WATCH: Hickenlooper Fights Trump’s Voter Suppression Bill

Hickenlooper: “While Americans are worried about costs and worried about their families and their future, the administration is relitigating the 2020 election and waging a war most Americans don’t want.”

Hickenlooper is fighting to defeat the SAVE America Act

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper took the Senate floor to prevent the president and MAGA Republicans’ from passing their so-called SAVE America Act, a thinly-veiled voter suppression bill designed to insulate them from American voters who are struggling to afford life under this corrupt administration.

Watch his full remarks HERE.

“The president knows that costs are high. He knows that you’re angry. He knows that the majority of Americans disapprove of the war, or are unhappy that their costs keep rising,” said Hickenlooper. “But instead of actually lowering prices, he’s backing a bill that’s gonna make it harder for most people to vote – especially for Americans who he doesn’t trust will vote for him.”

“When they shout out the importance of the SAVE Act, remember this one thing: It will not help you save a penny on your rent, your groceries, the cost of your health care,” continued Hickenlooper. “The only thing it’s saving, I would argue, is their political skin.”

Hickenlooper has consistently fought back against Trump and MAGA Republicans’ voter suppression bill and stood up to their attacks on mail-in-voting, a provenly safe and secure voting method. As governor, Hickenlooper created the gold-standard mail-in-voting system in the country, providing millions of Coloradans with easier access to the ballot box.

Specifically, the SAVE America Act would also create mountains of new red-tape for voters. It would impact an estimated 21 million Americans who don’t have ready access to their birth certificates or a passport and roughly 69 million women who have changed their names when they got married.

Hickenlooper’s full speech is available HERE and below:

“Now, despite its name, the SAVE Act is not going to help YOU or anyone in America save on anything.

“It won’t help you save on your gas bill, your medicine, your rent.

“It won’t help you save on student loans, or child care, what you pay for your utilities.

“This bill has nothing to do with money at all – and it certainly isn’t about helping Americans.

“We’re going to fight against this bill with everything we’ve got. And it will fail because it’s bad for the country.

“And that’s right, the Republicans know the bill will fail. They are intent on dragging this out for hours, for days, that could be spent addressing the REAL issues that Americans face.

“The cost of gas is rising every day, week after week. In parts of Colorado, the price of gasoline has almost doubled in the last several weeks.

“That’s money taken straight out of your pockets.

“Grocery prices are going up. Doctors’ visits are going up. Housing costs are going up as well.

“Right now, 1 in 3 American households spend more than 30% of their income on housing. One third!

“And when they’re not shelling out for rent, they’re shelling out more for health care.

“Despite living in the wealthiest country in the world, Americans pay the highest costs for health care globally, and in many cases, get worse results.

“But we don’t have to tell all of America this. We don’t have to tell all of you this.

“You already know it. You’re living it every single day. At the checkout line, in the pharmacy, the doctors office, when you pay your electric or water bill.

“And here’s what makes it worse: You’re doing everything right.

“You’re working longer hours. Picking up second jobs. You’re cutting back in every way you can to make ends meet.

“You’re skipping vacations. You’re delaying buying a home. You’re putting off starting a family.

“Some folks today are even skipping doses of medication just to stretch their prescription a few more days.

“This is not because you want to — but because you have no choice. You see no other way.

“A year ago – at his inauguration – our president promised lower prices and no more foreign wars.

“This administration has already spent 20 BILLION of your dollars waging war on Iran. And the war has gotten bigger, bloodier, and more expensive every day since.

“Just today, the Pentagon announced their plan to ask Congress for $200 billion to fund the war in Iran. $200 billion dollars!

“That’s money that we don’t have. Our deficit last year was somewhere in the vicinity of one and three quarters of a trillion dollars. And yet Congress is going to be asked to borrow $200 billion more – add that to the national debt.

“The SAVE Act isn’t going to save any of that. It won’t save Americans any money. And it certainly isn’t going to change reality.

“So what’s it really about?

“I think it’s about saving this administration’s failing agenda.

“And how’s that? It’s through voter suppression.

“The president knows that costs are high. He knows that you’re angry. He knows that the majority of Americans disapprove of the war, or are unhappy that their costs keep rising.

“But instead of actually lowering prices, he’s backing a bill that’s gonna make it harder for most people to vote – especially for Americans who he doesn’t trust will vote for him.

“The SAVE America Act creates mountains of red tape for voters and will ultimately remove MILLIONS of Americans from the voting rolls – Republicans, Democrats, Independents.

“It requires every voter to dig through their basement – go up into their attic – and try to find their birth certificate. Right, find their passport just so they can register to vote. Something most of them have been doing year after year for decades.

“But there are problems – real problems – with this plan. More than 21 MILLION American citizens don’t have their original birth certificate handy or they don’t have a passport. They don’t have either one of these types of identification.

“And 69 million married women have birth certificates that don’t have their correct last name. They changed their name when they got married.

“Taken together, the SAVE America Act would make it more difficult for tens of millions of people to vote. It would also dismantle vote-by-mail as we know it.

“About 1 in 3 Americans voted by mail in 2024 – an election that President Trump won.

“During the 2024 election, the voters most likely to vote by mail were those over the age of 65.

“It’s the single best way for folks with limited mobility to exercise their constitutional right.

“Just look at Colorado – almost 99% of Republican voters in Colorado voted by mail in 2025.

“Now way back in 2013, when I was still the Governor, we passed a set of laws that established our state as the gold standard for secure and accessible elections.

“We started by making voting as accessible as possible. We established one of the first universal vote-by-mail systems in the country. Now, you can still vote in person, but every single Coloradan gets a ballot mailed to them.

“Now these reforms were largely created by Republican county clerks working with our Republican Secretary of State.

“Vote-by-mail has proven to be less expensive, more secure, and people love it. The turnout just goes up! It’s perhaps the single most effective way to increase voter turnout.

“Today, as I said, every single registered voter in Colorado gets a ballot in the mail.

“Every ballot that they receive in the mail is printed on paper, meaning we have a physical record across the entire voting system that can be easily audited. Even the faintest hint of fraud. And we go beyond that!

“It mean, it is basic common sense!

“The ballot arrives weeks before the election, gives Coloradans plenty of time to research candidates, talk around the kitchen table about who they think’s going to do the best job, and submit their ballot by mail or go drop it off at a secure ballot drop box.

“And even if voters wait until the last minute – they can still register to vote and vote on election day.

“Now Colorado Republicans were behind this initiative literally every step of the way – because this was about making voting – the act of voting – easier for everyone.

“Coloradans – Democrats, Republicans, Independents, we have more than a third independents now – everybody loves this system.

“During the 2025 election, 98% of all the Coloradans who voted, voted by mail. They submitted mail-in ballots. They either dropped it off or they put it in the mail.

“And Colorado didn’t just make voting accessible. We made it secure.

“We created a multi-layered system of checks and balances.

“Every single drop box that receives ballots is under 24-hour video surveillance from the time the box opens for ballot return until the end of an election. Day and night.

“We made sure Coloradans could track their ballot the same way you would use Fedex or UPS to track a package, so voters could trust that their ballot had been counted.

“And in 2017, under the leadership of Republican Secretary of State Wayne Williams, Colorado took election security to the next level.

“We became the first state in the nation to conduct a bipartisan statewide audit after every election.

“Results from these audits over the last six years show that Colorado’s vote-counting systems were more than 99.99% accurate.

“We put the burden on a team of Democratic and Republican leaders to use the state’s resources – in other words, the state pays for this – to ensure that every person who votes is eligible, and every vote counted matches the ballot.

“Now the SAVE Act would completely reverse this progress. It would bog down the voter in endless mountains of new red tape. And in the end, millions of Americans wouldn’t cast a ballot at all.

“Now think about and ask yourself, who this really impacts:

“Seniors who no longer drive.

“Rural Americans who live hours from a government office. These are likely Republican voters, but it’s going to impact them negatively.

“It will impact working parents who can’t take time off to track down paperwork or take work off to vote in-person.

“It would impact women whose last names have changed, as I mentioned.

“And at the end of the day, none of it helps YOU, the voter.

“It’s all a distraction. A rather large distraction. I mean every hour that we’re spending in the debate about the SAVE America Act is an hour we’re not spending bringing down the cost of groceries, or housing, health care.

“While Americans are worried about costs and worried about their families and their future, the administration is relitigating the 2020 election and waging a war most Americans don’t want.

“All of this chaos – from Colorado to Venezuela to Iran to Minnesota – it’s one BIG distraction from this administration’s failure to lower costs for Americans.

