Gillibrand, Schumer Continue To Press Secretary Kennedy On World Trade Center Health Program Staff Cuts

This week, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) launched a new effort to press U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to quickly address the staff cuts and administrative delays at the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).

In their new letter to Secretary Kennedy, Gillibrand and Schumer emphasized that while Congress passed legislation to address the WTCHP’s funding deficit last month, HHS has done little to address the program’s outstanding staffing and administrative needs.

The senators wrote, “Of immediate concern is the continuing chaos at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) driven by this Administration. Since you were confirmed as Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, the churn of leadership in the Director position has caused turmoil throughout the agency, particularly within WTCHP. Without full-time, adequate leadership at CDC, the administration has made uninformed decisions that create harmful downstream impacts, such as firing staff at WTCHP and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).”

Gillibrand and Schumer continued the letter by calling into question the reassignment of two Public Health Service Corps officers from their positions at the WTCHP. This includes the reassignment of the deputy director of the WTCHP to work in the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the reassignment of another officer in support of immigration enforcement efforts.

The senators wrote, “We are concerned that these staff changes will put additional strain on an already understaffed WTCHP. Since President Trump’s inauguration, we have seen the staffing levels at the WTCHP drop from 93 to 84 staff members. The program is authorized to have 120 full-time staff to support the over 30,000 new 9/11 responders and survivors.”

Staff reductions immediately impact the first responders and survivors who depend on the WTCHP for their health care. There have been significant delays in the processing of claims and treatment authorizations, and any type of further delay to first responders and survivors could be catastrophic. Additionally, without an appeals officer on staff, there is no one at the WTCHP who can process denied eligibility claims.

The senators continued, “Leadership failures at HHS continue to create problems for the program and its enrollees. Over $20 million in research contracts have not yet been awarded, delaying pending petitions for cardiac, autoimmune, and cognitive issues related to toxic exposure on 9/11.”

The senators closed the letter with a list of questions regarding continued issues with the WTCHP that HHS has not adequately addressed, including pauses in communication, concerns with upcoming vendor transitions, halted research grant awards, hiring freezes, and yearslong delays in the process to petition for new diseases to be covered.

The full letter can be read HERE.

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Judiciary Committee Advances Bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, Additional Legislation and Two U.S. Marshals

WASHINTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, led by Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), by a vote of 19-3.

Xylazine is a highly toxic veterinary tranquilizer that has been increasingly used as a cheap cutting agent for fentanyl and other narcotics. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would classify xylazine as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act, while protecting its legitimate use by veterinarians, farmers and ranchers.

“Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard the tragic stories of American families who’ve been devastated by xylazine. This week, the committee took decisive action to advance bipartisan legislation that would crack down on xylazine traffickers, equip law enforcement with new tools to combat its spread and protect the drug’s legitimate use by veterinarians, ranchers and cattlemen,” Grassley said. “I’m proud of our committee’s longstanding and bipartisan efforts to protect Americans from the scourge of illegal drugs and am grateful for Senator Cortez Masto’s partnership on this bill. I’ll continue working to ensure this lifesaving legislation is signed into law.”

The bipartisan legislation has widespread support from over ninety national, state and local law enforcement and veterinary organizations, hundreds of bereaved families and the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Office of National Drug Policy. Both the Biden and Trump administrations have backed the legislative proposal.

A full list of supporting organizations can be found HERE and a fact sheet HERE.

Photos of families who advocated in Washington on behalf of the bill are available HERE.

The Judiciary Committee additionally advanced by voice vote the Count the Crimes to Cut Act, led by Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), and the Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025, led by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), as well as the following nominations:

Brian Gootkin, to be United States Marshal for the District of Montana, by a vote of 12-10; and

James Stuart, to be United States Marshal for the District of Minnesota, by a vote of 20-2.

Watch the executive business meeting HERE. Read Grassley’s opening statement HERE.


Senator Hassan Secures Commitments from FBI & Department of Justice on Combatting Scams During Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, led a bipartisan Congressional hearing yesterday on ways to strengthen efforts to combat scams. The hearing included testimony from top leaders at the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI, as well as representatives from AARP, Aspen Institute, and other entities. The hearing is part of Senator Hassan’s ongoing comprehensive push to combat scams.

Throughout the hearing, Senator Hassan pressed federal officials on the fragmented approach to scams – which also leads to confusion among the general public about where to report scams. She secured several commitments from the federal agency leaders to help improve coordination with state and local law enforcement, and to make it easier for people to report scams and get help.

“One of the great frustrations I hear on the ground is there are any number of places to report [scams],” said Senator Hassan at the hearing. “I’m working with Senator Rick Scott on a bipartisan bill that…would create a central secure website for Americans to report scams and get assistance, as well as a comprehensive federal strategy to prevent scams...and hold scammers accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Senator Hassan secured commitments from Gregory Heeb, Deputy Assistant Director of the Criminal Division at the FBI and Lois Greisman, the Associate Director of the Division of Marketing Practices at the Federal Trade Commission, to work with her office to simplify the scam reporting process for all Americans. “Senator, yes, absolutely. It is confusing,” responded Mr. Heeb. Ms. Greisman added, “Yes, of course, we commit to making it easier for consumers to report.”

Senator Hassan also highlighted the recent experience of a constituent from Derry and the difficulty that he has encountered in getting help. After his mother was scammed out of $80,000 by fraudsters who impersonated the FBI over the phone, he compiled case details and evidence for law enforcement, including the FBI, and his mother’s bank.

“But he’s still struggling to get help. He’s also unsure whether federal authorities have taken any action,” Senator Hassan said. Later in the hearing, Senator Hassan secured a commitment from the FBI to help this constituent, asking, “Can you commit to working with my office and reaching out to this constituent this week?” Mr. Heeb responded, “Yes, we can, Senator...I’ll take care of that.”

In addition, Senator Hassan raised concerns about the lack of coordination between state and local law enforcement and federal efforts, including the Scam Center Strike Force, a multi-agency task force investigating scam activity in Southeast Asia. “State and local law enforcement…are often the first point of contact when victims report a scam. Yet, New Hampshire law enforcement officers we reached out to recently weren’t even aware that the [Scam Center] Strike Force exists,” said Senator Hassan. “As important as the work you’re doing to go after the overall criminal organizations, we have to have coordination on the state and local level too.” Karen Seifert, Director of the Scam Center Strike Force at the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia, agreed that “absolutely” she will engage further with Senator Hassan’s office on this, while acknowledging that “we haven’t had that pathway so far.”

During the hearing’s second panel of witnesses, Senator Hassan talked with experts from AARP, the Aspen Institute, and the Government Accountability Office about her push to strengthen federal scams coordination and develop a centralized portal for Americans to report scams – and how that might help address the challenges that they have seen Americans face. Senator Hassan also discussed with the experts the importance of facilitating real-time information sharing between the private and public sectors as an important tool when combatting scams.

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Heinrich Questions Experts on the Power Grid, Highlighting Need to Expand Transmission and Efficiently Power Data Centers to Help Lower Costs for Consumers

WASHINGTON — During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine the state of the power grid, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Committee’s Ranking Member, questioned Niskanen Center Director of Climate and Energy Policy Dr. Liza Reed, Cato Institute Director of Energy and Environmental Policy Studies Travis Fisher, and Electric Power Supply Association President and CEO Todd Snitchler, on expanding transmission lines and building them efficiently, and best strategies to meet data center energy demand without offloading costs to consumers.

Ranking Member Heinrich (D-N.M.) questions experts on strategies to increase transmission and lower electricity costs for consumers during a Committee hearing to examine the state of the grid, March 25, 2026.

On Building Enough Interregional Transmission to Meet Rising Energy Demand and Lower Costs:

Heinrich began, “Do any of you think that we're building, and obviously I think the affordability argument is well received by everyone on this Committee because all of us have constituents who are under pressure, but do any of you think that we are building enough interregional transmission to service the existing grid and the kind of growth that we would hope for both the electric sector and the economy?”

Dr. Reed replied, “Thank you for the question, Senator, I...”

Heinrich clarified, “I'll go down [the row of panelists]... Let you all answer that. Dr. Reed, you can start, and we'll go the other way.”

Dr. Reed answered, “Thank you so much, Senator. We are not building the amount of interregional transmission that we need right now, and there are particular barriers that are preventing that from happening. Utilities are not incentivized or even expected to be looking to their neighbors, and so we are losing the economies of scale, and that is costing consumer purses.”

Fisher agreed, “My short answer is no. My longer answer is, we should look back at the history of, you know, FERC Order 1000, for example. I think the intent was good, but the track record is very poor. The transmission line miles of the very high voltage, lines that has...”

Heinrich interjected, “Very minimum.”

Fisher continued, “That stat has plummeted. We should acknowledge that fact and try to, try to do something different.”

Snitchler answered, “Senator, thanks for the question. I think it's clear that being able to move electrons from where they are being generated to where they are needed, particularly in times of stress, is critically important. That's how we ensure grid reliability. And as we have seen retirements come off the system and the slow addition of new resources, the importance of that transfer capability continues to be highlighted as an area of importance.”

