Warner, Colleagues Press Trump Administration to Reverse Course on Rollback of Federal Employee Protections

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and more than ten of his Senate colleagues are urging the Trump Administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) against implementing two rules that would severely weaken longstanding civil service protections for federal employees. The senators submitted two letters for OPM’s official comment periods on its proposed rules regarding Suitability Action and Reduction in Force (RIF) appeals.

In the first letter, the senators urged OPM to reject its proposed rule that would transfer jurisdiction over suitability action appeals when an employee or prospective employee is deemed unsuitable for federal service from the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to OPM. In the second letter, the senators urged OPM to reject its proposed rule that would transfer jurisdiction over RIF appeals from the MSPB to OPM. In both letters, the senators expressed concern that the rules would shift the adjudication of appeals from the independent MSPB to an internal OPM process overseen by a political appointee – a clear conflict of interest in which OPM is the policymaker, the enforcer, and the final arbiter of these appeals. Further, they noted that these moves will erode protections for employees and invite political interference in workforce matters. The Senators stressed that these proposed changes are especially dangerous given the Administration’s recent abuses of federal employees.

In addition to Sen. Warner, Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) signed the suitability action appeals letter. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) joined Sen. Warner is sending the reduction in force appeals letter.

“We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) proposed rule, Suitability Action Appeals (OPM-2025-0173-0001). While we agree that suitability standards and procedures play a critical role in protecting the federal government, this proposal undermines the statutory framework, independence, and due process protections that ensure those standards are applied fairly and lawfully,” the senators wrote in their suitability action appeals letter, which can be viewed here.

“We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) proposed rule—Reduction in Force Appeals [2026-02576]—that seeks to move the venue for Reduction in Force (RIF) appeals from the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to OPM. At its core, this proposal undoes Congress’s deliberate separation of personnel policymaking and adjudication of appeals, undermines due process protections for federal employees, and poses heightened risks of politization given the current Administration’s attacks on the nonpartisan civil service. While framed as an efficiency measure, the rule would instead erode structural safeguards that have anchored the merit-based civil service for decades,” the senators wrote in their RIF appeals letter, which can be viewed here.

Full text of both letters can be viewed below.

Suitability Action Appeals:

We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) proposed rule, Suitability Action Appeals (OPM-2025-0173-0001). While we agree that suitability standards and procedures play a critical role in protecting the federal government, this proposal undermines the statutory framework, independence, and due process protections that ensure those standards are applied fairly and lawfully.

Congress spoke clearly when it enacted the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. That law reformed the former Civil Service Commission and deliberately created separate entities with distinct missions where personnel policymaking authority was assigned to OPM and independent adjudication of workforce appeals was assigned to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).

This separation was not accidental. Congress sought to prevent precisely the structure this rule would create, one where the same agency that promulgates personnel policy also adjudicates claims that those policies were applied improperly or unlawfully. By transferring suitability appeals from MSPB to OPM, the proposed rule collapses this intentionally designed safeguard and recreates aspects of the system Congress chose to abandon.

By contrast, the MSPB was structured to provide independent, balanced adjudication. Removing appeals from MSPB eliminates this neutral forum and centralizes authority within the policymaking body of OPM. Under this proposal, OPM would draft suitability policies, implement those policies, and adjudicate appeals arising from them. This consolidation makes OPM the policymaker, the enforcer, and the final arbiter.

OPM contends that internal reporting structures will preserve impartiality, claiming that staff taking suitability actions will operate in separate units and report through different supervisory chains than those deciding appeals. However, in practice, this separation cannot play out when both chains ultimately report to you in your politically appointed role as the Director of OPM as the rule clearly states that the Director of OPM will be the final arbiter of appeals.

Further, the proposal comes alongside multiple rules related to removing authority from the MSPB to OPM, including the appeal process for both probationary employees and reductions in force (RIFs). Transferring all these appeal responsibilities to OPM particularly amid a reduced internal workforce and without demonstrated adjudicatory capacity risks inconsistency, delay, and diminished confidence in outcomes—the exact consequences OPM claims this rule seeks to remedy.

This rule must also be considered in the broader context of recent suitability rulemaking that would further centralize personnel authority within OPM. Taken together, these actions would concentrate extraordinary power in a single agency led by political appointees, enabling OPM to sidestep long-established due process protections that shield federal employees from adverse actions based on political considerations, retaliation for exposing waste, fraud, and abuse, or other conduct protected by the merit system principles. This approach risks undermining merit based governance while weakening accountability and increasing politization.

For these reasons, we strongly urge OPM to withdraw this proposed rule and instead work collaboratively with Congress and stakeholders to modernize and improve suitability processes while maintaining the independence and merit principles that underpin our civil service system.

Reduction in Force Appeals:

We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) proposed rule—Reduction in Force Appeals [2026-02576]—that seeks to move the venue for Reduction in Force (RIF) appeals from the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to OPM. At its core, this proposal undoes Congress’s deliberate separation of personnel policymaking and adjudication of appeals, undermines due process protections for federal employees, and poses heightened risks of politization given the current Administration’s attacks on the nonpartisan civil service. While framed as an efficiency measure, the rule would instead erode structural safeguards that have anchored the merit-based civil service for decades.

In the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, Congress divided the former Civil Service Commission’s responsibilities between OPM and MSPB, assigning OPM the task of promulgation and interpretation of federal personnel policy, while entrusting MSPB with the independent adjudication of workforce appeals. This separation was not incidental; it was designed to prevent the very conflict of interest this proposed rule would create. By consolidating policymaking and adjudicatory authority within OPM, the agency that writes and interprets RIF regulations would also determine whether those same regulations were lawfully applied. The proposed rule directly contradicts the statutory framework Congress deliberately constructed to safeguard neutrality and merit principles.

The proposed rule contends that the current “dual-track” structure by which OPM creates RIF regulations and MSPB adjudicates appeals creates inefficiencies. It also asserts that MSPB, as opposed to OPM, lacks institutional expertise about RIFs. However, the quasi-judicial procedures available before MSPB, which include hearings, discovery, and the development of a formal record, are not bureaucratic obstacles; rather, they are consequential safeguards for employees in a merit-based system. Particularly in RIF disputes involving complex claims related to the application of retention factors, preferences, or allegations of improper motive, a transparent and independent process is critical to preserve procedural fairness and employees’ rights.

The proposal further undermines both efficiency and independence by designating the Director of OPM as the final decision-maker in workforce appeals. Concentrating final adjudicatory authority in a single political appointee could create delays, and it would erode the structural independence Congress sought to protect when it separated this type of policymaking from its adjudication.

Additionally, OPM has not demonstrated that it possesses the adjudicatory capacity necessary to replace MSPB’s established system. The rule would shift appeals to OPM’s Merit System Accountability and Compliance (MSAC), which reports directly to the OPM Director and lacks the independent, balanced, multi-member board structure of the MSPB. Transferring appeals without evidence of readiness would risk inconsistent determinations, procedural delay, and diminished confidence in outcomes, which are the very issues the proposal claims to address.

