Senator Murray Grills Kash Patel on Tenure at FBI

Murray: “We need somebody at this agency who’s focused on solving criminal cases, not passing out branded bourbon, or jetting around the globe. Your job is to be reachable. … If you want to pass out liquor, or pop bottles in a locker room, stick to podcasting.”

ICYMI: Senator Murray on President Trump’s FY27 Budget Request

***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full questioning***

Washington, D.C. — Today—at a Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the FY27 budget requests for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)—U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned FBI Director Kash Patel on steps he’s taken that have undermined the Bureau’s mission and on his fitness for the role.

Appearing at the hearing as witnesses were: Kash Patel, Director of the FBI; Robert Cekada, Director of the ATF; Gadyaces S. Serralta, Director of the U.S. Marshals Service; and Terrance C. Cole, Administrator of the DEA.

[PRESIDENTIAL PARDONS UNDERMINE FBI’S WORK]

Senator Murray began by drawing attention to the FBI successfully going after fraud and how Trump’s recent pardons undermine that important work.

MURRAY: Director Patel, I want to start by recognizing important work by the FBI to crack down on fraud. In one case, the FBI helped bring to justice multiple former business owners who orchestrated a $205 million Medicare fraud scheme on the American people.

And those business owners filed nearly a million false claims for services that they never provided to any patients. Literally stealing from American taxpayers and preying on vulnerable people who are suffering from Alzheimer’s, and dementia, and substance abuse. But thanks to the FBI, those crooks were held accountable.

So, I just wanted to ask you today if you would pass along my gratitude to those FBI agents for their tireless work bringing those criminals to justice?

PATEL: I will, ma’am. The fraud work is often overlooked, and I greatly appreciate that.

MURRAY: And very important, but I do have to say unfortunately, President Trump—the guy who says he’s going after fraud—granted this man, Lawrence Duran, clemency last June. He was set free and let off the hook for the $87 million he owed in restitution. And Trump granted clemency to Duran’s business partner last February–cutting well short her 35-year prison term.

He literally undid the important justice work the FBI served and let fraudsters off the hook, and I find that deeply disturbing.

[TAKING FBI AGENTS OFF THE BEAT]

Senator Murray continued by pressing Director Patel on how his efforts to reassign FBI agents en masse to support Trump’s mass deportation agenda have pulled resources away from critical missions and jeopardized public safety.

MURRAY: I want to take a moment to reiterate the important role of DOJ law enforcement in keeping all of us safe. Those agents and deputy marshals are absolutely critical to making sure public safety and solving crime, but I worry that instead of pursuing these child abusers, or terrorists, or drug traffickers, or other criminals, you have our agents spending time carrying out Stephen Miller’s mass deportation agenda and harassing families and children.

I want to ask you, Director Patel, how many FBI agents have been reassigned to work on immigration enforcement?

PATEL: No one at the FBI has been reassigned to work solely on immigration, ma’am.

MURRAY: Well, I would differ with you because according to the Cato Institute, more than two thousand FBI agents were reassigned to work on immigration enforcement in 2025.

And by the way, it’s not just the FBI. More than 2,000 agents from the DEA, more than 600 from the Marshals Service, and more than 1,000 ATF agents are spending their time on immigration enforcement.

That has, really, pulled critical, highly trained assets off of work to keep our communities safe from drugs, guns, and other threats, and I find that deeply disturbing.

[INVESTIGATING JOURNALISTS]

Senator Murray then addressed grave concerns about Patel’s fitness for the role that have been underscored in recent reports and pressed him on reporting suggesting he is using FBI resources to investigate reporters who’ve covered him.

MURRAY: Now, Director Patel, I want to ask you about a number of extremely troubling stories recently about your leadership and temperament, and what’s happened to the FBI with you at the top.

And in response to all the concerns about your leadership, instead of righting the ship, you’ve taken to polygraphing your employees to scare them and attempt to rat out leakers. There are reports that you are using FBI resources to investigate journalists for reporting what’s going on. That is absolutely not what this committee intended when we funded the Bureau.

So, can you commit to this committee today that no agent-hours have been pulled from other work, like counterterrorism or violent crime investigations, to work on matters related to negative press about you or your personal lawsuit?

PATEL: Senator, I greatly appreciate the question, and I can tell you unequivocally this FBI is targeting and investigating no journalists. This FBI is targeting no journalists. The Obama and Biden administrations targeted dozens of journalists, sent out 1200 interviews—

MURRAY: I didn’t ask you about the Biden administration, I asked if you could commit to this committee that no agent hours have been pulled from other work.

PATEL: We have not done so.

MURRAY: Okay well there are reports that you’re using FBI resources to investigate journalists. You are saying to this committee today that is not true.

PATEL: That’s correct, ma’am.

[PATEL’S FITNESS TO LEAD FBI]

MURRAY: Let me just say, Director Patel. We need a serious budget for the FBI, but we also need serious leadership. And I will say this; there is one clear priority in Trump’s overall budget—and it isn’t law and order. It is war.

Because while Trump is proposing cuts to programs that really do keep people safe, he wants to increase war spending by half a trillion dollars. And I don’t need to tell anyone here: we are not going to bomb our way to safer communities.

So, I intend to help rip that budget up and help write bills that keep families safe.

But beyond that budget, we need serious leadership at the FBI that the American people can trust. And I am deeply concerned about the reports that your leadership has not been serious. We need somebody at this agency who’s focused on solving criminal cases not passing out branded bourbon, or jetting around the globe. Your job is to be reachable.

And I know Senator Van Hollen asked you about this, but I have got to say, if you want to pass out liquor, or pop bottles in a locker room, stick to podcasting. Leave law and order to people who really do care more about justice and appearances, that is really critical. It’s what I am really deeply concerned about and so are many people.

PATEL: Can I respond? This is what real leadership looks like at the FBI. Every one of you was given it. This is what’s happened under my tenure at the FBI and the Trump administration. Twenty-point drop in the homicide rate. 45,000 violent offenders arrested last year, twice as many as 2024. 2,450 criminal gangs disrupted, that’s a 322% increase from 2024. 6,900 child victims have been located since I’ve been in the seat, that’s a 144% increase. 2,900 child predators and human traffickers arrested, that’s a 70% increase and we’ve arrested eight of the top ten want of most wanted fugitives in the world in fourteen months, that’s twice as many in the four years combined. That is what the men and women of the FBI are doing—well-resourced. Everyone should take a look at this, if people want to continue the baseless, fraudulent, false personal attacks at me—that’s great. Keep the target on me as I’ve always said, but the mission has never been better.

MURRAY: I appreciate the work of our FBI agents, but leadership—serious leadership is a concern. And we are seeing the pictures of passing out branded bourbon and what happened at the Olympics, jetting around the globe and all the rest of it—and that, I will say again, Mr. Chairman, is of deep concern to me.

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Sen. Ossoff Introducing Legislation to Cut Taxes for Farmers

Sen. Ossoff’s new “Farm Disaster Tax Cut Act” would give farmers tax relief after natural disasters, revenue losses, or pest outbreaks

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is introducing legislation to cut taxes for Georgia farmers.

Today, Sen. Ossoff introduced the Farm Disaster Tax Cut Act to provide eligible farmers with a tax cut after natural disasters, revenue losses, or pest outbreaks.

The bill would exclude crop insurance indemnity payments, which are made to farmers after they face qualified losses, from farmers’ taxable income after natural disasters, revenue losses, or pest outbreaks.

“Georgia’s farmers are the cornerstone of our state’s economy and many of our communities. After facing soaring costs from Hurricane Helene, recent droughts, and other outbreaks, they are in desperate need of relief,” Sen. Ossoff said.“My new bill will cut taxes for Georgia farmers.”

Key Georgia agricultural leaders are backing Sen. Ossoff’s new bill.

“As a farmer, I am grateful for Senator Ossoff’s understanding of the ongoing farm economic crisis and the complexities of taxation on the farm. Crop insurance indemnities (and disaster relief) are intended to keep producers with enough resources to meet obligations during a crisis. This legislation will help farmers, family businesses, and rural communities afloat until the situation on the farm improves,” said Bart Davis, Colquitt County Cotton Producer.

“We want to thank Senator Ossoff for offering legislation that will exclude crop insurance indemnity payments made due to losses experienced from August 2024 to December 2028. Our growers that have been hit by natural disasters, such as Hurricane Helene, know that these crop insurance payments do not make you whole. Many of the crop insurance products available to specialty crop growers already fall short of what’s needed in a crisis. To pay taxes on these payments diminishes the value of these risk management tools even further. We look forward to working with the Senator and his Team to move this bill forward,” stated Chris Butts, Executive Vice President, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.

Sen. Ossoff continues working to support Georgia agriculture.