“The bill was never about saving Americans money. They call it a SAVE Act, it creates a misrepresentation. But what we should be here today to accomplish is to figure out how to SAVE money for the American people, for all of YOU.

“If your agenda is working, and you’re delivering on promises, you don’t have to make it harder for people to vote.

“I would argue that agenda might not be working.

“I think the results, if your agenda is working, and the people, speak for themselves.

“So let me spell it out: Americans want lower costs.

“Not wars abroad, not violence in the streets.

“Americans are looking literally for ANY sign that this administration still sees them – still sees the rising grocery costs, the gas prices, the huge bill increases from doctors’ offices.

“This administration refuses to acknowledge these problems exist.

“There’s so much infighting within the president’s ranks that they can’t decide whether this war will go on for two weeks, for five weeks, or a year.

“Are American troops going to be deployed? The juries still out on that as well.

“It’s a lot of noise and not a lot of substance. So far, there’s no evidence for a comprehensive plan. And certainly no, and by that I mean zero, accountability to the American people.

“Let’s remember – the Pentagon just announced their plan to ask Congress for $200 billion to fund the war in Iran.

“They want the American taxpayers to sign off on borrowing – because we don’t have the cash – to borrow $200 billion more. $200 billion more?

“With that kind of money we could fund universal Pre-k in every state in this country. We can get to universal health care coverage. We could have free school meals for every child or free community college for every American for a full year.

“So when they shout out the importance of the SAVE Act, remember this one thing:

“It will not help you save a penny on your rent, your groceries, the cost of your health care.

“The only thing it’s saving, I would argue, is their political skin.”


Hirono, Hagerty Lead Colleagues in Introducing Bipartisan Senate Resolution Welcoming Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to the United States

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in introducing a Senate resolution to welcome Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during her visit to the United States this week.

The resolution reaffirms the strong and enduring U.S.-Japan alliance, applauds Japan for reaching defense spending equal to two percent of its gross domestic product, and expresses strong support for joint efforts to address regional and global challenges to national, economic, and energy security. It also praises deepening trilateral relations among the United States, Japan, and South Korea, and supports Tokyo’s determination to immediately resolve the issue of Japanese abductees in North Korea and calls on Pyongyang to release abductees.

“As the only Japanese-American serving in the United States Senate, I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution to honor the enduring alliance between Japan and the U.S., and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to peace and security throughout the Indo-Pacific,” said Senator Hirono. “At a time of mounting global instability, the alliance between our two nations is more vital than ever. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to Washington, D.C., as we continue to strengthen our partnership.”

In addition to Senators Hirono and Hagerty, the resolution was cosponsored by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), James Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

The full text of the resolution is available here.

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VIDEO: On Senate Floor, Hirono Calls Out Trump Voter Suppression Agenda, Opposes SAVE America Act

~Watch Senator Hirono’s full floor speech HERE ~

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) took to the Senate floor to highlight Republicans’ attacks on our democracy. She voiced strong opposition to Republicans’ Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act which, unlike its name suggests, would make it significantly harder for Americans to exercise their right to vote.

“I rise in strong opposition to the so-called SAVE America Act. What it should be called is the “SAVE Trump Act.” This bill is not about protecting elections. It is about making it harder for eligible Americans to vote,” opened Senator Hirono.

If passed, the SAVE America Act would require Americans to prove their citizenship–in person–with documents like a birth certificate or passport when registering to vote.

“Let me be clear, this bill is not just about showing a picture ID when voting. This bill is about proving citizenship in-person before you can even register to vote,” said Senator Hirono.

It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. In fact, studies from conservative think tanks like the CATO institute and Heritage Foundation found that voting by noncitizens in the U.S. is virtually nonexistent.

More than 140 million Americans—nearly half of American citizens—do not have a passport. More than 21 million eligible voters do not have ready access to citizenship documents. This legislation would make it significantly more difficult for all Americans—especially first-time voters, seniors, those living in rural communities, and women—to vote. Hirono highlighted the estimated 69 million women who do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name, including 300,000 women in Hawaii.

“In other words, for tens of millions of Americans, producing these documents is not a small hurdle. It is a huge barrier,” Senator Hirono said. That is not a flaw in the system. That is a choice.”

Senator Hirono also highlighted the harm this bill would create for military servicemembers and their families, reading a letter she received from a military spouse living in Hawaii about how the SAVE America Act would impact her family.

“The SAVE Act would have disastrous impacts on military families like mine. If an eligible voter was born overseas like many in our community – if an eligible voter has changed their first or last name since birth, like many spouses do when they get married – or if an eligible voter simply doesn’t have access to their documents because they’re in the middle of a military move – this bill could deny them the ability to register at all,” read Senator Hirono. “The SAVE America Act would cut families like mine out of the ability to participate in our own democracy, the very democracy we have committed to protect.”

Senator Hirono raised alarms about Republicans’ sweeping efforts to undermine democracy, warning that the SAVE America Act is part of a broader effort to influence elections. She highlighted the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuits for voter rolls in 29 states and reminded us about outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s refusal to rule out stationing ICE agents outside polling places.

“Republicans know they can’t win over voters with their policies, so they’re trying to limit who gets to vote,” said Senator Hirono.

Senator Hirono concluded her remarks by recalling the history of voting rights across the country, where everything from poll taxes to literacy tests were used to keep Americans from exercising their right to vote.

“We’ve come a long way since the era of Jim Crow, but this bill is a chilling reminder that the battles we thought we had won don’t stay won. Eternal vigilance is required of all of us,” said Senator Hirono.

Senator Hirono remains committed to speaking out and fighting back against these anti-American attacks.

“Here’s the truth, Mr. President. Republicans don’t give a rip about “saving America.” All they care about is saving Trump’s ass.”

A full transcript of Senator Hirono’s speech is available below. Video of Senator Hirono’s floor speech is available here.

M. President, I rise in strong opposition to the so-called SAVE America Act. What it should be called is the “SAVE Trump Act.”

This bill is not about protecting elections. It is about making it harder for eligible Americans to vote. And Republicans know it.

Right now, my Republican colleagues are trying to hide the ball. They talk about “voter ID at the polls”—as if that is all this bill does. But that is not the truth.

The truth is that this bill requires every American to provide documentary proof of citizenship—like a passport or birth certificate— in-person, just to register to vote. Republicans are hoping that Americans won’t know the difference between having to show a photo ID when voting and the requirement to prove citizenship in order to register to vote.

Let me be clear, this bill is not just about showing a picture ID when voting. This bill is about proving citizenship in-person before you can even register to vote. The SAVE Act will make it harder, more expensive, and less convenient to register to vote. This is the part Republicans are not talking about as they continue to sell the SAVE Act as a voter ID bill. It’s the part they are hoping people will not notice or understand until it is too late.

Because once you do understand what this bill does, it becomes clear: this bill is not about securing our elections—it is about controlling which Americans get to participate in them through imposing onerous voter registration requirements. And let’s be very clear about something else: noncitizen voting in federal elections is already illegal. It is a federal crime. If a non-citizen illegally votes in a federal election, they could be prosecuted and even sentenced up to 5 years in prison.

Republicans would like you to believe that non-citizens are voting in our elections in the thousands. The truth is non-citizen voting is extremely rare. The CATO Institute found that voting by noncitizens in the United States is virtually nonexistent. The Heritage Foundation found fewer than 70 instances of it over a 40-year period – that amounts to .0001% of over 1 billion votes cast during that period. The CATO Institute and Heritage Foundation are not liberal think tanks.

In continuing their claims of mass voter fraud, Republicans are perpetuating a lie about something that is practically non-existent and already illegal.

So why are Republicans so obsessed with passing this bill? Why is Donald Trump calling it “one of the most important and consequential pieces of legislation in the history of Congress”?

Because they know their agenda—gutting Medicaid, slashing SNAP, taxing us through illegal tariffs, and dragging us into an illegal war—is deeply unpopular with the American people. So unpopular that people will be motivated to vote against this agenda and vote for Democrats. Republicans know that when more people vote, they lose.

So instead of changing their policies, they want to change who gets to vote. They want to cherry pick who gets to participate in our democracy. In every state except North Dakota, people have to register to vote before voting. Many states, including Hawaii, have made voter registration as simple as possible to encourage more voter participation.

Not under this bill.

Under this bill, Americans would have to prove their citizenship by producing documents like a passport or birth certificate in-person in order to register to vote. Republicans know this is not a simple requirement.