Further, this rule accompanies several other proposed rules that would shift additional authority from the MSPB to OPM, including appeals involving probationary employees and suitability determinations. Concentrating all these adjudicatory functions within OPM at a time of reduced internal staffing and without demonstrated capacity would create further risk of inconsistent determinations and procedural delays.

Equally troubling is the erosion of procedural safeguards acknowledged within the proposal itself. Eliminating or weakening hearing rights and evidentiary collection processes would diminish the ability of employees to meaningfully challenge agency errors and would undermine confidence in the integrity of the system.

Finally, this proposal cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader context of the Administration’s attacks on the merit-based federal workforce. Recent attempts at mass removals and the President’s rhetoric suggesting that personnel actions are directed at political opponents underscore the importance of maintaining robust, independent oversight of RIF actions. Even if this restructuring were presented as purely administrative, it would still collapse the policymaking and adjudicatory separation Congress directed. Especially in the current political climate, the agency that sets personnel policy should not also have adjudicatory authority. If it were to have this concentrated authority, it would heighten the risk of misuse and politicization of workforce decisions.

As members of Congress, we have witnessed firsthand the vital services delivered to the American people by a nonpartisan and highly skilled federal workforce. It is our responsibility to ensure that the civil service remains protected from political retaliation and that it is guaranteed full due process rights. This proposed rule runs counter to those principles. We strongly urge OPM to reject it and instead collaborate with Congress to responsibly manage and modernize federal workforce operations.

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Warner Statement on the White House's AI Legislative Framework

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

“Today’s AI legislative framework takes some steps in the right direction but lacks significant substance. We need laws on AI and children’s privacy and data, including the kinds of user-empowering tools I’ve long championed in bipartisan legislation. We need to do more on deepfake non-consensual intimate images, as I’ve advocated for years now. We need laws to ensure that AI benefits all Americans, like my bipartisan Economy of the Future Act is designed to develop. We need researchers, students, and small businesses to have access to AI tools to ensure that development of this technology isn’t concentrated in the hands of a few large companies.

“We also need national security agencies to establish plans to mitigate against national security threats from advanced AI. But, two years in a row, the Senate Intelligence Committee passed bills that would have required that kind of proactive engagement strategy to get ahead of malicious foreign actors. And two years in a row, President Trump's allies in Congress killed those provisions from being enacted into law.

“Unfortunately, this slim framework also does many things wrong.

“The framework is worse than silent on AI-powered mis- and disinformation, a real and growing threat to our elections, our markets, and our country. Instead, it trots out the same old talking points about combatting partisan or ideological bias to cloak its own inaction on – and worse, its encouragement and use of - deepfakes and other AI slop being used for a wide range of harmful activity.

“Furthermore, it once again raises the threat of preempting state’s ability to regulate AI where AI affects their citizens and institutions; notably, the administration’s last attempt to do Big AI’s bidding was defeated 99-1 in the Senate last year.

“Overall, it reminds me of the administration’s cybersecurity strategy: several pages of broad goals, all of them short on substance.”

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New Report Finds SNAP Cuts in GOP Tax Bill Could Lead To 1,300 Avoidable Georgia Deaths

New state estimates from the Center for American Progress show expanded work reporting requirements in Washington Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) could result in tens of thousands of avoidable deaths across the country

Georgia could see as many as 1,300 people die due to nutrition cuts in the OBBB, trailing only California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Florida

Senator Reverend Warnock: “This report should trouble the moral conscience of every Georgian— ordinary people don’t have lobbyists. Billionaires and corporations do. What we are seeing is the real impact this tax break for billionaires will have on ordinary people”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement after a new study found 1,300 Georgians could die due to nutrition cuts in President Trump and Washington Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill. The $3.4 trillion tax and spending legislation passed by Republicans in July 2025 cut $186 billion in nutrition benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to give a tax break to billionaires.

“This report should trouble the moral conscience of every Georgian — ordinary people don’t have lobbyists. Billionaires and corporations do,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “What we are seeing is the real impact this tax break for billionaires will have on ordinary people. Children, veterans, and rural Georgians will be the hardest hit. Washington Republicans presented the American people with a false choice when they passed their tax and spending bill last July. They insisted that Americans were exploiting these programs when the opposite was true. Now, Georgians may be forced to pay for this wrongheaded decision with their lives.”

As more families have their food assistance cut or eliminated, they are likely to experience worsening health outcomes and increased mortality. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that SNAP participation will fall by 2.4 million people on average each month due to the OBBB’s work reporting requirements. The Center for American Progress (CAP) projects that would translate into nearly 70,000 avoidable deaths nationally by 2040. Senator Warnock has long fought for continued federal support of food assistance programs like SNAP that help families supplement their grocery costs so they can purchase nutritious food.

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Warnock Highlights Bipartisan Public Policy Bills During HELP Committee Member Day

Yesterday, during the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s member day, Senator Warnock highlighted several of his bipartisan public policy bills within the committee’s jurisdiction

Senator Warnock uplifted his Pathways to Prosperity Act and the HEADWAY Act

Member Days are an opportunity for on- and off-Committee members to share their legislative priorities

Senator Warnock: “These investments in good public policy literally changed the trajectory of my life. What keeps me up at night is the recognition that it would be harder for me to achieve today the things that I achieved all those years ago”

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) highlighted two of his landmark public policy and workforce development bills during the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s annual Member Day. During his remarks, Senator Warnock underscored the importance of good public policy and the role such programs have played in his life.

“I sit here as living proof of what good public policy can achieve. Without federal programs that are directly under this committee’s jurisdiction, I would not be serving in the United States Senate,” said Senator Warnock. “I am a proud alum of Head Start. I’m a proud alum of Trio, which placed me on a college campus, convinced the kid growing up in public housing that I belong there because I was already there during my summer breaks and on weekends. Without Pell Grants, I would not have been able to graduate and become the first college graduate in my family.”

“These investments in good public policy literally changed the trajectory of my life. What keeps me up at night is the recognition that it would be harder for me to achieve today the things that I achieved all those years ago. I am still fighting for that kid who grew up on Cape Street,” Senator Warnock continued.

The HEADWAY Act would allow Head Start to fulfill its commitment to providing high-quality, early childhood education for children from vulnerable families, laying the foundation for their future success by supporting Early Head Start learning professionals and giving program directors the flexibility they need to respond to employment trends.

The Pathways to Prosperity Act focuses on strengthening the nation’s workforce development pipeline by bridging the gap between community and technical colleges and local industry via career training and apprenticeship programs that allow students to “earn while they learn.” This legislation ensures a strong pathway from a vocational degree to a good-paying job. It would also codify the Strengthening Community Colleges Grant Program, a critical initiative that provides competitive grants for community and technical colleges to partner with employers and align training programs with local industry needs.

Senator Warnock’s full remarks can be found HERE and below.

Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): “Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

“I sit here as living proof of what good public policy could achieve. Without federal programs that are directly under this committee’s jurisdiction, I would not be serving in the United States Senate. I am a proud alum of Head Start. I’m a proud alum of Trio, which placed me on a college campus, convince the kid growing up in public housing that I belong there because I was already there during my summer breaks and on weekends. Without Pell Grants, I would not have been able to graduate, making me the first college graduate in my family.”

“These investments in good public policy literally changed the trajectory of my life. What keeps me up at night is the recognition that it would be harder for me to achieve today the things that I achieved all those years ago. I am still fighting for that kid who grew up on Cape Street.”

“I remain deeply committed to ensuring others have the same opportunities through policies that bolster the workforce, that are good investments and that give every child a chance and the recognition that a kid’s outcome should not be based on their parents’ income. When we do that, not only do we hope that kid, in a real sense, we lift this country towards its greatness.”

“One such investment that I’m fighting for in light of my own story and in my own recognition of the difference these programs make is my bipartisan workforce development bill with Senator Marshall, the Pathways to Prosperity Act, which would fund partnerships between technical and community colleges and industry partners to work together and develop workforce development programs aligned to the real needs of nearby industries.”

“Our technical colleges and community colleges I think are a vastly underutilized resource. We must ensure students are graduating with technical degrees that are in high demand and that yield good paying jobs on day one. Last congress committee advances the bill in the workforce development package and I urge the committee to support this legislation and get it passed on the floor.”

“I also encourage you to consider the Headway Act. My bipartisan bill with Senator Capito. Which will help address the Head Start shortage by allowing Head Start teachers to teach under supervision while they are working on their degrees. This bipartisan bill is supported by the National Head Start Association and would cut red tape to get more headstart teachers in the classrooms right away.”

“I hope this committee will advance this bill that will help teachers and small children get a great head start. Finally, I am excited to share that next week Senator Britt and I will introduce bipartisan legislation to expand access to research grant opportunities for our nation’s HBCUs, our Historically Black Colleges and Universities. These schools have historically punched way above their weight. They have been doing so much for so many, with so very little for so long that I think too often we as a nation take for granted.”

“I am a graduate of Morehouse College. I know firsthand what these schools produce. I hope this committee will take that bill once it is introduced to ensure that our HBCU students, as part of a larger ecosystem of all of our great colleges and universities, will have the same opportunities to participate in cutting-edge research, research that our nation needs in order to remain competitive and to keep our competitive edge we need everybody’s talent.”

“Together, these bipartisan efforts will expand opportunities and keep the American dream, thank you so much.”

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ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Blasts Pentagon For Sidelining Military Lawyers, Endangering Civilians

Warren: “Now, more than ever, we need strong, independent military lawyers.”

Warren: “Our enemies might not care about civilian casualties, but the US military always has.”

Video of Exchange (YouTube)

Washington, D.C. — At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) raised her concerns to the commanders of United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) about the Trump administration’s sidelining of the military’s Judge Advocate General Corps (JAGs), who are responsible for providing independent legal advice to commanders. This sidelining risks increasing the chances of civilian harm as the war against Iran continues.

Under this Trump Administration, JAGs have been systematically sidelined in spite of federal law providing that no one at the Department of Defense (DoD) may interfere with the TJAGs’ ability to “give independent legal advice to commanders." In February 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired The Judge Advocate General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to avoid “roadblocks” to the President’s orders. On March 12, Hegseth announced a “ruthless” review of JAGs to overhaul the Department’s legal offices.

“JAGs can't give their best advice if they fear losing their job just for raising legal concerns with an operation,” said Senator Warren.

Senator Warren questioned General Gregory M. Guillot, NORTHCOM Commander, on whether he witnessed NORTHCOM sidelining any JAGs. General Guillot assured Senator Warren that the JAG corps is included in all battle rhythm meetings at his command. However, Senator Warren pointed out that across the department the Trump administration has reassigned hundreds of JAGs to work on the president's immigration agenda, as well as concerns about the chilling effects of the Secretary’s review.

“For decades, military lawyers have worked side by side with officers to make sure that strikes are lawful and that they minimize civilian casualties," said Senator Warren. “That doesn't make us weaker. It saves innocent lives and it prevents fueling terrorism.”

Since the start of the Iran War, Secretary Hegseth has shown a complete disregard for the laws of war. On March 3, Secretary Hegseth remarked that Operation Epic Fury would have “no stupid rules of engagement.” On March 4, while describing U.S. military operations in Iran, Secretary Hegseth announced, “death and destruction from the sky all day long.” This rhetoric could endanger civilians, including American citizens, in the region and around the globe. Already, a preliminary investigation from the Department of Defense found the U.S. was likely responsible for the strike on a girls’ elementary school that reportedly killed at least 175 people – mostly children – in Minab, Iran.

Senator Warren pressed Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan, SOUTHCOM Commander, on whether he would inform the Senate Armed Services Committee if SOUTHCOM is directed to do something that the Lieutenant General or his JAGs believed to be illegal. Lieutenant General Donovan refused to commit to directly informing the Senate Armed Services Committee, insisting on working through his chain of command.

Senator Warren raised her concern over Lieutenant General Donovan's response and emphasized the need for nonpartisan military leaders to commit to following the law.

“We need our nonpartisan military leaders to double down on their commitment to following the law and speaking up when they are asked to break it, and Congress needs to be able to step in and rein in this lawless commander-in-chief and his self-styled Secretary of War,” concluded Senator Warren.

Transcript: Hearings to examine the posture of United States Northern Command and United States Southern Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2027 and the Future Years Defense Program.

Senate Armed Services Committee

March 19, 2026

Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are repeatedly dragging the US military across both legal and moral lines. Trump and Hegseth have plunged us into an illegal war with Iran, where a US airstrike appears to have killed 150 schoolchildren. And it's not just in Iran. Under Trump and Hegseth, the military fired on civilians and shipwrecked survivors in the Caribbean. And now, Secretary Hegseth is threatening to give "no quarter" to adversaries. This is not who we are. Our enemies might not care about civilian casualties, but the US military always has. And that is why Secretary Hegseth’s attacks on the guardrails that prevent civilian harm and civilian casualties is so dangerous.

So, take the JAGs. Now, more than ever, we need strong, independent military lawyers, but there are serious concerns that JAGs cannot give honest legal advice right now.

General Guillot, let me ask you, have you seen any evidence of the JAG corps being sidelined, whether at NORTHCOM or elsewhere in the department?

General Gregory M. Guillot: Senator, I have not seen any evidence of the JAGs being sidelined in our command. I'll point out that our JAG is included in all of our battle rhythm meetings, and in fact, our JAG is sitting behind me right now.

Senator Warren: Yeah, and I just want you to know I'm glad to hear that. Glad to hear it's not happening in your command. But we know that this is a problem across the department. Secretary Hegseth fired TJAGs because he thought they were "roadblocks," and he installed his personal lawyer to retrain military lawyers to water down constraints. He reassigned hundreds of JAGs to work on Trump's radical immigration agenda. And last week, the Secretary said he's starting a quote, "ruthless overhaul of the JAG system."

