Senator Murray Forces Trump Administration to Release Homelessness Funding to Washington State

As Trump seeks to break the Continuum of Care program, Murray led push to secure new guardrails in latest spending bill to force Trump admin to get critical federal funding out the door

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released a statement on the Trump administration renewing the first tranche of Continuum of Care (CoC) grants that expired this calendar year after the Trump administration took a number of steps to weaken and distort the program and hold up fiscal year 2025 funding. In negotiating the fiscal year 2026 funding bill for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Senator Murray fought to secure provisions in law to keep funds flowing to communities, and HUD is now complying with the law and beginning to renew grants.

“Last year I heard from so many local leaders and housing providers about how new and absurd restrictions from the Trump administration could force nearly two hundred thousand people out onto the streets,” said Senator Murray. “So I changed the law to ensure money keeps flowing to the local organizations working to keep people housed. I’ll be paying close attention to make sure the Trump administration follows the law, obeys the courts, and renews all grants that expire this year, and I’ll be ready to hold them accountable for any further sabotage. I refuse to let Trump rip away resources our communities need to keep people off the street–I’ll keep fighting to protect and boost funding for these critical programs.”

On Tuesday, HUD released Continuum of Care and Youth Homeless Demonstration Program renewal grants for projects that expired from January through March of this year. The following organizations across Washington state will receive a total of $4,461,648 in funding as part of this first round of renewals:

King County Regional Homelessness Authority / King County Consolidated Rapid Rehousing Program: $1,660,591

Nyer Urness House: $856,841

Sandpoint Families Supportive Housing: $447,118

Ozanam House Consolidated PSH: $538,537

YWCA Supportive Housing: $262,907

Columbia Gorge Housing Authority / CGHA Shelter Plus Care: $82,022

Next Step Housing / Sommerset: $74,600

Yakima Neighborhood Health Services / Futuros Brilliantes – PSH: $171,966

Catholic Community Services of Western Washington / Martha’s Place: $367,066

HUD’s CoC program is the largest federal program for reducing homelessness, and Washington state receives approximately $120 million annually from the program, largely in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, and Clark counties. Late last year, the Trump administration issued a new notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for fiscal year 2025 funding that sought to upend the program by threatening timely renewal of CoC grants and imposing an arbitrary cap of 30% of funds for permanent housing, effectively slashing funds for this proven tool to address homelessness by more than half. The NOFO was immediately challenged in court by Washington state, alongside other states and nonprofits. In December, a U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction blocking HUD from implementing the new NOFO. On Wednesday, HUD failed in its attempt to overturn that court order, and the First Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Congress’ goal of maintaining funding continuity.

Even before the Trump administration targeted the CoC program with its new NOFO, local governments and non-profits across the country were informed that recipients would have to comply with vaguely worded executive orders that Trump signed in the opening weeks of his second term, specifically related to immigration status, abortion and reproductive care, “gender ideology,” and DEI programs. King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties were among the eight original local government plaintiffs that sued the Trump administration over the potential loss of funding.

President Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 would have slashed funding for HUD by almost 50 percent—a staggering cut that would have decimated housing assistance programs, making millions of Americans vulnerable to homelessness. His budget also proposed consolidating the CoC program with the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program within the formula-based Emergency Solutions Grants program and time-limiting assistance to two years, all while reducing overall funding by $532 million, or 12 percent. In addition, President Trump’s budget also proposed to eliminate major formula programs communities rely upon to develop new affordable housing and for community development activities.

In the face of these drastic cuts, Senator Murray led efforts to safeguard critical federal funding for affordable housing and homelessness safety nets. In the government funding bill Trump signed into law on February 3, 2026, Senator Murray secured a $4.1 billion—or 6 percent—increase in rental assistance programs and a $366 million increase in homeless assistance programs, while rejecting President Trump’s proposals to block-grant, and impose harmful work requirements and time limits on these critical programs that support over 10 million Americans. Notably, Murray secured new guardrails to protect Continuum of Care grants from Trump administration sabotage. The legislation requires HUD to renew Continuum of Care grants expiring during the first quarter of calendar year 2026; all grants expiring in the second quarter of calendar year 2026 if HUD did not make awards by April 1, 2026; and all remaining grants expiring during calendar year 2026 if not awarded by July 1, 2026. On Tuesday, HUD announced it would release funds to renew all projects that expired during the first quarter. Further CoC grant renewals are expected, as HUD has previously acknowledged to the courts that it is now out of time to run a competitive process that meets the deadlines set by this year’s funding bill.

In September, Senator Murray also called for an investigation into HUD’s handling of the grant award process for the Continuum of Care (CoC) Builds program, after HUD notified communities across the country that it was once again scrapping the grant application process it had just run—for the second time—and that it was now forcing organizations to apply for funding for a third time. On Tuesday, a district court ruled that HUD violated the law with the way it handled the CoC Builds awards. And in November, Senator Murray led Democrats in a letter to Secretary Turner calling on him to immediately halt reported plans to make drastic changes to the Continuum of Care program, which could result in nearly 200,000 Americans being forced out of their housing and back into homelessness.

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Sen. Ossoff Delivering Resources to Strengthen Public Safety in Riverdale

Riverdale, Ga. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is delivering resources to strengthen public safety in Riverdale.

Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to help the Riverdale Police Department purchase new vehicles and equipment to replace their aging fleet.

According to the City of Riverdale, their current fleet of police vehicles is aging and prone to mechanical issues and breakdowns, posing a significant risk to the safety of officers and harming the ability of City police to respond promptly to emergencies. These new vehicles will help address these concerns and allow City law enforcement to do their job safely and effectively.

Sen. Ossoff is delivering $784,000 for the project through bipartisan government funding legislation that became law on January 23.

“Georgians deserves to feel safe in their communities,” Sen. Ossoff said. “Bringing Republicans and Democrats together, I’m delivering resources to help the Riverdale Police Department purchase new vehicles.”

“I am pleased to announce that the City of Riverdale has been awarded a Federal appropriation of $784,000 to help the Riverdale Police Department purchase new vehicles and equipment and strengthen public safety in the City,” said Riverdale Mayor Evelyn Wynn-Dixon. “I thank Senator Ossoff for delivering this Federal funding to support critical City priorities.”

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Padilla, Schiff Launch Inquiry into TSA, ICE Data Sharing Following Alarming Arrest at San Francisco International Airport

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) launched an inquiry into data sharing by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials relating to the arrest and removal of Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and her child at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

“The reporting following this incident has been alarming. It indicates that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at the San Francisco International Airport contacted ICE officers after becoming aware of this individual’s case in immigration court and its posture,” wrote the Senators.

In an inquiry directed to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, and ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons, the lawmakers requested a full briefing along with answers to several troubling questions following Lopez-Jimenez’s arrest. These include requests for more information on the immigration status and citizenship data TSA receives at airport screenings, TSA’s policy on contacting immigration enforcement, the timeline for when TSA began contacting ICE to make arrests at airports, the criminal convictions flagged in connection to Ms. Lopez-Jimenez’s arrest, and whether ICE operates deportation flights from SFO.

Padilla has been a leading voice in opposition to President Trump’s cruel and indiscriminate mass deportation agenda, including against his unprecedented, illegal militarization of Los Angeles and other American cities like Minneapolis. In January, Padilla spoke on the Senate floor to hold the line against any additional funding for President Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after the brutal killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by ICE and CBP officers and agents. He has consistently voted “no” against funding ICE and CBP’s lawless and reckless actions absent accountability. At a bicameral spotlight forum in February, Padilla denounced DHS agents’ violent tactics and disproportionate use of force, including against U.S. citizens, as they enact President Trump’s mass deportation agenda in American cities.

Last year, Padilla and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced the Accountability for Federal Law Enforcement Act to allow individuals — regardless of citizenship — the right to sue federal law enforcement officers and agencies in civil court for violations of their civil and constitutional rights. Last July, Padilla and Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the VISIBLE Act to require immigration enforcement officers to display clearly visible identification during public-facing enforcement actions.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Secretary Mullin, Senior Official NcNeill, and Acting Director Lyons:

On Sunday, March 22, a minor child and her mother, Angelina Lopez-Jimenez, were traveling through San Francisco International Airport when plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested and handcuffed Ms. Lopez-Jimenez before her minor child. The reporting following this incident has been alarming. It indicates that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at the San Francisco International Airport contacted ICE officers after becoming aware of this individual’s case in immigration court and its posture.

TSA lists its criteria for consideration of disqualifying offenses and factors based on analysis of (a) Interpol, (2) terrorist watchlists, and (3) other relevant information related to convictions or guilty findings. Reporting has not indicated that Ms. Lopez-Jimenez has been convicted of any crime listed in these categories or was otherwise on an Interpol or terrorist watchlist.

