Ninth District Traveling Staff Office Hours for April

Congressman Griffith’s Ninth District STAFF will be available at the following locations during the month of April.

In the event of inclement weather (heavy snow, sleet, icy rain, etc.), traveling office hours may be rescheduled to avoid putting constituents at risk. If a County’s or City’s schools are closed, then its office hours will be closed as well. Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions or to schedule an appointment time in the event of office hour closure.

April 8, 2026

Scott County: 9:00 am – 10:30 am

Community Services Building

Conference Room

190 Beech Street

Gate City, VA 24251

Lee County: 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Lee County Sheriff’s Office

Conference Room

33640 Main Street

Jonesville, VA 24263

Wise County (Big Stone Gap): 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Big Stone Gap Municipal Complex

216 Wood Ave. E

Big Stone Gap, VA 24219

April 9, 2026

Giles County: 9:00 am – 10:30 am

Town of Pearisburg Offices

Council Chambers

112 Tazewell Street

Pearisburg, VA 24134

Bland County: 9:00 am – 10:30 am

Bland County Courthouse

First Floor Conference Room

612 Main Street

Bland, VA 24315

Wythe County: 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Wythe County Sheriff’s Office

Conference Room

245 South 4th Street

Wytheville, VA 24382

Radford: 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Radford Recreation Building

200 George Street

Radford, VA 24141

Smyth County: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Smyth County Administrator’s Office

Conference Room, Suite 100

121 Bagley Circle

Marion, VA 24354

Pulaski County: 2:30 pm – 4:00pm

Pulaski County Administration Building

First Floor Conference Room

143 3rd Street NW

Pulaski, VA 24301

April 14, 2026

Tazewell County (Bluefield): 10:00 am – 11:30 am

Town of Bluefield Council Chambers

112 Huffard Dr

Bluefield, VA 24641

Buchanan County: 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Town of Grundy Offices

1185 Plaza Dr.

Grundy, VA 24614

April 15, 2026

Carroll County: 9:00 am – 10:30 am

Carroll County Administration Building

County Administrators Office, Conference Room

605 – 1 Pine Street

Hillsville, VA 24343

Galax: 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Galax Municipal Building

Conference Room

111 E. Grayson Street

Galax, VA 24333

Grayson County: 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Grayson County Administration Building

Board of Supervisors Room

129 Davis Street

Independence, VA 24348

April 16, 2026

Tazewell County (Tazewell): 10:00 am – 11:30 am

American Legion Building

226 Central Avenue

Tazewell, VA 24651

Russell County: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Town of Lebanon Government Offices

72 Gibson Street

Lebanon, VA 24266

April 21, 2026

Craig County: 9:00 am – 10:30 am

Craig County Courthouse

108 Court Street

New Castle, VA 24127

Roanoke County: 11:30am – 1:00pm

South County Library

Meeting Room

6303 Merriman Road

Roanoke, VA 24018

April 22, 2026

City of Martinsville: 10:00 am – 11:30 am

City Hall, Room 208

55 W. Church St

Martinsville, VA 24112

Patrick County: 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Patrick County Administration Building

Conference Room

106 Rucker Street

Stuart, VA 24171

Floyd County: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Town of Floyd Government Offices

Community Room

203 East Oxford St

Floyd, VA 24091

April 23, 2026

Bedford County: 9:00am – 10:30am

Town of Bedford Municipal Building

First Floor Conference Room

215 E. Main Street

Bedford, VA 24523

Franklin County: 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Franklin County Government Center

Conference Room B-23

1255 Franklin Street

Rocky Mount, VA 24151

April 28, 2026

Dickenson County: 10:00 am – 11:30 am

Center for Education & Research

First Floor Conference Room #155

818 Happy Valley Drive

Clintwood, VA 24228

Norton: 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

High Knob Destination Center

Conference Room

1147 Laurel Avenue SW

Norton, VA 24273

Wise County (Wise): 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Wise County Courthouse

Law Library, Second Floor

206 E. Main Street

Wise, VA 24293

** Please contact the Christiansburg Office at 540-381-5671 or the Abingdon Office at 276-525-1405 with any questions.

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Rep. Norcross Delivers Nearly $2M in Community Project Funding for Camden City and CCMUA

CHERRY HILL, NJ – Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) delivered $1,850,000 in Community Project Funding to the City of Camden and the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority for the purchase of new garbage bins that will enable the semi-automation of curbside collection services and for upgrades to the county’s sewer system to improve water quality.

“These projects represent meaningful improvements to the communities here in Camden, and they show what’s possible when government listens to the local leaders who know their communities best,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “We’re not only supporting economic development through new investments and jobs, but we’re also responding to the pressing needs of this community by advancing a cleaner, greener Camden. Through cleaner streets, improved neighborhoods, and reduced pollution, the revitalization of Camden City continues to move forward.”

“This is another tremendous step towards advancing the quality of life in the City of Camden and a significant boost to communities across Southern New Jersey,” said Camden Mayor Victor G. Carstarphen. “We are grateful to Congressman Norcross for his advocacy. The $850,000 in funding will help support the City’s clean up initiative through the purchase of new waste tipper containers. This will not only result in a huge savings for the municipality but ultimately help to upgrade Camden’s waste management infrastructure and ensuring reliable trash service citywide.”

“The CCMUA is incredibly appreciative of Congressman Norcross for recognizing the importance of improving water quality in Camden County, particularly within Camden City.” said CCMUA Executive Director Scott Schreiber. “This funding represents a meaningful investment in one of our most sensitive and critical environments—the Delaware River Backchannel. By thoughtfully combining local, state, and federal resources, the CCMUA remains committed to delivering tangible water quality improvements that benefit our residents, our waterways, and the broader region.”

The $1,000,000 grant to CCMUA will be used to make upgrades to the county’s sewer system and to improve water quality in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The $850,000 grant to the City of Camden will support the city’s purchase of new garbage bins for city residents that will enable the semi-automation of curbside collection services. Equipped with radio-frequency identification tracking, Camden will be able to move away from a “drag and dump” form of garbage collection to one that is more efficient and will result in less environmental waste.

These projects are a part of the $11.98 million Congressman Norcross secured for 15 Community Project Funding (CPF) awards throughout New Jersey’s First Congressional District to support economic development, create jobs, and respond to the most pressing needs of the community.


Congressman Pfluger Announces Town Hall in Eden

EDEN, TX—U.S. Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) is excited to announce a community town hall in Eden. The event is open to the public and all members of the media.

WHAT: Eden Town Hall Meeting

WHO: U.S. Rep. August Pfluger

WHEN: Wednesday, April 1st, 2026, from 2:00 —3:00 pm CT

WHERE: Eden Multipurpose Center

409 West Blanchard Street, Eden, TX 76837


ICYMI: Pfluger Talks Iran, Airpower, and Readiness on the Fox News Rundown Podcast

Read highlights from the interview below:

Rep. Pfluger on the deterrent posture of the United States:

I think on the strategic front, you have to have this situation where the Iranian regime knows that the United States of America, and hopefully our allies and our partners, and many of whom are in the Middle East that have received missiles into their cities and into their ports, that they come together and we mean business, and that's where we really need our allies and our partners to step up and to say enough is enough. And I think that leads to the credibility of deterrence. It leads to the credibility of finding a solution. And you know, the president is trying to create leverage, no doubt, and he has done that through action. And it's time for the regime to lay down their arms, to lay down their nuclear weapons, and to become a transparent country that can once again be respected, because they're so far from that right now.

Rep. Pfluger on the need to invest in airpower and the Air Force:

The Department of the Air Force is the smallest and the oldest and yet the most tasked department of all the military services, responsible for providing joint air power solutions that have been able to take down a nuclear regime, that have enabled the extradition of Nicolás Maduro, that have enabled the ability to have air dominance, air superiority inside Iran to achieve other military objectives. And so the Air Force has long been the service called upon to execute very difficult but highly strategic outcomes. But even with a smaller budget than the other departments, the Air Force is being tasked to do all of these things. That's why you get into a state where I believe we are over-tasked, and yet have the oldest and most aged fleet that we've had in decades, and maybe ever in the history of our service. So we absolutely need to recapitalize. We need to go faster to produce weapon systems to be ready, because the threats that we are required to face and deter include the Chinese Communist Party, and unfortunately, over the past two to three decades, they've made great strides in their technology and in the number of the weapon systems that they have ready to go, and that's a totally different threat than we face in Iran. One can just look at that environment and know that the Department of the Air Force and the Space Force will be heavily tasked, God forbid if some sort of conflict should arise there.