Look, for decades, military lawyers have worked side by side with officers to make sure that strikes are lawful and that they minimize civilian casualties. That doesn't make us weaker. It saves innocent lives and it prevents fueling terrorism. But Secretary Hegseth has blamed JAGs for what he calls, quote, "stupid rules of engagement."

General Donovan, let me ask you, if a JAG or a civilian harm advisor says to distinguish between a military base and an elementary school in an airstrike. Is that a stupid rule of engagement?

Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan: No, Senator.

Senator Warren: Look, JAGs can't give their best advice if they fear losing their job just for raising legal concerns with an operation. One way we protect the integrity of legal advice in our military is by creating for-cause removal protections for our JAGs. Commanders also need to be able to speak up when they're being asked to break the law.

General Donovan, your predecessor, was reportedly ousted because he raised concerns about the legality of the Caribbean boat strikes. Will you commit to informing this committee if SOUTHCOM is directed to do something that you or your JAG think may be illegal?

Lieutenant General Donovan: Senator, my first obligation if I face what I believe is an unlawful legal order is to obviously seek legal counsel, discuss that with my higher headquarters, and then move forward and not carry out an illegal order.

Senator Warren: Yeah, maybe you didn't hear my question. My question was, will you commit to informing this committee if SOUTHCOM is directed to do something that you or your JAG thinks is illegal?

Lieutenant General Donovan: If I reported that to this committee, Senator, it would be through my chain of command.

Senator Warren: But you would make sure that we got the information?.

Lieutenant General Donovan: I would report to my chain of command.

Senator Warren: And you would not take any responsibility for making sure we got that information? You do realize we have oversight responsibilities here.

Lieutenant General Donovan: Senator, I would work that information through my chain of command.

Senator Warren: All right, that's a very concerning answer here. Look, what's happening right now is very dangerous. We need our nonpartisan military leaders to double down on their commitment to following the law and speaking up when they are asked to break it and Congress needs to be able to step in and rein in this lawless commander-in-chief and his self-styled Secretary of War. Thank you.

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Welch and Blumenthal Request Records of Media Buying Firms Linked to Noem’s DHS Ads

Republican ad firms Strategic Media Services Inc. and Smart Media Group LLC reportedly placed Mount Rushmore ad featuring Secretary Kristi Noem

Senators request subcontracts, invoices, and communications, including with Noem, Lewandowski, and McLaughlin

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, wrote to Republican advertising companies Strategic Media Services Inc. and Smart Media Group LLC requesting information and records related to their agreements with Safe America Media, which reportedly engaged both companies to place taxpayer-funded ads featuring Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

“Pursuant to our responsibility to oversee DHS and federal contracting, our offices are reviewing allegations of misconduct arising from federal contract awards to assess whether and the extent to which laws and regulations governing honest services and federal procurement may require legislative reform,” wrote the lawmakers to both companies. Safe America Media, which is registered to the home address of longtime Republican political operative Mike McElwain, was awarded a $143 million no-bid contract from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to produce and place an ad campaign for the agency featuring Noem riding a horse at Mount Rushmore. The company was incorporated only seven days prior to receiving the award. These ads were filmed by The Strategy Group Company, which is led by the husband of Noem’s then-spokesperson and Assistant DHS Secretary, Tricia McLaughlin.

Safe America Media hired Strategic Media and Smart Media to place the ads. Both Noem and her chief advisor at DHS, Corey Lewandowski, have longstanding ties to Strategic Media and Smart Media Group. A subsidiary of Smart Media received more than $329 million in 2024 from Trump’s Political Action Committee (PAC) while Lewandowski was advising the campaign. Smart Media also placed ads for Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s 2024 gubernatorial race while Lewandowski and People Who Think LLC—the other company selected by DHS as a prime contractor for the ad campaigns—were consultants for the Landry campaign.

The Senators’ letters to Strategic Media Services Inc. andSmart Media Group LLC request a copy of any subcontract or other agreement with Safe America Media; invoices submitted to Safe America Media in connection with the ad campaign; communications between the companies and Safe America Media (or agents of Safe America Media) related to the production of the ad campaign; and any communications between the companies and any DHS personnel, including but not limited to Noem, Lewandowski, and McLaughlin.

Senators Welch and Blumenthal requested answers to the following questions from Strategic Media Services Inc.:

When did Strategic Media first communicate with Safe America Media about the potential of a contract?

Do you or Strategic Media have any contractual, lobbying, or other relationship with Corey Lewandowski that refers or relates to this contract? If so, please provide any documentation regarding that relationship.

Did Strategic Media directly or indirectly compensate—financially or otherwise—any DHS personnel, including but not limited to Special Government Employees, in connection with the DHS ad campaign?

Please identify all individuals and firms that Strategic Media compensated—financially or otherwise—in connection with the DHS ad campaign.

Has Strategic Media received any other contracts or subcontracts for services connected to or solicited by DHS? If so, please identify the projects and provide a description of Strategic Media’s involvement.

Does Strategic Media intend to pursue additional DHS or other federal agency contracts or subcontracts?

Does Strategic Media have a conflict of interest policy? If so, please provide the policy. If it does not maintain such a policy, explain why not.

Senators Welch and Blumenthal requested answers to the following questions from Smart Media:

When did Smart Media first communicate with Safe America Media about the potential of a contract?

Do you or Smart Media have any contractual, lobbying, or other relationship with Corey Lewandowski that refers or relates to this contract? If so, please provide any documentation regarding that relationship.

Did Smart Media directly or indirectly compensate—financially or otherwise—any DHS personnel, including but not limited to Special Government Employees, in connection with the DHS ad campaign?

Please identify all individuals and firms that Smart Media compensated—financially or otherwise—in connection with the DHS ad campaign.

Has Smart Media received any other contracts or subcontracts for services connected to or solicited by DHS? If so, please identify the projects and provide a description of Smart Media’s involvement.

Does Smart Media intend to pursue additional DHS or other federal agency contracts or subcontracts?

Does Smart Media have a conflict of interest policy? If so, please provide the policy. If it does not maintain such a policy, explain why not.

Read Senator Welch and Senator Blumenthal’s letter to Strategic Media Services Inc. here.

Read Senator Welch and Senator Blumenthal’s letter to Smart Media Group LLC here.

Earlier this month, Senators Welch and Blumenthal demanded answers from The Strategy Group Company, Safe America Media LLC, and People Who Think LLC about potential corruption and conflicts of interest stemming from their involvement in no-bid contracts awarded by DHS. The Senators’ request came days after a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which the Senators grilled Noem for bypassing a competitive bidding process to award contracts to firms with which she and her senior advisers have personal ties. Read more here.

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Welch Opposes Trump’s $200 Billion Funding Request to Support Reckless War in Iran: “The time to end the war is now...I will oppose sleepwalking into a forever war.”

Welch supports three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) to halt nearly $660 million in additional U.S.-funded weapons Israel

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) spoke on the Senate floor to demand that President Trump immediately de-escalate and end his unconstitutional war of choice in Iran that is making the United States and its citizens less safe and more economically vulnerable. The Senator also emphasized his strong opposition to the Trump Administration’s proposed $200 billion supplemental funding request to fund the president’s reckless and unauthorized war.