In March, Sens. Ossoff and Ashley Moody (R-FL), alongside Rev. Raphael Warnock and Rick Scott (R-FL), introduced the bipartisan Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2026 to improve research and development for advanced agricultural technologies, including mechanization technology.

Also in March, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock announced more than $531 million in Hurricane Helene Federal relief for Georgia’s farmers after Sen. Ossoff successfully fought to pass a bipartisan disaster relief package in December 2024 that included $21 billion in agricultural disaster funding to help Georgia farmers recovering from the disastrous impacts of Hurricane Helene and farmers nationwide impacted by natural disasters.

Earlier this year, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Buying American Cotton Act of 2025 to incentivize retailers to sell products made with U.S. cotton to boost demand for cotton grown in the U.S., becoming the first Senate Democrat to back the bill.

In November, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Securing American Agriculture Act to decrease dependence on China for agricultural imports.

In September, Sen. Ossoff joined lawmakers across the aisle to urge the United States Trade Representative to prioritize American pecan producers in ongoing trade negotiations with India.

In August, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan United States Citrus Protection Act alongside Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) to support and protect Georgia’s citrus growers by banning imports of fresh citrus from China, which can often undercut domestic citrus producers and hurt the rapidly growing citrus industry in Georgia.

Click here to read the Farm Disaster Tax Cut Act.

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Padilla Joins Kelly, Durbin, and Immigration Advocates to Speak on Why Threats to DACA, Dreamers Make Case for Legislative Fix

WASHINGTON D.C. —Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and lead author of the Dream Act, and Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), joined immigration experts and advocates at a press conference and spotlight forum to highlight examples and implications of the growing threats to Dreamers, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) processing delays and detention and deportation concerns.

At the press conference, speakers highlighted examples of DACA recipients being unable to work and live safely in the United States due to the Trump Administration’s unjustified processing delays on their renewal applications, including a San Francisco-based DACA recipient who is at risk of losing her job. Held directly before the DACA spotlight forum, Padilla and his Democratic colleagues uplifted Dreamers’ stories and called attention to the devastating impact of unnecessary processing delays. Padilla emphasized the importance of passing the Dream Act and the urgent need for a permanent legislative fix that creates a pathway to citizenship to support our Dreamers who significantly contribute to our communities and economy.

“We hear cases of both DACA participants, and Dreamers more broadly, being detained and deported. Many DACA recipients just simply waiting for what used to be, and should be, a routine renewal of their status,” said Senator Padilla. “We’ve heard reports of the Justice Department’s handpicked panel of judges saying that DACA protections, ‘don’t actually protect dreamers from deportation.’ Why the change? This is the entire point of the DACA program – to recognize that young people who are contributing to our country and have no criminal record, who were brough here as children, should not be deported. They deserve protections.”

“Since the beginning of this year, my office alone has seen an increase in requests for help from hundreds of people dealing with delays in getting their renewals and bureaucratic chaos. Let me tell you about one woman named Ariel – a nurse in San Francisco who has lived in the United States since she was just two years old,” continued Padilla. “Ariel filed her renewal paperwork at the beginning of the year, 135 days before her expiration date. She followed every rule. She did everything she was supposed to do just like she always does, every two years like clockwork. But Ariel’s DACA status expired in April, and to this day her renewal status still hasn’t been processed. That’s not her fault! Yet she’s about to lose her job caring for sick people and the promotion she was working towards, because of the failures and cruelty of the Trump Administration. And here’s the thing that they don’t seem to understand in the gilded Oval Office: it’s not just Dreamers who are hurting because of these actions. It’s all of us.”

Following the press conference, Padilla and his Democratic colleagues participated in a spotlight forum on protecting Dreamers, hosted by Senator Durbin, to further highlight the contributions of DACA recipients and Dreamers in our communities, the threats that the Trump Administration has inflicted on DACA recipients, and the importance of a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.

Padilla discussed the impacts of wrongful detention and deportation exercised by the Trump Administration, highlighting testimony from Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez, a DACA recipient who was wrongfully detained at her green card interview and quickly deported, and who Padilla met with earlier this year. As countless stories of wrongful detention and deportation of DACA recipients under this Administration increase, Padilla emphasized the need for permanent protections and immigration reform.

“DACA is so much more than a work permit. It’s a promise. A promise to young people […] who proudly contribute so much to their families, their communities, and their countries,” said Senator Padilla. “A promise that if you come out of the shadows and you work hard and follow the rules, you will be protected. Because this is your home and you belong here. But tragically we’ve seen, in recent months, this administration doing everything they can to break that promise.”

Padilla further discussed the administration’s wrongful targeting of DACA recipients in its mass deportation campaign. In 2025, 261 DACA recipients were detained and at least 86 deported, despite having active DACA protections. DACA renewal processing times have skyrocketed; Padilla highlighted the growing number of Californians who have reached out to his office for assistance. Padilla emphasized the need for DACA and Dreamer protections from detention and deportation and criticized President Trump’s cruel attempt to cease DACA application processing.

Padilla has long championed permanent protections for Dreamers and DACA recipients and has been a leading voice in Congress for providing long-term undocumented immigrants with pathways to citizenship. In 2025, Padilla joined U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Durbin in introducing the Dream Act of 2025 to provide permanent protections for Dreamers and DACA recipients. The legislation would allow noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children and meet certain education, military service, or work requirements to earn lawful permanent residence and a pathway to citizenship. Padilla and his Democratic colleagues have joined immigration experts and advocates to renew their urgent call for the passage of the Dream Act to provide a permanent pathway to citizenship.

Earlier this year, Padilla and his Democratic colleagues demanded that former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow reduce the severe delays in processing DACA renewal applications. In February, Padilla, Durbin, and Senator Kelly blasted DHS for wrongfully targeting and removing DACA recipients in a joint statement. Padilla has called attention to the increased risk of detention and deportation faced by DACA recipients when their renewal applications are not processed before their status expires. He emphasized that these long-term residents — who were brought to the country as children — have been working, studying, and living legally in the United States since 2012 and are vital members of American communities.

Padilla’s remarks at the press conference are available here.

Padilla’s remarks at the spotlight forum are available here.

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ON THE JOB FOR MICHIGAN: Former U.S. Congresswoman Candice Miller Discusses Peters’ Work to Establish Northern Border Mission Center at Selfridge Air National Guard Base

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, MI – In a new “On the Job” video from U.S. Senator Gary Peters’ (MI) office, Macomb County Public Works Commissioner and former U.S. Congresswoman Candice Miller highlights how Peters has helped bolster Selfridge Air National Guard Base’s role in protecting U.S. national and homeland security by establishing the Northern Border Mission Center collocated at the base. The Center, which DHS is already working to set up, will support wide-ranging efforts to strengthen border security. The video with Miller is a part of the On the Job for Michigan series, which highlights Peters’ leadership and advocacy on behalf of constituents and communities across Michigan.

“When I was in the Congress, I was trying to do something with Selfridge in regards to northern border security,” said Miller. “When you think about the Ambassador Bridge, the Windsor Tunnel, Blue Water Bridge, and then you have this beautiful base, Selfridge, our National Guard base, that is like custom ready, I think, to be able to provide some northern border security.”

“But Senator Peters and I did talk about this, and I'll tell you, he delivered,” Miller continued. “Nothing is more important than protecting America. Selfridge is perfectly positioned, I think, as we go out into the future to be a critical component of our National Defense, and we thank Senator Peters for his involvement in that.”

Watch Miller’s “On the Job” video here.

“The Northern Border Mission Center at Selfridge Air National Guard Base is a critical asset in safeguarding our nation’s security,” said Senator Peters, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “The Center will serve as an invaluable resource to strengthen security at our Northern Border by addressing threats like illicit drug trafficking and the rise of illegal drone use. I am proud of the important work underway at Selfridge, and I look forward to the Center’s continued advancements in research and technological innovation that will strengthen our national security for generations to come.”

The Northern Border Mission Center will serve as a training location for DHS personnel and act as a testing ground for border security technology. The Center will coordinate with state, local, and Tribal governments, and other key stakeholders, to ensure DHS can fulfill its border security mission and address evolving threats at the Northern Border.

Peters authored and passed into law the Northern Border Coordination Act in 2024 to expand operations and responsibilities of the Northern Border Mission Center. Peters also secured $3 million to support the Center’s operations.

The Northern Border Mission Center builds on Peters’ consistent efforts to position Selfridge for long-term success. Prior to the Air Force’s announcement in April 2025 that it will base a new F-15EX fighter jets at Selfridge, Peters sent a letter urging the Air Force to base a new fighter mission at Selfridge. Last year, Peters also introduced bipartisan legislation seeking to preserve the U.S. Air Force’s fighter force structure and support the recapitalization of Air National Guard fighter missions, including at Selfridge. In January 2024, he announced that the U.S. Air Force selected Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County to host a new squadron of twelve KC-46A refueling tankers. The decision came after Peters led a bipartisan, bicameral group of Michigan delegation members in urging U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to select Selfridge for a new squadron of these next-generation tankers, which will be deployed by the U.S. Air Force for the next 50 years.