On Developing Transmission in Ways that Provide Value for Consumers:

Heinrich followed up with Dr. Reed, “Dr. Reed, go a little deeper. You talked about how to capture value for customers, how to save them money, as opposed to just bring additional costs onto the rate base. Go a little deeper into how we can capture that value and actually benefit customers.”

Dr. Reed answered, “Thank you, Senator. I'm happy to. What is causing us to lose this value for consumers is that we are not building the transmission. We have seen a number of economic analyses that find that, on average, $100 million is lost per gigawatt of transmission line that was not built per year, in the last 10 years. These transmission lines are not being built for a handful of reasons. One is that they are very complicated. This is an interstate and interregional project, and it does not enjoy a federal siting and permitting authority, as natural gas pipelines do. These electrons are moving or intended to move in interstate commerce, and instead, they are being held up by processes at the individual states requiring approval. This is duplicative red tape that discourages developers and makes it longer for them to be able to complete these projects. There are also not expectations at utilities to be looking to the regions to build these interregional lines. We have an opportunity to enable both utilities and private merchant developers who would not show up on a customer's utility bill to build more if we can fix these regulations.”

Heinrich responded, “To your point, I was deeply involved in, in facilitating and working on one interregional power line, and it took 17 years to get all of the approvals to actually make that a reality. I think there are a number of places where our incentives are not aligned. You mentioned the issue of compensation for some of the values that those, those power lines provide. Walk through that a little bit, because obviously, I think, you know, there's a mismatch between transmission and generation.”

Dr. Reed replied, “Yeah, I'm happy to, Senator, thank you. High voltage direct current was the topic of my PhD thesis. I don't think I can cover that in a minute, but I will note that it is a semiconductor-based technology that has the ability to act differently than our existing grid system. So, it provides an excellent backbone, because it provides different services and different values. It can move power long distances, which captures the value for consumers, but the way that, that it controls electrons also provides stability to the grid. There's complicated reasons involving voltage and frequency that we can discuss offline, but HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) ensures that we are keeping electric equipment online by keeping the voltage and frequency where it needs to be.”

On Incentivizing Utility Companies and Private Developers to Deploy Grid-Enhancing Technologies:

Heinrich turned to grid-enhancing technologies, “One of the tools that has been used very effectively in other parts of the world and sporadically here in the U.S., are grid-enhancing technologies. But we have this model, particularly within state-regulated utilities, where the incentive is often... I mean, the responsible parties, my utility as an example, in central New Mexico, has really leaned into GETs. But, there is also an incentive for utilities to build big and then get [those costs] rate-based. How do we create a more aligned incentive with GETs so that we can get more out of the existing grid?”

Dr. Reed answered, “Thank you, Senator. There are a number of options that Congress and FERC can pursue to incentivize more of these grid-enhancing technologies, and part of it is expectation. What are we requiring of the grid? We should be using the lines that we built to a higher capacity. Grid-enhancing technologies, through dynamic line rating, power flow control, all of these can help us use those lines better and move the power around. And the way that we set expectations on how reliability is achieved and provide financial incentives to utilities or private developers to provide those services are ways that we can get more of this advanced technology incorporated.”

On Powering Data Centers Efficiently:

Turning to data centers, Heinrich asked, “Dr. Reed, if each one of these large load data centers was its own generator, would that be the most efficient use of capital to, to power the, that part of the demand sector?”

Dr. Reed answered, “Thank you for the question, Senator. I think the most efficient use of capital to power data centers is the choice of the data centers themselves. And I think the best option that we can provide for American competitiveness and for growing industries here is to ensure that they have those options available to them, both a robust grid that can provide reliable and affordable power and options for building their own private grids to provide their own power.”

Heinrich asked for clarification on how private grid models impact consumers, “And describe to me any risk associated with customer impact with the sort of private grid model.”

Dr. Reed replied, “Thank you for the question. I think the way that we think about transmission benefits is important to consider here. Where, if we have a robust backbone to our grid that can provide affordable power that benefits consumers. The more consumers of electricity that there are on the grid, including high consumers such as data centers, there would be more rate payers who are helping pay for that valuable infrastructure.”


Heinrich, Sheehy Reintroduce Legislation to Scale Up Locally Led Big Game Migration Initiatives

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) reintroduced the Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act, legislation to help the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scale up popular, locally-led, and voluntary big game migration pilot projects with private landowners, conservationists, and agriculture groups.

“In New Mexico and across the West, private landowners and agricultural producers play a key role in our effort to increase habitat connectivity and improve wildlife migration,” said Heinrich. “I'm proud to reintroduce bipartisan legislation to invest in proven conservation practices and encourage land stewards to embrace new tools like virtual fencing to help us protect iconic big game species like pronghorn antelope, Rocky Mountain elk, and mule deer.”

“Whether you’re a farmer, rancher, private landowner, or public land hunter, this is a bipartisan commonsense bill that we can all get behind. By empowering locals with voluntary incentives, not heavy-handed mandates, the Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act will help us protect our outdoor heritage for generations to come. This is a win-win and I’m proud to be leading the effort in the U.S. Senate,” said Sheehy.

The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act will support local farmers, producers, and landowners who voluntarily want to make it easier for big game species to migrate across their lands. This legislation will help USDA prioritize the creation and maintenance of wildlife habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors on working lands through existing USDA conservation programs. Additionally, the bill makes virtual fencing a high priority that is eligible for USDA research and extension grants, encouraging research on the benefits of virtual fencing. Conventional fencing across the West results in wildlife entanglement, which is often lethal.

Heinrich and Sheehy’s Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act will help USDA scale up work that began with its Migratory Big Game Initiative. Under the initiative, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) are utilizing voluntary and incentive-based programs to support conservation on grasslands, shrublands, and forested habitats located on Tribal and privately owned working lands.

The legislation is led by Heinrich and Sheehy in the Senate. In the House, the bill is led by U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.).

The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act is endorsed by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, National Wildlife Federation, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Center for Large Landscape Conservation, National Audubon Society, Pew Charitable Trusts, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, National Parks Conservation Association, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, North American Grouse Partnership, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Western Landowners Alliance, National Cattleman’s Beef Association, Public Lands Council, and Congressional Sportsmen Foundation.

“Working lands provide key habitat for migratory fish and wildlife, including big game like elk and mule deer. USDA’s voluntary conservation programs need to work together to support farmers and ranchers who create and enhance this habitat, and the next Farm Bill is our opportunity to make that happen,” said Joel Webster, Chief Conservation Officer, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act removes unnecessary barriers to working lands stewardship and TRCP thanks Senator Heinrich and Senator Sheehy for their leadership on this bill.”

“The bipartisan and commonsense Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act will help wildlife that migrate through private fields, pastures, and forests — and the hunters, anglers, birders, and outdoor recreationists that enjoy them,” said Aviva Glaser, Senior Director for Agriculture Policy, National Wildlife Federation. “Thank you to Senators Martin Heinrich and Tim Sheehy for introducing this legislation and highlighting how wildlife and people, including farmers and ranchers, can thrive when we create habitat connectivity.”

“Working lands are critical to ensuring the connectivity of wildlife habitat and migratory corridors. As hunters we rely on healthy, intact habitat in our pursuit of game species – which don’t recognize public or private land in their movement. We applaud Reps. Vasquez and Zinke and Sens. Heinrich and Sheehy for their leadership on the Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act which will improve Farm Bill programs to better support these private land conservation efforts,” said Jack Polentes, Government Relations Manager, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.

"The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act is a powerful boost for wildlife and working lands alike. By prioritizing wildlife corridors and connectivity in existing Farm Bill conservation programs and investing in cutting edge technology, this bill empowers producers and local conservation partners to work together to keep human and wildlife communities healthy and well-connected,” said Brendan Moynahan, CEO, Center for Large Landscape Conservation.

“Across the West, farmers and ranchers serve as stewards and essential partners in conserving wildlife habitat,” said Jon Hayes, Vice President, National Audubon Society, Southwest (N.M. and Ariz.). “Audubon joins them across working landscapes to keep lands productive while maintaining the open habitats and migration corridors that birds, big game, and other wildlife depend on. The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act builds on this collaborative approach by supporting voluntary, locally led conservation that benefits producers, wildlife, and rural communities alike.”

“We commend Senators Heinrich and Sheehy and Reps. Zinke (R-MT) and Vasquez (D-NM) for recognizing the economic and ecological importance of habitat connectivity and introducing legislation that would provide greater incentives for willing landowners to facilitate wildlife migration on working lands,” said Marcia Argust, Director of the U.S. Conservation Program, Pew Charitable Trusts.

“When farmers and ranchers conserve and improve habitat corridors for big game species, these ribbons of grasslands and sagebrush shrub-steppe also support numerous upland birds like sage grouse, sharptails, pheasants, and quail,” said Andrew Schmidt, Director of Government Affairs, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. “By reducing red tape and building on recent efforts to increase compatibility between Farm Bill conservation programs, the Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act is a win for agricultural producers, sportsmen and women, and wildlife.”

