Gillibrand Demands Action To Combat Doctor Shortages In New York

Trump Administration Bottlenecks In J-1 Visa Processing Are Causing Physician Shortages Across New York

International Medical Graduates Make Up Over One-Third Of New York’s Physician Workforce

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) demanded action to combat New York’s physician workforce shortage by addressing administrative backlogs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Currently, an administrative bottleneck within HHS’ Office of Global Affairs (OGA) is preventing hundreds of qualified, foreign-trained physicians from beginning their service around the United States, including at healthcare facilities in some of New York’s most rural and medically underserved areas.

“International medical graduates are absolutely critical to New York’s physician workforce, especially in rural areas of our state,” said Senator Gillibrand. “New York’s healthcare providers cannot afford to lose qualified doctors to administrative red tape. I’m urging HHS to immediately address these backlogs so that New Yorkers can get the high-quality care that they deserve.”

International medical graduates make up over one-third of New York’s physician workforce, more than in nearly every other state. Persistent clinician shortages, which have been reported at medical centers across New York, have a devastating impact on patient care, increasing wait times, delaying patient care, and overburdening providers.

Physician shortages are particularly acute in New York’s rural and medically underserved areas. As Senator Gillibrand notes in her letter, “A 2025 report highlights that 16 of the state’s rural counties face alarming gaps in care, with several counties lacking even a single pediatrician or OB-GYN. On average, these counties have only four primary care physicians per 10,000 residents, which is less than half the statewide ratio.”

To improve care in these areas, New York hospitals rely on the J-1 visa waiver program, which allows international medical graduates to waive their two-year home residency requirement and stay in the United States if they commit to working in a Health Professional Shortage Area. However, monthslong delays processing J-1 waiver recommendations is exacerbating physician shortages, preventing hundreds of qualified physicians from beginning their service and creating challenges for New York hospitals creating staffing plans for the upcoming year. HHS has not provided a timeline for improvements of this process.

The text of the letter can be found here or below:

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

I write to express my serious concern regarding significant processing delays at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for J-1 visa waiver recommendations under the HHS Exchange Visitor Program. The current administrative bottleneck within the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) is preventing hundreds of qualified, foreign-trained physicians from beginning their service around the United States, including at healthcare facilities in some of New York’s most rural and medically underserved areas. Particularly as New York relies more heavily on international medical graduates than nearly every other state, this backlog disproportionately impacts the ability of my constituents to access necessary care in a timely manner. I urge you to address these delays and provide a clear path forward for these essential medical professionals to support our healthcare system.

New York faces a severe physician shortage that is particularly acute in its rural and medically underserved communities. A 2025 report highlights that 16 of the state’s rural counties face alarming gaps in care, with several counties lacking even a single pediatrician or OB-GYN. On average, these counties have only four primary care physicians per 10,000 residents, which is less than half the statewide ratio. To bridge this gap, New York hospitals rely on the J-1 visa waiver program, which allows international medical graduates to waive their two-year home residency requirement and stay in the United States if they commit to working in a Health Professional Shortage Area as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Over one third of New York’s physicians are international medical graduates, more than nearly every other state, making it an essential tool in addressing the state’s physician workforce crisis.

The impact of the current delay is substantial. My office has received multiple reports from New York hospitals and constituent physicians who have received employment offers from major hospital systems but have remained in administrative limbo for months without clear guidance from HHS. These administrative hurdles are not merely inconvenient; they threaten the stability of our healthcare system and the well-being of New Yorkers who face delays in treatment or an inability to access care altogether.

The timing of these delays is particularly perilous because many physicians currently finishing their residency programs face a July 30th deadline to avoid a mandated return to their home countries. If their waivers are not recommended by HHS in time for subsequent processing by the State Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, these doctors may be forced to leave the country and New Yorkers will bear the consequences. These vacancies are historically difficult to fill, and under the impending deadline, it would be nearly impossible to recruit a candidate that does not require visa support or trigger significant financial consequences for these New York hospitals. Under the Presidential Proclamation of September 19, 2025, titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” if a physician’s status lapses, the employer must pay a new $100,000 fee to re-initiate the hiring process for each candidate seeking H-1B status. This is plainly infeasible for New York’s rural and safety-net hospitals, many of which already experience severe labor shortages.

Prior correspondence from HHS to my office dated April 13, 2026, acknowledged OGA is processing a large volume of applications while implementing procedural improvements, but the agency has not given an estimated timeline for these improvements. In the immediate term, more must be done to address the timeliness of application processing. The lack of case-specific timelines presents significant difficulty for New York hospitals creating staffing plans for the upcoming year. Given that the OGA has historically reviewed these cases in a one-to-three-week timeframe, the current months-long delay is untenable.

New York’s healthcare providers cannot afford to lose qualified doctors to administrative red tape. I request answers to the following questions by June 15, 2026:

How many J-1 waiver applications are currently pending a recommendation from the HHS Exchange Visitor Program?

Of the total pending applications, how many involve physicians committed to working at facilities located in New York State?

What is the current average processing time for a J-1 waiver recommendation from HHS, and how does this compare to the average timeframe from previous fiscal years?

What specific process improvements is the OGA currently implementing, and what is the estimated date by which these changes will result in a return to standard processing speeds?

Given the impending July 30 deadline, will HHS commit to implementing an expedited review or emergency batch processing for physicians with signed contracts in high-need areas?

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your timely response.

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Gillibrand Introduces Groundbreaking New Bill To Regulate The Pentagon’s Use Of Artificial Intelligence

Bill Would Prohibit the Use of AI to Target or Launch Nuclear Weapons, Conduct Mass Domestic Surveillance, or Develop Offensive Fully Autonomous Weapons

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee, introduced new legislation that would set strict boundaries for the military’s use of artificial intelligence (AI). The Secure and Accountable Military AI Act would establish a comprehensive framework to govern the deployment, security, and operational use of AI by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), ensuring that human commanders remain in control of life-and-death decisions and banning AI’s use entirely in certain critical contexts.

“The most critical decisions affecting our national security and the lives of our service members must always be made by human beings, not unaccountable machines,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Right now, the Pentagon is moving toward deploying incredibly powerful AI technology without commonsense guardrails in place, which could have catastrophic consequences that make all of us less safe. We must act now – not to stifle technological progress, but to establish clear rules of the road that keep humans in charge and keep AI’s use in warfare smart and safe.”

The Secure and Accountable Military AI Act would:

Limit AI Use For:

Nuclear Weapons: Establishes an absolute prohibition on using AI to select targets or execute the launch of nuclear weapons.

Domestic Surveillance: Prohibits using AI for person-based analysis or tracking of U.S. persons in the United States, with narrow exceptions for cybersecurity and force protection.

Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS): Generally prohibits the development or employment of AWS, except for semi-autonomous systems, non-lethal systems, or operator-supervised systems used for “local defense” (e.g. intercepting incoming missiles).

Keep Humans Accountable For Decision-Making: Codifies a policy that AI may support analysis but cannot substitute for accountable human judgment in decisions involving the use of force, detention, or high-consequence actions.

Mandate High-Consequence AI Oversight: Requires senior-level written approval (undersecretary or vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs) before the operational deployment of “high-consequence” AI, including systems for lethal targeting support, cyber operations, and nuclear command and control.

Require Security Incident Reporting: Mandates that frontier AI contractors report security incidents (theft of model weights) to the DoD within 72 hours of discovery and/or report material vulnerabilities in the model or concerning behavior within 7 days of discovering the issue is material.

Senator Gillibrand has been an outspoken advocate for responsible AI use, both in military and non-military contexts. In March, Gillibrand pressed generative AI companies for answers regarding their engagements with DoD, the rules under which DoD can access and use their technology, and the internal controls that exist in the event their technology is misused by DoD. Additionally, Gillibrand has demanded a bipartisan investigation into the suspected U.S. strike on the Iranian girls’ school in February that killed more than 100 children, including whether AI played any role in selecting the target. Gillibrand is also leading the charge to roll back a Trump administration initiative that allows AI to deny seniors’ medical claims, and she cosponsors legislation to ban AI companion bots for children.

A section-by-section summary of the Secure and Accountable Military AI Act is here.

Full text of the Secure and Accountable Military AI Act is here.

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Grassley, Daines Urge Treasury to Crack Down on Tax Cheats Who Abuse Conservation-Easement Deduction

WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee members Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) are urging Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to faithfully enforce an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) settlement that holds tax cheats accountable and preserves the integrity of the conservation-easement deduction.

“The terms of the settlement offer properly balance holding participants in abusive tax shelters accountable with the need to resolve hundreds of cases in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Your dedication to preserving the integrity of the conservation-easement deduction is appreciated,” the senators wrote.