More than 140 million Americans—nearly half of American citizens —do not have a passport. More than 21 million eligible voters do not have ready access to documents proving their citizenship. In other words, for tens of millions of Americans, producing these documents is not a small hurdle.

It is a huge barrier. It is a barrier for young people trying to register for the first time. For seniors who no longer have easy access to documents. For working families who can’t afford the time or cost of navigating more government paperwork just to register to vote. A new passport costs over $150.

If this sounds like a poll tax, a price to exercise our constitutional right to vote, that’s because it is. It is a financial burden on Americans at a time when millions are struggling just to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Yet another reminder of how out of touch this regime is with the lives of everyday Americans.

Unsurprisingly, the burdens this bill creates would fall disproportionately on communities who have historically had to fight for their right to vote, including women. An estimated 69 million women do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name, their married name, including over 300,000 women in Hawaii alone. Three hundred thousand women in my state and millions more across the country would face new barriers to voting. Talk about heading people off at the pass. If women can be stopped or dissuaded from registering to vote, that’s okay by Republicans.

Republicans know full well the consequences this bill would have for women across our country—in red and blue states alike. While women will suffer under this bill, so too will many other communities, including our servicemembers and their families.

Don’t take my word for it. Let me share with you a letter I received from a military spouse in Hawaii. She writes:

“The SAVE Act would have disastrous impacts on military families like mine. Most active-duty families move every two or three years. In addition to these moves’ disruption of our established support networks, changes in our children’s education and social lives, and limits on our employment and career paths, these moves also impact our ability to vote.

“We have a 27% voter participation deficit compared to civilian voters, partly due to how many logistical challenges we already face. If passed, this bill would mean that military service members and their families could functionally no longer register to vote from a far-away duty station.

“Additionally, if an eligible voter was born overseas like many in our community – if an eligible voter has changed their first or last name since birth, like many spouses do when they get married – or if an eligible voter simply doesn’t have access to their documents because they’re in the middle of a military move – this bill could deny them the ability to register at all.

“The SAVE America Act would cut families like mine out of the ability to participate in our own democracy, the very democracy we have committed to protect.”

There are more than 2 million people serving in our Armed Services, more than 40,000 of whom live in Hawaii. Our servicemembers who risk their lives for our country. But this bill would make it harder for them to participate in the very democracy they fight to defend.

And let’s not pretend this bill exists in isolation. Under this regime, we have seen a relentless campaign to undermine trust in our elections and to enact new restrictions on voting.

Under the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Department of Justice has sued 29 states and the District of Columbia demanding these jurisdictions hand over their voter rolls – and all the personal data contained in them. What are Trump and the person he considers his lawyer, Pam Bondi, going to do with all this information? Interfering with our elections comes to mind. And it was just weeks ago that now-outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Noem refused to rule out stationing ICE agents outside polling places this fall.

Taken together, making it harder to register to vote, suing states to turn over voter rolls, refusing to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act, and continued false allegations of voter fraud, this regime is obsessed with controlling the outcome of our elections, and obsessed with this bill.

Republicans know they can’t win over voters with their policies, so they’re trying to limit who gets to vote.

We’ve seen this before. From poll taxes to literacy tests, southern states spent decades making it as hard as possible for Black Americans and other communities of color to exercise their right to vote. We’ve come a long way since the era of Jim Crow, but this bill is a chilling reminder that the battles we thought we had won don’t stay won. Eternal vigilance is required of all of us.

That’s why Senate Democrats are here speaking out and fighting back. We know what’s at stake, and we refuse to stand by while Republicans undermine our democracy and our sacred right to vote under the false pretense of “security.”

Here’s the truth, M. President. Republicans don’t give a rip about “saving America.” All they care about is saving Trump’s ass, deluding themselves into believing everything Trump says.

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Husted, Moreno introduce resolution honoring fallen Ohio Air National Guard members

“The families and loved ones of Capt. Koval, Capt. Angst, and Master Sgt. Simmons remain in Tina and my prayers.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) joined Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) in introducing a resolution honoring the three Ohio servicemembers killed in the March 12, 2026, KC-135 crash in Iraq.

Capt. Seth Koval, Capt. Curtis Angst, and Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons served with the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Columbus. The resolution honors their lives, service and sacrifice and expresses condolences to the families, friends and fellow servicemembers mourning their loss.

“As a grateful nation continues to mourn these Ohio heroes, it is important Americans remember their legacy of service and sacrifice. Senator Moreno and I joined together to honor them with this resolution, and it is a small way to do just that. The families and loved ones of Capt. Koval, Capt. Angst, and Master Sgt. Simmons remain in Tina and my prayers. These men carried out dangerous and critical missions in defense of our nation, and we are forever grateful for their service,” said Husted.

“America is indebted to Curtis Angst, Tyler Simmons, and Seth Koval for their service and sacrifice to protect our freedoms. Their loss is devastating for our country, and I join all Ohioans in praying for their loved ones,” said Moreno.

Husted honored the fallen servicemembers on the Senate floor. Watch his remarks here.

Husted also attended the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base to honor the six crew members who lost their lives.


Crackdown on Contaminated Seafood Imports Gains Momentum in U.S. Senate

New bill backed by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith would allow destruction of unsafe food shipments and block repeat entry attempts

UNITED STATES Thursday, March 19, 2026,

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) has announced her support for new legislation aimed at preventing previously rejected and potentially dangerous imports — particularly contaminated seafood — from reentering the United States market.

The proposal, known as the , would expand the authority of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by allowing it to destroy products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that are deemed significant threats to public health. The bill also targets practices such as “port shopping,” where importers attempt to reintroduce rejected goods through different entry points.

“American consumers will be better protected from everything from contaminated seafood to knock-off medications by giving the FDA direct authority to destroy anything that fails to meet U.S. health and safety standards. This would keep those dangerous goods from ever reaching our homes or businesses,” said Hyde-Smith , who previously introduced the ahead of a “radioactive” shrimp recall last August

The legislation was introduced by U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) , who emphasized the national security and public health implications of unsafe imports.

“Americans should never be put at risk because bad actors, especially from companies in Communist China or other adversarial nations, continuously attempt to sneak dangerous and contaminated food and other products back into our country after being rejected,” Scott said “My bill makes clear that if the FDA says a product is too hazardous for American families, it will not be allowed back into our markets under any circumstances. This gives federal authorities the tools they need to destroy these shipments quickly and keep our supply chain and families safe.”

Currently, the FDA has the authority to destroy certain hazardous imports, such as unsafe medical devices and medications. However, that authority does not extend to food products — including seafood — that fail to meet U.S. safety standards. The proposed bill seeks to close that gap and streamline the destruction process, preventing rejected goods from being returned to foreign shippers and potentially re-imported.

In the House of Representatives , companion legislation ( H.R.2715 ) has been introduced by U.S. Representative Clay Higgins (R-La.) and cosponsored by U.S. Representative Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) . The effort has garnered support from industry groups, including the Southern Shrimp Alliance , which has advocated for stricter controls on imported seafood.

If passed, the measure would significantly strengthen federal oversight of imported seafood and other food products, ensuring that contaminated shipments are destroyed and never reach American consumers.


HYDE-SMITH PROMOTES SAVE AMERICA ACT, SAYING ‘AMERICAN ELECTIONS ARE FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS’

In Speech, Senator Says Voting Rights, Democracy Didn’t Collapse Under Mississippi’s Successful Voter ID Requirement

VIDEO: Senator Hyde-Smith Advocates for Passage of SAVE America Act.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today pointed to Mississippi’s successful voter ID law in a floor speech advocating Senate passage of the SAVE America Act, which she cosponsored.

Hyde-Smith’s speech is part a broader effort by Senate Republicans to advance the legislation (S.1383) and overcome Democrat opposition to requiring a photo ID to vote in a federal election.

“The principle at the heart of this legislation could not be simpler, and it could not be more important: American elections are for American citizens. The fact that we are even here debating this tells you everything you need to know about how far some in this great country have drifted from common sense,” Hyde-Smith said.

Hyde-Smith recalled her work on election integrity as a state senator and her support for the citizen-led initiative that eventually led to the state implementing voter ID requirements in 2014.

“Photo IDs have been required at the polls in Mississippi since 2014. And let me tell you something: the Civil Rights Division of the Obama Department of Justice reviewed Mississippi’s voter ID law, deemed it lawful, and never took a single legal action against it. Because it is lawful, it is fair, and it works – despite naysayer arguments that a photo ID requirement would place undue burdens on the elderly, the poor, and minorities,” Hyde-Smith said. “Did voting rights in Mississippi collapse? No. Did democracy in my state end? No. Mississippians vote, and our elections are decided by American citizens, who have greater public confidence in the integrity of our electoral system.”

