order, the court admonished the Administration ‘that it is never acceptable to violate a court order’ and warned any such violations may ‘warrant further Court action,’” the senators continued. “These developments, coupled with the Department’s lack oftransparency regarding its actions toward the MBDA, raise serious questions about the sufficiency of the Department’s protocols for ensuring compliance with the district court’s orders and whether Department leadership is violating the court’s clear commands.”

The senators concluded their letter by urging the GAO to expand its investigation to include possible violations offederal district court orders by Commerce Department leadership and to assess whether the Department has taken adequate steps to ensure compliance.

The letter was led by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.).

The senators’ letter follows a June 2025 letter in which Heinrich and Luján slammed the Trump Administration for its illegal dismantling of the MBDA and asked the GAO to investigate whether actions by Trump Commerce Department officials or others in the Administration violated Congressional directives, the extent to which they undermined MBDA’s Congressional mandate, and whether any officials have engaged in misconduct.

Senator Luján championed an amendment in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make the MBDA permanent. He also secured passage of a provision to double the funding level for the MBDA’s Rural Business Development Center Program and to expand this program’s eligibility to include all Minority-Serving Institutions, which will expand opportunities for New Mexico’s colleges and universities. Additionally, in 2021, Senator Luján championed legislation to make permanent and expand the reach of the Minority Business Development Agency.

In May 2025, Heinrich sent two letters to Keith Sonderling, Acting Under Secretary of the MBDA, demanding heturn over key documents and information related to the dismantling of the MBDA and that he detail the Trump Administration’s compliance with a federal court injunction blocking their illegal dismantling of the agency.

In October 2024, Heinrich led the unveiling of a new, larger office space for the New Mexico Minority Business Development Center in Albuquerque to expand support for local businesses across the state. Heinrich wrote the legislative provision that established and funded the New Mexico Business Center in 2020, securing more than $2.5 million in federal resources through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency for its staffing and programming.

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

Acting Comptroller Brown:

On June 3, 2025, we requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a comprehensive review of the actions taken by the Department of Commerce (Department) under the leadership of Secretary Howard Lutnick tounilaterally dismantle the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). Since then, new information has come to light indicating Secretary Lutnick and other Department officials may have violated—and may continue toviolate—a May 13, 2025, Preliminary Injunction and subsequent November 21, 2025, Permanent Injunction issuedby a federal district court ordering the Trump Administration to reverse its actions against the MBDA and restore its personnel and grantmaking capacities. Congress has a compelling interest in ensuring executive branch officials comply with court orders guarding against unlawful attempts to dismantle federal agencies like the MBDA, which Congress statutorily authorized and funded on a bipartisan basis. Accordingly, we request GAOexpand its ongoing inquiry to evaluate whether Secretary Lutnick or other Administration officials have violated the court’s orders and assess the adequacy of the policies and protocols the Department has implemented, if any, toensure compliance.

On January 29, 2025, Secretary Lutnick appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and testified he did not support dismantling the MBDA. However, on March 14, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 14238, which purported to eliminate the MBDA and other federal agencies. Notwithstanding his testimony, Secretary Lutnick proceeded to unilaterally dismantle the agency—terminating almost all of MBDA’s staff and canceling its grant programs. Of the 40 individuals employed at the MBDA before the EO, only five employees remained working at the agency after Secretary Lutnick began implementing the order.

On April 4, 2025, 21 State Attorneys General filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction against any further implementation of the EO. As part of that case, an MBDA employee submitted a sworn declaration to the courtexplaining how the remaining five employees would “not be capable of carrying out MBDA’s statutorily mandated functions, administering its existing programs, or spending its appropriated funds” because it was “not possible for five employees to monitor the existing portfolio of grants for waste, fraud, and abuse, or to ensure that they are being used for authorized purposes consistent with the grant award,” all of which “requires consistent contact with grantees to monitor and evaluate grantee performance, train, conduct site-visits, and to ensure compliance” with the grants’ terms. The MBDA employee also informed the court that “MBDA allowed its contract with Salesforce toexpire,” making it “particularly difficult” to adequately monitor grants without this management platform.

On May 13, 2025, the federal district court issued a Preliminary Injunction that both prohibited any further implementation of the EO and ordered the Department to reverse its implementation. This included “tak[ing] all necessary steps to restore” MBDA employees “involuntarily placed on leave or involuntarily terminated” and “resum[ing] the processing, disbursement, and payment of already awarded funding” and any “funds previously withheld” to the States due to the EO. Following the district court’s order, multiple Senators sent a letter to the Acting Under Secretary for MBDA seeking information about how the agency intended to comply with this Preliminary Injunction—but, consistent with Secretary Lutnick’s pattern of stonewalling Congress, the Department has refused to provide any relevant information.