“Private landowners living next to national parks and other public lands are crucial partners in wildlife conservation. According to a national survey by the Harris Poll, 7 out of 10 Americans support federal investments in privately owned lands next to national parks to maintain park wildlife. Empowering willing landowners with additional dollars for conservation — including funding for habitat maintenance and restoration, fence removal for safe passage of wildlife, and wildlife-friendly farm practices — can conserve national park wildlife in our parks and beyond,” said Stephanie Adams, Director, National Parks Conservation Association’s Wildlife Program.

The Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act builds on Heinrich’s longtime support for connecting wildlife corridors.

Last December, Heinrich and Sheehy introduced the Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation to make permanent the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Wildlife Crossings Program and authorize funding for the program through 2031.

In 2022, Heinrich helped secure $350 million for the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, as part of the 2022 Infrastructure Law.

In December 2023, Heinrich, Vasquez, and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) announced a $480,000 investment for the Mescalero Apache Tribe from the DOT’s new Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program to improve wildlife crossings along US-70.

In 2019, New Mexico enacted the Wildlife Corridors Act to make it safer for animals to migrate across the state with a focus on reducing wildlife and vehicle collisions. That state law directed the New Mexico Department of Transportation in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to develop a comprehensive New Mexico Wildlife Corridors Action Plan to identify and improve safety in wildlife-vehicle collision hotspots on roadways that pose a particularly high risk to the traveling public.

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Ranking Member Heinrich Offers Solutions to Energy Affordability Crisis Worsening Under Trump Administration

WASHINGTON — During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine the state of the power grid, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Committee’s Ranking Member, delivered opening remarks, explaining the steps that can be taken to lower energy costs for consumers and strengthen our strained energy grid. The Trump administration’s cancellation of energy projects and war with Iran have exacerbated the nation’s energy crisis, skyrocketing costs for working families.

The hearing witnesses included Todd Snitchler, President and CEO of Electric Power Supply Association, Travis Fisher, Director of Energy and Environmental Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, and Dr. Liza Reed, Director of Climate and Energy Policy at the Niskanen Center, who spoke on transmission policies and grid reliability.

Ranking Member Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks explaining the steps that can be taken to lower energy costs and robustly power our energy grid, March 25, 2026.

“The power grid is deeply personal for me: my father, Pete Heinrich, was an IBEW lineman for many decades. However, our grid is under growing strain from rising electricity demand, largely driven by data centers, advanced manufacturing, and electrification,” began Heinrich. “The demand for electricity is significantly outpacing the rate at which new, low-cost generation can connect to the grid. This imbalance has led to electricity bills rising by as much as 13% since President Trump took office.”

“Fortunately, there is a way to help bring down electricity costs, while strengthening the grid’s reliability and resilience,” said Heinrich. “First, we need to get more out of the grid we have... We must also build high-voltage transmission lines to reduce congestion and reliability risks... Third, we need to bring low-cost generation online faster... Fourth, new large loads, especially data centers, must bear the costs associated with them coming online — it cannot be on the back of other customers or ratepayers.”

“The grid is a national asset, like the interstate highway system, ports, or broadband. It is the delivery network for the economy’s most universal commodity: electricity. And now is the time to invest in a Grid for Growth,” concluded Heinrich.

A video of Heinrich’s opening remarks is here.

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

Thank you, Chairman Lee, for holding this hearing on the state of the bulk power system.

The power grid is deeply personal for me: my father, Pete Heinrich, was an IBEW lineman for many decades.

However, our grid is under growing strain from rising electricity demand, largely driven by data centers, advanced manufacturing, and electrification.

The demand for electricity is significantly outpacing the rate at which new, low-cost generation can connect to the grid.

This imbalance has led to electricity bills rising by as much as 13% since President Trump took office.

These rising costs [are] made worse by the Administration’s fossil-only agenda, which includes propping up uneconomic coal plants, stalling 116 gigawatts of new capacity from coming online, canceling clean energy projects, and starting a war with Iran that is driving up oil and gas prices.

Fortunately, there is a way to help bring down electricity costs, while strengthening the grid’s reliability and resilience.

Doing so means taking four no-regrets actions:

First, we need to get more out of the grid we have.

Grid-enhancing technologies can unlock 20 to 100 gigawatts of additional capacity when demand is highest.

These solutions cost less than one-quarter of the traditional upgrade costs and can be deployed in three to five years.

GETs could reduce grid congestion by 40% or more, saving consumers $4 to $8 billion a year.

The distribution system represents another opportunity to get more from the grid.

The U.S. already has 30 to 60 gigawatts of distributed energy resources operating together like a single power plant, referred to as a virtual power plant.

Technology providers are already offering the software and hardware, allowing data centers to act as VPPs.

Deploying another 60 gigawatts could save consumers $20 billion by 2030.

But these aren’t silver bullet solutions for long-term growth.

We must also build high-voltage transmission lines to reduce congestion and reliability risks.

Transmission congestion cost consumers $12.1 billion dollars in 2024 alone.

Perhaps even more important, interregional transmission helps keep the lights on during extreme weather by allowing regions to share electricity.

Yet interregional transmission made up only?2%?of new circuit-miles installed between 2011 and 2020.

Third, we need to bring low-cost generation online faster. More than 2,000 gigawatts of new power plants are stuck in interconnection queues, nearly double the capacity of the existing power plant fleet.

Bringing even 10% of capacity in queues online in the region would have saved customers $3.5 billion.

Fourth, new large loads, especially data centers, must bear the costs associated with them coming online—it cannot be on the back of other customers or ratepayers.

Data centers want fast, reliable power and are already willing to fund the upgrades.

Furthermore, one study found that if large loads agree to be flexible with their energy use at a 1% curtailment rate, the U.S. could unlock 126 gigawatts of new capacity.

This creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leverage private capital.

The grid is a national asset, like the interstate highway system, ports, or broadband.

It is the delivery network for the economy’s most universal commodity: electricity.

And now is the time to invest in a Grid for Growth.

I very much look forward to this discussion.


Hoeven, Moran, Colleagues Reaffirm Support for Joint Task Force to Hold Oct. 7 Attack Perpetrators Accountable

Senators Send Letter Requesting Briefing on Task Force’s Efforts, Follows on Senator’s Trip to Israel Shortly After October 7 Attacks

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven joined Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) in requesting that United States Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel convene a briefing on the Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF) to update Congress on efforts to investigate and prosecute terrorist networks such as Hamas. Considering the recent string of violent incidents and terror attacks with antisemitic motivations, the senators reaffirmed their support for the task force and requested it provide recommendations for legislative action to further strengthen efforts to identify terrorist support networks and monitor potential domestic radicalization.

Shortly after the October 7, 2023 attack occurred, Hoeven and Moran traveled to Tel Aviv as part of a bipartisan, bicameral group, and presented Prime Minister Netanyahu with a signed copy of S.Res.417, a resolution in support of Israel that passed the Senate unanimously.

“Ensuring that the perpetrators of this attack are brought to justice is a necessary step in not only upholding the rule of law but protecting American interests,” wrote the senators. “We write to express our strong support for the joint task force and to request a congressional briefing on its progress and future priorities. Specifically, we would appreciate additional information regarding the number of individuals or entities held accountable to date, the number of investigations currently underway, and any recommendations the task force may have for congressional action.”

“The events of October 7 underscored the ongoing and evolving nature of the global terrorist threat and the risks it poses to the United States, our allies, and our national security,” continued the senators. “In recent weeks, a series of violent incidents and terror attacks with antisemitic motivations or links to extremist rhetoric, both abroad and here at home, have further reinforced the urgency of this work.”

Joining Hoeven and Moran in sending the letter are Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), James Risch (R-Idaho) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).

Full text of the letter can be found here.

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Senate votes on Husted photo ID amendment

“And I know what it takes to run an election where it is easy to vote and hard to cheat.”

View Husted’s remarks here.

WASHINGTON – The Senate today voted on Sen. Jon Husted’s (R-Ohio) amendment to require voters to show photo ID at the polls.

Senate Democrats blocked the amendment from reaching the 60-vote threshold needed to advance, with a final vote of 53-47.

As the only Republican Senator with experience as serving as Secretary of State, Husted is leading the effort to implement nationwide photo ID requirements, something more than 80% of Americans support.

With 23 states—including Ohio—already requesting voters present photo ID, Husted points to Ohio’s elections as the gold standard for being both secure and accessible.

Husted’s amendment would’ve allowed Americans to vote by showing one of the following five forms of identification: state issued driver’s license, state issued ID, U.S. passport, military or veterans ID with a picture and an expiration date or a tribal ID with a picture and an expiration date.

Husted spoke on his amendment prior to the vote. His remarks include:

“Before I became a U.S. Senator, I spent two terms as the Ohio Secretary of State and oversaw presidential elections, gubernatorial elections, Senate elections.

“And I know what it takes to run an election where it is easy to vote and hard to cheat.”