As then-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley released a bipartisan report exposing the abuse of syndicated conservation easements, detailing how some transactions can be “nothing more than retail tax shelters that let taxpayers buy tax deductions at the end of any given year.”

“These transactions generally rely on inflated appraisals cooked up to turn a charitable deduction intended to promote conservation into a money-making enterprise that turns a profit at the expense of American taxpayers. The IRS and the Department of the Treasury are justified in their vigorous enforcement efforts to put an end to this abuse and discourage the development of similar schemes moving forward,” the senators continued.

Grassley and Daines joined Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to introduce the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act in 2020 to stop the abuse of conservation easements, save taxpayers billions of dollars and promote conservation in the U.S. This bill was enacted as part of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022.

“By implementing and enforcing the announced settlement, the Department will ensure the conservation easement incentive is preserved for farmers, ranchers, and landowners acting in good faith while deterring bad actors who monetize the tax code at the expense of taxpayers. Additionally, it will provide clarity and predictability for enforcement, reporting, and compliant taxpayers,” the senators concluded.

Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.

May 28, 2026

The Honorable Scott Bessent

Secretary of the Treasury

United States Department of the Treasury

1500 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20220

Dear Secretary Bessent,

On May 13, 2026, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a settlement offer for taxpayers involved in certain syndicated conservation easement cases. The terms of the settlement offer properly balance holding participants in abusive tax shelters accountable with the need to resolve hundreds of cases in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Your dedication to preserving the integrity of the conservation-easement deduction is appreciated.

In 2020, the Senate Finance Committee released a bipartisan report detailing its investigation of syndicated conservation easements. This report documents how many of these transactions are “nothing more than retail tax shelters that let taxpayers buy tax deductions at the end of any given year.” These transactions generally rely on inflated appraisals cooked up to turn a charitable deduction intended to promote conservation into a money-making enterprise that turns a profit at the expense of American taxpayers. The IRS and the Department of the Treasury are justified in their vigorous enforcement efforts to put an end to this abuse and discourage the development of similar schemes moving forward.

As strong supporters of the conservation easement deduction, we understand the importance of preventing its abuse. This is why we worked together to enact the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act which generally caps the deduction at 250 percent of the taxpayer’s basis in the property. This cap helps ensure conservation easement donations are made for charitable purposes and not to turn a profit. It sets an upper limit on the size of the deduction to prevent the most egregious abuses. However, a deduction generated by a syndicated conservation easement that is below this cap may still be illegitimate. The caps existence must not be allowed to be used by bad actors to justify a charitable deduction where none is warranted.

By implementing and enforcing the announced settlement, the Department will ensure the conservation easement incentive is preserved for farmers, ranchers, and landowners acting in good faith while deterring bad actors who monetize the tax code at the expense of taxpayers. Additionally, it will provide clarity and predictability for enforcement, reporting, and compliant taxpayers. For these reasons, we urge the Department to maintain the terms of the settlement and its enforcement posture against abusive syndicated conservation easement arrangements. This course protects taxpayers, supports bona fide conservation, and respects Congress’s legislative intent in passing the Integrity Act.

Thank you again for your steadfast commitment to preserving the integrity of the conservation-easement deduction.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley

United States Senator

Steve Daines

United States Senator


Grassley, Warren Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Defense Contractor Transparency

WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced a bill to improve transparency into foreign ownership of Department of Defense (DoD) contractors. The legislation would enhance commonsense safeguards to ensure foreign adversaries, illegitimate contractors and other bad actors cannot hide behind anonymous shell companies to bid for and win defense contracts.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has repeatedly warned about the fraud and national security risks opaque contractor ownership poses to the DoD. In one case, GAO found a contractor used a U.S. shell company to falsely claim U.S. ownership to receive government contracts, sent restricted military data to a foreign manufacturer and ultimately supplied the DoD with defective military parts, which grounded at least 47 fighter aircraft.

“Transparency brings accountability, and that includes shining a light on foreign influence in Defense Department contracts. By closing loopholes and strengthening disclosure provisions, our bipartisan legislation delivers commonsense reforms to support our national security,” Grassley said.

“For too long, bad actors have hidden behind anonymous shell companies, including in defense contracting. They use that secrecy to skirt sourcing rules that protect American workers and, in some cases, have gained access to sensitive defense supply chains. This is a commonsense, bipartisan reform to ensure that the Pentagon knows who it is doing business with,” Warren said.

The senators are pushing for the bill's inclusion in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Key provisions include:

Requiring prospective DoD contractor or subcontractor companies to disclose basic beneficial ownership information as part of any bid or proposal, providing key information to the government before more serious vetting.

Closing a gap in current law that allows contractors and subcontractors with under $5 million in contracts to escape ownership disclosure and foreign ownership, control or influence (FOCI) mitigation.

Strengthening the definition of “beneficial owner” to align with a definition already present in Title 10 of the United States Code.

Full text of the legislation can be found HERE.


Hawley Leads Delegation Urging Approval for New Federal Relief for Recent Missouri Tornadoes

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo) led the Missouri congressional delegation in sending a letter to President Trump in support of Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s request for a major federal disaster declaration. This comes after the devastating tornadoes and storms that struck Missouri from April 23 through April 28, 2026.

Senator Hawley wrote, “We write to support Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s May 22 request for a major federal disaster declaration, pursuant to the Stafford Act, following devastating tornadoes, straight-line winds, severe storms, large hail, and flooding that struck Missouri from April 23 through April 28, 2026. If approved, this declaration would promptly authorize federal aid for affected residents and compensate local governments for their emergency response and recovery expenses in 12 counties throughout Missouri.”

“These recent Missouri storms produced at least eight confirmed tornadoes and record-setting, nearly 5-inch hail. More than 140 households and significant public infrastructure have been affected across the dozen counties. Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments by federal, state, and local officials have documented more than $36 million in eligible damages—triple Missouri’s threshold to qualify for federal disaster assistance. The damage is well beyond the normal capacity of the affected communities to address without federal assistance,” he continued.

Senator Hawley concluded, “We respectfully urge your immediate consideration and approval of Governor Kehoe’s disaster declaration request so that Missouri families, local governments, and first responders can access the federal resources they urgently need.”

Joining Senator Hawley in the letter to President Trump are Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo), Congressman Jason Smith (Mo-08), Congresswoman Ann Wagner (Mo-02), Congressman Sam Graves (Mo-06), Congressman Mark Alford (Mo-04), Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (Mo-05), Congressman Eric Burlison (Mo-07), Congressman Bob Onder (Mo-03), and Congressman Wesley Bell (Mo-01).

Read the full letter here or below.

The Honorable Donald J. Trump

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Trump,

We write to support Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s May 22 request for a major federal disaster declaration, pursuant to the Stafford Act, following devastating tornadoes, straight-line winds, severe storms, large hail, and flooding that struck Missouri from April 23 through April 28, 2026. If approved, this declaration would promptly authorize federal aid for affected residents and compensate local governments for their emergency response and recovery expenses in 12 counties throughout Missouri.

These recent Missouri storms produced at least eight confirmed tornadoes and record-setting, nearly 5-inch hail. More than 140 households and significant public infrastructure have been affected across the dozen counties. Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments by federal, state, and local officials have documented more than $36 million in eligible damages—triple Missouri’s threshold to qualify for federal disaster assistance. The damage is well beyond the normal capacity of the affected communities to address without federal assistance.

We respectfully urge your immediate consideration and approval of Governor Kehoe’s disaster declaration request so that Missouri families, local governments, and first responders can access the federal resources they urgently need.

Sincerely,

Josh Hawley

United States Senator


Heinrich Statement Opposing Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement opposing President Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence:

“Bill Pulte lacks the national security experience and judgment required to protect the American people from terrorism and foreign threats. Because instead of working to protect Americans, Bill Pulte has proven all too willing to exact retribution against any American that President Trump deems his personal enemy.

“The Director of National Intelligence, Acting or otherwise, should be focused on providing independent, objective assessments of threats to our nation, not advancing the president’s political interests. Americans deserve a Director of National Intelligence who is nonpartisan, experienced, and committed solely to safeguarding our country. Anything less puts our security at risk.”

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Video: Kaine Presses Rubio on Administration’s Refusal to Provide Congress with Legal Justification for Iran War

FULL VIDEO OF THE EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE HERE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) hearing, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) pressed U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio on the Administration’s failure to provide Congress with the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) opinion justifying the Iran war.

“We’re [over] 92 days into a war against Iran, and the Administration will not let Congress look at the OLC legal opinion justifying the war,” Kaine said. “Intel. Committee members, SFRC members, Armed Services Committee members, rank and file members—the Administration will not make it available to us.”