Rep. Pfluger on current munition stockpiles:

Well, we need a mixture of high, low, exquisite, non-exquisite, inexpensive weapon systems that can achieve a variety of effects. And I think the Secretary of the Air Force will say that in any of his hearings that we need to be going faster. And you know, the game that has been played is how inexpensive and how fast can you produce something that achieves the objectives that may be in the effects that maybe last decade was so exquisite and so expensive that you didn't want to use it. And now we have to change our mindset and our mentality, and I'm proud of the Air Force and all of our services for doing that. We need the military industrial complex to also come alongside. And that's where the innovative startup projects and companies really play a big role, and we're rooting for them on.

Rep. Pfluger on the pipeline of warfighters:


Tlaib Secures $3,150,000 for Southfield’s Home Repair Program

SOUTHFIELD — Today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) announced that the City of Southfield, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County, will receive $3,150,000 in federal Community Project Funding to support the Southfield Aging in Place Program. This initiative will provide critical home repairs for seniors, helping them remain safe and comfortable in their homes as they age.

The federal investment is part of $15.7 million in total funding Congresswoman Tlaib successfully secured for community projects across Michigan’s 12th Congressional District in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations package.

“Every person deserves to live with dignity in a safe home as they grow older,” said Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. “Home repair is a critical need in our community that I hear from residents about at every town hall. This $3,150,000 for the City of Southfield’s Aging in Place Critical Home Repair Program ensures that our seasoned residents can stay in the homes they love without facing unsafe conditions or impossible repair costs. I’m proud to bring this funding home to Southfield and grateful for local partners like Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County who help make that promise a reality.”

The Southfield Aging in Place Program will offer grants of up to $25,000 per household for critical home improvements to low-and moderate-income seniors—those earning up to 80% of the Area Median Income. Repairs may include roof replacements, heating and cooling upgrades, plumbing and electrical work, and accessibility modifications such as ramps, railings, and walk-in tubs. The City of Southfield and Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County expect the program to assist at least 100 households, primarily in neighborhoods south of Nine Mile Road.

“This federal support will make a tangible difference in the lives of our older residents,” said Southfield Mayor Kenson Siver. “More than half of Southfield’s homes were built before 1970, and many longtime residents face growing maintenance costs. With this funding, we can help them stay safe, comfortable, and connected in the community they’ve built.”

“Helping people age in place is not just about fixing houses—it’s about preserving dignity, independence, and the social fabric of our neighborhoods,” said Michele Hodges, Executive Director and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County. “We’re deeply grateful to Congresswoman Tlaib for her advocacy and to the City of Southfield for sharing our commitment to equitable housing solutions.”

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Rep. Tokuda’s Office Launches Weekly Recovery Assistance in Waialua

Hawai’i – Starting Tuesday, March 31, staff from the office of U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) will be at the Waialua District Park gymnasium (67-180 Goodale Ave, Waialua, HI 96791) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Staff will continue providing weekly on-site support at the Community Assistance Center opened by the City and County of Honolulu for residents affected by the Kona Low storms. Staff are available to help with federal agency issues, along with City and County recovery agencies, and non-profit organizations. No appointment is necessary.

Residents may contact Rep. Tokuda’s District Office at (808) 746-6220 with any questions.

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Bennet Joins Bipartisan Bill to Impose Sanctions on Russian Energy Sector, Shadow Fleet

Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, joined U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to co-sponsor the Sanctioning Harbors and Dodgers of Western Sanctions or SHADOW Fleets Act.

This bill will vastly expand U.S. sanctions authorities to target a collection of older, reflagged oil tankers that Russia uses to circumvent existing U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and energy revenues. This collection of oil tankers is known as the Russian shadow fleet. The SHADOW Fleets Act would further discourage countries from purchasing Russian oil, which fuels Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war machine. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Tammy Duckworth (D-IlI.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) also co-sponsor this bill.

“Amid Putin’s intransigence and daily attacks on civilians across Ukraine, Congress must make Russia pay a further price for its aggression – particularly as Russia stands to benefit from spiking oil and gas prices caused by President Trump’s unauthorized war with Iran,” said Bennet. “This bill will ensure that Putin does not profit from President Trump’s Middle East quagmire, and put further pressure on Putin to compel him to end his war in Ukraine.”

“Putin will use every trick in the book to evade U.S. sanctions, and the U.S. is cracking down on this illicit shadow fleet of ships that he uses to fund his war. These ships and the oil sales they facilitate directly threaten American and European security, and will be stopped,” said Risch.

“This is a clear bipartisan signal that action must be taken by Congress to finally bring this war to an end. Ukraine has been holding the line against Putin for more than 3 years – deterring and preventing Russian aggression against NATO,” said Shaheen. “We must use all tools at our disposal to stand with Ukraine including sanctioning Russia’s shadow fleet to choke off funds to Putin’s war machine. Our allies have sanctioned hundreds more shadow fleet vessels than the United States – this legislation would force the Trump Administration to bridge that gap. We cannot wait a moment longer to starve Putin from funding streams that continue his illegal war on Ukraine. I am proud to co-lead this critical piece of bipartisan legislation to force Putin to the negotiating table and end this war.”

Russia continues to float its economy with massive oil and energy revenues earned through the exploitation of the G7 oil price cap and blatant evasion of Western sanctions using its shadow fleet – a collection of older, often reflagged oil tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions on Russian oil exports.

The G7, European Union, and other U.S. allies continue to increase sanctions enforcement. In response, Russia has deployed warships to escort its shadow fleet vessels through the Baltic Sea. This is an unprecedented escalation that increases the potential for a security or ecological incident.

The SHADOW Fleets Act will vastly expand U.S. sanctions authorities in key gaps, such as by targeting the shadow fleet, Russian liquified natural gas (LNG) projects, the Russian defense industrial base, and the Nord Stream II Russian pipeline to Europe.

Bennet has staunchly supported the Ukrainian people since Putin launched his unjustified, unprovoked, and unlawful full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In March 2026, Bennet joined U.S. Senators Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Chris Coons, and John Curtis (R-Utah) on the Decreasing Russia Oil Profits (DROP) Act of 2025, legislation requiring targeted sanctions on firms and individuals dealing in Russian oil. In the same month, he wrote an op-ed in EURACTIV – a leading European outlet – urging the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, and other like-minded allies to form a coalition to cooperatively and immediately use Russian sovereign assets on Ukraine’s behalf.

In February 2026, Bennet also joined Senator Shaheen, Senator Tillis, and several other Senate colleagues to introduce a bipartisan resolution recognizing the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

Throughout 2025, Bennet fought for his legislation ensuring intelligence support to Ukraine to be included in the Intelligence Authorization Act and National Defense Authorization Act.

In December 2025, Bennet led a bipartisan letter to Belgian Ambassador to the U.S. Frédéric Bernard expressing support for European Commission efforts to leverage Russian sovereign assets to finance a loan for Ukraine. Bennet is a co-sponsor of the REPO Implementation Act, bipartisan legislation to repurpose frozen Russian sovereign assets held in the United States to support Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression. The legislation would build on the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity (REPO) for Ukrainians Act, which Bennet co-sponsored and which President Joe Biden signed into law in April 2024.

In February 2025, Bennet joined Senators Shaheen and Tillis on a bipartisan congressional delegation to Kyiv, Ukraine. In September 2024, Bennet called on the Biden Administration to allow Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons to strike military targets in Russia, which President Biden authorized weeks later. Bennet also visited Lviv, Ukraine with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and colleagues in early 2024.

Bennet played a leading role in securing the April 2024 passage of the national security supplemental package, which included $60.84 billion in emergency support for Ukraine, including by objecting and holding must-pass measures through 2023 and 2024.

The text of the bill is available HERE.

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Blumenthal Demands Answers from SEC Chairman over Preferential Treatment of Trump Crypto Backers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, today wrote to Paul Atkins, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), demanding answers about recent reports that the SEC may have exercised preferential treatment for financial partners of President Trump against the advice and warnings of senior staff.

Recent reporting from Reuters revealed that Margaret Ryan, a civil servant who served as the agency’s Director of the Division of Enforcement, left her role shortly before the SEC dismissed fraud charges against Justin Sun, a key partner in the Trump family’s cryptocurrency ventures. In his letter to Atkins, Blumenthal raised concerns about Ryan’s abrupt departure and reports that senior leadership may have intervened to prohibit the Division of Enforcement from pursuing cases against parties close to President Trump.

“[O]n March 5, 2026, approximately 11 days before Ms. Ryan stepped down from her position, the SEC dismissed fraud charges against Mr. Sun and several of his companies after he agreed to pay a $10 million fine,” Blumenthal wrote.