. . .

“So I listened carefully to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. They’ve said that they don’t object to photo ID, only the other provisions of the SAVE America Act.”

. . .

“We’re going to take them at their word and offer an opportunity to turn those words into action.

In just a few minutes, the Senate will take a roll call, vote on a clean, simple, straightforward amendment of mine to require a photo ID to vote in American elections.”

. . .

“You can use a driver’s license, state ID, passport, military or veterans ID, or a tribal ID, something that everyone has access to. No additional restrictions, no tricks, no games, no prohibition on absentee voting.”

. . .

“36 states already have some form of voter ID law in place.

“This proposal isn’t theoretical.

“This photo ID legislation has proven the test of elections across the nation.

“It works.

“States across our country have shown that you can simultaneously make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.”

. . .

“So, the question before this body is very simple.

“Should you have to show who you are when you vote?

“The American people have answered that question as yes by an overwhelming margin.

“Roughly 80-20 Americans support requiring a photo ID to vote.”

. . .

“If you oppose this amendment, then let’s be honest, it’s not the other provisions in the SAVE America Act that you oppose.

“You object to photo ID itself because that’s what this vote is: simply straightforward photo ID.”

. . .

“It’s time to set a nationwide standard for election integrity, and a yes vote on this amendment will do that.”

View Husted’s full remarks here.


HYDE-SMITH, COLLEAGUES ACT TO SHORE UP SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY LENDERS

Bipartisan Legislation Offers FDIC Deposit Insurance to Enhance Financial Stability for Community & Mid-sized banks, Credit Unions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) on Wednesday signed as a primary sponsor of bipartisan legislation to strengthen small and mid-sized lenders like community banks and credit unions – institutions that drive local economic growth.

Hyde-Smith joined U.S. Senators Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) in introducing the Main Street Depositor Protection Act (S.4198). The measure would direct the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to provide up to $5.0 million of deposit insurance coverage to deposits in noninterest-bearing transaction accounts, which are primarily used by small and medium-sized enterprises and non-profits for operational funds such as payroll.

“Community banks and credit unions represent a cornerstone for upholding most small businesses and start-ups in Mississippi and other states. This bipartisan legislation authorizing the FDIC to raise the deposit insurance cap will protect not only these financial institutions, but also the small businesses that rely on access to their capital,” Senator Hyde-Smith said. “Enacting this bill would be a win for small business growth, rural America, and our economy.”

“The banks that serve Main Street must have the same chance to succeed as the banks that serve Wall Street. This bipartisan, bicameral bill advances the Administration’s priority of preserving the central role of regional and community banks in the financial system of the future. It’s narrowly targeted to address a very specific concern that manifested itself during the Silicon Valley Bank collapse — a run on noninterest-bearing transaction accounts typically used to make payrolls by small businesses that are very important customers for our local and regional banks,” said Senator Hagerty.

“I am proud to have worked with Senator Hagerty to introduce our updated Main Street Depositor Protection Act with Senators Cortez Masto, Hyde-Smith, Gallego, and Banks. This bipartisan legislation would require a data driven process to increase deposit insurance coverage levels for business checking accounts at most banks and credit unions. Our small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and they often rely on community banks and credit unions. Responsibly raising the deposit insurance threshold will protect employees and businesses in times of crisis and strengthen our overall financial system,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

S.4198 is related to the Trump administration and financial community’s call to support small and mid-sized lenders to improve the overall stability and resilience of the U.S. banking system in the aftermath of March 2023 bank failures. Those failures resulted in depositors moving away from the regional and community lenders that fuel small businesses and local economies and toward the largest global banks.

Expanded FDIC coverage would apply to U.S. insured banks and credit unions, except for the very largest banks that already benefit from a perceived government guarantee. Current limits leave many business transaction accounts—such as payroll—exposed during times of financial stress, which can contribute to bank runs and instability.

The legislation offering expanded insurance coverage would not automatically require banks to pay new Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) assessments, which would only be required if the DIF fell below its statutory minimum reserve ratio. The DIF currently exceeds that minimum and has been trending upward.

The Main Street Depositor Protection Act, which is supported by the Mississippi Bankers Association, is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

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Senators seek information from FDA and abortion drug manufacturers on mifepristone

Written by Kate Scanlon

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — A group of U.S. senators who oppose abortion sent investigatory letters to three abortion drug manufacturers seeking information about their products, as well as a similar letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, their committee’s Republican majority said March 25.

Senators seek clarity on status of FDA review of abortion pill

The letters come amid frustration from pro-life groups that the status of the FDA’s review of mifepristone, a drug commonly, but not exclusively, used for first trimester abortion, remains unclear.

A trio of letters sent to manufacturers of mifepristone — Evita Solutions, GenBioPro and Danco Laboratories — request details about the manufacturing, sales and marketing of the drug. The letters were signed by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee; Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus; Steve Daines, R-Mont.; James Lankford, R-Okla.; and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

“Chemical abortion drug makers profit off killing innocent children while putting mothers’ lives at risk,” Cassidy said in a statement. “These manufacturers and websites have facilitated the explosion in online sales of these harmful drugs without regard for women’s health and safety while opening the door for coercion and abuse. FDA should act within its existing authorities to curb this abuse and immediately reinstate safeguards such as the in-person dispensing requirement.”

In their related letter to the FDA, the senators urged the agency to use the “numerous tools at its disposal to prevent misbranded and unapproved versions of the chemical abortion drugs from being marketed in the U.S. by online retailers in violation of federal law.”

“While FDA acknowledges the risks of buying chemical abortion drugs online, with a warning on its website stating, ‘FDA Does Not Recommend Buying Mifepristone Online,’ and advises Americans that there are serious health risks involved in doing so, FDA must do more,” the letter said.

Hyde-Smith said in a statement, “Given the potentially life-threatening risks to women, the FDA should take immediate action to fight the sale and distribution of unapproved and misbranded versions of chemical abortion drugs.”

Concerns over serious adverse effects to Mifepristone

“We know that more than 1 in 10 women who take Mifepristone will experience a serious adverse event, a situation that is made worse with these questionable variants in circulation. Even under proper safety protocols, this drug is sold for the primary purpose of ending life and deserves heightened scrutiny,” Hyde-Smith said.

Proponents of mifepristone — the first of two drugs used in a chemical, sometimes called medication abortion — argue it is statistically safe for a woman to take, and attempts to restrict it are an attempt to ban abortion outright. Opponents of the drug’s use for abortion argue there are significant risks to those who take it, particularly outside of medical settings, in addition to ending the life of an unborn child early in its development.

Debates over FDA approval of mifepristone

Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America), which advocates for the drug’s availability, said in a March 4 post on its website regarding several state lawsuits seeking to revoke mifepristone’s FDA approval that those efforts are “part of a broader, coordinated effort to ban abortion nationwide.”

Approved by the FDA for early abortion in 2000, mifepristone — the first of two drugs used in a medication-based abortion — gained the moniker “the abortion pill.” However, the same drug combination has become used sometimes in recent years for miscarriage care, where an unborn child has already passed, a situation that Catholic teaching would hold as morally licit use.

A Pew Research poll conducted Jan. 20-26 showed 55% of Americans supported keeping medication-based abortion legal in their respective states, with 26% opposed and 18% not sure.

At the same time, pro-life groups have pointed to surveys showing Americans support in-person medical evaluation requirements for mifepristone. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America highlighted on March 25 a recent survey by CRC Research that showed 67% of Americans support the FDA reinstating those requirements to minimize potential complications.

Abortions have increased after Dobbs, says pro-life organization president

Marjorie Dannenfelser, SBA’s president, argued in another March 25 statement, “Abortion numbers are up, not down after Dobbs, driven by mail-order drugs flooding the states without regard for their laws. We are now at over 1.1 million abortions per year.”

Dannenfelser referred to the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, where the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and related abortion precedent that made abortion a constitutional right.

Abortion has continued to rise following Dobbs, continuing an upward trend that began during the first Trump administration and reversed a decades-long decline since its historic peak at 1.6 million abortions in 1990. Abortion industry research firm Guttmacher Institute observed that 2025 saw nearly 1.13 million abortions in the U.S., the highest it has been since 2009.

After the Dobbs decision, the Catholic Church — which teaches that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death, and as such, opposes direct abortion — reiterated the Church’s concern for both mother and child. It called to strengthen available support for those living in poverty or other causes that can increase the risk of abortion.

Dannenfelser, who is Catholic, said Cassidy and the other senators “are boldly confronting this crisis head-on, demanding real accountability and safety for women and girls.”

“Abortion drug manufacturers are exploiting the reckless Biden-era COVID policy that opened the floodgates to potent abortion drugs sold online to anyone with a credit card and shipped by mail across state lines, without any in-person medical evaluation,” Dannenfelser said.


Klobuchar, Smith Resolution to Honor Master Sergeant Nicole Amor Passes Senate Unanimously

WASHINGTON—Last night, the resolution introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith to honor Master Sergeant Nicole M. Amor unanimously passed the Senate with bipartisan support.

