Warner Blasts Trump Administration Payment to Mike Flynn

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement:

“The Department of Justice’s reported decision to pay out more than a million of the taxpayer’s dollars to Michael Flynn is as outrageous as it is indefensible. This is someone who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials at a time when Russia was actively interfering in our democratic process, after being charged by the Department of Justice during President Trump’s first term. For this Justice Department to now turn around and reward that behavior with a million-dollar settlement sends exactly the wrong message to our adversaries, to our intelligence professionals, and to the American people. It undermines the rule of law, demeans the work of the men and women who safeguard our national security, and suggests that accountability depends on who you are and who you know, not what you’ve done. At a moment when threats from abroad are growing more complex and more dangerous, we should be reinforcing the principle that no one is above the law, not rewriting history to benefit those who violated the public trust.”

A bipartisan report by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the most comprehensive investigation conducted into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and related counterintelligence risks and issued under then-Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL), found that Michael Flynn’s undisclosed contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, and his subsequent false statements about those interactions, created a significant counterintelligence vulnerability and left him susceptible to potential foreign leverage. The Committee documented multiple concerning interactions between Flynn and Russian officials during the presidential transition, including discussions of U.S. sanctions, and found that his conduct and lack of candor heightened risks to U.S. national security at a time when Russia was actively seeking to exploit weaknesses and access points within the incoming administration.

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Warner Leads Colleagues in Pressing for Answers on AI Companies' Engagements with DoD

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, led five of his colleagues in pressing six generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) companies for answers regarding their engagements with the Department of Defense (DoD), the rules under which DoD can access and use their technology, and the internal controls that exist in the event their technology is misused by DoD. These letters come after the Trump administration’s unprecedented decision to designate Anthropic as a supply chain risk following a dispute over DoD’s demand to use Anthropic’s AI systems with zero restrictions, including to surveil Americans and engage fully autonomous weapons.

In addition to Sen. Warner, the letters were signed by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Chris Coons (D-DE). The letters were sent to xAI, OpenAI, Alphabet, Meta, AWS, and Microsoft AI.

In the letters, the senators expressed their support for the modernization of national security technologies that ensure the U.S. is defense ready and benefiting from collaboration with the country’s leading AI innovators. However, they stressed the need to anticipate the potential failures of transformative technologies like AI and whether those potential failures stem from intentional misuse or insufficient oversight. The senators are concerned about the apparent retaliation by the Trump administration against private sector partners seeking to ensure the existence of adequate safeguards, particularly against the backdrop of DoD’s AI Strategy that appears to downplay longstanding AI governance measures.

“Recent developments concerning the Department of Defense’s approach to AI suggest a troubling disregard for the kinds of safeguards in place to ensure that AI is being adopted with robust accountability. For instance, while foundational documents – such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework, the Office of Management and Budget’s Memorandum on Accelerating Federal Use of AI through Innovation, Governance, and Public Trust, and the Final Report of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence – underscore the central role of governance in effective AI utilization, the Department of Defense’s January 9th Artificial Intelligence Strategy for the Department of War [sic] is conspicuously silent on this fundamental mission-enabler. While the Strategy’s emphasis on rapid adoption of commercial capabilities represents a legitimate objective, its clear disregard for mechanisms to ensure proper legal oversight (as well as meaningful test, evaluation, and validation technical safeguards) undermines U.S. security and American values,” the senators stated.

The senators continued, “A recent highly-publicized dispute between the Department and a leading American AI firm further suggests that this inattention towards – or even deliberate flouting of – AI governance may represent a systemic problem. Specifically, the Department recently rejected an existing vendor’s request to memorialize a restriction on the use of its models for fully autonomous weapons or to facilitate bulk surveillance of Americans. These concerns are not unreasonable: against the recent backdrop of DoD lethal activity in Latin America – with the routine sidelining of military attorneys and the subversion of longstanding norms on the use of lethal force – the Department’s aggressive insistence of an 'any lawful use' standard provides unacceptable reputational risk and legal uncertainty for American companies.”

“Equally concerning, Defense Secretary Hegseth has taken an extraordinary and unprecedented step to designate a leading American tech company as a supply-chain risk to national security, with the ostensible intent of intimidating those prospective and existing government commercial and academic partners who might seek to ensure adequate safeguards for AI in military operations. An American company fulfilling its contractual duties to the Department of Defense, while exercising its prerogative to ensure its products are lawfully, ethically, and appropriately used by the Department of Defense, is not a risk to national security or to America’s supply chain. While the ultimate responsibility for establishing robust and binding mechanisms to ensure lawful, appropriate, and effective AI rests with Congress, in the interim it is reasonable for commercial providers to ensure that products with outsized impact are governed with appropriate compliance mechanisms. Ultimately, strong AI governance for military and intelligence activity ensures the safety of servicemembers, the nation, and our allies and partners, while promoting clear and predictable norms in the face of less scrupulous adversaries,” the senators added.

The senators concluded the letters with a list of questions that will bring transparency to the required human oversight of AI models being used by DoD, the legal guidelines in place to ensure that AI models are not conducting domestic mass surveillance of Americans, the circumstances in which AI technology companies could acquiesce to any unlawful uses of their products by DoD and what responsibility they would have to notify Congress of said unlawful use, and what oversight AI technology companies would have of DoD’s military judgements, decision-making, or operations. The senators requested a response from the companies by April 3, 2026.

Read the full letters here or below.

As some of Congress’s most vocal proponents for the modernization of national security missions with transformative technology, we have actively sought to ensure that the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community are equipped with capabilities drawn from the nation’s leading innovators. These mission users – whose work has been guided by longstanding norms, legal procedures, and accountability mechanisms – benefit greatly from close collaboration with America’s leading AI and advanced compute providers.

Correspondingly, American companies generate enduring public trust when Americans associate their products with efforts that enhance national security in effective, ethical, and lawful ways. At the same time – particularly against the backdrop of numerous pressures on those longstanding norms, procedures, and accountability mechanisms – it is imperative to anticipate potential failure modes for transformational technologies like AI, whether stemming from intentional misuse or insufficient oversight.

Recent developments concerning the Department of Defense’s approach to AI suggest a troubling disregard for the kinds of safeguards in place to ensure that AI is being adopted with robust accountability. For instance, while foundational documents – such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework, the Office of Management and Budget’s Memorandum on Accelerating Federal Use of AI through Innovation, Governance, and Public Trust, and the Final Report of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence – underscore the central role of governance in effective AI utilization, the Department of Defense’s January 9th Artificial Intelligence Strategy for the Department of War [sic] is conspicuously silent on this fundamental mission-enabler. While the Strategy’s emphasis on rapid adoption of commercial capabilities represents a legitimate objective, its clear disregard for mechanisms to ensure proper legal oversight (as well as meaningful test, evaluation, and validation technical safeguards) undermines U.S. security and American values.

A recent highly-publicized dispute between the Department and a leading American AI firm further suggests that this inattention towards – or even deliberate flouting of – AI governance may represent a systemic problem. Specifically, the Department recently rejected an existing vendor’s request to memorialize a restriction on the use of its models for fully autonomous weapons or to facilitate bulk surveillance of Americans. These concerns are not unreasonable: against the recent backdrop of DoD lethal activity in Latin America – with the routine sidelining of military attorneys and the subversion of longstanding norms on the use of lethal force – the Department’s aggressive insistence of an “any lawful use” standard provides unacceptable reputational risk and legal uncertainty for American companies.

Equally concerning, Defense Secretary Hegseth has taken an extraordinary and unprecedented step to designate a leading American tech company as a supply-chain risk to national security, with the ostensible intent of intimidating those prospective and existing government commercial and academic partners who might seek to ensure adequate safeguards for AI in military operations. An American company fulfilling its contractual duties to the Department of Defense, while exercising its prerogative to ensure its products are lawfully, ethically, and appropriately used by the Department of Defense, is not a risk to national security or to America’s supply chain. While the ultimate responsibility for establishing robust and binding mechanisms to ensure lawful, appropriate, and effective AI rests with Congress, in the interim it is reasonable for commercial providers to ensure that products with outsized impact are governed with appropriate compliance mechanisms. Ultimately, strong AI governance for military and intelligence activity ensures the safety of servicemembers, the nation, and our allies and partners, while promoting clear and predictable norms in the face of less scrupulous adversaries.

Furthermore, the unprecedented designation of an American company, especially under such a weak policy and legal rationale, as a risk to the national security of the United States creates uncertainty among our allies and partners. Many of these countries are looking to incorporate American technology into their own national security and other government functions, and the specter of the Secretary utilizing a very serious sanction against more American companies, seemingly out of a sense of pique, will harm American companies in these global markets.

Your company has reportedly agreed in principle to have your AI model deployed for military purposes or to facilitate such deployment, subject to an “any lawful use” standard. Accordingly, we respectfully request your response to the following questions by April 3, 2026:

Which specific models has your company made available to the Department of Defense, including Combat Support Agencies? Please specify the computing environments, and associated classification levels (via classified courier, if necessary).

