Cantwell Statement on Inflation Rising to 3.8%

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released this statement after data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the Consumer Price Index has risen 3.8% over the last 12 months:

“American families got another painful reminder this morning that the cost of living continues to be unaffordable. Inflation is up 3.8% and the pressure on household budgets is getting worse. This Administration is waging a war in the Middle East that has sent oil and gas prices through the roof. Every business and every consumer is feeling the pain. Instead of planning a summer vacation, many families are trying to just figure out how to pay their bills. While in Congress, instead of doing something to ease these financial burdens, Republicans are getting ready to spend $1 billion to build a White House ballroom.”

The Consumer Price Index increased 0.6% in April after rising 0.9 percent in March, translating to a year-over-year increase of 3.8% percent. Energy prices are also up 17.9% over last year; the price for gasoline is up 28.4%; the price for fuel oil is up 54.3%; and electricity is up 6.1%. Food prices have also risen by 3.2%, and housing costs have risen by 3.3% over last year.


Cassidy Secures $14.9 Million for Louisiana Airport Upgrades from His Infrastructure Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $14,887,241.00 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation through his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The funding will protect against flooding, expand taxiways, rehabilitate pavement, and support airport planning and development.

“I worked to bring this funding home to Louisiana so our airports can keep up with demand and stay safe,” said Dr. Cassidy. “These projects help keep our people and our state’s economy moving.”

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Senator Collins Announces More Than $13.6 Million for Airport Improvements Across Maine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that multiple Maine airports will receive a total of $13,647,939 to support important infrastructure improvements. The funding comes from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Fiscal Year 2026 Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which Senator Collins helped to author.

“As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue working to ensure we make investments that benefit the State of Maine, allowing airports across our state to make much-needed improvements, some of which are long overdue. Ensuring that transportation needs across the state are met is a priority of mine,” said Senator Collins. “A key focus of our negotiations over the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021 was addressing outdated infrastructure at our nation’s airports. That is why we included historic investments in airport grant programs so that municipal, regional, and international airports and jetports across the country can provide safer and more efficient travel. Today’s funding announcement builds on those investments.”

Specifically, the funding from the AIP has been allocated as follows:

Millinocket Municipal Airport (MLT) – $6,845,251 to reconstruct 3,200 feet of Runway 11/29 to maintain pavement integrity and minimize foreign object debris.

Knox County Regional Airport (RKD) – $3,618,016 to rehabilitate and reconstruct portions of the main apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.

Portland International Jetport (PWM) – $2,620,106 to design and reconstruct 17,600 square yards of terminal apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.

Wiscasset Municipal Airport (IWI) – $468,816 to reconstruct 4,100 square yards of main apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.

Oxford County Regional Airport (81B) – $53,000 to update the existing airport layout plan.

Presque Isle International Airport (PQI) – $42,750 to acquire two acres of land for future development.

Since joining the Appropriations Committee in 2009, Senator Collins has helped to secure more than $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for the State of Maine. Additionally, in the past five years, Senator Collins has secured more than $25.7 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for improvement projects at airports in Presque Isle, Fryeburg, Machias, and Brunswick.

In addition to her work as Chair of the Senate Appropriation Committee, Senator Collins was one of 10 senators who negotiated the IIJA, which provided $15 billion for federal airport improvement grant programs.

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ICYMI: Senator Coons leads bipartisan group of senators highlighting Chinese threat to American interests ahead of Xi Summit

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, earlier this month, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) led a bipartisan group of 16 senators affirming concern over the growing threat China poses to our nation’s security and economic prosperity. The introduction of the resolution came shortly before this week’s expected summit between President Trump and President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

President Trump has shown a willingness to make major concessions to China that affect America’s security as Beijing threatens our allies, partners, and the homeland, and seeks a reduction in export controls on frontier computer chips so the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army can surpass us in the artificial intelligence race. The resolution reiterates that the United States must continue to address the security, economic, technological, diplomatic, and strategic threats posed by China as a top foreign policy priority. It goes on to call on the United States to continue prioritizing several of these key issues.

In addition to Senators Coons and Ricketts, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

NOTUS: Bipartisan Senators Push Tough China Stance Before Trump-Xi Summit

A bipartisan group of 16 senators is urging Congress to take a tough stance on China policy ahead of this month’s summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping…“In the run-up to next month’s U.S.-China summit, the United States Senate is sending a clear message: remember who Xi Jinping and the PRC are,” Coons, the Senate’s lead Democrat on the defense appropriations subcommittee, said in a statement.

Taipei Times: US lawmakers condemn China threats

US lawmakers across party lines on Friday introduced a resolution to express concern over China’s threats toward Taiwan, focusing on peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait ahead of a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) later this month… In the run-up to the US-China summit, “the United States Senate is sending a clear message: Remember who Xi Jinping and the PRC [People’s Republic of China] are,” Coons said in the statement. “We must stand with our allies and partners, and work with every tool of the US government to combat these aggressive practices.”

Focus Taiwan: U.S. lawmakers propose China threat resolution ahead of Trump-Xi summit

U.S. lawmakers across party lines on Friday introduced a resolution to express their concerns over China’s threats toward Taiwan, with peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as its stated focus, ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in mid-May.


REMARKS: Ranking Member Coons presses Secretary Hegseth on Iran strategy at hearing: “How do I explain to my constituents the cost of this war?”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for answers on the Trump administration’s strategy in the war with Iran and the administration’s alienation of key allies in a subcommittee hearing today regarding President Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget request.

“What’s the cost of the war we’re in in Iran? How long will it go? What damage has been done to our security and our strategic position? When will we get a supplemental request, and of what scale? When will we be requested to authorize this war? And when will the American people get a clear answer about our strategic goals and how we will achieve them?” said Senator Coons.

In his opening remarks, Senator Coons emphasized that the U.S. faces a more dangerous world as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea grow increasingly aligned, and warned that the Trump administration has created distance with our allies at a moment when the U.S. needs coordination and clarity.

“I share the chairman’s concern that we have created real distance with our allies, most principally our NATO allies, who have stepped up and contributed tens of billions of dollars more to purchase the munitions for the defense of Ukraine and to dramatically increase their long-overdue investments in our joint defense in Europe,” said Senator Coons.

Senator Coons criticized the department’s failure to adapt to the needs of modern warfare, particularly by learning the lessons from the war in Ukraine, including Ukraine’s success in developing and deploying drone and counter-drone technologies. He highlighted that the administration requested zero funding for Ukraine and key NATO allies in the Baltic states before the committee provided $400 million on a bipartisan basis. Instead, the administration is pouring money into a new line of outmoded “Trump class” naval destroyers.

“We have a president who seems more focused on a billion-dollar ballroom and a victory arch, rather than achieving actual victory,” said Senator Coons. “The world of warfare is changing. Every major service can and should embrace smaller, lighter, faster, more distributed, lethal capabilities that will mostly be autonomous. This move towards a Golden Fleet, towards a new battleship, strikes me as moving in exactly the wrong direction, giving our adversaries a bigger target rather than a more capable platform.”

Senator Coons also questioned Secretary Hegseth’s focus on culture war issues, including book bans, erasing DEI efforts, anti-vaccine positions, and the dismissal of senior military leaders while we are in the middle of a conflict in Iran.

A video of Senator Coons’ opening remarks is available here.

A transcript of Senator Coons’ opening remarks is included below:

Senator Coons: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Secretary Hegseth, General Caine – Chairman Caine, for appearing before us and for your testimony today. Let me just begin by expressing my gratitude to the service and sacrifice of the 2.8 million members of the joint forces and the civilians who support them, and in this urgent moment, to focus on a few simple and clear questions.

It bears repeating that the regime in Iran is a terrible regime that has the blood of thousands of American soldiers on their hands over decades, and that they pose a sustained and real threat to the United States in the region. And it bears repeating that our allies are increasingly distanced from us as our adversaries are increasingly aligned.

I agree with much of what the chairman said, including that we are in a moment of real contest and danger, in no small part because Russia, China, DPRK, and Iran are partnering. Russia and China are helping resupply Iran and the drones that they’re using to contest and close the Strait of Hormuz, to target and kill Americans, and degrade our facilities. And so, if our adversaries are increasingly aligned, I think a core question is: are we?

We have so many questions, Mr. Secretary, about this budget proposal, this $1.5 trillion budget request. And at the core is going to be: What’s the cost of the war we’re in in Iran? How long will it go? What damage has been done to our security and our strategic position? When will we get a supplemental request, and of what scale? When will we be requested to authorize this war? And when will the American people get a clear answer about our strategic goals and how we will achieve them?

I share the chairman’s concern that we have created real distance with our allies, most principally our NATO allies, who have stepped up and contributed tens of billions of dollars more to purchase the munitions for the defense of Ukraine and to dramatically increase their long-overdue investments in our joint defense in Europe. But, unfortunately, the way that the move towards war was launched 74 days ago – without consent, without consultation – has caused a real rift with our vital European allies.