“We’re the oversight committee,” Kaine continued. “You’re here asking for a budget. And in the Armed Services Committee, they’re asking for $1.5 trillion, an increase of 40 percent over last year’s budget.”

“You’ve showed us the legal rationale for two wars, and you won’t show us the legal rationale for the third,” Kaine said. “Is there something in the rationale they don’t want us to see?”

“By not sharing the legal opinion with the Article I oversight branch, you give us the opinion that there’s something in there you don’t want us to see,” Kaine said.

During the SFRC hearing, Kaine also pressed Rubio regarding the targeting criteria of the boat strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific, which do not require evidence that narcotics are present on a boat before it is struck.

Kaine has been outspoken against the Iran war. His War Powers Resolution to force an end to the war advanced the Senate in May. During his time in the Senate, Kaine has been a leading voice calling on Congress to reassert its role in decisions related to war and peace and raised concerns over Presidents’ use of military force without congressional authorization.

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In Ukraine, Kelly Warns of Growing Disinformation Threat and Reaffirms American Alliances Critical to National Security

Kelly observed a Ukrainian Navy demonstration of the V-BAT drone

Kelly also travelled to Moldova and met with Moldovan President Sandu and senior officials

Kelly met with the Marine Security Guard detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Chișinău

Over the weekend, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly made his fourth trip to Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. While there, he participated in discussions and delivered remarks at the 2026 Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa, warning that the nature of modern conflict has fundamentally shifted with disinformation posing a serious threat to democracies.

Kelly opened withhow Russia’s war in Ukrainehasglobal implications for the future of warfare: “The lessons emerging from Ukraine are larger than Ukraine itself. We need to recognize that periods of strategic transition reward those countries capable of adaptation. History punishes powerful countries that mistake temporary advantages for permanent ones or fail to adjust when the character of war evolves.”

Kellypointed out how the war in Ukraine has shown the world that technological adaptability and innovation is fundamental for success on the battlefield: “Earlier this year in Munich I met with frontline Ukrainian drone pilots, and their cycle of innovation is a matter of weeks. They tell the engineers what is happening and what they need. Changes are made. And they deploy them on the battlefield. The Russians were slow at the start, but now they are doing the same.

“The countries that will shape the coming era will not just be the traditional “great powers,” those with the largest economies or most advanced weapons, but those able to align strategy, technology, industry, and purpose faster and more effectively than their competitors.”

Kelly also warnedthat disinformation isone of the leading threats facing democracies today: “Commercial technologies are being integrated into warfare at unprecedented speed […]The amount of misinformation that we deal with, especially in an election year, is significant and it’s growing. It’s not just from the Russians. The Chinese, the Iranians […] So that’s one of the biggest challenges, I think, that all democracies are now facing.”

Sen. Kelly delivers remarks at the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa.

Kellyclosedbystressingthat American alliancesremainthe country’s most critical national security asset: “We had friends that would come to our defense and those alliances, when it comes to our national security and the national security of our friends and neighbors, is so critical. It is by far the most critical thing. And when those alliances get weaker, we are all less safe.”

Watch the full conversation here.

While in Odesa, Kelly also observed a Ukrainian Navy demonstration of the V-BAT, a ship-launched drone developed by American defense tech company Shield AI, built specifically for surveillance missions in GPS-denied and communications-jammed environments, conditions that define the front lines of the war in Ukraine.

Sen. Kelly speaks with Ukrainian Navy officials about the V-BAT drone system.

Kelly discussed with Ukrainian Navy personnel how the V-BAT system is being used in their war with Russia and discussed potential areas for deeper U.S.-Ukraine collaboration on military technology.

Kelly also travelled to Moldova, where he had the chance to sit down with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi, Minister of Defense Anatolie Nosatîi, and National Security and Defense Adviser Stanislav Secrieru to discuss Moldova’s path to joining the European Union and Moldova’s resilience in the face of Russian threats, addressing energy independence in the region.

Kelly reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to countering Russian influence in Europe.

Sen. Kelly sits down with Moldovan President Maia Sandu.

Sen. Kelly and Moldovan President Maia Sandu [top] and Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi [bottom].

Sen. Kelly and Marine Security Guard Detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Chișinău, Moldova.

While in Moldova, Kelly met with the Marine Security Guard (MSG) detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Chișinău, taking a moment to thank the Marines protecting the embassy for their service.

Sen. Kelly and Marine Security Guard (MSG) Detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Chișinău, Moldova.


Senator Kim: We Cannot Give ICE and GEO Group a Blank Check for More Cruelty and Chaos

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Senate Republicans push legislation forward to give billions more to ICE and CBP, Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.) continues standing up for detainees and their families at Delaney Hall, and demanding accountability for ICE’s lawlessness.

“If people are concerned about what’s happening at Delaney Hall, let us try to stop this legislation. Let us shine a light on this and be able to make sure the American people understand that what is happening in Delaney Hall is a direct result of the lawless actions that this Republican Congress has pushed forward through these reconciliation bills, by giving them a blank check, without any accountability,” said Senator Kim.

WATCH & SHARE

(On: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Substack, BlueSky, and Threads)

WATCH – In Floor Remarks, Senator Kim emphasized immediate ways to hold ICE and Geo Group, the private company who runs Delaney Hall and profits off this misery, accountable by:

Surge the medical support into Delaney Hall – “One doctor for 800 people is not enough.”

Give people access to the courts – “When someone’s there at Delaney Hall, eight months, ten months, 12 months are beyond, with no sense when it’s going to end, that’s on us…The American people are paying for this. People deserve their day in court, and the American people deserve to not have their money wasted by a process that is so clearly broken.”

Immediate investigations into conditions inside Delaney Hall – “The nearly billion dollars going to GEO Group for Delaney Hall, that’s your taxpayer dollars. You should know where it’s going and how they’re spending it.”

Senator Kim added: “How we move forward is a choice. A choice between a status quo of corporate profit and cruel policies or moving forward to enforce our laws with humanity.”

In his remarks, Senator also called out GEO Group, one of the largest private prison corporations in America, for profiting off of the misery of those detained and fueling the Trump administration’s corrupt and broken immigration system.

Last week, Senator Kim led members of the New Jersey Democratic Congressional delegation in sending a letter to Secretary Mullin and Acting Attorney General (Acting AG) Todd Blanche outlining a series of demands for immediate action and accountability, and to end ICE brutality and inhumane detention at Delaney Hall in Newark.

The letter built on months of work by Senator Kim to close Delaney Hall and end inhumane detention across the country, including his oversight visits this past week and previous inspections and direct conversations with those detained. The Senator also filed a series of reforms to rein in the Trump administration’s lawless ICE, including specifically to end inhumane detention at Delaney Hall, and introduced a package of legislation to end warehouse detention nationwide and prevent taxpayer dollars from funding ICE’s lawlessness.

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King, Colleagues Secure Probe into Flawed, Misleading Tax Filing Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After urging the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to initiate a probe into the Free File program, a current partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and private tax preparation companies, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR), secured confirmation from GAO Acting Managing Director David Pownerthat it will launch a new investigation into the problematic program. The probe comes amidst the Trump administration’s decision to end the Direct File program — an effort to offer free direct online tax filing assistance to taxpayers without private company involvement.

GAO previously evaluated the Free File program and highlighted the need for the government to develop new ways for lower- and middle-income Americans to file their taxes for free in April 2022. In response, the Biden administration created the Direct File program, which allowed Americans, including taxpayers in Maine, to file their tax returns online, for free with no hidden or surprise fees, and directly with the IRS.

“We have serious concerns that Free File cannot efficiently, effectively, and securely serve the taxpayers who are statutorily entitled to free tax filing services,” wrote the lawmakers to GAO on May 17th.

“GAO accepts your request as work that is within the scope of its authority. We anticipate that staff with the required skills will be available shortly to initiate an engagement,” responded GAO.

The new GAO investigation will help evaluate the program’s user experience, accessibility, accuracy, and costs, and address broader concerns surrounding Free File’s underperformance and the difficulties that low- and middle- income Americans encounter when trying to truly file their taxes for free.

Senator King has consistently advocated for tax fairness. Earlier this year, he introduced the Stop Corporations and High Earners from Avoiding Taxes and Enforce the Rules Strictly (Stop CHEATERS) Act which would restore and revitalize the IRS with additional funding for tax enforcement focused upon high-income tax evasion, technology operations support, systems modernization, and taxpayer services like free tax-payer assistance. In December last year, Senator King urged the Trump Administration to help Americans get more responsive service and expedited refunds by restoring staff and resources at the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), the independent organization within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that helps taxpayers resolve issues within the IRS.

