ICYMI: Rural Broadband Protection Act Signed Into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Rural Broadband Protection Act (RBPA), legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and John Curtis (R-Utah), was signed into law by President Donald J. Trump on Monday, May 11, 2026. The bill would require a more thorough vetting and verification process for internet service providers (ISP) seeking to participate in the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) high-cost programs.

RBPA will add accountability and transparency to closing the digital divide, as well as provide essential safeguards to the Universal Service Funds high-cost program by ensuring funding goes to companies with both a proven track record of success, and who have demonstrated sound judgement in deploying in hard-to-serve areas.

“I am thrilled to see this legislation become the law of the land,” Senator Capito said. “I originally introduced RBPA in 2022 because of the countless conversations I had with West Virginians made it clear that the FCC needs congressional direction to ensure taxpayer money is being used properly to fund broadband deployment in rural areas. This legislation will streamline broadband dollars coming to West Virginia to our providers, and move toward our goal of closing the digital divide in communities of all sizes across our state.”

“We should be able to bring high-speed internet to every family in Minnesota — regardless of their zip code,” Senator Klobuchar said. “This law will help Americans connect to work, school, health care, and business opportunities by ensuring the companies that apply for federal funding to build out broadband infrastructure can get the job done. As co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus, I’ll keep fighting to close the digital divide and ensure Minnesota families can reliably access the high-speed internet they need.”

BACKGROUND:

The FCC’s High Cost program provides funding to telecom carriers to provide service in rural areas where the market alone cannot support the substantial cost of deploying network infrastructure and provide connectivity. Historically, it has subsidized voice service to ensure that rates in rural and urban areas are reasonably comparable. But with a series of reform orders that began in 2011, the FCC is modernizing the High Cost program to support broadband to ensure that all people in America – no matter where they live – have access to robust, affordable connectivity to fully participate in today’s society.

For bill text, click here.

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VIDEO: Capito Participates in Interior Subcommittee Hearing on EPA Budget

To watch Senator Capito's line of questioning, click here or the image above.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Appropriations Committee, participated in an Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin. The purpose of the hearing was to consider President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request for the EPA, as well as the many priorities of the agency.

HIGHLIGHTS:

ON EPA’S 2024 FINAL RULE ON WASTEWATER DISCHARGE FROM COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS AND WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS RULE:

Senator Capito:

“You heard from our energy producers about the Biden administration ELG rule for power plants. The 2024 rule was very egregious to try to eliminate coal from our nation's energy mix, because it came on the heels of a regulation that said ELG for the same power plants in 2020, and many of the plants made those investments in dollars with the 2020 standard that required water discharged would meet drinking water standards, only to have those requirements shift a few years later. The Biden rule took a completely different approach by requiring plans to eliminate discharges altogether, which would meet stranding those investments that were made in 2020. At the end of 2025, you finalized a rule that extended compliance periods for 2020 and 2024 ELG rules and provided a pathway for the coal plants to come into compliance. These actions were extremely helpful, and preserving baseload power, which we desperately needed this winter we saw, and also protecting rate payers. So, looking forward, it will be important to provide assurance that the 2024 liquid discharge standard will not go into effect, especially in areas where it's more humid, which may make it even more than impossible to meet that standard. Can you give us an update on the EPA's next steps addressing the ELG rule for our coal plants?”

Administrator Zeldin:

“it's a multi-step process. The 1st was extending a compliance as we go through reconsideration. There were tremendous costs, as you well know, impacted greatly by your own people, with the added costs that was estimated into the billions of dollars. We are current, and the finalization of that rule that you cited was December 23rd. We are moving through the next phase of EPA's reconsideration of the ‘24 rule. It will reevaluate the effluent limitations for unmanaged combustion residual leachate, and unlike the Biden administration, we are going to follow the law in assessing the best available technology economically achievable, which is an important priority that are heard on the ground with you during our visit in West Virginia. So, we will heed that feedback that we got directly from your people as we go to the next phase.”

ON WOTUS RULE:

Senator Capito:

“The court decision in Sackett v. EPA correctly interpreted the Clean Water Act, and last year, the EPA and the core under your leadership, proposed a rule to bring those regulations in line with the Sackett decision. That proposed rule faithfully applies the Clean Water Act and the Sackett decision. Not only is EPA doing the right thing by following the best reading of that statute. But the proposal also has the added benefit of providing certainty and durability to the WOTUS definition because of the Supreme Court's decision and Loper Bight. So, I think one of the greatest gifts that you and the president could give to our farmers and those who deal with the WOTUS rule consistently, is to have something that has a durable standard that we can kind of lay this to rest, at least for a short or at least for a period of time. So, do I have your commitment that that is what you are trying to do, fidelity to the statutory text, which you've already said in your opening statement, but also to try to lock in that durable standard that will provide that certainty to the regulatory committee, and then any other comments you have on the WOTUS rule right now?”

Administrator Zeldin:

“It is absolutely our commitment. It is our desire for as simple. of a definition. Following Sackett to a tee and making sure that we have a new reality in this country where farmers and ranchers and landowners and states don't have to go out and hire attorneys and consultants pay them money to tell them whether or not there's a Water of the United States on their property. We've gone through the public comment period. We take those public comments very seriously. There are a lot of discussions that go on internally, not just within the agency, but also the interagency process, on making sure that every single word of every sentence of this definition is thought, is thought through, is done correctly and is made as durable as possible.”

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Cassidy Announces Over $18.9 Million for Louisiana Hurricane Ida, Francine Recovery

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $18,928,243.43 in federal funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support disaster recovery and emergency response efforts following Hurricanes Ida and Francine. The funding will assist with debris removal, coastal restoration, and management costs for local and state agencies.

“Louisiana communities know how to clean up, rebuild, and move forward after a storm,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This funding supports those efforts.”

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Cassidy Introduces Resolution Backing Law Enforcement During National Police Week

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced a resolution recognizing the service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers during National Police Week. The resolution expresses support for police officers across the country, honors those killed or injured in the line of duty, and calls for increased resources for law enforcement.

“Law enforcement officers run toward danger so the rest of us can live safely,”said Dr. Cassidy. “We should stand with them, honor their sacrifice, and make sure they have the support they need.”

Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jim Justice (R-WV), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in introducing the resolution.

“National Police Week is an important time to recognize the sacrifices law enforcement officers have made to serve and protect our communities,” said Senator Blackburn. “As Democrats work to undermine law enforcement at every turn, Republicans will do everything in our power to support the work these men and women do to safeguard the American people every day.”

“This National Police Week, we honor the unwavering commitment and dedication of our law enforcement officers, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Senator Britt. “Across our nation, these brave men and women risk their lives to protect our communities, leaving their homes and putting themselves in harm’s way so we can safely return to ours. Each and every day, they courageously put the safety of others above of their own. I am deeply grateful for their service in upholding the rule of law and strengthening the communities they serve.”

“Law enforcement officers and personnel dedicate their lives every day to selflessly protect their local communities. I’m glad to work with Senator Cassidy on this resolution to celebrate National Police Week and recognize the contributions of our brave men and women in uniform,”said Senator Daines.

“Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every single day to keep our communities safe and defend the rule of law. They deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our support—not just during National Police Week, but every day of the year. That’s why I’m proud to sign onto the National Police Week Resolution. I’ll keep fighting to make sure we do everything we can to protect those who protect us,” said Senator Justice.

“Leadership is about service to others, and Pennsylvania’s law enforcement officers live that out every day by putting their lives on the line to keep our communities safe,” said Senator McCormick. “During National Police Week, we honor their courage, sacrifice, and selfless commitment to serving the public. I’m proud to support this resolution and stand with the brave men and women in blue across our Commonwealth and the nation who work tirelessly to uphold the rule of law and protect our families.”

“Our police officers stand between chaos and law and order protecting Americans and keeping our communities safe. I’m proud to join my colleagues in honoring the men and women in blue and ensuring their service, strength, and dedication does not go unnoticed,”said Senator Schmitt.

“Law does not enforce itself; we need men and women willing to risk their lives every day to do that. This National Police Week, we honor the brave men and women in blue who put their lives on the line to protect our communities. While we can never fully repay the debt we owe them, we are forever grateful for the unwavering dedication of our law enforcement officers across Florida and our nation,” said Senator Scott.