And again, as the chairman said, and I agree, there is also a critical and urgent need for us to recognize and embrace that in the most important test field – the battlefield in Ukraine – where the Ukrainians are fighting bravely and successfully against Russian aggression, they have innovated. They have delivered the most lethal and capable drone and counter-drone technologies in the world.

What is bedeviling us in Iran right now? Their ability to use thousands of cheap, effective Shahed drones to hit our allies, their military facilities, and their oil and gas production facilities, and to target and hit civilian shipping. Who is the world’s best at intercepting Shahed drones? Ukraine.

Last year, the administration requested zero for Ukraine and zero for our key NATO allies in the Baltic states. And, on a bipartisan basis, this committee put in $400 million.

When we met just about a month ago for the first time over at the Pentagon – thank you for that conversation – we all emphasized the importance of coming to us with a spend plan for these $400 million. This is a $1.5 trillion request in front of us. Why am I taking your time on $400 million? Because I think it shows a key piece, a missing piece, in strategic vision. We should not be standing aside from the war in Ukraine and saying, eventually we want to be a part of some peace between Russia and Ukraine. We should be learning the lessons of Ukraine.

Our allies in the Persian Gulf are. They’re buying their interceptor systems at scale. Some of our current and former leaders in our military were working very hard to learn the lessons of Ukraine. I must say, in a recent briefing for this subcommittee, I was very encouraged by two very senior members of the United States Army who are in Ukraine and have been helping our armed forces learn. But my heart fell when I left and was told that those two senior officers were being forced out.

I am concerned that we have a distracted administration and a distracted department. From your written testimony, Mr. Secretary, it seems at times you’re more passionate about fighting culture wars than winning the real war that we’re in – at banning books, at cleaning alleged DEI off of websites, at taking on an anti-vaccine position rather than continuing the long-standing public health policies, and interfering with promotions. I’m stunned that you fired the 44-year chief of staff of the Army in the middle of a hot war and dismissed the Secretary of the Navy in the middle of a naval blockade. As dozens of senior flag-rank officers have been dismissed, I am worried about what that does to focus and morale.

We have a president who seems more focused on a billion-dollar ballroom and a victory arch rather than achieving actual victory – and a piece, a small piece, of the $1.5 trillion request in front of us, is for a new Trump class of battleships, a so-called Golden Fleet, which I think goes in the wrong direction.

Let me come back to the basic point I was trying to make. The world of warfare is changing. Every major service can and should embrace smaller, lighter, faster, more distributed, lethal capabilities that will mostly be autonomous. This move towards a Golden Fleet, towards a new battleship, strikes me as moving in exactly the wrong direction, giving our adversaries a bigger target rather than a more capable platform.

How do I explain to my constituents the cost – the cost of this war, and the cost that we are looking together to invest in our national defense?

I share the chairman’s concerns about reconciliation. Last year, $150 billion was provided to the department, but the mismatch between base year and one year, between long-term and short-term, caused tens of billions of dollars in errors, errors in how shipbuilding was handled, errors in how new munitions are being acquired, and working together on a bipartisan basis, we fixed many of those problems. This year’s budget proposal triples that request to $350 billion.

I agree with you about the urgency of our national defense. In your written testimony, you lay out four key goals: defend the homeland, deter China, increase burden sharing with our allies and partners, and supercharge the defense-industrial base.

As you’ve seen, in the last Congress, I’ve worked with you and with Deputy Secretary Feinberg on multi-year munitions. I cheer the goal of finally passing an audit in 2028. I think we have critical investments to make in our defense-industrial base. I think we are absolutely in the fight of our lives as a republic to win AI, and quantum space, and surveillance, and the capacity to fight drones and launch drones. But I’m concerned that you, sir, and this department is distracted by issues that are not focused on the core thing we need to achieve.

I could not agree more with what you said in your written testimony: ‘For a generation, the United States was largely distracted by open-ended wars of regime change and nation building.’ And, as you summarize this administration’s approach, ‘we will not send America’s best to advance foolhardy or reckless adventures halfway around the world.’

Mr. Secretary, I agree that the Iranian regime is a terrible regime. I am grateful for the service and the sacrifice of the Americans who have been wounded or who have lost their lives in this current conflict. But I do not understand the strategy, and as the average American is seeing the costs at the pump and at the grocery store, and as this committee is being asked to approve the largest single-year increase in defense spending in decades, I need to better understand the answers to the urgent questions I’ve put before you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.


Cornyn on New Bill to End Birth Tourism, Protect America’s Sovereignty

WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed his Barring American Citizenship by Keeping Out Foreign Fraudsters (BACK OFF) Act, legislation he introduced today that would put a stop to birth tourism, a long-abused system that America’s foreign adversaries like China and Russia have exploited to undermine our nation’s sovereignty and ensure their children are born on American soil to automatically gain U.S. citizenship. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

“This bill is designed to address a problem that’s been festering in our country for some time, and that is the crime of birth tourism.”

“Entire cottage industries have sprung up over the past several decades designed to actually help facilitate foreign nationals to visit the United States on a temporary basis solely to obtain the coveted privilege of United States citizenship for their children.”

“Citizenship in this country, the greatest country in the world, is a great privilege, and the practice of birth tourism undermines what it means to be an American. This is why I’m introducing the BACK OFF Act, which will make aliens involved in birth tourism inadmissible and deportable from the United States.”

“This legislation would create new criminal penalties and enforcement actions against those running birth tourism rings, including new criminal penalties under the Immigration and Nationality Act for those who facilitate this practice.”

“There is no greater privilege in the world than to be a citizen of this great country, and we must treat U.S. citizenship as such, but the practice of birth tourism trivializes this great privilege, and I hope the Senate will adopt my legislation to crack down on this atrocity.”

Background:

Specifically, the Barring American Citizenship by Keeping Out Foreign Fraudsters (BACK OFF) Act would put a stop to birth tourism by:


Cortez Masto, Young Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Kids Get to School Safely

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced bipartisan legislation to help students get to school safely. The Safe Bus Routes to School Act would modify the Safe Routes to School program so that projects to improve the safety of school bus routes and stops are eligible for federal funding.

“Clark County has the largest school bus fleet in the entire country, and 130,000 kids rely on those buses to get from home to school and back again every day,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It’s our responsibility to make sure our students are as safe as possible. This commonsense bill would open up more funding for cities and towns across the country to make school bus routes safer.”

“This bill will support improvements in our communities to better ensure that young Hoosiers are safe as they travel to and from school,” said Senator Young. “This legislation builds on my previous work to help increase the safety of school bus routes.”

The Safe Routes to School program was created to help communities improve the safety of pedestrian and bike routes to schools, making funding available for projects such as building safer street crossings in a school zone. However, more than half of all K-12 students nationwide ride school buses. While school buses provide the safest mode of school transportation, safety challenges still exist. Students are the most vulnerable when waiting at bus stops, loading or unloading from buses, and while walking to the bus stop. The Safe Bus Routes to School Act would allow communities to use Safe Routes to School funding to improve the safety of school bus routes and stops through planning, education, and infrastructure improvements. Senator Cortez Masto previously passed legislation in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand the Safe Routes to School program to include high school students.

“Our community has seen a huge increase in the number of students hit by vehicles on their way to or from school,” said Clark County School District Superintendent Jhone Ebert. “By expanding the Safe Routes to School Program, we can better educate our students and our community about the importance of following the rules of the road so that all students can travel to and from school safely.”

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

Senator Cortez Masto is a champion for Nevada’s students, including ensuring their safety on the way to school. She recently secured close to two million in funding for school zone flashing beacons in Reno. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included Cortez Masto provisions to invest in school infrastructure upgrades and to improve broadband access for rural students. She recently introduced bipartisan legislation to help students develop the skills they would need to become entrepreneurs and business owners. Cortez Masto has fought to ensure that English Language Learners and students with disabilities have equal access to education. She has also consistently worked to make Nevada’s roads safer. Cortez Masto has introduced bipartisan legislation to protect roadside workers and has secured millions to improve road safety throughout the Silver State.

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PASSED UNANIMOUSLY: Cortez Masto and Graham-Led Medal of Sacrifice Act

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), as well as U.S. Representative Brian Mast (R-Fl.), applauded the Senate’s unanimous passage of the Medal of Sacrifice Act during National Police Week. The legislation would create a new presidential award to posthumously honor law enforcement officers and other first responders killed in the line of duty. Following its Senate passage, this legislation now heads to President Trump to be signed into law.

“Every single day, law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to protect and serve our communities and keep our families safe,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The Medal of Sacrifice Act will go a long way to honoring those officers who lose their lives in the line of duty. This Police Week, I’m proud to have worked alongside Senator Graham and Congressman Mast to get our bill to the President’s desk.”

“Our law enforcement officers and first responders represent some of the best and bravest among us. These men and women selflessly put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. If these law enforcement officers and first responders perish in the line of duty, that sacrifice deserves the highest level of recognition. I am proud to have worked with President Trump and Rep. Mast on this important legislation so that we can ensure these heroes are never forgotten, and look forward to it being signed into law,” said Senator Graham.