The full text of the Senators’ May 17th letter to GAO can be found here.

GAO’s response can be found here and below.

+++

The Honorable Ron Wyden

Ranking Member

Committee on Finance

United States Senate

The Honorable Angus S. King, Jr.

United States Senate

The Honorable Elizabeth Warren

United States Senate

Thank you for your letter requesting that the Government Accountability Office update its April 2022 report, "IRS Should Develop Additional Options for Taxpayers to File for Free."

GAO accepts your request as work that is within the scope of its authority. We anticipate that staff with the required skills will be available shortly to initiate an engagement. Your request has been assigned to Mr. Cardell D. Johnson, Managing Director, Strategic Issues. Mr. Johnson or a member of his team will contact the staff points of contact to discuss the request, your needs, and the engagement objectives, scope, and methodology in accordance with GAO’s protocols. As applicable, we will also be in contact with the cognizant Inspector General’s office to ensure that we are not duplicating efforts. If an issue arises during this coordination, we will consult with you regarding its resolution.

Sincerely yours,

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Lankford, Armstrong Applaud Nominations of US Attorneys for Oklahoma

WASHINGTON, DC — US Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Alan Armstrong (R-OK) today applauded President Trump’s nominations of Christopher Nassar to serve as US Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Robert Troester to serve as US Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

“Bob Troester has led the Western District with distinction for years, and Chris Nassar has spent his career going after some the worst criminals in northern Oklahoma. Oklahomans deserve strong, experienced leadership in both districts, and these nominations deliver exactly that. We look forward to their swift confirmation in the Senate.”

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Luján Presses Chief of the Forest Service on Uranium Mining in Carson National Forest

Full video of the exchange is available here.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, questioned Tom Schultz, Chief of the Forest Service, regarding the proposal to conduct uranium mining within the Carson National Forest by the Canadian-based uranium company, Gamma Resources Ltd. During the exchange, Senator Luján pressed Chief Tom Schultz on Gamma Resources Ltd. and emphasized his commitment to protect communities in Northern New Mexico and the Chama Watershed from uranium mining and mineral development in the region.

Senator Luján pressed Chief Tom Schultz on mining applications made by Gamma Resources, to which Chief Tom Schultz stated no application has been approved:

Senator Luján: If what you can confirm, is there a mining company from Canada whose name is Gamma Resources, who has made applications and is going to start mining uranium in New Mexico in the second quarter of 2027? Have you approved such a thing?

Chief Schultz: No. We have not approved anything like that.

Senator Luján: Sounds like to me like they’re lying then. If you’ve not approved it, I don’t know how a president of a Canadian company who has changed their name three times, that is in the financial hole, which is why they’re hiding their name, is telling shareholders, hey, give me some money because we’re going to go mine. And they haven’t even gotten approval yet.

Senator Luján also expressed his commitment to protect communities in Northern New Mexico and the Chama Watershed:

Senator Luján: Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to take this opportunity today to make it clear to everyone that’s listening, including everyone in this room, this mine is not welcome in New Mexico. This mine and company from Canada, who again has changed their name three times to hide their name and they’re in a financial hole, are coming in and making false statements. Where I come from, it’s called a lie. It’s either true or it’s not true.

Senator Luján continued: And he’s trying to convince people to give him money so he could come to the United States and go mine uranium in a place where the United States should care. Not just because of this community, but the water that flows from this is going to have impacts with compacts with New Mexico and Texas and agreements between the United States and Mexico with water flow. That could all be jeopardized by what’s going on in this place.

Senator Luján continued: So I just want to be abundantly clear after coming from a town hall that I had out in the community where they’ve been organizing, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarian, ranchers that are in this area, very conservative constituents of mine, they’re saying hell no, this is not going to happen.

Senator Luján concluded: Something that my constituents that live in these communities was offended by is the way that this company characterized this, I don’t even know what to call it, bamboozle. They called it low hanging fruit for uranium mining. That’s what they think of these people and that’s what they think of this land.

Senator Luján has been leading the fight to protect communities in Northern New Mexico and the Chama Watershed from uranium mining and mineral development in the region. Senator Luján plans to introduce legislation to withdraw the Chama watershed from all forms of mineral entry.

In May, Senator Luján convened local, state, and Tribal officials, community members, ranchers, farmers, acequia members and Land Grant Members to hear their concerns regarding the uranium drilling and mineral development proposal in the region. Senator Luján also toured the area that is being proposed for uranium drilling and mineral development in the region.

In April, Senator Luján led a letter to Carson National Forest Supervisor James Duran expressing strong opposition to a proposal to conduct uranium drilling within the Carson National Forest. Additionally, a large coalition of leaders, advocates, and lawmakers backed Senator Luján’s push to protect the Chama Watershed and surrounding communities in Northern New Mexico.

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Following Aftermath of Steward Health Bankruptcy in Massachusetts, Sen. Markey Leads Colleagues to Demand Labor Dept. Retract Rule Allowing Private Equity Investments in 401(k)s

Letter Text (PDF)

Washington (June 2, 2026) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, along with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congressman Stephen Lynch (MA-08), wrote to Keith Sonderling, Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL), raising the alarm for a proposed rule that would expose Americans’ retirement savings to greater risk by opening the door to expanded private equity investments in 401(k)s and other retirement plans. This extractive private equity model has led to the collapse of Steward Health Care, hospital closures, mismanaged nursing homes, and rising costs for firefighters across the Commonwealth.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “We are concerned that DOL is opening up Americans’ hard-earned retirement savings to risky private equity investment at a time when global private equity fundraising has been at its lowest level in a decade, shrinking by 11 percent in 2025 alone. Beyond the risks to individuals’ retirement savings, the proposed rule threatens broader aspects of life in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, Bay Staters are no stranger to the damaging effects of unfettered private equity firms on hospitals, health care systems, supplies chains for municipalities, housing, and other critical areas across the Commonwealth. The gutting and collapse of Steward Health Care, owned by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, is one of the most prominent examples of private equity mismanagement with a wide impact.”

The lawmakers concluded, “The DOL should not promulgate a rule under which workers may have their retirement savings used to underwrite a model of finance that actively exacerbates the affordability crisis in Massachusetts. Likewise, DOL should not allow workers to have their savings used to supercharge a model that makes their financial outlook more precarious. We urge you to withdraw this proposed rule to ensure that the hard-earned retirement savings of Americans are protected with the full weight of ERISA, as Congress intended.”

In October 2025, Senator Markey introduced the Stop Medical Profiteering and Theft (MPT) Act, legislation that would put regulatory guardrails in place to protect health systems from predatory leaseback deals with real estate investment trusts (REITs). Steward Health Care declared bankruptcy after being tied to unsustainable rents charged by a REIT, Medical Properties Trust. Many REIT leases include automatic, expensive rent increases that can lead to health systems diverting resources away from patient care to rent payments or, in some cases, bankruptcy.

In September 2024, Senator Markey released his report, “The Steward Health Care Report: How Corporate Greed Hurt Patients, Health Workers, and Communities,” which spotlighted patient and worker experiences, hospital quality data, and information on hospital closures in Massachusetts and around the country due to Steward’s mismanagement. That same month, Senator Markey fought to have the Senate vote to refer Steward Health CEO Ralph de la Torre for criminal contempt, which it did unanimously, for failing to respond to a subpoena issued by the Senate HELP Committee. In September 2025, Senator Markey wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi urging enforcement of the Senate’s criminal contempt referral of Dr. de la Torre.

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Senator Markey Decries Security Concerns, Conflicts of Interest with Trump Proposal to Give Weapons-Usable Plutonium to Private Companies

Letter Text (PDF)

Washington (June 2, 2026) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-Chair of the bicameral Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, today wrote to President Trump urging him to cancel the Department of Energy’s (DOE) plans to give 20 metric tons of weapons-usable plutonium—enough for approximately 2,000 nuclear bombs—to private industry for commercial energy use. If implemented, this would be the first time the U.S. government has made weapons-grade plutonium available to private companies. These plans go against long-standing bipartisan U.S. nuclear security policy, raise serious weapons proliferation concerns, make little economic sense, and raise conflict of interest issues. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright recently served on the Board of Directors of Oklo, one of the companies that may receive plutonium.

In the letter, Senator Markey wrote, “For five decades, the United States has avoided the commercial use of plutonium and opposed the spread of technology to separate (“reprocess”) plutonium from used reactor fuel. We did so to prevent nations with nuclear power plants (such as Iran) from being able to extract plutonium from that fuel, which they—or terrorists into whose hands it could fall—could use to make nuclear weapons.”