Have the models made available to the Department of Defense been trained or tested to deploy lethal autonomous warfare without human oversight or to conduct bulk surveillance of Americans? If so, please specify the training or testing that was conducted, and provide the results of any such training or testing.

Does provision of your product include a contractual requirement for a human on the loop for autonomous kinetic operations? If not, please provide a clear rationale.

Does provision of your product include any specific, legally enforceable protections ensuring your AI model is not used to conduct bulk surveillance on Americans in violation of the law? If so, please specify which laws these provisions explicitly reference. If not, please provide a clear rationale.

What additional forms of AI governance – including documentation, testing and validation, auditability, and performance monitoring – do you ensure through contractual or technical controls for products used in high-impact national security contexts?

Under what circumstances would your company acquiesce to any unlawful uses of its product by the Department of Defense?

To the extent that your contract permits appropriately cleared Forward Deployed Engineers, does your company have internal company reporting mechanisms or procedures to enable cleared staff to alert uncleared corporate leadership of potential misuse? Provide documentation sufficient to substantiate any such asserted mechanisms or procedures.

Under what circumstances would your company inform appropriate Congressional Committees of unlawful or unethical use of your products by the Department of Defense? If there is a contractual limitation on notifying Congress, please indicate such a mechanism and provide documentation sufficient to substantiate that limitation.

Does your model Usage Policy provide you with special capabilities to control, oversee, second-guess, impede, or intervene in the Department of Defense’s military judgments, decision-making, or operations?

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for download here *


On Senate Floor, Warner Sounds Alarm on Rising Energy Costs from Trump's War of Choice

BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO OF SEN. WARNER’S SPEECH IS AVAILABLE HERE

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, delivered a speech on the Senate floor about high energy costs and broader economic impacts following President Trump’s war of choice in Iran.

In his speech today, Warner detailed how the president’s war with Iran is clearly a war of choice with no clear endgame and inadequate preparation. Warner highlighted how the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has wreaked havoc on global oil and gas supply chains.

“The International Energy Agency (IEA) has already called the effective closure of the Strait the worst global energy disruption in history,” said Warner today.

Warner also highlighted rising costs for consumers in the U.S. as prices at the pump have increased by about a dollar gallon since the conflict began, with prices projected to reach $4 per gallon this week for the first time since 2022. Diesel prices surpassed $5 per gallon on average last week for only the second time in history – about 40 percent higher than before the war began – driving up costs across the supply chain, as higher diesel and fuel costs are expected to increase prices on everyday goods, including groceries, construction materials, and consumer products. Americans can also expect to pay more on air travel, as prices of jet fuel have more than doubled since the start of the conflict.

Warner warned about how the closure of the Strait is impacting nations and industries across the globe. About 80% of the energy supply flowing through the Strait goes to Asia. The Philippines has moved to a 4-day work week to limit fuel consumption, Vietnam has urged people to work from home, and several other countries are beginning to ration fuel. Americans will face higher prices on goods manufactured in Asia, including electronics, clothes, appliances, and more.

Warner emphasized how the closure of the Strait is also disrupting countless industries. Helium is a critical input in advanced technology, including chipmaking, medical imagining, and aerospace. A prolonged closure could take about 27 percent of the world’s helium off the market and prices have already doubled. Aluminum is essential for construction, transportation, energy generation, and much more. Since the war began, global aluminum prices spiked to their highest point in nearly four years. About one-third of all fertilizer shipped globally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, but due to the closure virtually all fertilizer traffic has ceased. Global food production and the livelihoods of farmers across the world is threatened.

Warner called out the president’s reaction to rising energy prices. While Americans are paying $380 million a day more on gasoline, President Trump took to Truth Social to say “when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.”

“[I]t appears two of the largest beneficiaries of President’s Trump ill-conceived war are Russian and Iran,” said Warner.

Warner criticized President Trump’s decision to temporarily lift sanctions on Iranian and Russian oil. Tehran could net more than $14 billion from this temporary lift, and Russia could earn an estimated $230 million per day.

Warner reiterated that Trump’s war of choice will have lasting, far-reaching impacts most acutely felt by working-class Americans.

Sen. Warner’s full remarks as prepared are below:

I rise today nearly a month into President Trump’s ill-advised War of Choice in Iran, which has destabilized the region, disrupted global supply chains, degraded our munition stockpiles, and cost the lives of 13 American servicemembers – with more than 200 others suffering injuries.

Unfortunately, it is clear the President initiated this conflict with no clear endgame and without adequately preparing for Iran’s predictable response, which includes the closure of the Strait of Hormuz – one of the world’s most strategically vital maritime chokepoints.

The closure of the Strait has wreaked havoc on global oil and gas supply chains. Normally, about 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the Strait. Today, traffic through the Strait has nearly ground to a halt – down about 95 percent from pre-war levels.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has already called the effective closure of the Strait the worst global energy disruption in history, eclipsing even the Arab oil embargo of 1973 that caused widespread fuel shortages and massive economic damage across the world.

To date, the closure of the Strait has removed approximately 400 million barrels – around four days of world supply – from the market, leading to price increases of around 50 percent for Brent crude oil (global benchmark).

Iran has also carried out significant strikes on oil and gas facilities throughout the Gulf. In total, more than 40 energy sites in nine countries across the Middle East have been severely damaged due to the conflict, including the world’s largest liquefied natural gas facility in Qatar that produces about a fifth of the world’s LNG.

The damage from these attacks will likely reverberate for weeks and months even once the Strait is reopened, prolonging supply shortages and economic pain across the globe.

For consumers in the U.S., the conflict has led to severe price shocks at the gas pump. Since the war began, average gas prices in the U.S. have increased by about a dollar a gallon (over 30 percent), and we’re likely to see average gas prices of $4-per-gallon this week for the first time since 2022. Even if the Strait reopened today, the average household in the U.S. is still expected to pay ~$740 more in gas costs for the remainder of the year.

While Americans are struggling at the pump, skyrocketing diesel costs are threatening to increase the pain for households. Last week, diesel prices eclipsed $5 per gallon on average last week for the second time in history – about 40 percent higher than before the war began.

Diesel is the trucking industry’s second-largest expense accounting for about 20 percent of operating costs. For most freight companies, a 40 percent rise in the price of diesel results in an overall cost increase of ~10 percent.

This historic increase in diesel threatens to stoke inflation and create more hardship for American families. Sustained increased diesel costs will create higher prices for about anything down the supply chain from lumber used to construct homes to groceries and everything in between.

While Americans are already feeling these impacts at the pump… nations across the globe are also facing similar or more extreme costs.

Of the energy supply flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, about 80% goes to Asia… and the impacts there have been even more acute.

As oil and gas prices skyrocket, the Philippines has moved to a 4-day work week to limit fuel consumption. Vietnam has urged people to work from home… and several other countries are beginning to ration fuel.

These costs don’t stay local… in an interconnected economy, American consumers still pay the price for increased costs across the globe.

Soon, you’ll be hit with higher prices for many of the countless goods manufactured in Asia… electronics, clothes, appliances, and more.

Americans can also expect to pay more on air travel due to war in Iran, as prices of jet fuel have more than doubled since the conflict began.

In many cases, airlines have already responded to this spike by raising fares and cancelling flights. Some estimates indicate airlines have raised fares by about $20 each way on average with further prices increases expected.

United recently stated its fares have risen 15 to 20 percent in the last week to offset higher fuel costs.

In addition to causing the greatest energy disruption of our lifetimes, the President’s war in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz is wreaking havoc on countless other industries… from semiconductors to new cars.

For example, the closure of the Strait is threatening to upend the global semiconductor industry and other advanced technology industries by impacting the availability of a crucial input – helium.

While most folks know helium as the gas used for party balloons, it is also a critical input in many advanced technology industries including chipmaking, medical imaging (MRIs), and aerospace. For many of these industries, including chipmaking, there’s no viable replacement for helium.

Qatar is the world’s second largest supplier of helium behind the U.S. – producing approximately a third of the world’s supply – about 63 million cubic meters out of 190 million cubic meters produced globally.

A prolonged closure of the Strait could take about 27 percent of the world’s helium off the market. Since the war began, spot prices of helium have doubled and could rise by another 50 percent if the Strait remains closed.

The nations expected to feel this disruption first are Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan, which are home to the world’s most advanced chip fabrication facilities. South Korean and Taiwanese manufacturers obtain approximately 65 percent to 70 percent of their helium from the Gulf.

Even if the Strait reopens soon, it will take at least several weeks to restart Qatari helium production, meaning even a relatively short-term closure could reverberate across global supply chains.

The closure of the Strait is also disrupting the aluminum supply chain – a material essential for construction, transportation, energy generation, and much more.

The region accounts for approximately 9 percent of global aluminum production (20 percent excluding China) and major smelters have been forced to curtail supply due to the continued closure of the Strait. Since the war began, global aluminum prices spiked to their highest point in nearly four years.

A prolonged closure of the Strait could have significant impacts in the U.S. Today, we rely on the Middle East for approximately 20 percent of our imported aluminum. Even before the war with Iran began, aluminum prices in the U.S. were at record highs due in large part to President Trump’s 50 percent tariffs of aluminum imports and tight supplies globally.