Blumenthal pointed out how Sun has sought to curry favor with President Trump by buying into Trump family cryptocurrency ventures: “The SEC initially based its 2023 enforcement action against Mr. Sun’s companies, including Tron, on allegations of fraud and market manipulation, wash trading, undisclosed endorsements, and other violations of securities law. Facing federal prosecution, Mr. Sun began to buy into President Trump’s cryptocurrency ventures, first by purchasing millions of dollars worth of the President’s memecoin, $TRUMP, which made Sun its largest holder and entitled him to a private dinner with the President. Mr. Sun and his firms then went on to become an early investor in the Trump family’s larger cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), providing tens of millions in support to WLFI’s governance token and its stablecoin, USD1.”

Blumenthal continued, “In addition to Mr. Sun’s efforts to curry favor with the President, his company, Tron, is also controversial throughout the crypto ecosystem because of its role in facilitating a disproportionate amount of illicit finance, including money-laundering, sanctions evasion, and terrorism financing.”

“This is a clear example of how President Trump’s blatant crypto corruption creates back doors for his family’s business partners, creating a pay-to-play enforcement regime that turns a blind eye to grave threats to national security and consumer protection,” Blumenthal concluded.

As Ranking Member of PSI, Blumenthal is investigating the illicit use of cryptocurrencies, including by sanctioned entities. As part of his inquiry, Blumenthal is seeking records and communications between the SEC’s Division of Enforcement and the Office of the Chairman, records and communications between the Office of the Chairman and any member of the Trump or Witkoff families, records related to the SEC’s settlements with cryptocurrency companies, and more.

The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to Atkins is available here and below.

Dear Chairman Atkins:

I write regarding reports that the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) may have exercised preferential treatment for financial partners of President Trump against the advice and warnings of senior staff when the agency declined to litigate credible fraud cases, including against Justin Sun, a key partner in the Trump family’s cryptocurrency ventures.[1]

On March 16, 2026, Margaret Ryan, a civil servant who served as the agency’s Director of the Division of Enforcement, left her role after merely six months on the job.[2] Her departure reportedly came as the Division of Enforcement was pursuing charges for fraud and other misconduct against parties close to President Trump, including Justin Sun, but faced resistance from you and other senior appointees.[3] Ms. Ryan’s abrupt departure from the agency raises questions in light of her short tenure and reports that senior leadership intervened to prohibit the Division of Enforcement from pursuing cases against certain cryptocurrency companies.[4] Indeed, on March 5, 2026, approximately 11 days before Ms. Ryan stepped down from her position, the SEC dismissed fraud charges against Mr. Sun and several of his companies after he agreed to pay a $10 million fine.[5]

The SEC initially based its 2023 enforcement action against Mr. Sun’s companies, including Tron, on allegations of fraud and market manipulation, wash trading, undisclosed endorsements, and other violations of securities law.[6] Facing federal prosecution, Mr. Sun began to buy into President Trump’s cryptocurrency ventures, first by purchasing millions of dollars worth of the President’s memecoin, $TRUMP, which made Sun its largest holder and entitled him to a private dinner with the President. [7] Mr. Sun and his firms then went on to become an early investor in the Trump family’s larger cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), providing tens of millions in support to WLFI’s governance token and its stablecoin, USD1.[8]

In addition to Mr. Sun’s efforts to curry favor with the President, his company, Tron, is also controversial throughout the crypto ecosystem because of its role in facilitating a disproportionate amount of illicit finance, including money-laundering, sanctions evasion, and terrorism financing.[9] A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime revealed that in 2024, the Tether stablecoin on Tron’s blockchain had become “a preferred choice for crypto money launderers in East and Southeast Asia.”[10]

Crypto-fueled crime has skyrocketed since President Trump came back into office. In just one year, from 2024 to 2025, illicit finance roughly tripled from $59 billion to $154 billion.[11] Tron has played an outsized role in this dynamic. While Tron accounts for a third of all payment tokens in the crypto ecosystem by some metrics, 58% of all illicit finance in crypto occurred on Tron’s network in 2024.[12]

This is a clear example of how President Trump’s blatant crypto corruption creates back doors for his family’s business partners, creating a pay-to-play enforcement regime that turns a blind eye to grave threats to national security and consumer protection. As part of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation’s (“PSI” or “the Subcommittee”) ongoing inquiry into the illicit use of cryptocurrencies, please provide information and records responsive to the following requests by April 13, 2026.

All records[13] and communications[14] between the Division of Enforcement and SEC senior leadership, including but not limited to the Office of the Chairman, since January 20, 2025, referring or relating to potential enforcement actions against cryptocurrency companies, including but not limited to any company owned or affiliated with Justin Sun or Changpeng Zhao, otherwise known as “CZ.”

All records and communications sent or received between the Office of the Chairman and any member of the Trump family or Witkoff family, or any agent thereof regarding World Liberty Financial or the $TRUMP token since January 20, 2025

All records relating to the settlement the SEC entered with cryptocurrency companies since January 20, 2025, including but not limited to any company owned by or affiliated with Justin Sun and Changpeng Zhao.

Please provide a list of any other enforcement matters between January 20, 2025 and March 16, 2026, in which the Director of the Division of Enforcement’s recommendations for an enforcement matter were overruled by the Office of the Chairman, or any other senior leader of the SEC.

Please contact the Subcommittee should you have any questions about responding to these requests. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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[1] Chris Prentice and Marisa Taylor, Exclusive: US SEC’s ex-enforcement chief clashed with bosses over Trump cases before leaving, sources say, Reuters (Mar. 23, 2026) https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/us-secs-ex-enforcement-chief-clashed-with-bosses-before-leaving-sources-say-2026-03-23/; Dawn Kopecki and Chris Prentice, Exclusive: US SEC’s top cop resigns after just six months on the job, Reuters (Mar. 16, 2026) https://www.reuters.

[2] Dawn Kopecki and Chris Prentice, Exclusive: US SEC’s top cop resigns after just six months on the job, Reuters (Mar. 16, 2026) https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/us-sec-enforcement-director-leave-agency-after-months-job-sources-say-2026-03-16/.

[3] Id.; Chris Prentice and Marisa Taylor, Exclusive: US SEC’s ex-enforcement chief clashed with bosses over Trump cases before leaving, sources say, Reuters (Mar. 23, 2026), https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/us-secs-ex-enforcement-chief-clashed-with-bosses-before-leaving-sources-say-2026-03-23/.

[4] Id.

[5] Dave Michaels and Vicky Ge Huang, SEC Dismisses Fraud Case Against Crypto Billionaire Justin Sun, Wall Street Journal (Mar. 5, 2026). https://www.wsj.com/finance/regulation/sec-dismisses-fraud-case-against-crypto-billionaire-justin-sun-2accb716?gaa_at.

[6] Id.

[7] Angus Berwick, Patricia Kowsmann, and Vicky Ge Huang, A Crypto Billionaire Who Feared Arrest in the U.S. Returns for Dinner With Trump, Wall Street Journal (May 22, 2025) https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/justin-sun-trump-crypto-dinner-7efd5367?mod.

[8] Id.

[9] Id.

[10] United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Casinos, Money Laundering, Underground Banking, and Transnational Organized Crime in East and Southeast Asia: A Hidden and Accelerating Threat (Jan. 2024) https://www.unodc.org/roseap/uploads/documents/Publications/2024/Casino_Underground_Banking_Report_2024.pdf.

[11] Chainalysis, Crypto Crime in 2025 Was Primarily Driven by 694% Surge in State-Driven Sanctions Evasion Volume (Mar. 5, 2026) https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/crypto-sanctions-2026/.

[12] Visa, Stablecoin Supply, https://visaonchainanalytics.com/supply (last accessed Mar. 25, 2026); TRM Labs, 2025 Crypto Crime Report (Feb. 10, 2025) https://www.trmlabs.com/reports-and-whitepapers/2025-crypto-crime-report.

[13] For purposes of this request, “records” include any written, recorded, or graphic material of any kind, including letters, memoranda, reports, notes, electronic data (emails, email attachments, and any other electronically-created or stored information), direct messages, chats, calendar entries, inter-office communications, meeting minutes, phone/voice mail or recordings/records of verbal communications, and drafts (whether or not they resulted in final documents).

[14] For purposes of this request, “communications” include any records, as defined above, transmitted in any way between two or more individuals or entities.


Blumenthal Introduces Bill to Bolster GI Bill Benefits for Veterans & Their Families

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) recently introduced the Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability Entitlement Act—legislation to ensure servicemembers who have completed ten years of service can transfer their benefits to dependents at any time, both while serving on active duty and as a veteran. This would include veterans who separated or retired from active duty and did not transfer any entitlement or gained a dependent after retirement.

“Veterans and servicemembers who served our nation for a decade deserve to be able to use their GI Bill benefits in a way that makes sense for their families. Yet far too many face challenges when transferring these educational benefits to their dependents. Our legislation is a commonsense fix to ensure veterans and their families can effectively transfer and utilize these benefits,” said Ranking Member Blumenthal.