Senator Markey continued, “I am concerned that your Administration is moving forward with plans to transfer plutonium to Oklo not because these proposals make sense for the United States, but because Oklo stands to benefit financially and Secretary Wright is acting in his former company’s interest. Secretary Wright’s close ties to the company present an appearance of impropriety.”

In the letter, Senator Markey requested answers by June 15, 2026, to questions that include:

Why should the U.S. government facilitate the transfer of plutonium to private industry and the development and export of proliferation prone reprocessing technologies?

What safety and security measures are planned for the transport of weapons-grade plutonium to private actors?

What role did Secretary Wright play in the selection of Oklo for the Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program?

Does Secretary Wright currently have a financial stake in Oklo, and does he stand to benefit in any way from Oklo’s role in this program?

On September 23, 2025, Senator Markey wrote to Trump raising concerns about Secretary of Energy Chris Wright’s close relationship with Oklo Inc., a nuclear technology company that suggests a conflict of interest within the Administration that could compromise U.S. national security by providing weapons-usable plutonium to private industry. On September 10, 2025, Senator Markey and Representatives John Garamendi (CA-08) and Don Beyer (VA-08) wrote to President Trump expressing concern over DOE’s plan to transfer at least 20 metric tons of weapons-usable plutonium to private industry for commercial energy use.

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Senator Marshall: Border Patrol Must Be Funded to Stop Violent Illegals

Senator Marshall Joins Washington Watch with Tony Perkins

Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Tony Perkins on Washington Watchto discuss the Senate’s continued efforts to pass ICE and Border Patrol funding, the thousands of illegal immigrants still in the country, Trump’s border wall, and the STOP Act to protect minors from harmful transgender procedures.

Click here to download the full video.

On funding ICE and DHS:

“Well, they don’t call us the most deliberate body in the world for nothing, and these lunches without any cameras on us- that’s when the real debates occur. And Tony, we are the party of law and order, and it’s time to fund ICE; it’s time to fund Border Patrol. Our friends across the aisle — not one of them are going to vote to fund police; they are the ‘defund the police’ party. So it is time for us to move on. We still got some crying and gnashing of teeth yet to do, but we’ll get there. It may be this week, it may be next week, but we’re going to get there.”

On illegal immigrants still in the country:

“Yeah, it is, and I don’t have to remind you or your listeners that there are thousands, maybe tens of thousands of violent terrorists still out there in this country that need to be removed, not to mention the violent illegal aliens on top of that as well. So we need to fund ICE, and we need to fund Border Patrol. These folks, they pretty well have bottled up the border, but they’re also stopping all that fentanyl from crossing the border, as well, it’s not just the people. So yes, I think we can hear the siren that it’s time to get our job done. It’s time to stop arguing and get on with the job here and vote to fund ICE and border patrol.”

On the Trump border wall:

“Yeah, it is amazing. And quietly — don’t tell anybody — but we’re building the Trump wall. I don’t know if it’s going to be taking one or two years yet to finish it, but we funded that as well. So we’re quietly making progress, so even if, heaven forbid, a Democrat president gets elected, at least we have a wall to start with as well. But it is amazing, people soon forget. But again, we’re the party of law and order, we’re the party of secure the border, the Democrats are the party of defund the police.”

On the STOP Act to protect minors from transgender procedures:

“Yeah, well, Tony, first of all, thank you for standing beside us right now, and your listeners for standing beside us for such a time as this. We’ve been called to stand up and right the wrong here. When I was elected, I knew I would have to fight to protect the sanctity of life and to protect our Second Amendment, but I never dreamed that I would have to protect children — young adolescents in this case — from child abuse. And make no mistake about it, that’s what this is: this is child abuse. These children in no way are ready to make such a big, permanent, irreversible decision in their lifetime, and that’s why we introduced this bill to give them some type of civil recourse, so even 1, 2, 5 years after the procedure was done, they could go back and sue the doctor and the hospital where it was done as well. But this is child abuse. I think, you know, 100 years from now, when they’re writing the history of medicine, this will be the darkest chapter. They’re going to look at this and say, ‘What?! What was that barbaric generation doing then?’ Tony, these procedures are going to cause irreversible damage. I’ve taken care of women with mastectomies, and one of the problems they get is lymphedema. So, the veins in their armpits swell up much like varicose veins, and chronic pain from it. The bottom surgeries, I can’t imagine. It would be PG-13 for me to describe what problems that’s going to cause, but these are irreversible. These people are going to end up with infertility, if nothing else. It is absolutely child abuse, and we’re here to stand up and say ‘No more. This is not right. These kids are not ready to make that type of lifelong decision.’

“Yeah, you’re spot on, Tony. We have won a couple of cases now, and that’ll become, you know, the precedent, for lack of a better term, and it will lead to more and more and bigger lawsuits. And I think the pain and suffering on this part of this is going to be tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions of dollars. And these people have, you know, reasonable complaints — no one told them they were going to have chronic pain, that they’re going to have chronic swelling in their armpits, just the scar tissue itself causing pain. No one told them that they were going to have infertility along with this. And Tony, I want to stop and just say that you and I care about these people as individuals. We care about their hearts, we care about their souls, and we want to help them. There’s something else going on; I guarantee it. I took care of probably thousands of young, adolescent girls going through different crises, one or another, and I’m just telling you, it’s a very stressful time. They’re doing it alone, and we’re here to help them.”

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Senator Marshall Launches America 250 Resource Page for Kansans

Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) today announced the launch of a new America 250 resource page on his official Senate website, giving Kansans a one-stop guide to the historic events and patriotic celebrations planned in Washington, D.C., as the United States marks 250 years of independence.

“America’s 250th birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and I want every Kansan to be able to experience it,” said Senator Marshall. “Whether you’re planning a family trip to the National Mall on July 4th or just want to take in a Smithsonian exhibit, this page is your guide to making the most of this incredible milestone in our nation’s history.”

The page, www.marshall.senate.gov/services/america-250/, covers major celebrations including the Salute to America fireworks over the National Mall on July 4th, the Great American State Fair running June 25 through July 11, and the National Gallery Block Party on June 6-7. It also highlights Smithsonian exhibitions open now, Library of Congress programming, and historic site events at locations like Mount Vernon and the National Archives, which will feature George Washington’s copy of the Constitution and William Stone’s 1823 Declaration of Independence.

Kansans planning a trip to the nation’s capital are encouraged to contact Senator Marshall’s office for assistance with Capitol tours, flag requests, and other constituent services at marshall.senate.gov.

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Merkley, Senate Colleagues Call to Halt Implementation of Trump’s Illegal Executive Order to Eliminate Vote-by-Mail

Senators Direct Commerce Secretary to Explain Department’s Involvement with USPS and Elections, and Preserve Documents for Congressional Oversight

Washington, D.C. — Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley joined his Senate Democratic colleagues to demand U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick oppose the Department’s involvement in President Trump’s illegal executive order (EO) attacking vote-by-mail and interfering with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The Senators also demanded that the Commerce Department halt implementing the executive order and preserve and prepare all records and documents related to Commerce’s involvement in its drafting and implementation for congressional oversight purposes.

The Senators’ letter to Lutnick follows his prominent public appearance in the Oval Office where he briefed President Trump on the contents of the executive order prior to the President’s signing of the order, which requires states to submit voter data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), orders the USPS to refuse to deliver lawful ballots unless states comply, and threatens penalties for election officials and mail carriers. Despite the Department of Commerce lacking any authority over USPS or elections, Section 4 of the executive order states that DHS and USPS “shall coordinate with the Secretary of Commerce in effectuating all relevant aspects of the implementation of this order.”

“We were greatly alarmed by your central role in EO 14399, as evidenced by your presence and remarks at the White House when President Trump signed EO 14399,” wrote the Senators. “Despite the Department having no authority over the USPS or role in administering federal elections, EO 14399 directs USPS and several federal agencies to ‘coordinate with the Secretary of Commerce in effectuating all relevant aspects of the implementation of this order.’ In addition, we are aware of nonpublic reports that you and your office had a key role in drafting and internally advancing this illegal and unconstitutional order. It is deeply disturbing for the Secretary of Commerce to attempt to illegally interfere with lawful mail ballots in states that do not cooperate with President Trump’s unconstitutional attempt to ‘take over the voting.’”

The Senators also emphasized that tens of millions of Americans rely on USPS and vote-by-mail as a safe and trustworthy method to vote in federal and state elections. Nearly 1 in 3 American voters voted by mail in the 2024 general election cycle, and USPS securely delivered more than 99 million ballots to and from voters – including free mail delivery to rural and remote communities. The Senators flagged that Trump’s vote-by-mail executive order would severely restrict the use of absentee and mail-in voting among American voters, and any actions from the Department of Commerce to implement the executive order would be an unlawful attempt “to interfere with lawfully cast ballots in federal elections.” President Trump himself has voted by mail at least three times in recent elections, including in 2026.