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Cornyn Announces U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty Tariff Legislation

WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) previewed that he will introduce the Water Assurance and Treaty Enforcement for the Rio Grande Farmers Act, or WATER for Farmers Act, which would impose penalties in the form of tariffs on Mexico if the country continues to violate the 1944 Water Treaty by refusing to send the water they owe to the United States. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

“Water shortages created by Mexico’s failure to follow this treaty have wreaked havoc on the ability of farmers and ranchers to plan and to tend their crops, which has in turn had a terrible economic cost on our entire state.”

“Further delay of water deliveries could result in bankruptcies, land auctions, more lost jobs, supply chain disruptions, and higher prices at the grocery store for Americans around the country. I’m grateful to Secretary Rubio, the Secretary of State, and Secretary Rollins of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for their leadership on this issue and for their willingness to engage with Mexico and, indeed, put pressure on them to hold up their end of the bargain, but South Texas farmers cannot wait.”

“The carrot approach is clearly not working, so now it’s time to bring out the sticks. For this reason, I’m introducing legislation called the Water Assurance and Treaty Enforcement for the Rio Grande Farmers or WATER for Farmers Act, which will impose penalties in the form of tariffs on Mexico if they continue in their delinquency.”

“While this may seem like an extraordinary measure, Mexico has had ample time to make things right.”

“By imposing severe tariffs on Mexico, I hope they will pick up the pace and begin delivering the water that they are already committed to deliver so that South Texas farmers and ranchers will have the predictability they need.”


Cornyn Votes to Confirm Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve Chair

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after Kevin Warsh was confirmed as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve:

“Kevin Warsh has decades of experience in finance and economics that span the public and private sectors, making him an excellent choice by President Trump to serve as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Under Kevin’s leadership, I’m confident the Federal Reserve will chart our nation on a path of prosperity and opportunity, which is why I was proud to support his nomination.”


Cortez Masto, Grassley Legislation to Combat Organized Retail Theft Passes House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. – During Police Week, legislation led by U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to crack down on retail theft schemes passed the House of Representatives. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 would establish a coordinated multi-agency response and create new tools to tackle evolving trends in organized retail and supply chain theft.

“Businesses in the Silver State are facing increasingly elaborate schemes to steal goods, and our law enforcement officers need better tools to combat these interstate criminal operations,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Senator Grassley and I have worked tirelessly for years to pass this commonsense legislation, and I urge my Senate colleagues to quickly pass it into law.”

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act would establish an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within the Department of Homeland Security that combines expertise from state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as retail industry representatives. The bill would also create new tools to assist in federal investigation and prosecution of organized retail crime and help recapture lost goods and proceeds.

The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act is supported by the National Retail Federation (NRF), the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), the Association of American Railroads (AAR), the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), the American Trucking Associations, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA), and the Home Depot.

The text of the House-passed legislation can be found here.


Cramer, Coons Introduce Legislation to Expand Options for Retirement Charitable Contributions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As seniors and retirees across America consider estate planning for retirement, they have more options than ever before. In 2022, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) successfully led an effort to include the Legacy IRA Act as part of the SECURE 2.0 Act, allowing seniors to make qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and deduct up to $100,000 in QCDs from their gross income each year.

However, other types of retirement accounts are restricted from making tax-free charitable distributions. To make charitable distributions from non-IRA employer-sponsored retirement accounts, like a 401(k), existing law requires seniors to first roll over funds to an IRA.

Today, Cramer and U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced the Charity Parity Act to expand the Legacy IRA program to include common employer-sponsored retirement accounts. These include private sector 401(k)s, public school 403(b)s, and government 457 plans. Making this change means previously idle retirement money can be donated to charities to do beneficial work in local economies and communities.

U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Mark Warner (D-VA) cosponsored the legislation, and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Mike Kelly (R-PA) introduced the Charity Parity Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“For millions of seniors, restrictive rules on retirement accounts limit their ability to use their hard-earned money to support charitable giving,” said Cramer. “Three years ago, we passed the Legacy IRA Act, opening new possibilities for seniors to make charitable contributions. Our Charity Parity Act builds on this success by making other retirement funds eligible to make sure every senior can make donations, regardless of how they saved for retirement.”

“Delawareans have always risen to the occasion to support our neighbors and communities,” said Coons. “Government should encourage that generosity, not tie it down in bureaucratic red tape. This bipartisan bill will make sure every American who wants to give charitably receives the same tax benefits, giving more people the opportunity to help those in need.”

The Charity Parity Act is supported by the American Heart Association; Association of Fundraising Professionals; American Retirement Association; Mental Health America; Salvation Army; National Council of Nonprofits; Independent Sector; The Nonprofit Alliance; National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP); Infant Crisis Services; Mountain Area Health Education Center; The Church Alliance; and Mountain Aging Partners, Inc.


Sens. Cruz, Cornyn Introduce Bill to Help Secure U.S. Critical Mineral Supply Chain

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced the Army Organic Industrial Base Mineral Partnerships Act of 2026. The bill authorizes the U.S. Army to partner with private sector companies to drill for lithium brine at Red River Army Depot and other Army Organic Industrial Base (OIB) facilities nationwide.

Sen. Cruz said, “Red River Army Depot sits atop the Smackover Formation, which is one of the largest lithium brine reserves in the United States. The reserves are a critical strategic asset, and enable the production of drones, communication systems, and other systems necessary for America's national security. Developing the reserves will make Texarkana the Army’s premier hub for lithium battery production, and will strengthen America’s critical mineral supply chain. I look forward to advancing this legislation.”

Sen. Cornyn said, “China controls the lion’s share of the global supply of critical minerals, posing a serious and imminent threat to our national security. By empowering Army Depots to partner with private entities to extract critical minerals and allowing them to reinvest profits toward mission success, this legislation would reduce dependence on foreign adversaries and bolster our defense, energy, and advanced manufacturing capabilities.”

U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas-01) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Moran, "America’s economic strength and national security depend on our ability to secure critical minerals. By allowing the Army to partner with private industry to extract these minerals we are investing in America’s leadership—and ensuring we never cede that ground to our adversaries or regulatory burdens. I am proud to work with Senator Cruz to introduce this legislation which utilizes America's resources to fuel our success.”

Read the bill texthere.

BACKGROUND

The United States relies heavily on imports for critical minerals, with limited domestic mining and processing capacity, creating a strategic vulnerability. Red River Army Depot, located on over 15,000 acres within the lithium rich Smackover Formation, presents an opportunity to strengthen domestic supply. Each of the U.S. Army’s organic industrial base sites has the potential to become mineral hubs for the military.

The Army Organic Industrial Base Mineral Partnerships Act of 2026 would allow the Army to partner with private industry to extract and process critical minerals, including enabling lithium brine extraction to bolster U.S. supply chains and national security.


Sens. Cruz, Durbin Resolution Urging the Release of Political Prisoners in China Passes Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) issued statements following the Senate’s passage of their bipartisan resolution urging President Trump to prioritize securing the release of political prisoners during his current visit to China, including Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife, Pang Yu, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, and Jimmy Lai.

Sen. Cruz said, “The Chinese Communist Party is an authoritarian regime that jails dissidents, silences religious believers, and violates basic freedoms. The Senate’s passage of this bipartisan resolution underscores that America will continue fighting to secure the release of those wrongfully detained and hold the CCP accountable for these detentions.”

Sen. Durbin said, “No one should fear for their lives or suffer political imprisonment for standing up for democracy and freedom. While the Chinese have worked with my office on such cases in the past and made some important gestures, it’s time for the immediate release of Dr. Gulshan Abbas, Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and Pang Yu, Ekpar Asat, and Jimmy Lai. Now that this resolution has passed the Senate, I urge President Trump to raise their cases with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his current visit to China.”

Click here to read more about the resolution.

BACKGROUND

In November 2025, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution by Sens. Cruz and Chris Coons (D-Del.) condemning the CCP for the abduction of Pastor Ezra Jin and other leaders of the Zion Church and calling for their release.


Curtis, Bennet Lead Bipartisan Letter Affirming U.S. Commitments to Taiwan

WASHINGTON—Ahead of President Donald Trump’s summit with China’s President Xi Jinping, U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Michael Bennet (D-CO), member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led 10 colleagues on a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirming congressional support for the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and asserting there should be no unilateral changes to this policy nor any new U.S. declaratory policy on Taiwan.