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Reed Calls for Better Scrutiny of Private Credit & Warns Trump is Weakening Retirement Security for America’s Workers

WASHINGTON, DC -- As warning signs flash about increased risk in the murky private markets, the Trump Administration is throwing billionaire private fund managers a lifeline at the expense of average working Americans and their retirement security.

Unlike stocks and bonds, private credit is not publicly traded and not subject to the same transparency or the same scrutiny from regulators, making it more difficult for retail investors to assess risks and returns. Just as big, sophisticated investors are starting to pull out of private credit because of concern about growing risk, President Trump is swooping in to allow private fund managers to sell these products to “mom-and-pop” investors. The Trump Administration is proposing to undercut long-standing rules that have shielded retail investors and retirement savers from higher risk, less liquid, and higher-fee investments that lack transparency and are difficult to value.

As the Trump Administration moves toward opening the retirement savings and 401(k)s of millions of small investors to riskier assets, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says the Trump Administration’s moves could threaten the retirement security of millions of American workers and spill economic damage into the broader economy. Reed is once again urging the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of the Labor (DOL) to pause their deregulation efforts and take proactive steps to protect the savings and retirement accounts of working Americans.

Reed says private credit needs more transparency before it is offered to Main Street investors in their most important investment accounts—their 401(k)s. He says regulators should improve current regulation, which is supposed to help investors understand the risks of their investments and make the broader U.S. financial system stronger and more resilient. He also points out that President Donald Trump’s erratic economic policies – including tariffs, attacks on the Federal Reserve’s independence, and war with Iran is increasing fluctuations in the bond and equity markets and could tip the U.S. economy into a crisis.

Senator Reed sent a letter to the head of the SEC and a letter to the Acting Secretary of Labor urging them to pause efforts to place alternative assets, including private market investments, into Americans’ 401(k) and other defined-contribution retirement plans. Reed, a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee is asking the SEC to “conduct a review of valuation and sales practices for retail private credit vehicles.” Senator Reed also writes: “it would be irresponsible at this time to fling open the doors to these new financial instruments and expose Americans’ defined-contribution pensions to the unknown risk of private credit funds and underlying illiquid assets.”

Senator Reed’s letter to the SEC notes the concerning development that: “Questions about credit quality have led retail investors to request $21 billion from vehicles holding private credit during the first quarter of this year, and most funds have exercised their discretion under the SEC’s rules to temporarily suspend a portion of these redemptions.”

Reed’s letters were sent on the heels of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) -- which is made up of central bankers, regulators and finance ministers from the G20 countries -- issuing a “Vulnerabilities in Private Credit” report that identifies potential trends and risks related to private credit and interlinkages with banks. The report found that the healthcare, services, and tech sectors – including AI companies, which have increasingly turned to private lenders to fund data centers and other infrastructure -- have become the biggest borrowers of private credit while also highlighting a lack of transparency that causes challenges in collecting and analyzing data for effective oversight of the sector itself.

Using 2024 data, the FSB estimated the private credit market at $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion. However, the Alternative Investment Management Association estimates that the global private credit market has reached $3.5 trillion in assets under management.

Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr, who serves on the FSB, flagged one particular private credit issue for urgent attention: payment-in-kind (PIK) arrangements or structures in which borrowers satisfy interest obligations by taking on additional debt rather than paying cash. “Basically, that just means you default on your loan, and it’s not counted as a default,” Barr told Bloomberg News. “You can’t look at the book and know which loans are really actually under stress.”

Reed requested that the SEC take several concrete steps, including:

• Examine sales practices used to place private credit with retail investors, focusing on communications regarding redemption limitations, asset diversification, fees and expenses, valuation practices, and the basic risk-reward profile of these funds.

• Review prospectuses for retail private credit funds, focusing on whether redemption limitations and valuation practices were fully and fairly disclosed.

• Reimpose the limitation, which the SEC rescinded in May 2025, on retail closed-end funds investing no more than 15% of their assets in private funds. Do not drop similar limitations that remain in place for open-end funds.

• Bolster systemic risk reporting by private credit funds through Form PF, so the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) can assess systemic risk.

Full text of Senator Reed’s letters follow:

Dear Acting Secretary Sonderling:

I write to urge you to pause efforts to place alternative assets, including private market investments, into Americans’ 401(k) and other defined-contribution retirement plans.

We have begun to see cracks emerging in the credit markets, centered in the less transparent private credit market. Many private credit loans have been packaged into investment vehicles that have been marketed and sold to retail investors as offering the best of all worlds: high returns on investment grade assets and varying levels of liquidity on illiquid underlying assets. Recent questions about credit quality and economic uncertainty have accelerated requests by retail investors to get their money out of these vehicles, but managers have imposed gates on one-third of these requests totaling around $4.6 billion. At the same time, we have seen a record number of workers making early withdrawals from their 401(k) plans in order to deal with higher expenses in the current economy.

Given these developments, it would be irresponsible at this time to fling open the doors to these new financial instruments and expose Americans’ defined-contribution pensions to the unknown risk of private credit funds and underlying illiquid assets. I have asked SEC Chair Atkins to conduct an examination of valuation and sales practices for retail private credit vehicles and for Treasury Secretary Bessent to conduct a forward-looking analysis of systemic risk. It would be premature to open Americans’ retirement accounts to these investments until these reviews are completed.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Dear Chairman Atkins:

I write to urge you to pause efforts to place alternative assets, including private market investments, into Americans’ 401(k) and other defined-contribution retirement plans and to conduct a review of valuation and sales practices for retail private credit vehicles.

We have begun to see cracks emerging in the private credit market. Questions about credit quality have led retail investors to request $21 billion from vehicles holding private credit during the first quarter of this year and most funds have exercised their discretion under the SEC’s rules to temporarily suspend a portion of these redemptions. Given these developments, I request that the SEC take the following steps:

1. Examine sales practices used to place private credit with retail investors, focusing on communications regarding redemption limitations, asset diversification, fees and expenses, valuation practices, and the basic risk-reward profile of these funds. This examination should also cover how brokers and advisers determined that these investments were in the best interests of their clients and the financial incentives(including servicing fees, placement fees, and commissions) to distribute these products.

2. Review prospectuses for retail private credit funds, focusing on whether redemption limitations and valuation practices were fully and fairly disclosed.

3. Reimpose the limitation, which you rescinded in May 2025, on retail closed-end funds investing no more than 15% of their assets in private funds. Do not drop similar limitations that remain in place for open-end funds.

4. Bolster systemic risk reporting by private credit funds through Form PF, so the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) can assess systemic risk.

5.Pause efforts to make alternative assets available in defined-contribution retirement accounts, which you are actively pursuing, pending a systemic risk review that I have asked Treasury Secretary and FSOC Chair Bessent to conduct.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,


Reed Urges Trump to Stop Insulting Americans Over Rising Inflation

WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, after a new Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report shows the annualized Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate for April 2026 was 3.8 percent, its highest level in three years, and President Trump told reporters “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation” while also calling a White House reporter a “stupid person” because she accurately pointed out that he promised to bring inflation down, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:

“President Trump should stop insulting people and start working with Congress to implement smarter policies that would actually lower prices instead of raising them.

“The facts are clear and overwhelming: President Trump’s reckless policies continue to increase prices and drive up costs at an alarming rate.

“Even after he’s been rebuffed by the courts, his tariffs are still costing working families thousands of dollars. His disastrous war in Iran, which he claims he already won, continues to drive up prices for gas, food, clothing, and more. And his dangerous attacks on Fed independence threaten permanent and profound economic damage.

“Today’s inflation data confirms what everyone knows: President Trump is making life more expensive for American families. Trump’s tariffs have added about $20,000 to the price of home construction and consumer confidence dropped to its lowest level since 2014. The president’s tariffs have driven average new car prices above $50,000 for the first time ever, while household credit card balances hit record levels. Families are getting squeezed, but the Trump Administration continues to force Americans to pay more while getting less. And he has alienated close U.S. allies and trade partners who now see the U.S. as unreliable.

“The Trump-Republican response to all of this isn’t to try to improve the economy, but to redraw Congressional maps in so-called red states so that voters have less of a say. The American people are smart. Donald Trump and his Republican enablers don’t want change, but it is very clear the American people do.”


Sen. Rick Scott Sends Letter to Sec. Rubio Regarding Concerns Ahead of Colombia’s Upcoming Presidential Elections

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking for a report of State Department actions to support electoral integrity in Colombia ahead of the country’s upcoming election amid growing concerns over political violence, intimidation, deteriorating security conditions, and the expanding influence of illegal armed groups in that country.