“We demand that the Department follow the law and cease any effort to ‘coordinate’ or ‘implement’ this EO,” the Senators continued. “We also formally request that you and all Department employees involved in the drafting, legal analysis, or other preparation or consideration of EO 14399, or any other assertion of Department control over the USPS, take immediate steps to preserve and retain all Department records and documents related to those topics. In addition, we request that the Department begin organizing these materials to facilitate Congressional oversight into the extent of the Secretary’s and Department’s involvement in this attempt to interfere with mail and absentee ballots in the 2026 general election.”

In their letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the Senators also noted that the Secretary failed to respond to a previous Senate letter pushing back against Trump’s plans to privatize USPS services and any efforts to move USPS functions to the Department of Commerce.

The letter was led by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, along with Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.).

In addition to Merkley, the letter was signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

Full text of the letter is available by clicking here and below:

Dear Secretary Lutnick:

We write to demand you follow the law and refrain from taking any action to coordinate or implement President Trump’s Executive Order 14399 (EO 14399) “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” issued on March 31, 2026. We also formally request that the Department of Commerce (Department) retain and preserve all records and documents related to EO 14399 and organize these materials in preparation for congressional oversight.

On April 21, 2025, 8 U.S. Senators contacted you with strong opposition to any action to bring the United States Postal Service (USPS) under the control of the Department and potentially privatize its services. Any attempt by the Department to seize control over USPS would be illegal, and there are many serious policy concerns as well. Political interference in USPS would harm Americans and businesses who rely on the USPS for services, including the tens of millions of citizens who vote by mail or absentee ballots in U.S. elections. To date, the Department has failed to respond to that letter.

We were greatly alarmed by your central role in EO 14399, as evidenced by your presence and remarks at the White House when President Trump signed EO 14399. Despite the Department having no authority over the USPS or role in administering federal elections, EO 14399 directs USPS and several federal agencies to “coordinate with the Secretary of Commerce in effectuating all relevant aspects of the implementation of this order.” In addition, we are aware of nonpublic reports that you and your office had a key role in drafting and internally advancing this illegal and unconstitutional order. It is deeply disturbing for the Secretary of Commerce to attempt to illegally interfere with lawful mail ballots in states that do not cooperate with President Trump’s unconstitutional attempt to “take over the voting.”

President Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to “ban” mail voting, and he signed EO 14399 in pursuit of that goal, despite the fact that nearly 1 in 3 American voters—roughly 48 million citizens—voted by mail in the 2024 general election. Vote-by-mail is safe, secure, and convenient, and it has been used successfully across the political spectrum over many election cycles. It is particularly popular in Florida, where President Trump himself recently voted by mail in a March 24, 2026, special election, casting a mail ballot for at least the third time in recent years.

For tens of millions of other American voters, however, EO 14399 would severely restrict their use of absentee and mail-in voting. It attempts to require the USPS to refuse to deliver mail-in or absentee ballots unless the recipient is on a new federally approved list, a directive without any basis in law or the Constitution. The process by which USPS and federal agencies “shall coordinate” with the Secretary of Commerce “in effectuating all relevant aspects of the implementation” of this EO has not been publicly explained, but the implications are grave for the future of free and fair elections. Given your past statements regarding USPS, the text of the order, your role at the EO signing, and reports about your involvement in drafting the order, there is a clear danger that you will abuse your position to try to interfere with lawful mail ballots in upcoming federal elections.

As a result, we demand that the Department follow the law and cease any effort to “coordinate” or “implement” this EO. We also formally request that you and all Department employees involved in the drafting, legal analysis, or other preparation or consideration of EO 14399, or any other assertion of Department control over the USPS, take immediate steps to preserve and retain all Department records and documents related to those topics. In addition, we request that the Department begin organizing these materials to facilitate Congressional oversight into the extent of the Secretary’s and Department’s involvement in this attempt to interfere with mail and absentee ballots in the 2026 general election.

To better understand the extent of the Department’s involvement in this EO, we request an initial response to this letter no later than June 15, 2026. That response should confirm that the Department will adhere to the record preservation request and has begun to organize the relevant materials in anticipation of future requests. To better inform future requests, the initial response should include:

A full explanation of the extent of the Secretary’s and the Department’s involvement in drafting and implementation of EO 14399;

A full explanation of the Department of Commerce’s legal authority to “coordinate” USPS and federal agency implementation of EO 14399;

A list of the Department of Commerce political appointees involved in the consideration, drafting, and implementation of the EO 14399;

A list of all steps that the Department has taken to implement EO 14399 to date, including any meetings or communications between the Secretary or other Department political appointees with USPS or federal agencies regarding implementation of EO 14399.

We urge you to be mindful that no EO can grant the Secretary of Commerce any authority to “coordinate” the “implementation” of an illegal and unconstitutional attempt to interfere with lawfully cast ballots in federal elections. You and the Department are also bound by the Federal Records Act and other federal records laws, which require notification of violations and carry potential criminal penalties for violations involving the willful removal or destruction of documents. We look forward to your response no later than June 15, 2026.

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NEWS RELEASE: Senators Moody, Sullivan Lead Effort to Uncover Shady Health Care Billing Practices That Lead to High Levels of Medical Debt

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Ashley Moody and Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) are urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to uncover improper health care billing practices that lead to high levels of medical debt. Instances of high medical debt continue to be a top concern for Americans, and there are reports that indicate hospital bills charged to uninsured patients that end up as medical debt are often well in excess of the actual cost of providing the service.

“We are writing to request you investigate and provide recommendations to Congress for addressing inappropriate health care billing practices that lead to high levels of medical debt,” said the Senators. “Despite efforts by Congress and President Trump to insulate patients from ‘surprise’ medical bills in the No Surprises Act, after four years of runaway inflation and increasing health costs under the Biden administration, instances of high medical debt continue to be a top concern for our constituents.”

BACKGROUND:

While most medical debt sent to collections is under $300, approximately 14 million Americans owe over $1,000. Three million have incurred medical debt that exceeds $10,000, representing almost 80 percent of the aggregate medical debt owed in the United States.

High hospital bills have been a key factor for those suffering from high levels of medical debt. Almost 70 percent of Americans with medical debt under $1,000 reported having no hospital bills at all, but over 70 percent of those with debt over $1,000 reporting owing debt to hospitals, according to a 2022 survey.

Just last month, an investigation found “facilities on average charge the uninsured almost five times what Medicare pays for the same procedure.”

Senators Moody and Sullivan are directing HHS to investigate root causes of instances of inordinately high medical debt and provide recommendations to Congress.

Read the letter here.

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VIDEO: Sen. Moran Urges the Senate to Confirm Jeffrey Kuhlman as U.S. District Judge for Kansas

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) spoke on the Senate floor yesterday in support of the nomination of Jeffrey Kuhlman, a Great Bend native, to serve as a United States District Judge for the District of Kansas. The Senate is scheduled to vote on Mr. Kuhlman’s confirmation later today.

“Mr. Kuhlman has demonstrated a strong commitment to the rule of law, a deep respect for the Constitution and a clear dedication to serving the people of Kansas,” said Sen. Moran. “His experience both inside and outside the courtroom has prepared him well for the responsibilities of the federal bench, and I’m confident in his professional competence and judicial temperament.”

In February, Sen. Moran applauded the nomination of Mr. Kuhlman after meeting with him during the White House’s selection process. In April, he introduced Mr. Kuhlman during his nomination hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. In addition to Mr. Kuhlman, Judge Anthony Powell and Mr. Tony Mattivi have also been nominated to the federal bench for Kansas and await confirmation by the full Senate.

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Full Remarks

Sen. Moran’s full remarks as delivered:

“Madam President, thank you. The Senate will shortly consider – in fact, tomorrow we’ll vote on cloture and nomination, confirmation of the nomination of Jeffrey Kuhlman to be a Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. I rise this evening to urge my colleagues to support his confirmation.

“During my time in the Senate, I’ve had the opportunity to vote on the confirmation of the three current Kansas District Court Judges. With each nominee, I weigh the candidate’s temperament, principles, experience and commitment to administer equal justice under the law.

“In addition to the three current District Court Judges in Kansas, there are three additional vacancies in the District Courts of Kansas. Mr. Kuhlman is the first of the three Kansans the Senate will be considering to fill those vacancies.

