Duckworth, Booker, Kaine, Murphy, Schiff, Baldwin Lay Out Demand to Thune for Immediate Hearings on Iran War Following Introduction of New War Powers Resolutions

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ),Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in following up on their demand that Republican Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) ensure the relevant committees of jurisdiction in the Senate hold immediate public hearings on the Trump-Vance Administration’s ongoing unconstitutional war in Iran. This follows the Senators’ filing of War Powers Resolutions that would stop President Donald Trump’s illegal and unnecessary war. The Senators made plain they will use these resolutions to force debate and additional votes if Republican leadership does not move swiftly to arrange public committee hearings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifying under oath.

“Already, oil and gas prices are spiking, the prices of basic goods are increasing, and the U.S. is spending billions of dollars on this war, rather than focusing on reducing costs here at home. The Trump administration must answer questions publicly under oath in front of the American people, not just behind closed doors. Without public hearings, this work period, we will pursue other options for ensuring timely public debate on the Senate floor,” the Senators write in their letter to Thune.

It has been eleven days since President Trump launched his unconstitutional and unjustified war with Iran that has resulted in the death of at least seven U.S. servicemembers. Yet the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees have yet to announce or hold a single public hearing to receive testimony from the Secretaries of State or Defense under oath.

The resolutions—which would not prevent the U.S. from defending itself or Israel from an Iranian attack—are privileged, meaning they can be brought to the Senate floor for a vote by any senator after ten calendar days.

Senator Duckworth serves on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC).

The full text of the Senators’ letter is available below and on the Senator’s website.

Dear Majority Leader Thune,

We write to request that Senate committees of jurisdiction hold immediate public hearings with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other relevant Cabinet level officials to explain to the American people why the Trump administration launched an unconstitutional war with Iran and why this expensive, escalating conflict is in America’s national interest. Already, oil and gas prices are spiking, the prices of basic goods are increasing, and the U.S. is spending billions of dollars on this war, rather than focusing on reducing costs here at home. The Trump administration must answer questions publicly under oath in front of the American people, not just behind closed doors. Without public hearings, this work period, we will pursue other options for ensuring timely public debate on the Senate floor.

The Constitution is clear. Only Congress has the solemn responsibility to declare war or authorize the use of military force, absent an imminent threat to the United States, and Congress has done neither. The War Powers Act of 1973 is also clear. It states that “the collective judgement of both the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities” (50 USC 1541(a)). Yet, on February 28, 2026, without Congressional authorization or consultation, the Trump administration launched Operation Epic Fury, introducing the United States military into direct hostilities with Iran as part of what President Trump and multiple administration officials have characterized as “war.” With at least 50,000 troops participating in the largest U.S. naval and air mobilization since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Trump administration has provided no clear strategy, timeline, objectives, cost assessment, or credible legal basis for these military operations.

After just over a week of fighting, seven U.S. servicemembers have been killed and at least 140 have been injured. According to reports, more than 1,700 people have died as the war spread from Iran to Israel, the Gulf states, Lebanon, and beyond—affecting at least 15 different countries to date. U.S. embassies, consulates, and military installations throughout the region are under daily attack. Thousands of U.S. citizens were left stranded when the war began, because the administration failed to plan for evacuating Americans in advance. And while President Trump drags the U.S. into another potential forever war in the Middle East, the Trump administration is cutting benefits to our nation’s veterans, trivializing military rules of engagement, and firing counterterrorism experts who focus on preventing threats from Iran and its proxies here at home, undermining U.S. safety, strength, and prosperity.

Now let us be clear: the Iranian regime, which is the largest state sponsor of terrorism, is the most dangerous and destabilizing force in the region and should never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. We also stand with the people of Iran, who deserve a government that guarantees basic human rights, democracy, economic opportunities, and a future free from oppression. However, the challenges posed by Iran’s regime cannot be resolved through military means alone—and none of these facts suspend our Constitution or confer upon any president the authority to unilaterally wage war.

As Members of the United States Senate, we have a duty to deliberate on the sacred matters of war and peace. The Trump administration also has a duty to publicly make its case before Congress and the American people, and if the administration wants to continue fighting this war, they must seek legal authorization from Congress. We therefore urge you to ensure the Senate committees of jurisdiction hold hearings with Secretaries Hegseth and Rubio immediately.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

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Duckworth, Gillibrand Demand Trump Administration Protect Our Children from Risky, Age-Inappropriate AI Toys

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – As “AI toys” become more and more common, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch an investigation into whether Mattel and other toy companies are unfairly and deceptively marketing age-inappropriate toys to parents and putting our youngest children at risk. Earlier this year, artificial intelligence powerhouse Open AI put out an explicit warning that ChatGPT is not meant for children under age 13 and to exercise caution regarding children’s exposure. In the letter, the Senators are urging the FTC to use its full authority to crack down on companies that dismiss OpenAI’s warning and deceptively sell these toys as “safe” or “academic” when in fact they are known to have had inappropriate conversations with users.

In the letter, the Senators highlighted how real world testing sheds light on why OpenAI advises users that ChatGPT is not meant for children under age 13, specifically “some AI-enabled plush bear provided users with specific information on where to find dangerous objects in a home, such as knives, and how to light a fire using a match, while another AI-enabled plush bunny engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a user.”

The Senators continued: “Although the manufacturer of the plush bear subsequently suspended sales of all AI toys and took steps to address these issues, the very fact that a company brought a child’s toy to market with inappropriate and potentially dangerous features affirms the alarming reality that this emerging industry is failing to ensure, at a minimum, their products are as appropriate for children as advertised.”

Underscoring the urgent need to protect our children, the Senators concluded: “It is disturbing that companies are failing to take proactive measures to accurately market their products and ensure their compliance with the law before they are put in the hands of children. Childhood is an incredibly important and formative period for healthy development. The FTC has a responsibility to make sure companies protect children’s data privacy and exercise caution in making unsubstantiated claims about products intended for young children. That is why we strongly urge the FTC to investigate whether AI-enabled toy companies are engaging in unfair and deceptive practices misleading Americans, investigate potential failures to protect children’s privacy and hold companies accountable for any such violations.”

A copy of the letter can be found on the Senator’s website and below:

Dear Chairman Ferguson:

We support the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) decision to conduct a Section 6(b) investigation into generative artificial intelligence (AI) companion products. We are particularly concerned about toys that use AI chatbots, that are marketed to young children, that are connected to the internet and that are equipped with speakers and microphones. The sellers of these toys often claim the toys can provide meaningful, educational benefit for young children, despite the lack of evidence to back up such claims. We strongly urge the FTC to use its full authority against any company that engages in unfair or deceptive practices regarding the use or inclusion of AI in toys, including seeking a preliminary injunction to halt the deceptive or unfair marketing of AI-embedded toys, as well as investigating and sanctioning companies for violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

A quick search for “AI toys” on Amazon results in over 2,000 hits, with prices ranging from under $10 to $999, and the plethora of AI toys is expected to grow. Large Language Models (LLMs) are the basis of AI technology embedded in children’s toys. LLMs, particularly OpenAI’s generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) models, were never designed for children. In fact, OpenAI responded to the question, “Is ChatGPT safe for all ages?” with a clear two-part response stating that ChatGPT is not meant for children under 13, the potential for the model to produce inappropriate output and the need for parents and educators to exercise caution in exposing children to ChatGPT.

Real world testing sheds light on why OpenAI advises users that ChatGPT is not meant for children under age 13 and that users should exercise caution regarding a child’s exposure to its chatbot (along with troubling questions of why OpenAI would agree to a strategic collaboration with Mattel, a leading global toy and family entertainment company, to bring “the magic of AI to Mattel’s iconic brands”). Specifically, some AI-enabled plush bear toys provided children users with specific information on where to find dangerous objects in a home, such as knives, and how to light a fire using a match, while another AI-enabled plush bunny engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a user. Although the manufacturer of one plush bear subsequently suspended sales of all AI toys and took steps to address these issues, the very fact that a company brought a child’s toy to market with inappropriate and potentially dangerous features affirms the alarming reality that this emerging industry is failing to ensure, at a minimum, their products are as appropriate for children as advertised.

Sellers of AI toys often make bold, and unproven, claims about their products. These include statements that the toys function as a teacher, provide “academic tutoring,” help develop problem-solving abilities and improve “creativity and critical thinking.” Companies are additionally advertising AI toys as “a safe, gentle friend” or “companion” to their children. In marketing these products, claims abound that they independently match children’s “emotional needs” by helping them “express feelings and build confidence” or enable “daily love.” However, toy makers’ claims are largely unsubstantiated and could therefore be deemed unfair and deceptive to the consumer.