“I will never forget November 21, 2024, the day three lions of my community were taken after being struck on the side of the road. After we laid Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Deputies Waller, Diaz, and Paez to rest, President Trump and I agreed that their sacrifice can never be forgotten. That’s what the Medal of Sacrifice is all about, and I’ve worked every single day since then to pass this bill to honor every officer and first responder killed in action. In the face of incomprehensible loss, families of the fallen will now know they have a nation standing firmly behind them, directed by the highest office of our land. I am deeply grateful to Senator Graham for sharing this mission and for carrying it across the finish line in the Senate,” said Congressman Mast.

Read the bill here. The Medal of Sacrifice Act is supported by the National Police Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), the Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), and the Police Officers Defense Coalition.

Senator Cortez Masto is a leading advocate in the Senate for our police officers. The Senator introduced the PUBLIC SAFETY Act to redirect almost $75 billion in funding to local law enforcement programs to help hire and train 200,000 local cops in communities across the U.S. She has fought for funding for the Byrne JAG grant program, the leading source of criminal justice funding in the country. Her bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide, provide mental health resources to police officers, and support families of retired fallen law enforcement officers have been signed into law by presidents of both parties.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353

May 12, 2026

Cotton, Senators to DoW: Invest in High-Grade Arkansas Lithium

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Department of War Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) Director David Lorch. The letter requests that domestic lithium production, particularly in the Smackover Formation, be treated as a priority investment. Domestic production from the Smackover Formation in south Arkansas would reduce dependence on foreign-controlled lithium, a change vital to American national security. Classifying domestic lithium production as a priority investment would allow for streamlined, non-standard deal structures to help ensure Department investment strategies adequately fund this crucial need.

In part, the Senators wrote:

“We write seeking clarity about the Department’s prioritization and support of domestic critical mineral supply chains, particularly lithium resources. Lithium is foundational to the precision munitions and advanced weapons systems that underpin American military superiority. Critical systems and platforms such as Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, Patriot Batteries/PAC-3 missiles, Hellfire missiles, and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems, among many others, rely on lithium-based battery technologies for guidance, power, and reliability.

The Smackover Formation is a brine-rich geological stratum stretching across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. Recent assessments indicate the Formation may represent one of the most significant lithium brine deposits in the Western Hemisphere. Domestic production from this region could materially reduce American dependence on foreign-controlled lithium sources and provide a reliable upstream supply for domestic defense manufacturers.”

Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

May 12, 2026

Mr. David Lorch

Director, Office of Strategic Capital

United States Department of War

3030 Defense Pentagon

Washington, DC, 20301

Dear Director Lorch,

We write seeking clarity about the Department’s prioritization and support of domestic critical mineral supply chains, particularly lithium resources. Lithium is foundational to the precision munitions and advanced weapons systems that underpin American military superiority. Critical systems and platforms such as Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, Patriot Batteries/PAC-3 missiles, Hellfire missiles, and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems, among many others, rely on lithium-based battery technologies for guidance, power, and reliability.

The Smackover Formation is a brine-rich geological stratum stretching across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. Recent assessments indicate the Formation may represent one of the most significant lithium brine deposits in the Western Hemisphere. Domestic production from this region could materially reduce American dependence on foreign-controlled lithium sources and provide a reliable upstream supply for domestic defense manufacturers.

We know you share our conviction that allowing strategic vulnerabilities in our mineral supply chains is not an option that the United States can afford. We urge the Department to treat Smackover lithium development as a priority investment target worthy of OSC engagement, Title III Defense Production Act authorities, and other available financing mechanisms. We respectfully request answers to the below questions by May 25, 2026.

What criteria and process does OSC employ to evaluate and rank critical minerals for prioritized investment or industrial base support? What protections are in place to ensure a long-term strategic commitment that withstands short term shifts?

Is lithium designated as a high-priority material in the Department’s critical minerals framework? If so, how is that prioritization reflected in OSC’s project pipeline? If not, what is the rationale?

What is the Department’s coordination process to ensure critical mineral supply chains efforts are synchronized? What mechanisms exist to ensure OSC’s financing activities are aligned with the requirements of the military services and combatant commands?

Has OSC (or other offices within the Department) coordinated with other agencies, to include the Department of Energy, United States Geological Survey, and Department of Commerce, on domestic critical mineral development? If so, how is that coordination structured? How are investment signals and strategic priorities communicated?

What legislative provisions or resources would materially enhance OSC's ability to support lithium projects such as those in the Smackover Formation?

The urgency of this issue demands we move with speed. We are confident that the Department shares this urgency. We look forward to working with you on this issue of critical importance.

Sincerely,

Tom Cotton

United States Senator

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Chairman Cramer Holds Airland Subcommittee Hearing on Air Force Modernization

Cramer Emphasizes Importance of ISR, Counter-UAS Capabilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The future of U.S. airpower was on full display at today’s Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee hearing, where Chairman U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) led a review of Air Force modernization priorities tied to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Defense Authorization Request and Future Years Defense Program. Lawmakers examined how the Air Force is racing to sharpen its technological edge and strengthen readiness against rapidly evolving global threats.

“I want to start by saying how much I appreciate the work you have all done and the work that went into this budget request,” said Cramer in his opening remarks. “Putting together an Air Force budget in this environment is no small task, even with a pretty good topline number. You’re balancing today’s threats with tomorrow’s challenges, and you’re doing it while the world seems to get more dangerous by the day, hour, and week. From my perspective, I think this is a thoughtful budget that clearly puts an emphasis on modernization. I think that’s the right direction.”

“We can’t deter China, support our allies, and maintain air superiority with aging equipment and good intentions,” continued Cramer. “The investments in next-generation capabilities, advanced munitions, command-and-control, and collaborative combat aircraft show the Air Force understands where the fight is headed. That doesn’t mean Congress shouldn’t ask some tough questions—I expect we will—because that’s our job. […] At the end of the day, the Air Force is being asked to do a lot with pressure coming from every direction. This subcommittee understands that.”

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Cramer warned about reductions in the MQ-9 fleet, saying current numbers are falling well below levels needed to meet operational requirements. The issue is especially significant for the North Dakota Air National Guard 119th Wing, known as the “Happy Hooligans,” whose MQ-9 Reapers continue supporting global Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strike missions. The aircraft have played a key role in counterterrorism operations, maritime surveillance, force protection, and regional deterrence, although recent operations have also highlighted vulnerabilities against advanced air defenses and electronic warfare capabilities.

Cramer asked Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs Lt. Gen. David Tabor and Deputy Chief of Staff for Air Force Futures Maj. Gen. Christopher Niemi how the service plans to sustain and eventually replace the MQ-9 fleet without creating capability gaps for the warfighter.

Lt. Gen. Tabor said the Air Force is monitoring the MQ-9 “very, very closely.” He said Operation Epic Fury has demonstrated the value of the MQ-9 and its impact has been “remarkable.”

“We’re still able to fulfill our contract of 56 combat lines worldwide,” said Lt. Gen. Tabor. “With that said, we are concerned about how they’ve attrited and we’re looking at options to buy back as many of the MQ-9As as we possibly can right now.” He said this is a short-term goal that’s transitioning to a longer-term goal.

Maj. Gen. Niemi said the MQ-9 is serving the nation well in the conflict in the Middle East but noted the advantages of modular packages to reducing costs.

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Cramer raised concerns about the Air Force’s future airborne ISR posture as legacy surveillance platforms face retirement without a clearly defined replacement strategy. The RQ-4 Global Hawk fleet based at Grand Forks Air Force Base has played a major role in recent ISR operations, including Operation Epic Fury, but the Air Force plans to retire its remaining RQ-4 aircraft by the end of FY 2027.

Cramer asked Lt. Gen. Tabor about plans for the RQ-4 and its replacement capability to avoid any gaps.

“It is our eventual plan to retire those,” said Lt. Gen. Tabor. He said the Air Force has worked hard over the last eight months to articulate a road map showing where it can make trade-offs from some of the “older, less productive systems into some of the new systems that we’re looking at, as well as some of the space-based capabilities.”

Cramer also asked Lt. Gen. Tabor how space assets have performed in modern conflicts. He responded by noting space has been “impressive” and there are more military successes due to space than generally known.

Because a layered defense begins at the closest level by protecting U.S. bases with counter small-UAS systems, Cramer asked whether Air Force bases across the United States are protected with the tools and authorities in the Air Force’s arsenal against such attacks. Lt. Gen. Tabor said they are “bullish” on the promise of Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) 401 and are actively looking into incorporating those capabilities. Maj. Gen. Niemi agreed the Air Force recognizes the need to bolster capabilities to protect assets against drone threats from adversaries.