“Our country is now very deep into this war—the biggest in a generation. And yet the U.S. Senate has not held a single hearing, has not had a single debate, has not demanded a full account from the executive as to the war in Iran. And now, we understand the Administration is preparing a $200 billion supplemental funding request for a war that has not even been explained, much less authorized,” said Senator Welch. “I will oppose this funding. I will oppose sleepwalking into a forever war.”

Watch Senator Welch’s full remarks below:

Senator Welch also emphasized how President Trump’s reckless war has worsened the affordability crisis for everyday Americans:

“The cost to American families and businesses from the closing of the Strait [of Hormuz]—from this asymmetric warfare—those costs are staggering. Across the country, gas prices at the pump are up at least a dollar. The average American family will pay an additional $2,000 a year in gas. And as a country, we are paying an additional $2 billion every day—$2 billion—as the war premium that we have to pay at the pump. In Vermont and across the country, our farmers are paying up to 35-40% more for fertilizer. More than a third of global fertilizer supplies come through the Strait. Just ahead of Spring planting, farms are facing additional tens of thousands of dollars to do business.

“Vermont families are also paying a war premium to heat their homes. Heating prices for heating oil are surging—from around just a little over $3 a gallon, to over $4.70 a gallon. An average family is going to be facing a $1,000 additional expense to maintain heat in their home.”

In his remarks, the Senator also acknowledged the service and loss of military personnel who have been injured and killed in the line of duty, expressed support for the exemplary service of the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing, and prayed for the safe return home of all troops risking their lives in President Trump’s reckless war in Iran.

Senator Welch also joined Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in filing three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) that would halt the transfer of nearly $660 million in additional offensive U.S. weaponry—funded by American taxpayer dollars—to Israel as President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pursue a war of choice in Iran.

“President Trump’s war of choice in Iran has been a catastrophe–jeopardizing our national security and the lives of our troops, killing and wounding thousands of innocent civilians, and causing havoc in the global economy. The war needs to end today,” said Senator Welch. “With the bombs already provided to Israel by American taxpayers, Israeli forces are unleashing a campaign of total war in Iran with the clear and deliberate intention to eviscerate Iran’s economy and society. I support these joint resolutions to make sure that we do not send another 20,000 bombs to Israel that will result in further destruction in Iran and Lebanon. We must end this war, and we must not send these bombs.”

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Whitehouse Calls on Bondi to Preserve Documents as DOJ Seeks to Interfere with State Bar Ethics Processes

Amid worsening ethics lapses from Trump administration lawyers, MAGA DOJ proposes rule to subvert independent oversight of, and accountability for, its lawyers

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, sent a letter on Monday to Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting that the Department of Justice preserve records related to its proposed rule entitled, “Review of State Bar Complaints and Allegations Against Department of Justice Attorneys.” The proposed rule would give the Attorney General the right to review any ethics complaint against DOJ attorneys made by or before a state bar – an independent overseer of attorney ethics – and to request that the bar suspend investigations until DOJ completes its own review.

The Department claims that the proposed change is necessary because of “weaponization” of the state bar complaint process, citing the surge of state bar complaints against Trump appointees Todd Blanche, former senior official and current Third Circuit Judge Emil Bove, and DOJ pardon attorney Ed Martin, among others. Many of the complaints are substantive and allege that the Department’s attorneys have failed to comply with ethical obligations.

“The proposed rule coincides with mounting reports of state bar ethics complaints against and investigations into Trump DOJ attorneys. The proposed rule also follows Deputy Attorney General Blanche’s November 2025 comments to the Federalist Society, including, ‘[t]he D.C. Bar, in particular, is one of the most activist, obnoxious bars,’ and ‘we’re going to do everything we can to take activist bars… out of the picture,’” Whitehouse writes in the new letter.

Whitehouse continued, “While the proposed rule cites ‘unprecedented weaponization of the State bar complaint process’ as necessitating the rule, it fails to mention a correspondingly unprecedented level of rebuke that courts have heaped on Trump DOJ attorneys for failing to meet basic obligations of candor, lawfulness, and good faith.”

Whitehouse requested that Attorney General Bondi preserve any existing and future records related to the proposed rule. Whitehouse reminded the attorney general that federal law obligates DOJ to preserve federal records on all of their employees and makes violations subject to criminal prosecution.

In September, Whitehouse and Senator Blumenthal (D-CT) filed an ethics complaint with the New York State Bar against Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Emil Bove alleging three significant instances of prosecutorial misconduct in six months.

A PDF of the letter is available here.

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Young Supports Bills to Ban Stock Trading by Members of Congress, Help Restore Public Trust

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) announced he is supporting two bills that would place new restrictions on stock trading by members of Congress.

Young is cosponsoring the Restore Trust in Congress Act to stop insider trading by members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children through banning the ownership and trading of individual stocks. The bill was introduced by Senator Ashley Moody (R-Fla.).

Young is also cosponsoring the Stop Insider Trading Act, which would prohibit members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing publicly traded stocks and mandates a seven-day public notice period before any stock sales can be executed. The bill was introduced by Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).

“I’ve heard from many Hoosiers who are rightly concerned about those serving in Congress unfairly profiting from their positions,” said Young. “I fully support a ban on stock trading by members of Congress, and I am supporting these bills to ensure such a ban becomes law. No one in Congress should benefit financially from public service and the trust placed in them by voters.”

The Restore Trust in Congress Act would include:

Qualified Blind Trusts: These trusts shall be divested while a family trust could be granted an exception by a supervising ethics office under certain circumstances.

Divestment Requirement: Existing covered investments must be divested within a specified compliance period (180 days for current covered individuals and 90 days for new covered individuals).

Limited Exceptions: Diversified mutual funds and certain broad-based investment vehicles are permitted.

Penalties: Pay a fee equal to 10 percent of the value of the covered investment; and disgorge the profits of any transaction that violates the provisions of the above provisions.

Each Supervising ethics office shall publish a publicly available website showing each fine assessed in accordance with the bill, the reasoning for the fine’s assessment, and the result of the assessment.

The Stop Insider Trading Act would:


Rep. Yakym Leads Bipartisan Letter Urging FY27 Funding for Light Tactical Vehicle Procurement and Modernization

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Rudy Yakym led 27 colleagues in urging the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to sustain and enhance investments in the U.S. military’s Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) modernization strategy for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27).

In a letter to Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (CA-41) and Ranking Member Betty McCollum (MN-04), the lawmakers urged support for the highest possible funding for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program, $200 million for the Army National Guard HMMWV Modernization program, and $100 million for the Army Reserve HMMWV Modernization program.

The letter highlights that the Army has affirmed a requirement for more than 100,000 trucks, with an intent to retain approximately 50,000 HMMWVs balanced with some 50,000 JLTVs to be sustained beyond 2050. In 2023, the Army awarded AM General an up to 10-year contract for over 20,000 JLTV A2s and almost 10,000 JLTV trailers.