Hyde-Smith said the fact that a broad, bipartisan majority of Americans support requiring voter IDs is based on evidence of illegal immigrants sometimes voting in elections and growing belief that more noncitizens will take advantage of loopholes to register and vote – especially in states that issue drivers licenses to noncitizens.

The Senator said requiring proof of citizen to vote in elections is neither “radical” nor “voter suppression.”

“We can debate a lot of things in this chamber. But we should not be debating whether American elections should be decided by Americans. The answer is yes,” Hyde-Smith said. “For a dozen years, Mississippi voters have produced photo IDs before they vote, and they do so with the knowledge that this simple act helps to ensure the integrity of their vote. This is the same goal at the heart of the SAVE America Act.”

“Let’s defend the ballot box and restore confidence in our elections. The right to vote in this great nation belongs to the citizens of this great nation,” the Senator concluded.

The SAVE America Act would:

Require proof of identity by photo ID at the time of voting in a federal election.

Require states to obtain documentary proof of U.S. citizenship and identity – in person – when registering an individual to vote in a federal election.

Direct states to establish a process for applicants that do not have documentary proof of citizenship (due to religious reasons or otherwise) but are in fact U.S. citizens, subject to minimum standards.

Direct states to provide reasonable accommodations for disabled Americans and applicants that have discrepancies on their documentation due to a name change, including by signing a written affidavit.

Require states to establish a program to remove non-citizens from their existing voter rolls and give states immediate, no-cost access to federal databases with citizenship information to do so.

Empower citizens to bring civil suits against election officials that fail to uphold SAVE America Act proof of citizenship requirements via the existing National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) private right of action, and adds penalties for federal, state, and local officials that register non-citizens to vote in federal elections.

Direct the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to update any guidance associated with the SAVE America Act, streamline updates to federal forms under the Paperwork Reduction Act, and ensure states with same-day registration can comply with the bill.

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Senator Hyde-Smith Discusses Buying American Cotton Act

Posted: March 19, 2026

Last week on Agriculture of America, we had a conversation with Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) regarding her Buying American Cotton Act legislation. She shares details on the bill, the outlook for passage, an update on the Farm Bill in the Senate and more.

You can also hear the conversation from the Friday, March 13th, 2026 episode of AOA at the top of the show below:


Senator Justice Celebrates West Virginia Road Improvements Based on 2023 Data

West Virginia climbed the ranks to 30th from 33rd in the Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report

LEWISBURG, WV – Today, Senator Jim Justice released a statement celebrating West Virginia climbing three spots in the 29th Annual Highway Report from the Reason Foundation, which was based on 2023 data:

“I’m proud to see West Virginia climbing the ranks in the Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report. This report, based on 2023 data, proves exactly what I said all along: the roads plan I laid out in my very first State of the State is continuing to deliver beyond what I could’ve ever imagined. We put real dollars behind our roads through Roads to Prosperity, made major investments in our secondary roads, provided a road maintenance equipment fleet, and so on. Now we’re seeing the payoff plain as day. Our foundation is rock-solid, and it’s driving real, lasting prosperity across our state,” said Senator Jim Justice.

Graphic courtesy of the Reason Foundation

BACKGROUND:

The Reason Foundation’s 29th Annual Highway Report can be found here.

Improving infrastructure in West Virginia was a hallmark of Governor Justice’s administration.

This included the passing of Roads to Prosperity, which delivered $13.6 billion in total infrastructure investments, modernizing roads, bridges, water systems, equipment, and public facilities.

While he was Governor, Senator Justice completed the $2.8 billion Roads to Prosperity initiative, with an additional $416 million dedicated to secondary roads.

Beyond that, Governor Justice provided a massive road maintenance equipment fleet to WVDOT to enhance roadwork in West Virginia.

Roads to Prosperity also funded smaller bridge, paving, and slide repair projects in every county—many of which might have remained untouched for years without this initiative.

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Kaine Introduces Bill to Increase Maternal Vaccination Rates

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, introduced the Maternal Vaccinations Act, legislation to increase maternal vaccination rates for common illnesses like influenza, HPV, and pneumonia; address vaccination rate disparities; and better support new mothers’ health.

“More than 80 percent of deaths during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum are preventable. We can and must do more to address this tragedy and lower maternal mortality rates,” said Kaine. “That’s why I’m introducing this legislation to boost maternal vaccination rates, address disparities in care, and save lives.”

Maternal vaccination supports mothers’ health, as pregnancy carries a heightened risk of complications from infections. It also protects newborns, who rely on their mothers’ antibodies for the first several months of their lives. Maternal vaccination rates show disparities in access and uptake, especially among communities with historically low rates of vaccination or higher barriers to accessing health care. For example, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show an overall maternal influenza vaccination rate of 37.7 percent, but a stark racial disparity exists: 37.4 percent of non-Hispanic white mothers received a flu vaccine, compared to 25.6 percent of Black mothers.

Specifically, the Maternal Vaccinations Act would:

Increase maternal vaccination rates, particularly in communities with historically low rates of vaccination.

Engage underserved communities to develop and assess maternal vaccination campaigns.

Provide evidence-based, culturally-informed resources to providers.

Build partnerships with community-based organizations, health centers, and maternal health providers.

The full bill text is available here.

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Kaine Presses Navy on Extended Deployment of USS Gerald R. Ford

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Ranking Member of the SASC Subcommittee on Seapower, sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy John Phelan raising concerns regarding the deployment of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), which has been extended twice and is on track to break the record for longest carrier deployment since the end of the Vietnam War. This comes as Ford is currently headed to Naval Support Activity Souda Bay for repairs from a fire that began in the ship’s laundry area; the blaze required more than 24 hours of damage control efforts and resulted in over 200 Sailors being treated for smoke inhalation. In the letter, Kaine raised concerns about the ship’s maintenance and deployment cycle, morale and wellbeing of Sailors aboard the carrier, and retention.

“The men and women of our nation’s Navy and their families—many of whom live in Virginia—sign up to serve our country knowing that there will be hard days, long deployments, and significant time away from loved ones. However, I am deeply concerned about the lengthy deployment of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), which has been extended twice after the President ordered military action in the Caribbean and Middle East,” wrote Kaine. “Continued extended deployments like this one have serious implications for the maintenance and deployment cycles of our ships, Sailors’ morale and wellbeing, and retention.”

“I am concerned that we are handicapping our future readiness by delaying much-needed maintenance to fulfill these deployment extensions,” Kaine continued. “When ships finally return from an extended deployment, their maintenance periods often run beyond the anticipated time and budget, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of decreased readiness and shipyard delays.”

“Most importantly, these lengthy deployments put immense strain on our Sailors,” Kaine wrote. “I am deeply concerned about the compounding mental and physical toll this long deployment and uncertainty is taking on our Sailors.”

“I am immensely proud to represent so many military members and their families who live in Virginia. They work each day to protect our country and uphold our nation’s values. We owe it to them to ensure that the sacrifices we ask of them are worth it,” Kaine concluded. “This growing pattern of deployment extensions, both for Ford and the broader Fleet, is directly contributing to decreased ship readiness and spiraling morale among our Sailors. I urge you to take substantive steps that put our Sailors and ships first.”

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Phelan,

The men and women of our nation’s Navy and their families—many of whom live in Virginia—sign up to serve our country knowing that there will be hard days, long deployments, and significant time away from loved ones. However, I am deeply concerned about the lengthy deployment of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), which has been extended twice after the President ordered military action in the Caribbean and Middle East. Ford is on track to break the record for longest carrier deployment since the end of the Vietnam War. Continued extended deployments like this one have serious implications for the maintenance and deployment cycles of our ships, Sailors’ morale and wellbeing, and retention.

I am concerned that we are handicapping our future readiness by delaying much-needed maintenance to fulfill these deployment extensions. The extended deployment of Ford, our newest and most expensive aircraft carrier, has forced Sailors to improvise with broken equipment and ship support systems. It also requires our shipyards to adapt to volatile and unpredictable deployment schedules, delaying and impeding other required maintenance. When ships finally return from an extended deployment, their maintenance periods often run beyond the anticipated time and budget, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of decreased readiness and shipyard delays.

Planned deployment cycles ensure that the U.S. Navy is forward deployed when and where it is needed. Though deployment extensions temporarily maintain forces in an area, keeping them in-theater beyond their planned deployment window causes delays and schedule shifts that affect later deployments. Further, deployment requirements have not substantially changed despite the decreasing size of the Navy. Managing the same level of presence abroad with fewer ships puts enormous strain on the Fleet and decreases the margin of error for scheduling shifts.