Despite the court’s clear order, the Department has taken several actions that appear to violate its terms. First, in a September 2, 2025, letter to the Office of Inspector General, the Acting Director of MBDA Business Centers revealed that the Department had “terminated or discontinued” funding for at least nine MBDA business centers as of August 29, 2025—months after the district court’s order took effect. Then, on October 10, 2025, the Department sent Reduction in Force (RIF) notices to the 24 employees who then-remained working at the MBDAstating their positions were being eliminated due to supposed “lack of funding” and because their functions “are not consistent with the Secretary’s priorities.”

The Department implausibly claimed the RIF—which would eliminate every employee working at the MBDA and leave only one political appointee responsible for carrying out all of the agency’s required functions —would “not prevent the Department from fulfilling its statutory obligations.” In a sworn declaration, an MBDA employee explained to the court how effectuating these obligations requires “experienced MBDA employees to expend approximately 20 hours per week per grant” and affirmed it is “not feasible that one or two political appointees who lack training and experience in grants management” could carry out those duties. Although the Department later rescinded the RIFs after Congress passed legislation requiring it do so and before the district court could rule on whether the Department’s actions violated the court’s order, the court admonished the Administration “that it is never acceptable to violate a court order” and warned any such violations may “warrant further Court action.”

These developments, coupled with the Department’s lack of transparency regarding its actions toward the MBDA, raise serious questions about the sufficiency of the Department’s protocols for ensuring compliance with the district court’s orders and whether Department leadership is violating the court’s clear commands. Therefore, tosupplement the review requested in our June 3, 2025 letter, we request GAO also examine and provide a detailed report on the Department’s compliance—or lack thereof—with the May 13, 2025, Preliminary Injunction and November 21, 2025, Permanent Injunction issued by the District Court of Rhode Island in State of Rhode Island v. Trump, and any policies or protocols the Department has implemented to ensure its compliance.

Sincerely,

###


ICYMI: Hickenlooper Travels to Southern Colorado, Talks Affordability, Trump Veto of AVC Bill, and More

In case you missed it, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper took to the road the past few days to visit Woodland Park, Pueblo, and Colorado Springs. He highlighted how issues like affordability, lack of support for veterans, water insecurity, health care, and child care are made worse by the Trump administration’s reckless policies and decisions.

In Woodland Park, Hickenlooper heard from local officials about affordability, increasing emergency preparedness, and investing in rural Colorado. The group also celebrated two Congressionally Directed Spending projects Hickenlooper secured for the community.

Hickenlooper then travelled to Pueblo and toured an Arkansas Valley Conduit construction site. After the tour, Hickenlooper met with local leaders at the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District office to hear about how critical the project is for Southeastern Coloradans in the face of Trump’s political veto of the Finish the AVC Act, a bipartisan bill which passed Congress unanimously and would have provided 50,000 rural Coloradans with clean, reliable drinking water.

Check out Hickenlooper’s video from the AVC construction site posted to his social media accounts

Hickenlooper also met with veterans and staff at Mt. Carmel Veterans Center in Pueblo to hear about the need for more accessible and affordable care for our veterans. He noted that the bipartisan PACT Act has been successful in delivering health care for more veterans, but Trump’s staffing cuts at the VA are reducing critical services for our veterans.

In Colorado Springs, Hickenlooper toured a local YMCA and met with families and child care professionals getting hammered by Trump’s weaponization of child care funding. The discussion focused on the workforce and funding shortages that make child care less accessible and affordable for Coloradans in El Paso County.

Hickenlooper also met with patients and health care professionals at Peak Vista Community Health Center in Colorado Springs to discuss rising health care costs after Republicans and Trump’s ‘Big Bad Betrayal’ bill cut over $1 trillion dollars in Medicaid funding and Affordable Care Act tax credits. These cuts will lead to as many as 240,000 Coloradans losing health care coverage.

###


Hirono, Colleagues Demand Department of Education Reverse Decision to End Funding for Minority-Serving Institutions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined HELP Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and 23 of their Senate colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to immediately reverse the Trump Administration’s harmful decision to unilaterally halt federal funding for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). In their letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, the Senators criticized ED’s flawed usage of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) baseless decision to deem these programs unconstitutional, risking the education of millions of students of all ethnicities and backgrounds by cutting off discretionary and mandatory funding.