Fireside Chat Keynote Highlights the Interdependence Between Defense Communities and the Missions They Support

***Click herefor media resources.***

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) sat down with Grand Forks County Administrator Tom Ford for his keynote address to the Association of Defense Communities (ADC), highlighting how policy changes, modernization and oversight are improving our military capabilities and the communities around them. In the detailed discussion, Cramer talked about how Congress, the U.S. military, educational institutions, and defense industry partners are aligning policy, technology, and on-the-ground power to counter the growing capabilities of our adversaries.

“I want to know if they're willing to move faster than the speed of the bureaucracy, at least as fast as our adversaries,” said Cramer. “But more importantly, I want them to know I will never be the senator on the rostrum who says, ‘Gotcha,’ the first time you make a mistake or the first time something you tried doesn’t work. But I will hold you extra accountable if you fail to try.”

The two discussed how creating a shared ecosystem of excellence around military bases, like leaders have done in Grand Forks, provides an example of how to leverage civilian infrastructure to achieve U.S. Department of War (DOW) objectives and build strong, lasting communities which become indispensable partners in America’s national defense mission.

Cramer continued, “Everybody's got to be pulling in the same direction. And it's not just having power—persuasion comes from good behavior and good acting. That’s where communities are just as important—if not more important—than leadership. Leadership can open the doors, but the performers are the communities… it's everybody pulling in the same direction.”

In North Dakota, the Grand Forks region has built a world-class ecosystem around Grand Forks Air Force Base, the University of North Dakota, and Grand Sky, bringing together local leaders, private industry, research institutions, and the DOW to accelerate innovation in aerospace, unmanned systems, hypersonic testing, and satellite technology. This framework demonstrates how communities surrounding military infrastructure can create opportunities to leverage their own unique attributes. This crucial interface between the nation’s military might and its volunteer manpower is a competitive advantage U.S. adversaries cannot match. Cramer has encouraged communities and base leadership to build strong relationships as a component of long-term economic growth in the community, but also as an incubator for innovative private sector ideas which make their way into the defense industry.

The ADC is made up of nearly 300 communities, states, regions, and organizations and acts as a connection point for leaders from communities, states, the military, and industry on community-military issues by enhancing knowledge, information sharing, and best practices. They annually recognize great defense communities like Minot, which was a 2025 awardee. North Dakota is also well represented by having Tom Ford as the ADC’s President.


Daines, Sheehy, Downing Introduce Bill to Provide Clean Water to Eastern Montana, Authorize Construction of Dry-Redwater Rural Water System

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy today introduced a bill to authorize construction of the Dry-Redwater rural water system, which will help provide clean and reliable water to eastern Montana. Representative Troy Downing (MT-02) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Montanans shouldn’t have to use dirty water for drinking, eating, cleaning, or other basic necessities. The Dry-Redwater rural water system is a critical project that must be completed as soon as possible, and I’ll work with Senator Sheehy and our colleagues to get this bill across the finish line,” said Daines.

“The construction of the Dry-Redwater Rural Water System will be a gamechanger for Eastern Montana, ensuring reliable access to clean water for our rural communities. I’m proud to lead this legislation in the Senate with Senator Daines and will fight alongside our whole delegation to ensure this project gets completed as quickly as possible,” said Sheehy.

“Access to clean and reliable water is essential for Montana families, ranchers, farmers, and rural communities. Eastern Montana has dealt with poor water quality for far too long, and this project would deliver the long-term infrastructure needed to support our communities across the region. I’m proud to support this effort to expand access to safe water, strengthen rural development, and invest in the future of eastern Montana,” said Downing.

Read the bill text HERE.

Background:

The Dry-Redwater rural water system would impact Dawson, Garfield McCone, Prairie, and Richland counties- all areas which have historically had very poor water quality. The system will include a water treatment plan, over 1,300 miles of pipeline, 116 miles of electrical lines, twelve pump stations, and six storage tanks.

Statements of Support:

“Senator Steve Daines has been a determined champion of the Dry-Redwater Regional Water System since his first days in Congress in 2013 and the Montana Congressional delegation deserves tremendous credit for advancing legislation to federally authorize the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority and deliver a long-overdue regional water system to Eastern Montana. This effort will provide clean, safe, and reliable drinking water to communities that have waited far too long for this kind of investment.” – Mike Trotter, Chairman, Board of Directors, Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority

Read a letter of support from Ben Rugby, Executive Director of Montana Rural Water Systems HERE. Read a letter of support from Joni Sherman, General Manager of Dry Prairie Rural Water HERE.

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Duckworth Secures Commitment from Army Secretary on More Communication, Less Confusion for Rock Island Arsenal Staff

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today secured a commitment from U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll for more advance warning and communication going forward for any additional workforce changes at Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) in her home state of Illinois. During today’s U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Duckworth highlighted the chaos and confusion experienced earlier this year when as many as 155 RIA employees were originally identified as “surplus,” with some told they were mistakenly identified and others offered reassignments out of the area as part of Army-wide personnel action, with only two to five days to make this life-altering decision. Driscoll today admitted this timeline in hindsight was “not sufficient.” Video from today’s hearing is available on the Senator’s YouTube.

“I was very concerned to hear in March that the Army was suddenly reassigning employees who manage our munitions and sustainment—in the middle of a war,” Duckworth said. “Over the past two months, I’ve heard from constituents who, instead of focusing on their missions, were thrust into personal turmoil by the Army through a hasty personnel campaign. … Some of these so-called ‘surplus’ employees were given two to five days to accept a job out of state and uproot their families or face termination from civil service. Two to five days to make a life-altering career decision. I don’t think this is how we should be treating our patriotic career civilians.”

Duckworth has been a strong advocate in pushing to protect the workforce at Rock Island Arsenal. Last month, Duckworth led U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) in a letter demanding answers from Driscoll on these workforce assignments. Duckworth and the Members have continued to push for answers from the Army and called for briefings on any command and personnel changes at Rock Island Arsenal. Last year, the Members also introduced the Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act to incentivize private industry to partner with arsenals by giving preference to public-private partnerships in Army contracting, helping the RIA to maintain existing union jobs, attract new projects and workers and keep costs down.

In the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, Duckworth secured a key provision to restrict the Secretary of the Army from using any funds allocated for restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plan to integrate Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command, helping ensure operations at Rock Island Arsenal are not affected unnecessarily.

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As Gas Prices Rise, Durbin Presses Defense Secretary Hegseth, Chair Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff General Caine About The Rationale For The Iran War

In today’s Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Durbin also urged the DoD to obligate bipartisan appropriated FY26 funds for Ukraine and the Baltics

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today participated in a Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to review the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Defense (DoD) where he questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine. Durbin first brought up international security cooperation. Durbin urged Secretary Hegseth and General Caine to obligate the stalled $400 million in security assistance funding in the FY 2026 defense appropriations bill for Ukraine. Durbin also inquired about the $200 million appropriated by Congress in FY 2026 for the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), a program he first created in 2021 and that was codified in the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.

“I would like to ask… about the $200 million in that same appropriation bill (FY26) designated for the Baltic Security Initiative. Has that money been released?” Durbin asked.

Secretary Hegseth responded that if “it has not been, it should be.” Jules Hurst, performing the duties of the Undersecretary of Defense/Comptroller, responded that the Department is making sure “we have sufficient funds in the account.”

Durbin followed up by stating that he will work with DoD to ensure those funds go toward the BSI, amid reports that the Trump Administration continues to delay security cooperation support to our allies.

Durbin then asked about the President’s war of choice in Iran. The war has cost nearly $29 billion, with 14 U.S. military personnel tragically killed, and a tenuous ceasefire in place.

“General Caine, the President has claimed on several occasions over the past couple months that this war is over—has this conflict [with Iran] concluded? What were the goals of the U.S. conflict in Iran and have we achieved them?” Durbin asked.

General Caine reiterated that the goal is to target Iran’s ballistic missile system. He also deferred to the President and Secretary Hegseth on “strategic” objectives.

“Do you feel the situation in the Strait of Hormuz indicates a victory on our side?” Durbin asked.

In his response, General Caine dodged the Senator’s question.

Durbin then asked about the rising costs of gasoline and the financial strain Americans are under because of this war.

“Can you explain to the American people who are facing these gasoline and diesel oil prices what is going on… as the Strait of Hormuz is at a standstill with 1,500 tankers waiting for permission or a peaceful circumstance to navigate?” Durbin asked.

General Caine responded, “it’s a case where Iran is choosing to hold the world’s economy hostage.”

“Can you explain to the American people why with the vast investment we have made in the national defense and military [defense], how Iran, after they were attacked by us, is still capable of stopping the traffic in the Strait of Hormuz?” Durbin asked.

General Caine responded that is a “complex situation out there.” And he again stated that Iran is “holding the global economy hostage through the Strait.” He continued to say that Iran has the choice to open the Straits.

“They certainly do [have that choice]. I guess the question in my mind is—as we talk about a trillion dollar plus budget for our military, it appears that a very small budget is holding us hostage in the Strait of Hormuz,” Durbin concluded.

Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s question in Committee is available here for TV stations.