This disruption threatens to increase costs for a variety of products from automobiles to transformers, further driving inflation for businesses and consumers.

The President’s war in Iran is also threatening global food production and the livelihoods of farmers in the U.S. and across the world.

Typically, about one-third of all fertilizer shipped globally passes through the Strait of Hormuz. However, fertilizer traffic has essentially ceased – right as farmers are preparing for the spring growing season.

The U.S. relies on the Middle East for about 15 percent of our fertilizer imports. The disruption to fertilizer exports from the Gulf has already caused a ~30 percent increase in certain fertilizer prices in the U.S., and the Fertilizer Institute has estimated the U.S. is about two million tons short on nitrogen fertilizer for the spring season. If shortages persist, farmers will be forced to make difficult decisions about the upcoming growing season.

The reduced availability and increased cost of fertilizer will apply additional pressure to farmers, who are already dealing with higher costs due to President Trump’s tariffs and other supply chain issues caused by the war in Ukraine and unfolding conflict in Iran… and will ultimately lead to higher costs at the grocery store for consumers.

How has President Trump responded to rising energy prices caused by his War of Choice?

Well, on Truth Social, he stated “when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.” Who exactly is making this money, Mr. President? It’s not ordinary Americans, who are paying more than $380 million a day more on gasoline than they did before the war started.

On the contrary, it appears two of the largest beneficiaries of President’s Trump ill-conceived war are Russian and Iran.

Last week, in response to rising oil prices President Trump announced he was temporarily lifting sanctions on 140 million barrels of Iranian crude oil, which could net Tehran more than $14 billion.

Yes, you heard me right. President Trump has eased sanctions on Iran – the country he started a war with – to get additional oil to market because the current situation he created is so dire.

In another recent masterstroke, President Trump lifted sanctions on approximately 130 million barrels of Russian oil at sea – directly helping fund Vladimir Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.

Recent reports indicate Russia has already earned an estimated $230 million per day on crude oil exports the first two weeks of the Iran War, which is 26 percent more than in February for a total approaching $10 billion…

These are just two examples that highlight the disastrous lack of preparation for this war with Iran.

Unfortunately, this is what happens when strategy is replaced with impulse, planning is replaced with wishful thinking, and warning from our intelligence professionals are ignored, instead of heeded.

While we can’t predict the full long-term impacts of President Trump’s War of Choice in Iran, the consequences will be far-reaching, unlikely to dissipate quickly, and be felt most acutely by working-class Americans.

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Warnock, Britt Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Streamline Federal Grants for HBCUs

Yesterday, Senators Reverend Warnock (D-GA) and Katie Britt (R-AL) introduced the bipartisan HBCU Research Capacity Act, legislation that would streamline federal funding opportunities for HBCUs

For a roundtable discussion, the senators hosted over 30 HBCU presidents from across the country

Senator Warnock has secured more than $265 million for Georgia’s 10 HBCUs, part of $17 billion in federal investments delivered to HBCUs throughout the nation

Senator Warnock is a proud product of Morehouse College and the only HBCU alum serving in the U.S. Senate

Senator Warnock: “Despite not always having every tool at their disposal, HBCUs continue to make massive contributions to the research and development community. This bipartisan bill will make securing federal dollars for their research efforts that much easier, and I am proud to work alongside another champion of HBCUs in Senator Katie Britt”

Senator Britt: “I’ve seen firsthand how impactful these institutions are – I am a fierce advocate for their funding, not only in Alabama, but also nationwide. I’m proud to co-lead this commonsense legislation with Senator Warnock, which will help these institutions grow their research capacity and continue paving the way for generations of students”

Senators Warnock and Britt during the HBCU president roundtable

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Katie Britt (R-AL) introduced a bipartisan bill that would streamline federal funding opportunities for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The HBCU Research Capacity Act would set up a federally coordinated website that compiles information about HBCU-eligible STEM research and development funding opportunities.

To announce the bill introduction, the Senators hosted over 30 HBCU presidents from across the country. Georgia HBCUs Fort Valley State was represented by President Paul Jones and Albany State University by President Rober Scott. During the discussion, the presidents addressed the need for legislation like the HBCU Research Capacity Act and continued support at the federal level.

“HBCUs are incubators of diverse excellence and have proven their ability time and again to punch above their weight,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Despite not always having every tool at their disposal, they continue to make massive contributions to the research and development community. This bipartisan bill will make securing federal dollars for their research efforts that much easier, and I am proud to work alongside another champion of HBCUs in Senator Katie Britt.”

“It was a privilege to be joined by so many HBCU presidents from across the nation. One of my biggest takeaways from the roundtable was our shared passion for ensuring all HBCUs have the resources available to provide their students with the highest level of opportunity – which I’m committed to continue fighting for,” said Senator Britt. “I am proud to represent the state with the most HBCUs in the nation. As a former trustee to one of Alabama’s 14 HBCUs, I’ve seen firsthand how impactful these institutions are – I am a fierce advocate for their funding, not only in Alabama, but also nationwide. I’m proud to co-lead this commonsense legislation with Senator Warnock, which will help these institutions grow their research capacity and continue paving the way for generations of students.”

This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senator Reverend Warnock (D-GA) and Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), would establish a federal clearinghouse of all available federal grant opportunities for HBCUs to help them apply for federal funding and best support their missions and students. Specifically, the HBCU Research Capacity Act would amend Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to coordinate with federal agencies to create a centralized website listing these grant opportunities. This website would also share best practices for building research capacity, including recommendations from Federal, State, and local organizations. In addition, the bill would require the Secretary of Education to:

Assign personnel to administer the federal clearinghouse;

Provide a written notification of the federal clearinghouse to HBCUs and Congress; and,

Send an annual report regarding the clearinghouse to Congress and a quarterly update to HBCUs upon their consent.

Senator Warnock has long been a champion of America’s HBCUs. In 2023, Senator Reverend Warnock introduced his bipartisan bill, the Increase America’s Research Capacity Act, which instructs the Department of Commerce and Comptroller General of the United States to conduct studies to identify how HBCUs can achieve Research One (R1) status. Following the bill introduction, Howard University announced it had been conferred as an R1 Carnegie Classification, which is widely considered the highest research activity classification among colleges and universities in the United States. Additionally, the Senator successfully secured additional funding to ensure HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) had additional administrative support to secure federal STEM dollars in the CHIPS and Science Act.

“For too long, federal research investments have been disproportionately concentrated in a select few institutions of higher education,” Dr. Harry L. Williams, Thurgood Marshall College Fund president and CEO, said. “By connecting historically Black colleges and universities with federal research opportunities, the HBCU Research Capacity Act—co-sponsored by Senators Raphael Warnock and Katie Britt—is a major step toward ensuring HBCUs serve as catalysts for expanding America’s portfolio of top-tier research institutions and advancing our nation’s global competitiveness.”

“The UNCF (United Negro College Fund, Inc.) applauds Senators Raphael Warnock (GA) and Katie Britt (AL) for introducing the HBCU Research Capacity Act. Creating a federal clearinghouse to assist HBCUs is a step toward improving access to research funding and breaking down long-standing barriers. At the same time, more must be done to ensure HBCUs—especially those that will never be R1 institutions, yet contribute immeasurably by supplying the prepared students necessary for other HBCUs to become R1s—are fully included in building research capacity. There is no doubt that this bill should be passed, but it can’t be where the work of modernizing the research capacity of HBCUs ends.”

“America’s future depends on our ability to tap into every reservoir of talent available. The HBCU Research Capacity Act is the key to unlocking that potential, transforming institutional capacity into life-changing discoveries. Investing in the research capabilities of HBCUs—and the scholars who lead them—will yield generational dividends. We must ensure that the next George Washington Carver has the tools to thrive in the 21st century. On behalf of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), I am proud to enthusiastically endorse this act,” said Timothy W. Eaton, Ph.D., President of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS).

As the proud product of an HBCU, Senator Warnock is deeply committed to doing all he can to ensure these institutions thrive. To date, Senator Warnock has secured more than $265 million for Georgia HBCUs and more than $17 billion in total for HBCU campuses across the country, and has helped spearhead bipartisan calls for robust funding for HBCUs. In 2023, Senator Warnock addressed HBCU faculty and staff and led the group in prayer at the 7th Annual HBCU Fly-In and outlined his priorities for these important institutions. He has worked to strengthen 1890 land-grant institutions and minority serving institutions

Bill text for the HBCU Research Capacity Act can be viewed HERE.

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Warnock, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Cap Insulin Costs at $35 a Month

The INSULIN Act of 2026 caps out-of-pocket costs at $35 a month for private insurance insulin users and lowers the cost of insulin for uninsured diabetics

Senator Warnock helped secure funding for a new 10-state pilot program to help community health centers provide affordable insulin to uninsured patients

Over 12% of Georgia’s population has diabetes, and hundreds of thousands more remain undiagnosed

Senator Reverend Warnock: “No one should be forced to put their health or life in danger because they can’t afford insulin or don’t know where to get it”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act of 2026. This updated legislation caps out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 a month for private insurance holders across the country and helps lower the cost of insulin for uninsured diabetics. The bipartisan bill builds on Senator Warnock’s legislation that capped insulin costs for seniors and was signed into law in 2022.