As such, we request responses to the following questions and an urgent Member briefing by Friday, April 3.

Please provide a full list of the information related to immigration status or citizenship that TSA receives when an individual is screened at security checkpoints within an airport since January 20, 2025, and which databases TSA has access to.

What is TSA’s policy on contacting ICE enforcement officers to arrest travelers at airports?

What criteria is TSA applying to determine whether contact with or referral to ICE is appropriate?

Does TSA have any discretion in contacting ICE?

Which components of ICE is TSA sharing information with?

Does ICE have and use its discretion on where and when to make arrests?

Does TSA have a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with ICE on arresting travelers at airports?

If yes, please provide a copy of this MOU.

Does TSA have a Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) with ICE on arresting travelers at airports?

If yes, please provide a copy of this MOA.

Does TSA have an Interagency Agreement (IAA) with ICE on arresting travelers at airports?

If yes, please provide a copy of this IAA.

Has TSA made any referrals to ICE for arrests at airports?

If yes, please provide the number of referrals and the basis for these referrals since the date TSA referrals to ICE began or January 20, 2025, whichever is earlier.

When did TSA start its practice of contacting ICE to make arrests at airports?

Did the Department of Homeland Security issue a directive to TSA to share information regarding domestic travelers’ immigration information with ICE?

If yes, please provide a copy of any such directive or policy.

Which other airports, in addition to San Francisco International Airport, has TSA contacted ICE to arrest travelers in?

Is TSA sharing information with U.S. Customs and Border Protection regarding travelers on domestic flights?

If yes, what information is being shared and when did this begin?

If yes, please provide a copy of any information sharing agreement or MOU in place with CBP.

What criminal convictions were flagged for TSA regarding Ms. Lopez-Jimenez, if any?

Does ICE operate deportation flights from San Francisco International Airport?

If not, how or on what plane did ICE officers transport Ms. Lopez-Jimenez and her minor child from San Francisco International Airport to Texas?

Sincerely,

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Padilla, Sheehy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Better Protect and Compensate Federal Firefighters

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), co-chairs of the bipartisan Senate Wildfire Caucus, announced the Support Our Firefighters Act to provide federal wildland firefighters with mandatory rest and recuperation time and ensure they are paid for their work.

The Support Our Firefighters Act would ensure federal wildland firefighters receive three days of paid rest and recuperation leave after a 14-day period and four days of rest and recuperation following a 21-day period.

Federal wildland firefighters are subject to an annual compensation cap, which includes base pay, overtime, and premium pay. During peak fire season, many federal wildland firefighters work extensive hours while assigned to an incident. This often leaves our firefighters with an impossible choice: continue working to fight fires and protect communities or get paid. This cap is completely arbitrary and is blatantly unfair. To help address this issue, the bill would permanently waive the pay cap for federal wildland firefighters so that they are fairly compensated for their lifesaving work.

“As increasingly frequent and intense wildfires threaten our communities, recruiting and retaining a fully supported federal wildland firefighter workforce is essential. We owe it to these heroes to ensure they have adequate conditions to do their jobs safely and effectively as they conduct lifesaving work under high mental and physical strain,” said Senator Padilla. “Arbitrary pay caps force our firefighters to make an impossible choice: walk off the line or work for free. Our bipartisan bill would ensure that our federal wildland firefighters, who work around the clock when disaster strikes, are given the rest, recuperation, and compensation they deserve.”

“Our wildland firefighters work around the clock, 365 days a year to protect our communities from the threat of catastrophic wildfire. It’s well past time the federal government gives these heroic first responders the support and pay they deserve, and I’m proud to lead this bipartisan bill to accomplish exactly that,” said Senator Sheehy.

“It is critical that our federal wildland firefighters have time to recover and are fairly compensated for the grueling work they do to protect American communities,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “We are proud to support this legislation that would guarantee rest periods for the dedicated public servants on the front lines of the wildfire crisis, along with lifting overtime pay limitations for hours worked during deployments. Addressing both of these issues will help ensure the workforce is adequately equipped to carry out its mission. Thank you to Senators Padilla and Sheehy for their leadership in supporting federal wildland firefighters.”

Despite risking their lives and traveling cross-country for months at a time to protect American communities and forests from wildfires, many of the more than 18,000 federal wildland firefighters live paycheck to paycheck, sometimes working overtime without fair pay. Wildland firefighters are required to work long hours in challenging and changing conditions, such as high temperatures and steep terrain. Federal agencies have continuously experienced difficulty with retention due to the nature of their work and compensation.

Padilla and Sheehy previously secured a permanent base pay increase for federal wildland firefighters in the FY 2025 Continuing Resolution. In the immediate aftermath of the devastating Southern California fires last year, Padilla and Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025 to prevent the worst-case scenario for federal wildland firefighters and avert an automatic pay cut, protecting the pay raise secured for these firefighters in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

In 2023, Padilla introduced the Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act to permanently raise the caps on overtime premium pay for federal wildland firefighters. He and a bipartisan group of Senators urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-K.Y.) to avoid mass resignations within the federal wildland firefighter ranks by ensuring the prompt passage of their bipartisan legislation. Padilla and a bipartisan group of Senators also urged the Biden Administration to establish a special pay rate for federal wildland firefighters to prevent staffing shortages and strengthen wildfire response efforts in 2022. Following that request, the Administration announced a temporary pay raise.

A one-pager on the Support Our Firefighters Act is available here.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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Padilla Statement on Firing of Attorney General Pam Bondi

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi:

“Pam Bondi’s disastrous tenure as Attorney General has come to an end, but the consequences of her weaponization of the Justice Department will reverberate for years to come. Under Pam Bondi, the DOJ irresponsibly rubber stamped investigations into Donald Trump’s perceived political enemies, tried to coerce states into surrendering their voter rolls, pushed out career prosecutors and civil servants, and dodged accountability and transparency over the Epstein files. Americans always deserved better than Pam Bondi.

“Donald Trump may think Bondi’s ouster will help save his failing agenda, but the damage is done. Trump has raised the price of our food, health care, and gas, initiated an unauthorized war with Iran, and militarized federal agents against Americans. This firing does not change the facts of Trump’s disaster of an administration.”

Padilla voted against advancing Bondi’s nomination last year. He also pressed Bondi during her nomination hearing for refusing to uphold the constitutionally guaranteed principle of birthright citizenship and declining to disavow the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen.

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Senator Peters Helps Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Safely Relocate Retired Lab Animals

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped reintroduce the Animal Freedom from Testing, Experimentation, and Research (AFTER) Act. The bipartisan legislation would ensure that every federal agency that uses animals for research has policies in place to facilitate the safe relocation of retired, healthy lab animals to adoptive homes, animal rescues, or reputable sanctuaries.

“Retiring lab animals deserve the chance to live the rest of their lives in loving homes,” said Senator Peters. “This bill would encourage federal agencies to collaborate with shelters, rescue organizations, and sanctuaries to help provide these animals with safe and caring environments.”

Peters led the AFTER Act with U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The bill would direct federal agencies to develop regulations that would facilitate the safe retirement of lab animals. The legislation requires that animals be evaluated by a licensed veterinarian and pronounced both mentally and physically healthy before leaving an agency, helping to ensure a smooth transition to a new environment. The bill also encourages federal agencies to work with nonprofit organizations to help place retired animals in sanctuaries and shelters across the country.

This legislation has been endorsed by the Humane World Action Fund, White Coat Waste, and the Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary.

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On Anniversary of Trump's Disastrous Tariff Regime, Reed Seeks End to ‘Trump Chaos Tax’ While Streamlining Refunds to Americans

WASHINGTON, DC – One year ago today, President Donald Trump declared April 2 “Liberation Day” and dubiously proclaimed his tariffs would generate “trillions and trillions of dollars” and “make America wealthy again.”

Instead, Trump’s sweeping ‘emergency tariff’ scheme raised prices on American citizens and businesses and caused economic turmoil. Under the false cloak of an ‘emergency,’ Trump recklessly imposed broad-based, disjointed tariffs that led to significant monetary and job losses nationwide. Over the course of the year, Trump’s tariff rates constantly changed, seemingly at the president’s whim and depending on who he was personally upset with, and unleashed a wave of uncertainty across an economy. The tariffs were eventually ruled unlawful by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Since the beginning of President Trump’s second term, American families have already paid over $1,700 because of Trump’s tariff taxes, and could be forced to pay an additional $2,500 this year, according to the Joint Economic Committee (JEC). Small businesses have also been hit hard by the uncertainty and higher prices and have shed thousands of workers. A new report from Senate Democrats highlights how Trump’s tariffs have cost small businesses, consumers, and households over $230 billion in just one year.