“I certainly had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Kuhlman. I encouraged the White House to make his nomination to be a judge, and I was impressed – I would not have done that but for my sincere and real impression of his expertise, his legal experience and his commitment to serving the people of Kansas.

“I’ve always had a desire to see – growing up in a small town in rural Kansas – that there might be federal judges who could come from small towns, and I’ve always been looking for someone who practices law in a small town in our state, that has federal court experience.

“Mr. Kuhlman is a native of western Kansas. He grew up in a town, in a county seat town called Ness City, not too far from my hometown and it has a population of just a little over 1,000 people. And maybe this doesn’t matter to everyone or to most people, but I want people who grew up in that manner to know that there’s a future, that there’s things that they can do, and that there’s not a handicap to be a small-town rural Kansas kid.

“In helping select candidates for the White House, I had the goal of making certain that we select qualified candidates from across the state, but I also was always interested in, could there be a rural person?

“Jeffrey earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Kansas State University before receiving his law degree from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University.

“After law school, Mr. Kuhlman returned to Kansas and was selected to serve a two-year clerkship for, what soon became Chief Judge, Judge Eric F. Melgren. In that role, he gained experience – he gained valuable and hands-on experience across all phases of federal litigation. Jeffrey then entered private practice as a litigation associate at a Wichita firm: Hinkle Law Firm.

“Mr. Kuhlman now has been a partner at Watkins Calcara in Great Bend, where his practice focuses on civil litigation, including municipal law, constitutional matters, commercial disputes and personal injury cases.

“Mr. Kuhlman and his wife, Lauren, who is originally from Albert – even a smaller town, they’re raising their five young children in Great Bend – another small town in Kansas.

“Mr. Kuhlman has demonstrated strong commitment to the rule of law, a deep respect for the Constitution and a clear dedication to serving the people of Kansas.

“His experience both inside and outside the courtroom has prepared him well for the responsibilities of the federal bench, and I’m confident in his professional competence and judicial temperament.

“I’m pleased to support his nomination, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to confirm Mr. Jeffrey Kuhlman as a U.S. District Judge for Kansas. I believe he would meet all the qualifications and desires by members of the United States Senate. Madam President, I yield the floor.”

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Murphy to Mullin: Why Are You Refusing to Obey Court Orders?

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Tuesday questioned Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Murphy confronted Mullin on his agency’s repeated violations of the law, resulting in more than 10,000 court rulings against DHS, and pressed Mullin on whether he’d commit to obey and implement court orders.

Murphy opened the hearing by pointing out Mullin’s failure to rein in the lawlessness at DHS: “At your confirmation hearing, you [promised] that you would get DHS out of the headlines. We took you at your word - but nothing has really gotten better…The reason why Democrats and Republicans were not able to find agreement on the underlying DHS appropriations bill is because never before in the history of our nation has a federal agency been run so far off the rails as the Department of Homeland Security. Every day this agency is breaking the law at scale and wasting billions of taxpayer dollars. DHS does not implement the law any longer. It makes up the law.”

Murphy laid out the gross mismanagement of taxpayer dollars by DHS: “This agency is spending money like stone drunk sailors. Let's just take the massive detention centers that you are building. In Social Circle, Georgia, DHS allegedly paid almost $129 million for a property previously valued at $29 million. In Socorro, Texas, A property previously valued at $11 million was sold to DHS for around $123 million - a 1,000% markup. Somebody is getting rich, fabulously rich, off of those deals… When President Trump came into office, ICE's budget was $10 billion. Today, with the obscene cash infusion this Republican Congress has given your agency, ICE’s effective annual budget is now 11 times that - $115 billion - and with these real estate deals and these contractor deals, at times the agency seems to be lighting this money on fire.”

Murphy highlighted how DHS has engaged in the type of pay-for-play corruption that has defined the Trump administration : “Geo Group was a small contractor in 2024, net income of about $31 million. But then Geo Group made enormous contributions to the president's political operations, and a revolving door started between Geo Group and DHS. Tom Homan worked for Geo Group, now works for DHS. David Venturella, Geo Group executive, is now poised to be the next head of ICE. And guess what happened in just a year, as its executives have gone to work for the agency, as the political contributions flow to the president, their revenue went from 31 million to…wait for it… $254 million. An 800% jump in just one year.”

Vowing not to support funding for an agency which systematically refuses to follow the law, Murphy outlined the reforms Democrats demand at DHS: “For Congress to approve of this budget, you must assure us that this Sherman's march of illegality ends. You must stop padding the pockets of immigration industry CEOs. You must rein in this out-of-control overspending. But, as I stated at the outset, the worry is the opposite is about to happen… Do not ask us to fund an agency that just makes up its own law.”

In a shocking admission, Secretary Mullin refused to commit to follow court orders that find ICE and CBP’s actions illegal:

Murphy: I mean, I think it's an easy thing to say. Will you, or will you not implement court orders?

Mullin: If we didn't think that…if we didn't think courts were politicized, then I would probably be able to answer that. But we see courts over and over again that use their bench for their political opinion, not just the rule of law.

As Murphy implored his Senate colleagues to recognize the danger of an executive agency openly dismissing the authority of the courts, Secretary Mullin doubled down:

Murphy: I think if you're a Republican or Democrat on this committee, you should be really, really freaked out.

Mullin: We should be really concerned about the rulings that come out of the courts, and how often they get overturned.

Murphy: Our federal system falls apart if you’re telling me that you…

Mullin: They fall apart when you have a judge just make his political opinion from a bench. They're outside the law too. Not all judges are above the law, but sometimes they think they are…

Murphy made the ultimate consequences of the Secretary’s argument clear: “I agree that there is politics involved in judicial decisions. I do not think that gives an excuse to either a Democratic or Republican administration to ignore those court orders. I think that's actually the end of our republic if the administration willfully ignores a court order because they disagree with it or its motivation. That’s the difference between you and I.”

A transcript of Murphy’s opening remarks, initial exchange with Mullin, and closing exchange with Mullin is available below.

Murphy’s Opening Remarks

Thank you, Chair Britt. Thank you, Secretary Mullin, for being here today.

Mr. Secretary, I think you were crazy to have taken on this job, but at your confirmation hearing, you did promise that you would get DHS out of the headlines. We took you at your word, but nothing has really gotten better.

In fact, you spent the first two months of your tenure threatening to suspend international arrivals in states represented by Democrats. Not only would that throw our entire air travel system into chaos, it's completely illegal, which underscores the main issue of this hearing.

The reason why Democrats and Republicans were not able to find agreement on the underlying DHS appropriations bill is because never before in the history of our nation has a federal agency been run so far off the rails as the Department of Homeland Security. Every day this agency is breaking the law at scale and wasting billions of taxpayer dollars. DHS does not implement the law any longer. It makes up the law.

Don't take my word for it. 10,000 times in the short 18 months this administration has run DHS, judges have overturned this agency's immigration decisions. Essentially every case that gets before a judge gets overturned. The agency has locked up American citizens, it has killed peaceful protesters just for getting in the way, it has applied a completely made-up set of immigration laws and deported hundreds of thousands of immigrants who broke no laws, were playing by the rules with legitimate claims to stay in the United States. A federal judge recently cited DHS for violating 96 different court orders in one single state. Not that this agency violated the law 96 different times in that state. No, on 96 occasions, the DHS was caught violating the law, was ordered to obey the law, and 96 times ignored the judge in one state. That is stunning, and it should be unacceptable to anyone on this committee who claims to care about the rule of law.

To make matters worse, this agency is spending money like stone drunk sailors. Let's just take the massive detention centers that you are building in Social Circle, Georgia, DHS allegedly paid almost $129 million for a property previously valued at $29 million. In Socorro, Texas, a property previously valued at $11 million was sold to DHS for around $123 million - a 1,000% markup. Somebody is getting rich, fabulously rich, off of those deals. Or take the company Geo Group. Geo Group was a small contractor in 2024, net income of about $31 million. But then Geo Group made enormous contributions to the president's political operations, and a revolving door started between Geo Group and DHS. Tom Homan worked for Geo Group, now works for DHS. David Venturella, Geo Group executive, is now poised to be the next head of ICE. And guess what happened in just a year, as its executives have gone to work for the agency, as the political contributions flow to the president? Their revenue went from $31 million to, wait for it, $254 million. An 800% jump in just one year.

When President Trump came into office, ICE's budget was $10 billion. Today, with the obscene cash infusion this Republican Congress has given your agency, ICE’s effective annual budget is now 11 times that - $115 billion - and with these real estate deals and these contractor deals, at times the agency seems to be lighting this money on fire.