The INSULIN Act of 2026 includes a Senator Warnock provision that would establish a 10-state pilot grant program that awards funding to community health centers to help provide affordable insulin to uninsured patients. The legislation also establishes an insulin resource center and hotline to help connect uninsured people with diabetes to resources they need to obtain insulin.

“I’m proud to have expanded the bipartisan coalition of Senators who agree insulin should be affordable for everyone, including uninsured Americans,” said Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock. “Our legislation also provides a pathway of funding to community health centers so they can continue reaching people who would benefit from insulin priced at $35 or less. No one should be forced to put their health or life in danger because they can’t afford insulin or don’t know where to get it.”

Senator Warnock has long been a champion of lowering insulin costs for Georgians since joining the Senate. Since 2022, Senator Warnock has introduced legislation each Congress to lower insulin costs and help make prescription drug prices more affordable for Georgians. He first spearheaded legislation that was included in the Inflation Reduction Act and capped insulin costs for seniors at $35 per month. In 2023, Senators Warnock and Kennedy introduced the Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023, to cap the cost of insulin for everyone who needs it at $35. Later in 2023, Warnock and Kennedy released a report analyzing county-level data across the country to examine counties with both high rates of uninsured people and high rates of diabetes — which the Senators termed “Insulin Deserts”.

Costs to treat diabetes have continued to rise for many Americans. According to the Health Care Costs Institute, insulin prices nearly doubled from 2012 to 2021, with the average price for a 30-day supply of insulin increasing from $271 to $499 during that span. According to the American Diabetes Association, medical costs and lost work and wages for people with diagnosed diabetes total $412.9 billion each year, and has asserted that diabetics account for $1 of every $4 spent on health care in the U.S.

Read full text of the bill HERE

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Following New Pentagon Response, Warren and Blumenthal Press Hegseth on Failure to Protect Defense Contracts from Potential Trump Family Corruption

New Pentagon response reveals no protections in place to prevent risk of Trump family corruption in defense contracts

“DoD appears to be oblivious to – and therefore unable to address – the potential for corruption created by the Trump family’s investments in companies that stand to benefit financially from taxpayer-funded, DoD contracts.”

President’s sons make new investments in drones as they become important battlefield weapon in Iran

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a new response from the Department of Defense (DoD) indicating that there are no effective processes in place to prevent possible conflicts of interest and corruption involving President Donald Trump’s family and the Department’s awarding of defense contracts. In a new letter, the Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) pressed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on this failure and pushed for answers regarding Trump’s sons’ latest investment in Powerus, a drone company.

“The involvement of the President’s children cast a cloud of corruption and conflict of interest over any DoD contracts that this company may receive …Th[e] cloud grows larger and darker with the realization that DoD appears to have ineffective controls in place to prevent undue political influence or conflicts of interest from affecting contracting decisions that may involve AGH-Powerus,” wrote the senators.

In January, the senators pressed Hegseth on five companies linked to Trump Jr. — through venture capital firm 1789 Capital — winning more than $70 million worth of loans and contracts from the Trump Administration. Earlier this month, DoD responded saying its conflict of interest review is limited to screening contracting employees’ financial disclosure forms and nothing else.

“This answer indicates that DoD appears to be oblivious to – and therefore unable to address – the potential for corruption created by the Trump family’s investments in companies that stand to benefit financially from taxpayer-funded, DoD contracts,” wrote the senators.

Trump Jr. himself has indicated that this influence could be affecting DoD decisions, saying “[w]e helped craft some of [DoD’s] messaging,” and that he had influence over picks for DoD personnel, looking “for candidates who wanted to spend more on drones.”

This mechanism allows “potential political favoritism by DoD officials who want to be in the good graces of the President or his family. DoD appears not to recognize this avenue of corruption, and your response to our letter indicated that the Department has no controls in place to prevent it,” wrote the senators.

In early March, reports revealed that the President’s sons are investing in drone company Powerus, which is “vying to meet fresh demand from the Pentagon and fill a hole left by the administration’s ban on new Chinese drones in the U.S.” In a press release, Powerus described the Trump brothers as “notable investors” and claimed the merger will “advance[s] American domination of drone industry and autonomous systems innovation.”

“Reshoring U.S. supply chains is vital to national security…[b]ut the circumstances surrounding this new merger, and the involvement of the President’s children cast a cloud of corruption and conflict of interest over any DoD contracts that this company may receive,” wrote the senators.

The lawmakers pressed Hegseth on his plans to protect the military’s contracts against conflicts of interest related to the President and his family, as well as whether the Pentagon has held any conversations with Powerus over drone production, by April 7, 2026.

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Ranking Member Welch Pulls Back Curtain on Republicans’ So-Called “Sanctuary City” Narrative

Welch: “This is about protecting the right of local communities to protect local communities.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, pushed back on the false narrative that “sanctuary city” policies impede on local law enforcement and jeopardize public safety during a subcommittee hearing titled: Protecting American Citizenship II: Federalism, Sanctuary Cities, and the Rule of Law. In his remarks, Senator Welch emphasized that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have impeded state and local law enforcement from directing their own personnel and resources towards the issues their communities care about most.

“The assertion here is that the state and local law enforcement should be assisting in the immigration policy of the President, led by Stephen Miller. And that includes, right now, an approach towards mass round-ups. That assertion is wrong. Our local law enforcement agencies have an extraordinary responsibility to protect the citizens in the communities they serve. They are not there to be an adjunct to implement a policy of the president, particularly as to mass deportation,” said Ranking Member Welch. “This is wrong, and it doesn’t make us more safe. In fact, it’s creating difficulties for local law enforcement to meet their obligations to their own citizens. Our communities around the country are reeling from the harm of that, which is from my point of view—what we saw in Minneapolis—a rampage.”

Ranking Member Welch continued: “Local law enforcement has an obligation for local public safety. Their job is not to be an adjunct to ICE. That’s not their job, and it’s particularly difficult when we have an ICE that time and time again has overreached; has exceeded its authority; has acted in a way that demonstrates the lack of training.”

Read Senator Welch’s full opening remarks as delivered here and watch his full opening remarks here.

Witnesses for the Minority included Durham County, North Carolina Sheriff Clarence Birkhead and the Georgetown University Law Center Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Federal Courts Stephen Vladeck.

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Whitehouse, Hawley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to End Tax Breaks for Corporate Consolidation

Stop Subsidizing Giant Mergers Act would eliminate wasteful subsidies for mergers involving large companies

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) today introduced the Stop Subsidizing Giant Mergers Act, legislation to end tax-free mergers involving large companies that provide taxpayer subsidies for acquisitions that consolidate corporate power.

“Families who get stuck paying higher prices because of anti-competitive mega-mergers should not also have to subsidize them with their tax dollars,” said Senator Whitehouse. “It’s time we pass my bipartisan bill to stem the corporate freeloading and encourage competition.”

“For far too long, working Americans have struggled to provide for their families while being forced to subsidize the mergers of massive corporations. It is critical that Congress pass this legislation to protect families and make large companies pay their own way,” said Senator Hawley.

The volume of large mergers reported to federal antitrust agencies has nearly doubled over the past decade. The vast majority of such mergers fail to achieve their expected value, and when they do generate greater profits, it is more likely attributable to concentrated market power than improved efficiency. Everyday Americans bear the costs of this corporate consolidation—as much as $5,000 each year for the typical household, according to one study.

When one corporation is sold to or merges with another, the acquiring firm typically pays tax on the appreciated gain of stocks and/or assets held by the target firm. However, the arcane tax code contains a major exception for certain types of mergers: if a corporate reorganization is structured so that the acquiring firm is exchanging stock, then the appreciation in value of the target firm’s stock and/or assets may be fully tax exempt. In other words, neither the corporation nor its shareholders may owe tax on the appreciation in value at the time of sale. While the tax is deferred rather than forgiven, in practice the corporation and its shareholders may escape tax forever.

This tax-free structure is a popular way for giant corporations to skirt tax responsibilities. Between 2007 and 2021, up to 40 percent of the aggregate value of all U.S. mergers have been structured in this way. In 2021, over half of mergers over $1 billion were tax-free. Examples of large mergers structured fully or partially tax-free include:

Facebook’s $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp.

Union Pacific’s proposed $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern.

ExxonMobil’s $59.5 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources.

Kimberly-Clark’s proposed $48.7 billion acquisition of Kenvue.

Capital One’s $35 billion acquisition of Discover.

The Stop Subsidizing Giant Mergers Act would end this tax-free treatment for corporate mergers and acquisitions involving firms with combined average annual gross receipts exceeding $500 million during the prior three years. The legislation makes exceptions for mergers involving a small business, and corporations that are undergoing a purely internal reorganization would still be able to so without incurring a tax obligation.

Senator Whitehouse first introduced the Stop Subsidizing Giant Mergers Act in 2024 with then-Senator J.D. Vance, directly following Capital One’s announcement of its $35 billion acquisition of Discover Financial Services.


