Trahan, Obernolte Unveil Federal AI Framework Discussion Draft

Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) and Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23), members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released a discussion draft of the Great American AI Act, bipartisan legislation to create a federal framework for how the United States governs artificial intelligence. The discussion draft was released with Representatives Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), Scott Franklin (R-FL-18), Scott Peters (D-CA-50), and Erin Houchin (R-IN-09).

“The threats AI poses to our national security, our safety, and our workforce are here and growing by the day. This bipartisan framework is designed to meet the challenges posed by this rapidly advancing technology without smothering American innovation. It protects workers, establishes real accountability for the most powerful frontier systems, and positions the United States to set the global standard on AI,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “This discussion draft is the product of ongoing bipartisan conversations, which we hope to build upon with input from workers, researchers, stakeholders, and members of the public, all of whom have an interest in getting this right.”

“Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly, which is why Congress must take a thoughtful and bipartisan approach to regulating this critical technology,” said Congressman Jay Obernolte (CA-23). “This discussion draft is an important step toward building a clear federal framework that promotes innovation, protects Americans from emerging risks, and ensures the United States continues to lead the world in AI. We are releasing this draft to hear from stakeholders, experts, and the public so we can strengthen the legislation before it is formally introduced.”

The discussion draft is intended to solicit feedback from stakeholders, experts, and the public before the bill is formally introduced. It is the result of bipartisan collaboration between the two members to ensure the United States can govern AI effectively, protect Americans from emerging risks, and continue to lead the world in AI innovation.

Stakeholders, researchers, and members of the public are encouraged to submit feedback on the discussion draft to GAAIA@mail.house.gov.

“AI is already changing how we work, live, and learn. We need a plan to protect our national security and workforce. I want the United States to continue to be a leader in AI race but develop this technology in a responsible manner that protects people and communities. To do so, we must get a bipartisan conversation started and work faster to address the challenges and opportunities presented by AI,” said Congressman Subramanyam.

“Artificial intelligence is already transforming our economy, our national security and the way Americans live and work,” said Congressman Franklin. “Congress has a responsibility to establish clear rules of the road that encourage innovation while ensuring this technology is developed responsibly. The Great American AI Act builds on the bipartisan House AI Task Force and represents an important step toward greater transparency and accountability for advanced AI systems. This discussion draft will help gather feedback from relevant stakeholders as we work toward a practical legislative framework that keeps America at the forefront of AI innovation. I've already begun laying the groundwork through efforts like securing additional funding for the Center for AI Standards and Innovation through the FY27 Appropriations process, ensuring the federal government has the tools and expertise needed to keep pace with this rapidly evolving technology. I appreciate Policy Chair Obernolte's leadership and look forward to introducing this bill in the House.”

“I am thankful to Rep. Trahan and Rep. Obernolte for their leadership on this critical issue,” said Congressman Peters. “This discussion draft will not address all of the issues our businesses and families will face, but it is an encouraging first step toward the bipartisan legislation needed to keep pace with the rapid advancement of AI. I really want to hear how the people affected feel about it.”

“America should lead the world in artificial intelligence, not regulate ourselves into falling behind China through a patchwork of fifty different state laws,” said Congresswoman Houchin. “That approach would make it harder for American companies to innovate and compete while doing little to improve consumer protections. This bill creates a clear national standard for how AI models are developed while preserving the ability of states and parents to protect children. It strikes the right balance between innovation and consumer protection and ensures Congress remains engaged as this technology continues to evolve.”

Text of the discussion draft can be accessed HERE.

A section-by-section summary can be accessed HERE.

A frequently asked questions document prepared by the Office of Congresswoman Lori Trahan can be accessed HERE.


Congressman Valadao Secures Key Wins for Central Valley Families, Farmers, and Communities in FY27 Agriculture Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22), a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This is the second full-year government funding bill to pass the House for Fiscal Year 2027.

“As a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I was proud to help pass the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,” said Congressman Valadao. “This bill delivers critical investments for the Central Valley by strengthening rural development programs, helping farmers and ranchers access disaster assistance and Farm Service Agency loans, and supporting nutrition programs that help our most vulnerable put food on the table. It also increases funding for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to combat invasive pests and diseases, including the glassy-winged sharpshooter, New World screwworm, and navel orangeworm, which pose a direct threat to our region’s agricultural industry. I was also proud to secure over $1.3 million in Community Project Funding for the Vineland Elementary School District and the Tulare County Fire Department to improve critical water infrastructure and enhance emergency response capabilities in our communities. Advancing this bill through the House is an important step toward completing the full-year funding process, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to get it over the finish line and ensure our families, farmers, and communities have the resources they deserve.”