In addition to Curtis and Bennet, the letter was signed by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

“For nearly five decades, the TRA has been the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan ties, enabling a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. This bipartisan law requires the United States to provide Taiwan—a critical economic and technological partner, and a thriving democracy—defense articles and services necessary to maintain the island’s self-defense capability. The TRA further states that the United States would consider any attempt to determine Taiwan’s future by non-peaceful means to be ‘a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific,’ and of ‘grave concern,’” wrote the senators.

“Our commitment to this legislation has long helped ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait—which is essential to U.S. interests there and across the Indo-Pacific. Maintaining this commitment is necessary to ensure the credibility of U.S. security commitments to allies and partners in the region and beyond,” continued the senators.

“In the spirit of longstanding bipartisan support for the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, we stand ready to work with your administration to further strengthen this partnership,” concluded the senators.

The text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Rubio,

We write to reaffirm congressional support for the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and our firm belief that there should be no unilateral changes to this policy nor any new declaratory policy on Taiwan, consistent with longstanding U.S. commitments including the Six Assurances President Reagan articulated.

For nearly five decades, the TRA has been the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan ties, enabling a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. This bipartisan law requires the United States to provide Taiwan—a critical economic and technological partner, and a thriving democracy—defense articles and services necessary to maintain the island’s self-defense capability. The TRA further states that the United States would consider any attempt to determine Taiwan’s future by non-peaceful means to be “a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific,” and of “grave concern.”

Our commitment to this legislation has long helped ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait—which is essential to U.S. interests there and across the Indo-Pacific. Maintaining this commitment is necessary to ensure the credibility of U.S. security commitments to allies and partners in the region and beyond.

During your tenure in the U.S. Senate, you consistently demonstrated strong support for U.S.-Taiwan relations and for the TRA. In 2017, you joined a bipartisan letter to President Trump stating that the “One China policy, based on the [Taiwan Relations] Act, the Three Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances […] provides the basis for our enduring relationship with Taiwan.” You further emphasized the “bipartisan commitment that we must not waver in providing necessary support for Taiwan to defend itself in the face of China’s ongoing military aggression and the cross-Strait military imbalance.”

These principles remain true and necessary today. In the spirit of longstanding bipartisan support for the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, we stand ready to work with your administration to further strengthen this partnership.


Curtis Highlights Utah’s Nuclear Leadership, Calls for Local Empowerment in Federal Nuclear Policy

The full transcript of the exchange is below, and video can be found here.

Senator Curtis: Chairman Nieh, congratulations. Mayor Wright, thank you for your service and for your leadership during that period of time. Some of you will remember from previous hearings that we both share that title in common. Senator Whitehouse, all those lists of accomplishments that you mentioned, I would attribute to him having been a mayor. And if we could just make every member of the Senate a mayor, we would be in good shape.

Utah, as many of you know, is known as the Beehive State. That’s a reminder that working together produces better outcomes. State and local leaders and industry partners often recognize the potential in their communities long before a federal agency thousands of miles away. That’s why I believe federal policy works best when it empowers states and communities instead of imposing a one-size-fits-all solution across the country.

We also need to acknowledge the reality that comes up repeatedly in these hearings. Our permitting and regulatory processes are too slow, too duplicative, and too unpredictable.

We should recognize the tremendous opportunity in front of us. America has the talent, resources, innovation, capacity to lead the world in next generation energy development and advanced technologies. But leadership requires a government that can move at the pace of innovation.

So, let me start, Chairman Nieh, with a question about rulemaking. As you consider new rules, are you looking at anything for making uranium recovery as a plan for that? If so, maybe a timeline please.

The Honorable Ho K. Nieh: Yes, Senator. The NRC’s efforts for these rulemakings started under the executive order, will cover the entire life cycle of nuclear from the front end to the back end. It’s important that we really look at our regulatory frameworks to make sure that we can enable the entire circle of life in nuclear.

As you already know, America is too dependent on foreign uranium and enrichment, and we need to fix that. And what we are doing with all of these rules is that when the commercial interests align with the capital resources, workforce, and supply chain to bring new facilities all around the fuel cycle to the NRC, we will have a predictable and credible licensing framework to support that.

Curtis: Thank you. Utah has a request to allow conversion to be added to Utah’s agreement in the state status. I hope the NRC is still on track by to give them an answer by the summer. Can you comment on that?

Nieh: I believe we are on track, but I will verify that.

Curtis: Super important. Thank you.

With that, Utah is actively exploring nuclear as a dependable source of clean baseload power. I think it’s been clear Utah wants to be a leader in this. How is the NRC engaging states to provide clarity around the path forward for deploying nuclear?

Nieh: So, Senator, we always stay ready to engage with our state partners through any NRC licensing activities. I would share personally, I’ve been invited to several states to speak about some of the reforms happening at the NRC related to some of the new requirements.

I’ll be, by the end of this month, attending an event in your home state, Senator to do the same. So, we stand ready to engage with the states to ensure that there’s full transparency and awareness about the NRC’s licensing process.

Curtis: Commissioner Wright, please.

The Honorable David A. Wright: If I could add to that, mayor, I mean, Senator, thank you.

Curtis: Mayor works just fine.

Wright: I actually met with the governor’s team, as well as the President of the Senate in Utah and the Speaker of the House, to discuss these things several months ago. I’ve also met personally with Governor Cox and actually appeared in a video with him on the nuclear issues and the nuclear stuff that’s going on in Utah.

So, we are a resource for the states. I think it’s important. And we will assist them as appropriate, to do exactly what Chairman Nieh was talking about to answer the questions, help them better understand the process and all of it consistent with our mission.

Curtis: Excellent. Good. Chairman, or any of you really, comment, really, to the American taxpayers. You’re looking at these changes. These are the things that are upcoming. How can the American taxpayer be assured that we’re on track, that we’re spending their money well? And what is your message to my constituents back home?

Nieh: The message to your constituents is judge us by our actions. We are making our licensing performance more transparent. On our website, there are dashboards that show how we are using resources for licensing. So, there’s increased transparency.

Again, I’ve set priorities for this agency to operate in a more disciplined and efficient manner. So, my message would be the NRC is enabling the safe use of nuclear technologies in America. And I hope that people in your state will be able to judge that and confirm that through our actions and results.

Curtis: Ranking Member Whitehouse, I’m going to paraphrase something you said in remarks, and I’ll get it wrong, so I’ll apologize. But you kind of classified a couple of different applicants to those who are on their game. They know what they’re doing, and when they do so, they interact well with NRC. Others are not so.

I would introduce a third class. I think of Utah Municipal Power Authority and Power and UAMPS, two municipal organizations in the state of Utah who I would say kind of fall in a third category, who really just don’t have the resources to navigate the way that some of these larger organizations do.

And so just a quick question about what you’re doing to ensure applicants who don’t have a wealth of resources know how to navigate this as well, who are good actors and who we want to be players in this in this space.

Nieh: One of the most important things we do, Senator, is our pre-application engagement with applicants. That is one of the most valuable things to ensure that there’s clear expectations on what is expected to be in an application.

And, you know, it’s very clear that the applications have to contain sufficient information that demonstrate NRC requirements are met. So, we do those discussions upfront, and it really is a prioritization tool for us as well as an agency.

We can judge through a pre-application engagement what level of maturity the application may be, in, what type of information gaps may exist, and it helps us really prioritize what to focus on.

Curtis: I’m out of time, but thank you for your answers and really thank you for the good work that all of you do as Commissioners. We don’t get very many hearings—and yes, we have our questions and yes, we have our concerns—we don’t get very many hearings when we have a body in front of us that’s really doing really good work and really at a critical point, not just for nuclear, but for energy throughout our whole country.

So, thank you and I yield my time.

Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse: And I will accept my friend’s characterization of a third category.


Curtis Hosts Small Business Expo in Utah, Highlights Innovation and National Competitiveness

KAYSVILLE—This week, U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT), member of the Senate Small Business Committee, brought together entrepreneurs, manufacturers, educators, innovators, and community leaders from across Utah and the federal government for a small business and innovation expo hosted at Davis Technical College in Kaysville, Utah—emphasizing Utah’s leadership in entrepreneurship, advanced manufacturing, and technology innovation.

“Our event highlighted the creativity, determination, and forward-thinking leadership that continue to make Utah one of the most attractive states in the country to do business,” said Senator Curtis following the event. “Our state’s economic success reflects its pioneer spirit: willingness to take risks and invest in our communities. By bringing together business leaders and federal agencies, we sparked new partnerships and meaningful conversations about the future of commerce in Utah.”