Most importantly, these lengthy deployments put immense strain on our Sailors. It has been reported that Ford has been plagued by persistent sewage system failures and inoperable laundry facilities. I am deeply concerned about the compounding mental and physical toll this long deployment and uncertainty is taking on our Sailors. These are some of the brightest and most resilient minds our country has to offer, yet they and their families in Virginia are being pushed to a breaking point by a schedule that shifts without warning and a ship that, despite its $13 billion cost, is failing to provide basic quality-of-life standards.

I am requesting answers to the following questions by April 15, 2026:

What was the impact of the fire on Ford? How were Sailors impacted? What systems within the ship did it impact?

Will Ford’s extension delay its future scheduled deployments? By how much?

We have limited docks for aircraft carriers. How does Ford’s extension impact the maintenance schedule for the CVN program, and future refueling and decommissioning efforts?

Of Ford CSG Sailors eligible for reenlistment since June 24, 2025, what percentage have elected to end their service? How does that compare to the service’s average retention rate?

What support is being given to families with servicemembers deployed the Ford CSG?

I am immensely proud to represent so many military members and their families who live in Virginia. They work each day to protect our country and uphold our nation’s values. We owe it to them to ensure that the sacrifices we ask of them are worth it. This includes providing them with the resources they need to do their jobs and supporting their families. This growing pattern of deployment extensions, both for Ford and the broader Fleet, is directly contributing to decreased ship readiness and spiraling morale among our Sailors. I urge you to take substantive steps that put our Sailors and ships first.

Sincerely,

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King Receives Pentagon Confirmation of U.S.-Greenland-Denmark Cooperation with Arctic Operations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) questioned Pentagon officials on the status of military operations in the Arctic, specifically those involving collaborations with Greenland and Denmark. In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), King asked General Francis Donovan, United States Marine Corps Commander of United States Southern Command whether Greenland was continuing to support American national security interests under the 1951 treaty.

Senator King began, “I want to follow-up on Senator Shaheen's questions with regard to discussions, consultations, negotiations with Denmark and Greenland with regard to additional security assets in Greenland. Number one, are there to discuss is taking place? And number two, are they productive? Number three, are you meeting any resistance to establishing additional security assets in Greenland?

“Senator, we are pursuing with Denmark expansion on the defense areas, which we are allowed in the 1951 agreement,” General Donovan replied.

Senator King agreed, “The 1951 agreement is quite comprehensive. We don't really need a new treaty.”

“It is very comprehensive and frankly very favorable to our operations or potential operations in Greenland,” General Donovan answered, “Working with the Department of State, we have three areas that we would like to negotiate with Denmark and Greenland to see if we can expand the defense areas from Pituffik where we are now into these other areas which would help our homeland defense mission.”

Senator King followed up, “My final question is are you meeting any resistance, are they being cooperative and receptive to these discussions?”

General Donovan confirmed, “Senator, very cooperative with both Greenland and Denmark, very eager to discuss ways to move forward to improve our defense capabilities.”

Last month, Senator King led a bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Greenland to reinforce relations and respect with the people of the Arctic nation. The trip came as the American administration was threatening to annex, buy or otherwise take over the island nation. Weeks before that trip, Senator King hosted a delegation from the Kingdom of Denmark to emphasize the importance of deescalating tensions following recent comments from the executive administration about acquiring Greenland.

As Co-Chair of the U.S. Senate Arctic Caucus, Senator King is an advocate for Maine and America’s interests in the North Atlantic and Arctic region — as Maine is the first port in the contiguous 48 states that will see increased traffic via activity in northern waters. He has been calling for the appointment of an Arctic Ambassador since 2015, and pushed for the confirmation of the first Arctic Ambassador last year. As a Congressional authority on High North policy, King also laid out the challenges and opportunities of a warming Arctic in an article in the Wilson Quarterly, and in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act, he successfully secured the inclusion of provisions including funding authorizations for University of Maine to increase America’s activity and opportunities in the Arctic.

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Klobuchar Statement on JFK Profile in Courage Award for the People of the Twin Cities

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement on the people of the Twin Cities being honored with the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for their response to Operation Metro Surge.

"This winter, Minnesotans showed the world what courage looks like. Our state was the center of America's heartbreak, but we were also the center of America's hope. This award is a recognition not just of how our state persevered, but of how Minnesotans led the way in defending the freedoms that define our democracy and the rule of law."

Announcement from the JFK Library Foundation:

The people of the Twin Cities of Minnesota will be honored with a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award® for risking their lives to protect their neighbors and immigrant community members from an unprecedented federal law enforcement operation, peacefully defending the human rights and values that serve as the foundation of our Constitutional democracy.

Starting in 2025, a sharp escalation in federal immigration enforcement swept cities across the country, disrupting workplaces and neighborhoods and stoking fear among immigrant families. In the Twin Cities of Minnesota, the surge was especially intense: more than 3,000 federal agents from ICE and Border Patrol were deployed to the metro area, an operation the Department of Homeland Security described as the largest federal immigration enforcement action in U.S. history. The unprecedented scale and use of force pushed the boundaries of federal authority, drawing national attention to concerns about federal overreach.

The people of the Twin Cities responded with extraordinary courage and resolve. Tens of thousands took to the streets to peacefully protest federal overreach and threats to immigrant families and constitutional protections, while others documented enforcement activity and alerted neighbors to federal agents’ presence. Faith leaders organized demonstrations, community groups built rapid-response networks, labor leaders and small business defended workers, and volunteers provided critical support and resources. Across religious, racial, and political lines, a broad coalition of residents of the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs united in peaceful resistance despite violent confrontation and real personal risk, defending their neighbors’ rights and strengthening the national movement to protect American democracy.

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Klobuchar, Smith Introduce Resolution to Honor Master Sergeant Nicole Amor

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith introduced a resolution honoring Master Sergeant Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, who died on March 1, 2026, in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

Master Sergeant Amor was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), United States Army Reserve, Des Moines, Iowa. Master Sergeant Amor’s husband and children reside in White Bear Lake.

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, Sergeant First Class Noah L. Tietjens, Sergeant Declan J. Coady, Major Jeffrey O'Brien, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan;

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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Heinrich, Luján Demand DHS Reduce Delays for DACA Renewals

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) sent a letter demanding that outgoing U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow reduce the delays in processing renewal applications under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Created in 2012, DACA protects individuals who came to the United States as children from deportation. DACA recipients across the country are experiencing increasing delays in renewing their status.

“DACA has allowed hundreds of thousands of Dreamers an opportunity to pursue higher education and meaningful careers while remaining in the only home they have ever known,” the senators wrote to Secretary Noem and Director Edlow. “Delays in processing DACA renewals are increasing the instability and uncertainty that DACA recipients already face. These delays can have profound consequences. When renewals are not processed before expiration, recipients lose employment authorization and, in many cases, their jobs. Employers experience workforce disruptions, including in sectors such as health care and education and in small businesses. Hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizen children have a parent with DACA, and when their work authorization lapses due to slow renewals, families endure heightened financial instability.”

In their letter, the senators also call attention to the increased risk of detention and deportation faced by DACA recipients when their renewal applications are not processed before their status expires. According to the DHS, as many as 270 DACA recipients have been detained and 174 have been deported. That includes at least 9 DACA recipients who have been detained in the El Paso Sector, which includes New Mexico.

“DACA recipients contribute billions of dollars annually to the national economy and serve vital roles in our communities. Administrative delays in DACA renewals undermine not only individual stability but also broader economic resilience. To reduce these disruptions and risks for DACA recipients, we urge you to reduce processing times for DACA renewal applications and reduce the volume of pending cases through timely renewals,” the senators concluded.

The letter is led by U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), President Trump’s nominee to replace Secretary Noem, also received a copy of this letter.

The full text of the letter is here and below:

Dear Secretary Noem and Director Edlow:

We write to express serious concerns regarding delays in the processing of renewal applications under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Across the country, DACA recipients are reporting significant processing delays for their renewal applications. Many applicants who filed their renewals on time and in accordance with agency guidance are experiencing prolonged adjudication periods that extend beyond their current period of deferred action and employment authorization. We urge you to take all steps within your power to process renewal applications in a timely manner and protect the DACA recipients who rely on this program and who contribute so much to this country.