UPDATED: Wyden Announces Town Halls in Columbia Gorge; Eastern, Central and Southern Oregon

Senator will hold open-to-all town halls in Sherman, Wheeler, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla, Wasco, Hood River, Crook, Lake, Klamath and Jackson counties

This release has been updated to reflect the new addition of a Jackson County town hall on Friday, April 3 in Medford

Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold 10 open-to-all town halls starting March 28 in eastern, central and southern Oregon as well as in the Columbia Gorge.

Heading into these 10 town halls from March 28-April 2, Wyden has held 1,152 open-to-all town halls statewide in keeping his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties.

“I made my town hall pledge because all Oregonians’ voices matter,” Wyden said. “I very much look forward to these upcoming town halls to hear questions, concerns and ideas from rural Oregonians to make their hometowns and neighborhoods even better places to live, work and raise a family.”

The schedule for the upcoming town halls is as follows:

Saturday, March 28

Sherman County, 1:30 pm, Wasco School Events Center, 903 Barnett St., Wasco

Wheeler County, 5 pm, Fossil High School, 600 E B St, Fossil

Sunday, March 29,

Gilliam County, Noon, Veterans Memorial Hall, 120 Main St., Condon

Morrow County, 4 pm, SAGE Events Center, 101 Olson Road NE, Boardman

Monday, March 30

Umatilla County, 5 pm, Pendleton High School Auditorium, 1800 NW Carden Ave., Pendleton

Tuesday, March 31

Wasco County, Noon, Fort Dalles Readiness Center, 402 E Scenic Dr, The Dalles

Hood River County, 4 pm, Hood River Valley High School, 1220 Indian Creek Rd, Hood River

Wednesday, April 1

Crook County, 10 am, Crook County Fairgrounds, Grizzly Mountain Pavilion, 1280 S Main St., Prineville

Thursday, April 2

Lake County, 12:30 pm, Lakeview Elks Lodge, 323 N F St., Lakeview

Klamath County, 5 pm, Oregon Institute of Technology, College Union Building, Auditorium, 3201 Campus Dr., Klamath Falls

Friday, April 3

Jackson County, 10:30 am, Holly Theater, 226 W 6th Street, Medford


Wyden, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Modernize Power Grid, Lower Energy Costs and Reduce Wildfire Risk

WATCH: Wyden unveils legislation at Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on power grid resilience

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced legislation that would overhaul aging power line infrastructure and improve efficiency in order to bring down energy costs and reduce wildfire risks in Oregon and nationwide.

“It’s time for the federal government to stop pretending like our outdated energy infrastructure can keep up with growing demand and risk of natural disasters,” Wyden said. “Our bill takes a significant step to help bring our electric grid into the 21st century, ensuring we can meet demand. And it would take much-needed action to combat skyrocketing energy costs as a direct result of Donald Trump’s illegal war in Iran and his inane unraveling of clean energy alternatives.”

“No one should have to worry about their lives being at risk because they’ve been stranded for days or weeks on end without electricity due to failing grid infrastructure,” Merkley said. “As climate chaos fuels extreme weather in Oregon and across the United States, we must invest in resilient power grids that can stand up to dangerous heat waves and storms.”

Aging power line infrastructure has led directly to increased risk of wildfire ignition during dry summer months, and in the winter months, strained energy grid infrastructure has led to collapsed powerlines, blown transformers, broken utility poles, and widespread blackouts. Many of the costs associated with rebuilding power lines after a natural disaster are then placed directly on consumers, leading to higher energy bills.

The Wildfire and Grid Reliability Act would help power companies do their part to reduce the risks of blackouts and wildfires through system upgrades, fire and disaster mitigation, and proper vegetation management. It provides direct incentives to power companies to better maintain the power lines and reduce risks to local communities.

The Wildfire and Grid Reliability Act would:

Establish a $15 billion-per-year matching grant program for power companies through the Department of Energy to reduce the risk of disaster-caused outages or power lines causing wildfires.

Give special priority to smaller, rural electric companies.

Promote proven methods for hardening the power grid and reducing wildfire risks, including undergrounding of powerlines, installation of microgrids, and strengthening utility poles.

Provide for hardening of overhead power lines and clearing of brush and other hazardous vegetation where undergrounding of power lines is not a favorable option.

Require power companies to have “skin in the game” by making the program a 1-to-1 matching grant, with an exception for smaller utilities where the matching requirement is one third of the grant.

Deliver accountability on the part of utilities and the Department of Energy by generating a report every two years on efforts conducted under the grant program.

Provide funding to support smaller utilities in completing the application for federal funding.

“This legislation reflects a clear understanding that wildfire risk is a long-term challenge requiring sustained, coordinated action. Continued investment in resilient infrastructure is essential to protecting our communities, and encouraging the adoption of comprehensive wildfire mitigation plans will help ensure we are better prepared before disasters occur. This bill carries forward the spirit of the Federal Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission and meaningfully advances several of its key recommendations. It represents an important step toward building safer, more fire-adapted communities across the country,” said Mariana Ruiz-Temple, Oregon State Fire Marshal.

"Increasing natural disasters like wildfires, floods, and landslides continue to damage electric utility transmission and distribution infrastructure, threatening communities, tribes and rural economies. This legislation will empower forward thinking utilities to collaborate with rural communities on microgrids and other resilience measures to keep the power on and prevent rates from skyrocketing,” said Dylan Kruse, President of Sustainable Northwest.

“The League supports Senator Wyden’s Wildfire and Grid Reliability Program and calls for immediate consideration in the Senate. Oregon cities have been plagued recently by severe and persistent drought leading to ever-increasing wildfire risk resulting in reduced electric transmission during natural emergencies causing blackouts in Oregon communities. 2024 Oregon wildfires took an unconscionable human toll, burned a record 1.9 million acres, cost Oregon more than $350 million in resources and billions in economic loss. Resources made available through this program demonstrate a commitment by federal partners to hardening the electrical grid to mitigate wildfire risk and usher in new microgrid technology that will help with grid resilience during natural disasters,” said Patricia Mulvihill, Executive Director, League of Oregon Cities.

“Pacific Power supports any effort to identify funding for necessary infrastructure projects, including work related to wildfire prevention and system strengthening. Investments in grid infrastructure, upgrades to safety equipment and continued wildfire prevention are necessary for the health, safety and economic growth of our customers and communities,” said Ryan Flynn, President of Pacific Power.

A one-pager for the bill is here.


Wyden, Merkley Push to Stop Trump’s Education Department From Politicizing Civil Rights Investigations

Oregon senators: “Students whose civil rights have been violated should never serve as political pawns. They deserve justice and an equal opportunity to pursue an education”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today called on the Trump administration to stop weaponizing the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights by refusing to investigate legitimate claims of discrimination.

Wyden and Merkley underscored that the types of cases the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is failing to investigate are concerning – all while failing to provide standard transparency into its work. OCR has been reportedly neglecting to investigate and resolve cases involving racial and sexual harassment, despite its duty to protect students who are denied their right to an education free from harassment and discrimination.

In their letter to Department of Education Secretary McMahon and OCR Assistant Secretary Kimberly Richey, Wyden, Merkley and other senators underscored that the department “has severely undermined OCR’s capacity to carry out this mission through unprecedented personnel cuts and the injection of political considerations into OCR’s investigatory work.”

In March 2025, the department fired about half of its staff and seven regional offices, leaving students, families, and schools in the dark about any investigative updates as more of them pile up. With the growing backlog of cases and remaining employees left with doubled caseloads, Wyden and Merkley emphasized that “the Department is now expected to rely upon hundreds of employees it attempted to fire to work through this self-inflicted caseload backlog.”

Instead of addressing the backlog of 24,000 pending cases, the Department of Education has elevated investigations that pursue Trump’s partisan priorities, including penalizing education institutions for protecting transgender students and promoting on-campus equity.

“The federal government is obliged to protect students from all forms of discrimination, and OCR must therefore investigate and resolve complaints without bias or a harmful ideological agenda,” the senators concluded. “The Department is continuing to use OCR as an ideological arm of the Trump Administration rather than an enforcer of civil rights law.”

The letter was led by Senator Adam Schiff, D-Calif. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter was signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai’i, Tim Kaine, D-Va., Andy Kim, D-N.J., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Ed Markey, D-Mass., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.


Wyden Places Hold on Three Military Officers Unfit For Promotions

Wyden Objects to Two Officers Linked to War Crimes; Third Officer Appeared on Racist and Antisemitic Podcast

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has placed holds on three officers who are unfit for promotion by the U.S. military, he announced today.

Wyden placed a statement in the Congressional Record late Tuesday, stating he intends to object to any unanimous consent agreement that would speed up consideration of promotions for three officers: Lieutenant Colonel Vincent J. Noble, Lieutenant Commander Thomas P. MacNeil, and Colonel Thomas M. Siverts.

Wyden objected to the nominations based on misconduct or concerning judgement by the three officers. Military investigations found that Lieutenant Colonel Noble’s platoon fired indiscriminately on civilians in Afghanistan in 2007, and he was disciplined for filing a false report and asking Marines under his command to lie about the attack, according to military records.