During his opening remarks, Senator Curtis highlighted Utah’s strong entrepreneurial culture, noting that small businesses make up 99 percent of all companies in the state. Drawing from his own experience helping build Utah-based company Action Target, Curtis reflected on the challenges and rewards of growing a business from the ground up. Curtis also pointed to the growing importance of supply chain resilience, advanced manufacturing, energy security, and emerging technologies amid increasing global competition from adversarial nations like China.

Find media resources here, details about the event here, and the Senator’s opening remarks here.

The Senator also discussed recent congressional efforts to support innovation through the reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, commonly referred to as “America’s seed fund.” These programs help small businesses develop technologies that address federal priorities in areas such as defense and health care.

Curtis additionally highlighted the RAMP for Innovators Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) designed to help small businesses bridge the gap between innovation and commercialization. A key section of this legislation was included in the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, which was signed into law in April. Read more about the legislation here.

In addition to representatives from Small Business Administration, Department of War, NASA, and five other federal agencies, the event included speakers and booths from the Utah Small Business Association, Utah Manufacturers Association, 47G, Silicon Slopes, and the World Trade Center Utah, among many others.


Daines and Forest Service Chief Schultz in Senate Energy Committee: Fix Harmful Cottonwood Decision, Pass the America the Beautiful Act

Also Discusses Fix Our Forests Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with the United States Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. They discussed the importance of passing Daines’ bill, the America the Beautiful Act, as well as addressing forest management and wildfire concerns in Montana.

Watch the full exchange HERE.

Daines on his “America the Beautiful Act:”

Daines: Chief Schultz, welcome back. It is really good to have you up here before this committee. Two weeks ago, we had a great discussion with Secretary Burgum on the need to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund and to get my “America the Beautiful Act” to the President’s desk by July 4th…We don’t have a chair and ranking member in that committee, and I appreciate Angus’ great bipartisan work on that very important committee. But here’s the good news. We just reached 60 cosponsors. We couldn’t even get Mother Teresa named a nice person in the Senate with that many cosponsors, it seems, but we’re there. We’ve got 29 Republicans on it now, so we have majority of the majority, and we have, of course, our Democrats have a majority of their caucuses as well. In fact, on this committee, virtually every member in this committee is now a cosponsor, with an exception of a handful. And 15 percent of that funding, by the way, will go to the Forest Service. Briefly, do you agree that we need to reauthorize the Legacy Registration Fund and get a bill in the President’s desk as soon as possible and hopefully by July 4th?

Schultz: Mr. Chairman, Senator Daines, yes.

Daines on fixing the 9th Circuit Cottonwood ruling:

Daines: Chief Schultz, as you know, I’ve been a longtime advocate of finding a resolution to the Cottonwood versus Forest Service ruling. This was a 2015 decision from the Ninth Circuit, which held that the “Endangered Species Act” requires federal forest managers to halt projects, even those that might help wildlife, and reinitiate consultation on forest plans every time a species is listed new or new habitat is designated. This is contradictory to a 2007 10th Circuit ruling, Forest Guardians versus Forsgren, which only requires site-specific project analysis with new ESA information. Chief Schultz, what have been the consequences of this circuit split, especially in regard to wildfire mitigation and forest restoration?

Schultz: Mr. Chairman, Senator Daines, this legislation would be a huge fix in moving that issue forward.

Daines on passing the “Fix Our Forests Act:”

Daines: Senators Curtis and Sheehy are leading the bipartisan “Fix Our Forest Act”. It seeks to mitigate wildfire severity and impact across the board, and that also includes the Cottonwood Fix. Forest management stakeholders and states across the country are supportive of the bill, and they’re pushing the U.S. Senate to act on this landmark piece of legislation. Chief Schultz, would you agree that passage of this bill would help resolve forest restoration and management processes from your agency?

Schultz: Mr. Chairman, Senator Daines, I would agree.

Daines on supporting the LWCF:

Daines: Chief Schultz, during original negotiations for the Great America Outdoors Act, this is back in 2020, I partnered with your predecessor to remove language that would limit LWCF acquisitions west of the 100th meridian. Can you discuss your vision for the future of LWCF and how it would support the Secretary of the Interior’s directive to expand hunting and fishing access on public lands and remove regulatory barriers?

Schultz: Mr. Chairman, Senator Daines, those funds have been instrumental in both easements and acquisitions, a lot of that providing access for sportsmen, as you mentioned.

Daines on addressing drought and wildfire concerns:

Daines: The wildfire season, got to talk about that. It’s begun. You gave us some very troubling maps here from the SNOTEL with some fires already igniting in Montana. There’s also a lot of anxiety about drought, which increases wildfire risk, of course, threatens watersheds, all of which continues to compound on itself while communities suffer and put at risk. My question is, can you give us an outlook on your strategy to help mitigate the severe drought and wildfire risks for the coming summer months?

Schultz: Mr. Chairman, Senator Daines. In terms of mitigating the conditions, we continue to treat fuels, as we’ve discussed. We continue to sell timber sales. So that’s the mitigation work is something that goes on year-round.

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Daines Previews President Trump’s Historic China Visit on CNBC

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss President Trump’s historic visit to China.

Watch the full interview HERE.

Daines on his trip to China last week:

I arrived back to the United States late Friday night, but I was in Shanghai for a couple of days and then went to Beijing on that high-speed train. I had four other U.S. senators with me. It was a bipartisan delegation. We spent Thursday of last week with high-level meetings. We met the Premier, Li Qiang. We met the Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, as well as the MPC Chairman. And we were very respectfully received. I think this is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Two of the world’s largest economies, 40 percent of the world’s GDP, the two largest militaries. It’s very important that the United States and China have a constructive relationship. I’m pleased to see President Trump’s leadership in de-escalating the tensions between the two countries and reminding everybody that this is the second time President Trump has been to China. He was there in 2017. Of course, he just arrived in Beijing minutes ago. President Biden never went to China. So kudos to President Trump for continuing to engage with Xi Jinping and to continue to work to stabilize and improve this relationship….

…It was my eighth visit as a U.S. Senator. I’ve been leading delegations there for my entire career in the U.S. Senate. But I first lived in China back in 1992. I was an expat with Procter & Gamble. My wife and I moved over to Guangzhou, leading the expansion of great U.S. brands into that huge market. We had two children born in Hong Kong. And so that six years was foundational in terms of seeing China of that time frame when they were a $500 billion economy, today nearly $20 trillion. One of the other purposes of my visit last week, besides engaging the leadership, and as a precursor certainly President Trump’s visit, and that was to make sure senators see the innovation ecosystem going on in China. World-class innovation occurring in the high-tech space, whether it’s biotech, whether it’s AI, whether it’s chips, automobile manufacturing. It’s jaw-dropping what’s happening right now in China, and that’s why it’s so important. I believe that U.S. businesses are allowed to engage in China to compete with these Chinese companies because they are now rapidly advancing in terms of their capabilities from a technology viewpoint.

Daines on Perdue’s leadership as U.S. Ambassador to China:

I just got to shout out Ambassador David Perdue. I spent a lot of time with David last week. We were both expats working in China in the 90s. He was in Hong Kong back when the Brits still had it. We were in Guangzhou. We then became U.S. senators together in 2014. David and I go back a long ways. And he is a fantastic ambassador. We can’t ask for a better guy to be leading our efforts there diplomatically on the ground in in China. He understands China so well, he has great relationships with the Chinese leadership, and of course, he’s a text message and phone call away from President Trump, which is what you want to have as an ambassador.

Daines on potential outcomes of U.S.-China summit:

Clearly, it’s in both leaders’ interests to keep the relationship stable and to de-escalate, not to decouple. We need to continue to work to de-risk certain areas, certainly in rare earths where we have dependencies on China. We hope to see some kind of trade deals come out. I think it’ll be Boeing, beef, and beans is perhaps one idea. They haven’t purchased any Boeing aircraft for nine years. There’s a potential for a large aircraft deal with Boeing. U.S. beef is the largest export market in the world behind the United States, and we’d like to get access to that market, which we once had. It’s been shut down since a year ago in March. Of course, our farmers need more access for soybeans, for wheat, barley, and so forth. So that would be, I think, an important transaction and ought to be fairly straightforward. But we also have to continue to work on the fentanyl precursor issue. That’s something I was working with the Premier on year ago. We’re seeing some progress there. I was talking to our DEA guys on the ground in Beijing last week. We’re starting to get better cooperation with the Chinese authorities to help address this scourge, this poisoning of America with fentanyl and these precursors are sent from China to Mexico. And then, of course, you were talking earlier about the AI. I don’t think we’ll see any breakthroughs there. That’s a tough issue. But perhaps establish a framework or some kind of dialogue going forward where we can keep these two technology superpowers here engaged on this important topic.