Currently, many servicemembers are unable to transfer their benefits due to a lack of education and notice of the requirements or bureaucratic red tape that leads to delays or miscommunication about the transfer. In addition, many veterans do not qualify to transfer these benefits, such as those did not have dependents until after separation or retirement. The Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability Entitlement Act would fix these issues by making sure Post-9/11 veterans are able to transfer these benefits to their dependents both during active duty and as a veteran.

“For too long, deserving service members have been unfairly excluded from transferring their earned education benefits—not because they failed to serve honorably, but because of gaps in outreach, demands of military service, or rigid eligibility rules that don’t account for life’s realities,” said Coleman Nee, DAV National Commander. “The Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability Entitlement Act corrects those shortcomings by ensuring that any service member who has given a decade of their life to this nation has the flexibility to transfer their hard-earned education benefits to their loved ones when it makes the most sense for their family. It’s a fair and practical fix that honors their service and sacrifice. DAV thanks Sen. Blumenthal for his leadership on this issue and urges Congress to pass this important legislation without delay.”

The Post 9/11 GI Bill was enacted in 2009 and provides recipients with 36 months of entitlement that may be used for post-secondary education and training programs, to include vocational and technical training and non-degree granting programs. Currently servicemembers who have served at least six years on active-duty service must proactively transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to their dependents, incurring an additional four years of service obligation.

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NEWS: Senator Blunt Rochester joins Senator Wyden, Senate Democrats to Unveil Plans to Lower Health Costs Amid Trump’s Broken Promises to Americans

While Republicans Attack Health Care, Raising Premiums and Worsening Coverage, Senate Democrats Offer Path to the Next Generation of Health Reforms to Benefit American Families

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and eleven Senate Democrats to launch a new initiative to lower the cost of health care and improve health coverage for American families.

The letter, also signed by Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), 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. These recommendations would 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.

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

Dear Colleague,

America’s for-profit health insurance system is fundamentally broken. As premiums continue to skyrocket faster than wages, Americans are more dissatisfied with their health insurance than they have been in 20 years. Families are paying more and getting less, often finding that their health insurance is not there for them when they need it most. Half of all adults with Affordable Care Act (ACA) or employer-sponsored coverage are unhappy with their premiums and out-of-pocket costs. A majority experience problems using their health insurance, including challenges finding in-network providers and unexpected coverage denials.

At a time when over one-third of adults with health insurance report delaying or skipping care altogether due to cost, the largest for-profit health insurance companies in America reported over $71 billion in profits in 2024. As one in five American households report struggling with medical debt, the CEOs of America’s seven largest insurance companies received over $146 million in combined compensation in 2024.

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. Health insurance has become harder to get, more expensive to keep, and more difficult to use, as for-profit insurance companies continue to rake in record profits, execute stock buybacks, and pay massive bonuses to their executives. And this disparity will only grow in the coming years as the damage caused by President Trump and Republicans continues to take effect. It is no surprise that Americans are increasingly questioning whether a system that incentivizes and rewards this profit-seeking behavior is compatible with one that places the health and financial well-being of patients and families first.

The American people need relief from rising premiums and deductibles that are forcing families into financial ruin. They also want an insurance system that doesn’t require them to jump through hoops and hack through red tape every time they need care, and they expect their elected officials to root out the business practices and middlemen that harm the very people that for profit insurance companies receive billions in taxpayer funding to serve. 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.

Senate Finance Committee Democratic staff will develop policies that lower costs, make it simpler to get and use insurance, and rein in shameless profiteering by corporate insurance companies. Alongside the co-signers of this letter, I invite you to be a part of this bold vision. We are working on policies that aim to deliver on the following three goals:

Reverse Republican Cost Increases and Reimagine a Better Path: The devastating consequences of Trump’s and Republicans’ health care cuts are playing out in real time. Over the past year, Republicans have passed legislation and issued regulations that make insurance harder to buy and more expensive to keep. Because of their refusal to extend tax credits that help people buy their own insurance, over one million people have lost their health insurance so far this year, and that number will continue to grow. For people who buy coverage through the ACA, premiums have doubled, on average, and millions have been forced into plans with skyrocketing deductibles and out-of-pocket costs just to stay insured. Americans with health insurance through their employer experienced the largest cost increase in over 15 years. Over the course of this year, many American families will learn in real time that the coverage they have does not protect them from unaffordable health care costs at a time of crisis. To address these challenges, we must not only reverse the Republican cuts, but also build a better system that will bring relief to American families who have seen their costs go up across the board and are struggling to afford care. Members will develop policies to:

Ensure that people can easily enroll in and afford coverage that meets their needs;

Rein in the unsustainable annual spikes in deductibles and out-of-pocket costs Trump and Republicans are piling on American families;

Expand pathways to coverage for low-income people, including those who rely on private insurance in states that have not expanded Medicaid, and explore the benefits of giving all Americans access to Medicare-type choices for health care;

Get rid of junk insurance plans and end the constant cycle of higher premiums, skyrocketing deductibles, and shrinking networks; and

Eliminate surprise tax bills levied on working people who buy their own insurance.

Make Health Care Simpler for Families: A majority of Americans have reported experiencing problems using their health insurance, including provider network issues, denied claims, and delayed care due to administrative hurdles, and 73 percent of the public cites delays and denials of services and treatments as a major problem. In order for people to enroll in a plan that works best for them, they need to be able to easily compare all options they are eligible for and know whether those options are meaningfully different, similar to the approach used in the Medigap program. In order for people to benefit from the health insurance they pay premiums for, that insurance needs to be there for them when they get sick. To make insurance work for the taxpayers and consumers who are paying for it, Members will develop policies to:

Make sure people can get the insurance they are eligible for through a one-stop shop, and protect people from losing coverage each year due to costs or red tape;

Simplify and standardize plans and benefits so people can make apples-to-apples comparisons of high-quality options;

Ensure that patients do not face undue hurdles or delays accessing the care they need; and

Hold Big Insurance accountable for practices that generate profits by stepping in between patients and their doctors to delay or deny access to care.

Take on Corporate Greed: Americans are asking for a fair shake. They don’t want to be nickeled and dimed or buried in red tape by the same companies that collect thousands of dollars in premiums from them each year. They also want to know that if they get sick, they will be protected from financial ruin by insurance conglomerates that spend millions on executive compensation and billions on stock buybacks. Republicans have ignored these calls, but Democrats will not. Members will develop policies to:

Put patients over profits by making sure federal dollars are being used to drive enrollee satisfaction and quality care, not corporate profits, executive compensation, and stock price;

End the shell games Big Insurance exploits to raise prices, eliminate competition, and place unaccountable middlemen between patients and affordable care;

Eliminate Big Insurance gaming of the medical loss ratio that hides their profits, and ensure that those dollars are spent on providing care and lowering costs for customers; and

Stop corporate insurance companies and third parties from making money by acting as unaccountable middlemen that delay care and deny claims.

In the coming weeks and months, we plan to release more details about the above policies. We invite any interested colleagues to join us by participating and providing input into this effort. We want to make sure the Senate is prepared to take action on these issues the next time Democrats have an opportunity to enact the bold, meaningful change the American people seek.

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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.


Capito, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Prevent Illegal Immigrants from Receiving Commercial Driver’s Licenses

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) introduced the Dalilah’s Law Act. The legislation would create new criminal and civil penalties for illegal immigrants who obtain or use Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL) as well as the Democrat-led states that issue CDLs to these criminals, delivering on President Trump’s State of the Union remarks calling on Congress to take action before any more American lives are threatened or lost on our roadways due to unvetted, untrained illegal immigrant commercial drivers.

“The Dalilah’s Law Act is about protecting American families and ensuring safety of everyone on our highways and I applaud Sen. Cornyn’s commitment to this issue,” Senator Capito said. “Commercial drivers carry an enormous responsibility, and there must be clear, consistent standards for those allowed behind the wheel. Sen. Cornyn’s effort closes dangerous loopholes and reinforces the principle that the rule of law and public safety must always come first.”

“It is reprehensible that innocent Americans like Dalilah Coleman continue to pay the price for Democrats’ open-border policies, which have led to illegal aliens – who cannot speak English or read our road signs – dangerously operating massive commercial vehicles on our roadways,” Senator Cornyn said. “Our bill would build on President Trump’s State of the Union remarks honoring Dalilah to put an end to this pull factor and hold illegal alien drivers and the sanctuary states that enable them accountable.”