In the letter, Senator Scott specifically requested information on election integrity efforts, international observation support, diplomatic engagement and contingency planning should violence escalate closer to election day. He also emphasized the importance of sustained and visible leadership by the United States given the stakes for Colombia and the broader region.

As a longtime advocate for Florida’s Colombian-American community, Senator Scott has remained consistent in supporting Colombia and strengthening the U.S. relationship with one of America’s strongest historic allies in Latin America.

Read the full letter HERE or below.

Dear Secretary Rubio:

I write regarding Colombia’s upcoming presidential election. Historically, as one of the United States’ closest democratic and security partners in the hemisphere, Colombia’s ability to conduct a free, fair, and transparent election is of vital importance to our shared interests in regional stability, rule of law, and democratic governance.

The International Republican Institute’s (IRI) pre-election assessment highlights a deeply concerning electoral environment. The report notes that Colombia has entered this electoral cycle amid heightened insecurity, weakened state security capacity, and increasing political polarization. It further underscores the expanding territorial influence of illegal armed groups, which continues to restrict candidates’ freedom of movement and voters’ ability to participate safely in certain regions.

Independent reporting further indicates that the election is unfolding amid serious violence and instability, including rising attacks and expanding territorial control by armed groups, assassinations of political figures, and the disruption of campaigning in some regions. These developments reinforce concerns about whether all Colombians will be able to participate fully and freely in the democratic process.

Equally troubling is the documented rise in political violence and intimidation. Reports of targeted killings, threats against candidates and community leaders, and broader risks to human rights defenders suggest a climate that could suppress participation and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

In light of these findings, I would appreciate greater detail on the specific actions the Department of State is taking to support electoral integrity in Colombia.

What technical or logistical assistance is being provided to Colombian electoral authorities to strengthen transparency and security?

How is the United States supporting credible international and domestic election observation efforts to enhance public trust and accountability?

Given the deteriorating security conditions described in the IRI report, what additional diplomatic engagement, security cooperation, or contingency planning is the United States prepared to support should violence escalate in the final weeks of the campaign?

How is the Department coordinating with international partners, including multilateral organizations and allied governments, to ensure a unified and proactive approach to safeguarding Colombia’s democratic process?

Given the stakes for both Colombia and the broader region, sustained and visible U.S. leadership will be essential. I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.

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PSI Chairman Johnson to Secretary Kennedy: HHS Must Speed Up Production of Relevant Records on COVID-19 Vaccines

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“PSI” or “the Subcommittee”), sent Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), a letter calling for the immediate production of records relating to pediatric deaths following COVID-19 vaccination.

In response to Chairman Johnson’s December 15, 2025 letter about an internal Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) document acknowledging that the COVID-19 vaccines led to the death of at least 10 children, HHS produced another internal memorandum containing more information about pediatric deaths.

This December 5, 2025 FDA memorandum described 96 pediatric deaths following COVID-19 vaccination, some of which were labeled as “possibly” or “probably” related to the vaccine.

Given that HHS produced this document four months after Chairman Johnson’s initial request, he called on Secretary Kennedy to immediately provide the Subcommittee with the remaining responsive records.

“We must speed up the discovery process. As a result, I am requesting, at your earliest convenience, a meeting with you and the officials within HHS that can discuss how to make that happen,” Chairman Johnson wrote.

“The public deserves complete transparency about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines. HHS must ensure that there is no delay in achieving that objective,” Chairman Johnson concluded.

This recent letter to HHS follows a series of revelations uncovered by Chairman Johnson’s Subcommittee relating to the Biden administration’s failure to warn the public about the safety risks associated with the COVID-19 vaccines, including myocarditis and ischemic stroke. Nearly two weeks ago, Chairman Johnson held a hearing and issued an interim Majority staff report showing that Biden health officials knew their COVID-19 vaccine safety analytic system was insufficient and they refused to implement a superior, updated system that could better detect safety signals for vaccine adverse events.

In addition to uncovering the Biden administration’s efforts to downplay and ignore serious COVID-19 vaccine adverse events, to date, Chairman Johnson has released over 5,000 pages of HHS records supporting the Subcommittee’s findings.

Read more about the chairman’s letter in Catherine Herridge’s reporting here.

Full text of the letter to HHS can be found here.

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NEW REPORT: How One Billion Dollars Can Fund Law Enforcement in U.S. Instead of Trump’s Ballroom

WASHINGTON, DC – During National Police Week, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following report outlining how the $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to pay for Donald Trump’s ballroom project could instead be used to fund several federal programs that would support hiring and training for law enforcement agencies across the country, and benefits programs for officers and their families.

“Washington Republicans always seem to struggle to fund critical programs that help hardworking families, but are more than willing to use Americans’ tax dollars for Donald Trump’s vanity projects. Instead of using a billion dollars in taxpayer money for a White House Ballroom, we could be using this funding to increase funding for our law enforcement to fight crime, hire more officers, and support loved ones of officers who are killed,” said Senator Rosen. “During National Police Week, I call on my Republican colleagues to redirect this funding towards supporting our law enforcement and investing in public safety instead of Trump’s Ballroom.”

Below are estimates of what this funding could do for these crucial police programs instead of a ballroom:

COPS Hiring Program:

$1 billion could fund nearly 4 years of full funding for the COPS Hiring Program.

In Fiscal Year 2026, over $250 million was appropriated for this program, which is designed to provide funding directly to local law enforcement agencies to hire and/or retain officers and support community policing efforts.

Public Safety Officer Benefits Program:

$1 billion could fully fund four years of the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program.

In Fiscal Year 2026, $236 million was appropriated for this program, which provides death and education benefits to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders, and disability benefits to officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty.

Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program:

$1 billion could fund a full year of the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants.

This program is the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, and provides funding to support personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice or civil proceedings, for a multitude of programs, including:

Law enforcement,

Prevention and Education

Corrections

Drug treatment

Witness protection

Mental health and behavioral programs

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Rosen, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Reverse Decision to Block Funding for Fentanyl Detection Strips

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in sending a letter calling on Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse new guidance that blocks funding for drug use prevention and harm reduction technology. The new guidance ends the ability of federal grant recipients under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) to use federal funding for test strips that detect fentanyl and other illicit drugs, and help reduce overdoses and drug-related deaths.

The efficacy of fentanyl strips have made them critical for many state and county health authorities and law enforcement entities nationwide for counter-fentanyl strategies. In addition to fentanyl test strips, the Trump Administration also ended funding for test strips that detect xylazine and medetomidine, both powerful veterinary sedatives, which are increasingly found in illicit fentanyl and contributing to overdose deaths.

“Your actions will directly undermine the work of law enforcement and put lives at risk,” the senators wrote. “Doing away with this mainstay of overdose prevention runs directly counter to this administration’s own promises to crack down on the addiction epidemic in the United States. We demand that you reinstate this funding before American lives are lost as a direct result.”

The senators further noted that less than five months ago, Donald Trump signed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act into law with strong bipartisan support in the House and Senate, which expressly provides that federal grant funding be used for harm-reduction tools like test strips.

The full letter can be found HERE.

Senator Rosen has been on the frontlines in the fight against fentanyl and other illicit drugs. She successfully pushed to reverse the Trump Administration’s decision to withhold $140 million that had been appropriated to combat the fentanyl crisis. The Senator has also secured millions in federal funding for health centers in Nevada that provide substance abuse treatment, recently securing funding for a health care center in Fallon. Last Congress, Senator Rosen helped introduce a bill to prevent fentanyl trafficking through U.S. transportation networks through non-intrusive detection technology. That same year, the Rosen-backed FEND Off Fentanyl Act was signed into law, requiring the President to sanction drug rings involved in international drug trafficking and cracking down on fentanyl-related money laundering. Earlier in 2024, her END Fentanyl Act became law, requiring the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to update its drug interdiction guidance at least once every three years to ensure it is up to date. Previously, many CBP policies that outlined drug interdiction practices were outdated and did not provide guidance on how to handle drugs like fentanyl.

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Schatz Presses Hegseth On Administration’s Iran War Planning Amid Scramble To Relocate Weapons Systems, Evacuate Personnel After War Started

WASHINGTON – During a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) pressed U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the Trump administration’s preparedness for the Iran war given the scramble to move weapons systems from the Indo-Pacific and evacuate American personnel in the region after the war started. President Trump previously said the administration was “shocked” by Iran’s response.

Senator Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, asked Secretary Hegseth, “There are data points that seem to indicate that we did not see all of this coming. Parts of the THAAD and Patriot systems in South Korea were moved to the Middle East – this is after the [start of the] war. There was a rush to evacuate United States personnel. And Iran struck more than 200 structures and equipment at 16 U.S. sites. So Secretary, can you just reassure us that this was all foreseen and part of the plan? Or can you tell us whether there were any surprises here?”