Today, on the one year anniversary of President Trump’s disastrous “Liberation Day” declaration, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is calling on the Trump Administration to abandon its chaotic tariff scheme for good, reduce prices for consumers and businesses, stop the job losses, and reimburse the Americans who were forced to pay higher costs.

Senator Reed has introduced legislation that would streamline and expedite a process for tariff refunds for taxpayers, delivering much needed financial relief to American families and small businesses. The Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act (S.4093), which Reed cosponsored with Senator Martin Heinrich, would create a simple, straightforward new tax rebate for eligible individuals and families impacted by the cost of President Trump’s tariffs. Under the bill, a family of four filing jointly and making up to $180,000 annually could get a $2,400 rebate.

Today, Senator Reed stated: “President Trump should end his trade war and help lower prices. One year after his disastrous tariffs were first imposed, President Trump continues to unfairly raise costs and undermine our economy through his tariff ‘chaos tax’. The data is clear: Trump’s disjointed, incoherent economic policies are bad for America. His destructive tariffs lack support and are needlessly raising prices, costing jobs, hurting family budgets and sewing uncertainty. This is not the way our economy or government are supposed to work. President Trump needs to end this reckless tariff regime and reimburse Americans.”

In February, the Supreme Court ruled against President Trump. That case only covered tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and China, the worldwide “Liberation Day” tariffs, and other specific ones against countries such as Brazil, where President Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA), through which the Trump Administration has collected an estimated $175 billion – almost entirely paid for by Americans.

After losing in court, President Trump replaced his Liberation Day tariffs with a temporary global import surcharge under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 set at 10 percent, and announced his desire to raise it to 15 percent. The legality of this tariff move is also being contested and has already created more economic uncertainty and instability.

TALE OF THE TAPE: HOW TRUMP’S TARIFFS ARE COSTING AMERICAN FAMILIES & BUSINESSES

In 2025, the United States lost 83,000 manufacturing jobs.

Trump’s tariffs cost the average American household more than $1,700 in 2025, a figure that could grow to over $2,500 if the president carries through on his threat to keep tariffs unchanged for all of 2026.

Bankruptcies increased by 11 percent in 2025, reaching their highest level since President Trump’s first term.

In 2025, the U.S. lost 15,000 farms nationwide and farm bankruptcies increased by 46 percent.

The Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act would establish a “Working Families Refund,” structured as a tax rebate delivered through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Under the proposal, eligible taxpayers would receive:

$600 for single filers earning $90,000 or less,

$600 for heads of household earning $120,000 or less,

$1,200 for married couples filing jointly earning $180,000 or less, and

An additional $600 for each dependent child.

In practical terms, a family of four with two parents filing jointly and two dependent children earning less than $180,000 annually could receive a total rebate of $2,400.


Reed Statement on Pam Bondi Being Ousted from DOJ

WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, after President Trump announced he is replacing Pam Bondi as U.S. Attorney General with her chief deputy, Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal defense counsel and legal go-between to notorious convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, U.S. Senator Jack Reed(D-RI) issued the following statement:

“From the time she was announced as President Trump’s second choice to lead DOJ, Attorney General Bondi's time in office was marred by scandal, partisanship, and a severe lack of independence. She routinely undermined the rule of law and sought to obscure the truth.

“Ms. Bondi's ouster should not excuse her from having to testify before Congressional committees about the Epstein files or her actions related to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.”


To End House GOP’s DHS Shutdown, U.S. Senate Again Unanimously Approves Bipartisan DHS Funding

WASHINGTON, DC – Amidst Republican’s bitter intra-party divide, the U.S. Senate today held a pro forma session and once again gave its unanimous stamp of approval to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding legislation. The Republican-controlled Senate officially re-approved bipartisan language identical to what it passed last week to end the partial DHS shutdown, which began in the wake of the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by out of control federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents who have yet to be held accountable.

With most U.S. Senators out of town, the Senate acted on a bipartisan basis with unanimous consent during a procedural meeting to re-pass and re-send the House a bipartisan bill to fund the bulk of DHS -- aside from ICE and Border Patrol.

Today’s Senate action, which received backing from President Trump, makes clear that House Republican leaders are the only impediment to re-opening DHS.

Despite the fact that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) adjourned the House for recess earlier in the week, the House held its own pro forma session today, shortly after the Senate’s and opted not to swiftly pass the Senate bill. This prolongs the partial Republican shutdown of DHS for reasons Republicans have not explained. It is now up to House Republicans when they want to approve the bill and send it to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

The partial DHS shutdown began on February 14 in the wake of ICE trampling the rights of Americans and was needlessly prolonged after President Trump urged Republicans not to reform ICE or reach an agreement to fund DHS and instead try to use the partial shutdown as leverage to pass unrelated legislation that would repress the ability of eligible Americans to vote in this year's mid-term elections and beyond. That strategy has been failing as Republican state election officials publicly admitted Trump's partisan voter suppression proposal was unworkable and problematic.

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed stated: “Congressional Republicans should stop squabbling with each other and join Democrats to prioritize the safety and security of the American people. This bill could have and should have been done a month ago when Democrats first offered it as a sensible compromise after it became clear that Republicans were obstructing needed ICE reforms. But instead of prioritizing the public good, President Trump wasted a month trying to use this to his political advantage and punish federal workers. He failed, but still caused a lot of waste and harm.

“Democrats will continue pushing for commonsense reforms to rein in out of control ICE and Border Patrol agents and hold them accountable for unjustified and unconstitutional actions.

“I urge House Republicans to responsibly reopen DHS.”


Ricketts, Kim to Introduce MATCH Act; Level the Global Playing Field for U.S. Tech

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) announced that they will introduce the Multilateral Alignment of Technology Controls on Hardware (MATCH) Act. This bipartisan legislation modernizes U.S. export controls to ensure adversaries cannot buy “chokepoint” semiconductor manufacturing equipment (SME) technology from the United States or our partners that they cannot build themselves. Senators Jim Risch (R-ID) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) co-sponsored this legislation. House companion legislation is led by Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-WA-5).

By promoting harmonization of export controls among allies and closing servicing and entity-specific loopholes, the MATCH Act preserves the U.S. technological lead in the AI competition with China and eliminates the competitive disadvantage currently facing American firms.

“The ability to design and produce semiconductors lies at the heart of the technology competition with Communist China,” said Senator Ricketts. “SME is an important dual-use technology. For too long, our export controls have been a patchwork of entity-based restrictions that Beijing easily bypasses using front companies. At the same time, U.S. restrictions on SME are stronger than those of our close allies and partners. This status quo puts American companies last. The MATCH Act strengthens our controls and creates a level playing field for U.S. companies.”

“I’m leading this effort to keep the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment out of the hands of China and other adversaries,” said Senator Kim. “This bill not only strengthens our export controls regime but importantly reinforces using diplomacy to build a unified, effective approach alongside our allies and partners that safeguards these technologies and levels the competitive landscape. With this legislation, Congress can send a clear message to the world that our export controls are enduring and our bipartisan commitment to safeguarding America’s competitive edge in innovation is strong. While continuing to control advanced chips is critical, we must also ensure that China does not gain the means to produce these technologies itself, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to address this challenge as part of a broader, multi-pronged effort.”

“Idaho and America are at the leading edge of semiconductor innovation. It is vital we maintain this position by strengthening our export controls and closing loopholes that our adversaries exploit to obtain critical technologies like semiconductor manufacturing equipment,” said Senator Risch. “The MATCH Act will prevent adversaries from undermining the U.S. semiconductor industry and threatening our national security.”

“The United States should not be handing the Chinese Communist Party any access to technologies that fuel their military ambitions and jeopardize U.S. national security. As China works towards global domination of the chips industry, the MATCH Act would stop the flow of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment that China desperately needs to build up their own chip industry. If the U.S. is going to maintain a national security edge in AI, quantum computing, and other critical industries, and outcompete the CCP, the MATCH Act is a vital and necessary leap forward,” said Senator Schumer.

“China has made it abundantly clear that it intends to dominate the technologies that underpin both our economy and our national defense,” said Congressman Michael Baumgartner. “The United States cannot afford to leave open back doors that allow the Chinese Communist Party to acquire the tools it needs to leap ahead in semiconductor manufacturing. I introduced the MATCH Act to ensure that America and our allies move in lockstep to close these gaps, defend our technological edge, and safeguard the supply chains that power everything from our weapons systems to our critical infrastructure. This is about protecting American workers, American innovation, and American security for the long haul.”

Key provisions of the MATCH Act include:

Country-Wide Prohibition on “Chokepoint” Tools for Advanced Chipmaking: Prohibits the sale or servicing of the most essential chipmaking tools to any destination inside a country of concern, except U.S.- or allied-controlled chipmaking facilities.

Tighter Restrictions on China’s National Champions: Designates as covered facilities all chipmaking facilities run by ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), Hua Hong, Huawei, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), and Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC), including all subsidiaries and affiliates. Applies Entity-List-like restrictions on exports, servicing, and technical support to these facilities of all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations.