“Far too many innocent Americans have faced life-altering consequences due to the actions of illegal aliens and the negligence of sanctuary states. A five-year-old little girl is now living with significant injuries because an illegal alien recklessly drove an 80,000-pound commercial vehicle after being issued a CDL by the state of California. This cannot happen again. I am proud to join Senator Cornyn in introducing the Dalilah’s Law Act to ensure that no state bypasses necessary driver vetting requirements when an illegal alien attempts to obtain a CDL,” Senator Budd said.

"Every American who shares a road with an 80,000-pound commercial truck deserves to know that driver earned that license legally,” Senator Lummis said. “Wyoming families understand that federal transportation dollars come with responsibilities, and handing CDLs to people who have no legal right to be in this country is a betrayal of the public trust. Proud to partner with Senator Cornyn to keep our roads and Americans safe.”

BACKGROUND:

In 2024, an illegal immigrant from India, caused a multi-car pileup while driving a commercial 18-wheeler in California. Even though he was an illegal immigrant, California still issued Singh a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), allowing him to operate the semi-truck. The crash resulted in five-year-old Dalilah Coleman suffering life-altering injuries. Sadly, Dalilah is not the only American who has been killed or injured by illegal aliens operating commercial vehicles after sanctuary states issued them CDLs.

Building on President Trump’s State of the Union remarks calling for Congress to pass legislation to hold states who issue CDLs to illegal aliens accountable, the Dalilah’s Law Act would:

Create a new criminal penalty for covered aliens using or presenting a CDL in interstate commerce;

Institute mandatory minimums for accidents caused by covered aliens using a CDL depending on the severity of the accident;

Create a new death penalty aggravating factor when a covered alien using a CDL kills another person in a motor vehicle accident;

Create new immigration consequences including that a covered alien who is convicted of using a CDL would be an aggravated felon, triggering mandatory detention, deportability, and making the alien ineligible for asylum;

Require individuals applying for a CDL to provide written documentation certifying successful employment eligibility verification through E-Verify or a state-established verification process and authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to request and review state documentation confirming CDL applicant eligibility verification;

Require states to maintain and provide verification records to DOT upon request to ensure consistent compliance with federal CDL standards;

Create a new criminal offense for state officials who do not use, or direct others to not use, E-Verify or an equivalent state program to confirm immigration status before issuing a CDL;

Create new civil penalties for any business that provides substantial assistance to a covered alien acquiring a CDL;

Create new individual causes of action for people injured by a covered alien using a CDL;

Require a report from the U.S. Attorney General within 180 days on accidents caused by covered aliens using CDLs and states issuing CDLs to covered aliens;

Grant standing to any state harmed by another state’s violation of the new E-Verify requirement to bring suit against the Secretary of Transportation to obtain an injunction requiring the Secretary to request documentation from the issuing State;

And create a new civil action allowing the U.S. Attorney General to bring suit against a state not requiring use of E-Verify or a state equivalent before issuing a CDL.

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Cassidy Announces $1 Billion in FEMA Funding for Disaster Prevention Projects

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made $1 billion in federal funding available through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program to support disaster mitigation projects in Louisiana and across the country.

“Investing before a disaster strikes saves lives and taxpayer dollars,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This funding will help Louisiana protect families, reduce flood risk, and save money both now and in the future.”

Background

Cassidy has consistently supported the BRIC grant program and repeatedly pushed to continue and strengthen it.

In May, Cassidy urged the Administration to reinstate the BRIC grant program within FEMA.

In April, Cassidy delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling for the continuation of the BRIC grant program.

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Cassidy, Lummis Introduce Bill to Boost U.S. Digital Asset Mining, Back President Trump’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the Mined in America Act to bring critical digital infrastructure back to the United States. Additionally, this bill codifies President Donald Trump’s Executive Order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

“Digital asset mining is a big part of our economy. We should be doing it here in America,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This bill will secure supply chains, back U.S. manufacturing, and support this industry.”

“President Trump pledged to make the United States the digital asset capital of the world— and we’re not backing down,” said Senator Lummis. “The Mined in America Act brings this industry home through forward-thinking initiatives to secure our financial future. I’m proud to join Senator Cassidy to ensure the future of digital assets is built right here in America.”

BACKGROUND

1. Creates a voluntary “Mined in America” certification: Directs the Department of Commerce to establish a voluntary certification program for cryptocurrency mining facilities and mining pools.

2. Phases out foreign adversary-linked mining hardware: Certified facilities must transition away from mining equipment manufactured by companies tied to foreign adversaries.

3. Uses existing federal energy and rural programs to support the transition: Integrates certified projects into existing federal programs rather than creating new spending authorities.

4. Supports domestic manufacturing of mining hardware: Directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership to help U.S. manufacturers develop secure and energy-efficient cryptocurrency mining equipment.

5. Codifies President Trump’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: Establishes a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve within the Department of the Treasury.

The Mined in America Act is supported by the Satoshi Action Fund.

“America controls 38 percent of the world’s Bitcoin hash rate, but 97 percent of the hardware powering it comes from China. That is not leadership, that is a liability. The Mined in America Act breaks that dependency by building a virtuous cycle of domestic manufacturing, certified mining operations, grid-strengthening energy infrastructure, and a pipeline to the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. If we are serious about leading on Bitcoin, we cannot let adversaries hold the keys to our supply chain,” said Dennis Porter, CEO and Co-Founder of Satoshi Action Fund.

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Cortez Masto Celebrates $2,398,000 Secured to Support Nursing Students at UNLV Clinical Simulation Center

***VIDEO AVAILABLE***

The Senator’s remarks are available here.

Downloadable B-Roll is available here.

Las Vegas, Nev. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined representatives from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and University Medical Center (UMC) to celebrate the $2,398,000 the Senator secured for the UNLV Nursing Education Innovation program. This funding will be used to buy clinical simulation training equipment for undergraduate and graduate students at the Clinical Simulation Center.

“UNLV is leading the way in making sure that future nurses enter the workforce ready for anything and everything,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “After Republicans’ massive cuts to health care across America, it’s even more important to make sure that our communities have access to the best health care available and are treated by the best nurses and doctors around. I’m proud to have secured this investment in our region’s nurses and will continue to fight for them in Washington.”

Alongside UNLV School of Nursing Associate Dean for Entry and Prelicensure Education Angela Silvestri-Elmore, Ph.D., APRN, FNP-BC, CNE; UNLV School of Nursing Professor Jennifer Vanderlaan, Ph.D., MPH, CNM; UNLV Data Analytics Department Chair Kazem Taghva, Ph.D.; and UMC Chief Nursing Officer Debra Fox, the Senator also toured the Clinical Simulation Center to learn about the investments UNLV is making in nursing education, like the incorporation of new and emerging technologies into their education to prepare them for the challenges of the future.

Senator Cortez Masto has consistently fought to ensure all Nevadans can access high-quality, affordable health care. She has led efforts to lower drug costs for seniors, hold Big Pharma accountable, and expand Medicare drug price negotiation. She has also championed legislation to strengthen Medicare-funded behavioral health services and telehealth services, as well as protect access to ambulance services in rural and underserved areas.

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Cortez Masto Pushes to Protect First Responders and Roadside Workers

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) introduced the bipartisan Safe Roads for Those Who Serve Act to protect first responders and roadside workers as they do their jobs on roads and highways. This legislation would enhance strategies to help reduce the risk of injury or death faced by law enforcement officers, emergency medical services, fire and rescue services, tow truck drivers, construction workers, and other roadside workers.

Nationwide, since 2020, more than 500 roadside workers have been killed doing their jobs on the side of the road. Many were tow truck operators, construction workers, and law enforcement officers. According to the Nevada Department of Transportation, traffic incidents are one of the leading causes of death for first responders nationwide. Nevada state data also reveals more than 7,100 work zone crashes occurred between 2019-2023, resulting in 31 deaths that included both workers and drivers.

“Over the past fifty years, America has worked to make roads safer for drivers and pedestrians, but we still have work to do to protect those whose jobs regularly put them on the side of the road,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “First responders and roadside workers risk death or injury every single day while responding to an emergency or maintaining our roads. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort to help keep them safe.”

“Every day in Pennsylvania and across the country, law enforcement officers, EMS crews, and roadside workers put themselves in harm’s way—often just feet from speeding traffic—to keep the rest of us safe,” said Senator McCormick. “This bipartisan effort will improve data collection, strengthen public awareness, and prioritize safety in infrastructure projects from the start—helping protect those who protect us.”

“The Associated General Contractors of America strongly supports the Safe Roads for Those Who Serve Act. The legislation recognizes an urgent reality: the workers who build, maintain, and respond on our roadways deserve stronger protections from preventable roadside crashes. We appreciate Senators Cortez Masto and McCormick for advancing bipartisan legislation that will help improve safety outcomes for highway workers and the traveling public alike,” said Jeff Shoaf, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of America.