While it remains possible that in carefully planned use cases, certain LLM applications may benefit a child’s learning and development—if designed with child-centered learning principles—there is a dearth of information on how AI-enabled children’s products impact child cognition, learning and social development in the near- and long-term. Similarly, LLMs foster a mere illusion of possessing an inner life or self-awareness, but they are not human and do not possess human conscience, judgement or values. There is little to no disclosure on how, or if, these AI-enabled toy companies incorporate evidence-based practices into the LLMs they install in otherwise normal looking children’s toys. Rather, at a recent hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Dr. Jenny Radesky, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical School, and San Diego State University Professor of Psychology, Dr. Jean M. Twenge, noted that AI companies exploit young children’s trust and push children to spend more time with AI interaction rather than essential, real-world learning and socializing.

Fair and transparent marketing of these toys should clearly indicate that they cannot and do not replace human teaching and interaction.

Finally, we have concerns about data privacy protections under COPPA. AI-enabled toys necessarily collect and record information about the children who use them, in part through cameras and microphones. Despite an abundance of products available on the market today, sellers provide little transparency regarding the collection, transmission, retention and use of children’s data. In its safety audit, the U.S. PIRG Education Fund describes the toys’ misrepresentation of data practices to the user and instances of failure to collect consent for data collection, in violation of COPPA. The toys’ utilization of wi-fi, Bluetooth, third-party AI chatbots and text-to-speech functions further introduce significant concerns about the security of children’s data against bad actors.

It is disturbing that companies are failing to take proactive measures to accurately market their products and ensure their compliance with the law before they are put in the hands of children. Childhood is an incredibly important and formative period for healthy development. The FTC has a responsibility to make sure companies protect children’s data privacy and exercise caution in making unsubstantiated claims about products intended for young children. That is why we strongly urge the FTC to investigate whether AI-enabled toy companies are engaging in unfair and deceptive practices misleading Americans, investigate potential failures to protect children’s privacy and hold companies accountable for any such violations.

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Duckworth Joins Colleagues in Demanding HHS Immediately Release Title X Funding

[WASHINGTON, D.C]. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined her Senate Democratic colleagues in demanding Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. take immediate action to protect Americans’ uninterrupted access to comprehensive family planning and services by awarding a one-year full funding extension for all current Title X grantees. The Senators’ letter, led by Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Angus King (I-ME), comes after the Trump Administration last year withheld millions in Title X funding for months, and ahead of Title X grantees’ current funding set to lapse on March 31, 2026.

In their letter, the Senators wrote: “…any loss of congressionally appropriated Title X funding will hurt millions of patients and significantly weaken communities’ access to comprehensive family planning services. As such, we demand that the Department take immediate action to protect Americans’ uninterrupted access to these critical services by awarding a one-year full funding extension for all current Title X grantees.”

“In short, these services not only make our communities healthier, but also improve educational and economic attainment for women and their families,” the Senators wrote.

The Senators emphasized the importance of releasing this funding and how this delay has already caused uncertainty for clinics and patients across the country.

“A lapse in funding caused by this administration would deny patients and their families the dignity of affordable health care and irreparably worsen the health care crisis that President Trump and Republicans in Congress have already exacerbated by enacting the largest cuts to health care in American history. It is imperative that the Department act now and issue a one-year extension of Title X funding,” the Senators concluded.

In addition to Duckworth, Hirono, Murray and King, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

For nearly 60 years, the Title X Family Planning Program (“Title X”) has provided millions of working Americans with access to family planning and essential preventive care services, like cancer screenings. Congress recently renewed its longstanding support for the program in the latest funding package. But under your leadership, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) has so far failed to release annual funding for Title X clinics across the country, as it ordinarily would have by this point in the year. Existing awards are set to lapse on March 31, 2026, and any loss of congressionally appropriated Title X funding will hurt millions of patients and significantly weaken communities’ access to comprehensive family planning services. As such, we demand that the Department take immediate action to protect Americans’ uninterrupted access to these critical services by awarding a one-year full funding extension for all current Title X grantees.

Title X is the only dedicated source of funding for domestic family planning services and preventive health care. Since its establishment in 1970, this program has provided vital reproductive health care services to patients at little to no cost, covering services like contraception, cervical cancer screenings, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, and pregnancy testing and counseling. Access to these services improves health outcomes, resulting in lower maternal and infant mortality, fewer premature births, and lower rates of cancer. In short, these services not only make our communities healthier, but also improve educational and economic attainment for women and their families. Title X funding also saves taxpayer dollars elsewhere in the health care system, with every dollar spent on public funding for family planning programs saving at least seven dollars in Medicaid costs.

In 2022, HHS awarded five-year grants to over 85 Title X grant recipients to deliver affordable, patient-centered family planning and preventive health services across the United States and its territories. Without immediate action, funding for grants will lapse on March 31, 2026. Title X grantees were told that non-compete continuation application guidance was required to be released by HHS no later than December 31, 2025. As of current date, that guidance has not been released, creating widespread uncertainty for grantees, patients, and providers with less than a month of funding remaining. If the administration fails to meet the April 1, 2026, deadline for releasing Title X funding to the current grantees, the repercussions for critical health care will be catastrophic. Any gap in Title X funding could result in over two million patients losing access to contraception and preventative care, worsen maternal health outcomes, and increase sexually transmitted infections. It will also risk layoffs of essential health care providers and staff who provide care for patients at thousands of Title X clinics nationwide, worsening the national maternal and reproductive health care crisis.

These harms are not hypothetical. In 2019, the first Trump administration finalized regulations, which had lasting consequences for the program. Over 1,000 clinics became ineligible for funding. Last April, the Trump administration withheld all or partial funding from a quarter of all Title X grantees for months, cutting off over 840,000 patients’ access to contraceptive care and forcing Title X sites to close. When funding was finally restored, clinics were forced to try to meet the same need but with significantly reduced funding.

This delay is already causing costly uncertainty for clinics across the country and the patients that they serve. A lapse in funding caused by this administration would deny patients and their families the dignity of affordable health care and irreparably worsen the health care crisis that President Trump and Republicans in Congress have already exacerbated by enacting the largest cuts to health care in American history. It is imperative that the Department act now and issue a one-year extension of Title X funding.

Sincerely,

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Duckworth Leads Senators in Introducing Bipartisan Resolution to Honor Girl Scouts of America

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)—co-chairs of the Girl Scouts’ Honorary Troop Capitol Hill—and U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NM), John Barrasso (R-WY), Angus King (I-ME) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today introduced a bipartisan resolution to recognize the 114th birthday of the Girl Scouts of America and celebrate its historic legacy of empowering girls and building powerful female leaders across the country.

“I still use the leadership skills that I developed in the Girl Scouts as a young woman in my daily life,” said Duckworth. “For 114 years, Girl Scouts of America has instilled the values of service and how to always ‘be prepared’ in generations of girls, empowering them to lead wherever they go—in business, science, public service and beyond. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution to commemorate and honor this historic organization.”

“Girl Scouts of the USA continues to instill self-confidence, resilience, and a sense of adventure in all young women,” Senator Capito said. “As an alum myself, it’s wonderful to see this tradition and legacy of leadership continue to inspire the next generation of young women. I am proud to cosponsor this resolution recognizing the 114th anniversary of the Girl Scouts and look forward to seeing their good work encouraging lifelong leadership skills in young women for generations to come.”

“As a proud alum of the Girl Scouts, I know firsthand how important and consequential it can be to empower young girls and help them build the skills and confidence to become leaders in their communities, careers and beyond,” said Senator Shaheen. “On the 114th birthday of the Girl Scouts of America, I’m glad to join my colleagues in recognizing past, present and future generations of Girl Scouts and the work they do to make the world a better place.”

“As a former Girl Scout myself, I know how valuable its guiding principles of courage, confidence, and character are to helping young Nevadans grow into women who have the power to make the world a better place,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to stand alongside my colleagues to celebrate Girl Scouts of America’s 114th birthday and honor the work they do to empower girls across the country.”

“The Girl Scouts create opportunities for young women in Wyoming and around the country to develop leadership skills, build friendships, and get involved in their communities. This great organization helps promote the values of courage, adventure, teamwork, and character,” said Senator Barrasso. “Our resolution celebrates the Girl Scouts’ strong legacy of service and leadership.”

“Across Maine and the nation, Girl Scouts learn the value of service, teamwork and perseverance—lessons that will serve them, and our communities, for a lifetime,” said Senator King. “I’m proud to support this resolution recognizing 114 years of an organization that continues to empower the next generation of future leaders.”