“Over the past several decades, Congress has made substantial investments in the LTV program, which has led to increased warfighter safety and effectiveness,” the letter states. “The JLTV and HMMWV programs are both proven, global, combat-tested systems that have provided a comparative advantage for U.S. forces and our allies for decades.”

The letter also underscores the economic importance of the LTV program. AM General, the primary U.S. manufacturer, employs more than 1,100 Americans at major facilities in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, with a supplier base spanning 48 states. The lawmakers warned that reduced funding could jeopardize smaller suppliers, noting that qualifying a new supplier takes a minimum of 6–8 months and creates substantial risk in meeting vehicle delivery requirements.

The letter urges the Committee to maintain balanced and sustained funding as it begins consideration of the FY27 Defense Appropriations Act.

Read full text of the letter HERE.

Rep. Yakym was joined by:

Reps. André Carson (IN-07), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Tony Wied (WI-08), Marlin A. Stutzman (IN-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Hillary J. Scholten (MI-03), Mark B. Messmer (IN-08), Jefferson Shreve (IN-06), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Haley M. Stevens (MI-11), Trent Kelly (MS-01), Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), Max L. Miller (OH-07), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Victoria Spartz (IN-05), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Erin Houchin (IN-09), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Darrell Issa (CA-48), Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07), Tim Walberg (MI-05), and Lisa C. McClain (MI-09).

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Press Advisory: Congressman Cohen to Address Trump in Memphis at Monday Morning Press Conference

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) will hold a press conference at his downtown Odell Horton Federal Building office on Monday morning to address President Trump’s visit to Memphis later in the day.

What: Congressman Cohen to Hold a Press Conference

When: Monday, March 23, at 10 a.m.

Where: Suite 369, The Odell Horton Federal Building, 167 North Main Street, Memphis (38103)

Please RSVP to Congressman Cohen’s Communications Director at Bartholomew.Sullivan@mail.house.gov

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ICYMI: Sen. Banks on Fox News Live with Kevin Corke

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) joined Fox News Live to discuss day 35 of the Democrat shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, SAVE America Act, and Operation Epic Fury.

Click the video above to listen to the full discussion.

Key Excerpts Below:

Sen. Banks: “… Democrats are proving over and over again that they are on the opposite side of the vast majority of the American people. Whether it’s supporting ICE and our law enforcement, or it’s keeping boys out of girls sports… that’s what we’re going to vote on today is an amendment to the Save America Act that would keep boys out of girls sports… I have three daughters who are in high school and middle school. They play sports. This is the most common sense issue. And this bill, the Save America Act, is the most popular and common sense bill maybe ever to come to the Senate floor that supports voter ID and federal elections. Boys out of girls sports, stops transgender surgeries on minors. These are common sense issues, and the Democrats are on the wrong side of every single one of them.

“…What we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks in the Operation Epic Fury is the most sophisticated military operation that we’ve ever seen. President Trump is the greatest commander-in-chief that we’ve had in generations. We’ve hit over 8,000 targets in Iran, but that strike last night just goes to show there’s more work to do. President Trump has been very clear we want this to end as soon as possible, but we’re not going to end it until we wipe out Iran’s ballistic missiles, their ability to pursue nuclear weapons, because we know that those nuclear weapons, if they ever get them, will be pointed at America and Americans, and then wipe out their ability to fund terrorism. To get back to funding the Department of Homeland Security here at home, we’re at war with the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, and the Democrats have shut down the Department of Homeland Security that keeps us safe right here at home in America. That’s how crazy this is. It’s time for the Democrats to come to the table we’re in the Senate working all weekend hoping the Democrats will come to their senses and and vote to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, get TSA agents paid, get our airports working, the Coast Guard all of these important agencies, all the while we have a war going on with the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the world…”

“We’ve had attempted terrorist attacks on the mainland while the Democrats have shut down the Department of Homeland Security…These Democrats shutting down the department that was created after 9-11 to keep America safe while we have a war going on in Iran with the biggest state sponsor of terrorism… They fund Hezbollah, Hamas, terrorist groups around the globe that attack our allies in the Middle East and Europe and attempts to attack us here on the mainland… President Trump is doing a great job to take out the targets and completely decimate the military in Iran.”


VIDEO: Senate Democrats Block Blackburn Amendment to Protect Girls in Sports

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) spoke on the Senate floor about the SAVE America Act ahead of the Senate’s vote on her amendment with Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to prohibit school athletic programs from allowing biological males to participate in programs that are for women and girls and make President Trump’s efforts permanent. Every single Senate Democrat voted to block her amendment. Watch Senator Blackburn’s remarks here.

Click here to download Senator Blackburn’s remarks.

EXCERPTS OF REMARKS

Blackburn Excoriates Democrats for Voting Against Common-Sense Provisions to Secure Elections

“The American people are learning quite a bit about the Democratic members of the Senate and the Republican members of the Senate as we go through this debate on the SAVE America Act.”

“Voter I.D. is something that makes sense because the American people are accustomed to verifying to individuals that they are, indeed, who they claim to be. But our friends across the aisle only here in this chamber are saying, ‘Oh, we can't vote for that.’”

“71% of all Democrats, 85% of all Independents, and over 95% of all Republicans agree voter I.D. is a good idea.”

“We also see the same type of numbers when it comes to the other common-sense provision, that if you are going to vote in a U.S. election, you really ought to be a U.S. Citizen. That makes sense to people.”

“They know that when they travel to other countries, they don't vote in those elections, even if they're there on an election day.”

“Our friends across the aisle want to make it easy to cheat. They want to allow individuals that are illegally in the country or people that are here on a visa or people that are here as permanent residents or people that are touring our country to show up at a poll, grab a ballot, give an address, and cast that ballot because in 12 states in this country, you can vote without showing anything when you go to the polls.”

“To the American people are watching and observing and learning… they think [Democrats have] lost their ever-loving minds that they will not support voter I.D. and being a citizen of the nation in order to cast a vote.”

Blackburn Amendment Would Make President Trump’s Efforts to Protect Girls in Sports Permanent

“Now, there is another provision that I want to call attention to… this is protecting girls in sports.”

“50 years ago, when title IX came to be, we only had about 300,000 college and high school female athletes that were competing. Today that number is over three million.”

“I know many of us are watching March Madness and the talented young women that are playing in this tournament. We love cheering for them. We love watching them excel and succeed. We love it when we are watching college sports, and we see young women who have come together, who have formed a team, who have built that camaraderie and know how to compete as a team.”

“[Democrats have] decided they no longer support women. They can't even define the word woman.”

“They want to tear down title IX, which has opened doors of opportunity for young women.”

“Thank goodness President Donald Trump has tried to chase away some of the adverse actions against title IX that were carried out during the Biden administration when opportunities for young women and girls were lost, when women would be forced to share a locker room with guys because the guy decided he was going to claim to be a female so he could compete.”

“The guy couldn't win in the guys' category, so they claimed to be women.”

“That is disgusting, absolutely disgusting, but our friends across the aisle support that.”