Daines on the importance of the Chinese economy for American businesses:

I think if you step back and look at the size and magnitude of China in that market, we tend to be focused on trade deficits, and rightfully so. And trade deficits decrease from $300 billion with China to $200 billion year-over-year. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that the S&P 500 did about $1.2 trillion of top-line revenue business last year with China. China plays a very important role in terms of tying to U.S. businesses and driving our successes here in America directly relating to jobs, fueling top-line revenues, investments in R&D, next-generation development of products. So what’s unprecedented, though, with China… Unlike, for example, the challenge we faced with the Soviet Union and Russia of years ago, is that China now is such a massive economy. They’re second in the world. It’s not even really a close third place. You drop to Japan, but you’ve got nearly a $20 trillion economy in China. But they also now have one of the world’s largest militaries. So it’s both large military and economy. When we were dealing with the Soviet Union years ago, they never had really a large economy. They had a large military. There’s really important reasons from an economic viewpoint and a national security viewpoint that we maintain constructive dialogue and positive back and forth with the Chinese. They play the longer game in some ways better than we do. But I tell you, President Trump, credit to him, two times now he’s visited as President of the United States, something again that President Biden never did.

Daines on U.S. economic dominance:

Kudos to free markets and capitalism and God bless America. And that’s what makes us great and why we will continue to win. And President Trump is walking into these discussions. It will be tomorrow, Beijing time, in a position of strength economically speaking and I think China’s economy, while they tout a five percent kind of GDP growth rate, I think the reality is probably closer to two to three percent and they’re seeing some high levels of unemployment with young people probably 15 to 20 percent. We are seeing a massive high rise of empty buildings. They call them the ghost buildings across China, where they’ve overbuilt. They’ve got too much capacity. They’ve got a lot of debt. Their debt problem is much more severe than ours. So we’re in a position of strength, economically speaking, as President Trump walks in with Xi Jinping tomorrow.

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Duckworth, Durbin, Quigley Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Map Urban Flooding and Help FEMA Better Assess Risks

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) today reintroduced the bicameral Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act. The bill would establish a pilot grant program through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to allow cities to develop better methods for mapping, understanding, and mitigating urban flooding while sharing findings with the federal government.

“Every year communities in Illinois and across the country struggle to plan for and recover from urban flooding, which climate change is exacerbating,” said Duckworth. “It’s critical we ensure our cities and towns have the resources they need to prepare for flooding, and this legislation and the pilot program it establishes will do just that. I’m proud to reintroduce our bill to help better understand flood risks, protect home and small business owners and help prevent and mitigate damage caused by urban flooding.”

“It’s undeniable that the climate crisis is bringing more severe flooding to Illinois. Given this, we must ensure that Illinoisans have the resources to protect their lives and homes from flood damage,” said Durbin. “Our Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act is designed to support urban communities in preparing for flood risks while providing our government with the necessary data to develop better preventative solutions.”

“In communities across the country, including Chicagoland, urban flooding has a unique ability to wreak havoc in our communities, leaving Americans feeling helpless in the aftermath. Flooding can cause extensive property damage and impose a massive financial burden on homeowners. Even just a few inches of rain can be dangerous when combined with an out of date and inadequate understanding of the type and location of floods we face,” said Quigley. “I’m proud to reintroduce bipartisan legislation to give cities and towns the resources and tools they’ll need to proactively address flooding challenges. With the rise in extreme weather events and growing impacts of climate change, I’m hopeful my colleagues will be compelled to recognize the urgent need for this legislation.”

As states experience more frequent urbanization, many communities have seen a rise in flooding activity, exacerbated by heavy rainfall, melting snow, and aging infrastructure. Many of these urban areas are often outside of regulatory floodplains, leaving residents unprepared when a disaster hits.

Under the Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act, 12 total cities, varying in size from 50,000 to 800,000 or more residents, would be able to apply for the pilot program, which would select three participant cities per year for four years. The bill would authorize $2 million for Fiscal Year 2027 and $5 million for Fiscal Year 2028 through Fiscal Year 2030 for grants to be made available to states and local government authorities in recognized urban areas. Grant recipients would have 18 months to conduct their projects upon receiving a grant.

The program would also require lessons-learned reports from both the grant recipients and FEMA over the duration of the program. Project data and reports would be made publicly available to improve urban flood mitigation.

Illinois is home to one of the largest inland systems of rivers, lakes, and streams in the U.S., increasing the state’s flooding risk. Floods are the most common natural disaster in Illinois, accounting for more than 90 percent of the state’s declared disasters.

Bill text is available on the Senator's website..

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Duckworth: House Vote on Year-Round E15 is a Win for Consumers and Farmers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of allowing the sale of year-round gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol (E15) to support American farmers, help keep consumer costs down, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our national and energy security:

“With gas prices rising to $4.50 a gallon because of Trump’s illegal war of choice, selling E15 year-round would support our farmers and offer consumers a cheaper, cleaner option at the pump while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Prioritizing homegrown biofuels and year-round E15 encourages job growth, ensures future markets for our farmers, strengthens our national security and secures our nation’s leadership in the energy sector for years to come.

“Committing to our agriculture industry and supporting our Midwest farmers is a critical element of our transition to lower emissions. After years of pushing for this policy, I’m pleased the House passed this critical legislation. And if Donald Trump is serious about keeping his promise to lower costs, he would do everything he can to help ensure this legislation passes through the Senate.”

In the Senate, Duckworth has been a leader in supporting biofuels. To help increase the availability of E15 biofuels, Duckworth helped introduce the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 and the bipartisan Next Generations Fuel Act to allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent. Duckworth additionally helped introduce the bipartisan Home Front Energy Independence Act to ban Russian oil and expand use and production of biofuel that’s grown in the American heartland, while providing American families with a less expensive option to fuel their vehicles. In 2024, she helped introduced the Farm to Fly Act to help accelerate the production and development of SAF. Earlier this year, Duckworth slammed Republicans after Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson secretly stripped a bipartisan compromise on E15 gasoline from must-pass government funding legislation that would have supported American farmers and lowered costs. Duckworth is also a founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Caucus.

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Duckworth Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help Prevent Correctional Officer Suicide

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act of 2026 to expand access to critical mental health care services and increase federal investments for supporting corrections officers, whose suicide rate is estimated to be seven times higher than that of the general population. Last year, U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01) introduced the companion legislation of this bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill is named after Officer Blake Schwarz, a corrections officer at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Thomson in Thomson, Illinois, who tragically died by suicide at age 26.

“Blake’s death is a tragic reminder of the immense emotional and mental strain our correctional officers face and the toll it can take on their well-being,” said Duckworth. “After meeting withBlake’s widow, Michelle, and visiting Thomson, it’s clear we must do more to support the mental health of our corrections officers as they work to protect the public. I’m proud to introduce the Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act alongside Congresswoman Miller-Meeks to help ensure no corrections officer faces mental health struggles alone and to help prevent tragedies before more lives are lost.”

“I’ve met with Blake’s widow, visited the Thomson facilities he worked at, and spoken directly with officers who are carrying the weight of this job without the mental health support they need,” said Representative Miller-Meeks. “Blake’s story is a painful reminder that we must do better. This bill takes action to get corrections officers the resources they deserve, break the stigma around mental health, and prevent future tragedies. I'm proud to be leading the House version of this bill and thank Senator Duckworth for leading it in the Senate.”

This legislation would create a grant program to help provide funding to the Bureau of Prisons, states and localities to carry out mental health screenings, referrals and support services for corrections officers. It would also establish safe harbor protections for officers seeking mental health treatment and create an advisory board to oversee the program and provide technical assistance.

This bill is endorsed by Michelle Schwarz, widow of Blake Schwarz and former nurse at Thomson Prison, AFGE Local 4070, AFGE District 7, National Fraternal Order of Police, Federal, Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), Council of Prison Locals 33 and The Gray Matters Collective.