Full text of the resolution is available HERE and below:

Honoring the memory, service, and sacrifice of Master Sergeant Nicole M. Amor, United States Army Reserve.

Whereas United States servicemembers assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, United States Army Reserve, were deployed to Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, in support of Operation Epic Fury;

Whereas, on March 1, 2026, an unmanned aircraft system attack on Port Shuaiba killed Master Sergeant Nicole M. Amor, age 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Captain Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida, Sergeant First Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska, Sergeant Declan J. Coady, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa, Major Jeffrey R. O'Brien, 45, or Waukee, Iowa, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Spotsylvania, Virginia;

Whereas Master Sergeant Amor was a dedicated soldier who served the United States with distinction for nearly 20 years in the United States Army Reserve, including on previous deployments to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019;

Whereas Master Sergeant Amor earned numerous military awards and decorations for her service, including the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device;

Whereas Master Sergeant Amor was posthumously promoted from Sergeant First Class to Master Sergeant; and

Whereas Master Sergeant Amor was a devoted spouse and mother and was beloved by her community: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) honors the memory, service, and sacrifice of Master Sergeant Nicole M. Amor, United States Army Reserve;

(2) extends its sympathies, gratitude, and support to the family of Master Sergeant Amor, and to all others affected by the attack at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on March 1, 2026; and

(3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the family of Master Sergeant Amor.

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Lankford, Budd, Kaine Lead Bipartisan Letter Urging President Trump to Advocate for Pastor Ezra Jin’s Release Ahead of US-China Summit

WASHINGTON, DC — US Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Tim Kaine (D-VA), alongside US Representatives Riley Moore (R-WV-02) and Thomas Suozzi (D-NY-03), led their colleagues in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to President Trump advocating for the release of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, lead pastor of Zion Church, ahead of the President’s upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Lawmakers also called President Trump’s attention to the many other Christian leaders imprisoned in China due to the PRC’s violent crackdown on unsanctioned churches. Additionally, the lawmakers urged the Administration to use authorities under the International Religious Freedom Act to impose targeted sanctions and visa restrictions to address severe violations of religious freedom in China.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “We encourage you to advocate for their release and request the PRC to allow Mr. Jin to leave China, in addition to raising concerns regarding the ongoing unjust imprisonment and persecution of Christians, Tibetans, and Uyghurs, among other religious and ethnic minority groups across China. …

“These abuses include arbitrary detentions, lengthy prison sentences, forced closures of places of worship, destruction of religious property, and surveillance and intimidation of clergy and congregants. …

“Through the International Religious Freedom Act, the Administration is empowered to use targeted sanctions and increase reporting and diplomatic engagement to support your efforts to address severe violations of individuals’ right to freedom of religion.”

Joining Lankford, Budd, and Kaine in signing the letter are Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jim Justice (R-WV), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Tim Scott (R-SC), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Josh Hawley (R-MO).

Read the full letter text HERE or below:

Dear President Trump,

As you prepare to meet with President Xi Jinping next month, we urge you to seek resolution of the case of Ezra Jin Mingri, a pastor and family member of American citizens, who was arbitrarily detained on October 10, 2025, alongside other leaders of the Zion Church by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). We encourage you to advocate for their release and request the PRC to allow Mr. Jin to leave China, in addition to raising concerns regarding the ongoing unjust imprisonment and persecution of Christians, Tibetans, and Uyghurs, among other religious and ethnic minority groups across China.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the U.S. Department of State, and religious freedom and human rights organizations have long documented violations of religious freedom targeting Christian communities and other religious groups across China. These abuses include arbitrary detentions, lengthy prison sentences, forced closures of places of worship, destruction of religious property, and surveillance and intimidation of clergy and congregants.

The United States has made important strides in advancing international religious freedom. Through the International Religious Freedom Act, the Administration is empowered to use targeted sanctions and increase reporting and diplomatic engagement to support your efforts to address severe violations of individuals’ right to freedom of religion.

Accordingly, we urge you to:

Seek resolution of the case of Ezra Jin Mingri and other leaders of the Zion Church, Yayang Church, Light of Zion Church, and Early Rain Covenant Church while advocating for the release of all Christians and other religious groups unjustly imprisoned or detained for their religious beliefs with President Xi next month.

Utilize existing authorities, including targeted sanctions and visa restrictions, against individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of religious freedom.

Continue to champion international religious freedom, including in US–China policy.

We appreciate your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

/X/

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Lee Sounds Alarm on Pro-Abortion United Nations Nominee

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today urged that the United States veto the nomination of pro-abortion radical Dr. Michelle Bachelet to the position of United Nations Secretary General (UNSG). In a bicameral letter with support from a large congressional coalition, Lee and his colleagues outline Bachelet’s extreme promotion for abortion as a “human right” and history of overriding state sovereignty with intimidation and coercion to push this radical agenda.

The letter reads as follows:

Secretary Rubio,

With deep concern, we note the nomination of Dr. Michelle Bachelet to be the next United Nations Secretary General (UNSG). In her previous roles with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), as Executive Director of UN Women, and as President of Chile, Dr. Bachelet has repeatedly prioritized an extreme abortion agenda at the expense of state sovereignty. She is an unsuitable candidate, and the United States, as a permanent member of the Security Council, should veto Dr. Bachelet’s selection.

Dr. Bachelet’s past performance does not match the qualifications that President Trump’s Administration has laid out for the next UNSG. In October 2025, during remarks at a United Nations Security Council Briefing on the United Nations Organization, Ambassador Dorothy Shea said that “the United States looks forward to a Secretary-General who shares this vision of returning the UN to its founding purpose of maintaining international peace and security. The next Secretary-General should reject initiatives that fall outside the Charter’s founding purpose, prioritize accountability and transparency, and respect state sovereignty.” However, Dr. Bachelet’s previous promotion of an extreme abortion agenda suggests that, if selected as the next UNSG, she would continue the UN practice of engaging in “the propagation of divisive ideologies that undermine national sovereignty and stir controversy rather than bring member states together to address issues of common concern.” Her demonstrated ambitions and priorities, outlined below, conflict with the United States determination to bring the UN “back to the basics.”

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2018-2022)

Statement Opposing the Supreme Court Dobbs Decision

Dr. Bachelet used her tenure at the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to aggressively oppose the advancement of pro-life policy in the United States. In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court ruled in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that the United States Constitution “does not confer a right to abortion” and returned the authority to regulate abortion “to the people and their elected representatives.”

Dr. Bachelet chose to respond with an official OHCHR statement calling the decision “a major setback,” a “huge blow to women’s human rights,” and a decision that “strips autonomy” from women. She expressed her view that “abortion is firmly rooted in international human rights law and is at the core of women and girls’ autonomy.”

Having already set this precedent of using her office to attack United States pro-life law, as UNSG she clearly could not be trusted to respect the United States’ right to enforce pro-life laws and policies, include the Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance policy and the executive order Enforcing the Hyde Amendment (January 24, 2025).

Abortion Advocacy at OHCHR

Under Dr. Bachelet’s leadership, OHCHR pushed a radical abortion agenda in other ways. For example, in a 2022 speech, Dr. Bachelet asserted, “[r]estrictive abortion laws and practical barriers pose a threat to human rights…” She praised the weakening of pro-life laws in Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico. The truth is that killing an unborn child by abortion can never be construed to be a human right. Every person—born and unborn—deserves to have his or her human rights secured and protected.

A 2020 OHCHR “factsheet” on abortion claims, “[t]reaty body jurisprudence has indicated that denying women access to abortion can amount to violations of the rights to health, privacy and, in certain cases, the right to be free from cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.” The “factsheet” claims that failure to provide abortion is “a form of gender based violence against women, which can amount to torture and/or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.” These assertions are contrary to the Geneva Consensus Declaration, signed by the United States and more than 30 other nations, which affirms that there is no international right to abortion.

Failure to Oppose Coerced Abortion in China

In May 2022, Dr. Bachelet traveled to China at the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to investigate years of reports of severe human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

She should have honestly identified the atrocities committed by the CCP against the Uyghurs as a genocide. Instead, she released a watered-down report literally minutes before her term expired. She allowed the CCP to blatantly shield itself from an honest assessment and to sidestep responsibility for its horrific human rights abuses. In an appalling failure of leadership, Dr. Bachelet crumbled under pressure and enabled the CCP to manipulate the visit for its own advantage.

Executive Director of UN Women (2010-2013)

When UN Women was first established in 2010, Dr. Bachelet was appointed to be the first Executive Director. Planned Parenthood Federation of America celebrated that Dr. Bachelet’s appointment to lead UN Women “sends a clear message to the global community.”

Dr. Bachelet used the UN Women platform to promote abortion. UN Women was defined as “dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.” During her tenure, Dr. Bachelet declared that “reproductive rights,” a euphemistic term that encompasses elective abortion, was “absolutely fundamental” to that mission. The first major UN Women Report gives a glimpse of UN Women’s abortion advocacy. It pushes for countries to weaken pro-life laws and highlights court decisions that have undermined pro-life protections.