DACA has allowed hundreds of thousands of Dreamers an opportunity to pursue higher education and meaningful careers while remaining in the only home they have ever known. Delays in processing DACA renewals are increasing the instability and uncertainty that DACA recipients already face. These delays can have profound consequences. When renewals are not processed before expiration, recipients lose employment authorization and, in many cases, their jobs. Employers experience workforce disruptions, including in sectors such as health care and education and in small businesses. Hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizen children have a parent with DACA, and when their work authorization lapses due to slow renewals, families endure heightened financial instability.

Most concerningly, a lapse in DACA can result in an increased risk of being detained and even deported by federal immigration officials. Our offices have heard examples of constituents whose DACA has lapsed due to renewal delays being picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A DACA recipient whose only change of circumstance is a pending renewal application should not be at risk of their entire life being thrown into chaos due to indiscriminate immigration enforcement.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has also failed to provide clear notice as to policies or procedures that may be worsening this issue. For example, in helping our constituents address DACA renewal delays, some casework staff have been told that requests to expedite renewals will only be considered for recipients who work in the health care industry. While DACA health care workers are essential to the functioning of our local communities, they are by no means the only DACA recipients whose cases meet the agency’s criteria to expedite a renewal.

Many casework staff have also been informed that USCIS has frozen DACA renewal processing for individuals from 39 countries subject to President Trump’s national security proclamations. This decision, which has not been publicly announced, could indefinitely delay the DACA renewal of thousands of beneficiaries, subjecting them to potential detention and removal to countries where they did not grow up.

To better understand and address these concerns, we request detailed responses to the following questions:

What is the current average processing time for DACA renewal applications?

What steps is USCIS taking to ensure that timely filed renewal applicants do not experience lapses in employment authorization? What is the timeline for executing those steps?

What changes have been made to USCIS’s policies, procedures, and guidance regarding DACA renewals since January 20, 2025?

What are USCIS’s policies, procedures, and guidance regarding requests to expedite DACA renewals?

What steps does USCIS plan to take to ensure that renewals filed earlier than 150 days in advance of expiration are processed in a timely manner?

Does USCIS provide information to ICE regarding individuals’ DACA expiration dates?

Does USCIS provide information to ICE regarding individuals’ pending DACA renewals?

Does USCIS otherwise share information with ICE regarding DACA holders or facilitate the arrest, detention, or removal of DACA holders or individuals with renewals for DACA pending? If so, please describe this information sharing and/or facilitation in detail.

How many individuals with DACA renewal pending have been detained? a. How many remain in immigration custody? b. How many have been removed?

How many pending DACA renewals have been filed as of March 1, 2026 that are subject to the adjudicative hold for countries listed in Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998?

How many pending DACA renewals have been filed as of March 1, 2026, that are subject to any other adjudicative holds? Please provide the number per type of adjudicative hold.

DACA recipients contribute billions of dollars annually to the national economy and serve vital roles in our communities. Administrative delays in DACA renewals undermine not only individual stability but also broader economic resilience.

To reduce these disruptions and risks for DACA recipients, we urge you to reduce processing times for DACA renewal applications and reduce the volume of pending cases through timely renewals. We request a written response by April 17, 2026. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

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ICYMI: Luján Pens Op-Ed on Fighting Back Against Trump’s Push to Rig the Election

Washington, D.C. – In Case You Missed It: U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) published an opinion piece in the Santa Fe New Mexican highlighting how he is fighting back against President Trump and Republicans’ anti-voter SAVE Act which will have harmful impact on New Mexicans and Americans across the country, including on rural, Tribal, and Hispanic communities.

Read the full op-ed here or below:

Santa Fe New Mexican: Trump wants to rig the election: I’m fighting back

By Ben Ray Luján | March 19, 2026

I’ll never forget one of my first days in the U.S. Senate. On Jan. 6, 2021, rioters stormed the Capitol after President Donald Trump refused to accept the truth that he lost the 2020 election. Today, that same refusal to accept the will of the people is driving his latest attempt to rig our elections through the Republicans’ so-called SAVE Act.

This is part of his broader strategy to hold onto power.

Trump told Republicans to “find” more House seats, claiming they are “entitled” to them. After pushing redistricting across the country and threatening lawmakers who stand in his way, he is now trying to rewrite the rules of our elections to lock in power.

The SAVE Act is designed to save Republicans from facing American voters. They know their agenda isn’t working. Costs are up. Health care is more expensive. Trump launched a war with Iran.

They think that if fewer people can vote, they can hang on to their power in Congress.

This bill would make it harder for millions of eligible Americans to register to vote.

It would eliminate online and mail registration. It would force people to register in person, no matter how far they live or how hard it is to get there. And, it would reject IDs Americans use every day, including tribal IDs and even military IDs.

Trump wants control of our elections. He said, “We should take over the voting,” and that passing the SAVE Act means that Republicans will “never lose a race in 50 years.”

We know who he is targeting.

Tribal communities would be among the hardest hit. Many tribal IDs do not include a place of birth, which this bill would require. That means Native voters could be blocked from registering, even when they are fully eligible.

Hispanic communities would face new barriers as well. Naturalized citizens could be forced to track down documents that many people don’t have easy access to. Young voters and rural communities who rely on mail and online registration would be shut out.

In our democracy, voting should be accessible for every single eligible American.

I’ve spent my career fighting to protect the sacred right to vote. I’ve stood with and marched alongside civil rights legends like John Lewis. I’ve worked alongside tribal communities to make sure their voices are heard and respected at the ballot box.

When New Mexicans entrusted me to serve as their senator, they sent someone who will always stand up and fight when those rights are under attack.

I’ll be voting no on the Republicans’ voter suppression bill.

Donald Trump does not get to choose who votes. In our democracy, the people decide. I’ll keep fighting to make sure that never changes.

Senator Luján has long been a staunch supporter of protecting voting rights and strengthening American democracy. Senator Luján championed the Native American Voting Rights Act, legislation to protect the sacred right to vote and ensure equal access to the electoral process for American Indians and Alaska Natives and voters living on Tribal lands.

Senator Luján also introduced the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation to restore the landmark Voting Rights Act (VRA) and stop the spreading scourge of voter suppression. Senator Luján introduced the For the People Act, a sweeping package of comprehensive reforms that addresses voter intimidation and suppression, fights campaign corruption, and ends gerrymandering. He also introduced the Freedom to Vote Act, legislation to improve access to the ballot for Americans, advance commonsense federal election standards and campaign finance reforms, and protect our democracy.

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Luján Announces He Will Vote NO on Senator Markwayne Mullin for Secretary of Homeland Security

Senate Committee Hearing Highlighted Bipartisan Concerns, Raised More Questions

Luján Introduced Legislation to Rein in an Out-of-Control Agency

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement on the nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

“At a moment when the Department of Homeland Security is facing a real crisis of accountability, America needs steady, responsible leadership. The Republican Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said that Senator Mullin would set ‘a terrible example’ for ICE and Border Patrol agents. This is a stark warning for an already out-of-control department.

“Under the Trump administration, DHS has operated without accountability and at the expense of the rights of American citizens. I’m fighting to protect our rights, keep our communities safe, and hold this administration accountable.

“I take my responsibility to New Mexicans seriously. I will vote against Senator Mullin’s confirmation.”

Senator Luján voted against Kristi Noem’s confirmation as DHS Secretary and successfully pushed for her ouster. As negotiations continue to rein in ICE and CBP, Senator Luján and Senate Democrats have fought to fund TSA, FEMA, CISA, the Coast Guard, and other critical DHS functions, but Senate Republicans have blocked those efforts.

Following major DHS scandals, Senator Luján introduced legislation to hold ICE and CBP accountable, increase transparency, and make communities safer.

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Lummis Introduces Legislation To Give State Wildlife Data a Role in Endangered Species Listings

Washington, D.C. — Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today introduced the Local Data for Better Conservation Act, legislation to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require federal officials to accept and incorporate data collected by state wildlife agencies when making listing and delisting determinations for endangered and threatened species.

“Smart conservation means using the best data available,” said Senator Cynthia Lummis. “State agencies are on the ground every day, generating critical, real-time data on the species they manage. This bill ensures that information is fully considered in Endangered Species Act decisions, improving the accuracy and scientific integrity of species listings decisions.”

“Wildlife will benefit if all of the best available data are used to make decisions,” said Angi Bruce, Director of Wyoming Game and Fish Department. “However, decisions about endangered species sometimes exclude the wealth of relevant data that states collect. We appreciate that this bill recognizes states as essential partners and on-the-ground experts for species conservation.”