“The Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) strongly supports the Safe Roads for Those Who Serve Act. Protecting those who serve on the front lines is a core public safety priority. Sheriffs and deputies, along with other roadside personnel, face constant risk while carrying out their duties – often in unpredictable and dangerous conditions. This legislation reinforces a shared commitment to safer roadways and stronger protections for those who keep our communities safe,” said Megan Noland, Executive Director of the MCSA

“Every day, roadway workers and roadside responders put themselves in harm’s way to keep all of us safe, and sadly too many die in fatal preventable motor vehicle crashes. The Safer Roads for Those Who Serve Act strengthens roadway safety by improving crash data, elevating work‑zone protections and expanding public awareness of Move Over laws that save lives. This legislation reflects what we know works, a Safe System Approach that addresses risk and reinforces the ideal that protecting those who work on our roadways, and every person who uses them, requires a shared commitment to safety. The National Safety Council strongly supports this legislation and applauds Senators Cortez Masto and McCormick for their bipartisan leadership,” said Lorraine Martin, CEO of the National Safety Council.

In order to protect first responders and roadside workers, the Safe Roads for Those Who Serve Act would:

Require states to improve data collection and analysis of highway worker injuries and fatalities and create a highway worker safety plan if the total number of injuries and fatalities increases over a 2-year period;

Create a new Public Awareness Campaign to fully reflect the dangers all roadside workers face along our roadways and how the public can help protect them;

Continue research and outreach efforts to enhance the safety of highway workers; and

Require major infrastructure grant applicants to include protections expected to aid roadside workers and driving public safety during and after construction in their grant application.

Read the full bill here. The Safe Roads for Those Who Serve Act is supported by the Association of General Contractors, the National Safety Council, the American Automobile Association (AAA), the National Association of State EMS Officials, the National Waste and Recycling Association, American Traffic Safety Services, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Modern Analytics for Roadway Safety (MARS) Coalition, RTC Washoe, RTC Southern Nevada, the Tahoe Transportation Department, the Nevada Fire Chiefs Association, the Nevada Police Union, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Northern Nevada, the Southern Nevada Building Trades Union, Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada, and the Las Vegas Police Protective Association.

The proud daughter of a Teamster, Senator Cortez Masto is a champion for all workers, including those on the frontlines like law enforcement officers and firefighters. Her bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide, provide mental health resources to police officers, and support families of retired fallen law enforcement officers have been signed into law by presidents of both parties. Cortez Masto introduced bicameral legislation to implement federal workplace heat stress protections, and had previously pushed the Biden administration to begin developing federal heat standards to help protect workers and communities from the extreme heat. Additionally, Senator Cortez Masto secured multiple transportation provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help Nevada communities make transit to school safer for students and support smart cities that use technology to solve transportation challenges.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353

March 30, 2026

Cotton Statement on Illegal Alien Drunk Driving Crash

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) released the following statement on the fatal accident in Avoca, Arkansas, allegedly caused by an illegal alien:

“The tragic deaths of Freda and Michael Cordes should have never happened, and my prayers are with their family and friends. I’m grateful for the quick work of Arkansas State Police in bringing this illegal alien criminal to face justice. The Department of Homeland Security deports violent illegal aliens just like this man to protect innocent Americans—Democrats in Washington must stop their political crusade, fund the department, and put the safety of Americans first.”

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Minuteman III ICBM to Be Exhibited at North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum

***Click here for photos. Click here for B-roll.***

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck will soon be displaying a powerful tribute to the state’s enduring role in America’s nuclear deterrence. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced today he has secured a decommissioned Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, which will be a prominent addition to the museum’s new Military Gallery, now under construction and scheduled for completion in late 2027.

The Minuteman III, one of the most recognizable symbols of the nation’s strategic nuclear arsenal, strengthens the museum’s mission to tell the story of North Dakota’s contributions to national defense through immersive exhibits, artifacts, and interactive displays.

As the first North Dakotan to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Cramer worked with the U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman to secure the missile for public display, offering visitors a rare, up-close look at a cornerstone of America’s defense infrastructure.

First deployed in the 1960s, the Minuteman III has undergone nearly six decades of continuous service and modernization. Approximately 400 Minuteman III missiles remain operational across three U.S. bases, including Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. As chair of the SASC Airland Subcommittee and co-chair of the Senate Defense Modernization Caucus, Cramer has championed Minuteman III’s next generation replacement, the LGM-35A Sentinel, visiting Hill Air Force Base in Utah which supports the Minuteman program and is the proving ground for Sentinel. The Sentinel program is slated to begin replacing the Minuteman III fleet in 2030, modernizing the nation’s land-based nuclear deterrent.

“Recognizing and remembering those who have served our nation are among the most important and solemn roles of the State Historical Society of North Dakota,” said Bill Peterson, State Historical Society director.

North Dakota has long played a central role in the nation’s nuclear enterprise. During the Cold War, the state was home to one of the largest concentrations of nuclear weapons in the world. Today, Minot Air Force Base remains the only installation in the United States to support two legs of the nuclear triad, with the 91st Missile Wing overseeing one-third of the nation’s Minuteman III ICBMs alongside the 5th Bomb Wing’s B-52 Stratofortress bombers.

Grand Forks Air Force Base also served as a cornerstone of national security throughout the Cold War. Home to the 321st Strategic Missile Wing, the base oversaw a vast network of 150 Minuteman missile silos and 15 launch control centers strategically positioned across the region.

Cramer is a consistent voice for strengthening and modernizing North Dakota’s defense capabilities. His leadership has brought senior defense officials to Minot Air Force Base to observe its mission firsthand, reinforcing its critical role in safeguarding national security.


Crapo, Murkowski, Schatz Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand and Modernize Native Housing Programs

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai?i) introduced the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Modernization Act of 2026 (NAHASDA), comprehensive legislation to reauthorize and modernize federal housing programs serving American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.

The bipartisan legislation would update and reauthorize NAHASDA, the primary federal law governing housing assistance in Indian Country, through 2033. It includes key reforms that would increase flexibility for Tribes, streamline federal requirements and expand access to safe, affordable housing.

“The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Modernization Act would finally cut through bureaucratic barriers and empower Tribes with the flexibility they need to deliver safe, affordable homes for Native families in Idaho and nationwide,” said Crapo.

“For more than a decade, I’ve worked on NAHASDA and heard directly from Native families about how the lack of safe, affordable housing affects every part of daily life. As Congress continues its efforts to address housing challenges around the country, we cannot leave Native communities behind. The federal government has a trust responsibility to ensure Tribes have the tools to meet the housing needs of their people,” said Murkowski. “I’m proud to have worked alongside Tribal leaders and stakeholders in Alaska and across the country to identify practical solutions. By cutting red tape and providing greater flexibility, we can help communities provide housing that fits their unique needs and supports long-term stability.”

“Over the past 30 years, NAHASDA has delivered billions of dollars in federal funding to improve Native housing in Hawai‘i and across the country,” said Schatz. “Our bill reflects what Native communities asked for: better tools and flexibilities to make homeownership and stable housing a reality for more families. I thank Chairman Murkowski for her partnership and all the Native leaders and organizations who helped make this bipartisan legislation even stronger."

"After thirteen years of expired authorization, Tribal Nations across Indian Country have never been more unified or more ready — and our message to Congress is clear: the time to reauthorize and modernize NAHASDA is now. This legislation honors the legal federal trust responsibility while empowering Tribal Nations to govern themselves and build the homes their communities urgently need. NCAI and the Tribal leaders we represent are fully mobilized to support the House and Senate working together to find compromise. Tribal Nations will not stop until Congress gets this done,” said Mark Macarro, President of the National Congress of American Indians.

Original co-sponsors of the legislation include U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Montana), Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

Representatives Troy Downing (R-Montana) and Janelle Bynum (D-Oregon) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Key provisions of the legislation:

Reauthorizes the Indian Housing Block Grant and the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant through 2033 to provide long-term stability and certainty for Tribal housing and Native Hawaiian housing programs

Streamlines environmental reviews, reporting and federal requirements to reduce delays and accelerate housing development in Tribal and Native Hawaiian communities

Expands eligibility and flexibility for Tribal Housing programs, including allowing increased income eligibility for homeownership and enabling pathways such as lease-to-own

Codifies the Tribal HUD-VASH program and ensures dedicated resources for Native veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness

Enhances Tribal self-determination by providing greater control over procurement, rent policies, program design and use of funds

Enhances access to private financing by reauthorizing and improving Section 184 and 184A loan guarantee programs and expanding lender participation

Expands Tribal access to federal homelessness programs, including the Continuum of Care program and new Tribal and rural housing initiatives

Establishes targeted pilot and demonstration programs to provide housing assistance and supportive services for Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians experiencing homelessness

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Gallego, Kaine Lead Letter Pressing Trump Administration About Decision to Ease Sanctions on Russia and Iran

WASHINGTON – Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) led their colleagues in a letter pressing the Trump Administration about its decision to ease sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil exports and its lack of planning regarding the economic fallout of President Donald Trump’s war of choice against Iran. Since the war began, the price of U.S. crude oil has risen by more than 40 percent, and the average price of gasoline has risen by more than a dollar per gallon as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—something that President Trump and his top national security advisers were warned about prior to the start of the war.