“The Girl Scouts have a long history of empowering girls and providing a place for young women to learn leadership skills,” said Senator Hassan. “This resolution celebrates 114 years of the Girl Scouts and pays tribute to the Girl Scouts past and present who are carrying on the legacy of service by and for young women across the country.”

Full text of the resolution is available on the Senator’s website.

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Duckworth Slams Trump’s Unconstitutional, Unjustified Iran War for Needlessly Putting Our Troops’ Lives at Greater Risk

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Amid the second week of Donald Trump’s illegal war against Iran, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) slammed how the Trump Administration’s lack of preparedness and planning for this war has further put our servicemembers’ lives at needless risk by undermining medical evacuation efforts in the Middle East. At today’s U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, Duckworth underscored the challenges that Trump’s war has put on our medical evacuation system as it seeks to transport critical care patients across airspaces and maritime routes that are riddled with Iranian missiles and drones. Duckworth’s full remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.

“Seven servicemembers have already been killed and at least 140 servicemembers have been wounded—and Donald Trump seems to have made no plans to safeguard the lives of our troops who are at greater risk as his illegal, unjustified military campaign expands,” said Duckworth. “Our wounded servicemembers and logistics professionals now face the realities of medical evacuation in an airspace contested by Iranian missiles and drones. Meanwhile, this Administration is hiding its incompetence behind the valor of our military men and women, as if questioning why we’re at war is questioning the valor of our troops.”

Duckworth continued: “Our military will always do the best job possible. That means we are beholden to do our job and make sure this is the right war, one that is worth our troops’ sacrifices.”

During her remarks, Duckworth also criticized how the Trump Administration is underinvesting in medical readiness in the Indo-pacific where, despite the real possibility of military conflict actually in our national interest, our nation has less MEDEVAC experience and much greater distances to cover to get our servicemembers the medical attention they may need. As Trump’s illegal war of choice continues, Duckworth stressed that these gaps will only continue to widen as our medical evacuation system is strained.

Duckworth is an outspoken critic of Donald Trump’s illegal military campaign against Iran. The Senator is one of six Senate Democrats who introduced a War Powers Resolution and is pushing to put members of the Trump Administration under oath so the American people can hear how they attempt to justify this illegal war.

Duckworth is also a proven leader in pushing to strengthen medical readiness in the Indo-Pacific region. The Senator’s Indo-Pacific Medical Readiness program—a program she championed in the FY2025 NDAA—will help ensure our nation’s servicemembers as well as their families have access to quality patient care throughout the Indo-Pacific region—where they often must travel long distances to receive care.

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Durbin Calls For Reforms To FISA Section 702 Ahead Of Its Expiration Next Month

Durbin: “Congress has a responsibility to protect our national security and the privacy and civil liberties of Americans.”

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for serious reforms to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire next month. Section 702 grew out of a secret warrantless surveillance program conducted by the Bush Administration after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. When this illegal spying program was exposed, Congress enacted Section 702 as a temporary measure.

“Like so many expansive government powers that are adopted during times of emergency, this authority has now become a fixture of our surveillance architecture. When it comes to collecting intelligence on foreigners located abroad, the value of this tool is not in serious dispute,” Durbin said. “But there is a fatal flaw at the core of Section 702: this authority is also used for warrantless spying on innocent Americans.”

Durbin continued, “Americans’ private emails, phone calls, and text messages with friends, family, colleagues, businesses, and any number of other contacts around the world are swept up under Section 702. The government then searches these private communications, which are protected by the Fourth Amendment, I might add, without a warrant or other court order. Congress has repeatedly failed to fix this end run around the Constitution. As a result, for years, the intelligence community has abused Section 702 to spy on business and religious leaders, political parties, campaign donors, journalists, and protestors across the political spectrum.”

In 2024, Congress passed the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, which codified new reforms intended to rein in these abuses. These measures have reduced the number of unlawful searches, but Congress failed to require a warrant for searching Americans’ communications. At the same time, Congress greatly expanded Section 702 to include counternarcotics and immigration vetting—and conscripted a shocking array of American businesses into Section 702 spying. Durbin voted against this legislation.

In February, Durbin and U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) reintroduced the Security and Freedom Enhancement (SAFE) Act—a bipartisan bill that would reauthorize Section 702 with common sense reforms to protect Americans’ privacy.

“Our bill preserves the core value of [Section] 702 as a foreign intelligence collection tool, while preventing the government from using it to target the constitutionally protected communications of Americans unless they get court approval,” Durbin said. “Our warrant requirement takes legitimate operational and security needs into account so that it won’t be unduly burdensome or impede action in an emergency. What it would do is stop the government from accessing the private communications of Americans without a proper basis under the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. Such a simple requirement to comply with the Constitution should have been included in Section 702 from the outset.”

The SAFE Act would also prevent government agencies—like ICE, Customs and Border Patrol, the FBI, and others—from skirting the Fourth Amendment to obtain Americans’ sensitive location information and other personal details from data brokers. ICE is using this data to track U.S. citizens exercising their First Amendment right to protest. If the FBI wants to track someone’s phone, obtain their location information, or access their Google search history, the agency should be required to get a judicial warrant. Instead, government agencies are exploiting gaps in outdated laws to buy sensitive information from data brokers. It’s a loophole that the SAFE Act addresses.

Durbin argued that the time to truly reform Section 702 is now—not later. When Congress extended Section 702 in 2024, the argument was that Congress needed more time. So, Congress reauthorized Section 702 for just two years to see how the existing compliance measures were working.

“And now here we are, two years later, and the opponents of real reform are saying exactly the same thing. We’ve been hearing these same excuses for over 20 years. It’s time to stop avoiding the issue and protect Americans’ constitutional rights once and for all. Not later. Not next time,” Durbin said.

In 2024, the last time Section 702 was up for reauthorization, Durbin was Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over FISA. Durbin held a public hearing more than six months before the authority expired so members could ask Biden Administration officials about how they were using Section 702. Now, the Trump Administration refuses to testify publicly about how they are using this sweeping surveillance power.

Last month, Durbin sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asking him to hold a hearing with Trump Administration witnesses as Congress debates the issue. Durbin’s request followed a recent Committee hearing on the topic—without any Trump Administration officials present.

Durbin concluded, “Enough is enough. There is no excuse for ramming through an extension of Section 702 at the last minute without regular order… The American people deserve better from their representatives. We can, and we should, protect the American people from threats to their security and threats to their civil liberties.”

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

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Durbin Discusses Credit Card Competition Act With National Restaurant Association

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Illinois members of the National Restaurant Association to discuss the impact of credit card swipe fees, one of the highest operating costs for restaurants. Earlier this year, Durbin reintroduced his bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act, which President Trump publicly endorsed in January. The legislation would require the largest banks in the country to offer two networks to be used to process credit card transactions with one being a network outside of the Visa-Mastercard duopoly. This competition and choice between networks would incentivize better service and lower credit card swipe fees for businesses and consumers.

During the meeting, Durbin also spoke about his support for comprehensive immigration reform as nearly a quarter of the restaurant workforce and 36 percent of restaurant owners in the U.S. are immigrants.

“Restaurants are the lifeblood of our communities, but they face serious challenges with the steep cost of credit card swipe fees. It’s time that we bring real competition to the credit card industry, which has been dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly and which has swamped consumers and restaurants with excessive swipe fees,” said Durbin. “Today, I spoke with the National Restaurant Association about how my bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act would lower costs for businesses and consumers.”

Photos of the meeting are available here.

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Durbin Slams Trump Admin For Nominating January 6 Apologists To Judicial U.S. Attorney Positions

Durbin also condemned the FBI for seizing election records from Fulton County, Georgia, and Maricopa County, Arizona, in an effort to spread the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen; also highlighted the President’s attempts to intimidate voters ahead of the 2026 midterms

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during today’s Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting slamming President Trump for pardoning violent January 6 rioters who have gone on to commit heinous crimes. Durbin also criticized President Trump for nominating extreme and unqualified U.S. attorney nominees who defended the January 6 rioters and embrace the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen.

Durbin also sounded the alarm on President Trump’s threats to election integrity and attempts to interfere with the 2026 midterm elections. In February, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seized hundreds of thousands of ballots from the 2020 presidential election in Fulton County, Georgia. This week, it was publicly reported that the FBI seized election records in Maricopa County, Arizona, another swing state that President Trump lost in 2020.

Durbin also spoke against the nomination of Phillip Williams, to be U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama.

Key Quotes:

“On his first day in office, President Trump issued a ‘full, complete, and unconditional’ pardon to nearly 1,600 rioters who stormed the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 … Since President Trump’s blanket pardon, they have gone on a violent crime spree, particularly targeting police officers who defended the Capitol and prosecutors and FBI agents who investigated them.”