“State fish and wildlife agencies are on the front lines of stewarding our nation’s wildlife and are often the first to detect changes in species populations on the ground,” said Paul Johansen, Chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and President of the Association. “This legislation ensures that the most up-to-date, field-based data informs ESA decisions, leading to better informed listings and timely delisting decisions. By formally incorporating state-collected science, we can strengthen outcomes for species while reinforcing the cooperative framework that is foundational to conservation.”

Background:

Under current practice, federal listing decisions under the Endangered Species Act can overlook the substantial troves of species data that state agencies collect. This bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to accept and integrate state-collected data into any determination to list or delist a species — ensuring the best available science truly means the best available science.

Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) are cosponsors.


Merkley, Padilla Lead Senate Colleagues to Urge Education Department’s Timely Execution of Federal Education Programs for Agricultural Farmworker Students

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and California’s U.S. Senator Alex Padilla today led a group of Senators in urging U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to ensure the timely delivery of federal funds for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), which support educational opportunities for agricultural farmworker students.

Across the nation, HEP and CAMP serve more than 8,000 students from agricultural farmworker families. The failure to ensure the timely execution of these federal programs threatens to undermine students’ success in Oregon, California, and across the nation.

“HEP and CAMP programs have a 50+ year legacy of supporting students from farmworker and rural backgrounds so they can earn their High School Equivalency Diploma and succeed in college, thereby contributing to our country’s economic workforce,” the Senators stressed. “We are deeply concerned that any delays in administering the HEP and CAMP programs will result in irreversible damage to our students, families, and communities.”

Joining Merkley and Padilla in signing the letter were U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Previously, Merkley and Padilla led a bipartisan group of Senate and House lawmakers in demanding that the Office of Management and Budget and the Education Department immediately release $52,123,000 in federal funding for HEP and CAMP.

Full text of the letter can be found by clicking here and follows below:

Dear Secretary McMahon:

We are writing to urge you to issue a notice inviting applications as soon as possible for two competitive grant programs that support agricultural farmworker students: the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). These are important programs serving farmworker and rural communities that enjoy longstanding bipartisan support. HEP and CAMP will be best positioned to achieve statutory requirements through timely execution actions by the Department of Education.

As you likely know, HEP and CAMP programs provide critical access to educational opportunities for students from migrant or seasonal farmworker families. HEP helps students who have dropped out of high school get their High School Equivalency Credential and serves more than 6,000 students annually. CAMP assists students in their first year of college with academic, personal, and financial support, and serves approximately 2,400 migrant participants annually. Overall, nearly three-quarters of all CAMP students graduate with baccalaureate degrees.

Congress annually appropriates funding for HEP and CAMP programs on a bipartisan basis, and the FY26 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which President Trump signed into law, appropriated $52.1 million for the grants authorized under these programs.

Notably, the Senate Report accompanying the FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which carries forward in the explanatory statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, directs the federal government to ensure the timely execution of all grants. The report reads: “it is critical that the Federal grant making process is implemented in a timely, efficient, and consistent matter. The Committee directs the Departments funded in this act . . . to ensure that funding opportunity announcements are posted, non-competing continuation awards are made, new grants are awarded, and funding is disbursed all in a timely, efficient, and consistent manner.”

The aforementioned Senate Report also contains explicit language directing the Department to administer HEP and CAMP in a timely manner. More specifically, the report says: “The Committee urges the Department to accelerate the program development timeline so notices inviting applications can be issued early enough for the Department to make new and noncompeting continuation awards before July 1.” In order for the Department to make this July 1 deadline, we urge the Department to issue notices inviting applications as soon as possible with a 60-day deadline for grantees to apply.

Unfortunately, in FY25, the Department of Education cancelled the competition that was underway for the HEP and CAMP programs, which resulted in the elimination of 30 existing programs that were competing for another 5-year grant. The Department also discontinued 13 mid-cycle grants that had been approved, which negatively impacted programs. As such, for the HEP and CAMP programs that did not receive funding due to the cancelled FY25 competition or were discontinued, we urge the Department to afford these programs prior experience points in the event they submit a grant in a new FY26 grant competition.

The Department of Education currently has significant funding available this fiscal year to administer robust grant competitions. The Department created the situation when it chose to front-load awards for certain grantees for future budget years of approved applications and cancelled the competition underway for HEP and CAMP programs.

HEP and CAMP programs have a 50+ year legacy of supporting students from farmworker and rural backgrounds so they can earn their High School Equivalency Diploma and succeed in college, thereby contributing to our country’s economic workforce. We are deeply concerned that any delays in administering the HEP and CAMP programs will result in irreversible damage to our students, families, and communities.

Therefore, we urge the Department of Education to follow the letter and spirit of the law by posting notices inviting applications as soon as possible to ensure that the HEP and CAMP programs are able to continue their vital work. We appreciate your support in positively impacting countless more students’ lives by following the recent appropriations law and helping keep these important programs working to support farm-working families and communities.

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Wyden, Merkley, Senate Democrats Unveil Plans to Lower Health Costs Amid Trump’s Broken Promises to Americans

Amid Republican Attacks on Health Care That Raised Premiums and Worsened Coverage, Senate Democrats Offer Path to the Next Generation of Health Reforms to Benefit American Families

Text of the Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and eleven Senate Democrats – including Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. — today announced a new initiative to lower the cost of health care and improve health coverage for American families.

The letter, sent to Senate colleagues and signed by Senators Mark Warner, D-Va.; Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.; Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.; Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.; Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.; Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Tina Smith, D-Minn.; and Peter Welch, D-Vt. outlines plans to reverse Republicans’ health care cuts and lower costs for patients, make health insurance simpler, and end insurance company gaming by taking on corporate greed.

“It is no surprise that Americans are increasingly questioning whether a system that incentivizes and rewards profit-seeking behavior is compatible with one that places the health and financial well-being of patients and families first,” the senators wrote. “Republicans have spent the past year making these problems worse by passing the largest health care cuts in history and pursuing administrative actions that further destabilize health insurance markets. Trump and Republicans have used their majority to increase Americans’ health care costs and put new barriers between families and the care they need. Democrats can enact reforms that put patients over profits and consumers over complexity.”

The letter describes three goals that will be the focus for policy development among the group in the coming weeks and months:

Reverse Republican cost increases and reimagine a better path

Make health care simpler for families

Take on corporate greed

In contrast to these efforts, Republicans have spent their time in power on a campaign to make health insurance cost more while delivering less care to American families. In July 2025, Trump and Republicans passed the largest cut to health care in American history, totaling more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. These cuts, in addition to their refusal to extend middle class tax credits for health care at the end of last year, will increase premiums, rip away services like care at home and cause tens of millions to go without health insurance, which drives up costs for all Americans.

Last month, Wyden and Senate Democrats released a plan to take on the high cost of prescription drugs, amid Trump’s continued smoke and mirrors and broken promises to rein in Big Pharma.

The text of the letter is here. The flash report on Trump’s broken promise of lower health costs is here.

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Wyden, Merkley, Warren, Schumer, Democrats Publish Report Revealing Trump, Republicans Stripped Health Care Access, Raised Costs for Americans With “Defund” Planned Parenthood Provision

In six 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 and life-saving preventive care

Text of Report (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) led 23 colleagues – including Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) — in publishing a new report revealing the harm 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 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.

“Republicans used their Big Ugly Bill to fulfill their fantasies of defunding Planned Parenthood all so they could secure their Fox News talking points. This report lays bare exactly how the GOP’s war on reproductive health care is denying women the life-saving health care they depend on and demonstrates the urgent need to prevent the further erosion of the rights of women to make their own health care decisions,” said Senator Wyden (D-Ore.).

“Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Betrayal’ law cruelly defunded Planned Parenthood, yet another part of the Republican crusade to deny women the right to make their own health care decisions,” said Senator Merkley (D-Ore.). “Planned Parenthood is an essential provider of health care services across the nation, and our report makes it clear that we must keep fighting to maintain funding and access to the full range of health care, including access to reproductive care, for all Americans.”

“Six months later, we’re seeing exactly how Donald Trump and Republicans’ political stunt is hurting Americans and driving up health care costs. This is more than a backdoor abortion ban — it’s also ripping away Americans’ access to essential services like primary care and cancer screenings,” said Senator Warren. “Nobody benefits when people are getting fewer critical exams, paying more for care, or fully forgoing the health care they need. We need to fight back against Republican attacks on Americans’ health care and make sure they can’t make this dangerous provision permanent.”