Leverage for Diplomatic Negotiations: Prioritizes diplomacy with reasonable deadlines to achieve aligned multilateral controls. Includes a National Security Waiver if additional time is required.

Creates a Level Playing Field: Chipmaking equipment supports China’s military modernization. Currently U.S. unilateral controls are stricter than allied controls, resulting in allied companies backfilling U.S. tools. The MATCH Act ensures that controls will apply uniformly to U.S. and allied countries, in the interests of our collective national security. If allies cannot demonstrate progress within the 150-day deadline, the Act levels the playing field by implementing controls on foreign-produced items that use U.S. software, technology, or components.

BACKGROUND

The MATCH Act addresses two primary issues: Entity-Based Gaps, which allow adversaries to use front companies and subsidiaries to bypass restrictions, and Allied Asymmetry, where allies provide critical tools and servicing that U.S. firms are prohibited from selling.

The MATCH Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to identify all “chokepoint” equipment, such as DUV immersion photolithography machines, that adversaries cannot produce indigenously. It prohibits the sale or servicing of this technology to any destination within a country of concern. It also designates all facilities run by CXMT, Hua Hong, Huawei, SMIC, and YMTC as covered facilities, cutting off all foreign exports, servicing, and technical support.

SME are dual-use tools that support China’s military modernization. The MATCH Act ensures that controls will apply uniformly to U.S. and allied countries, in the interests of our collective national security. If allies cannot demonstrate progress within the 150-day deadline, the Act directs the Department of Commerce to implement controls unilaterally. It expands U.S. jurisdiction over foreign-produced items that use U.S. software, technology, or components by applying the “Foreign Direct Product Rule.”

ENDORSEMENTS

“America and its allies have a massive lead over China in advanced AI chip production, but keeping that edge requires that we and our friends be on the same page. Allied export controls on semiconductor manufacturing equipment suffer from meaningful gaps that China continues to exploit. We must ensure our allies align their export controls with American standards — through diplomacy if possible, but unilaterally if necessary. The stakes are too high to wait.” — Chris Griswold, Policy Director, American Compass

“For years, gaps in semiconductor equipment controls have undermined America’s most effective technology denial strategy. Although the United States has acted to restrict chokepoint tools, our allies don’t always follow suit — and China continues to exploit the difference.” — Ryan Fedasiuk, Fellow, China and Technology, American Enterprise Institute

“A strategy that aligns the U.S. and its allies in stopping the flow of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to our adversaries is key to protecting U.S. technological advantages. When foreign suppliers of advanced chipmaking tools are not subject to the same rules as U.S. firms, it undermines the objectives of U.S. export controls. Closing gaps in the export control regime by partnering with our allies first and imposing extraterritorial controls second is a prudent strategy that advances U.S. national security.” — Jacob Feldgoise, Senior Data Research Analyst, Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET)

“The MATCH Act is critical to protecting U.S. and allied dominance in advanced chipmaking, which is the foundation of our leadership over China in AI. Advanced chips are the lifeblood of AI and are one of the few things that China struggles to manufacture, as it cannot make these chips without U.S. and allied equipment. However, China is exploiting loopholes and asymmetries in U.S. and allied export controls on chipmaking equipment and components to purchase hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of advanced tools; chipmaking equipment is the largest export from the Netherlands to China, the second largest from Japan, and the third largest from the United States. The MATCH Act would close many of these loopholes and turn off the tap, which is among the most important steps we can take to preserve long-term U.S. allied leadership in semiconductor production, toolmaking, and AI.” — Chris McGuire, Senior Fellow for China and Emerging Technologies, Council on Foreign Relations

“FDD Action supports the MATCH Act, which focuses on strengthening and aligning export controls on semiconductor manufacturing equipment. These tools are essential to protecting U.S. technological leadership and national security. By closing gaps and reinforcing coordination with allies, this bill helps prevent critical technologies from being diverted in ways that could undermine U.S. national security.” — Alexandria Paolozzi Moore, Senior Director of Government Affairs, FDD Action

“For too long, the United States has borne the economic and political costs of semiconductor export controls while leaving room for foreign suppliers to free ride, backfill, or slow-roll their alignment. The MATCH Act creates a simple rule: either our allies match our controls on the most important tools and components for advanced semiconductors, or the United States closes the loopholes itself. That is how you turn a theoretical chokepoint into a real one, securing our AI supply-chain and technology leadership for years to come.” — Samuel Hammond, Chief Economist, Foundation for American Innovation

“The Institute for Progress endorses the MATCH Act. Export controls on chipmaking tools have been critical to maintaining the U.S. lead in AI computing power, which itself underpins American superiority in AI capabilities. But gaps in these controls risk undermining these advantages. By strengthening chipmaking tool controls, the MATCH Act would better preserve U.S. AI leadership over the long term.” — Institute for Progress

“Preserving and enhancing export controls on semiconductor manufacturing are one of the most important things that America can do to win the AI race against China. The MATCH Act is an important tool to help ensure American dominance in this area and to hold our allies’ feet to the fire in holding the line on export controls on the most advanced technology humanity has produced.” — Dmitri Alperovitch, Chairman, Silverado Policy Accelerator

“Export controls on chipmaking tools are the foundation of America’s technology competition strategy with China. They are directly responsible for U.S. leadership in emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing and defense technologies of the future. The MATCH Act would decisively close gaps in the controls that risk undermining their effectiveness in the long term, thus giving America an enduring lead in the technologies that will reshape the security landscape.” — Saif M. Khan, former Director for Technology and National Security, National Security Council


Sens. Rick Scott, Roger Marshall Introduce Resolution Supporting Pres. Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Senator Rick Scott, joined by Senator Roger Marshall, introduced a concurrent resolution supporting President Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge, where major tech companies pledged to pay for the electricity and grid infrastructure required for their data centers, so those costs aren’t passed onto the hardworking Americans who live nearby.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Big Data centers are already putting a substantial financial burden on American families, who are still struggling with the negative impact of four years of Democrats' tax-and-spend, inflation-causing policies. That burden is only projected to grow as more and more of these data centers pop up in communities across the country. Florida families – and families across the nation – shouldn’t be supporting Big Tech companies’ expansions with their electricity bills. President Trump was right to get these companies to commit to footing their own bill, and this resolution supports him as he continues his fight for affordability for American families.”

Senator Roger Marshall said, “The Ratepayer Protection Pledge Resolution affirms a basic idea: that Kansans shouldn't have to pay higher utility bills so that big tech companies can power their data centers. I've heard from Kansans who are concerned that infrastructure costs for data centers could be pushed onto households, small businesses, schools, hospitals, and farms across the state. Kansans work hard for their money, and they should not need to worry that their utility rates will rise thanks to the growth of data centers.”

The Pledge and supporting resolution highlight the following:

The Department of Energy projects that data centers could consume up to 12% of U.S. total energy consumption by 2028;

Currently, the cost of building, upgrading, and maintaining the energy infrastructure required by these new data centers is spread across all ratepayers in the community, meaning households and small businesses are subsidizing some of the richest companies in history;

This cost is compounded by data centers tending to cluster together geographically, meaning those communities carry the biggest financial cost; and

President Trump’s pledge resulted in Big Tech companies committing to negotiating separate rate structures so communities don’t carry the cost of their expansion, and it created an incentive that those Big Tech companies would help provide energy to the communities in case of an emergency.

The Pledge was signed by major tech companies, at the President’s urging, on March 4, 2026. This resolution applauds the Pledge as sound policy and urges more tech companies to follow suit.

Read the resolution HERE.

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Rosen’s Bipartisan FORGOTTEN Veterans Act Advances in Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) is announcing that her bipartisan FORGOTTEN Veterans Act has advanced out of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. This bill officially recognizes the toxic exposures veterans endured during their service at the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), and other Department of Energy (DOE) Covered Facilities, where DOE employees are already presumed to have been exposed, while the servicemembers who served alongside them are not. This will provide veterans a basis to submit PACT Act claims for the benefits they deserve.

From the 1950s through the 1990s, the NTTR – and the Nevada Test Site contained within it – conducted over 900 explosive nuclear weapons tests and other dangerous, toxic activities. Currently, due to issues with the classified nature of their location while serving, and the disparity between locations the DOE and the Department of Defense (DOD) considers contaminated, veterans who served at the NTTR are unable to prove their service there to the VA and are unable to receive care and benefits connected with exposure because the DOD and VA do not consider the NTTR to be a location where contamination occurred, as DOE does.