“Just last week, pardoned rioter Jake Lang was charged with threatening an officer who defended the Capitol. Lang told Metropolitan Police Commander Jason Bagshaw he should be ‘put down like a dead dog’ and ‘[p]ublic execution is the only solution for animals like you.’ Also last week, rioter Bryan Betancur was arrested for assaulting a woman on a Metro train in Northern Virginia, the latest in a string of arrests… Also last week, rioter Andrew Johnson was sentenced to life in prison for multiple child sexual abuse offenses. Johnson, who called himself an ‘American terrorist’ and ‘proud J6’er,’ molested a child under 12 and another under 16 last year after he was pardoned by President Trump.”

“To make matters worse, he tried to silence one of his victims by saying he would be compensated by the Trump Administration for being a January 6th offender and would put the victim in his will.”

“Meanwhile, President Trump continues to put forward extreme and unqualified U.S. attorney nominees who defend these January 6 rioters and embrace the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen. First, it was Ed Martin, who helped lead the so-called ‘Stop the Steal’ movement to overturn the 2020 election… Next, it was Wyoming U.S. Attorney nominee Darin Smith. [He has] zero experience as a litigator. It is hard to imagine a previous president of either political party would put a nominee forward for U.S. Attorney… with no courtroom experience. [Smith] was on Capitol grounds on January 6 and made the reprehensible claim that police officers who risked their lives that day were guilty of ‘massive incompetence.’”

“Today, this Committee will consider another MAGA extremist with zero experience as a prosecutor: Phil Williams, nominated to be U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama... Williams called the prosecutions of January 6 rioters ‘the Salem witch trials on a national scale.’”

“Why is the President nominating these January 6th apologists? Because he wants to make the case that the 2020 election was stolen in order to justify interfering in the 2026 elections. And he wants loyalist prosecutors who will help him carry out this mission.”

“Consider the recent raid in Fulton County, Georgia, where the FBI seized truckloads of election materials. Trump has been obsessed with Fulton County since his failed attempt in 2020 to pressure Georgia officials to ‘find 11,000 votes to overturn the election [results].’ And just this week, we learned that the FBI seized election records in Maricopa County, Arizona, another swing state that Trump lost in 2020.”

“The endgame is clear. Trump himself told us, ‘We should take over the voting … Republicans ought to nationalize the voting.’ That’s why Trump said this week that he would not sign any other legislation until Congress passes the so-called SAVE America Act, a bill that would disenfranchise millions of Americans.”

“Republican Senators won’t speak up against this authoritarian, but the American people will.”

Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

Durbin then spoke further about Phillip Williams’ nomination.

“Phillip Williams bears many unfortunate similarities to Ed Martin. Neither had any prosecutorial experience prior to their nomination. Instead, like Mr. Martin, Mr. Williams’s main qualification appears to be his podcasts and social media posts in which he spouted MAGA orthodoxy. Both whitewashed January 6 and maligned law enforcement officers. Mr. Williams claimed that January 6 rioters were ‘hunted down’ by federal law enforcement, whom he accused of ‘prosecutorial abuse, many, many times over.’”

“Mr. Williams’s MAGA loyalty is not limited to whitewashing January 6. He claimed, without evidence, that federal judges who have ruled against President Trump are trying to ‘set [Trump] up.’ Mr. Williams applauded President Trump’s deal to send migrants to the notorious CECOT prison in El Salvador because there is ‘no intention of rehabilitation or release.’ He said that the inhumane treatment of migrants is ‘exactly what we voted for.’”

“Mr. Williams is not fit to be a U.S. Attorney. I urge my colleagues to oppose this nomination.”

Video of Durbin’s remarks about Mr. Williams is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks about Mr. Williams is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks about Mr. Williams is available here for TV Stations.

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Ernst Works to Add Value to Iowa-Grown Crops

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) called on the Trump administration to continue their support of the biofuel industry by ensuring the final 45Z clean fuel production credit rule recognizes a wide array of on-farm practices and truly puts Iowa farmers first.

After the Biden administration failed to deliver certainty for biofuel producers, the lawmakers applauded the Trump administration for its interagency work to develop this guidance.

“45Z was designed to add value to farmers’ crops and expand domestic production of clean, homegrown biofuels. Still, its success depends on clear, workable rules allowing farmers and biofuel producers to meaningfully participate—clarity the Biden administration repeatedly failed to provide,” wrote the lawmakers.

“As this rule is finalized, it is critical the final rule clearly identifies the types of on-farm conservation practices capable of generating lower-carbon feedstocks and ultimately qualifying for a premium under 45Z. Examples of these practices include, but are not limited to no-till, cover crops, strip till, manure application, and optimized fertilizer use,” the lawmakers continued.

“Delivering this outcome after years of mismanagement under the previous administration will be a clear win for U.S. farmers and demonstrate the Trump administration’s commitment to a stronger rural America.” the lawmakers concluded.

Read the letter here.

Background:

Ernst helped introduce the Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act, which is part of the Republican-passed Working Families Tax Cuts Act that is now law to extend the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit to 2029, remove arbitrary environmental penalties against American farmers, and ensure domestic feedstocks are prioritized for biofuel production.

In January 2025, Ernst blasted the Biden administration for late, incomplete guidance on 45Z that left Iowa farmers and biofuel producers with little to no certainty. This delayed guidance came nearly six months after Ernst provided Biden-era officials with a clear timeline and direction for how to create guidelines for the 45Z credit, which was ultimately ignored.

More broadly, Ernst has been a leading advocate for homegrown, Iowa biofuels, securing access to E15 for the summer driving months, while continuing the call for permanent, nationwide availability that would lower costs at the pump and increase demand for Iowa crops.

Last month, Ernst applauded the Trump administration for advancing much-needed certainty for farmers, biofuel producers, and consumers by unveiling its proposed 45Z rule.

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Inquirer: Fetterman, McCormick: Here’s why we’re behind a bipartisan plan to help first-time home buyers

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA) penned a Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed in support of the bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act discussing its importance for Pennsylvanians and all Americans. The legislative package, which includes Senator Fetterman’s bipartisan Whole-Home Repairs Act, was passed this afternoon by the U.S. Senate 89-10 and now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

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By: U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA)

When we were teenagers growing up in rural Pennsylvania, Americans typically bought their first home at the age of 29. Now, first-time home buyers tend to be in their 40s.

As U.S. senators from different parties, we don’t agree on everything. But as friends, parents of nine children between us, and representatives of working families across Pennsylvania, we cannot accept this terrible trend.

The American dream — the promise that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can build a good life and financial security in a home that you own — must not fall out of reach of young Pennsylvanians.

That’s why we support the ROAD to Housing Act. This bipartisan bill, which the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on this week, will help address Pennsylvania’s housing crisis by making it easier to build more homes, more affordably, while also preserving and repairing the housing stock we already have.

The commonwealth has 100,000 fewer homes than it needs today and is on track to be short 185,000 by 2035.

As a result of this shortage, home prices have increased 75% in the last five years. More than one million Pennsylvania households spend over 30% of their income on housing, and more than half of our housing stock is over 50 years old, driving up repair costs and straining family budgets.

That combination — too few and too many aging homes — creates a squeeze felt from Erie to Philly: young families delaying having kids, seniors stuck in homes they can’t afford to fix, workers turning down jobs because they can’t find a place to live nearby.

The shortage will get even more acute as new investments in Pennsylvania’s energy and artificial intelligence, defense, and life-science industries generate great new jobs across the commonwealth.

We have celebrated these transformative investments, from U.S. Steel to the Philly Shipyard, but more jobs mean more workers, and workers need homes.

The ROAD Act delivers by taking three commonsense approaches. First, it tackles affordability at the source — supply — by reducing delays and lowering construction costs.

Second, it strengthens accountability and modernizes federal programs to ensure they work for the people they’re meant to serve.

Third, it empowers Pennsylvanians to build what fits local needs.

We’re proud that the bill includes provisions to protect Pennsylvania workers, veterans, and homeowners, which we championed together. Our Whole-Home Repairs legislation, for example, supports homeowners, especially in markets like ours with many historic residences, by offering grants and forgivable loans for repairs and upgrades of aging homes, keeping families in their homes and stabilizing neighborhoods.

This isn’t a Republican problem or a Democratic problem. It’s an American one, and it demands bipartisan action.

For these reasons, we stand united, as we have on many other issues, in voting yes for the ROAD to Housing Act.