“This decision is yet another example of this Administration attempting to circumvent Congress and its obligations to follow the law,” wrote the Senators. “Unilaterally deciding that long-standing programs are unconstitutional, absent a ruling from the judiciary, sets a dangerous precedent and disrupts needed support that colleges and students rely on.”

The Senators blasted DOJ’s legal justification for declaring that both discretionary and mandatory MSI grant funding is unconstitutional, citing DOJ’s reliance on a Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College that discusses race-based admissions policies, not race-based funding allocations. The Senators emphasized that the factors a college or university can consider when evaluating a student for admission, as addressed in the Supreme Court decision, are unrelated to whether a school should be considered an MSI and that relying on that precedent is an “inappropriate subversion of duly-enacted federal law.” MSIs are evaluated for consideration of federal funding based on the student population they serve, not their admission policies.

“We urge you to allocate Title III and V discretionary and mandatory funds as Congress intended so that these institutions, which educate millions of working-class Americans, can continue to successfully serve every student they enroll and continue to be economic engines for the communities they serve across this nation,” continued the Senators.

There are over 800 federally recognized MSIs, including Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving institutions (ANNHSIs). MSIs enroll over 5 million students, many of whom are first-generation college students. These institutions rely on federal funding to provide vital supports and services for students to help them complete their degrees. Historically, these programs have been authorized on a bipartisan basis in law. The Trump Administration’s decision to end funding for MSIs threatens the institutions’ ability to adequately serve the students they enroll of all backgrounds.

Senator Hirono has strongly opposed the Administration’s efforts to dismantle federal education programs, including those that support minority and underserved students. Last September, she joined Ranking Member Sanders and 22 other senators in expressing concerns about ED’s decision to reprogram funding for MSIs. More recently, in December, she held a spotlight forum to highlight the dangerous consequences of the Department’s illegal decision to transfer dozens of programs to other agencies (“Dismantling Education: What the Trump Administration’s Illegal Attacks on Federal Programs Mean for Students, Families, and Educators”). In January, she followed up with an education roundtable featuring local leaders who were able to speak to the real impact these changes will have on students, families, educators, and communities in Hawaii.

In addition to the above senators, the letter was also signed by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO) Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

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

Dear Secretary McMahon:

We write to express our strong opposition to the Administration’s decision to unilaterally halt federal funding for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) based on a unilateral determination by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that these programs are unconstitutional. These longstanding programs have been authorized and funded by Congress for decades, and the Administration’s baseless decision to deem these programs unconstitutional needlessly disrupts the fiscal stability of thousands of colleges and universities that educate millions of students of all ethnicities and backgrounds.

Congress first established MSI programs on a bipartisan basis in the 1986 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and expanded them in subsequent reauthorizations. MSIs have received bipartisan support over the course of six administrations presided over by presidents of both parties. That was true during President Trump’s first term, when he signed the FUTURE Act into law, to secure permanent funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges (TCCUS), and MSIs.

More than 800 federally recognized MSIs currently serve over five million students, many of whom are first generation college students and come from low-income backgrounds. These include Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). More than half of all MSI students qualify for Pell grants, and HSIs enroll 37 percent of the nation’s Pell recipients. As directed by Congress in Section 312(b) of the Higher Education Act, institutions to be eligible for MSI funding, are evaluated on their current enrollment (e.g. among the students they enroll, 15 to 25 percent of existing students must be from a particular student population), have lower than average expenditures, and must enroll high percentages of students receiving Pell grants or need-based aid.

On September 10, 2025, grantees who were recipients of discretionary grant funds under six programs received a letter that the funds were being reprogrammed because the Department of Education (Department) believed that “racial quotas” were unconstitutional. At the time, the Department recognized that while it had statutory authority to reprogram the discretionary funds, the mandatory funds provided to MSIs, which have been required in statute since 2007, could not be reprogrammed and would continue to be dispersed. The Department then added that it would continue to consider the underlying legal issues associated with the mandatory funding mechanism in these programs.

On December 2, 2025, the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued an opinion analyzing the constitutionality of the Department of Education’s MSI programs and determined that both the discretionary and mandatory grants for HSIs, ANNHSIs, ANNAPISIs, and NASNTIs, and the formula-based PBI programs, are unconstitutional. On December 19, the Department of Education stated that it was evaluating the full impact of the OLC opinion on the affected programs.