Given this history of UN Women, we welcomed President Donald Trump’s January 7, 2026 announcement of the United States’ withdrawal from UN Women, among other international organizations, on the basis that “it is contrary to the interests of the United States to remain a member of, participate in, or otherwise provide support to [these] organizations.” It is a matter of clear concern that Dr. Bachelet would bring her approach to the leadership of UN Women to the role of UNSG in a way that is likewise contrary to the interest of the United States.

President of Chile (2006-2010; 2014-2018)

During her bid for a second term as President of Chile, Dr. Bachelet campaigned on weakening Chile’s pro-life law protecting unborn life in all circumstances. After her reelection, Dr. Bachelet authored and sent to Chile’s Congress a bill to legalize abortion in certain situations. It was approved by lawmakers and overcame a court challenge in August 2017. BBC Mundo described the bill as one of Dr. Bachelet’s “flagship initiatives” and called the bill’s enactment “an important political victory” for her.

Conclusion

Dr. Bachelet’s resume reveals a pro-abortion zealot intent on using political authority to override state sovereignty in favor of extreme agendas. She has both overtly attacked pro-life laws—including those of the United States—and sought to weaken them through intimidation and coercion. She has incorrectly claimed that abortion is a human right while failing to provide an honest assessment of the true human rights abuses committed by the CCP. She has demonstrated that she is not a candidate who will respect state sovereignty, refrain from divisive ideologies, or focus on issues of common concern to UN member states.

The United States should use its veto power to prevent Dr. Bachelet from being selected as UNSG to preserve the role for a more qualified candidate.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Joining Senator Lee on the letter are United States Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Jim Banks (R-IN), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Todd Young (R-IN), as well as Representatives Christopher Smith (R-NJ-04), Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), Sheri Biggs (R-SC-03), Warren Davidson (R-OH-08), Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11), Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-05), Russ Fulcher (R-ID-01), Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Mike Haridopolos (R-FL-08), Andy Harris (R-MD-01), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01), Clay Higgins (R-LA-03), Brian Mast (R-FL-21), Mary Miller (R-IL-15), Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), Chip Roy (R-TX-21), John Rutherford (R-FL-05), Pete Sessions (R-TX-17), Keith Self (R-TX-03), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN-03), Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15), Daniel Webster (R-FL-11), and Joe Wilson (R-SC-02).

Access the full text of the letter here.

Read exclusive coverage by the Daily Wire here.

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Luján, Kim Introduce Legislation to Support Student Success through Early Childhood Education

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), one of only two Head Start graduates to serve in the Senate, and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) introduced the Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act, legislation to bolster early childhood education training for school admin and leaders and help them lay the groundwork for our youngest learners’ long-term success.

“As one of only two Senators who attended Head Start, I know firsthand how critical early childhood education is to laying the foundation for lifelong success,” said Senator Luján. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce legislation to expand training requirements so school leaders receive training to support younger students. This legislation will benefit our children and better equip staff to work in early childhood settings.”

“I’ve seen firsthand how early childhood programs unlock a world of opportunities for young kids across New Jersey. We should be doing all we can to give these programs and the educators running them all the support they need. I hope with this legislation we can deliver them another tool to look after their success and the long-term success of students across our nation,” said Senator Kim.

The Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act would amend the Higher Education Act to expand training in early childhood education for principals and school leaders who play a major role in overseeing pre-K programs and further support these educators’ impact on student achievement. In order to receive the Teacher Quality Partnership grant under the Higher Education Act, the legislation specifically requires leadership preparation programs to include coursework on child development, social-emotional development, developmentally appropriate behavioral supports, and instructional leadership for children from birth through age eight. It would also update requirements to strengthen engagement with parents, early childhood providers, and community partners to improve student outcomes.

The legislation is endorsed by the Association of Educational Services Agencies, National Association for the Education of Young Children, School Superintendents Association, The Early Care & Education Consortium, The Education Trust, and ZERO TO THREE.

Senator Luján has long fought to boost and safeguard early childhood education. In November, Senator Luján demanded answers from the Trump administration regarding delays in disbursing Head Start funds and pushed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure critical early childhood programs operate without disruption. In April, Senator Luján demanded the Trump administration stop its attacks on Head Start programs and reverse the firings of early childhood education workers.

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Lummis Introduces Legislation to Codify Trump’s Nuclear Baseload Energy Executive Orders

Washington, D.C. — Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today introduced the Strengthening American Nuclear Energy Act of 2026, legislation that codifies four of President Trump’s executive orders on nuclear energy into law, locking in the Trump administration’s pro-nuclear agenda and ensuring it cannot be undone by a future administration.

“Our country’s energy demands are only increasing, and meeting them requires every baseload source available,” said Senator Lummis. “Next generation nuclear is reliable, clean, cost effective, and powerful, and it is exactly what America, and our allies need more of. President Trump prioritized nuclear from day one, and this legislation makes that work permanent. America is moving forward toward energy dominance and next generation nuclear will help lead the way.”

“I am grateful to Senator Lummis for leading the Senate companion to this critical legislation, said Congressman Donalds. “As President Trump continues to secure national energy dominance, it’s up to Congress to hold up our end of the bargain. Energy security is national security, and it is imperative that we support the administration’s effort to revitalize the nuclear industry.”

“The Uranium Producers of America (UPA) strongly supports Senator Cynthia Lummis’ legislation to codify President Trump’s executive orders (EOs) advancing nuclear energy,” said Scott Melbye, President of the UPA and Executive Vice President of Uranium Energy Corp. “This effort represents a critical step toward achieving the United States’ goal of quadrupling U.S. nuclear energy production by 2050. Meeting this target will require a robust and reliable domestic nuclear fuel supply chain that UPA and its member companies are actively expanding. Codifying the EOs will enhance energy and national security and ensure the United States can meet growing electricity demand with reliable, baseload nuclear power.”

Background:

This legislation codifies four executive orders signed by President Trump on May 23, 2025, giving them the full force of law. Those executive orders directed the reform of nuclear reactor testing at the Department of Energy, accelerated the deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technologies for national security, ordered meaningful reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to cut red tape and speed up approvals, and directed a reinvigoration of the American nuclear industrial base.

Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security

Ordering The Reform Of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing At The Department Of Energy

Reinvigorating The Nuclear Industrial Base

The Trump administration has worked aggressively to cut bureaucratic delays at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and rebuild America’s nuclear industrial base after years of neglect under the Biden administration. Senator Lummis’s legislation ensures those reforms are codified into law and protected from future political interference.

Nuclear energy is one of the most reliable baseload power sources available, producing energy around the clock regardless of weather conditions. As America’s energy demands continue to grow, driven by data centers, AI, and a expanding economy, nuclear must be a central part of the solution.

Wyoming is already home to TerraPower’s Natrium reactor project in Kemmerer, a next-generation nuclear facility that is putting Wyoming workers on the cutting edge of America’s energy future.

Read the full legislative text here.

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) is a cosponsor. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) introduced the House companion.


Senator Marshall Op-Ed: ICE Doesn’t Need a Second Court – It Already Used One

Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), published an op-ed in the Salina Post, writing about the truth behind how ICE enforces immigration law and defending the agency’s use of administrative warrants as a long-established legal practice.

Senator Marshall argued that those subject to removal have already had their day in court. and pushed back on Democratic calls for additional judicial oversight, saying such changes would cripple enforcement and fail the millions of Americans who play by the rules every day.

Read the full op-ed HERE or below:

ICE doesn’t need a second court – It already used one

Senator Roger Marshall

Salina Post

March 25th, 2026

America has always been the land of opportunity. People come here from every corner of the world chasing the values that we hold so dearly. That is something we should be proud of – but being a welcoming nation doesn’t mean we stop being a nation of laws.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent data, more than 51 million foreign-born individuals live in the United States. That number reflects America’s enduring promise. Yet within that total, an estimated 15.4 million people are here illegally – living without legal status or authorization.

American citizens deserve a government that puts them first – no U.S. citizen should be asked to play by the rules while others face no rules at all.

The real question isn’t whether we should enforce our immigration laws – of course, we should. The question is whether we are enforcing them legally, fairly, and with the integrity the American people expect from their government.

Democrats in Washington are calling for sweeping changes to how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests and removes people who are in the United States illegally. The argument sounds reasonable on the surface: shouldn’t a judge sign every warrant before ICE can act? But when you look at how the current system actually works, the case for changing it falls apart.

First, it helps to understand that there are two kinds of warrants. Criminal warrants – the kind you see on TV – are signed by a judge before police can act. Administrative warrants are different: they are used in civil proceedings, like tax enforcement or immigration, where the government is not charging someone with a crime. ICE uses administrative warrants – and federal courts have upheld that practice for decades.

Here’s the truth about how ICE operates: They don’t show up on a hunch. In many cases, when ICE serves someone with a removal warrant, that person has already had their full day in court. They appeared before a federal immigration judge. They made their case. They had the chance to appeal. The court ordered them removed. That day in court had already come and gone.