Gallego Calls for USMCA Deal that Puts Workers First

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) sent a letter to President Trump and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer laying out his priorities as the administration begins the mandatory six-year review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

READ MORE: Democrat urges Trump to renegotiate US-Canada-Mexico trade pact (Semafor)

“I urge you to use this process as an opportunity to renegotiate aspects of the agreement to rebuild the U.S. manufacturing sector, strengthen border communities, and address the underlying causes of illegal migration to the United States,” Senator Gallego wrote.

He continues, “Thanks to industrial policy investments that I championed like the CHIPS and Science Act, Arizona is leading America’s manufacturing renaissance. The review of the USMCA is an opportunity to learn what has and has not worked with the revised NAFTA and to build on it. An updated agreement should create stable market conditions that promote investment in reshoring in the United States, halt the offshoring of good jobs, lift wages for both American and Mexican workers, and create more jobs in border communities.”

Specifically, Senator Gallego calls for renegotiation of the following aspects of the USMCA:

Update Rules of Origin Requirements: Strengthen rules of origin requirements and other safeguards to prevent Chinese companies from skirting U.S. trade laws by sending goods through the Southern border.

Improve Labor Standards and Enforcement: Improve and streamline the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) to ensure Mexican workers can easily and effectively file complaints against facilities that violate their rights and strengthen enforcement when violations occur.

Set a Minimum Wage: Strengthen and build on previous wage standard provisions by also including a minimum wage across signatory countries for all workers in the manufacturing sector.

Commit to Robust Funding for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB): Fund and fully staff the ILAB, which fights for a level playing field for workers in the U.S. and around the world and plays a key role in enforcing USMCA labor provisions.

Invest in Border Community Infrastructure: Obtain commitments that the Mexican government will make infrastructure improvements on their side of the border as the U.S. makes improvements on our side. Invest in infrastructure to support the flow of fresh produce from Mexico to the U.S. – a major driver of jobs in border communities.

Read the full text of the letter HERE.


Gallego: ‘How many times do we have to remind this president that Putin is not our friend?’

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) spoke on the Senate floor calling on the Senate to pass his resolution condemning the Trump administration’s recent decision to ease sanctions on the Russian Federation while it continues aiding actions that threaten United States troops and assets.

Republican Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) objected and blocked the resolution’s passage.

Senator Gallego has been leading the fight against the administration’s sanctions relief for Russia. On Friday, the day the administration’s decision was announced, he joined colleagues in a statement calling out the dangers this will cause U.S. servicemembers. On Monday, Gallego and Rep. Sam Liccardo (CA-16) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent demanding answers on how the decision came together, and yesterday, Gallego led colleagues from the Senate Banking committee calling on Chairman Tim Scott to convene a hearing with Secretary Bessent.

Watch Senator Gallego’s remarks here and read them below:

“Mr. President, 12 days ago, Donald Trump took us to war against Iran. Since then, seven American servicemembers have been killed and 140 more have been wounded. Instead of protecting our troops, Trump is making it easier for enemies to kill them.

“None of us are mourning Ayatollah Khamenei. The moment this war started, oil prices spiked. Anyone who has looked at a map knows that a war in the Middle East affects oil prices. It has happened every single time, but apparently no one at the White House looked at the map.

“So now American families who are already struggling to put food on the table are paying 20% more for gas because of Trump’s war. The administration’s response to the crisis they created is to back off sanctions on Russian oil. So American families are hurting while Trump is making more money for Vladimir Putin. The administration has given Russia a lifeline just as they needed it.

“U.S. officials confirmed last week that Russia’s sharing intelligence with Iran to help target U.S. service members. Russia is telling Iran where our troops are and where the military assets are.

“Just think about that. Russia is giving Iran a map to find and kill Americans. And our response [is] we’re going to allow them to sell their oil to other countries to fund their war machines. All while Steve Witkoff, the president’s envoy, is happy to take Putin, a professionally trained liar, at his word when he says they aren’t sharing Intel with Iran. We started a war with Iran, and we’re now rewarding the ones that are helping shoot us.

“How is this putting America first? How many times do we have to remind this president that Putin is not our friend?

“This is what happens when the administration starts a war without a plan. They’re scrambling to clean up their mess and thinking twice about the consequences. I know the consequences because I lived them.

“21 years ago, I was a Marine infantryman in the al-Anbar province of western Iraq. Every day someone was trying to kill us. I lost a lot of best friends there. And that’s why I’m standing together with you here today, because I know what happens when we send soldiers into harm’s way without thinking through what comes next and what we’re asking these kids to do.

“And I know the people who pay for wars are never the politicians who started them. It’s the American people, the kids from working-class neighborhoods who enlisted and their families.

“What this administration did was not just wrong, it was illegal. In 2017, Congress passed the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, signed by Trump himself, requiring the White House to notify Congress before making any significant change to U.S. policy towards Russia. We passed that law because we understood that decisions of this magnitude, decisions that touch our national security and affect the safety of our troops, require transparency and accountability. They require someone to be able to look at the American people in the eye and explain themselves.

“But this administration did not notify Congress. Apparently, this administration doesn’t think it owes anyone any explanation. They don’t think they owe the troops they’re putting in danger any explanation at all, and they don’t think they owe the families of the seven Americans who are not coming home an explanation.

“They’re making it up as they go and asking Americans to pay for it with their lives. If this administration wants to bring gas prices down, stop the war.”


Gallego Leads Colleagues in Letter Opposing Foreign Practices Undermining American Steelworkers

WASHINGTON – Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) led colleagues in writing a letter to Amy Karpel, Chair of the U.S. International Trade Commission, pushing back against efforts by foreign nations to manipulate and undercut the American rebar industry and its workers.

Specifically, the letter requests that the U.S. International Trade Commission review antidumping (Ad) and countervailing duty (CVD) cases against Algeria, Bulgaria, Egypt, and Vietnam and ensure our trade laws are fully enforced.

“American companies and workers can out compete companies from any other country. However, American rebar producers deserve to compete on a fair and level playing field. As your important work on these investigations continues, we urge you to carefully review the evidence presented and fully enforce our trade laws. It is imperative that unfairly traded imports do not undermine American rebar producers and the thousands of workers they support,” the senators wrote.

In addition to Senators Gallego and Capito, Senators Jim Justice (R-WV), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Katie Britt (R-AL) also signed the letter.


Gallego, Van Hollen, Warren Statement on DOJ Investigating Binance Compliance with U.S. Sanctions Law

WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) issued the following statement on a report that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether digital asset firm Binance has violated U.S. sanctions laws by facilitating billions of dollars worth of transactions linked to Iran and its proxies tied to terrorism. This development comes after Senator Van Hollen, Ranking Member Warren, and all Democrats on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee urged Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Attorney General Pam Bondi to take this action.

“Binance has an established track record of putting profits ahead of the law. Recent reports raise serious concerns that the firm is again violating U.S. sanctions laws, recklessly helping bankroll the activities of terrorist groups connected to Iran. We will conduct oversight to ensure the Department of Justice conducts a serious investigation into Binance and holds the company accountable for any wrongdoing. This scrutiny is particularly important given recent reports that Binance is engaging in increasingly risky activity in countries through which illicit actors are known to evade U.S. sanctions and export controls.”


Senate Passes Gallego-Backed Bipartisan Housing Package

The historic 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is a critical first step in addressing Arizona’s housing crisis

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The landmark bipartisan legislation, which Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) helped shape as a member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, will boost the nation’s housing supply, improve housing affordability, and strengthen oversight and efficiency of federal housing programs and regulators. The bill is the most significant affordable housing legislation Congress has considered in decades.

“I remember how proud my mom was when she was finally able to buy her first home with the help of a government loan. She’s not alone; homeownership is the foundation of the American Dream and the primary way families build generational wealth. But today, supply shortages and outdated permitting rules make that dream unaffordable for families in Arizona and across the country. To bring down costs, we need to build more homes,” said Senator Gallego. “I’m proud to have secured inclusion of several of my bills in this package to build more, streamline permitting, make government part of the solution instead of the problem. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is real step forward, and I look forward to seeing it pass the House and get signed into law.”

Find a summary of Senator Gallego’s wins in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing ActHERE.

Several of Senator Gallego’s bills were included in the package, including the:

Housing Affordability Act – to require the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to increase multifamily loan limits to better match housing market costs and enhance affordability.

Housing Supply Expansion Act – to modernize the federal definition of “manufactured housing” to include modular and prefabricated units not built on a permanent chassis to encourage innovation and expand naturally occurring affordable housing.

Appraisal Industry Improvement Act – to address the nationwide shortage of licensed home appraisers and improve access to housing in rural and tribal communities.

VA Home Loan Awareness Act – to add a disclosure to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s uniform residential loan application form and help ensure veterans are made aware of their home loan benefits, which may provide a more affordable lending option.

Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act – to permanently excludes veterans’ disability compensation from annual income calculations under the HUD-VASH program to help more homeless veterans access VA housing.

HUD-USDA-VA Interagency Coordination Act – to direct HUD, USDA, and the VA to identify areas for collaboration to streamline and improve housing program implementation.

Streamlining Rural Housing Act – to direct HUD and USDA to coordinate on joint environmental reviews for housing projects funded by both agencies.

The bill is supported by a wide range of state and local officials, housing and consumer advocacy groups, industry associations, and civil rights organizations.


Gillibrand, Colleagues Introduce Legislation To Protect Seniors’ Savings

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, along with Senators Andy Kim (D-NJ), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Dave McCormick (R-PA), introduced the bipartisan Senior Security Act to help stop financial predators from scamming America’s seniors. This bipartisan legislation would protect seniors’ savings by creating a Senior Investor Task Force within the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to offer recommendations for strengthening protections and safeguards for senior investors.

“Senior investors deserve to be protected, especially as scammers increasingly target older Americans, robbing them of their hard-earned savings and stealing their personal information,” said Senator Gillibrand. “As the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact these scams have on older Americans and their families, and how far too often federal agencies remain unprepared to address the specific needs of older populations. Our Senior Security Act would establish a dedicated task force to better protect investors over the age of 65 and help create the stronger protections that our seniors and their families deserve. I am proud to introduce this legislation and will fight to get it across the finish line.”

“Scammers are preying on our seniors, stealing billions of dollars from Americans’ hard-earned retirement savings. Aging with dignity and security shouldn’t be too much to ask for in our country. We need this legislation and task force to take targeted and thorough action to confront these crimes and stand up for our nation’s seniors,” said Senator Kim.

“As a Senator representing the oldest state in the country, I have consistently worked to fight fraud and financial exploitation targeted at older Americans,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would ensure that the Securities and Exchange Commission has the expertise needed to coordinate the efforts of state authorities and regulators to reduce the risk of senior investors being defrauded.”

“Pennsylvania seniors deserve to be protected from scammers looking to steal their retirement savings,” said Senator McCormick. “I’m proud to work across the aisle to give the Securities and Exchange Commission stronger tools to crack down on fraud and ensure our seniors are not targets of financial scammers.”

The Senior Security Act was also introduced and passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) and Ann Wagner (R-MO-02). The bill is endorsed by AARP.

According to the FBI, seniors lost $4.8 billion in 2024 to frauds and scams. The Senior Security Act would create a dedicated Senior Investor Task Force to holistically coordinate across SEC divisions, consult with state and federal regulators, and issue a public report to Congress every two years outlining trends, enforcement actions, regulatory gaps, and legislative recommendations related to investors over the age of 65. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive study on the economic costs, frequency, and reporting gaps associated with senior financial exploitation.

Senator Gillibrand has worked to prevent financial fraud throughout her time in office. As ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, she has led the fight to protect seniors from frauds and scams, raised awareness about predatory scammers targeting seniors, and demanded answers from those attempting to cut funding for agencies like the CFPB. She has also introduced legislation such as the National Strategy for Combating Scams Act, the Stop the Scammers Act, the Senior Financial Empowerment Act, and the DO NOT CALL Act, as well as the SNAP Theft Protection Act, the core of which was passed into law in 2022.

The full text of the Senior Security Act can be found here.

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Judiciary Committee Advances Two U.S. Attorney Nominees

WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the following nominations:

Melissa Holyoak, to be United States Attorney for the District of Utah, by a vote of 12-10; and

Phillip Williams, Jr., to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, by a vote of 12-10.

Watch the executive business meeting HERE. Read Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) opening statement HERE.

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Senators Hassan, Shaheen Demand HHS Immediately Release Title X Funding

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) are urging U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take immediate action to protect Americans’ uninterrupted access to comprehensive family planning and services by awarding a one-year full funding extension for all current Title X grantees. The letter to Secretary Kennedy was led by U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Angus King (I-ME) and supported by 34 Senate Democrats.

Last year, the Trump Administration withheld millions in funding from certain Title X grantees for months, placing over 840,000 people at risk of losing access to Title X-funded care and forcing some sites to close. While the administration restored funding by December 2025, many grantees were forced to serve the same need with dramatically reduced resources. Now, Title X grantees’ current funding is set to lapse on March 31, 2026.

The Senators wrote: “For nearly 60 years, the Title X Family Planning Program (“Title X”) has provided millions of working Americans with access to family planning and essential preventive care services, like cancer screenings. Congress recently renewed its longstanding support for the program in the latest funding package. But under your leadership, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) has so far failed to release annual funding for Title X clinics across the country, as it ordinarily would have by this point in the year. Existing awards are set to lapse on March 31, 2026, and any loss of congressionally appropriated Title X funding will hurt millions of patients and significantly weaken communities’ access to comprehensive family planning services.”

They continued: “If the administration fails to meet the April 1, 2026, deadline for releasing Title X funding to the current grantees, the repercussions for critical health care will be catastrophic. Any gap in Title X funding could result in over two million patients losing access to contraception and preventative care, worsen maternal health outcomes, and increase sexually transmitted infections. It will also risk layoffs of essential health care providers and staff who provide care for patients at thousands of Title X clinics nationwide, worsening the national maternal and reproductive health care crisis.”

They concluded: “This delay is already causing costly uncertainty for clinics across the country and the patients that they serve. A lapse in funding caused by this administration would deny patients and their families the dignity of affordable health care and irreparably worsen the health care crisis that President Trump and Republicans in Congress have already exacerbated by enacting the largest cuts to health care in American history. It is imperative that the Department act now and issue a one-year extension of Title X funding.”

The full text of the letter can be found here.

Senator Shaheen is an unrelenting advocate for women’s reproductive rights. For years, Shaheen has fought to expand coverage of women’s preventative care, including through her legislation to reduce the cost of contraception for servicewomen and dependents in military families.

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Senators Hassan, Sullivan Introduce Bill to Help More Businesses Provide Child Care to Employees

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced legislation to help more businesses take advantage of federal child care tax incentives, which would make it easier for working families to access and afford child care.

“We need to make sure that businesses are able to take advantage of every available tool to help their workers afford child care,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will help cut through the confusion around federal child care tax incentives, increase awareness among businesses about these incentives, and make it easier for Granite State businesses and employers across the country to invest in the child care that their employees need to stay in the workforce.”

“Quality child care is not only essential for the well-being of families, it is also key to a thriving economy and a strong workforce,” said Sen. Sullivan. “I hear repeatedly from Alaska parents that the lack of affordable child care is one of their top concerns, and the data backs that up. Sixty-one percent of Alaskans are living in communities classified as child care ‘deserts,’ and too many families struggle to find reliable, affordable care close to home. This legislation will help employers, providers, and other nonprofits better utilize federal tools for employees—specifically the significant expansion of federal incentives in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act for child care facilities and the provisions that expand opportunities and support for working families.”

Federal tax incentives designed to help businesses provide child care benefits are widely underutilized, even as working parents across the country struggle with the cost and availability of child care. Greater awareness of these incentives among businesses could help expand access to child care for many working families – and help more businesses hire and retain workers. The Child Care Tax Benefit Outreach and Assistance Act would direct the IRS to appoint a Business Child Care Liaison who would be responsible for building relationships between the child care sector and business community, coordinating with other federal agencies to educate employers about child care tax incentives, and identify and recommend to Congress potential legislative and administrative changes to improve the utilization of these incentives.

The bill is supported by the following organizations: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, Child Care Aware of America, Early Care and Education Consortium, Early Learning NH, Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC), First Five Years Fund, Moms First, New Futures, and YMCA of the USA.

Click here to see statements of support for this legislation.

Click here to see the text of the bill.

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Hawley Sends Letters to Fertilizer Producers, DOJ Demanding Answers for Recent Price Hikes

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent letters to five of the largest fertilizer producers as well as Attorney General Pam Bondi to ensure fertilizer companies are not engaged in price gouging or manipulating market conditions in the wake of the conflict in Iran. Senator Hawley sent letters to the CEOs of CF Industries Holdings Inc., Mosaic Co., Koch Fertilizer, Nutrien Ltd., and Yara International.

Senator Hawley wrote, “There have, of course, been recent disruptions to the global fertilizer market due to the Iranian conflict overseas, including bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz. But the price run-ups American farmers are facing far outpace any disruption from recent events. To be more specific, the percentage of U.S. fertilizer supply affected by issues in the Hormuz Strait appears to be minimal compared to the sudden change in prices.”