“For decades, the men and women who served our nation in uniform at the Nevada Test and Training Range were exposed to toxic radiation that has been responsible for their health challenges,” said Senator Rosen. “It is unconscionable that one U.S. government agency deems portions of the range as contaminated and their personnel exposed, while another U.S. government agency does not. This has prevented our veterans from receiving the same presumption of exposure that DOE civilians they served alongside receive, and has meant a denial of PACT Act benefits they are legally entitled. I am proud that my bipartisan bill to rectify this injustice has passed out of committee, and I will continue fighting until our veterans can access the care and benefits they deserve for their selfless service to this country.”

Senator Rosen has been a consistent advocate for veterans, always fighting to make sure they have the right to the full benefits and services they are entitled to. Last year, she included much of her FORGOTTEN Veterans Act in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, however, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson blocked its inclusion in the final FY2026 NDAA. This year, Senator Rosen was able to push the Trump Administration into reversing a rule that would have decreased benefits for disabled veterans. Additionally, Senator Rosen voted to overturn an extreme Trump abortion ban for women Veterans. She has also introduced legislation to allow medical providers to more easily practice between departments and bolster access to health care for servicemembers and veterans.


NEWS: Sanders, Wyden Demand Senate Hearings to Hold Insurance CEOs Accountable for their Greed amid Growing Health Care Crisis

WASHINGTON, April 2 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, today called on committee leadership to hold hearings with the CEOs of the nation’s largest health insurance companies to address a fundamentally broken health care system that is failing millions of Americans.

In a letter sent to HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Sanders and Wyden wrote: “While our health care system is failing ordinary Americans, it is working exceptionally well for big insurance companies. While 42% of cancer patients go bankrupt within the first two years of their diagnosis, last year the seven major health insurance companies in America made over $54 billion in profits … Against the backdrop of a system that leaves working families paying higher and higher medical bills, the nation’s top insurers paid their CEOs exorbitant compensation packages.”

As the senators highlighted in their letter, more than 85 million Americans are uninsured or underinsured; over half a million people face bankruptcy due to medical debt; and more than 60,000 Americans die each year because they cannot afford timely care. At the same time, Americans pay nearly $15,500 per person for health care — far more than any other wealthy nation — yet experience worse outcomes, including lower life expectancy and higher infant mortality rates.

“The American public deserves to know why the big insurance executives that testified before the House earlier this year continue to get richer and richer, while over one-third of people with health insurance have been forced to skip or delay getting the care they need because of the outrageous cost,” Sanders and Wyden wrote.

The letter also raised concerns about industry consolidation and vertical integration, noting that large insurers have acquired extensive control across the health care system — from physician practices to pharmacies — allowing them to maximize profits at every stage of patient care.

For example, UnitedHealth Group now owns thousands of subsidiaries, enabling it to profit from multiple points within a single patient’s care. Meanwhile, companies like UnitedHealth, Cigna, and CVS/Aetna have spent billions on stock buybacks and dividends to further enrich their wealthy stockholders.

“It is time for our committees to hold the chief executives of the major health insurance companies accountable for their greed and to address the health care crisis in America, as our colleagues in the House did earlier this year on a bipartisan basis,” the senators concluded.


NEWS: Sen. Schiff Joins Welch, Justice, Hyde-Smith to Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Housing Affordability, Spur Economic and Agricultural Growth Across Rural America

Bill would help 30 million Americans—including over 4,000,000 Californians— access rural housing assistance for the first time

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the Agriculture Committee joined Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) in introducing the Fostering the Availability in Rural Markets of (FARM) Home Loans Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to spur rural economic growth by helping more homebuyers qualify for rural housing assistance.

The Senators’ legislation would modernize housing assistance eligibility requirements and help nearly 30 million homebuyers access rural housing assistance for the first time.

Farm credit institutions like The Farm Credit Council provide vital flexible lending assistance for rural homebuyers. However, under the Farm Credit Act of 1971, farm credit institutions are unable to issue loans to homebuyers in areas living in areas with a population of greater than 2,500.

“Our country is facing a severe housing crisis, and it’s time for Congress to act. I’m proud to join Senators Welch and Justice to introduce this bipartisan legislation to help more rural communities obtain the financial support they need to buy a home,” said Senator Schiff.

“We’re in the midst of an affordable housing crisis, and Vermonters are amongst the hardest hit. Making farm credit loans more accessible is vital to addressing this crisis and will help millions of rural families experience the joy of homeownership for the first time,” said Senator Welch. “Congress must pass our bipartisan legislation to expand rural housing assistance and make homeownership a reality for rural communities in Vermont, West Virginia, and across America.”

“I’m so proud to be working on the FARM Home Loans Act which helps rural communities gain greater access to home loans. All over rural America, folks just want to own a home, raise their families, and build something that lasts. This bill helps increase competition for credit and opens the door for over 230,000 West Virginians to do just that. The Farm Credit System is ingrained in our farming communities, and has a big role to play in continuing to create opportunities for the next generation in rural America,” said Senator Justice.

“It is too hard for too many people to land a home mortgage by coming up with traditional down payments, especially in rural communities. The FARM Home Loans Act would change that by allowing the Farm Credit System to broaden the use of its flexible lending assistance to help qualify tens of thousands of rural families and individuals in Mississippi for homeownership,” said Senator Hyde-Smith. “I support this bipartisan effort to bring outdated population eligibility limits into the 21st century.”

U.S. Representatives Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI-08) and Bill Huizenga (R-MI-04) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Buying a home is one of the great promises of the American Dream, but for too many, that promise is out of reach. We need to fix the housing crisis and break down the barriers that hold rural families back,” said Rep. McDonald Rivet. “Our bill will make thousands of American homes eligible for farm credit loans, bringing those families one step closer to making their dream of homeownership a reality.”

“Whether it’s a farm operating loan or a home loan, having access to capital through the Farm Credit System is critical for communities across rural areas of Southwest Michigan,” said Rep. Huizenga. “The FARM Home Loans Act modernizes outdated financing options for Michiganders who proudly fuel and depend on agricultural production. Updating this one-size-fits-all statute will spur economic growth and job creation in rural areas, while improving housing options in agricultural communities.”

The FARM Home Loans Act would modernize the Farm Credit System’s housing assistance eligibility requirements, giving 38% of the total U.S. population, including nearly 30 million new homebuyers, access to rural housing assistance from Farm Credit for the first time. The legislation would also update the Farm Credit System by increasing the Rural Home Loan lending authority population limit from 2,500 to 10,000. This change aligns the Farm Credit System’s population limits closer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rural housing program lending eligibility requirements, which permit home loans in certain areas with a population of 20,000 or more.

The FARM Home Loans Act is supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation; Farm Credit Council; Housing Assistance Council; National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA-CLUSA); National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; and National Farmers Union.

Learn more about the FARM Home Loans Act.

The full text of the bill is available here.

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STATEMENT: Sen. Schiff Statement on President Trump’s Firing of Pam Bondi

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on President Donald Trump’s firing of Pam Bondi as U.S. Attorney General.

“Pam Bondi oversaw an unprecedented weaponization of the Justice Department that brought our nation’s rule of law to its knees.

“Countless and baseless political investigations, hundreds of career law enforcement professionals purged, a massive cover-up of the Epstein files, and a wholesale effort to turn the department into a criminal law firm representing the person of the president instead of the American people.

“But Pam Bondi was merely a symptom of Donald Trump’s chronic allergy to our nation’s laws. And, in the end, her sycophancy could not prevent the inevitable defenestration that eventually befalls most Trump loyalists.

“Her firing does not mitigate the need for her to answer for her conduct as Attorney General, and Todd Blanche should expect to receive the same scrutiny.”

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Thune Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox News

Clickhereto watch.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined America’s Newsroom on Fox News.

On Democrats’ preposterous shutdown politics:

“[For] Democrats … it was all about ‘reforms,’ restrictions on ICE and on CBP agents and what they could or couldn’t do. They got none of that. They got zero of the reforms that they were advocating for. In the end, this was all about their left-wing base demanding that no funding be provided. The good news for us is we saw this coming, and we pre-funded this last summer, so ICE and CBP are funded and will be funded to the end of the fiscal year. And then we’ll plus up and add to those accounts to make sure they’re funded in future years.”

On Democrats’ DHS shutdown:

“[ICE and CBP] are funded. Because of the foresight that we had last summer, the president, working with Republicans in Congress, pre-funded ICE [in the Working Families Tax Cuts]. And ICE and CBP are both funded until the end of the fiscal year, ICE well beyond that for multiple years. But the other agencies that are covered by DHS – whether that’s TSA or Coast Guard or CISA or FEMA – those are all agencies that currently aren’t funded.

“We had to get funding to open those up, because the Democrats shut down funding for the entire Department of Homeland Security because they didn’t want to fund law enforcement. They now own the moniker. They are the party of open borders, anti-law enforcement, defund the police. That is the position they have taken.