Secretary Hegseth responded, “I can reassure you that it was all accounted for.”

“I’m wondering why the president of the United States – our commander-in-chief – said that he was shocked that Iran would retaliate by striking other countries in the region. This was not just foreseeable, it was foreseen,” said Senator Schatz. “I’m just trying to figure out – for those of us on the left and the right – who are wary of regime change war, who are wary of happy talk, who have learned through terrible experience the cost of this kind of adventurism – why is this any different?”

Video of Senator Schatz’s exchange with Secretary Hegseth is available here.

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Shaheen Presses Hegseth, Senior Pentagon Officials on Ukraine Funding and Relaxing Sanctions on Russia Amid War in Iran

**Shaheen questioned why the U.S. is not ramping up pressure on Russia as they aid Iran and financially benefit from the conflict**

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a top member of the Armed Services and Appropriations Committees, today questioned U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and Department of Defense Comptroller Jules Hurst in a Senate hearing examining the Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. Shaheen again pressed the senior Pentagon officials for clear details regarding how the DoD plans to spend $400 million in Congressionally appropriated funds that were specifically allocated for Ukraine. Hurst told Shaheen they expect to see the final spend plan this week and intend to share with Congress once available.

Amid reports that Iran is receiving intelligence support from Russia to target U.S. service members, Shaheen also questioned Hegseth why the U.S. is loosening sanctions on Russia—underscoring how Russia continues to financially benefit from the conflict. Click HERE to watch Senator Shaheen’s remarks and questions.

Key quotes from Senator Shaheen:

Pressing for details on Ukraine funding, Shaheen asked: “Since your testimony two weeks ago, Secretary Hegseth, before the Armed Services Committee, the Department has sent over your legal review for use of security assistance money for Ukraine. However, as was determined earlier in the testimony, funding still has not gone out the door. And I didn’t hear you give a date when this Committee or the Armed Services Committee can expect to hear or receive a spend plan for those dollars. General Caine, the day of the testimony, got back to us, as he said he would, and explained he had coordinated on the spend plan on April 13th—so that's been almost a month, and we still haven’t gotten anything. So, when are we going to see the spend plan for Ukraine?”

Questioning why the U.S. isn’t doing more to pressure Russia, Shaheen asked: “Secretary Hegseth, a number of members of Congress have expressed our concern that Iran is receiving intelligence support from Russia to target our service members even as we loosen sanctions on the Kremlin. Russia is making $4 billion from oil sanctions relief because we’ve loosened those sanctions, as has been testified to, an Iranian Shahed drone costs about $35,000. That’s enough money for hundreds of thousands of drones supporting Russia's war in Ukraine and billions for Iran to reconstitute its industrial base. So, if one of the goals that’s been outlined by the President as part of this war is to destroy Iran's defense industrial base, don't you think we ought to be putting more pressure on Russia and putting those sanctions back on those Russian oil ships so that they are not continuing to fund Iran in this war?”

Noting the shifting rhetoric and objectives coming from the White House, Shaheen concluded: “If Iran still has almost 50% of their missile capacity and the ability to pull drones out of caves and still injure our allies and U.S. service members, then we have not won the war.”

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ICYMI: Alaska Press Highlights Marine Corps’ Expanded Presence in the Last Frontier

Senator Sullivan announced the U.S. Marine Corps Expansion Friday, including Marine Rotational Force-Alaska and a persistent 6th ANGLICO Reserve presence at JBER

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support and a retired colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, recently announced the United States Marine Corps’ “Campaign–Alaska,” a new strategic initiative to expand the Corps’ operational capabilities in the Arctic. Sen. Sullivan has long advocated for a stronger Marine Corps presence in Alaska, arguing that the state’s geography, training ranges, airspace, military infrastructure, and proximity to the Arctic and Indo-Pacific make it uniquely suited for Marine Corps operations.

As reported by Alaska’s News Source and the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, the announcement was made at the University of Alaska Fairbanks alongside Lt. Gen. Roberta L. Shea, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command and U.S. Marine Corps Forces North. The initiative includes two major components: Marine Rotational Force–Alaska, which will bring Marines to Alaska for Arctic training and operational readiness, and a persistent Marine Reserve presence at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson through a Supporting Arms Liaison Team from 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, or 6th ANGLICO.

Click here or the image above to watch the video.

As reported by Alaska’s News Source, Lt. Gen. Shea said Marine Rotational Force–Alaska will take advantage of Alaska’s unmatched training environment, ranges, command and control structure, and joint partners to strengthen homeland defense, Arctic readiness, deterrence, and interoperability with allies. The persistent 6th ANGLICO detachment at JBER will bring what Shea called “a vital Marine Corps capability” to Alaska through some of the Corps’ top Joint Terminal Attack Controllers.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner also highlighted that this is part of a broader buildup of the military in Alaska:

“Sullivan noted that the Marine Corps’ announcement signifies the latest ‘in a historic military buildup in our state.’ He cited other examples, such as a multi-million fighter jet simulation training center and $7 billion recapitalization effort at JBER, multimillion-dollar investments at Eielson and Fort Wainwright, the buildup of the 11th Airborne Division and improvements in missile defense systems at Fort Greely and Clear Space Force Station.”

Background

The Campaign–Alaska announcement comes amid a broader military comeback in Alaska, including major investments in Arctic defense, fifth-generation fighter infrastructure, missile defense, Coast Guard expansion, and renewed recognition of Alaska’s strategic role in U.S. national security.

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Thune: Senate Republicans Work to Secure America

Clickhereto watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership:

Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):

“Well, good afternoon, everyone.

“Most of us – or at least all of us here – and I think a lot of people this week are celebrating National Police Week.

“It’s the week when we honor those who serve us in law enforcement.

“And I think it’s safe to say that we need law enforcement officers in this country.

“We need them to apprehend violent criminals.

“We need them to keep our border safe.

“To ensure that our immigration laws are being enforced.

“To protect these buildings.

“We need law enforcement officers.

“Tragically, this calendar year already, there have been 38 law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

“And so this is a week when we honor them and we express our gratitude and appreciation to them, and to their families, for all that law enforcement does in this country to keep our country and our communities safe.

“The Democrats, on the other hand, as has been very clear for some time, seem to be very comfortable with allowing this defund law enforcement, defund police movement with which they have been associated for some time now to continue.

“And have blocked funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

“For ICE.

“For Customs and Border Patrol.

“The folks who keep our border safe and secure.

“And have been blocking it, now, for several months.

“And as a consequence, we will have to move forward – and we will next week – with the Secure America Act, which is a bill that will fund those critical law enforcement agencies and ensure that they’re funded not only today, but into the future through the duration of President Trump’s term.

“So, like I said, I think it’s shameful that we are even having to have a conversation like this, but we have a Democrat Party that has embraced the ideas of open borders and defunding the police.

“And as a consequence of that, we’re having to deal in a way that allows us to do this with Republican votes.

“Because Republicans have law enforcement’s back – and we will do everything that we can to ensure that they have all they need to keep our country, our border, and our communities safe.”


Thune Welcomes President of South Dakota Corn to Provide Insights on Fertilizer Market at Senate Agriculture Committee Hearing

Clickhere to watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today welcomed Trent Kubik, a farmer from Hamill, South Dakota, and president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, to testify on the fertilizer market before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry at a hearing entitled “Perspectives on the Fertilizer Industry: Ensuring a Stable and Affordable Supply for American Producers.” Thune, a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee who introduced legislation in March to provide producers with greater transparency on fertilizer pricing, asked the witnesses questions about the industry and effective ways to reduce input costs for producers.

On supporting South Dakota’s producers:

“It’s my pleasure … to introduce to the committee Trent Kubik. And he is not only the current president of the South Dakota Corn Growers, but also a farmer and a rancher … I’m very pleased to have him here today and look forward to hearing a South Dakota perspective on this issue.”

[…]

“These high input costs, adverse weather conditions, low commodity prices all impact our ag economy, and it’s important that Congress continue its work toward long-term solutions that support the entire ag industry. And I am very proud of what we did last summer in the Working Families Tax Cuts to increase reference prices for [Agriculture Risk Coverage] and [Price Loss Coverage], improve crop insurance protection, and update disaster programs.

“But I will say there remains more to be done, and all of the members of this committee know that rising input costs have been eating into producers’ bottom lines over the last several years, particularly, I would add, the price of fertilizer. This steep increase would shrink or altogether eliminate any grower’s profit margins, even during times of strong commodity prices, so it needs to be addressed.”

On the availability of nitrogen in South Dakota:

“[I]t predates current events, but nevertheless … this is something that’s going back a long ways. And there are some structural things … here that need to be addressed, which is why we have some of these transparency bills.”