For those who haven’t gone through that process yet, ICE still doesn’t act on a whim. They make an arrest based on probable cause – the same legal standard your local police use every single day. It’s documented. It’s grounded in evidence. And after the arrest, that person gets a notice to appear before a federal immigration judge, where they can hire a lawyer, present evidence, and appeal any ruling they disagree with. That – a hearing, a lawyer, the right to appeal – is due process.

And this isn’t some new legal theory floated by the current Administration. The Supreme Court settled this decades ago. In Abel v. United States, the Court upheld administrative warrants as a lawful tool for interior immigration enforcement. President Obama’s ICE used the same warrants. So did President Bush’s. This is not a new invention — it is settled law.

In Kansas, we understand the difference between a system that needs fixing and one that needs defending. Our farmers follow the law. Our small business owners follow the law. The overwhelming majority of Kansans follow the law every day. They expect a federal government that enforces the rules, too.

Demanding a second round of judicial sign-off before someone who entered this country illegally can be removed isn’t about protecting rights. It’s about using politics to sow doubt into a process that is already built on probable cause, administrative due process, and decades of judicial review.

Layering criminal court requirements onto what has always been a civil, administrative process – one that takes place outside the criminal justice system by design – wouldn’t make anyone safer. It would mean longer backlogs, more cases dropped, and people already ordered removed by a federal judge walking free. It would make enforcement nearly impossible.

This isn’t a debate about compassion versus cruelty. It’s a debate about who Washington is actually working for. Every American who plays by the rules deserves a government in their corner. Right now, democrats in Congress are more focused on shielding people who entered this country illegally than defending the citizens they were elected to serve.

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MCCORMICK, FETTERMAN LEAD BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO DESIGNATE ENDLESS MOUNTAINS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) today introduced the Endless Mountains National Heritage Area Act to designate Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains region as a National Heritage Area (NHA), a long-sought recognition that would preserve the region’s rich history and natural beauty while boosting economic growth through tourism. The legislation is the Senate companion to a House bill led by Congressman Dan Meuser (R-PA-09).

“Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains are a cornerstone of our Commonwealth’s history and natural beauty, with a legacy that stretches back to the earliest days of our nation,” said Senator McCormick. “Especially as we approach our nation’s 250th birthday, this designation is a major win for Northeast Pennsylvania—protecting our historic landscapes while growing a tourism economy that supports thousands of hardworking families. I’m proud to work alongside my Pennsylvania colleagues to bring national recognition to this truly world-class destination.”

“Our public lands are some of the very best parts of what our great country has to offer,”said Senator Fetterman. “We have a responsibility to safeguard the Endless Mountains National Heritage Area. I’m proud to help ensure it will be protected and enjoyed for generations to come while supporting economic development throughout the region.”

“The Endless Mountains region is one of Northeast Pennsylvania’s most scenic landscapes, full of history, natural beauty, and local culture. Whether you’re enjoying its fall foliage or its vast forests during summer, it provides some of the most stunning scenery in our Commonwealth. Establishing the Endless Mountains National Heritage Area will help protect that legacy while increasing tourism, encouraging local economic activity, and strengthening relationships among communities, small businesses, and conservation groups across the four counties. I am happy to lead this effort in the House, alongside Senators McCormick and Fetterman in the Senate, to ensure the history and culture of Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties are recognized and supported for generations of Pennsylvanians to come,” said Congressman Meuser.

BACKGROUND

This bipartisan bill would designate Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties as a National Heritage Area and name Endless Mountains Heritage Region, Inc. (EMHR) as the local coordinating entity.

As a National Heritage Area, the region would remain a lived-in landscape, with projects led by local communities through public-private partnerships—not federal mandates.

The legislation does not alter existing land-use regulations and does not grant the National Park Service any zoning authority or eminent domain power.

Outdoor and heritage tourism in the region already supports nearly 2,000 jobs and generates more than $166 million in annual economic activity. NHA designation would increase national visibility, attract more visitors, unlock additional federal resources, and could generate up to $350 million in annual economic activity.

The designation would help protect and elevate the legacy of the Munsee-Lenape, Susquehannock, and Iroquois peoples, along with the region’s agricultural and industrial history.

The effort has garnered strong local and statewide support, including formal resolutions from all four counties and backing from a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania state legislators.

“We’re grateful for the support we’ve received from our state and federal legislators—particularly Senator Dave McCormick, Senator John Fetterman, and Congressman Dan Meuser—as we work to achieve a National Heritage Area designation for the Endless Mountains,” said Cain Chamberlin, Executive Director of the Endless Mountains Heritage Region. “This effort reflects years of collaboration, research, and community input, and highlights the region’s unique history, natural beauty, and cultural significance.”

Read the full bill text here.

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New Merkley, Raskin Legislation Bans Gambling on Elections, Sports, War, and Government Activity

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (MD-08) introduced new legislation to crack down on prediction markets and the opportunity these markets invite for corruption.

Merkley and Raskin’s STOP Corrupt Bets Act responds to the recent explosion of prediction markets, which now offer event contracts on everything from elections to sports and acts of war. The bicameral bill would ban betting through prediction markets on elections, government actions, sports, and military actions. These areas are not commodities and have little-to-no value in helping business investments.

“When anyone can use prediction markets to make a well-timed bet on Congress passing a bill, government decisions, or a military strike, it’s ripe for corruption and erodes public trust,” said Merkley. “The STOP Corrupt Bets Act restores the original intent of prediction markets and prevents these markets from further eroding our democratic institutions and turning them into a casino. I’m ready to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to crack down on this bad bet for democracy and restore our vision of government ‘of, by, and for the people,’ not government ‘of, by, and for the powerful.’”

“The oligarchs and opportunists are using prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket to enrich themselves. But democracy isn’t about insider gambling on our common future, it’s about everyone making it together. Placing bets on public policy and political events informed by insider knowledge spreads civic cynicism and distrust in our democratic institutions,” said Raskin. “By banning bets on elections, legislation, acts of war and other government actions, we can oppose corrupt attempts to rig our democracy and profit from the fix.”

Prior to 2024, event contracts on elections, sports, and government actions did not exist in the United States. A lawsuit brought by Wall Street firm Kalshi paved the way for election betting just months before that year’s presidential election, and the 2026 midterm elections will be the first full election cycle that allows election gambling. This is happening at the same time as reports of individuals using prediction markets to place suspiciously timed bets and earn massive payouts following the fall of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, ouster of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and military actions against Iran.

The STOP Corrupt Bets Act would:

Explicitly prohibit event contracts on:

Elections and their outcome;

Government actions across all branches unless there’s a commercial hedging need;

Sports, and;

U.S. or foreign military actions.

Clarifies that the intent of Congress in the original statute was that these markets are already against the intent of the Commodity Exchange Act, and that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) must enforce and prevent any market that doesn’t have a commercial hedging value to prevent federal gambling.

Requires the non-partisan, independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on prediction markets, insider trading, preventing any other markets that are “gaming” or gambling, the impact on children, and ways Congress can rein in offshore illegal bets.

This legislation also returns the power of regulating gambling to the states by ensuring they can choose to allow gambling and regulate it under state jurisdiction or prohibit it. At least 20 federal suits have been filed against platforms offering prediction markets for their products that are akin to gambling, in direct violation of state law.

The STOP Corrupt Bets Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

Merkley and Raskin’s bill is supported by Public Citizen, Americans for Financial Reform (AFR), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Project On Government Oversight (POGO), and Democracy Defenders Action.

“The prediction market industry has become nothing more than a gambling business by any other name. Recent bets on prediction market platforms on, say, the killing of a national leader or the price of oil that were placed moments before the federal government took actions causing those bets to become reality, suggests those bettors may have had insider information. The federal government should not be in the business of trying to run casinos. The ‘STOP Corrupt Bets Act of 2026‘ by Sen. Merkley and Rep. Raskin would prevent prediction markets from operating as casinos and is heartily endorsed by Public Citizen,” said Craig Holman, Ph.D., Public Citizen.

“Prediction markets have turned democracy itself into a casino by allowing gambling on American elections, government actions, or military intervention,” said Patrick Woodall, managing director at Americans for Financial Reform. “Government officials should not be able to leverage their access to confidential information to game prediction markets and unfairly enrich themselves. The STOP Corrupt Bets Act prevents connected officials from getting rich by trading on inside information and restores some needed trust and confidence in the U.S. government.”

“Prediction markets are increasingly packaging gambling as financial instruments, exploiting regulatory gray areas to avoid basic consumer protections. Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Jamie Raskin’s Stop Trading On Predictions and Corrupt Bets Act of 2026 draws a clear, necessary line: if it looks like gambling, it should be regulated as gambling,” said Virginia Canter, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Chief Counsel and Director of Democracy Defenders Action. “By preventing CFTC-regulated entities from listing or clearing these contracts—except in the narrow case of legitimate commercial hedging—the STOP Corrupt Bets Act would protect markets from manipulation and conflicts of interest. It’s a commonsense step to ensure our financial system serves real economic needs, not speculative betting on political outcomes or public crises.”