“Notwithstanding that, those agencies are funded because the work we did last summer and will be funded in the future because of the decision we made to move a budget reconciliation bill that will provide funding for those law enforcement … agencies well into the future.

“This is the plan to move forward. It is a way that takes care of everybody today and into the future and exposes the Democrats for what they are, which is the party of anti-law enforcement.”

On Iran:

“Opening up the strait is going to be a key part of [lowering gas prices]. The president’s made it very clear, whether that happens the hard way or the easy way, it will happen. And things will start to stabilize, Dana. You’ll start to see those gas prices come down to a more normal range.

“This was an important step that the president took. It’s in America’s vital national security interest to ensure that the Iranians don’t have a nuclear capability and that their ballistic missile capabilities are diminished and degraded in a way that they don’t threaten not only that region, but the entire world. And it’s a step that was long overdue.”


Warner, Schiff Call for Investigation Into Misuse of Insider Information

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) sounded the alarm on potential violations of federal securities laws related to insider trading following a series of concerning instances in which large financial positions were established shortly before major federal policy decisions with significant market impact were made public. The senators sent a letter to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins and U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General Platte Moring demanding answers about the actions their agencies are taking to detect, investigate, and prevent suspicious trades related to the misuse of nonpublic information.

“Public reporting has described instances in which large positions in equities and equity-linked derivatives were established shortly before major policy decisions with significant market impact, including the war in Iran, decisions related to tariff policy, and other geopolitical developments. In several cases, these announcements were followed by immediate and material movements in equity markets, creating the potential for significant financial gains by traders positioned ahead of the announcements. The timing described in these reports raises questions about whether any individuals with prior knowledge of these policy announcements may have had access to material nonpublic information, including classified or otherwise sensitive information,” wrote the senators.

Recent reports describe a surge in short-term call option activity tied to a widely traded S&P 500-tracking exchange-traded fund shortly before President Trump announced a 90-day pause on certain tariffs in April 2025, elevated trading in products tied to major equity trades indices in the minutes leading up to public statements suggesting that talks between the U.S. and Iran were progressing, and spikes in trading tied to major equity indices minutes before public indications that planned military action involving Iran would be delayed.

Additionally, a report detailing how a Morgan Stanley broker connected to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth attempted to make a multimillion-dollar investment in a defense industry-focused exchange-traded fund in the weeks preceding U.S. military action involving Iran raises concerns about the possibility that someone connected to a senior member of the Trump administration may have been attempting to trade on highly sensitive or even classified information.

The senators continued, “These episodes suggest a potential pattern of trading ahead of highly sensitive, market-moving government actions, with trading activity closely preceding public disclosure of those developments. The appearance that material nonpublic information may be unevenly distributed in advance of government announcements risks undermining investor confidence and the integrity of U.S. capital markets.”

Federal securities laws prohibit trading on material nonpublic information in breach of a duty of trust or confidence, and the STOCK Act makes clear that this duty applies to Members of Congress and federal employees, including those in the executive branch.

The senators concluded the letter with a list of questions regarding each agencies’ review or intent to review recent trades ahead of market-moving policy announcements, tools to detect suspicious trading as well as those tools’ gaps in ability, and safeguards to prevent the misuse of nonpublic information related to sensitive government decisions.

Read the full letter here and below.

Dear Chair Atkins and Inspector General Moring,

We write to request your immediate attention to potential violations of federal securities laws related to insider trading. Recent reports of equity trading that occurred shortly before significant government policy announcements suggest that federal officials are disclosing material non-public information for financial gain. These actions undermine public interest and market integrity, and demand oversight by each of your respective authorities, as well as by Congress.

Public reporting has described instances in which large positions in equities and equity-linked derivatives were established shortly before major policy decisions with significant market impact, including the war in Iran, decisions related to tariff policy, and other geopolitical developments. In several cases, these announcements were followed by immediate and material movements in equity markets, creating the potential for significant financial gains by traders positioned ahead of the announcements. The timing described in these reports raises questions about whether any individuals with prior knowledge of these policy announcements may have had access to material nonpublic information, including classified or otherwise sensitive information.

Reporting describes elevated trading in S&P 500 futures and related products tied to major equity indices in the minutes leading up to public statements suggesting that talks between the United States and Iran aimed at reducing the risk of broader military escalation in the Middle East were progressing positively, with markets moving immediately after those remarks. In a separate episode, reporting describes a similar spike in equity index–linked trading roughly 10 to 15 minutes before public indications that planned military action involving Iran would be delayed, again preceding a rapid market reaction.

Separately, according to public reporting, shortly before President Trump publicly announced a 90-day pause on certain tariffs in April 2025, there was a surge in short-term call option activity tied to a widely traded S&P 500–tracking exchange-traded fund. These positions were structured to benefit from a sharp same-day increase in equity markets and rose significantly in value following the announcement.

Recently it was reported that a Morgan Stanley broker connected to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, had attempted to make a multimillion-dollar investment in a defense industry-focused ETF in the weeks preceding the U.S. war against Iran. The reporting notes that the investment was not ultimately made, as the fund was not yet available for Morgan Stanley clients to purchase. Even the possibility that someone connected to the Secretary of Defense may have been attempting to trade on material non-public information is highly concerning, and presents serious implications for U.S. national security.

These episodes suggest a potential pattern of trading ahead of highly sensitive, market-moving government actions, with trading activity closely preceding public disclosure of those developments. The appearance that material nonpublic information may be unevenly distributed in advance of government announcements risks undermining investor confidence and the integrity of U.S. capital markets.

At a time of heightened market sensitivity to policy developments, it is critical that all market participants operate on a level playing field. Federal securities laws prohibit trading on material nonpublic information in breach of a duty of trust or confidence, and the STOCK Act makes clear that this duty applies to Members of Congress and federal employees, including those in the executive branch.

Given your respective responsibilities to protect investors, ensure compliance with federal ethics requirements, and safeguard sensitive government information, we request that you provide a briefing and written response addressing the following:

Have your agencies reviewed, or do your agencies intend to review, the trading activity described in recent public reporting regarding trading ahead of market-moving policy announcements?

What tools and authorities do your agencies currently rely on to detect suspicious trading tied to policy or geopolitical announcements affecting equity markets?

Do your agencies believe there are gaps in your ability to monitor such activity?

What safeguards are in place within your agencies to prevent the misuse or unauthorized dissemination of material nonpublic information related to sensitive government decisions?

What safeguards and enforcement mechanisms are in place within your agencies to prevent federal officials from misusing material nonpublic information from government decisions for personal gain?

Sincerely,

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* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for download here *


Warner Statement on the Firing of AG Pam Bondi

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement after President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi:

“Attorney General Bondi’s firing follows her botched handling of the Epstein files — a failure that denied victims transparency and further undermined trust in our justice system.

“But this is bigger than one official. President Trump has repeatedly treated the Department of Justice like a political weapon — pressuring prosecutors, rewarding loyalty over independence, and using the machinery of federal law enforcement to pursue vengeance against his perceived enemies while shielding his allies from accountability. That pattern includes efforts to nationalize voting through an executive order that has been widely challenged as an unlawful attempt to override state authority, as well as the Fulton County raid tied to the president’s obsession with losing the 2020 election.

“This kind of abuse subverts the rule of law and corrodes the Justice Department’s ability to deliver impartial justice. When the Justice Department is distracted by politics and stripped of its credibility, it can’t do its core job of keeping Americans safe. Americans deserve a Justice Department that is actually focused on delivering justice, not on serving a president’s agenda of personal and political self-interest.”

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One Month Into Iran War, Virginians Have Paid $254 Million for Gas

WASHINGTON – A new congressional analysis finds that Virginians have already paid $254 million more at the pump as a result of President Trump’s war of choice in Iran, part of a broader nationwide increase in gasoline costs totaling an estimated $8.4 billion for American families. The report shows the national average price of gasoline has now risen above $4 a gallon, with fill-up costs reaching $145 for the top-selling pickup truck, $58 for the top-selling SUV, and $52 for the top-selling sedan.

“We’ve said it countless times: there was no imminent threat to the U.S. when President Trump entered this war with Iran. Trump went in with no clear plan, goals, or objectives, and now working families are stuck footing the bill,” said U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA). “Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz was a predictable response that the administration was embarrassingly unprepared for. Now, Virginians are paying hundreds of millions more at the pump, while costs are rising for groceries, air travel, fertilizer, aluminum, and more. Even if the Strait reopened tomorrow, the chaos Trump has caused for global markets means these increased costs are here for the long haul.”