On market access in the fertilizer industry:

“As we know, there are a small number of manufacturers who have the lion’s share of domestic fertilizer production … In the United States, what percentage of sales for potash, nitrogen, and phosphorus, respectively, to U.S. retailers come from manufacturers other than the largest companies?”


Thune: Working Families Tax Cuts Delivers Major Tax Relief for South Dakota Small Businesses

Clickhereto watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):

“Mr. President, last week was Small Business Week.

“And I was glad to be able to host a business roundtable last Monday in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and hear directly from small business owners in my state.

“I was also able to visit the Business and Health Innovation Center on the campus of Northern State University, which houses the Northern Innovation and Startup Center that provides support for aspiring entrepreneurs in northeastern South Dakota.

“Mr. President, Small Business Week is an important celebration, but the impact that small businesses have is felt literally every day of the year.

“Nearly half of Americans in the private sector work for a small business.

“Small businesses are responsible for a majority of the new jobs in this country.

“And a lot of Americans’ first jobs were at a small business – mine included.

“Mr. President, there’s nothing small about the impact that small businesses have in our country.

“And Republicans know that any path to economic strength runs through small businesses.

“And that’s why they were a key focus of the tax relief we delivered in the Working Families Tax Cuts last year.

“This landmark bill locked in the lower small business tax rates that Republicans enacted in 2017, giving them certainty to plan for the future.

“It also made the 199A small business deduction permanent.

“Mr. President, I’ve heard positive feedback on 199A across industries in my state.

“In South Dakota, an agricultural cooperative estimates the impact of this one policy at over $100 million since 2017 – and that money has been able to be passed on to the farmers that are members of that co-op.

“And I’m sure that those farmers – like so many small businesses across the country – are relieved that 199A is here to stay.

“Mr. President, 199A is just one of the policies in the Working Families Tax Cuts that helps free up money so small businesses can invest in their operations and in their employees.

“Another is 100 percent bonus depreciation, which is also now a permanent feature of the tax code.

“Bonus depreciation allows business owners to deduct the full cost of a new piece of equipment the year they start using it, rather than spreading that deduction out piecemeal over several years.

“Say you’re a farmer and you need to replace your combine.

“Or a manufacturer who needs to upgrade your machinery.

“Or a plumber who needs a new truck.

“Those are all big expenses – especially for a small – maybe even, in some cases, one-person – operation.

“So bonus depreciation helps small businesses take on that big expense by allowing them to deduct the entire thing in that one year.

“And the impact can be significant.

“In fact, a car dealership in my state was able to build an addition and hire 10 more people because of bonus depreciation.

“Mr. President, a lot of our small businesses and farms and ranches in South Dakota are family-run operations.

“Many of them have been in the family for generations, and the plan is to keep them – keep them – in the family for generations to come.

“Unfortunately, the death tax has too often threatened these plans.

“When one generation passes the business on to the next, the death tax can take a big bite out of it.

“It can be devastating, forcing families to sell all or part of their family business, farm, or ranch just to satisfy a big tax bill.

“Not to mention the costly estate planning expenses that many families incur to keep their business from being ruined by a death tax bill.

“Mr. President, I’m very proud that the Working Families Tax Cuts protects a lot more family businesses from this unfair tax.

“In this bill, Republicans permanently raised the exemption threshold on the death tax, and a lot of small business owners, farmers, and ranchers breathed a sigh of relief that they don’t have to worry about losing their livelihood when they lose a loved one.

“Mr. President, last week was Small Business Week; it was also Travel and Tourism Week.

“In South Dakota, tourism is one of our leading industries.

“Last year, 15 million people visited the Mount Rushmore State.

“They came to see that iconic monument.

“To see the South Dakota Badlands.

“And the bison herds at Custer State Park.

“Some came for conferences in Sioux Falls.

“Others for our legendary pheasant hunting.

“All told, Mr. President, last year tourism brought $5 billion to South Dakota’s economy.

“And I have to think that a lot of that money was spent at our state’s small businesses.

“At our restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries.

“With tour operators.

“Hunting guides and outfitters.

“And many more.

“Mr. President, like the other small businesses in our state, businesses in the tourism industry are benefiting from tax relief in the Working Families Tax Cuts.

“Lower small business tax rates.

“Investment incentives.

“The 199A small business deduction.

“Mr. President, some of the most positive feedback I’ve heard from small business owners about the Working Families Tax Cuts is how much this bill helps their employees.

“The no tax on tips and no tax on overtime provisions in this bill are especially – especially – game-changing for folks in hospitality and tourism.

“That includes waiters and bartenders, of course.

“It also includes people who work as tour guides, entertainers, and drivers.

“Mr. President, many Americans look forward to the summer for a few days away with their families.

“And … for those who work in hospitality and tourism, summer means more customers and more money.

“And the Working Families Tax Cuts ensures that more of the money they earn stays in their pockets.

“Mr. President, Democrats may try to claim the Working Families Tax Cuts was about billionaires, but the American people know the truth.

“Farmers, ranchers, and small business owners know it’s helping them free up money to meet their expenses and invest in their operations and in their employees.

“And hardworking Americans can see that the Working Families Tax Cuts lets them keep more of their hard-earned money.

“We call it the Working Families Tax Cuts for a reason, Mr. President.

“And I’m proud to report that working families are benefiting.”


Tuberville: “Assimilate or Go Home”

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) delivered impassioned remarks on the Senate floor about the United States’ broken immigration system. In his speech, Sen. Tuberville explained how living in the United States is a privilege, not a right, and argued that federal immigration policy should stop rewarding those who break our laws, reject our values, and disrespect our institutions. He previewed legislation he will introduce this week called the ASSIMILATION Act, which would end chain migration, eliminate the diversity visa lottery, establish a statutory national-interest standard, and make additional reforms to protect American workers.

Read the speech below or watch on YouTube and Rumble.

“Mr. President, we’re blessed to live in a nation that has withstood the test of time for 250 years. This country has had its fair share of problems. We’ve been able to overcome […] because we believe in America and what it stands for. America was founded on a core set of values that have persisted through the years and have given hope to so many who were seeking a better life. American values are rooted in liberty, equality, opportunity, self-governance, and the rule of law.

Liberty means freedom, freedom from tyranny, whether it’s political, religious, economic. Since our founding individual freedoms have been the foundation of American society, you’re free to choose, what you believe, how you worship, what kind what works you pursue, and how you build a life for yourself. Equality means that in a country, we don’t have a caste system. We don’t tell people they’re stuck where they’re born. We believe all men are created equal and everyone has the opportunity to succeed regardless of their background—an opportunity that makes this country very special.

I used to tell my players all the time this country owes you nothing but an opportunity to achieve what you wanna achieve. Now, you might get knocked to the ground and not make it to that point as soon as you’d like, but the country that you love so much, that we all love so much, gives that chance to get back up and go again. We’re the only country that does that out of 200 in the world we live in. What you decide to do with that opportunity after you achieve it is up to you. That’s the American Dream. That’s what this country is about—the belief that if you’re willing to work hard, you can build a better life. The American dream is unique to this country alone.

For centuries now, people have fled dictatorships, failed governments, and oppression to come here because they knew that dream was real. And then there’s a rule of law, the cornerstone for why our country is so great. No one is above the law, not citizen, not newcomer, not even the government itself. In America, if you live here, you are expected to follow the law. Period. Those are the values that have made this country great. Those are the values that drew generations of immigrants to our shores [for] over 250 years.

Sadly, today, we are not seeing immigrants with the same mentality moving to this country. For most of our history, people have come here to become Americans. They came here to assimilate. They worked hard. They learned. They followed the law, and they contributed. That’s what this country is all about. Today, we’re seeing large numbers, and I mean large numbers, of people coming into this country with no intentions of assimilating into our culture or our way of life. People from third world hellholes are being let into this country who have no desire to adapt to our way of life. They not only refuse to work, but they also choose to take advantage of Americans welfare system, forcing hardworking Americans to bank roll their lives. The question must be asked: why are we letting these people who don’t share values and refuse to assimilate? Why are we letting them in our country? The word assimilate is often treated with suspicion because it is often related to racism. But assimilation has absolutely nothing to do with race.

It’s about values. Assimilation doesn’t mean you abandon your heritage or your faith or forget where you’re from. It’s about embracing a new shared belief system. People that came here in the past understood this. Examples would be Italian Americans, Greek Americans, German Americans who brought elements of their heritage with them, but they understood that they had new responsibilities. When they embraced this country, they embraced our values. Respect the law, be committed to a constitutional government, and participate in the civic duties that enable a society to remain free. So why are we letting people in this country that don’t want to assimilate? Why are we doing that?