Senator Hawley continued, “These latest price hikes are especially troubling because the fertilizer industry is highly concentrated. Public reporting indicates that a small group of firms dominates the domestic market for nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. There are now also public reports that the Department of Justice has been investigating whether leading fertilizer producers coordinated to raise prices.”

Senator Hawley concluded, “American farmers should not be forced to bankroll opportunistic pricing under cover of an overseas crisis. If your company is using this conflict as a pretext to raise prices beyond what market conditions justify, Congress will not ignore it.”

Read Senator Hawley’s full letter to the fertilizer companies here.

Senator Hawley sent an additional letter to Attorney General Bondi urging the Department of Justice to formally investigate recent increases in fertilizer prices, following reports of recent Departmental action.

“I write to urge the Department of Justice to formally investigate potential anticompetitive conduct and price gouging in the U.S. fertilizer market in the wake of the ongoing Iran crisis. American farmers are once again being slammed by sudden fertilizer price spikes at the worst possible time,” Senator Hawley wrote.

“American farmers should not be exploited by dominant firms using a foreign crisis as cover to impose unjustified price increases, restrict supply, or coordinate market behavior. If firms are using this moment to pad margins at the expense of producers who feed this country, the Department should act swiftly,” Senator Hawley concluded.


CNBC: Trump tariffs - Martin Heinrich bill would give families tax rebate for higher import costs

Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., introduced a bill Thursday to create a new tax rebate for individuals and families hit by the cost of President Donald Trump’s now-defunct “reciprocal tariffs.”

The bill, dubbed the “Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act” and shared exclusively with CNBC, is part of the escalating effort by Democrats to capitalize on Trump’s tariff agenda ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Polls indicate the levies have become increasingly unpopular, with economically anxious voters expressing concern about affordability as Democrats vie to rip control of Congress away from Republicans.

“The President may call the affordability crisis a ‘hoax,’ but working people feel it every time they pay for groceries or everyday essentials,” Heinrich said in a statement. “This bill will return the money lost to Trump’s tariffs back to the people who paid the price.”

Fifty-five percent of voters in a recent NBC News poll said Trump’s tariffs have hurt the economy. Only 33% said the tariffs helped the economy. Democrats led the congressional ballot by 6 points in that poll, which also found 62% of voters disapproving of Trump’s handling of inflation and the cost of living.

Tariffs have had an inflationary impact on the economy, according to economists.

The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling Feb. 20, overturned a wide swath of Trump’s tariffs, finding he improperly invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the most prominent piece of his economic agenda.

Courts are weighing how to pay back importers the billions of dollars in tariff revenues they paid to the federal government.

The retail warehouse giant Costco , one of hundreds of companies suing for refunds, on Wednesday was itself sued in a would-be class-action complaint seeking refunds for customers who bought products subject to tariffs.

Trump on Wednesday shifted tactics on keeping higher tariffs in place, launching investigations into key trading partners including China, Mexico and the EU under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Heinrich’s bill would tap the $166 billion collected by the tariffs to fund the new rebate. The rebate would pay joint filers making under $180,000 annually $1,200. Head of household filers making less than $120,000 would receive $600. Single filers making less than $90,000 would also receive a $600 rebate. An additional $600 would be paid for each dependent child.

That means a family of four filing jointly that makes less than $180,000 would receive a rebate worth $2,400.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., in July introduced legislation similar to Heinrich’s to compel refunds for higher tariffs costs to individuals and families.

Heinrich’s legislation would link the refund to the tariff revenue conceptually rather than in a binding fashion, meaning refunds could still be paid out to importers who paid the tariffs collected by the federal government. Even so, Heinrich said tariff refunds should go to families who paid higher costs rather than large corporations.

“President Trump’s illegal tariffs have cost New Mexico families an average of $1,355,” he said. “This is money that belongs to working families — not the CEOs of Walmart or Amazon or any other big corporation.”

The bill would also prohibit checks sent out for the rebate from including Trump’s name. Trump famously included his name on Covid-19 economic stimulus checks.

Heinrich, the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has recently made several splashy endorsements of Senate candidates ahead of the midterms — bucking Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s picks. Introducing legislation to highlight the tariffs’ costs can be a political talking point for him this year.

He endorsed oyster farmer and veteran Graham Platner in Maine over Schumer’s choice of Gov. Janet Mills, along with the state Sen. Mallory McMorrow in Michigan. McMorrow said she won’t support Schumer for leader if she’s elected.

Heinrich has also sponsored a number of other bills that would pare back Trump’s tariff authority.


ICYMI: Senate Democrats Sound Off on Trump Administration Erasing History on Public Lands

Link to floor speeches here

Link to Heinrich’s speech here

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led his colleagues on the Senate floor, criticizing the Trump administration for its efforts to erase history on America’s national parks. U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Ranking Member of the U.S. Energy Subcommittee on National Parks, and U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined Heinrich in delivering remarks on the Senate floor.

“When we erase information about who we are... when we silence people’s stories... we promote a narrative that ignores and manipulates what truly happened,” said Heinrich. “Right now, President Trump is dumbing down our history. He is cheapening our National Parks. But he will not take our history from us. We will tell these stories again and again, and again. As long as it takes, and long after HE is relegated to the history books.”

“This year, we celebrate 250 years of the United States of America. That history is complicated. Some of it is marked by extraordinary achievements. Some of it is marred by significant failings. And no one person has the right to erase any of it,” said Merkley. “It is the responsibility of every generation of Americans to protect our national treasures and pass down the story of our hard-fought freedoms. Let’s start by protecting our National Parks.”

“The United States has a fantastic history – it’s an extraordinary history of triumphs, and of achievements, but we also have dark periods of our history. I would argue one of our great triumphs is overcoming those dark periods in our history,” said King. “The American people can handle the truth; they can understand what happened; they can understand why it was evil, and the struggles that took place in order to overcome the dark portions of our history. Whitewashing our history is lying about our history, and it’s underestimating the American people. They need to understand, we all need to understand from whence we came as we proceed towards a more perfect union.”

“From stripping land protections and gutting park staff, to ordering the removal of exhibits about climate change and darker parts of our nation’s history, Trump and his regime are relentlessly attacking our national parks,” said Hirono. “Americans need to understand our history and what is happening to our environment, and visitors to our national parks deserve to see the full picture. As this regime continues to try to whitewash history and erase science, I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure that we protect our national park sites for future generations.”

Since last March, the Trump administration has moved to audit and remove historical facts and images from public lands, directing the Department of the Interior to take down signage and exhibits that, in the administration’s eyes, “disparage” America and the country’s history.

Since then, references to slavery, Native American history, the internment of Japanese citizens, and science have been removed from NPS units across the country, including at the Independence National House in Philadelphia. While federal courts found that these actions broke the law and demanded that NPS reinstall the exhibits at this site, many NPS units that have been impacted by Trump’s actions have yet to have their exhibits or signage restored. The Washington Post recently reported the existence of an internal government database in which managers across NPS have flagged items they believe “disparage” America and are in violation of the Trump administration’s order.


Heinrich Advances Legislation to Build More Housing & Lower Costs for New Mexico Families

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced Senate passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, bipartisan legislation to tackle the housing crisis in New Mexico and nationwide by increasing the housing supply and lowering the cost of housing for working families.

The median sale price of homes in New Mexico increased from $216,500 in 2019 to $345,000 in 2024. At the same time, New Mexico’s housing inventory sank to half of its 2018 level. Rents in New Mexico have also increased since 2019, from $844 to $1,021 in 2023. By one estimate, New Mexico is short 40,000 affordable rental housing units.

The housing crisis has been exacerbated by Wall Street landlords artificially decreasing the housing supply and driving up home prices and rents, and President Trump’s broad, cost raising tariffs on critical homebuilding materials.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will help tackle the housing affordability and supply crisis in New Mexico.This bill invests in the construction of new homes and the rehabilitation of existing homes for working families. It will also help quickly bring affordable housing onto the market and cut bureaucratic red tape so families can get into homes faster.

The legislation provides rural renters with stable housing and rental assistance. It also makes it easier for New Mexicans to afford downpayments and finance accessory dwelling units, or casitas — increasing flexibility in housing options. And it prohibits large investors from buying single-family homes, getting housing out of the hands of corporate landlords and into the hands of New Mexico families.

“Too many New Mexicans are being priced out of a place to live. That’s unacceptable, and it’s something I’ve been working to fix. We need to bring housing costs down and put the American dream of home ownership within reach for more New Mexico families,” said Heinrich. “I’m proud the Senate passed our legislation to build more housing, expand down payment and rental assistance, and help more families find a safe, affordable place to call home. New Mexicans deserve housing they can afford, and I’m committed to making that a reality.”