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Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Spotlight Forum On Protecting Dreamers, Trump Threats To DACA, Renewed Urgency To Pass The Dream Act

Witnesses include a wrongfully deported DACA recipient, a wife whose husband is currently wrongfully detained, a police chief, and business and immigration advocates

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act, today delivered an opening statement at a spotlight forum he is hosting on the need to protect Dreamers, threats to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and the urgency to pass the bipartisan Dream Act.

Beginning in 2001, Durbin introduced the Dream Act to give young immigrants the chance to earn U.S. citizenship. He has introduced the legislation every Congress since. Over the years, Durbin has told the stories of 150 Dreamers on the Senate floor. At the urging of Durbin and the late Senator Lugar (R-IN), President Obama established DACA in 2012 to allow these young people to gain temporary status.

Key Quotes:

“When DACA went into effect in August 2012, I was at Chicago’s Navy Pier. Congressman Luis Gutierrez was with me. We expected several hundreds of people. We hoped to have enough volunteer attorneys to take care of them. It turned out, more than 10,000 showed up… Many of these parents waited hours to get their kids registered for DACA. They would come up to me and say, ‘Durbin, we’re disclosing all our information about our family to the government. Will they use it against us?’ And I said, ‘no, you follow the law, you follow the executive order, and we’ll be able to help you.’ I had no way to imagine what we would face today for those who trusted the government when they signed up.”

“We were shocked when thousands of young people showed up [at Navy Pier]. In the end, 830,000 young people became DACA protected. In 2022 alone, DACA recipients contributed nearly $2.1 billion to Social Security and Medicare, working as doctors, teachers, police officers, and more.”

“Unfortunately, the [Trump] Administration has launched an assault on DACA. President Trump tried but failed to end the program in his first term, with the courts ultimately blocking that effort. [In his second term], he has tried again.”

“My office has heard from constituents who are filing renewals up to 150 days in advance, as recommended by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and still losing their protections due to delayed adjudication. As a result, the number of people with active DACA status has dropped by 32,000. Additionally, USCIS is applying so-called ‘processing holds’ on applications from DACA recipients from 39 countries which the President said we will accept no one from. And there is no timeline for when processing will resume.”

“And, just a few weeks ago, the Board of Immigration Appeals… which has been politicized by the Trump Administration, issued a controversial decision holding that DACA status will no longer necessarily protect [Dreamers] from deportation. According to data from the Administration itself, [DHS] arrested 261 DACA recipients in 2025, and 86 have been removed from the country.”

“Let’s be clear—the cruelty is the issue here. These are people who have lived in the U.S. for years, graduated alongside our kids, married and had their own U.S. citizen children, and are contributing to our communities.”

“I have spent more than 20 years fighting for Dreamers, and I will spend the rest of my time in the Senate continuing that fight.”

Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

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

The first Trump Administration’s attempts to end the DACA program were deeply unpopular and ultimately blocked in the courts. With an injunction preventing formally ending the program, the second Trump Administration has opted for a collateral attack to strip DACA holders of their protections.

Between January 1 and November 19, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported 261 arrests of DACA holders and 86 deportations, and recent reports show a continuation of these enforcement actions. Processing time delays for DACA renewal applications have skyrocketed, leaving these Dreamers without work authorization or protections from detention and deportation. Despite a court-ordered stay keeping DACA in place for current DACA holders, processing bans on applications from 39 countries have been applied to DACA, leaving hundreds of DACA holders in limbo.

A recent Board of Immigration Appeals decision has paved the way for current DACA holders to be issued removal orders, increasing their likelihood of detention and deportation even with valid DACA authorization. The impacts are even worse for Dreamers who cannot obtain protections pursuant to DACA.

This spotlight forum provides the opportunity to discuss the contributions of DACA holders in our communities; the impacts of these attacks on Dreamers, families, and employers; and the importance of a path to citizenship to provide Dreamers with stability and a chance to stay in the United States, the only home they have ever known.

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Durbin Reintroduces Legislation To Ensure Stable, Robust Funding For Biomedical Research, Deliver Hope For Patients

The American Cures Act would offer consistent, guaranteed funding to research institutions that helped defeat polio, map the human genome, improve cancer treatment, and more

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced the American Cures Act, legislation that restores the United States’ commitment to breakthrough scientific and biomedical research. The American Cures Act would create mandatory funds to provide steady, predictable funding for breakthrough research at America’s top research agencies, allowing the U.S. to remain a leader in development and discovery for decades to come.

The American Cures Act would overcome the uncertainty of the annual discretionary appropriations process—in which critical investments for biomedical and scientific research risk being crowded out by other spending—and instead set a steady growth rate in mandatory federal spending for biomedical research conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Each year, the bill would increase medical research funding for these agencies at a rate of medical inflation plus five percent.

Over the past decade, Durbin has pushed for annual five percent funding increases for NIH. Since Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15), because of Durbin’s efforts, Congress has provided NIH with a 60 percent increase in annual funding, raising the appropriations level from $30 billion in FY15 to $49 billion today. The American Cures Act would codify this push ahead of Durbin’s retirement at the end of this term.

“Every family, mine included, has experienced a serious health condition or disease. When you or a loved one receives that devastating diagnosis, there is only one question on your mind: ‘Is there a cure or a treatment?’ Often, the answer is yes. America’s world-class medical researchers and institutions have pushed the boundaries of science and achieved so many important and life-saving breakthroughs,” Durbin said. “But today, we have an Administration that is hellbent on dismantling our nation’s medical research infrastructure, making this legislation more important than ever. American leadership comes with the responsibility to move forward—to never be satisfied while there are those suffering from sickness and to push the boundaries of what is possible. My American Cures Act would give families facing terrible illnesses today the hope of treatment and cures tomorrow.”

The reliable, long-term investment that the American Cures Act would provide would allow the agencies to plan and manage strategic growth while maximizing efficiencies and providing certainty to young researchers that there will be opportunities to pursue federally funded research. It also would make additional funding available within the relevant annual appropriations bills—paving the way for other important health, education, labor, veterans’, and defense programs to benefit.

Last year, President Trump’s budget sought to cut NIH’s budget by 40 percent, or an $18 billion reduction. Thankfully, Congress rejected that proposal on a bipartisan basis and instead increased funding for NIH. This year, the President offered a budget that seeks to cut $6 billion from NIH, or 12%, and $3 billion from CDC programs.

U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) are cosponsors of the legislation.

The American Cures Act is endorsed by: American Association for Cancer Research; American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; Research!America; Defense Health Research Consortium; American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists; UsAgainstAlzheimer’s; Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago; University of Illinois System; CURE Epilepsy; National Fragile X Foundation; PKD Foundation; Fight Colorectal Cancer; ZERO Prostate Cancer; KidneyCAN; LUNGevity Foundation; Hope for Stomach Cancer; TSC Alliance; National Ataxia Foundation; and Solve M.E.

“The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) sincerely appreciates Senator Durbin’s long-standing commitment and leadership in championing sustained and robust annual funding increases for the lifesaving medical research that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), Chief Executive Officer, AACR. “Therefore, AACR remains a proud supporter of Senator Durbin’s American Cures Act, which would provide 5% real growth (medical inflation + 5%) to medical research conducted at NIH and other important federal agencies.”

“Finding cures for Americans requires hard work every year,” said Research!America President and CEO Russ Paulsen. “The American Cures Act provides solid, secure funding for this hard work, without funding rollercoasters. It’s the smart way to ensure progress.”

A copy of the bill text is available here.

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Durbin Statement On The Resignation Of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding the resignation of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary:

“I voted for Dr. Makary to head the FDA based upon his commitment to say ‘no’ if President Trump asked him to do something that would harm America. Dr. Makary kept his word. He resisted Trump’s plan to expose millions of children to the dangers of vaping.

“I hope Dr. Makary will inspire others within the Trump Administration to grow a spine and put the families of America ahead of blind loyalty to this President.”

Durbin has been a vocal leader in the fight against Big Tobacco since he lost his father to lung cancer when Durbin was 14 years old. He went after Big Tobacco when he served in the House of Representatives and led the charge to ban smoking on airplanes, which eventually led to bans on smoking in restaurants, office buildings, trains, and other locations. Durbin has also led efforts to grant FDA jurisdiction over tobacco, raise tobacco taxes to prevent youth initiation, and enhance support for tobacco cessation tools.

During last month’s Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing about the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durbin called on Secretary Kennedy to crack down on illegal e-cigarette products, especially those targeting children.

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Fischer, NE Delegation Urge Major Disaster Declaration for Wildfires in Letter to Trump

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and U.S. Representatives Mike Flood (NE-01), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Adrian Smith (NE-03) sent a letter to President Donald Trump supporting Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen’s request for a major disaster declaration following wildfires across the state.

Read the letter below:

Dear Mr. President:

We write in support of Governor Jim Pillen’s request for a major disaster declaration, which followed wildfires that have broken out and forced evacuations, for the Nebraska counties of Arthur, Garden, Grant, Lincoln and Morrill Counties over periods during March and April of 2026.