Immigration is a privilege. It’s not an entitlement. This country doesn’t owe anyone entry. We don’t owe anybody. And somewhere along the way, we lost the ability to discern who we choose to welcome into our great country. We lost it somewhere. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to solve this problem. It really doesn’t. Those who come to this country that want to assimilate, embrace the nation’s core center values, and contribute to our society should be welcomed with open arms because we are all descendants of immigrants who love this country. We should accept the best and the brightest. Those who are hard workers, intelligent, with skill sets who can provide a quality service to their communities. And people who understand and share the core American values that we all have. But the problem is for whatever reason Western Civilization has been guilt trip into accepting anyone who wants to come here. And that’s wrong. That’s not what this country is built on.

The Biden and Obama administration brought in millions of immigrants who have done nothing to make the United States a better place to live. Instead, they have been like leaches, taking advantage of the welfare system and are treating hard work in American taxpayers as their personal ATM machine. In the last two decades, we’ve seen a dramatic, I mean, a dramatic transformation in our society. It’s changed and not in a good way. Every time you turn on the news today, you hear about immigrants, robbing stores, killing Americans, sexually assaulting and raping women, protesting, carrying their home country flags and still the American flag. And where are these immigrants coming from? Who are committing most of these crimes? Well, you guessed it, from third world countries.

These aren’t the kind of people we should be letting into the greatest country on the face of the earth. It’s a privilege. Not a right to live in the United States or America. A privilege. But unfortunately, our immigration system is absolutely broken. How many more rapes, assaults, murders, stories of these people scamming American taxpayers out of their money do we need to hear before we say enough is enough? Our immigration system is broken, but no one wants to fix it—nobody in this building or on the other end of this building.

When attempts are made to fix it, Washington resists. Take Temporary Protective Status, for instance. The U.S. House of Representatives, a few weeks ago, voted to extend Temporary Protective Status for roughly 250,000 Haitians. When the Trump administration announced that they were going to terminate the Temporary Protective Status of Haitians, the D.C. swamp had an absolute meltdown. ‘You can’t do that. These will be voters for us.’ As usual, the Swamp came out in full force to ensure that these people remain on American soil, putting American taxpayers in harm’s way. According to a House judiciary committee report 91 percent of Haitians with Temporary Protective Status, 91 percent, entered the United States illegally, and over 50 percent of them are in households that [are on] at least one welfare program. 53 percent. Mind boggling.

Temporary Protective Status was never supposed to be a permanent amnesty program. It was supposed to help people temporarily, give them time to get back on their feet, but that’s not what’s happening. Programs meant to be temporary are becoming permanent right in front of our eyes, and we’re not doing anything about it. Policies meant to be limited are being expanded. American taxpayers are left out in the cold, and the American people are paying every single dime for this huge amnesty bill. Let me be clear about something, this country is a Christian nation. We are called to love our neighbor and minister to the poor. That’s our job. But we have enough Americans in this country who are in poverty for us to look after, and [we have] barely enough money to take care of them. We can’t take care of all poor people in the world, folks. That can happen. For us to remain a society that’s free with values, we have to take care of our own first, and then we take care of other people.

Another problem we’re having is immigrants who come here and bring their radical beliefs with them. I’ve talked to this on the floor many times in the last few months. These people openly chant, death to America, and yet we allow them to live here among us. You can’t make it up. Middle Easterners who are predominantly Muslim come here, take advantage of our welfare system, and they refuse to assimilate. Their entire goal is to turn this country into a Muslim country and to be governed by the Islamic Cult and Sharia Law. Now, they are good Muslims who come to this country that embrace the values that we have, contribute to our society, don’t follow Sharia Law, and they are 100 percent welcome to be here. This is about a group of people that want to change our country and wanna kill every American in this country. […]

The Center for Immigration Studies published a report stating that more than half of the non-citizen households from the Middle East use at least one major welfare program. Think about that. We’re having to fund most of these people that are coming here. Islamists aren’t coming here and looking for a better life. […]

They’re coming here to impose their radical beliefs on us and to mooch off the American taxpayers. Game. Set. Match. That’s exactly why they’re here. They’re coming to impose everything they possibly can on the United States of America, get by with it and tear us down at the same time. They have no interest in adapting to American national identity. They wanna change the national identity to mirror their death cult Islamic beliefs. You heard that. They’re here to kill us all. They believe that. Just look at what’s happening in Europe.

They stopped enforcing their own laws. Europe stopped enforcing immigrants to adapt to their way of life. And now they’re dealing with the consequences. We’re about 10 years behind Europe. Europe’s gone. They’re being run by a different cult. They’ve lost their values. They’ve lost everything that was built in Europe […] because they closed their eyes and they thought that they were doing the right thing, and politicians got them in trouble. We should be learning from that, not repeating it. Americans open your eyes. Look, what’s happening. We’re losing. We’re losing our country as we know it to people that want to destroy us. But this issue doesn’t affect today. It affects us today and future generations.

Mass migration is destroying our educational system. It is destroying it. Go to any high school and I can show you examples. More and more American kids are entering the classroom, hearing multiple languages being spoken around them every day and have a difficult time making friends because they are now the minorities in the schools. We’re having enough problems with our education system when our kids can’t understand the language that the other people are speaking. That goes with our higher education who have teachers and professors coming from other countries that can’t speak English that are teaching our kids in higher education, and our kids are paying a fortune to go these four-year schools. Enough’s enough.

This is an English language country, and that’s how we speak. That’s how we communicate. Approximately 5 million students in US public schools are classified as English learners. That many can’t speak English in our public schools across the country. It is destroying us. 10-11 percent of [the] K-12 population and growing every day, and we got our eyes closed. Our kids already have enough problems. Many of our kids were set back during COVID, it was disastrous. What the federal government did to our kids of closing our schools was a disaster, and it was our fault. People in this building right here. But we’re running and hiding now when the truth is coming out. Now, our kids are being left behind the classroom because school resources are being reallocated for kids that come from other countries. We need to be spending money on our kids to educate them and give them better lives. We’re leaving our kids behind, and our country will not survive without teaching and developing the next generation.

The purpose of our immigration system should be to benefit hardworking American taxpayers. Do you think mass immigration is benefiting this country? Absolutely not. There’s not one benefit to it. It’s the exact opposite of what we should be doing. Mass immigration is a leech that is slowly bleeding this country dry and politicians and the people across the country better open their eyes. There has been a lot of talk over the past few years about deportation. I’m 100 percent [supportive] of what President Trump’s doing. They got to go home. We can’t afford them. American taxpayers, they need help. We can’t help people if we can’t help ourselves. We also need to have a national conversation about who we want in this country in the first place. The American taxpayer deserves that right to say who’s here and who’s not. Politicians are taking credit for letting all these people in. They need to be taking credit for destroying this country. We need to be asking ourselves what is our national identity? Many of our immigration laws were made decades ago. They were made in a different time.

That is why, tomorrow, I will be introducing the Assimilation Act. My bill is simple. It says America has a right to set immigration policy in the national interest. It says our system should favor people who will work hard, contribute, support themselves, and strengthen the United States of America. It says we should move away from chain migration policies and away from visa lottery systems that treats every entry into the United States like a raffle drawing. What an embarrassment. It says legal immigration should place higher value on skilled merit, economic contribution, and the ability to succeed without becoming a dependent on the American taxpayers. It says temporary worker programs should serve the American economy, not undercut the American worker. It says we should take visa overstays seriously, address pro abuse, and restore credibility to the rule of law. And it says that citizens in the United States should once again reflect commitment, character, and real civic integration.

None of this means America shuts the door. America has always been a nation that can strengthen immigration. History proves that. But it works only when our borders are enforced, the rule of law is followed, and when those who desire to come here build a better life and are expected to assimilate into American culture, not destroy our culture. Without those conditions, the logic of immigration begins to change. Obama and Biden were hellbent on permanently changing the immigration landscape of this country. They were letting them in right and left. A nation can’t survive and won’t survive when mass migration occurs, and there isn’t any expectation of assimilation. It’s never talked about. Come on in. Do whatever you want. Preach whatever you want. Teach whatever you want. Destroy whatever you want. We’re not gonna watch you. We’d better open our eyes. There is no obligation for immigrants to commit to participate in the way Americans live. […] We have to start pushing assimilation.

So, in that case, I believe we’re seeing this right now in the United States. Immigration is no longer a good thing for our society. It’s not doing us one bit of good. It is just destroying the American dream. It’s just destroying our generation and the generations to come. There’s a reason why we stopped all immigration in the 1920s. Did you know that? We stopped it all for the same reasons. We had to get back on our feet. Folks we’re $39 trillion in debt and rising. We can’t afford these people that can’t help themselves. Mass migration without assimilation will erase our country’s identity. We’re turning into Europe and in serious danger of losing the core of who we are.