Key investments secured by Congressman Valadao in the FY27 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act include:

$1.25 million for the Vineland Elementary School District in Bakersfield to construct a new primary water line to ensure adequate water flow for emergency response, support the addition of new classrooms, and provide a safe, modern educational facility for students and staff.

$600,000 for the Tulare County Fire Department to purchase a new water tender to strengthen emergency response capabilities across Tulare County, particularly in rural and underserved areas where access to a reliable water supply is limited.

Additional highlights include:

$1.79 billion for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), including increases in funding to help discover resilient citrus breeding varieties, pest management and detection methods, and water resource management.

$1.158 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), including increases for animal health and specialty crop programs and funding to combat invasive pests like glassy-winged sharpshooter, New World screwworm, and navel orangeworm.

$1.1 billion for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to help farmers access disaster relief, receive funds from commodity programs, acquire loans, and plan for next year.

$3.81 billion for rural development programs, including affordable housing rental assistance, the Section 502 homeownership loan program, and rural broadband grants and loans.

$37.9 billion for Child Nutrition programs—an increase of $59 million above the FY26 enacted level—including funding for the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Summer Food Programs.

$8 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and $101.2 billion in mandatory funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help put food on the tables of our most vulnerable.

$460 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program to help feed lower-income senior citizens.

$900 million for the Food for Peace Program and $240 million for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. Both programs purchase commodities from CA-22 farmers and producers, helping combat malnutrition in developing nations and supporting our local economy.

Read the full bill here.


Congressman Van Drew Meets with Breeze Airways Leadership, Announces Major Expansion in Atlantic City

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew met with senior officials from Breeze Airways to discuss the airline's growing presence at Atlantic City International Airport and its plans to expand service for New Jersey travelers.

"Breeze Airways is stepping up to expand service in Atlantic City in a big way," said Congressman Van Drew. "By the end of the year, we expect every route previously offered by Spirit out of Atlantic City to be served, while also adding brand new destinations that Spirit did not provide. They are ready, willing, and well-positioned to support travel to and from South Jersey. I have been working for years to strengthen the Atlantic City International Airport by bringing in major investments and constantly working to improve its infrastructure. The airport has a bright future, and this expansion is just another sign that airlines see the potential here. I am proud to work with Breeze Airways on this, and I look forward to affordable, convenient air travel continuing to grow for the people of South Jersey."

"We are incredibly pleased with the response we've seen from the community in Atlantic City. It's rare for us to announce so many new routes before ever beginning service, but in this case, the demand for Breeze's high-value, low-cost service was clear from the start," said Lukas Johnson, Chief Commercial Officer at Breeze Airways. "With seven nonstop destinations now operating or available for sale - and with more on the way soon - Breeze offers more destinations from ACY than any other carrier, and we're grateful to our partners in New Jersey for making it possible."


Congressman Van Drew Slams Gov. Sherrill's Plan to Spend $20.2 Million Defending Illegal Immigrants While New Jersey Families Struggle

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew released the following statement condemning Governor Sherrill's decision to increase funding for New Jersey's Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative by an additional $12 million, bringing the total taxpayer-funded program to more than $20 million. The funding is intended to provide legal assistance to individuals facing deportation and detention proceedings.

"New Jersey families are being crushed by some of the highest electric bills, property taxes, and costs of living in the entire country, and Governor Sherrill's answer is to spend more than $20 million defending illegal immigrants," said Congressman Van Drew. "It is a complete insult to every hardworking taxpayer in this state. New Jersey citizens should come first. If they can find $20 million for immigration lawyers, they can find money to lower utility delivery charges or provide relief to the people who actually live, work, and pay taxes here. Every dollar spent helping illegal immigrants avoid deportation is a dollar that is not being spent helping New Jersey families afford to stay in New Jersey."


Vindman Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Tackle Corruption, Ban Members of Congress from Lobbying

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Eugene Vindman (Va.-07) and Barry Moore (Ala.-01) introduced the Banning Lobbying and Safeguarding Trust (BLAST) Act, legislation that would prohibit Members of Congress from lobbying Congress after leaving office.

The BLAST Act closes Washington’s revolving door by preventing lawmakers from leveraging their connections and insider knowledge to influence Congress on behalf of paying clients.

“Americans don’t trust politicians. I can’t blame them with all the scandals and self-dealing in DC. That’s why I’ve fought to ban Members of Congress from trading stocks. Now, I’m proud to lead bipartisan legislation to ban Members of Congress from lobbying for life.” said Vindman. “Public service should be about serving the American people — not cashing in. This bill is the kind of commonsense policy to start restoring trust in Congress, and we need to pass it now.”