“We write with deep concern and confusion over your administration’s recent decision to ease sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil exports,” wrote the members. “These actions speak once again to the troubling lack of strategic foresight that has marked your administration’s decision-making prior to and during its war of choice with Iran, jeopardizing the lives of our servicemembers across the region and raising costs for Americans here at home.”

“Open source reporting suggests that prior to starting this war of choice, you and your administration were regularly briefed on, and dismissed, the potential economic fallout of a conflict with Iran. These warnings included the regime’s likely closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting severe spike in global oil prices,” the senators continued. “Now that those impacts are being felt in Americans’ pocketbooks, your administration is scrambling – and failing – to contain this fallout.”

In the letter, the senators also raise concerns about easing Russian sanctions given recent reporting that Russia has been sharing intelligence with Iran regarding the movements of U.S. forces in the Middle East, and the risks both of these decisions pose to U.S. servicemembers.

The senators wrote, “The economic effects of the war are already raising costs, with Americans being asked to pay even more for gas, groceries, and travel. Relieving sanctions on U.S. adversaries during an active conflict is just the most recent indicator of an incoherent and disordered policy approach.”

“We demand that you make senior officials of your Administration immediately available for public hearings in order to fully explain to the American people the rationale behind the decision to release these funds to the Russian and Iranian regimes,” the senators concluded.

In addition to Gallego and Kaine, the letter was cosigned by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angus King (I-ME), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI).

Read the full letter HERE.


Grassley, Cornyn, Colleagues Target Child Predators in New Legislation

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced the Child Predators Accountability Act to ensure abusers who include children in the production of sexually explicit content are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The bipartisan legislation would amend current law to clarify that the passive engagement of a child in sexually explicit conduct violates federal law, specifically addressing the Seventh Circuit’s outlier decision in United States v. Howard.

“Congress must protect children from abuse and ensure all predators are held accountable for their disgusting crimes,” Grassley said. “By closing this legal loophole, the bipartisan Child Predators Accountability Act makes clear that child exploitation will never be tolerated, and anyone who uses children in any sexually exploitative context will face justice.”

“Any sick human being who takes advantage of an innocent child while they’re asleep or unconscious must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Cornyn said. “By closing legal loopholes being exploited by criminals, this legislation would make abundantly clear that these heinous individuals can and should be brought to justice for the crime of child pornography and prevent any offender from evading tougher penalties on a technicality.”

“We must do everything we can to protect our children from online exploitation and sexual abuse, including closing loopholes in existing law that prevent the prosecution of abusers,” Klobuchar said. “Our bipartisan legislation will ensure that those who abuse children are held fully accountable.”

“One of our most important duties in Congress is to be a voice to the voiceless and protect the most vulnerable among us—our children,” Britt said. “This bipartisan effort would help ensure no child predators slip through the cracks and that justice is deservedly served to these heinous individuals. I’m tremendously grateful for my colleagues’ leadership on this, and I hope it is passed by the Senate expeditiously and signed into law.”

The legislation is endorsed by Raven, National Children’s Alliance (NCA), Rights4Girls, National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), and Major Counties Sheriffs Association (MCSA).

Background:

In August 2017, law enforcement arrested Matthew Howard on suspicion of possession of child pornography. A subsequent search of Howard’s computer uncovered a trove of child pornography, including at least two videos where Howard produced sexually explicit content depicting his sleeping nine-year-old niece. Howard pled guilty to possessing pornographic images of other minors, but contested the charges related to producing child pornography involving his niece, on the basis that she was asleep and therefore did not “engage” in any sexually explicit conduct.

The district court rejected Howard’s argument, but in United States v. Howard, the Seventh Circuit court reversed the child pornography convictions, holding that a perpetrator does not violate the production of child pornography statute if the minor victim is a passive participant in the sexual offender’s explicit conduct. Howard conflicts with holdings from the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Sixth, Eighth and Ninth Circuits, which have held that the federal statute is violated when a minor is the subject of an offender’s photography or video, as Howard’s niece was.

The Seventh Circuit’s decision sets up a dangerous legal precedent and threatens prosecutions for offenders who film sexually explicit content of minors when they are sleeping, drugged or otherwise unconscious. The Child Predators Accountability Act would address this discrepancy, clarifying that the passive engagement of a child in sexually explicit conduct violates federal law.


Hickenlooper, Blackburn Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Bolster Rural Health Care

Rural Health Innovation Act establishes a grant program for rural health providers to increase staffing, hours, critical technology, and equipment

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Marsha Blackburn reintroduced their bipartisan Rural Health Innovation Act to increase access to health care in rural and underserved communities across the country.

“Rural health centers provide life saving care for Coloradans living in remote communities, yet too many clinics are battling to survive and stay open,” said Hickenlooper. “Our bill invests in those clinics, equipping them with the resources and staff they need to continue saving lives.”

“Rural Tennesseans and Americans face countless barriers to accessing quality health care in their communities,” said Blackburn. “78 of Tennessee’s 95 counties are considered rural, and addressing health care delivery challenges in rural America could mean the difference between life and death for some patients.”

“It has never been more important to invest in rural health care infrastructure,” said Jeff Tieman, president and CEO of the Colorado Hospital Association. “Across Colorado, nearly 70% of hospitals, and more than 80% of rural hospitals, are operating without sustainable margins, making it increasingly difficult to maintain services, recruit and retain a skilled workforce, and invest in the technology patients depend on. We strongly support targeted federal investments that help rural hospitals and clinics modernize infrastructure and expand access to care at a time when resources are increasingly strained.”

Health centers in rural areas face unique obstacles – geographic isolation, workforce shortages, issues with workforce retention, lack of broadband access, and limited access to medical equipment and technology – which contribute to a higher mortality rate in underserved communities nationwide. Extreme pressure on rural health centers during the pandemic only exacerbated this rural health gap. In Colorado, there are 62 rural clinics that provide care to thousands of Coloradans.

This bipartisan legislation would establish two competitive federal grant programs to bolster rural health centers.

The first program would allocate funding to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) or Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to better provide for the community’s urgent care needs. The second grant program would allocate funding to rural public health departments for expansion to meet urgent care and triage needs.

Together, the two grant programs work to close the gap in rural health care and give rural health centers the dependable funding they need for long-term financial stability.

Full text of the bill can be found HERE.


Hoeven Secures Commitment from FMCSA Administrator to Promptly Review State CDL Program, Provide Certainty for ND Producers

FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs Agrees to Visit North Dakota to Discuss Trucking Issues

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven secured a commitment from Derek Barrs, Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), to promptly complete its audit of North Dakota’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) program. In a recent meeting with Barrs, Hoeven stressed the need to provide certainty for North Dakota industries, including farmers, who are facing an early spring planting this year, and the need to provide assurances that sufficient CDL operators are available to move equipment, seed and fertilizer. In response, Barrs committed to:

Conduct an expedited review of North Dakota’s CDL program.

FMCSA has been reviewing non-domiciled CDL programs across the country to ensure drivers meet federal safety standards and have the proper legal status.

Barrs indicated North Dakota’s audit has made good progress and should be completed within the next two weeks.

Once completed, North Dakota would be able to resume issuing non-domiciled CDLs.

Visit North Dakota with Hoeven to meet with local business leaders, providing them the opportunity to give direct feedback on a range of issues affecting commercial trucking and transportation in the state.

“As a leading energy and agriculture state, North Dakota needs reliable commercial truck drivers. Our farmers rely on workers with CDLs to support their operations, and this is particularly important as we move into the spring planting season. That’s why we’re working with FMCSA to ensure this audit of the state’s CDL program is completed as soon as possible, and I welcome Administrator Barrs’ commitment to do just that. Once the review is completed in the next two weeks, the state can begin issuing non-domiciled CDLs again, supporting access to the trucking services our ag producers need,” said Hoeven. “We also look forward to hosting Barrs in the state in the near future to discuss this and other issues impacting our trucking industry, and appreciate his willingness to receive this input firsthand.”

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Husted in northeast Ohio with local restaurant workers

“I value hearing directly from them about their priorities, and that’s why I supported the Working Families Tax Cuts Act—so Ohio workers can keep more of what they earn through no tax on tips and no tax on overtime.”