I wanna be clear about this, United States has zero obligation to roll out the red carpet for third world countries around the world. Zero. We’re here to help America, first. We have enough of our own problems without taking up everybody else’s. America is a nation built on shared values. People from all walks of life could come here and live peacefully because they understood what being an American meant. Do they know that today? That’s what has always made [our country] an exception because people know what America is about, our core principles. But in a country as diverse as ours, it can only function properly when we accept the duties of citizenship and our constitution. The United States is at a crossroads. We will decide to try sharing a common civic identity or we will go the way of Europe and let mass migration without assimilation erode the civic duties and responsibilities Americans boldly carried out over the last two and half centuries.

The national conversation around immigration and citizenship has been framed almost entirely in terms of giving rights, protection, benefits, while saying less about loyalty, duty, and shared obligation to make this country better. A free country cannot survive solely on entitlement. This country was built on hard work.

It requires citizens who understand that American life is not just something to receive, it is something to uphold. If the United States is to remain what it has long claimed to be, it must be clear about the answer to a simple question. What does it mean to be an American? And we must be willing to insist that the answer still matters. Because when a nation loses the courage to define itself, it invites others to redefine it beyond recognition. We cannot allow people to redefine our country. Thank you, Mr. President, and I yield the floor.”

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

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Four Years Following Killing of Palestinian-American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Van Hollen, Merkley, Welch Again Press for Justice, Accountability in Her Death

Today, four years following the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) once again pressed the Trump Administration to pursue justice and accountability in her death. The Senators urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel to release the report conducted by the United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (USSC) in 2023 into her death and to provide an update on the FBI’s investigation into her death.

The Senators begin, “We write regarding the pursuit of transparency and accountability for the shooting death of American citizen and respected journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. It has now been four years since Ms. Abu Akleh was shot and killed by Israeli Defense Forces while she was reporting in the West Bank. There was reportedly deep disagreement over the Biden Administration’s public conclusions about the intentionality of the shooting from among the U.S. officials who closely examined the case. This reporting further underscores the need to release the summation report on the shooting death of Shireen Abu Akleh produced by the United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (USSC) in 2023. Additionally, we request a fulsome update from the FBI regarding their investigation into Ms. Abu Akleh’s killing.”

“As the New York Times outlined in October 2025, several U.S. officials in the USSC office believed that the Israeli soldier who shot Ms. Abu Akleh must have been aware he was targeting a journalist ‘based on the circumstances of the shooting and the available evidence.’ In particular, Col. Steve Gabavics – a career military policeman who was serving as chief of staff to Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel in the USSC office at the time of Ms. Abu Akleh’s shooting – was ‘flabbergasted’ that the July 4, 2022, State Department statement attributed the shooting to ‘tragic circumstances’ and he believes that the U.S. government soft-pedaled the USSC’s findings to appease the Israeli government,” the Senators continued.

They additionally noted, “In November 2022, the FBI reportedly opened its own investigation into the shooting death of Abu Akleh. And yet, to date, the FBI has not released any findings, nor has it shared an expectation that it may do so in the future. Last year, the FBI was supposed to provide a briefing for relevant Senate Appropriations Committee staff on the status of the Shireen Abu Akleh case. However, the FBI officials who conducted the briefing were not familiar with Abu Akleh’s case and only spoke at a high level about the FBI’s abilities and constraints in these types of cases. On May 7, 2026, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation to provide a public update on the status of the investigation and reasons for delay, and to commit to a timeline for the FBI to complete a thorough, impartial, and independent criminal investigation and to publicly release its findings. Given the enormous public interest at stake in Abu Akleh’s case, as well as its implications for subsequent cases of violence against American citizens in the West Bank, it is long past time for the FBI to provide an update to Congress on its investigation into the shooting death of Shireen Abu Akleh.”

“Since Abu Akleh’s death in May 2022, there have been at least seven additional American citizens killed in the West Bank. The killings of these Americans in the West Bank have been met by a lack of accountability from the Netanyahu government and an inability to secure justice by the U.S. government. The public release of the USSC summation report on Abu Akleh’s killing, as well as an update on the FBI’s investigation, are critical to ensuring transparency and accountability in Abu Akleh’s case, and also to avoid future preventable and wrongful deaths – goals we should all support,” the Senators concluded.

The text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Rubio and Director Patel:

We write regarding the pursuit of transparency and accountability for the shooting death of American citizen and respected journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. It has now been four years since Ms. Abu Akleh was shot and killed by Israeli Defense Forces while she was reporting in the West Bank. There was reportedly deep disagreement over the Biden Administration’s public conclusions about the intentionality of the shooting from among the U.S. officials who closely examined the case. This reporting further underscores the need to release the summation report on the shooting death of Shireen Abu Akleh produced by the United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (USSC) in 2023. Additionally, we request a fulsome update from the FBI regarding their investigation into Ms. Abu Akleh’s killing.

As the New York Times outlined in October 2025, several U.S. officials in the USSC office believed that the Israeli soldier who shot Ms. Abu Akleh must have been aware he was targeting a journalist “based on the circumstances of the shooting and the available evidence.” In particular, Col. Steve Gabavics – a career military policeman who was serving as chief of staff to Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel in the USSC office at the time of Ms. Abu Akleh’s shooting – was “flabbergasted” that the July 4, 2022, State Department statement attributed the shooting to “tragic circumstances” and he believes that the U.S. government soft-pedaled the USSC’s findings to appease the Israeli government.

The Biden Administration had tasked the USSC office with examining the case of Ms. Abu Akleh’s shooting and writing a report on the evidence. Colonel Gabavics described himself as the lead U.S. investigator on the case and said he assessed the shooting was intentional due to several factors, including records of Israeli military radio traffic, visibility on that day, and the precision of the shots. Colonel Gabavics reportedly wrote these findings and strong language into a draft of the USSC report on the shooting, but General Fenzel disagreed with the assessment of intentionality and repeatedly softened the report language. According to the New York Times, this back-and-forth culminated in Gen. Fenzel ordering Col. Gabavics off the case and threatening his dismissal.

Ultimately, the final USSC summation report that was selectively shared with some members of Congress did not shed light on the state of mind of the individual responsible for firing the fatal shot, mainly because the Israeli government did not grant the USSC access to key witnesses. Nevertheless, the report does provide very important insights into the circumstances that led to Ms. Abu Akleh’s wrongful death, including relevant information and findings about the conduct of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit involved in that operation – as well as other IDF units operating in the West Bank. Following Ms. Abu Akleh’s death, Secretary Blinken asked the Israeli government to review the IDF rules of engagement in the West Bank, but he was rebuffed. Such a review remains necessary today to protect innocent civilians, including American citizens, in the West Bank. In addition, we urge the Administration to release the USSC summation report to the public to help ensure transparency and accountability in the shooting death of Ms. Abu Akleh.

In November 2022, the FBI reportedly opened its own investigation into the shooting death of Abu Akleh. And yet, to date, the FBI has not released any findings, nor has it shared an expectation that it may do so in the future. Last year, the FBI was supposed to provide a briefing for relevant Senate Appropriations Committee staff on the status of the Shireen Abu Akleh case. However, the FBI officials who conducted the briefing were not familiar with Abu Akleh’s case and only spoke at a high level about the FBI’s abilities and constraints in these types of cases. On May 7, 2026, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation to provide a public update on the status of the investigation and reasons for delay, and to commit to a timeline for the FBI to complete a thorough, impartial, and independent criminal investigation and to publicly release its findings. Given the enormous public interest at stake in Abu Akleh’s case, as well as its implications for subsequent cases of violence against American citizens in the West Bank, it is long past time for the FBI to provide an update to Congress on its investigation into the shooting death of Shireen Abu Akleh.

Since Abu Akleh’s death in May 2022, there have been at least seven additional American citizens killed in the West Bank. The killings of these Americans in the West Bank have been met by a lack of accountability from the Netanyahu government and an inability to secure justice by the U.S. government. The public release of the USSC summation report on Abu Akleh’s killing, as well as an update on the FBI’s investigation, are critical to ensuring transparency and accountability in Abu Akleh’s case, and also to avoid future preventable and wrongful deaths – goals we should all support.

Sincerely,


Maryland Congressional Delegation Members’ Statement on Key Bridge Settlement

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Representatives Steny Hoyer, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Sarah Elfreth, April McClain Delaney, and Johnny Olszewski (all D-Md.) released the following statement on the settlement in the case regarding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore:

“Just over two years ago, the collision of the Dali with the Key Bridge left devastation in its wake. Six lives were lost, access to the Port of Baltimore was cut off, and a key transportation artery for our region was rendered unusable. The bridge’s collapse hurt not only our region but our entire nation, impacting our economy and the livelihoods of thousands. However, over the last two years, we have worked together to recover and rebuild. Today’s settlement is another important step towards those efforts. We’re glad to see this action to hold the liable parties accountable and to assist in our progress towards building back stronger.”