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

The legislation passed by the Senate includes four bills that Heinrich cosponsored:

The Choice in Affordable Housing Act improves the federal government’s largest rental assistance program by making it easier to access Housing Choice Vouchers — often referred to as Section 8 vouchers — and attract and retain landlords to participate in the program. The bill allows units that pass inspections for other federal housing programs to automatically qualify for vouchers, reducing inspection delays from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As a result, eligible families will have greater housing options and safer places to live.

The HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Improvement Act provides better support to state and local housing agencies to facilitate the construction of more affordable housing. The HOME Investment Partnerships Program is the largest federal affordable housing grant and supports a variety of needs from financing construction to funding down payment and rental assistance. This bill reauthorizes the program and expands it to account more for moderate-income Americans.

The Streamlining Rural Housing Act makes it easier to build rural housing by streamlining environmental reviews between HUD and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Rural housing projects often use federal funding sources from multiple agencies, but each agency requires slightly different environmental review and inspection standards. This bill requires HUD and USDA to enter into a memorandum of understanding to align review standards, streamlining the housing development and construction process in rural areas.

The Rural Housing Service Reform Act will improve federal rural housing programs and increase affordable housing in small towns and rural communities.

The bill updates rules for rural multifamily housing to help keep homes in rural areas available and affordable. Currently, the USDA provides loans to construct affordable multifamily properties in rural areas. But once property owners pay off their loans, current rules prevent them from accepting rental assistance from tenants. This legislation fixes that problem by allowing owners of these properties to accept rental assistance, helping families remain in their homes and keeping units affordable. Most USDA-financed multifamily properties in New Mexico will have paid off their loans by 2039, making this change critical to preserving affordable housing in rural areas. Heinrich supported this policy as the Chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.

For background on Heinrich’s actions to lower housing costs, address homelessness, and build more housing for New Mexico working families, click here.

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Heinrich Leads Legislation to Refund Working Families for Trump’s Unlawful Tariffs

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) led 7 Senate Democrats to introduce the Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act, legislation that will create a tax rebate program for individuals and families who have paid increased prices for groceries and everyday essentials due to President Trump’s unlawful foreign tariffs.

According to a U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) report, Trump’s illegal tariffs have already cost American families more than $1,700 each. In New Mexico, these tariffs have cost New Mexico families an average of $1,355 each.

Following the Supreme Court’s recent decision declaring many of Trump’s broad, cost-raising tariffs unconstitutional, Trump announced additional tariffs his administration plans to impose on imported goods. These costs will continue to be passed on to American consumers and working families. Senator Heinrich’s bill will use revenue collected from President Trump's illegal tariffs to refund Americans for the increased costs they’ve shouldered and reaffirms that the power to tax and regulate commerce resides with Congress.

“President Trump’s illegal tariffs have cost New Mexico families an average of $1,355. This is money that belongs to working families— not the CEOs of Walmart or Amazon or any other big corporation,” said Heinrich. “The President may call the affordability crisis a ‘hoax,’ but working people feel it every time they pay for groceries or everyday essentials. This bill will return the money lost to Trump’s tariffs back to the people who paid the price.”

The Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act will establish the “Working Families Refund”. Specifically, the legislation will:

Provide a tax rebate of $600 to individual filers making $90,000 or less;

Provide a tax rebate of $600 to head of household filers making $120,000 or less;

Provide a tax rebate of $1200 to joint filers making $180,000 or less; and

Provide an additional tax rebate of $600 for each dependent child.

For example, a family of four with two parents filing jointly and two dependent children making less than $180,000 a year would receive a $2,400 Working Families Refund.

Heinrich’s Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).

A one-page summary of the bill is here.

A section-by-section of the bill is here.

A FAQ document on the bill is here.

The text of the bill is here.

Heinrich has been fighting to lower costs and help New Mexicans put food on the table.

Heinrich cosponsored the Reclaim Trade Powers Act, which would repeal Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. This is the authority President Trump is using for his new 10 to 15 percent tariffs on many imports from most countries.

Last month, Heinrich released a statement applauding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down many of President Trump’s sweeping tariff taxes.

In February 2025, Heinrich spoke out against President Trump’s tariffs, which have raised costs for families and killed jobs.

This Congress, Heinrich cosponsored the No Tariffs on Groceries Act, legislation to prevent President Trump from enacting tariffs that raise grocery costs for New Mexico families. The No Tariffs on Groceries Act will require congressional approval for any tariff levied on food or agricultural products. While Republicans blocked passage of the No Tariffs on Groceries Act, Heinrich remains committed to lowering grocery costs and getting this legislation passed into law.

Additionally, Heinrich cosponsored the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act, legislation that will lower the cost of housing for New Mexico families by excluding homebuilding materials from Trump’s tariffs.

Heinrich voted in favor of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-Va.) resolution ending the 35% tariffs on Canada, as well as the 10% tariffs on non-USMCA compliant potash and Canadian energy. Heinrich also voted in favor of Kaine’s resolution ending the 40% tariffs on Brazil.

Heinrich cosponsored the Small Business Liberation Act, legislation to exempt small businesses from global baseline and reciprocal tariffs and provide refunds to the small businesses that were forced to pay them.

Heinrich also voted in favor of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s (D-Ore.) resolution that would have terminated the national emergency on global tariffs.

Last April, Heinrich sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative demanding answers on how Trump’s tariffs will impact New Mexico farmers.

Additionally, Heinrich pushed Trump’s then-Secretary Designee of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to share her plan to address the rising cost of eggs driven by the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak. His letter emphasized the importance of the USDA in maintaining a safe, affordable food system for American families and supporting robust domestic and foreign markets for American farmers.

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Heinrich, Luján, Leger Fernández Secure HHS Senior Official to Visit Gallup Indian Medical Center, Witness Trump-Caused Delays & Reduction of Patient Care

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) announced that Mark Cruz, a Tribal citizen of the Klamath Tribes and Senior Advisor to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., accepted their invitation to visit Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) as well as the Indian Health Service (IHS) facility near Santa Ana Pueblo and witness firsthand how the Trump administration's actions have undermined Tribal health in New Mexico.

Following reporting that Trump administration policies — implemented via presidential executive orders and the President’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) — cut staffing leading to delays and reductions in patient care at Gallup Indian Medical Center, Heinrich and Leger Fernández formally invited HHS Senior Advisor Cruz to visit Gallup Indian Medical Center. This invitation came as an immediate follow-up to an earlier letter sent by members of the New Mexico Congressional Delegation, where the lawmakers praised the hard working health professionals at Gallup and demanded answers from HHS Secretary Kennedy and IHS Acting Director Benjamin Smith upon learning that medical services at the hospital had been significantly suspended or reduced.

In addition to DOGE’s staffing cuts, project funding for new hospital facilities construction at Gallup Indian Medical Center and Santa Ana Pueblo Health Facility were redirected away, leaving the Tribes and patients without answers and having to rely on outdated facilities. This visit follows Luján’s questioning during a February Indian Affairs Committee hearing where he pressed Acting Deputy Director of the Indian Health Service Darrell LaRoche for accountability regarding the Trump administration stripping funds from New Mexico Tribal communities. Additionally, Luján pressed Acting Deputy Director LaRoche for a commitment to restore safe, reliable drinking water at Gallup Indian Medical Center, which due to the facility’s crumbling infrastructure has not been available.

“We have stood shoulder to shoulder with local leaders, patients, health care providers, Tribal officials, and community members to sound the alarm about the Trump administration’s actions that have negatively impacted Gallup Indian Medical Center and the IHS facility near Santa Ana Pueblo, which are limiting access to essential health care services,” the lawmakers said. “After accepting our invitation, HHS Senior Advisor Mark Cruz will finally see firsthand how this administration’s policies have forced the hospital to slow down care, slash the number of available beds, scale back maternal and emergency care, halt critical services entirely, and delay the construction of vital medical facilities. This is an unacceptable situation that violates the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations. And we will not rest until President Trump properly meets the needs of New Mexico Tribal communities.”

The New Mexico lawmakers remain concerned about severe understaffing at GIMC that is being exacerbated by HHS’s delayed hiring and onboarding procedures.

According to an IHS response to a letter led by Luján and signed by the N.M. Delegation, there are 591 vacant positions across all units. For example, according to IHS, GIMC has 100% vacancy for ultrasound professionals on site to care for patients. Staffing shortages have also led to inconsistent availability of critical care, including limited bed capacity due to nursing shortages.

The N.M. Delegation will continue to press the Trump administration to uphold the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations, including adequately funding and staffing the Gallup Indian Medical Center and all IHS hospitals that serve New Mexico Tribal communities.

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