To calculate gas cost changes, the analysis used AAA, Federal Highway Administration, and Energy Information Administration data in order to estimate the increase in gasoline spending since February 28 and data from Edmunds on the top-selling gas vehicles in the United States. It found that fill-up costs are now 35% higher, which means that:

The cost to fill up the top-selling pickup truck is now $144.65, an increase of $37.29

The cost to fill up the top-selling SUV is now $58.26, an increase of $15.02

The cost to fill up the top-selling sedan is now $52.23, an increase of $13.46

Trump campaigned on lowering the cost of gasoline and pulling the U.S. out of foreign wars. Instead, he has made the choice to enter the U.S. into a conflict that is dramatically spiking costs across the Commonwealth and country. Increased prices as a result of the war in Iran are hitting American households and businesses at a time when families are already struggling with rising health care, energy, and grocery costs due to Trump’s senseless tariffs and chaotic economic policies.

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Warnock Highlights New Bipartisan Provision to Stop the Spread of Corporate-Owned Homes During Visit to Paulding County

Today, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock held a press conference in Paulding County to discuss large corporations buying up single family homes in Georgia, and federal efforts to stop their spread

Corporate investors own nearly 4,000 single-family rental homes in Paulding County, a growing problem that has squeezed first time home buyers out of the housing market

In March, Senator Warnock’s private equity ban was included in the bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act, the largest housing reform and affordability legislation in a generation

Senator Reverend Warnock: “Private equity and major corporations have been buying up thousands of single-family homes that should be available for Georgians who want to purchase a piece of the American dream. But for years, dreams have been deferred because too many are finding themselves in fierce competition with private equity”

Above: Senator Warnock during Thursday’s press conference in Paulding County

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined local leaders and housing advocates in Paulding County to voice his opposition to private equity and large corporations buying up single family homes in metro-Atlanta and across Georgia. This issue has become a growing problem for first time home buyers in the region, with more than 1 in 4 single-family rental homes — 70,000 properties — owned by large corporations. Institutional investors control more homes in metro-Atlanta than any other area in the country.

As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees federal housing policy, Senator Warnock has worked for years to stop the spread of private equity corporate investors in the single family and starter home housing markets. In March, Senator Warnock secured a bipartisan provision to ban institutional investors from mass purchasing single family homes in the ROAD to Housing Act, the largest housing reform and affordability legislation in a generation.

“Private equity and major corporations have been buying up thousands of single-family homes that should be available for Georgians who want to purchase a piece of the American dream,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “But for years, dreams have been deferred because too many are finding themselves in fierce competition with private equity. My bill is an important first step in addressing this issue, but there is so much more work that needs to be done. We must remain focused on delivering for the people every single day.”

Senator Warnock was joined by Paulding County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tim Estes, Northwest Metro Atlanta Habitat for Humanity CEO Kyle Huhtanen, and real estate agent and housing advocate Amy McCoy. Paulding County Chairman Estes said that corporate investors buying single family homes in Paulding County has been a problem for a number of years, and that he is glad Senator Warnock’s new private equity housing ban is addressing the issue. He added that corporate investors are squeezing first time home buyers out of Paulding County and forcing many perspective buyers out of the area altogether.

Since coming to the Senate, Senator Warnock has worked to increase affordable housing and illuminate a path to homeownership. As one of twelve brothers and sisters growing up in public housing in Savannah, Senator Warnock deeply understands the importance of having a place to call home and homeownership. Last spring, the Senator introduced a transformative housing package that would address rising rental costs, downpayment fees, and the overall lack of available housing units. The Senator also partnered with the top Democrat on the Senate committee that oversees federal housing policy to introduce legislation that would build nearly three million new housing units.

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Warren, Blumenthal, Duckworth, Peters, Merkley Press Hegseth on Reported Attempts to Make Investments in Defense Firms Ahead of Iran War; Slam Potential Conflict of Interest, Violations of Federal Ethics Agreement

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s broker reportedly attempted to invest in major defense companies in weeks leading up to Trump’s attack on Iran

“This would be a…betrayal of the nation paying the price for this war and the troops you are sending into harm’s way.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – After new reports revealed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s broker reportedly attempted to make major defense investments ahead of Trump’s attacks on Iran, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee; along with Senator Gary Peters, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs; and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), pressed Hegseth on what appears to be a major conflict of interest and possible violation of his federal ethics agreement.

“This would be a profound conflict of interest and a potential violation of your federal ethics agreement — and betrayal of the nation paying the price for this war and the troops you are sending into harm’s way,” wrote the lawmakers.

Ahead of Trump’s strikes on Iran, Hegseth’s broker at Morgan Stanley reportedly contacted BlackRock about making a multimillion-dollar investment in the asset manager’s Defense Industrials Active ETF. The request was reportedly significant enough to trigger an internal flag at BlackRock.

“If this report is accurate, it would appear to represent an appalling effort to profit off of your knowledge of the President’s plans for war,” wrote the lawmakers.

Presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed Department of Defense officials like Hegseth are prohibited from “owning or purchasing the publicly traded stock of a company if that company is one of the 10 entities awarded the most amount of contract funds by the Department of Defense in a fiscal year during the five preceding fiscal years.” In 2026, Hegseth was specifically prohibited from owning any stock in Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Huntington Ingalls, Boeing, RTX Corporation, and L3Harris Technologies, all companies currently included in BlackRock’s Defense Industrials Active ETF.

Guidance from the Office of Government Ethics warns that sector funds focused on a single industry can create a liability for government officials under the criminal conflict of interest statute. The law and Department of Defense policy are clear that DoD personnel must continuously monitor and prevent conflicts of interest.

“In your ethics agreement, you said that you would ‘ensure’ that any investment professional you use ‘obtains my prior approval on a case-by-case basis for the purchase of any assets other than cash, cash equivalents, investment funds that qualify for the regulatory exemption for diversified mutual funds and unit investment trusts at 5 C.F.R. § 2640.201(a), obligations of the United States, or municipal bonds,’” wrote the lawmakers. “Since this was a multi-million dollar investment in a sector-specific fund, your agreement appears to indicate that your broker would have needed your approval or that you did not intend to meet the commitments you made in your ethics agreement.”

“The American people deserve leaders they can trust to put national security ahead of their own financial self-interest,” continued the lawmakers. “If the recent reports are accurate, we now know that, behind closed doors, you were setting yourself up to profit from your ownership of stock in multiple defense contractors.”

The Trump administration’s illegal war against Iran is costing taxpayers roughly $1 billion a day. Meanwhile, defense contractor stocks jumped at the start of the war and will likely continue to climb as they stand to profit from a $1.5 trillion budget request and an expected $200 billion supplemental war request, in addition to significant new demand in response to the geopolitical chaos.

The lawmakers pressed Hegseth for critical information on this apparent conflict of interest by April 15, 2026.

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Warren, Sanders, Wyden, Murray, Baldwin Blast New Trump Admin Attempt to Dismantle Education Department, Call for Immediate End to Illegal Transfer of Student Loans to Treasury

Committee Ranking Members argue that the scheme “will set the stage for more dysfunction in a federal student aid system that the Trump Administration has already made more expensive and confusing to navigate”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) pressed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to rescind their plans to move the administration of federal student loans to the Treasury Department (Treasury), the latest move in the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED).

The lawmakers are the Ranking Members of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee; Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; Senate Finance Committee; Senate Appropriations Committee; and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

“This latest illegal scheme from the Trump Administration threatens to trap student loan borrowers, students, and families in chaos and bureaucracy, all while American taxpayers are left to foot the bill for Treasury to administer programs that ED can and should administer itself,” wrote the lawmakers.

Congress recently reaffirmed on a bicameral, bipartisan basis that ED has no authority to transfer its statutory responsibilities to other agencies, stating that doing so would “create inefficiencies, result in additional costs to the American taxpayer, and cause delays.”

Contrary to that directive, ED’s most recent interagency agreement (IAA) transfers its responsibilities of managing student loans and federal student aid to Treasury, without Congressional authorization. Previous IAAs transferred ED’s management of career and technical education programs, adult education grant programs, along with dozens of programs for early childhood, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education out of ED.

“The Trump administration’s record of haphazard decision making and utter disregard for the actual issues facing students, families, and student loan borrowers suggests that this IAA will be implemented in a way that leaves borrowers with limited options and little to no guidance while increasing the number of borrowers in default and economic distress,” warned the lawmakers.

The senators argued that the first phase of the IAA is likely to worsen the student loan default crisis, because it tasks Treasury — an agency with no experience in student loan administration — with collecting on defaulted student loan debt and helping borrowers exit default. They cited the Treasury Department’s reductions in force as reason to doubt the success of the new arrangement, in addition to a pilot study where Treasury was made responsible for collections and loan rehabilitation for several thousand student loan borrowers but only successfully completed rehabilitations for eight.

Further, the senators argued that the second and third phases of the IAA — in which Treasury will be tasked with potentially managing the entire federal student loan portfolio and administering the FAFSA form — are illegal and likely to throw the financial aid system into further disarray.