BRUNSWICK, OH – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today held a roundtable in Brunswick with local restaurant employees and representatives from the Ohio Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance to hear their priorities and discuss how the Working Families Tax Cuts Act benefits restaurant workers.

“The Ohioans I met with today are the backbone of our state’s economy and integral to what makes Ohio great. I value hearing directly from them about their priorities, and that’s why I supported the Working Families Tax Cuts Act—so Ohio workers can keep more of what they earn through no tax on tips and no tax on overtime,” said Husted.

Husted supported the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which became law in July 2025. The law lowers taxes for working Ohioans and their families, supports job creation and strengthens small businesses by:

Preventing tax hikes that would cost the average American family of four earning $80,000 an extra $1,700 in federal taxes.

The average Ohio household would have owed an additional $2,140 in federal taxes if Republicans had not passed the budget law.

Protecting 20% small business deduction, benefitting 842,000 Ohio small businesses.


Kelly Presses Trump Administration About Decision to Ease Sanctions on Russia and Iran

Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) in pressing the Trump Administration about its decision to ease sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil exports and its lack of planning regarding the economic fallout of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran. Since the war began, the price of U.S. crude oil has risen by more than 40 percent, and the average price of gasoline has risen by more than a dollar per gallon as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—something that President Trump and his top national security advisers were warned about prior to the start of the war.

“We write with deep concern and confusion over your administration’s recent decision to ease sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil exports,” wrote the senators. “These actions speak once again to the troubling lack of strategic foresight that has marked your administration’s decision-making prior to and during its war of choice with Iran, jeopardizing the lives of our servicemembers across the region and raising costs for Americans here at home.”

“Open source reporting suggests that prior to starting this war of choice, you and your administration were regularly briefed on, and dismissed, the potential economic fallout of a conflict with Iran. These warnings included the regime’s likely closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting severe spike in global oil prices,” the senators continued. “Now that those impacts are being felt in Americans’ pocketbooks, your administration is scrambling – and failing – to contain this fallout.”

The senators also raise concerns about easing Russian sanctions given recent reporting that Russia has been sharing intelligence with Iran regarding the movements of U.S. forces in the Middle East, and the risks both of these decisions pose to U.S. servicemembers: “The economic effects of the war are already raising costs, with Americans being asked to pay even more for gas, groceries, and travel. Relieving sanctions on U.S. adversaries during an active conflict is just the most recent indicator of an incoherent and disordered policy approach.”

“We demand that you make senior officials of your Administration immediately available for public hearings in order to fully explain to the American people the rationale behind the decision to release these funds to the Russian and Iranian regimes,” the senators concluded.

In addition to Kelly, Kaine, and Gallego, the letter was cosigned by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angus King (I-ME), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI).


Senator Kim Promotes Einstein Corridor in Visit to Sussex County

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ – Today, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) promoted the Einstein Corridor – his vision for building growth and opportunity through innovation and investment – during a series of visits across Sussex County. The visits focused on New Jersey’s energy, education, and next-generation technology sectors, hearing from local leaders about how Sussex County can play a role in New Jersey’s innovation future.

“My visits today across Sussex County are a reminder of the incredible work being done in every corner of the state to build a future New Jerseyans can truly be excited about,” said Senator Kim. “Building an Einstein Corridor across New Jersey means creating opportunities that will make our state the place where everyone who wants to shape the future will want to be. I want to thank everyone I met with across Sussex County and look forward to supporting them as they help build a brighter future.”

Senator Kim began his day in Wantage at the Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative where he met with President Chris Reese to see how their Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR) technologies reduce outages for their members while allowing real-time remote monitoring and control the grid infrastructure, a critical need for rural residents during extreme weather events and when longer term outages occur.

“Sussex REC is the only Rural Electric Cooperative in New Jersey, providing our twelve thousand members the highest quality of service at the lowest possible cost each and every day,” said Claudia Raffay, Director of Marketing & Member Services for Sussex REC. “Today, we are proud to share how we leverage our advanced technology and our not-for-profit, member-focused business model to Senator Kim, the first United States Senator to ever visit since our founding in 1937.”

Looking to expand his vision of ‘New Jersey’s Einstein Corridor’ to businesses across the state, he traveled to Newton to tour Thorlabs, a leader in photonics, before holding a roundtable discussion with President Jennifer Cable and members of their board. They discussed the importance of Thorlabs photonics work before demonstrating the capabilities of photonics used in modern-day eye exams as well as the innovation behind the way photonics breaks down light and sound to communicate.

“We are excited to highlight the investments we are making into our employees, workforce development, on the job training, and in our manufacturing infrastructure,” said Thorlabs President, Jennifer Cable. “Thorlabs is a critical supplier to research and development labs, and our products enable real-world innovations from medical imaging to data center efficiency. We are proud to share our success story of building a high-tech Photonics company in my hometown of Newton, NJ.”

Looking to highlight the integral role community colleges play in the future success of New Jersey’s businesses and workforce, Senator Kim ended his day at Sussex County Community College (SCCC) where he toured SCCC’s Optics Technology Center. Senator Kim heard about the merits of possible program expansions with AmeriCOM and how this program is preparing students for careers in photonics and advanced manufacturing.

“Grateful to have been able to host Senator Kim at Sussex County Community College today where he was able to learn more about how we are addressing the critical need for skilled professionals in optics manufacturing,” said SCCC President, Cory Homer, Ph.D. “[Senator Kim’s] interest and support will help strengthen our efforts to build a workforce pipeline that meets the evolving demands of this vital industry.”

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Graham Welcomes President Trump Signing Bill Into Law Permitting South Carolina Veteran to Receive Medal of Honor

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today praised President Trump for signing into law legislation (H.R. 3377) that makes Major James Capers, Jr., a South Carolina Vietnam War veteran, eligible to receive the Medal of Honor. Graham introduced the Senate version of this legislation in February and helped work to ensure the bill was sent to President Trump’s desk.

The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military award, recognizing heroism in combat, and must be presented to the recipient within five years of their action. This bill, however, waives the time requirement for Major Capers, Jr.

“I am grateful to President Trump for signing this legislation into law, which paves the way for Major James Capers, Jr. to receive the Medal of Honor. We have a solemn duty to honor our veterans. Now that this legislation has become law, we are one step closer to honoring this South Carolina hero with the recognition he has earned,” said Senator Graham.

The Senator continued, “As someone who courageously answered the call to serve his country and broke barriers along the way, Major Capers, Jr. is someone all Americans can admire.”

Background on Major Capers’ service:

James Capers, Jr. was born in South Carolina in 1937, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at age eighteen. During the Vietnam War, Capers led a prisoner of war (POW) rescue mission ordered by President Johnson and commanded attacks on the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces. As a trailblazer, he was the first African American to lead a Marine Reconnaissance company and receive a battlefield commission. In 2010, Major Capers, Jr. was awarded the Silver Star, the nation’s third highest award for valor.


Senator Markey Calls for Reversal of USPS Postage Rate Hike to Cover Trump-Induced Gasoline Cost Increase, Urges Transition to Electric Fleet

Letter Text (PDF)

Washington (March 30, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today wrote to Postmaster General David Steiner, objecting to the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) decision to raise postage rates in response to surging gasoline prices due to Trump’s illegal war on Iran. The Trump administration’s illegal war against Iran has contributed to instability in global energy markets, including disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for oil shipments. Consequently, gasoline prices in the United States have risen sharply, increasing operating costs for fuel-dependent entities such as USPS.

In the letter, Senator Markey wrote, “The Postal Service’s request for a transportation-related, time-limited price increase is directly tied to these rising fuel costs. In effect, USPS is now asking the public to absorb the costs of both Trump-induced geopolitical instability and Trump administration domestic policy decisions favoring the fossil fuel industry, which increased exposure to that instability.”

Senator Markey continued, “A more robustly electrified USPS fleet would have materially reduced this exposure. Had the Postal Service moved more aggressively to deploy electric vehicles consistent with Congress’s directive in the IRA, it could have mitigated—if not avoided—the need to seek postage rate increases driven by fuel price spikes. Accordingly, I urge the Postal Service to withdraw its requested rate increase and to accelerate the electrification of its delivery fleet at the fastest feasible pace.”

For years, Trump and Republicans have undermined electric vehicles and other clean energy technologies while doubling down on fossil fuel dependence, slowing the very transition that would have insulated USPS from fuel price volatility. Now, that hostility to electrification has collided with the attack on Iran to produce exactly the kind of price shock that a modernized, electric postal fleet could have mitigated. The American people should not be forced to pay higher postage rates because of this administration’s misguided and short-sighted policy choices.

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