While serving in Iraq in 2017, Lieutenant Commander MacNeil posed for a photograph with the corpse of a teen boy who was stabbed to death by Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, according to the testimony of members of his SEAL platoon. The Navy sought to expel MacNeil from the SEALs, but dropped that effort after the White House intervened during the first Trump Administration.

In 2023, Colonel Siverts appeared on an episode of the podcast The Berm Pit, which frequently features antisemitism and racism. The Marine Corps has not provided Sen. Wyden’s office with a copy of that podcast episode, which has been removed from major podcast platforms. Siverts has not apologized for his appearance on the show.

Wyden’s full hold statement for the Congressional Record is below.

“Mr. President, I give notice of my intent to object to any unanimous consent agreement regarding Executive Calendar No. PN681-2, PN835-2, and PN793-2, the promotions of Lieutenant Colonel Vincent J. Noble, Lieutenant Commander Thomas P. MacNeil, and Colonel Thomas M. Siverts.

“When serving in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan in March 2007, Vincent J. Noble took part in the killings of 19 Afghan civilians, firing indiscriminately at civilian vehicles and bystanders. A military inquiry found that in response to a suicide bomb attack, Noble went on a rampage across a seven-mile stretch of highway, massacring unarmed civilians on sight. An investigation revealed that Noble asked Marines to lie, that he submitted a false version of events to his company commander, and violated an order from the commanding officer, which explicitly directed the battalion to not operate in or around Jalalabad. In June 2008, the Commander of Marines Forces Central Command found Noble guilty, in accordance with his plea, of violating Article 133, Conduct Unbecoming an Officer, of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Killing civilians indiscriminately is a serious war crime, and those who commit such actions should be held accountable, and certainly withheld from promotions within the military.

“Thomas P. MacNeil served in Mosul, Iraq in 2017 as part of Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher’s platoon. Gallagher stabbed to death a wounded and captive teen boy, and held him by the hair in one hand and his knife in the other, as photos were taken. MacNeil also posed in certain pictures with the body. MacNeil was implicated in the court-martial of Gallagher when Gallagher was accused of committing war crimes in Iraq. The Commander of the SEALs at the time, Rear Admiral Collin Green, pushed for Chief Gallagher and others, including MacNeil, to be stripped of their Tridents. President Trump intervened multiple times to prevent the Navy from disciplining Gallagher, and in 2019, then-Acting Secretary of the Navy, Thomas B. Modly also intervened and decided to drop the Navy’s review of MacNeil and others. While MacNeil was the junior member of his platoon and eventually testified against Gallagher, he exercised poor judgement as an officer and should not be promoted within the United States military.

“In March 2023, Thomas M. Siverts appeared on an episode of a podcast known as The Berm Pit, which is antisemitic and racist. Siverts’s participation in a podcast whose hosts espouse such bigotry raises serious questions about his character and professionalism, which are both relevant to his promotion to Brigadier General. To date, the Marine Corps has not provided me with a copy of this podcast episode to verify the nature of his participation in this podcast, nor has Siverts publicly apologized or expressed regret for his association with this podcast.”

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Wyden Unveils Report on Devastating Impacts of Trumpcare in Oregon

Oregon Moms, Children, Rural Communities, People With Disabilities, Working Families Feel the Strain of Republicans Largest Health Care Cuts in History

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today released a report detailing the destructive impacts of Donald Trump and Republicans’ health care cuts that are already occurring in Oregon.

On July 4, 2025, Trump and Republicans in Congress enacted the largest health care cuts in history by slashing more than $1 trillion nationwide in Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Already, Oregon hospitals and clinics are closing, Oregonians are being laid off and losing insurance coverage, and the state is facing impossible budget constraints.

“These needless and thoughtless health cuts by Trump and Republicans send a clear message to already struggling Oregonians and exhausted providers – we just don’t care,” Wyden said. “While Republicans dodge, deny, and lie about these unconscionable cuts, I am working day and night with my Democratic colleagues to not only protect but also expand lifeline care for communities across Oregon.”

Several Oregon urgent care clinics have closed their doors, increasing pressure on emergency departments and limiting care options like same-day, walk-in appointments. Long-term care hospital closures have eliminated 310 jobs and specialized care for patients with complex medical needs, forcing them to seek long-term hospitalized care farther from home.

As the full impacts of the devastating Republican cuts are felt by patients and providers, the closures and jobs losses will only get worse.


Ansari Delivers Floor Speech Demanding Independent Investigation Into Haitian Asylum Seeker’s Death in Arizona ICE Custody

WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) delivered a floor speech calling for a full, independent investigation into the death of Emmanuel Clifford Damas, a Haitian asylum seeker who died in ICE custody after reportedly being denied adequate medical care after complaining about a toothache to the staff at Florence Correctional Center in Arizona.

“I will not stop until there’s an independent investigation into the death of Emmanuel Damas. At least 46 people have died in ICE custody under the Trump regime, and it cannot stand,” said Rep. Ansari. “It shouldn't be that damn difficult to provide humane conditions. ICE and companies like CoreCivic and GEO Group have billions of dollars at their disposal and yet are choosing to treat human beings in this country like animals. I will keep fighting until the American people know the truth about what is happening inside ICE detention centers.”

WATCH

Below is a transcript of Rep. Ansari’s full remarks as delivered on the House Floor:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in outrage over the negligence that led to the death of Emmanuel Clifford Damas on March 2, 2026.

Emmanuel Damas was a 56-year-old Haitian asylum seeker who died after reportedly being denied adequate medical care while in ICE custody after complaining about a toothache to the staff at Florence Correctional Center in Arizona.

On March 13, I traveled to the Florence Correctional Center to conduct an oversight visit.

I was met by more than a dozen people—including, to my surprise, private counsel for CoreCivic, the company that operates the facility and profits from mass detention.

When I asked basic questions—about medical staffing, available care, and what happened to Mr. Damas—there was extreme reluctance, especially from the private lawyer.

Under DHS leadership, and masterminded by Stephen Miller—the architect of Trump’s racist mass deportation agenda—ICE has made it nearly impossible for Members of Congress to do our jobs.

Despite following ICE’s arbitrary requirements, I was denied the ability to speak with detainees that day.

I returned on March 20, and what I learned confirmed the worst.

Detainees described Mr. Damas in excruciating pain. They called the medical care “fatal.” His face had swollen to the size of a potato. He could no longer speak or walk. Night after night, he begged for help—but was ignored. ICE only checked his blood pressure. By the time he was taken to a hospital, he could barely breathe.

Mr. Damas' death was a clear case of medical negligence at the hands of ICE.

I have called for a full, independent investigation into Mr. Damas’ death, including the release of his medical examiner’s report, a complete timeline of his care, and all medical records from his time in custody.

My heart goes out to the Damas family. They should NEVER have experienced such a tragedy—perpetrated by the U.S. government and funded by our taxpayer dollars that should be going to healthcare, food assistance, and programs that support communities.

And this is not the only case.

My constituent, “Yari”, is currently detained while suffering from leukemia. She has endured severe medical neglect for over a year.

What happened to Mr. Damas could very well happen to her.

Every time I visit these detention facilities, it brings me to tears. It’s sickening. It’s traumatizing. It’s deeply un-American.

Firstly, I will not stop until there’s an independent investigation into the death of Emmanuel Damas. At least 46 people have died in ICE custody under the Trump regime, and it cannot stand.

Second, I will be a hell no on ICE funding. Republicans are blocking essential workers from being paid just to protect a lawless, violent ICE system, while Democrats are pushing to separate ICE funding from the rest of DHS.

Third, I urge my colleagues to sponsor the DRAIN ICE Act and the Stop Inhumane Conditions in ICE Detention Act. These bills would rescind ICE’s $75 billion slush fund and improve oversight, transparency, and conditions in detention centers.

Fourth, release my constituent Yari now so she can receive the care she needs.

And finally, it shouldn't be that damn difficult to provide humane conditions. ICE and companies like CoreCivic and GEO Group have billions of dollars at their disposal and yet are choosing to treat human beings in this country like animals.

I will keep fighting until the American people know the truth about what is happening inside ICE detention centers.

I yield back.

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Bacon, Raskin Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Tackle America’s Mental Health Crisis

Washington – Representatives Don Bacon (NE-02) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) today introduced bipartisan legislation to invest in critically needed initiatives that help Americans experiencing mental health crises. As a rising number of Americans struggle with their mental health, the Stabilization to Prevent (STOP) Suicide Act would provide federal funding to organizations in our communities that are already working to support people in crisis and in recovery.

“People experiencing serious thoughts of suicide often find themselves without support and timely treatment,” said Rep. Bacon. “The STOP Suicide Act will provide an important tool that will help create needed programs to deliver outpatient or telehealth stabilization services. I’m pleased to join Rep. Raskin on this legislation that will help community health centers, rural health clinics, and others create and manage these programs.”

“Tens of millions of Americans have either suffered a mental health crisis or know a close loved one who has,” said Rep. Raskin. “For too many, seeking help can feel frightening or out of reach. Our bipartisan bills will help mental health care providers do their jobs and expand access to care for the many Americans who need it.”