The Morrill, Cottonwood, Ashby, and Minor Fires collectively burned over 800,000 acres across Nebraska, with the Morrill Fire alone burning over 640,000 acres, a Nebraska record. Extreme drought combined with high winds and low humidity led to unpredictable behavior and mass destruction.

We know our Nebraskan communities will prove their resilience as they continue to recover from this hardship, as they have exhibited many times in previous years. We encourage the federal government to join with the state in their ongoing efforts to contain these wildfires and provide assistance where it is needed.

We stand ready and willing to assist in any way possible to ensure prompt evaluation of this request. Please do not hesitate to contact our offices with any questions.

View a copy of the transmitted letter here.

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At Politico’s Security Summit, Fischer Highlights Strategic Forces Priorities

Also discusses China visit, Iran, defense funding

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, discussed her recent official visit to China, nuclear modernization, the expiration of the New START Treaty with Russia, sustained funding for Golden Dome, President Trump’s record $1.5 trillion defense budget request, and U.S.-Iran tensions.

Watch the full interview here or by clicking the image above.

On her recent trip to China:

Fischer: “Senator Daines did lead a bipartisan Senate delegation to China — we just got back Friday evening, and I think it was quite successful. China is a nation that cannot be ignored. They are a peer nuclear adversary. We now have two peer adversaries — Russia and China. To be able to carry on conversations on any number of topics with high Chinese officials was beneficial for both sides, and we stressed the importance of maintaining those relationships.

“We talked about trade — all members of the delegation were extremely interested in reciprocal trade, whether in agriculture products or Boeing airplanes. … We had frank conversations about fentanyl precursors, Iran, supply chains, and more. It wasn't planned to coincide with President Trump's trip to China, but I think that raised the level of interest in having the fourth Congressional CODEL to China since COVID.”

On the New START Treaty’s expiration:

Fischer: “China has not been party to past arms control agreements, and I think it's extremely important to bring them into any future discussions. We've learned from Russia that they don't honor treaties — they ignore them. But having a treaty with open, verifiable discussions with both nations is essential.

“Second is continuing to modernize our nuclear triad — not only the platforms, but the weapons for those platforms. Sentinel has had some challenges. We now have the program manager, General White, with a direct line to the Secretary, which has been helpful. There's one throat to choke, and that's General White. He's the right person for the job.

“On bombers, we've heard from multiple combatant commanders — STRATCOM, INDOPACOM — that we need to raise the number of B-21s in the modernization schedule. When all of this was set up in 2010, the geopolitical atmosphere was very different. They've said publiclywe need 200 bombers, accounting for maintenance cycles and the combined demands of STRATCOM and INDOPACOM. We also need to accelerate the Columbia-class submarine program.

“Beyond that, there's the [National Nuclear Security Administration]. I'm very passionate about that — we'll actually have a hearing tomorrow on energy with the Secretary, and I'll be focused on ensuring NNSA has the resources it needs.”

On defense funding:

Fischer: “Providing for the common defense is the core duty and priority of Congress. When we look at what's proposed, I'll note that under the Biden administration, the Armed Services Committee consistently increased what was submitted — we raised it in our deliberations and in the NDAA.

“I applaud President Trump for going in with his eyes wide open, understanding the threats we face. And to meet those threats, $1.5 trillion is needed. We need to approach this with our eyes open as well.”

On continued support for Golden Dome:

Fischer: “First, we have to sustain the funding throughout — the $24 billion already in place covers radars, sensors, and interceptors. This is going to require sustained investment.

“Senator King, the ranking member on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, and I meet regularly with General Guetlein — often every other week — and I think he's done a good job explaining the purpose of Golden Dome and the layered defense approach. …

“I do want to be careful about discussing specifics publicly — and I recognize that may sound like a cop-out, but our adversaries are watching this program very carefully. That said, I am comfortable with what is being proposed and the thought that has gone into it.”

On Iran:

Fischer: “People are worried about price increases. I hear from ag producers about fertilizer costs, and from consumers about gas prices. But I also believe people have a deep understanding of the threat this country faces. If Iran becomes a nuclear nation capable of reaching the United States — and they have significantly advanced their ballistic missile capabilities; we saw that with their strikes on Diego Garcia, and they can now reach London — it's not a large step to reaching the U.S. People understand that. The message I give to Nebraskans and all Americans is: we cannot have a nuclear Iran.”

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Gillibrand, Schumer Push Secretary Hegseth To Restore Collective Bargaining Rights To 300,000 Department Of Defense Employees

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, along with Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Congressmen Paul Tonko (D-NY) and John Mannion (D-NY), criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s unilateral termination of collective bargaining rights for 300,000 Department of Defense (DoD) employees. These include more than 1,400 civilian defense workers at Fort Drum and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) in Rome, New York in addition to nearly 800 civilian employees at Watervliet Arsenal in New York’s Capital Region.

The termination, which took place on April 9, impacted employees who have “dedicated decades of service to the American people, including by previously serving in the military—support the readiness of our armed forces, manage essential financial operations, and sustain mission critical Department of Defense infrastructure and support elements.”

In the letter, the members emphasized, “Stripping these employees of their collective bargaining rights undermines not only their workplace protections, but also the stability, morale, and effectiveness of the civilian workforce that our military depends on so our servicemembers—especially those who are forward deployed—can focus on their warfighting missions.”

The civilian-led operations at Fort Drum, DFAS Rome, and Watervliet Arsenal are vital pillars of national security. Their work is essential to ensuring the military remains combat-ready and capable of responding to global threats at a moment’s notice. Fort Drum has the largest in-house Directorate of Public Works (DPW) in the U.S. Army, consisting of more than 300 civilian employees, and Watervliet Arsenal is the oldest continuously active arsenal in the United States, run almost entirely by its civilian workforce for the last 212 years.

The members continued the letter by underscoring the urgency of collective bargaining rights restoration, writing, “When workplace protections are stripped away, it creates uncertainty, lowers morale, and increases the risk of workforce attrition in highly specialized roles that cannot be easily or quickly replaced.” For example, they wrote, “Breakdowns in reimbursement systems could hinder troop mobility, slowing deployments and reassignments at a time when agility and precision are essential.” Weakening the Department of Defense’s civilian workforce doesn’t just impact personnel; it actively erodes the combat readiness of the entire military.

The members continued their letter by writing that eliminating collective bargaining rights amid existing staffing shortages creates a dangerous cycle of instability. In today’s hyper-competitive labor market, these actions will inevitably drive away seasoned professionals and cripple recruitment efforts. This is a national security risk that threatens to hollow out the readiness of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum and the entire U.S. military.

The members closed the letter by underscoring, “National security and labor rights are not mutually exclusive. A strong and secure nation depends on a federal workforce that has robust job protections and is treated with the respect it has earned.”

The full text of the letter can be found here.

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Gillibrand Statement On Trump Causing Consumer Prices To Hit Three-Year High

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) issued the following statement after a new consumer price report found that prices have surged to their highest level in three years, driven by Donald Trump’s war in Iran and his administration’s cost-increasing policies:

“At the gas pump, in the grocery store, and across everyday life – Donald Trump’s reckless agenda continues to drive up costs for working families. Republicans have rubber-stamped his policies that have made it more difficult to afford the essentials Americans need to get by.”

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Capitol Hill Report, 5-12-26

Audio from this morning’s call is available HERE.

Topics include: cancer in Iowa, term limits, the federal gas tax, the Iowa gubernatorial race, Iran and fuel and fertilizer prices.


Grassley Presses for Answers on High Fertilizer Prices, Calls for Increased Transparency to Drive Down Costs

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, pressed for answers on the high cost of fertilizer at a committee hearing today.

Grassley repeated his call for the Trump administration to remove the Biden Phosphate Duties on phosphate fertilizer imports from Morocco that are driving up costs for family farmers. Grassley spoke about the need to increase transparency on the market factors driving the high cost of fertilizer, including through his Fertilizer Research Act. In his response to Grassley’s question, South Dakota Corn Growers President Trent Kubik endorsed Grassley’s Fertilizer Research Act.

Grassley is working hard to bring down input costs for Iowans. He is a cosponsor of Sen. Roger Marshall’s (R-Kan.) package of legislation aimed at bringing down fertilizer costs. In March, Grassley joined Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to introduce the Fertilizer Transparency Act to help producers access timely and accurate information on prices for fertilizer and fertilizer products. Last fall, he held a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on competition in the fertilizer industry.

Video and a transcript of Grassley’s questions are below.

VIDEO

On the need to remove the Biden Phosphate Duties:

In 2021, countervailing duties were first applied to Moroccan phosphate. A study published at Texas A&M in January found that farmers paid nearly $7 billion in additional costs between the ‘21-‘25 growing seasons because of countervailing duties.