“Statistics are just the numbers with the tears washed away,” said Michelle Schwarz, widow of Blake Schwarz and former nurse at Thomson Prison. “Unfortunately, my husband is a statistic now, but he’s not just a statistic, he was a father, he was a husband. I want there to be no one else that goes through this, and I want everyone to be able to go home to their sons and daughters and never have to feel like there is no way out. Greater awareness and access to mental health resources could have made all the difference for Blake—and it can still make all the difference for so many others. That’s why I’m urging lawmakers to support the Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act. We owe it to every family to give them hope and real help before it’s too late.”

“As correctional officers, we face pressures and stress that few truly understand. The reality is, our colleagues die by suicide at a rate even higher than police officers — and seven times higher than the general public. This is unacceptable. The Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act gives us a real solution: safe harbor protections that finally allow correctional officers to ask for help without fear of losing their careers. We have to end the stigma around mental health in our profession. This bill is about saving lives, supporting those who protect others, and making it clear that needing help is not a weakness. It’s time we provide the resources and protections our officers deserve,” said Jon Zumkehr, President AFGE Local 4070.

“One of the biggest barriers first responders and public employees face is the fear that if they admit they’re struggling with a mental health crisis, they could lose their job. That fear keeps people silent, and silence is costing lives,” said Jason Anderson, National Vice President of AFGE District 7. “The Safe Harbor Suicide Prevention Program changes that. It creates a clear, consistent pathway for workers to come forward, ask for help, and know they’ll be supported, not punished. It means agencies invest in recovery, provide the time and resources employees need to heal, and ensure that when they’re ready, their job is still there waiting for them.”

“The Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act of 2026 represents a critical commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of the brave men and women who serve behind prison walls every day. FLEOA proudly supports this legislation because no officer should suffer in silence, and no family should lose a loved one due to a lack of support resources,” said Mathew Silverman, National President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA).

“The Corrections Officer Blake Schwarz Suicide Prevention Act of 2026 is a necessary step toward addressing a growing crisis. This legislation recognizes the unique mental health challenges faced by correctional workers and prioritizes safe harbor, prevention, and access to critical mental health resources. One suicide is too many, we have to act now,” said Brandy Moore-White, National President of Council of Prison Locals 33.

“As someone who has faced my own battles with mental illness and suicidal thoughts, I know just how critical this bill is. We cannot continue to let those who protect and serve us suffer in silence. The time is now to strengthen resources and show our correctional officers that their mental health matters. More people cannot die for us to act. This is the moment. Please act now,” said Haley DeGreve, Founder and Executive Director of The Gray Matters Collective, NFP.

Duckworth has been a strong advocate for investing in our mental health resources, especially for our first responders. In 2022, her bipartisan Public Safety Officer Support Act to honor the public service of police officers, firefighters and emergency responders by supporting the families of public safety officers who are lost to trauma-linked suicides was signed into law by President Biden. In March, Duckworth introduced her pro-Veteran, bipartisan Veterans Health Administration Novel Therapeutics Preparedness Act to increase Veterans’ access to innovative health care and ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is prepared to better care for Veterans with emerging mental health therapies. In April, she reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Uniformed Services Leave Parity Act that would help expand leave benefits for the millions of devoted health professionals serving in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps and ensure they have access to the same authorized leave available to members of the Armed Services.

The full text of the bill is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

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Duckworth Joins Bennet, Curtis in Bipartisan Letter to Secretary Rubio Reaffirming U.S. Commitments to Taiwan

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Ahead of President Donald Trump’s summit with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Curtis (R-UT) and nine of their Senate colleagues in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirming congressional support for the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and underscoring their belief that there should be no unilateral changes to this policy, nor any new U.S. declaratory policy on Taiwan.

“For nearly five decades, the TRA has been the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan ties, enabling a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. This bipartisan law requires the United States to provide Taiwan—a critical economic and technological partner, and a thriving democracy – defense articles and services necessary to maintain the island’s self-defense capability. The TRA further states that the United States would consider any attempt to determine Taiwan’s future by non-peaceful means to be ‘a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific,’ and of ‘grave concern,’” wrote the Senators.

“Our commitment to this legislation has long helped ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait—which is essential to U.S. interests there and across the Indo-Pacific. Maintaining this commitment is necessary to ensure the credibility of U.S. security commitments to allies and partners in the region and beyond,” continued the Senators.

“In the spirit of longstanding bipartisan support for the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, we stand ready to work with your administration to further strengthen this partnership,” concluded the Senators.

In addition to Duckworth, Bennet and Curtis, the letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

The full text of the Senators’ letter is available on the Senator Duckworth's website.

Dear Secretary Rubio,

We write to reaffirm congressional support for the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and our firm belief that there should be no unilateral changes to this policy nor any new declaratory policy on Taiwan, consistent with longstanding U.S. commitments including the Six Assurances President Reagan articulated.

For nearly five decades, the TRA has been the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan ties, enabling a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. This bipartisan law requires the United States to provide Taiwan – a critical economic and technological partner, and a thriving democracy –defense articles and services necessary to maintain the island’s self-defense capability. The TRA further states that the United States would consider any attempt to determine Taiwan’s future by non- peaceful means to be “a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific,” and of “grave Concern.”

Our commitment to this legislation has long helped ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait – which is essential to U.S. interests there and across the Indo-Pacific. Maintaining this commitment is necessary to ensure the credibility of U.S. security commitments to allies and partners in the region and beyond.

During your tenure in the U.S. Senate, you consistently demonstrated strong support for U.S.- Taiwan relations and for the TRA. In 2017, you joined a bipartisan letter to President Trump stating that the “One China policy, based on the [Taiwan Relations] Act, the Three Joint Communiques and the Six Assurances [...] provides the basis for our enduring relationship with Taiwan.” You further emphasized the “bipartisan commitment that we must not waver in providing necessary support for Taiwan to defend itself in the face of China’s ongoing military aggression and the cross-Strait military imbalance.”

These principles remain true and necessary today. In the spirit of longstanding bipartisan support for the U.S.-Taiwan relationship, we stand ready to work with your administration to further strengthen this partnership.

Sincerely,

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Durbin Calls For Passage Of His Legislation To Ensure Stable, Robust Funding For Biomedical Research

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

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

“Every family, like my own, has wrestled with a dangerous medical condition. When you or a loved one receive a diagnosis, there is only one question on your mind: ‘Is there a cure? Is there a treatment?’ Often, thank God, the answer is yes. America’s world-class medical researchers and institutions have pushed the boundaries of science and achieved so many important and life-saving breakthroughs,” Durbin said. “This work is primarily supported by the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. It is not only the nation’s premier medical research agency, it is the world’s premier medical research agency.”

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

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

“Consider this: between 2010 and 2016, the FDA approved more than 200 new drugs and treatments. Every single one of them benefited from NIH research funding—money well spent. Congress has long recognized the importance of NIH, which is why we, on a bipartisan basis, provided NIH with $19 billion in additional funding over the past decade, a 60 percent increase,” Durbin said. “However, thousands of chronic diseases still need treatments, causing millions of families to suffer. These families are depending on us to support NIH and [its] groundbreaking research today.”

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

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

“So, this week, I have re-introduced the American Cures Act, which would provide our top medical research agencies with five percent real funding growth every year. My bill would ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of new treatments and would provide researchers with the strong, stable funding they need to continue their lifesaving work,” Durbin said. “This legislation is more important than ever since we currently have a new Administration that seems hellbent on dismantling America’s medical research infrastructure.”

Durbin concluded, “No nation has ever made such a significant investment in science as the United States. No nation’s scientists have ever done more to improve the quality of life on Earth. Through government support for scientific research, we have split the atom, defeated polio, and mapped the human genome. American leadership comes with the responsibility to continue to move forward—to never be satisfied while there are those suffering from sickness and to push the boundaries of what is possible. Let’s pass the American Cures Act on a bipartisan basis and give families facing terrible illnesses today the hope of treatment and cures tomorrow.”

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

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

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

A copy of the bill text is available here.

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

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

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Durbin Condemns The Trump Administration’s FDA For Authorizing The First Ever Flavored E-Cigarettes And Allowing Illegal Vape Products To Remain On The Market

Following Dr. Makary’s resignation, Durbin: “Why would an Administration supposedly committed to ‘Making America Healthy Again’ unleash this new wave of addiction?”