“Last year — Republicans forced their unpopular and radical policies on the country with a backdoor nationwide abortion ban. Despite claiming to believe that states should dictate abortion policy, Republicans are pushing their anti-choice agenda on communities across the U.S.,” said Democratic Leader Schumer. “In the months since the ‘Big, Ugly Betrayal’ became law, American families have already started feeling the pain of Republicans’ efforts to defund Planned Parenthood: care is worse, costs are higher, and barriers for patients are more significant. Although these cuts last for only a year, our report has found that the impact of this lack of funding could be permanent and far-reaching. Democrats won’t let this stand. Senate Democrats are fighting tooth and nail for women’s right to choice and access to safe, affordable, and available health care.”

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.

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.

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.

“President Trump and his backers in Congress ‘defunded’ Planned Parenthood to make it harder for everyone, everywhere to get an abortion. They did so knowing their actions would make birth control, wellness exams, cancer screenings and other essential health care more expensive and harder to get for millions of people,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “In the six months since the law took effect, the real cost of their actions has become clear: Over twenty Planned Parenthood health centers have been forced to close, and tens of thousands of people now have few, if any, options to get the lifesaving care they need. We are grateful to Senate Minority Leader Schumer and Senators Warren and Wyden for leading on this report and amplifying the real-life harms of ‘defunding’ Planned Parenthood health centers. This work, and this fight, have never been more urgent, as Republicans in Congress call to make the ‘defund’ law permanent.”

The following Senators also joined the report: Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

“Everyone deserves to see the health care provider of their choice, whether you’re getting an annual exam or having an abortion,” said Rachana Desai Martin, Chief U.S. Program Officer at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “Because of the defund provision, our client Maine Family Planning can no longer accept Medicaid, which half of their patients rely on. People across the country, especially in rural areas, are having a harder time accessing affordable care from a provider they trust. We deserve better.”

“The defunding provision is part of a broader, orchestrated attack on people with low incomes, and organizations like Health Imperatives, which provide sexual and reproductive health care and comprehensive supports—including housing and emergency shelter—to survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault, and domestic violence,” said Julia Kehoe, President and CEO of Health Imperatives. “If the defunding provision becomes permanent, it will put basic human rights, and our ability to meet them, at risk.”

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VIDEO: Sen. Moran Questions CIA Director Ratcliffe on Operation Epic Fury’s Impact on the War in Ukraine

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.) – a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence – yesterday questioned Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe during a hearing to review the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s (DNI) 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community. During the hearing, Sen. Moran questioned Director Ratcliffe on how U.S. military operations in Iran are affecting the ability of Ukraine to succeed in defending its borders against Russian aggression.

“U.S. support for Ukraine includes military and other assistance, but also we’ve undertaken economic sanctions against Russia for their invasion of Ukraine,” said Sen. Moran. “[Operation] Epic Fury has caused a significant increase in oil prices, and the administration has waived sanctions against Russian oil companies, which is reported to say that Russia is receiving $150 million per day as a result of the waiver. What can you tell me about our plans or your understanding of what is transpiring as a result of Operation Epic Fury in regard to those oil revenues that are now being generated in favor of Russia and the lifting of the sanctions at least for a temporary period of time?”

“Sometimes policymakers have to take steps that, while they may benefit adversaries like Russia or China, do so because they also think it will benefit U.S. citizens, and in this case, with respect to keeping the economy on track and keeping oil prices low,” responded Director Ratcliffe. “So, what I can tell you is the intelligence is thoughtfully considered, and I think that policymakers have taken that. I’m confident that we can walk and chew gum at the same time, pursue objectives in the Middle East and provide support with regard to the conflict in Russia and the Russian aggression in Ukraine.”

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Questioning of Director Ratcliffe

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Moreno, Husted Introduce Resolution Honoring Three Fallen Ohio Service Members

WASHINGTON – Senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted (R-Ohio) introduced a resolution honoring the life, service, and sacrifice of three fallen Ohio National Guard members—Curtis Angst, Tyler Simmons, and Seth Koval.

“America is indebted to Curtis Angst, Tyler Simmons, and Seth Koval for their service and sacrifice to protect our freedoms,” said Senator Moreno. “Their loss is devastating for our country, and I join all Ohioans in praying for their loved ones.”

“As a grateful nation continues to mourn these Ohio heroes, it is important Americans remember their legacy of service and sacrifice. Senator Moreno and I joined together to honor them with this resolution, and it is a small way to do just that. The families and loved ones of Capt. Koval, Capt. Angst, and Master Sgt. Simmons remain in Tina and my prayers. These men carried out dangerous and critical missions in defense of our nation, and we are forever grateful for their service,” said Senator Husted.

Senator Moreno had the honor of attending the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base alongside President Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Senators Jon Husted, Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.).

Senator Moreno spoke on the Senate Floor commemorating their service, watch his remarks HERE.


Murkowski Espouses Nuclear Energy’s Potential Benefits for Alaska

Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) discussed the potential of nuclear energy to provide low-cost, reliable power to communities across Alaska with subject-matter experts before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR). During the hearing, the senator spoke on the record with Theodore Garrish, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and Dr. John Wagner, Director of Idaho National Laboratory (INL), about the potential deployment of microreactors at Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base, which are being considered by the Department of Defense as early proving grounds for advanced nuclear technology.

Senator Murkowski’s exchange can be viewed here.

The rough transcript of Senator Murkowski’s remarks can be found below.

Rough Transcript

Murkowski: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to the committee, gentlemen. Assistant Secretary Garrish, it’s always good to see you.

You’re familiar with much of the important legislation that has preceded today’s hearing, where we’ve made meaningful progress in advancing nuclear opportunities. I led the Energy Act of 2020 and the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act (NELA), which established the High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) Availability Program and laid the groundwork for advanced reactor deployment. The Department of Energy has now made initial HALEU production awards—an important step.

From your perspective, what practical steps does the Department of Energy, working with Congress, need to take to build on that progress and ensure that fuel supply does not become a pacing challenge for deployment? I’m particularly interested in the opportunity to see a microreactor pilot at Eielson Air Force Base. What do we need to do to ensure that fuel supply is not the limiting factor?

Assistant Secretary Garrish: I believe the question of enrichment is one of the most important issues we face. Thanks to congressional action and appropriations, we’ve been able to begin that process. We are currently working through key enrichment milestones, and once those are completed over the next several months, we expect to begin building domestic enrichment facilities.

That progress will reduce—and potentially eliminate—our reliance on Russian imports, should that remain a long-term concern. In the meantime, we do have material reserves that could be allocated, and the Defense Production Act provides additional tools to ensure that no company is left without the uranium it needs.

I also want to touch briefly on microreactors. The work being done in Idaho by Dr. John Wagner and his team to authorize these systems is incredibly promising. These are ideal solutions for Alaska. What we need now are opportunities to demonstrate them there. For many remote communities, microreactors could be transformative—eliminating the need to transport diesel while providing reliable, long-term, and cost-effective power. That’s where we should be focused.

Murkowski: I appreciate you raising that, because this is something we’re looking at very closely—not only for national security purposes at our military installations, but also for our remote communities that currently rely on diesel. With diesel prices where they are, it’s simply not sustainable.

Quite honestly, we shouldn’t be powering communities with diesel generation in 2026. We’re eager to move forward on this.

Dr. Wagner, let me follow up with you on that point, particularly as it relates to Alaska.

What does INL need right now in terms of capabilities—for testing, fuel qualification, and systems validation? It sounds like there’s momentum within the Department on the fuel side. What do you need on the testing and demonstration side?

Dr. Wagner: First, thank you for the question—and for the strong partnership we’ve had with you and others in Alaska. That collaboration has been incredibly valuable in helping us understand the specific energy needs of remote communities, as well as installations like Eielson Air Force Base.

As we develop these technologies, we’re doing so with those real-world applications in mind. We’re not developing solutions in search of a problem—we’re informed by actual needs.

In terms of capabilities, we already have a wide range of assets at the laboratory, including test beds and specialized facilities. However, much of this infrastructure is aging and currently operating at full capacity. We are stretching the limits of what we can do at a time when demand for testing—fuel testing under various conditions, reactor testing, recycling demonstrations—is rapidly increasing.

We face ongoing infrastructure challenges and would greatly benefit from additional resources to expand capacity.

One of our most pressing needs is fuel fabrication capability for initial reactor demonstrations. As you know, early-stage reactors often lack commercial fuel fabrication pathways. To address that gap, we are working to establish an Advanced Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Laboratory. That is our top priority.

Murkowski: I appreciate that. As we look at appropriations, it’s critical that we ensure alignment—from the Department to our national labs—to support deployment on the ground, whether in Alaska or across the country.

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