One company, Mosaic, has 80% of the market in the United States, yet they feel like they need protection [through] 18% tariffs on Moroccan phosphate coming into this country. Trump has tried to help with dollars from the U.S. Treasury. But, what I hear, even last week in 12 different counties in Iowa that I toured, farmers want to get their money from the marketplace, not from the U.S. Treasury. So, I think this administration ought to get rid of that 18% tariff on Moroccan phosphate, lowering production costs. [It] would be as much help as increasing [payments] farmers are getting from the federal treasury.

On the need for more transparency in the face of increased fertilizer market consolidation:

For many years now, farmers have felt that, when commodity prices increase, input prices are bound to increase with them. Since 2020, even as the price of corn has decreased, fertilizer prices have remained elevated. We know the talking points of the fertilizer industry. The cause would be the Ukraine [war], Chinese export controls on fertilizer, all contributing to the prices farmers are facing, and increased prices those are. However, farmers have also been seeing increased consolidation of the fertilizer industry. So, farmers want to know exactly why they’re paying the price that they have for fertilizers, and I think we need more transparency on that. So, for you, Mr. Kubik, as a consumer of fertilizer, how much insight do you have into the price of the fertilizer you use?

…

My second question I think you just addressed. But, [would] more transparency and knowledge and data on fertilizer prices would be very beneficial to you?

On the need for additional reporting by USDA:

Is there a reason that the fertilizer industry may not want a study to be published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture?

On providing farmers with more data:

Mr. Rosenbusch, does The Fertilizer Institute support a report that provides insights to farmers on why they have paid certain prices for fertilizers, including factors such as market concentration?


Grassley Welcomes Iowa’s Selection as Vylor Headquarters

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) issued the following statement applauding the selection of Johnston, Iowa, as the global headquarters for Vylor, Corteva’s seed spinoff company.

“Since the day we learned of Corteva’s plans to spin off its seed unit, the Iowa delegation knew there was no better location for its headquarters than Johnston, Iowa. One hundred years ago, Pioneer, Corteva’s flagship seed brand, was founded by Henry A. Wallace in the ‘Tall Corn State.’ It’s only fitting that Vylor will call Iowa home. With deep roots in our soil, I know the innovators and farmers of Iowa will continue to yield fields of opportunities for centuries to come,” Grassley said.

Background:

Corteva announced plans to spin off its seed business on October 1, 2025. That same day, Grassley, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds wrote to Corteva Agriscience’s CEO Chuck Magro urging Corteva to headquarter its new seed company in Johnston, Iowa.

In January, Grassley spoke to Magro by phone encouraging investment in Johnston.

Presently, Corteva has 3,000 jobs in Iowa, including senior leadership, nine research and development locations, ample test plots and access to the best growers in the world. Iowa is the number one commercial state for Corteva with $1.3 billion in sales.


Hawley Statement on Resignation of FDA Commissioner Makary

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) released the following statement on the resignation of Marty Makary as FDA Commissioner.


Caroline Dias Goncalves Wins Key Legal Victory Against ICE

20-year-old Goncalves was wrongfully detained by ICE after a traffic stop in Colorado

Hickenlooper hosted Goncalves as his guest for the State of the Union to highlight her case

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper welcomed the District Court decision to rebuke ICE’s lawlessness and side with Caroline Dias Goncalves and the three other plaintiffs. Judge R. Brooke Jackson ruled that ICE has violated the injunction preventing ICE from making warrantless arrests without determining if someone is a flight risk or living in the country undocumented.

“Almost one ago, 20-year-old Dreamer Caroline Dias Goncalves was wrongfully detained by ICE after a traffic stop in Colorado,” said Hickenlooper. “Today, she helped secure a major legal victory requiring ICE to retrain agents and curb unlawful arrests in Colorado. Caroline’s courage helped hold ICE accountable. But it’s not her responsibility. Republicans need to join Democrats in reining in ICE’s lawlessness. Then we can finally begin to fix our broken immigration system.”

Dias Goncalves is a 20-year-old Dreamer who was detained by ICE in Colorado last year and a student at the University of Utah. Last June, Dias Goncalves was pulled over during a traffic stop in Colorado, where she was arrested by ICE and detained in the Aurora ICE detention facility for 15 days. Dias Goncalves is a Dreamer and raised in the U.S. since she was seven years old. Hickenlooper, his office, and organizations like TheDream.US were involved in demanding answers from ICE about Dias Goncalves’ arrest and ensuring that Dias Goncalves was released. Hickenlooper invited Goncalves to be his State of the Union Guest to highlight the cruelty of the President’s immigration crackdown.

Watch the video they filmed together on Hickenlooper’s Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Bluesky, and TikTok accounts.

Hickenlooper has been outspoken in the face of ICE’s lawlessness and has voted against funding for ICE. He’s demanded a top-to-bottom overhaul of the agency to stop ICE from terrorizing our communities.

He has consistently pushed for more oversight and transparency for federal immigration enforcement efforts, and has worked to help families desperately searching for loved ones arrested by ICE.

Hickenlooper has spoken on the Senate floor to denounce the horrifying killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, condemn the reports that families in Eagle County found “Death cards” left in the cars of family members taken by ICE agents, and to demand the overhaul of ICE.

He’s shown up at ICE facilities to conduct congressional oversight visits and raise concerns about ICE disregarding due process. He helped launch an investigation into ICE’s unlawful obstruction of congressional oversight and introduced bills to ban ICE from wearing masks, prevent immigration enforcement from targeting schools, hospitals, polling locations, and places of worship, and cut back the excessive funding that MAGA Republicans gave them.

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Hickenlooper, Bennet Welcome Release of $47 Million in Federal Funding for Four Colorado Projects to Address Colorado River Crisis

Follows a year and a half delay for Colorado’s “Bucket 2” water projects

Unfrozen funding comes after Hickenlooper highlighted the pressing need for these projects in a Senate ENR Hearing with Secretary Burgum

Senators continue pushing to release additional $92M in funding for remaining Colorado projects

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet welcomed the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) announcement of $47 million in federal funding for four projects in Colorado to combat the Colorado River crisis. Earlier this month, Hickenlooper urged Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee to release funding for Colorado’s water projects, which provide resilience for the entire Colorado River system.

“This year’s extremely poor snowpack has made the Colorado River crisis even more dire. We don’t have time to stall and hope for a wet summer,” said Hickenlooper. “We’re relieved that this funding from our historic Inflation Reduction Act will continue to flow to help our communities manage the drought impacts on the Upper Basin. We won’t let up until all of the obligated funding is released.”

“Colorado communities, Tribal leaders, water users, and local advocates fought for years to secure these funds and keep critical projects moving forward,” said Bennet. “The funding released will support the Pine River Indian Irrigation Project, drought-resilient infrastructure across the Southwest, and endangered species recovery efforts, which are all essential to Colorado’s future. While this is an important step forward, the Administration must still release the full funding Congress approved, including for Shoshone. I’ll keep pushing to make sure Colorado gets the certainty and resources we were promised.”

The federal funding comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, which included $4 billion to mitigate the impacts of drought, including activities to support environmental benefits and promote ecosystem and habitat restoration.

Last August, the senators and Representatives Jeff Hurd, Jeff Crank, Joe Neguse, Gabe Evans, Brittany Pettersen, Lauren Boebert, Diana DeGette, and Jason Crow called on top officials at the Department of the Interior (DOI) and USBR to release $140 million in previously awarded federal funding for 15 Colorado projects to help fight the Colorado River crisis.

Six of the 17 projects have now been awarded a total of more than $59 million. The Shoshone Permanency Project and 10 other drought projects remain unfunded. The senators are continuing to push USBR to release the additional $92 million.

The four projects will receive $47 million in funding from the USBR’s Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation program, referred to as “Bucket 2E.”

Hickenlooper and Bennet fought for $8 billion for western water infrastructure, $10 billion for forests, $19 billion for agricultural conservation, and $4 billion for drought in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Details on the projects receiving B2E funding are below:

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Hickenlooper Slams Trump’s Rollback of Public Lands Rule

Hickenlooper: “This rollback is a blatant attack against the long-term health of our public lands.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement criticizing the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Public Lands Rule, which made conservation an equal priority with other uses – like mining and grazing – on public lands.

“This rollback is a blatant attack against the long-term health of our public lands. It is a slap in the face of participatory democracy!

“The West is drying up before us, and the Trump administration wants to undo these protections anyway.

“They tried to sell off public lands last year, and now they’re back, stripping protections and betting we won’t push back.

“They’re wrong. Out West, stewardship is a way of life. We’ll fight tooth and nail to protect it.”

Specifically, the Public Lands Rule provides the BLM with modern, science-based tools needed to protect the more than 245 million acres of public lands, including 8.3 million acres in Colorado, that the agency manages. The rule helps BLM restore degraded landscapes, conserve intact habitats, plan for responsible development, and protect cultural and natural resources.