The STOP Suicide Act expands access to evidence-based stabilization care for individuals with serious thoughts of suicide. Stabilization services can help patients reduce or eliminate imminent suicide risk and manage dangerous impulses, keeping them safe while relieving pressure on law enforcement and emergency rooms. This legislation will create a new grant program at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to expand access to effective and timely outpatient and virtual stabilization care and treatment.

“In 2023, 49,316 people died by suicide and 12.8 million adults experienced serious thoughts of suicide in the United States. Research shows that even brief evidence-based suicide interventions can help people manage suicidal thoughts and increase connection to follow-up care,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “AFSP is proud to support the Stabilization to Prevent (STOP) Suicide Act, which supports suicide-specific stabilization services for individuals experiencing serious thoughts of suicide, helping people access interventions in the least restrictive setting possible, while relieving pressure on emergency departments and law enforcement. AFSP thanks Representative Raskin and Representative Bacon for their bipartisan leadership in advancing this important legislation.

This legislation is endorsed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the American Psychological Association.

If you need immediate mental-health support at any time of day, dial 988 to be connected to the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Counselors can also be reached by text message or online chat. You may also dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Read the full text of the Stop Suicide Act here.

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Beyer, Lawler, Jacobs Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote AI Foundation Model Transparency

U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Sara Jacobs (D-CA) today introduced the AI Foundation Model Transparency Act, landmark bipartisan legislation to establish transparency requirements for how artificial intelligence (AI) foundation models are built, trained, and deployed.

Foundation models are trained on vast and diverse datasets and power many of our generative AI tools, including chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok. Despite the growing influence of these tools, information about what data these models are trained on or how these models have been trained and tested is generally not available to the public. These models can produce inaccurate, imprecise, or biased responses due to limitations/biases in the model’s training data or how the model was trained. This can have adverse real-world impacts when models are used in high-impact areas including health-related AI inferences, loan granting, federal grant approval, housing approval, or law enforcement.

The AI Foundation Model Transparency Act would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Secretary of Commerce, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) — to set standards for what information high-impact foundation models must provide to the FTC and what information they must make available to the public. Information identified for increased transparency would include a sufficiently detailed summary of training data used, how the model is trained, and whether user data is collected during use.

The information provided in this bill would both be useful for consumer protection, and for artists and creators who otherwise have very limited insight into training data — addressing widespread concerns about AI from businesses and individuals alike.

“Artificial intelligence foundation models commonly described as a ‘black box’ do not inherently give consumers the tools to understand why a model gives a particular response. Giving users more information about the model—how it was built and what background information it bases its results on—would greatly increase transparency,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “This bill would help users determine if they should trust the model they are using for certain applications, and help identify limitations on data, potential biases, or misleading results. When a model’s bias could lead to harmful results like rejections for housing or loan applications, or faulty medical decisions, the importance of this reform becomes clear and very significant.”

“This is about accountability and getting ahead of a rapidly evolving technology before it outpaces common-sense guardrails,” said Rep. Mike Lawler. “As the general public interacts with AI every day, whether they realize it or not, Americans deserve to know how these systems are built, what data is being used, and where the risks are. Transparency is the foundation for trust, and if we’re going to lead on innovation here in the United States, we also have to lead on protecting consumers, safeguarding our national security, and making sure this technology is used responsibly.”

“Trust will decide the global AI race – separating the countries and developers that earn it from those that don’t. That’s why I’m proud to co-lead the AI Foundation Model Transparency Act, which will help build trust in AI by requiring clear, upfront information about how foundation models are trained, tested, and operated,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs. “Transparency is the first step toward detecting and addressing potential harms, assigning responsibility, and building confidence in systems that are rapidly shaping our lives as well as our economy and national security.”

The AI Foundation Model Transparency Act would:

Direct the FTC, in consultation with NIST, the Secretary of Commerce, and OSTP, to set transparency requirements for foundation model deployers by asking them to make certain information publicly available to consumers;

Direct companies to provide consumers and the FTC with information on the model’s training data sources, model training mechanisms and capabilities, and whether user data is collected in inference; and

Protect small deployers and researchers, while seeking responsible transparency practices from our highest-impact foundation models.

The legislation has been endorsed by Americans for Responsible Innovation, SAG-AFTRA, and Mental Health America.

Text of the AI Foundation Model Transparency Act is available here.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) serves as co-Chair of the Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus. He was one of a handful of members selected to serve on the bipartisan Task Force On Artificial Intelligence, convened by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Speaker Mike Johnson. He is the author of the GUARDRAILS Actand a lead cosponsor of the CREATE AI Act, the Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act, and the Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act.


New Dems Hear from Small Businesses on the Harmful Impacts of Tariffs

Yesterday, New Dem Vice Chair for Outreach Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and New Dem Trade Task Force Chair Don Beyer (VA-08) hosted a roundtable discussion on how small businesses have been hurt by the Trump Administration’s sweeping tariffs.

Vice Chair Carbajal and Rep. Beyer, who is a member of the Ways & Means Committee and the Joint Economic Committee, were joined by several New Dem Members for the discussion, including New Dem Vice Chair for Communications Marc Veasey (TX-33), Leadership Member Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Reps. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Tim Kennedy (NY-26), and Lucy McBath (GA-07).

“President Trump’s chaotic tariffs have imposed a heavy burden on the American people, including our small business owners,” said Rep. Carbajal, Vice Chair for Outreach for the New Democrat Coalition. “Small businesses fuel the American economy, but President Trump’s tariffs act as deadweight for our entrepreneurs — leading to higher costs, lower margins, and tougher times. I’m grateful to our guests for sharing their stories. Their insights are vital as our Coalition works to champion a more stable economic future.”

“President Trump’s tariffs have driven up costs for American consumers and businesses alike, and I appreciate that they’ve joined us to shed light on the real challenges Americans are facing,” said Rep. Don Beyer, New Dem Trade Task Force Chair Don Beyer. “Unlike large corporations, most small businesses can’t bribe the president with gold bars, ornate plaques, or massive donations to his ballroom project. They also can’t afford to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to retain a MAGA-aligned lobbyist. As a result, while some companies have won exemptions or relief, small businesses have been left to absorb the full impact of these higher prices.”

During the roundtable, small business owners shared some of the specific challenges that they have faced since Trump took office and how his tariff policy has affected their ability to stay in business. Some of these challenges include their ability to source products, keep competitive pricing, hire staff, and more. Members and stakeholders also discussed the pain Trump’s tariffs have inflicted on small businesses, including how the Trump administration continues to impose tariffs despite the recent Supreme Court ruling and the Administration’s unclear plan to refund illegally collected tariffs. Last month, New Dems sent a letter to the Administration demanding answers and transparency on the refunds process.


Buchanan, Bilirakis, Lee Introduce Legislation to Crack Down on Dangerous Synthetic Drug

“Florida Has Led the Way in Addressing Emerging Drug Threats, But We Need a Clear, Nationwide Standard to Prevent Bad Actors from Exploiting Gaps in the Law.”

Legislation Reviewed During the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Hearing as Law Enforcement Warns of Growing Threat

WASHINGTON — Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, recently joined Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) to introduce the END 7-OH Act to address the growing threat posed by concentrated synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a dangerous substance with opioid-like effects that is being sold with little oversight across the country.

The END 7-OH Act would place concentrated synthetic 7-OH under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act(CSA), classifying it as a substance with a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use.

“Protecting our children and keeping dangerous substances out of our communities must always come first,” said Buchanan. “We cannot allow unregulated substances with opioid-like effects, such as synthetic 7-OH, to be marketed and sold in ways that endanger our children. Florida has led the way in addressing emerging drug threats, but we need a clear, nationwide standard to prevent bad actors from exploiting gaps in the law. The END 7-OH Act will help us get ahead of this growing crisis and ensure families across the country are protected.”

“Protecting the health and safety of our communities, especially our children, must remain a top priority,” said Bilirakis. “When a substance is linked to hospitalization and even death, Congress has a responsibility to act. Scheduling 7-OH is a necessary step to ensure oversight, prevent abuse, and safeguard the public from dangerous and unregulated products.”

“Unregulated kratom products are being sold without basic safeguards, despite containing compounds that act like powerful opioids,” said Lee. “Concentrated synthetic 7-OH is a highly potent substance with opioid-like effects that is often marketed directly to young people and vulnerable individuals. The END 7-OH Act establishes clear federal standards and strong enforcement tools to address this growing threat. This legislation keeps dangerous products off our streets and gives law enforcement clear authority to stop these substances from reaching our communities.”

Concentrated synthetic 7-OH is commonly found in products sold in convenience stores, smoke shops and online, often without adequate regulation or consumer warnings. Health experts and law enforcement officials have raised alarms about the substance’s link to addiction, overdose and death. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that products containing concentrated synthetic 7-OH are highly potent, opioid-like substances that have not been proven safe or effective for any use and should be avoided.

While some states, including Florida, have taken steps to regulate 7-OH, others have adopted inconsistent approaches, creating a patchwork of definitions, thresholds and enforcement standards. This lack of uniformity can create confusion for retailers, complicate enforcement efforts and allow dangerous products to remain accessible.