“In just a few moments, Senator Tuberville and I are going to push to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act.”

“We're doing this as part of the SAVE America Act because it's another of these issues that you've got 80% of the American people, 90%, 70% of the American people that are for this.”

“I am asked regularly by Tennesseans… ‘When are you going to codify this and put it into law so that it will have the force of law behind it?’”

“So, today when it comes to protecting women in sports to making certain men cannot compete in women's sports, when it comes to affirming biological reality, we are going to take that vote.”


Boozman, Ernst, Smith Celebrate Women in Agriculture

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, joined committee members Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Tina Smith (D-MN) to lead a bipartisan resolution designating March 21, 2026, as “National Women in Agriculture Day” to honor the contributions of women in agriculture.

“Women play critical roles at every level of agriculture from family farms and agribusinesses to research institutions and public service,” said Boozman. “I’m honored to recognize their contributions, elevate their voices, and support policies that ensure women farmers and agricultural leaders can continue to thrive for generations to come.”

“Women have always been at the heart of American agriculture,”said Ernst. “Growing up on a family farm, I saw firsthand the vital role women like my mother played, and today my sister continues that legacy. From family farms to cutting-edge agribusiness, women are leading, innovating, and helping feed and fuel the world. I’m proud to lead this resolution to recognize and support the women who are breaking barriers and shaping the future of agriculture.”

“Agriculture is the backbone of Minnesota’s economy, and women have always played an essential role in this sector,”said Smith. “I’m proud we have introduced this bipartisan resolution to designate a day during Women’s History Month and National Agriculture Week to recognize the achievements of the women across the country who have been the key to our agricultural success.”

The Senate unanimously passed theresolution, which highlights the more than1.2 million women producers across the United States and recognizes their essential roles as farmers, educators, innovators and leaders throughout the agriculture industry.


U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Joni Ernst, Colleagues Honor Women in Agriculture

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) recently joined Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and several of their Senate colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution to designate March 21, 2026, as “National Women in Agriculture Day” to honor the critical contributions of women in agriculture.

“Across Alabama and our nation, women in agriculture are the backbone of our communities, working tirelessly to feed and clothe America’s families,” said Senator Britt. “On National Women in Agriculture Day, I’m proud to join my colleagues in honoring their grit, dedication, and lasting legacy they will leave on the next generation of farmers. I remain committed to supporting and empowering these leaders whose voices strengthen their industry and help shape the future of agriculture.”

The Senate unanimously passed the resolution, which highlights the more than 1.2 million women producers across the United States and recognizes their essential roles as farmers, educators, innovators, and leaders throughout the agriculture industry.

“Women have always been at the heart of American agriculture,” said Senator Ernst. “Growing up on a family farm, I saw firsthand the vital role women like my mother played, and today my sister continues that legacy. From family farms to cutting-edge agribusiness, women are leading, innovating, and helping feed and fuel the world. I’m proud to lead this resolution to recognize and support the women who are breaking barriers and shaping the future of agriculture.”

Senator Britt is a strong advocate for farmers across the state of Alabama and nationwide. Recently, she secured over $6 million for Alabama’s farmers and agricultural communities through the FY26 Agriculture Appropriations Act. She was also honored as the 2025 Outstanding New Member of Congress Award by the American Farm Bureau Federation and Alabama Farmers Federation.

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Cantwell & Colleagues Publish Report Revealing GOP’s Push to “Defund” Planned Parenthood Stripped Health Care Access & Raised Costs for Americans

NEW DATA: In the 6 months since Trump and Republicans "defunded" Planned Parenthood, breast exam visits fell by 25% compared to the same period in a previous year, delaying detection & lifesaving preventive care

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined her Senate Democratic colleagues in publishing a new report revealing the harm that President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have caused to Americans in the six months since their dangerous provision to “defund” Planned Parenthood, buried in their so-called “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” went into effect.

The report reveals that, in addition to acting as a backdoor abortion ban, the “defund” provision has ripped away Americans’ access to essential services — including primary care, birth control, cancer screenings, and wellness exams — and raised health care costs.

The report found that the “Defund” Planned Parenthood provision has:

Interrupted care, raised health care costs, and worsened provider shortages, creating immediate and significant barriers for patients in need of health care;

Hit low-income patients and patients in rural and medically underserved areas the hardest;

Functioned as a backdoor abortion ban — even in states where abortion is legal; and

Shifted costs onto patients, providers, and states, forcing them to absorb the financial and operational burden of lost federal funding without sustainable alternatives.

The report also found that Republican attempts to permanently defund Planned Parenthood will leave patients with nowhere else to turn.

New data in the report shows the number of people accessing care at Planned Parenthood health centers dropped sharply in November and December of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024:

The number of breast exam visits fell by 25% in December, increasing the risk of delayed breast cancer detection and avoidable, more serious illness;

The number of visits for birth control pills fell by 20% in November; and

Visits for IUDs and other long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) dropped by 41% in November and 36% in December — the steepest decline across all services measured.

The report was led by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). In addition to Sen. Cantwell, it was joined by 22 other Senators

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law with a one-year provision to bar federal Medicaid funding from reimbursing non-profit family planning and reproductive health providers that provide abortions, outside of long-standing narrow exceptions. Established federal law already bans the use of federal funds to provide abortions, but the “defund” provision blocked federal Medicaid reimbursement for all non-abortion services furnished by the health care providers singled out by the law. In addition to Planned Parenthood, two independent organizations – Maine Family Planning and Health Imperatives – have been barred from receiving Medicaid funds.

Prior to the “defund” provision, nearly half of all visits to Planned Parenthood health centers were by patients who relied on Medicaid to cover the cost of care. Now, tens of thousands of Americans have been forced to forgo essential health care, including birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and more at Planned Parenthood health centers. Twenty-three Planned Parenthood health centers have closed since the provision went into effect. The provision is set to expire on July 4, 2026.

Sen. Cantwell spoke against the bill and voted against it on the Senate floor. The Senate passed the bill on a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance repeatedly casting tie-breaking votes, on final passage of the bill and procedural votes.

Sen. Cantwell is a stalwart defender of women’s reproductive health and has been sounding the alarm since leaked documents in 2022 indicated the U.S. Supreme Court’s intent to overturn the decades-long precedent set by Roe v. Wade.

On the first anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report that detailed the impact of the ruling on abortion providers and patients in the State of Washington. Among other far-reaching impacts, the report found that Idaho's abortion ban led to a 56% surge in abortion patients from Idaho seeking care at Eastern Washington abortion clinics by June 2023. At the 18-month anniversary, she released another snapshot report showing that Washington health care providers were seeing a 46% spike in the number of out-of-state abortion patients they were treating.

On the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs ruling, Sen. Cantwell prepared another report about its continued effect, showing that the decisions harm to Washington’s health care system continued to widen – going well beyond abortion and into other health care services. Soon after, she led 15 of her colleagues in releasing a national report that showed women are being denied emergency care and lifesaving treatments in a post-Roe America.