While the Department of Justice’s opinion cites to the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, 600 U.S. 181 (2023) (“SFFA”), that decision pertained specifically to the factors a college or university can consider when evaluating a student for admission. Those factors are unrelated to the determination of whether a school should be considered an MSI, and relying on that precedent— when there has been no specific court determination that MSIs are unconstitutional—is an inappropriate subversion of duly-enacted federal law. MSIs are not directed nor required to employ race-conscious admissions policies for their enrollment; they are evaluated based on the population of students they already serve at the time they are applying for funding.

Furthermore, the funding provided to eligible MSIs through Title III and V grants is provided to the institution, not to specific students. The benefits of the funds are directed towards all students that attend those colleges, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. Without these funds, under-resourced institutions would not be able to adequately support their students’ success and the economic benefits for the local communities where these institutions are located would be lost.

Notably, the OLC opinion does not differentiate grants to Native American or Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native serving institutions from other MSI grantees. The opinion incorrectly lumps these institutions with all MSIs, even as federal law has long recognized that these programs serve categories of students that are not racial but rather political classifications. Notably, 90 percent of Native students enroll in traditional public and private colleges, including NASNTIs and ANNHSIs, and the federal government has a fundamental legal responsibility to Native students’ education that is not based on race but on treaties, statutes, court decisions, and the trust responsibility. Further, last year the Department recognized this “unique political and legal relationship” when it took the position that American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian history is not classified as diversity, equity, and inclusion and pledged to “continue to deliver on all statutory grant programs that support American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students.” NASNTIs and ANNHSIs are statutorily authorized to receive federal support from the Department to strengthen their capacity to serve American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students.

Furthermore, this action is inconsistent with the policies of this Administration. Nearly a half dozen agencies have clarified that programs that serve American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians do not constitute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) activities prohibited by President Trump’s executive orders. Grants supporting Native communities with which the federal government holds trust and treaty obligations do not impose racial quotas or restrict admissions based on race, but rather deliver on the federal trust responsibility to provide an education for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians because of their unique legal status and political relationship with the United States.

This decision is yet another example of this Administration attempting to circumvent Congress and its obligations to follow the law. Unilaterally deciding that long-standing programs are unconstitutional, absent a ruling from the judiciary, sets a dangerous precedent and disrupts needed support that colleges and students rely on.

We urge you to allocate Title III and V discretionary and mandatory funds as Congress intended so that these institutions, which educate millions of working-class Americans, can continue to successfully serve every student they enroll and continue to be economic engines for the communities they serve across this nation. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

###


Senator Justice Visits New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, Presents $3.2 Million for Meadow River Corridor Improvements

BECKLEY, WV – Today, Senator Jim Justice visited New River Gorge Regional Development Authority and presented a check for $3,200,000 to fund Meadow River Corridor improvements:

“I’ll tell you just this: today is a great day for the New River Gorge region and for all of West Virginia. When folks come to see these mountains, rivers, and trails, they’ll go back home knowing there’s no place on earth like West Virginia. I was proud to push for this funding in our recent appropriations package because, at the end of the day, it’s all about giving our people more opportunities. Investing in our world-class outdoor recreation so we can welcome even more visitors to enjoy the beauty our state has to offer is always worth it,” said Senator Jim Justice.

BACKGROUND:

Senator Justice successfully secured over $3 million in funding for the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority in the recent appropriations package.

While Governor, Senator Justice advocated for the continued growth and investment in the New River Gorge National Park; this is a natural continuation of his priorities while Governor.

# # #


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

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

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

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

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

In addition to Subramanyam and Kaine, the letter was cosponored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (WI), Richard Blumenthal (CT), Cory Booker (NJ), Chris Coons (DE), Catherine Cortez-Masto (NV), Ed Markey (MA), Jeff Merkley (OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (MD), Mark R. Warner (VA), Ron Wyden (OR), and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Danny Davis (D-IL-97), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-35), Bill Keating (D-MA-09), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), and James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11).

The full letter can be found here and below:

Dear Secretary Rubio,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,

###


Warner & Kaine Statement on Final NTSB Report into DCA Midair Collision

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement on the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) final report into the January 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft:

“We thank the NTSB for its thorough investigation of last year’s horrific crash near DCA that took the lives of 67 people, and for its recommendations on how to make the airspace around DCA safer. We owe it to the families who lost loved ones on January 29, 2025, and all Americans to implement the NTSB’s recommendations to prevent another tragedy. We’re pleased that the House is expected to vote on the Senate-passed ROTOR Act, which addresses some of the systemic failures that led to this crash. But that alone won’t be enough. The NTSB report underscores the risk unsustainable traffic levels at DCA pose—as we have warned for many years. In the coming months, we will be working on legislation to reduce slots at DCA and meet the NTSB’s other safety recommendations.”

###