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed the Trump Administration’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the decision to approve the sale and marketing of fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes for the first time, and its decision to allow illegal vaping products—primarily used by children—to remain on the market indefinitely. Durbin’s speech follows the forced resignation of FDA Commissioner, Dr. Marty Makary, who reportedly opposed President Trump’s efforts to make flavored vapes more accessible for children.

Durbin said, “[When I was 14 years old], my father died of lung cancer. Seeing my dad struggle changed my life. I have made it a priority during my time in Congress to spare others from this suffering. We have made significant progress in reducing smoking over the last several decades. After I passed legislation that banned smoking on airplanes, it appeared to be a tipping point, and increasingly we’ve seen tobacco and cigarettes disappear from public spaces. But Big Tobacco did not dissipate like a cloud of smoke. They re-branded with flashy new products: vaping and e-cigarettes. And they followed the same playbook they used to sell Marlboro cigarettes and so many others. They targeted our children in America.”

“Tobacco companies donated to Donald Trump’s election, his inauguration, and his Great Gatsby ballroom—with the expectation of favorable treatment. President Trump’s Administration has delivered for Big Tobacco. Last week, the Food and Drug Administration did something it has never done before. After pressure from President Trump, the FDA authorized the first ever flavored e-cigarettes,” Durbin continued.

During his speech, Durbin noted that scientists, doctors, and parents—even the FDA’s own studies—all acknowledge that sweet and fruity flavored e-cigarettes are responsible for addicting children to nicotine. Health experts he has spoken with believe the true number of high schoolers vaping is at least 40 percent.

Durbin said, “These are not kids vaping to quit cigarette smoking—these are kids who first became addicted to nicotine because of flavored vapes. Why would an Administration supposedly committed to ‘Making America Healthy Again’ unleash this new wave of addiction on our children? Formaldehyde, chromium, heavy metals like nickel and lead—all of these are present in e-cigarettes. A recent study found that vaping is likely to cause cancer. We should not trust Big Tobacco when they promise they will not market to kids. We know better.”

On Friday, FDA granted a free pass to scores of illegal vapes, permitting them to stay on the market without having met the law’s requirement of first proving to FDA that their product is “appropriate for protection of public health.”

“But even that gift to vaping and cigarette titans Altria and RJ Reynolds was not enough to spare the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Yesterday, President Trump forced the resignation [of Dr. Makary]. [He] is gone for his resistance to this expansion of vaping to the high schoolers in America. What a disgraceful display in Washington. The President wants yes-men, no matter the consequences—even if it harms our children. While we did not agree on everything that Dr. Makary did, I appreciated his commitment and focus on protecting children from Big Tobacco,” Durbin said.

Durbin concluded, “Whether it is for drugs, medical devices, or tobacco products—it is never a good idea for the President and the White House to pressure regulators to approve applications. That is a recipe for deadly consequences. As the President’s whims have created dangerous vacancies now at FDA and the CDC, my Republican colleagues should have the nerve and fortitude to call out this alarming, unacceptable, and dangerous behavior and treatment of our children.”

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

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

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

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

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

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Durbin Questions Witnesses During Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing On Protecting Kids Online

During his remarks, Durbin called on the House and the Senate to vote on bills aimed at protecting kids online

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing entitled “From the Courtroom to Congress: Why Landmark Social Media Verdicts Demand Federal Action to Protect Kids Online.” Today’s hearing highlighted the ongoing risk to children and the immediate need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bills reported by the Committee.

During his remarks, Durbin reflected on the Judiciary Committee’s January 31, 2024, hearing, held while Durbin was serving as Chair. That hearing featured testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). During his opening, Durbin called on the CEOs to come back to the Committee and testify.

“I think it’s time for us on a bipartisan basis to call these CEOs back and ask them what’s happened in two years [since the January 2024 hearing] and talk to them about the losses that have occurred and ask them what they’re doing. I don’t expect straight answers… but that confrontation on a public basis is a way to inform the public of the danger of what we’re talking about [dangers of social media],” said Durbin.

Durbin asked Rachel Lanier, an Attorney at The Lanier Law Firm, about her experience as a trial attorney in a landmark California social media addiction case in which her client, K.G.M., was awarded $6 million in damages from Meta and YouTube. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified during the trial.

“How long was he on the stand?” Durbin asked.

Ms. Lanier responded that they were restricted to have him on for only one day because, “He’s very busy.”

Durbin responded, “Well he may be very busy, but your day paid off. I thank you for your efforts.”

Durbin then asked Joann Bogard, a parent whose son Mason died at the age of 15 after attempting a “choking challenge” circulating on YouTube and TikTok, about her experience talking to other parents who have gone through a similar tragedy.

“Have you been able to reach out to [talk] to [others]… about their losses?” Durbin asked.

Ms. Bogard responded that she “absolutely” has connected with other parents who have gone through a similar tragic situation. She also said that hundreds of parents have reached out to her. She also emphasized that there needs to be legislation to address the harm of social media on children.

“[I] encourage you in your meeting with the Speaker [Mike Johnson] to ask to make [it] a priority to [address] this issue. He can make a difference. And we need to do our part here. We haven’t taken this issue to the floor yet... It’s time for us to bring it to the floor and have a fulsome debate on it and vote. Before we have another hearing to discuss it, let’s do something about it on a bipartisan basis,” Durbin concluded.

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

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

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

The hearing comes after a jury in New Mexico found that Meta misled users about the safety of its platforms and enabled sexual exploitation of young users and another jury in California found that Meta and Google negligently designed their platforms to be addictive to young users. These two bellwether cases are the first of many court proceedings at both the state and federal levels, but it remains critical that Congress pass federal legislation to hold social media companies accountable.

Durbin has used his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee to prioritize child safety online through hearings, legislation, and oversight efforts.

Durbin and Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) joined forces to reintroduce the bipartisan STOP CSAM Act, which would combat online child sexual abuse material. The bill passed the Judiciary Committee unanimously and awaits action on the Senate floor.

In addition, Durbin and Senator Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate in July 2024 and again in January 2026. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit “deepfake” images and videos. The bill awaits consideration by the House.

Durbin and Graham also introduced the bipartisan Sunset Section 230 Act, which would repeal Section 230 two years after the date of enactment so that those harmed online can bring legal action against companies. The bill awaits consideration by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

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Durbin, Quigley, Duckworth Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation To Map Urban Flooding & Help FEMA Better Assess Risks

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) today reintroduced the bicameral Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act. The bill would establish a pilot grant program through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to allow cities to develop better methods for mapping, understanding, and mitigating urban flooding while sharing findings with the federal government.

“It’s undeniable that the climate crisis is bringing more severe flooding to Illinois. Given this, we must ensure that Illinoisans have the resources to protect their lives and homes from flood damage,” said Durbin. “Our Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act is designed to support urban communities in preparing for flood risks while providing our government with the necessary data to develop better preventative solutions.”

“In communities across the country, including Chicagoland, urban flooding has a unique ability to wreak havoc in our communities, leaving Americans feeling helpless in the aftermath. Flooding can cause extensive property damage and impose a massive financial burden on homeowners. Even just a few inches of rain can be dangerous when combined with an out of date and inadequate understanding of the type and location of floods we face,” said Quigley. “I’m proud to reintroduce bipartisan legislation to give cities and towns the resources and tools they’ll need to proactively address flooding challenges. With the rise in extreme weather events and growing impacts of climate change, I’m hopeful my colleagues will be compelled to recognize the urgent need for this legislation.”

“Every year communities in Illinois and across the country struggle to plan for and recover from urban flooding, which climate change is exacerbating,” said Duckworth. “It’s critical we ensure our cities and towns have the resources they need to prepare for flooding, and this legislation and the pilot program it establishes will do just that. I’m proud to reintroduce our bill to help better understand flood risks, protect home and small business owners and help prevent and mitigate damage caused by urban flooding.”

As states experience more frequent urbanization, many communities have seen a rise in flooding activity, exacerbated by heavy rainfall, melting snow, and aging infrastructure. Many of these urban areas are often outside of regulatory floodplains, leaving residents unprepared when a disaster hits.