“Treasury’s lack of expertise in the federal student aid system could be disastrous for the implementation of the latter phases of the IAA, as the federal student aid system is highly complex and administrative errors could endanger access to financial aid or statutory debt cancellation,” wrote the senators. “This ill-advised plan also ignores the laws of Congress.”

Previous IAAs have cost ED over $1 million in extra program costs and resulted in weeks-long delays in grant disbursements, harming students and schools.

“[I]t is reckless for ED to enter into another IAA with no information or clarity on the cost,” said the senators.

“The ED-Treasury IAA will set the stage for more dysfunction in a federal student aid system that the Trump Administration has already made more expensive and confusing to navigate...We call upon you to rescind these IAAs immediately,” concluded the lawmakers.

The senators asked Secretary McMahon and Secretary Bessent to provide details on the cost of transferring student loan administration to Treasury, basic information on the staff responsible for and the timing of the IAA, and how Treasury will be held accountable for poor performance in administering its new student loan responsibilities by April 15, 2026.

Senator Warren has led the fight to make our higher education system more affordable, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable for incompetence and malfeasance. She launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education.

On March 11, 2026, following a request from Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the Government Accountability Office, an independent government watchdog, opened an investigation into the Department of Education’s transfer of grant programs to the Department of Labor.

On February 23, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, along with Representative Ayanna Pressley, released a response from the Department of Education to their November letter regarding a potential sale of the federal student debt portfolio. In the response, ED confirms for the first time publicly that they are weighing a sale of the federal student loan portfolio.

On February 19, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) pushed Education Secretary Linda McMahon on concerns that the U.S. Department of Education is apparently obstructing Congressional efforts to hold federal student loan servicers accountable for underperformance.

On February 2, 2026, Senator Warren released a new report revealing the findings of their investigation into how private student loan lenders will reap the benefits from cuts to federal student loan access enacted in Republicans’ Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBBA). The report is the first Congressional analysis of the impacts of the OBBBA’s student loan restrictions on the private lending market.

On January 22, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) led their Senate colleagues in demanding answers from Trump Education Secretary Linda McMahon about the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate affordable student loan repayment options for millions of Americans.

On December 8, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in writing to the federal student loan servicers to ensure they are providing borrowers with the customer service they deserve in the wake of the Trump administration’s student loan policy whiplash. The senators sent letters to MOHELA, Nelnet, EdFinancial, Maximus, and CRI.

On December 1, 2025, Senator Warren published an op-ed in USA Today calling for Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to resign following the recent news that President Trump and Secretary McMahon plan to further dismantle the Department of Education (ED).

On November 24, 2025, Senator Warren pushed for an expanded investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle ED and whether its recent decision to transfer many of ED’s responsibilities to four other agencies violates federal law.

On November 17, 2025, Senator Warren led over 40 of her colleagues in a letter urging Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to immediately end any plans to sell or transfer the federal student loan portfolio to the private market.

On November 10, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in a letter urging the Trump administration to use the IRS’s existing legal authorities to stop the looming “tax bomb” facing borrowers who obtain income-driven repayment (IDR) discharges of their student loan debt.

On October 15, 2025, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) led 70 members of Congress in a letter calling on the Trump administration to address the ongoing and unprecedented wave of student loan delinquencies and defaults, which threatens the financial stability of millions of people and could have disastrous effects on the American economy.

On September 19, 2025, following a push by Senator Warren and nine other senators, the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education agreed to open an investigation into DOGE’s infiltration of internal systems, including the scope of its access to sensitive student loan borrower information and its impact on borrowers’ rights and privacy.

On August 26, 2025, Senator Warren led colleagues in sending a follow-up letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon condemning the Department of Education for deliberately hiding the “Submit a Complaint” button on the Office of Federal Student Aid’s website, firing employees responsible for providing customer service to borrowers and families and misleading Congress about the scope of these firings.

On August 7, 2025, Senator Warren publicly released Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s response to the senator’s 60+ questions and pressed for additional information. Senator Warren announced that she would refer certain matters where the Department has proved uncooperative to the Government Accountability Office and the Education Department’s Inspector General.

On August 4, 2025, Senator Warren led eight Senators in pressing major private student loan lenders on their plans to serve the incoming surge of borrowers who will be pushed to the industry because of Republicans’ recently passed “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

On July 17, 2025, Senator Warren released a new 23-page report, “Education At Risk: Frontline Impacts of Trump’s War on Students,” highlighting warnings from 11 major national education and civil rights organizations on the impact of the Trump Administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education (ED), slashing support to millions of American students, primary and secondary school teachers, administrators, parents, and student loan borrowers.

On July 15, 2025, Senators Warren and Sanders, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, urging her to reverse the interest hike on student loan borrowers in the SAVE forbearance.

On July 14, 2025, Senator Warren joined a letter to the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, and Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, demanding that the Department of Education stop blocking nearly $7 billion in funds for K-12 schools, including for afterschool programs.

On July 3, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in submitting an amicus brief for NAACP v. US, arguing to the United States District Court District of Maryland that President Trump’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education violate separation of powers and lack constitutional authority.

On June 10, 2025, Senator Warren met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and delivered over 1,000 letters to McMahon that the senator had received from people in all 50 states who were worried about the Secretary’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.

On June 9, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Education to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office, revealing that DOGE may have gained access to two FSA internal systems, in addition to sensitive borrower data.

On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.

On May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled “Stealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,” highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education and President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.

On May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration’s attacks on education are hurting American families.

On May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.

On April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.

On April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

On April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.

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Warren, Senators Push Dr. Oz to Tackle Medicare Advantage Abuse

Senators call to rein in private health insurers’ abuse in Medicare as Trump Administration explores options to automatically enroll seniors into the program.

“As Americans struggle to keep up with rising health care costs, [Medicare Advantage] insurers continue to rake in billions in overpayments, abusing taxpayer dollars.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led seven other senators in urging Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to hold health insurers accountable for persistent abuses in the Medicare Advantage program that raise costs and lower quality of care for millions of seniors and people with disabilities. This comes as the Trump Administration is reportedly exploring options to automatically enroll seniors and people with disabilities into the program.

“As Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, you have withheld essential funding for seniors and people with disabilities and slashed Medicaid under the guise of rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse,” wrote the senators. “However, legitimate fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare Advantage remains largely unchecked.”

Unlike traditional Medicare, which infrequently requires prior authorization for services, nearly all Medicare Advantage enrollees are “required to obtain prior authorization for some services.” In 2024, Medicare Advantage insurers either fully or partially denied around 4.1 million prior authorization requests — over 27 times the number of denials in traditional Medicare. As a result, 93 percent of physicians have reported that prior authorization delayed patients’ access to critical care, and over three quarters of physicians reported that these requirements likely contributed to patients abandoning their treatment.

“Rather than hold insurers accountable through regulation, your agency has proposed to remove multiple administrative measures from the star ratings system that indicate complaints regarding the timeliness or accuracy of prior authorizations, while also expanding prior authorization in traditional Medicare,” continued the senators.

Individuals enrolled in Medicare Advantage also face restricted networks that create significant barriers to care. This is especially true in counties with a higher proportion of people of color, in which just 37% of physicians are considered in-network for seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in Medicare Advantage. The senators note that this is a matter of life or death for some patients, especially those with cancer. Medicare Advantage plans often exclude cancer research centers, leading many enrollees to lose access to clinical trials, advanced treatments, and radiation.

On January 26, 2026, CMS released a proposed payment rule that would increase payments to Medicare Advantage insurers by $700 million in CY 2027, all while seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in the program face greater barriers to care, more delays and denials, and higher costs.

To prevent insurance companies from further abusing the Medicare Advantage program, the senators expressed the need for the following actions:

Further reduce overpayments from risk adjustment and favorable selection;

Prevent insurance companies from denying medically necessary services; and

Hold MA insurers accountable for engaging in anti-competitive behavior and evading regulatory protections.

“As Americans struggle to keep up with rising health care costs, [Medicare Advantage] insurers continue to rake in billions in overpayments, abusing taxpayer dollars, while inappropriately obstructing enrollees from accessing medical care,” concluded the senators. “We urge CMS to turn its focus to the legitimate fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare Advantage and address the program’s longstanding problems that prevent seniors and people with disabilities from receiving medically necessary care."

The letter was also signed by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; Edward Markey (D-Mass.); Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.); Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.); Tina Smith (D-Minn.); Richard Durbin (D-Ill.); and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

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Warren Statement on Pam Bondi Firing

Warren Statement on Pam Bondi Firing

Washington, DC - In response to reports that President Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement:

“Under Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Department of Justice became a cesspool of corruption. Bondi will be remembered for blocking the release of the Epstein files, weaponizing the DOJ to go after Trump’s political opponents, and handing out merger approvals as political favors. Good riddance.”

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