But for this committee that should be unacceptable, because the money that is being wasted, it is earned by plumbers and security guards and teachers. They entrusted to us to spend it wisely. We swear an oath when we arrive here to assure that their money is not used to fund unconstitutional or illegal behavior every single day. This agency has violated the Constitution and the law. This cannot continue.

For Congress to approve of this budget, you must assure us that this Sherman's march of illegality ends. You must stop padding the pockets of immigration industry CEOs. You must rein in this out-of-control overspending.

But, as I stated at the outset, the worry is the opposite is about to happen. You are reportedly considering suspending international arrivals at airports in states represented by Democrats, you will say that is because you disagree with our state's immigration policies. And that is your right to disagree. But the law unquestionably does not give you the right to close international travel in states that don't have the same political leanings as your party.

And so I will say the same thing that I said to your predecessor in this forum: I know that you do not like our nation's immigration law. You believe that it lets in too many people. You don't like states' immigration laws that treat immigrants fairly. But the law is the law. Your disagreement with it does not give you the permission to just make up a different law. If you want more authority, if your agency wants more authority, if you want stricter authority, come to Congress and ask for it. Do not ask us to fund an agency that just makes up its own law.

Murphy’s Initial Exchange

Murphy: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

This is from a federal court decision regarding ICE's activities in Minnesota:

“ICE is not a law unto itself. ICE has violated nearly 100 court orders. This list should give pause to anyone, no matter his or her political beliefs, who cares about the rule of law.

“ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence.”

That's not a Democratic-appointed judge, that is a Republican-appointed judge describing the scale of illegality. I understand your MO and others in the administration's MO is to attack us personally or to claim that we're ‘inciting violence’ when we point out the widespread illegality, but this is a Republican-appointed judge who is saying the exact same thing that I am saying.

This is a really important discussion for us to have, because this is, whether you want to believe it or not, at the root of our disagreement is that it is very hard for us to figure out how to fund an agency that is violating the law.

Again, that's not me saying it. That's a Republican-appointed federal judge. Now, this widespread violation of court orders admittedly largely happened before you got on the job, and as a senator, you always struck me as somebody who cared about the rule of law, and so maybe the easiest question is this:

When DHS gets a court order telling them that something they are doing is either illegal and unconstitutional, prior to you taking office, the approach was to ignore that court order. That's what the judge is saying. 94 times you got a court order, you didn't implement it. Now that you are on the job, can you commit to us that if a court judges something ICE is doing, something DHS is doing as illegal - unconstitutional - tells you to stop that - you will comply with the court order?

Mullin: Ranking Member Murphy, I will tell you that we will never break the Constitution, and we're not going to break the law, but we're going to enforce our nation's laws, and we're going to enforce the laws that you guys passed and that we implement. We will never go outside that, and if we do, we'll hold each other accountable for that.

Murphy: But that doesn't sound like the same thing as committing that you will obey a court order. Obviously, the entire structure of the federal government gives the power to the federal courts to divine whether you are obeying the law or not. I mean, I think it's an easy thing to say. Will you, or will you not implement court orders?

Mullin: If we didn't think that…if we didn't think courts were politicized, then I would probably be able to answer that. But we see courts over and over again that use their bench for their political opinion, not just the rule of law. And we can see that because we see how many times court orders…

Murphy: You’ll pick and choose which court orders you obey based upon whether you believe that appointee to have a political agenda?

Mullin: No, no. Don’t put words in my mouth.

Murphy: What are you saying then?

Mullin: What I'm saying is we'll enforce the law, and we're never going to break the Constitution.

Murphy: You just said that you will not follow every court order, because you know -

Mullin: Chris, or Senator, don't they'll start putting words in my mouth. That's not what I said. I said I will never break the Constitution. We're going to enforce the law.

Murphy: Will you implement court orders when they tell you to stop?

Mullin: You're making an assumption on court orders. I haven't -

Murphy: Will you or will you not?

Mullin: I am going to enforce the law, and I'll never break the Constitution.

Murphy: I think if you're a Republican or Democrat on this committee, you should be really, really freaked out.

Mullin: We should be really concerned about the rulings that come out of the courts, and how often they get overturned.

Murphy: Our federal system falls apart if you’re telling me that you-

Mullin: They fall apart when you have a judge just makes his political opinion from a bench. They're outside the law too. Not all judges are above the law, but sometimes they think they are. That's why we see lower courts get overturned by higher courts constantly.

Murphy’s Closing Exchange

Murphy: Thank you, Madam Chair, I'd like to enter into the record a lawsuit that was filed today by the New Jersey Department of Health, in which they are asking for access to Delaney Hall, because they have, in fact, been denied access to the medical unit, the sleeping areas, and the bathing and toileting areas, so it doesn't actually appear that the lack of violations is due to a finding that the conditions are sufficient, but that actually they are being denied access.

Does that change your assessment of whether you've done enough due diligence here, and maybe, more importantly - and I said you may want to look into this - but can you commit to us to making sure the department has access to that?

Mullin: Well, we give them access to the things we are contracted with them, and required to do: which is the health, the food, the preparation, the facilities.They don't always have unfettered access to the detention center, and if it's within their contract, we'll help them, but there is a difference between federal facilities, because they're not able to get to all federal facilities, and federal, and federal privatized systems too, where they are required by law to have access. We'll always allow them to have access. But because they want to politicize it, and the governor wants to politicize it by saying that they weren't allowed access. It's not true, and I would suggest they spend more time in their own prisons.

Murphy: Endless. Any time somebody disagrees with you, whether it's a member of this committee, whether it's a state public health agency, whether it's a federal court, they are politicizing the Department of–

Mullin: Sir, that's exactly what you're doing.

Murphy: Homeland Security. I've just been sort of chilled by our interaction from earlier on this question, and I don't want to put words in your mouth, so I asked you whether you-

Mullin: Then don't put words.

Murphy: I'm just gonna read back what you said. I said, ‘will you or will you not implement court orders,’ and your answer to me was, ‘if we didn't think the courts were politicized, then I'd be able to answer that, but we see the courts over and over again use their bench for political pain.’ I just asked–

Mullin: That's a true statement. Tell me I’m wrong on that one. Is that not right, or wrong?

Murphy: I'm asking you, this is honestly–

Mullin: Because I remember when, I remember when–

Murphy: We certainly, let me ask–

Mullin: I remember when we were putting the questions against President Biden, you were…

Murphy: I have limited time. Can I ask the question? I'm asking you a legitimate question. There is no end to this. If Republican administrations don't implement court orders that they believe to be politicized, then Democratic administrations will not implement court orders that they believe to be politicized. That's–

Mullin: That’s exactly what the Biden or Biden administration–

Murphy: But do you see that as a desirable result? Shouldn't both Republican and Democratic administrations implement court orders regardless of what they believe to be the political–

Mullin: Senator Murphy, what I would love to see is the courts actually do their job and not play politics, but you saw it, as you felt, during the Biden administration. And we definitely see it right now. If you want to start talking about court orders that was issued against the Biden administration versus Trump administration, we can start talking numbers, but we also see that the upper courts always overturn… or a lot of times overturned, these lower courts. So, you tell me if they're being politicized. We both.. well they are.

Murphy: I agree that I have questions as to whether certain courts are making–

Mullin: And what I've made it very clear is that we're going to enforce the law and never break the Constitution.

Murphy: I’m going to ask for additional time. I agree that there is politics involved in judicial decisions. I do not think that gives an excuse to either a Democratic or Republican administration to ignore those court orders. I think that's actually the end of our republic if the administration willfully ignores a court order because they disagree with it or its motivation. That’s the difference between you and I.

Mullin: No, that's not actually true, because there were several court orders that was put in against the Biden administration, specifically towards immigration and our border, and I didn't hear you one time speak out against the Biden administration for ignoring that.

Murphy: Well, I mean, actually, actually, that's not true. I can really, I will say, I will say, I will send you endless statements from me about how I believe the Biden administration was going above and beyond the ability that the law allowed them on immigration policy.

Let me ask you a final question: the nonprofit security grant program – really important program in Oklahoma and in Connecticut. Wish it wasn't necessary, I assume you wish it wasn't necessary, but it provides grants to churches and to synagogues and to Jewish community centers and to mosques to provide security. You've recommended a lower amount in this budget, and maybe most concerningly, we haven't gotten FY25 grants out the door. I know you believe this is an important program in Connecticut. It's vitally necessary. We don't get nearly as many needy applications filled. as we would like. Just a commitment to work with us to try to get that number as high as we can? If we can eventually get a budget done, and a commitment to try to get those ‘25 grants out the door as quickly as possible.

Mullin: We will work with that, with you on that. Absolutely.