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Cassidy Delivers Floor Speech Urging Senate to Pass SAVE America Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today delivered a floor speech urging the passage of the SAVE America Act as Senate Democrats continue to block the bill. The legislation would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.

“To my Democratic colleagues, I ask you to listen to the people. Pass the SAVE America Act,” said Dr. Cassidy.

Cassidy’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:

Mr. President, it’s a lot easier to show your photo ID when you go to vote than it is to read that poster.

But Democrats insist on making it difficult.

They insist on making a common-sense, widely supported bill a huge fight.

It’s funny, you don’t hear any Democrats complaining that you have to show a photo ID to buy a gun.

But when it comes to this Constitutional principle of protecting the integrity of our elections, suddenly that’s too far.

The SAVE America Act is supported by 71 percent of Democrats and 95 percent of Republicans.

That’s why I’m a proud co-sponsor, and why you might scratch your head when you hear that Democrats broadly refuse to support it.

Democrats know that most of their constituents are for verifying citizenship to vote; they’re just ignoring them—presumably to appease the small left-wing base of 16 percent who are against it.

It does not prevent any eligible American citizen from casting a ballot.

It does not take away anyone’s constitutional rights.

It just says that only American citizens may participate in federal elections.

We have even worked with Democrats to address some of their concerns.

For example, there is concern that those eligible to vote may not be able to obtain physical documents, like a birth certificate.

But we’ve addressed that concern!

If you are a citizen and you’ve lost your documents, or never had them, you could go to a state election official, swear to the details of your birth date and location or naturalization details, and register to vote.

The SAVE America Act allows that alternative process to accommodate those who need an affidavit option.

So, lack of documentation is not an issue.

Americans have to show a photo ID or proof of citizenship on a weekly, sometimes daily basis.

Opening a bank account, cashing a check, boarding a plane.

They’re throwing mud against the wall to see what sticks, because that’s easier than admitting the real reason they oppose the SAVE America Act: Senate Democrats are controlled by the far left, not the majority of their constituents.

But you know what’s ironic about that?

When Mayor Mamdani offered New Yorkers a chance to make a few bucks snow shoveling during the blizzard last month, he required not one, but TWO, forms of valid ID.

Democrats make a weak argument that even those in their own party are having trouble defending.

As far as the talking filibuster is concerned, I have supported returning to the talking filibuster since I joined the Senate in 2015.

Let’s see a proposal and get it done.

We should look at every avenue to push the SAVE America Act.

I have voted for it, and I will do so again.

To my Democratic colleagues: Listen to the people. Pass the SAVE America Act.

With that, Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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Senator Justice Honors National Women in Agriculture Day, Recognizes West Virginian Dr. Megan J. Webb

LEWISBURG, WV – Today, Senator Jim Justice released a statement on National Women in Agriculture Day:

“I am proud to support this resolution recognizing National Women in Agriculture Day. Across West Virginia, women are the backbone of our family farms and communities, and they absolutely deserve to be celebrated today and every day. These are the mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters who truly keep our operations running. Their hard work, grit, and dedication are what make the agricultural industry strong, and I am endlessly grateful for all they do,” said Senator Jim Justice.

As part of this recognition during the International Year of the Woman Farmer, Senator Justice also highlighted West Virginian Dr. Megan J. Webb for her dedication to agriculture and her leadership within the farming community.

“Dr. Megan Webb is a stand-out example of women leading in agriculture. She’s truly dedicated to the hard work that keeps her farm running day in and day out. Her drive and resilience reflect the reality of farming in West Virginia. Our women farmers, just like Megan, are the backbone of agriculture and help keep our family farms alive. I couldn’t be prouder to recognize her on National Women in Ag Day during the International Year of the Woman Farmer,” said Senator Jim Justice.

“Agriculture is deeply personal to me because it connects generations of knowledge, stewardship of the land, and the responsibility to feed our communities. As a sixth-generation agriculturalist, I’ve seen firsthand how farms serve as both businesses and classrooms, teaching resilience, innovation, and service. The International Year of the Woman Farmer is meaningful because it recognizes the countless women who lead, innovate, and sustain agriculture every day—often quietly—but whose work is essential to the future of food production and rural communities,” said Dr. Megan J. Webb.

BACKGROUND:

Dr. Megan J. Webb is a farmer, cattle producer, and columnist, from Mineral County, West Virginia.

She operates MJW Farm with her family and is an avid agricultural educator and advocate.

She is co-owner of Jean’s Farm Fresh, which grows specialty crops & cut flowers.

She also serves as the WV Cattlemen’s Association President and serves on the WV State USDA FSA Committee.

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Lankford Says Democrats Are “More Afraid of ICE Than Iran” as DHS Shutdown Continues, Senate Works Through Weekend on SAVE America Act

WASHINGTON, DC — US Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Senate Republican Conference Vice Chair, joined Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY), Republican Policy Committee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), and Senator Jon Husted (R-OH) at a press conference Saturday morning as the Senate continues working through the weekend on the SAVE America Act and efforts to restore Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding.

Lankford’s remarks (as delivered):

“So this is the challenge that we face today. We have the Department of Homeland Security closed right now because apparently my Democratic colleagues are more afraid of ICE than they are of Iran. And the challenges that we face now in the conflict internationally, that we know that we have threats back to the homeland. But my Democratic colleagues in the Senate just refused to even pay attention to that at all.

“Stacked on top of that is the issue we’ve been talking about for weeks, and we’re still working through this weekend to be able to negotiate. And that is the most basic thing in American life: voting. The 1965 Voting Rights Act begins with ‘All citizens.’ This should not be controversial. It is already federal law that requires only citizens vote in the United States.

“We trust that they sign up as only citizens, but we’re not verifying except in a few states. About nine states actually do verification of citizenship all over the country. And you know what? They still have people show up to vote. Thirty-six states require voter ID to be able to show up to vote, including my own state. My own state requires voter ID.

“Whether you do mail-in voting or in-person voting, you have to have voter ID in that. This is not complicated. This is simple and straightforward. It’s not even controversial, except in Washington, DC. Across the country, if you were to ask anyone, ‘Should you show an ID to be able to vote?’ They would say, ‘Well, yeah, that shouldn’t be a problem on that.’

“Should you ask the simple question, ‘Should only American citizens vote?’ And they would say, ‘Of course that should be so.’ But for some reason that’s controversial among Democrats in Washington, DC. This is simple. This is straightforward. It’s why we continue to be able to push this commonsense legislation that the American people want us to get done.”

Background

Lankford has remained a vocal supporter of both the SAVE America Act as a cosponsor and of its predecessor, S.128, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The SAVE America Act sets requirements for states to verify US citizenship in order to register to vote and require photo ID to vote. Additionally, the bill compels states to purge non-citizens from voter rolls and establishes federal penalties for intentionally registering non-citizens.

Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution states that elections are governed by state law, allowing state legislatures to prescribe the time, place, and manner of elections held within their states. However, it is also federal law that no one can vote in an American election who is not a United States citizen.

You can watch his remarks HERE. You can download it HERE.

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