Under the Flood Mapping Modernization and Homeowner Empowerment Pilot Program Act, 12 total cities, varying in size from 50,000 to 800,000 or more residents, would be able to apply for the pilot program, which would select three participant cities per year for four years. The bill would authorize $2 million for Fiscal Year 2027 and $5 million for Fiscal Year 2028 through Fiscal Year 2030 for grants to be made available to states and local government authorities in recognized urban areas. Grant recipients would have 18 months to conduct their projects upon receiving a grant.

The program would also require lessons-learned reports from both the grant recipients and FEMA over the duration of the program. Project data and reports would be made publicly available to improve urban flood mitigation.

Illinois is home to one of the largest inland systems of rivers, lakes, and streams in the U.S., increasing the state’s flooding risk. Floods are the most common natural disaster in Illinois, accounting for more than 90 percent of the state’s declared disasters.

Bill text is available here.

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Durbin Statement On Confirmation Of Kevin Warsh To Be The Next Federal Reserve Chair

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after voting against the nomination of Kevin Warsh to serve as the next Chair of the Federal Reserve:

“Americans are struggling more than ever to afford basic goods, and yesterday, data showed that Trump’s war of choice in Iran has caused inflation to reach 3.8%—the highest in three years. Working families deserve a central bank that will fight for them, not the President and his billionaire buddies. I am not convinced that Mr. Warsh has the willingness to do what is best for the American people. For that reason, I voted no on his nomination.

“I also want to commend Jerome Powell for serving with competency and dignity, and for standing firm in the face of this President’s tirades. The Justice Department must finally put to bed the possibility of pursuing baseless, politicized charges against Chair Powell in the future.”

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Durbin Urges GSA Administrator To Finally Address Critical Building Repairs Desperately Needed At Federal Courthouses In Chicago

In today’s Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Durbin also urged GSA Administrator Forst to look into converting unused federal buildings into housing units

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today participated in an Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Request for the General Services Administration (GSA). During his questioning, Durbin emphasized the need to swiftly address infrastructure and deferred maintenance issues at federal buildings in Illinois, including the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse and the Stanley J. Roszkowski U.S. Courthouse, both of which are in the Northern District of Illinois (NDIL).

Durbin urged GSA Administrator Edward Forst, who testified at today’s hearing, to finally carry out the necessary repairs that the federal court buildings in Chicago desperately need. Last month, Durbin and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) wrote to Administrator Forst, calling on GSA to address its massive deferred maintenance backlog, specifically projects across the NDIL, such as repairs to the magistrate courtroom and chambers of an NDIL Magistrate Judge in the Dirksen Courthouse, where flooding caused a ceiling collapse; replacing lighting fixtures in four courtrooms in the Dirksen Courthouse, where burned-out fixtures cannot be replaced due to unavailable bulbs; beginning the courthouse lobby hardening project to improve security at the Dirksen Courthouse, which was identified as the most important courthouse hardening project in the country following civil unrest; and finishing lighting repairs throughout the Roszkowski Courthouse.

“I joined with Senator Duckworth in sending you a letter about the Northern District of Illinois and the buildings they occupy in the judiciary there,” Durbin said. “It is not as safe as it should be. The courts have been petitioning GSA, and [it’s] going nowhere.”

Urging Administrator Forst to prioritize critical building repairs that are needed to keep federal employees safe over slashing GSA staffing numbers and selling off buildings, Durbin asked: “So you are reducing personnel, reducing inventory of space, and the people that desperately need your attention cannot get your attention or get the resources they need to repair. Is it time we start thinking about restructuring [the priorities of ] your agency in terms of its responsibility, particularly when it comes to security?”

Administrator Forst replied that security and safety is a priority for GSA. He committed to investigating the necessary repairs at the NDIL courthouses and replying to the Senators’ letter.

Durbin then spoke to Administrator Forst about what actions GSA could take to convert former government buildings into housing units. Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, federal agencies can make underutilized properties owned by the federal government available for housing or housing assistance purposes.

“Is there any way we can get those [homeless assistance organizations and local governments] who convert office buildings into residential to take a look at some of the buildings in your inventory? I spoke to a developer in Chicago who is a close friend, and he said we desperately need housing. What is the prospect of converting a building?... I take it from your reaction we really have not explored that in any specific case yet, have we?” Durbin asked.

Administrator Forst said that while he has not explored that during his tenure at GSA, he would be open to meeting with developers about converting unused buildings.

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

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

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

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Ernst Cracks Down on Cover-up of True COVID-19 Origins

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, secured new confirmation from a CIA whistleblower that there is evidence government officials covered up COVID’s true origins and made excuses for China’s likely involvement.

After years of leading investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 virus, Ernst put a longtime CIA employee, with firsthand knowledge of the intelligence community’s response to the pandemic, on the record about government suppression of origin theories and bureaucratic flaws that enabled the cover-up.

Watch Ernst’s full line of questioning here.

“I’ve long warned about a potential government cover-up of the truth, which our brave witness has confirmed to us today,” said Senator Ernst. “I haven’t backed down from fighting for more information on the true COVID origins, and yet Congress is still here, six years later, begging agencies to share answers and for committees to make relevant documents public…There are a lot of U.S. secrets and secret keepers, without a lot of explanation. It’s time for the secrets to end. Our constituents deserve to know the truth about COVID-19 origins.”

Background:

Ernst has long fought to stop tax dollars from being sent overseas for risky research and to secure answers on the questionable circumstances surrounding the U.S. government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Ernst requested the Health and Human Services (HHS) OIG investigation of EcoHealth Alliance’s experiments at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which found the group’s work with the Wuhan Institute resulted in enhanced coronaviruses and did not comply with federal reporting requirements. An Ernst-requested investigation also exposed how EcoHealth sent over $1 million U.S. taxpayer dollars to the Wuhan Institute of Virology for risky experiments on bat coronaviruses. These efforts also led to HHS defunding EcoHealth and permanently debarring the Wuhan Institute of Virology from receiving taxpayer dollars used for research of pandemic potential.

Ernst authored the provision in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act directing the DoD OIG to conduct an audit of Pentagon funding of risky research in China and other foreign nations. She is demanding that the redacted findings of the investigation be made public. In her $2 trillion blueprint to slash waste in Washington, Ernst pointed to the millions being sent to China for secretive risky research.

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New Ernst Bill Would Establish Urbandale ZIP Code

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) partnered with Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) to require the U.S. Postal Service designate a single, unique ZIP code for 75 specific communities across the country.

After years of work to deliver certainty for Urbandale residents, Ernst brought together multiple proposals for new ZIP codes into one bipartisan bill that would end confusing mail delays and delivery issues faced by cities throughout the nation.

“It’s frankly unacceptable that residents of Urbandale and other cities across the nation have dealt with delayed and misdirected mail for years because of ongoing disputes over ZIP code boundaries,” said Senator Ernst. “All Americans deserve timely and efficient mail service, and by bringing together numerous proposals representing impacted communities across the country, I know we can finally seal the deal. It’s time this issue is fully addressed so Iowans can rest assured that their mail is being delivered accurately.

Read the full bill here.

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At Fetterman’s Urging, FEMA Releases Nearly $600 Million in Delayed Healthcare Funds

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following an April 29th letter from U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the release of nearly $600 million in delayed reimbursements for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The funding will provide critical support to hospitals that took on significant out-of-pocket costs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The disbursement of this funding is essential for their continued operations.

“I’m grateful to Secretary Mullin and FEMA for releasing these funds to the hospitals in Pennsylvania that provided lifesaving care through a global pandemic and have been waiting for these reimbursements. Our healthcare workers and first responders represent the very best of us, and these hospitals responded heroically for our communities. This is a long awaited relief for them,” said Senator Fetterman.


Fetterman Statement on Vote to Confirm Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve Chair

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After joining his colleagues in a 54-45 vote to confirm Kevin Warsh as the next Chair of the Federal Reserve, Senator Fetterman today released the following statement:

“I’ve met Kevin Warsh and believe he will be transparent and responsive to Congress and the public. His promise to maintain Fed independence in setting interest rates is crucial and I look forward to working with him.


Fischer Statement on House Approval of Year-Round E15

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation allowing the year-round sale of E15:

“After years of fighting for year-round E15, I am encouraged to see the House finally approve this effort today. Though long overdue, this is a major step toward securing stability and certainty for American producers and consumers – without any government mandates. I commend my fellow Nebraskans, Reps. Adrian Smith, Mike Flood, and Don Bacon for their hard work and persistence in getting this bill passed. I also thank President Trump for his leadership on this issue; I will continue working to get a bill to his desk.

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