“Recent high profile instances of bets on war, elections and other political actions underscore the need for better regulation of prediction markets,” said Donald Sherman, President and CEO of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “These types of event contracts present clear ethical concerns. The STOP Corrupt Bets Act clarifies and extends the law to the most dangerous types of bets in order to combat the risk of bad actors circumventing existing state and federal laws and attempting to manipulate government actions to their own advantage.”

“Prediction market platforms must be clear and consistent on what event contracts are allowed and prohibited. Allowing bets on political events, government actions, and military matters undermines public trust and invites corruption. POGO is proud to endorse Sen. Merkley and Rep. Raskin’s legislation as a crucial step toward meaningful oversight,” said Janice Luong, Policy Associate, Project On Government Oversight.

Merkley has been a leader on Capitol Hill ringing the alarm bells about the dangers that prediction markets pose to our democracy. Previously, he urged the CFTC to reject a then-pending proposal from Kalshi to set up massive election casinos that could influence and interfere with American elections and further erode public trust in democracy. He also took to the floor of the U.S. Senate and penned an op-ed to warn about efforts to exploit American democracy for profit.

He recently introduced the End Prediction Market Corruption Act to prevent the President, Vice President, Members of Congress, and other public officials from trading event contracts, curbing the potential for insider trading and conflicts of interest. He has also been a long-time leader in the push to end public corruption, including leading a bipartisan bill that would prohibit lawmakers from trading stocks and legislation to ban cryptocurrency-related corruption by elected officials at the highest levels of the federal government.

Full text of the STOP Corrupt Bets Act can be found by clicking here.

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Oregon Lawmakers Call on Trump Administration to Extend Public Comment Period for Revised Western Oregon Forest Plan

New BLM proposal would open up millions of acres of Western Oregon forests to new commercial timber production

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Janelle Bynum and Maxine Dexter this week called on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to extend the public comment period for its revised Western Oregon Resource Management Plans (RMPs), which would open up forests in Western Oregon to new commercial timber harvest.

“We urge the BLM to take a more robust and proactive approach to public involvement to ensure all proposed plans meet the needs of the public and avoid dividing communities that have long demonstrated the ability to find common ground on challenging issues when presented the opportunity,” the members of Oregon’s congressional delegation wrote in their letter to Kim Prill, the BLM’s Oregon-Washington Acting State Director. “There is a divide between what is required legally and what is required to maintain and grow the social license to work effectively in our federal forests.”

The Western Oregon Resource Management Plan controls over 2.4 million acres of forests across 17 counties in Oregon. In February, the Trump administration announced its intent to move forward with a revised plan that would return to 1960s timber harvest levels across the landscape, more than 10 times current average harvest levels.

The Trump administration’s public comment period for the revised plan closed on March 23. During that period, the administration did not hold any public meetings on its new proposal. In their letter, the lawmakers requested the comment period be reopened for another 60 days to ensure members of the community could make their voices heard.

A comprehensive list of areas that could be opened up for new timber harvest under the revised plan is here.

The full letter to the BLM is here.

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Sens. Schiff and Merkley Demand Extension of Ethics Guardrails on Trump EPA Chemical Appointees, End to Conflicts of Interest

Senators urge Trump appointees to end all communication with their previous chemical industry employers to ensure the agency is serving the American people instead of private corporate interests

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), member of EPW Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight, are urging four political appointees managing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) to extend indefinitely their recusal periods and refrain from any communication or coordination with former employers and clients.

The letter points to records released in September 2025 revealing that top OCSPP appointees met with representatives from at least 50 industry associations and chemical and pesticide companies.

“Federal law generally prohibits political appointees from participating in specific executive administration manners, such as grants, contracts, litigations, enforcement actions, registrations, permits, or investigations, with their former employers and clients during their recusal periods. These recusal periods are essential for insulating agencies from private interests that might benefit financially from decisions made by senior officials who were formerly employed by or affiliated with these interests,” the Senators wrote.

In light of the administration’s supposed mantra of ‘Make America Healthy Again’ (MAHA), the Senators emphasize that the EPA and OCSPP have diverted from their mission – keeping Americans safe from toxic chemicals – as more officials are appointed with concerning industry ties to pesticide and chemical companies. The Senators point to these appointees’ previous work advocating for companies that directly benefit from OCSPP’s ongoing efforts to roll back public health standards.

“The previous administration required all political appointees to sign an ethics pledge that went beyond minimum statutory requirements, but the current administration terminated this pledge. Such restrictions serve as a bulwark against impropriety and give credence to the notion that the federal government is meant to serve the American taxpayer rather than corporate interests,” the Senators continued.

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Mr. Troutman, Dr. Beck, Dr. Dekleva, and Mr. Kunkler:

We write today to express our concern regarding the ending of the recusal periods that were placed on you as political appointees managing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), the office responsible for keeping Americans safe from toxic chemicals. Because each of you has previously worked or advocated for companies that directly benefit from your office’s efforts to roll back public health standards for chemicals, we urge each you to permanently extend your recusals and refrain from any contact or communication with any of your former employers or clients in order to prevent undue corporate influence on EPA’s decision-making and ensure that EPA’s regulatory standards for chemicals and pesticides serve the public interest.

Federal law generally prohibits political appointees from participating in specific executive administration manners, such as grants, contracts, litigations, enforcement actions, registrations, permits, or investigations, with their former employers and clients during their recusal periods. These recusal periods are essential for insulating agencies from private interests that might benefit financially from decisions made by senior officials who were formerly employed by or affiliated with these interests. Even beyond recusal periods and the types of activities recusals do not prohibit, like policy decisions of general applicability, past administrations have encouraged political appointees to avoid contacting past employers or clients throughout their time in government service. Indeed, the previous administration required all political appointees to sign an ethics pledge that went beyond minimum statutory requirements, but the current administration terminated this pledge. Such restrictions serve as a bulwark against impropriety and give credence to the notion that the federal government is meant to serve the American taxpayer rather than corporate interests.

Making your recusal periods permanent is necessary because of the deep ties each of you has to the chemical industry. Dr. Beck is a former American Chemistry Council executive and previously lobbied for dozens of companies, including the American Petroleum Institute, the Olin Corporation, Scotts Miracle-Gro Co., and Syngenta. Her recusal periods with many of these companies ended throughout the past year. Dr. Dekleva served as a senior director at the American Chemistry Council before joining OSCPP. Her recusal ended in January 2026.

Your actions during your tenure thus far have demonstrated the dangers of conflicts of interest and have unfortunately affirmed many of the ethics concerns that we have regarding your appointments. The American Chemistry Council, the former employer of both Dr. Beck and Dr. Dekleva, has advocated for years to roll back public health risk assessments for formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. In December 2025, EPA did in fact revise its assessment, nearly doubling the amount of formaldehyde it previously considered to be safe for exposure.

Further, Mr. Kunkler, who leads OCSPP’s Office of Pesticide Programs, is a former lobbyist for the American Soybean Association, which has advocated for the reinstatement of the pesticide dicamba. In 2024, a federal court blocked the registration and use of dicamba because EPA failed to properly consider public comments during the first Trump administration, when Dr. Beck and Dr. Dekleva previously worked in OCSPP. On February 6, 2026, EPA announced that the Office of Pesticide Programs under Mr. Kunkler had re-registered dicamba, despite legal challenges, risks to public health, and known damaging effects to neighboring crops. Studies have linked dicamba exposure to liver and bile duct cancer and leukemia.

The end of your recusal periods will only exacerbate these conflicts of interest. Further, because you have secured ethics waivers and permission to engage in certain regulatory processes that involve your former employers and clients, it is clear that a permanent extension of recusal periods is necessary but not sufficient to prevent industry regulatory capture of EPA. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) records released in September 2025 reveal that OCSPP appointees accepted meetings with representatives from at least 50 industry associations and chemical and pesticide companies just between February and May 2025. Strikingly, these FOIA documents reveal calendars devoid of meetings with public health or environmental organizations.

Finally, the troubling legacy of OCSPP leadership during the first Trump administration — which included Dr. Beck and Dr. Dekleva—further buttresses our concerns and underscores the need for strong ethical commitments. In 2024, the EPA Inspector General released reports that found numerous instances of retaliation and unhealthy management pressure in the chemicals office during the first Trump administration that led to at least five whistleblower complaints and many experts leaving OCSPP. EPA scientists who worked in the chemicals office during the first Trump administration said they were pressured to downplay the harms of chemicals to get them approved faster.

For all these reasons, we ask that you commit to the following and provide a response by April 8, 2026:

Will you commit to permanently extending your recusal periods?

Will you commit to forswearing all contact with any former employers or clients who may have an interest in EPA’s chemical regulatory decisions?

Will you commit to recusing yourself from rulemaking procedures that involve chemicals in which your former employers or clients have an interest?

Thank you for your consideration of these requests to ensure that EPA is serving the American people instead of private corporate interests. We look forward to your response.

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