When the Trump administration first announced plans in 2025 to rescind the rule, Hickenlooper and Representative Jared Huffman led 59 of their congressional colleagues to demand the Trump administration protect public lands and end its plans to overturn the rule. Hickenlooper supported the creation of the BLM rule in 2024 and worked with DOI and BLM to make sure stakeholders such as grazers, Tribes, and the renewables industry were included in the conversation as the rule was finalized.

The Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Public Lands Rule follows their consistent efforts to undermine our public lands and national parks. Last summer Democrats defeated congressional Republicans’ last-ditch effort to sell off millions of acres of public lands to pay for their tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy.

In their letter, the lawmakers highlighted the broad public support for the BLM rule when it was originally proposed. Roughly 92% of the more than 150,000 comments submitted were in support and numerous local and state officials, Tribal governments, scientists, businesses, and other stakeholders throughout the West advocated for the rule.

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Hirono, Chu Introduce Bicameral Resolution Recognizing National AANHPI Mental Health Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) introduced a resolution marking May 10, 2026 as National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Mental Health Day. The resolution recognizes the importance of mental health to the well-being of AANHPI families and communities and acknowledges the importance of raising awareness around mental healthcare.

“With suicide rates among Native Hawaiians in Hawaii being close to double the national average and mental health treatment utilization among Asian Americans remaining alarmingly low, it’s clear our AANHPI communities need more mental health support,” said Senator Hirono. “Everyone deserves access to mental health care that is culturally informed and linguistically appropriate, and I’m proud to lead this resolution that calls on us all to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and raise awareness about resources available for AANHPI communities.”

“For far too long, our AANHPI community has suffered in silence while facing some of the lowest rates of mental health service utilization of any racial or ethnic group in the country. Language barriers, cultural stigma, a lack of culturally competent care, and insufficient disaggregated data have all contributed to this crisis and left far too many people without the support they need,” said Representative Chu. “As the only psychologist in Congress, I am proud to once again lead this resolution recognizing May 10th as National AANHPI Mental Health Day to reaffirm our commitment to breaking down barriers to care for AANHPI communities. As the Trump Administration continues to slash staff and funding at the Office of Minority Health (OMH) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), we must recommit ourselves to expanding access to mental health care and supporting the well-being of our communities.”

Between 2018 and 2024, AANHPI youth ages 15 to 24 in the United States were the only racial or ethnic group in this age category whose leading cause of death was suicide. This devastating crisis is made worse by longstanding barriers to mental health care, including the high cost of health care, low mental health literacy, language access challenges, and cultural stigma that too often discourages individuals from seeking help.

The National AANHPI Mental Health Day resolution recognizes the critical importance of mental health to the well-being of AANHPI families and communities and raises awareness to break down the stigma that too often prevents individuals from seeking care. The resolution also encourages health agencies to adopt policies that improve access to and utilization of mental health services for the AANHPI community, as well as other marginalized communities.

In addition to Representative Chu, the companion resolution in the House of Representatives was cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Doris Matsui (D-CA), and Marilyn Strickland (D-WA).

Senator Hirono has long advocated on behalf of AANHPI communities in Hawaii, the U.S., and Pacific Island nations and territories. Earlier this month, Senator Hirono’s resolution recognizing May as AANHPI Heritage month passed the Senate by unanimous consent. Last year, Senator Hirono and Representative Chu introduced the Stop Mental Health Stigma in Our Communities Act, which instructs SAMHSA to establish a national outreach and education mental health and substance misuse strategy for the AANHPI community and study and collect disaggregated data on AANHPI representation in the behavioral health workforce and behavioral health utilization rates among AANHPI youth. Last May, she introduced a bill to promote the teaching of Asian Pacific American history for high school students and teachers who enroll in the U.S. Department of Education’s American History and Civics Academies programs. In 2022, Senator Hirono’s bill to establish a commission to study the creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture was signed into law by President Biden.

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Hirono Presses Secretary Driscoll on Continued Commitment to Good Faith Land Lease Negotiations

~ Watch Senator Hirono’s Question Line Here ~

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), pressed U.S. Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll on the Army’s continued commitment to good faith negotiations regarding land leases in Hawaii that are set to expire. During the full committee hearing, Senator Hirono reiterated the importance of transparency and community engagement as the Army continues its negotiations with the state of Hawaii and pressed Secretary Driscoll on the need for the Army to submit updated Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) to address deficiencies identified by the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) last summer, which led to their rejection.

“We are now at a point where the leases are almost up, and final negotiations need to occur with meaningful community engagement and input, especially from the Native Hawaiian community,” said Senator Hirono. “Secretary Driscoll, you previously committed to negotiating in good faith. Do you still stand by that commitment?”

The U.S. Army’s current leases for training lands on the islands of Hawaii and Oahu are set to expire in 2029. During her question line, Senator Hirono emphasized that while these leases are vital to military training and readiness, this land—such as Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) on Hawaii Island—is culturally significant to the Native Hawaiian community and therefore requires, in addition to good faith, fair negotiations with the state of Hawaii, and transparency and engagement with the community.

In response to Senator Hirono, Secretary Driscoll confirmed his commitment to continuing to negotiate in good faith. Senator Hirono also made clear her opposition to any attempt by the Army to unilaterally condemn the land.

For years, Senator Hirono has pushed for good faith negotiations between the U.S. military and the State of Hawaii regarding land leases, with robust community engagement. In April, she highlighted the importance of continued negotiations to Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, Jr., Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). At his confirmation hearing in January, 2025, Senator Hirono questioned Mr. Driscoll on his approach to the renewal of land leases in Hawaii for miliary training areas. Senator Hirono’s public oversight and advocacy on the importance of this issue goes back to 2021 when she brought attention to the looming land lease expiration to then-Secretary of Defense nominee General Lloyd Austin, emphasizing the importance of “early, often, and open” communication between the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), state authorities, and the Native Hawaiian community.

The full transcript of Senator Hirono’s exchange with Secretary Driscoll is available below. Video of Senator Hirono’s question line can be found here.

Sen Hirono: Secretary Driscoll, I want to ask you about your approach to the negotiations surrounding Hawaii's military plans consisting of 25,000 acres. I understand the importance of these lands for Army readiness. I also understand the importance of this land, of these negotiations to the people of Hawaii and the Native Hawaiian community and that is why I have engaged with leaders about how these negotiations will proceed, expressing the need for a community input for a number of years.

During a confirmation hearing you committed to negotiating in good faith with the state and the community. So, it was concerning that instead of what I would consider open communication and transparency, the Army last year pursued unilateral condemnation language as shown by your attempt to add last-minute language to support condemnation and Congress responded by reinforcing a continuing need for good faith negotiations.

A unilateral decision to condemn state lands would bypass the community, the state government and the Congressional delegation. The relevant condemnation statute requires the army to exhaust all available options before starting condemnation proceedings so I don't see how the Army can meet that requirement when it has not even resubmitted corrected EISs to address the deficiencies noted by the Board of Land and Natural Resources which may lead to their disapproval of the Army-submitted EISs.

It has been a year. I hope this is not the case that the Army is trying to run the clock and leave unilateral condemnation as the only viable course of action. I want to say for the record that I oppose unilateral condemnation. What we need is a negotiated approach to each of these lands. I have taken that position for years and we are at the point where the leases are almost up, and final negotiations need to occur with meaningful community engagement and input especially from the Hawaiian Native community.

Secretary Driscoll, I have a number of questions about your plans going forward.

You previously committed to negotiating in good faith. Do you still stand by that commitment?

Secretary Driscoll: Yes, unequivocally.

Sen. Hirono: The Army EISs were rejected by the Hawaii Land Board last summer because of several deficiencies including the failure to adequately assess the cultural and historical impacts of continued training.

Mr. Secretary, can I get your commitment that the Army will resubmit their EISs to address these deficiencies?

Secretary Driscoll: When you talk to our soldiers and families who spend their lives on the Hawaiian islands, they are grateful to the community. The community has been fantastic to them so we have been wanting to be respectful of the deep relationship that those people have with the land. I commit to following up with your office.

Senator Hirono: I hope that means that you will be resubmitting your EISs because to me, resubmitting EISs is part of even what the condemnation statutes require which is to exhaust all avenues of these negotiations.

Next question, what is the status of your negotiations with Hawaii and can you describe what steps you plan to take in the next 60 days? Time is running out on these leases to advance a negotiated agreement with the state.

Secretary Driscoll: We have aspired over the years before I was given the seat I think we have had a number of meetings and I can speak more to that. We have engaged with the delegation both to represent here in Washington, D.C. But we have also had conversations with state leadership and what we have tried to do is balance out fairness to the local population with this idea and this commitment that the United States Army must maintain this land. We need it for training, for the Indo-Pacific and with the timeline you are referencing coming up very soon.

Senator Hirono: Frankly, negotiations must occur with the State of Hawaii. That means negotiating with the governor basically. Those need to proceed in good faith.

I want to urge you again to resume these good-faith negotiations because that is what is going to take for us to come to a resolution that is going to be fair to all parties and that certainly includes the input of the Native Hawaiian community.

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