The legislation was reviewed during today’s House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing, where law enforcement officials underscored the urgent need for action. Seminole County Sheriff Dennis M. Lemma testified in support of the bill, and local law enforcement lauded the introduction of this public safety measure.

“I appreciate Congressman Bilirakis’ leadership in addressing 7-OH in our communities,” said Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco. “The lack of regulation of this compound leads to people consuming these items with the inherent risk of overdosing due to the inconsistency of 7-OH dosing. This legislation will protect our communities and remove this potent compound.”

“We see what happens when dangerous products are sold with little oversight: families get hurt and local enforcement gets tied up in conflicting rules,” said Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis. “A clear and consistent federal standard for concentrated synthetic 7-OH will help law enforcement nationwide act faster, keep retailers on the right side of the law, and better protect communities across the country.”

Buchanan has been a leader in Congress on efforts to combat the opioid epidemic and strengthen public health protections. As Chairman of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, he has prioritized policies focused on prevention, early intervention and reducing the impact of substance abuse on families and communities.

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Smith bill advancing religious freedom headed to House floorSmith’s HR 1744, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act, passed by House Foreign Affairs Committee

During today’s markup, the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to extend and authorize annual appropriations for the State Department’s United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) through fiscal year 2028.

If enacted, Smith’s United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Reauthorization Act of 2025 (HR 1744) will reauthorize the Commission, which was created through the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (PL 105-292)—of which Smith was an original cosponsor.

The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 created a strong, coordinated U.S. government response for addressing and combatting worldwide religious persecution, establishing numerous religious freedom-focused offices and positions at the State Department and the National Security Council.

During the markup of his bill, Smith, who has chaired more than 30 congressional hearings on the state of religious persecution throughout the globe, reiterated the need to continue funding this critical program: “It is vital that we reauthorize the USCIRF because it is the linchpin of the entire program that Congress created to promote religious freedom through the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

“The USCIRF is tasked with defending the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad, reviewing reports of religious freedom violations, and making policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress,” the leading religious freedom lawmaker continued.

Smith is also the author of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (PL 114-281), which updated the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to enhance and expand United States’ actions to advance religious freedom globally through enhanced diplomacy, training, counterterrorism, and foreign assistance efforts.

“Today, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is the U.S. government’s strongest and most respected voice for victims of religious persecution worldwide. USCIRF, in recent years, has been more effective than at any point in its history,” Smith said, concluding that “USCIRF is important to millions of our constituents of all faiths.”

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Davidson Votes to End DHS Shutdown, Calls on Senate Democrats to Stop Blocking Funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, March 26th, 2026, U.S. Representative Warren Davidson (OH-08) released the following statement after voting YES on H.R. 8029, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act, to end the partial shutdown and ensure national security agencies and personnel are fully funded. Today’s vote marks the third time House Republicans have voted to fully fund DHS.

“DHS has now gone over 40 days without funding because Senate Democrats refuse to stop blocking it,” said Davidson. “Democrats are protecting illegal immigrants at the expense of our national security, TSA agents, Coast Guard personnel, and every traveler waiting in line at the airport. With serious and immediate threats from Iran, this is the worst possible time to leave our homeland security agencies without resources. House Republicans have voted three times to fully fund our national security agencies. Senate Democrats need to stop holding homeland security hostage and end this shutdown.”

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Reps. Dunn, McClellan FirstNet Reauthorization Bill Unanimously Passes Markup

WASHINGTON, DC–Congressman Neal Dunn (FL-02) and Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) announced that their bipartisan legislation, HR 7386, the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act, unanimously advanced out of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce with favorable consideration.

The legislation would reauthorize FirstNet, a nationwide, preemptive broadband network used exclusively by first responders during emergencies and disaster response. Created by Congress following the attacks of September 11, 2001, to address critical gaps in public safety communications, FirstNet provides reliable, secure connectivity when commercial networks are congested or unavailable.

The Committee previously heard testimony from Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson, current Acting Board Chair of FirstNet, underscoring the importance of dependable communications for first responders operating in crisis conditions.

“Floridians know that in hurricanes and times of crisis, reliable communication for first responders can mean the difference between life and death,” said Congressman Dunn. “The First Responder Network Authority is imperative during disasters and recovery. I thank Congresswoman McClellan for her partnership on this clear mandate to reauthorize FirstNet, and I am proud that our bill unanimously passed full committee markup.”

“The bill advanced out of committee today continues to deliver for the brave men and women who rely on it to get through life-or-death situations by strengthening our emergency communications network,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “When every second counts, our public safety community must have the best and most effective tools at their disposal. It’s our duty as a legislative body to ensure that FirstNet remains strong, responsive and ready to meet new and emergent challenges for years to come, and I thank Congressman Dunn for working across the aisle with me to draft a bipartisan bill that puts our first responders first.”

BACKGROUND:

Click HERE to watch remarks from Congressman Dunn.

Bill to Re-Authorize FirstNet Clears Subcommittee Markup

C&T Subcommittee Holds Hearing on FirstNet Reauthorization

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Rep. Estes, Sen. Capito Introduce Bill to Unleash Domestic Investments for U.S. Companies

Today, U.S. Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kan.) introduced the Ensuring Better Interest Treatment and Deductibility (EBITDA) Act. The legislation builds on the Working Families Tax Cuts Act’s—also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill—pro-growth policy by restoring globally competitive interest deductibility standards and unleashing domestic investment for U.S.-headquartered companies. Companion legislation is being introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.).

“As it currently stands, our tax code is penalizing American businesses for growing — when a manufacturer borrows money in the United States to expand their global business, they shouldn’t be slammed with a surprise tax bill because they’re investing in their operations,” Rep. Estes said. “This commonsense solution restores the post-TCJA landscape that encourages investment and makes it easier for job creators to innovate, increase opportunities, and keep America competitive on a global stage.”

“U.S. based companies are at a disadvantage when competing in global markets for leveraged acquisitions, as foreign-headquartered rivals often benefit from more favorable interest deductibility rules and can therefore finance transactions more efficiently,” Senator Capito said. “This bill will help ensure pro-growth policy by increasing globally competitive interest deductibility standards and will help unleash domestic investments for U.S. companies.”

The legislation is supported by: the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Celanese, Asurion, Dell Technologies, Illinois Tool Works, and the American Chemistry Council.

“H.R. 1 was the investment of a generation in America’s manufacturers. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and this Congress, the U.S. tax code is now set up to drive manufacturing investment and job creation. A critical component of H.R. 1’s pro-manufacturing agenda was the restoration of a pro-growth interest deductibility standard, a longtime NAM priority given debt financing’s importance for capital-intensive sectors like manufacturing,” Connor Rabb, Senior Director for Tax Policy for NAM, said. “The Ensuring Better Interest Treatment and Deductibility (EBITDA) Act from Sen. Capito and Rep. Estes would build on this progress, setting the stage for job-creating investments across the industry. Manufacturers strongly support the EBITDA Act, and we commend Sen. Capito and Rep. Estes for their leadership in making America the best place in the world to make things.”

“The Ensuring Better Treatment and Deductibility Act is an important step toward preserving a competitive, pro-growth tax environment for American companies. Restoring a more balanced approach to interest deductibility – consistent with longstanding standards – will help businesses invest in long-term growth and compete globally. Asurion applauds Senators Capito, Cornyn, Blackburn, and Husted for introducing this important legislation,” Asurion said.

“Dell Technologies supports the Ensuring Better Interest Treatment and Deductibility Act (EBITA) because it enhances financing flexibility for U.S. businesses. We appreciate Senator Capito, Representative Estes and their colleagues for working to advance this legislation,” Tom Vallone, Senior Vice President of Taxes at Dell Technologies, said”

“Senator Capito’s leadership recognizes that tax policy plays a critical role in U.S. competitiveness and in keeping the United States the world’s most attractive place to invest and borrow. Modernizing Section 163(j) will help strengthen American competitiveness by lowering financing costs for capital‑intensive manufacturers and encouraging more investment, innovation, and job creation here at home,” the American Chemistry Council said.

BACKGROUND:

In July, President Trump signed into law the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which provides major business tax benefits, including making the 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction permanent, restoring 100% bonus depreciation for investments, and increasing the Sec. 179 deduction cap to $2.5 million and increasing limits on business interest deductibility. Because of the hard work of President Trump and Congress, the U.S. tax code has finally put American businesses first and will help increase U.S. manufacturing. However, U.S. businesses are prevented from including global income (Subpart F income, GILTI inclusions, and Section 78 gross-up amounts) from their Adjusted Tax Income (ATI), which undercuts the restoration of the EBITDA standard. This anti-competitive provision shrinks the ATI base and reduces allowable interest deductions, even when such global income is fully subject to U.S. tax. This limitation undercuts the key pro-growth outcome in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act.

The Ensuring Better Interest Treatment and Deductibility Act (EBITDA) would build upon the pro-U.S. business policies in OBBB by repealing the ATI limitation exclusion of global income, allowing U.S. companies to remain competitive on the world stage.

Full text of the EBITDA Act can be found here.

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