“Washington has a trust problem, and the revolving door between Congress and K Street is a big reason why,” said Moore. “The American people are tired of watching career politicians leave office and cash in on the connections they made while serving in government. Public service should be about serving the people – not building a network for your next paycheck. If Members of Congress truly believe in the causes they champion, they shouldn’t need a lobbying contract to keep fighting for them after they leave office. The BLAST Act is a commonsense reform that puts American taxpayers first, restores faith in our institutions, and sends a clear message that elected office is a public trust, not a pathway to personal profit.”

“I’m proud to be an original cosponsor of the BLAST Act, which finally closes the revolving door of former Members of Congress becoming lobbyists. Our Founders envisioned a government led by citizen representatives, not lifelong political operators cashing in on their time in office.” said Crane.

“Trust in Congress is at an all-time low, and there’s no secret why,” said Gluesenkamp Perez. “People everywhere are tired of seeing members of Congress who treat their office as an opportunity to make money instead of serving their district. The BLAST Act is a critical piece of restoring public trust, and reminding members that their job is being a voice for their district, not a stepping-stone to a lucrative lobbying gig.”

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Webster Votes to Pass FY 27 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Bill

Washington, D.C. — Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, today voted to pass H.R. 8646, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2027.

“This legislation puts the health, safety, and prosperity of American producers and consumers first,” said Rep. Webster. “H.R. 8646 supports America’s farmers and ranchers, strengthens rural communities, promotes food and drug safety, and reduces our reliance on foreign competitors like China. I’m pleased that House Republicans are once again advancing fiscally responsible appropriations bills through regular order that deliver on the priorities important to the American people.”

Key provisions of H.R. 8646 include:

Supports America’s Farmers and ranchers though investments in agricultural research, animal and plant health programs, conservation efforts, and rural development initiatives.

Invests in rural communities through housing, water infrastructure, broadband, telecommunications, and rural development programs.

Strengthens America's food supply through food safety inspections and support for domestic agricultural production.

Reduces reliance on foreign competitors by improving oversight of foreign ownership of agricultural land and strengthening domestic supply chains.

Preserves Buy American policies and eliminates funding for Biden-era Climate Hubs.

Supports the Trump Administration's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda by providing resources to help ensure the safety of food, drugs, and medical devices.

In addition, Congressman Webster secured more than $1.5 million for the City of Webster’s Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program and championed report language for the Rural Electrification and Telecommunications Loan Program. These investments will help strengthen critical infrastructure, support economic growth, and improve America’s rural communities.

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Wittman Applauds House Passage of Community Project Funding for Essex County

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) highlighted the House passage of his $1,288,608 million funding request for Essex County, Virginia’s construction of a Joint Maintenance Facility (JMF) and to install a short access road to improve connectivity to nearby thoroughfares. The funds, submitted through Community Project Funding (CPF) in the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Act, await final passage in the Senate.

“I am proud to announce that the House of Representatives has passed my $1.2 million CPF request for Essex County, Virginia,” said Rep. Wittman. “This funding will help modernize critical infrastructure in the community — keeping Virginians safer and improving the efficiency of emergency services and government operations. I look forward to seeing this legislation advance to the Senate and become law.”

The funds will be used by Essex County to modernize and centralize critical fleet operations for public schools, emergency services, law enforcement, and county operations — improving efficiency, safety, and reliability across essential government services. The current undersized and deteriorating facility from the 1940s no longer meets operational or safety standards, creating delays and maintenance challenges that can hinder emergency response and service delivery. Federal investment will enhance response times, reduce long-term maintenance costs, and ensure the County can effectively support essential public services for its residents.

Community Project Funding (CPF) allows Members of Congress to bring tax dollars back home for district-specific priorities. Members have firsthand knowledge of their district’s needs and can prioritize federal funding for the most critical local projects—rather than leaving those decisions to unelected bureaucrats in Washington who lack a direct connection to the community. For Congressman Wittman, these projects address clear and present needs in communities across Virginia and enjoy broad support. The federal dollars designated for CPF projects exist within existing budget limits, reinforcing Congress’s control over the power of the purse. Rather than allowing that money to fund projects in different states, Community Project Funding gives Congressman Wittman the ability to empower Virginians by ensuring they have a critical voice in determining where funding goes.


Womack Votes for Fiscal Year 2027 Funding Bill to Empower Arkansas Producers and Rural Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. — June 4, 2026…Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) today voted in support of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

This bill allocates $26.27 billion in discretionary spending to fund the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and more.

Congressman Womack said, “The Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration funding bill is an important step forward in supporting our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and producers. It also provides targeted relief for our poultry industry and other businesses in Arkansas’s Third District who work tirelessly to keep food on our shelves and on our kitchen tables. I am proud that the House passed this bill well before the end of the fiscal year, and I look forward to collaborating with our Senate colleagues.”

Bill highlights:

Empowers American producers and rural communities by:

Allowing broiler chicken farmers to sell their surplus eggs into the breaker market for pasteurization and mixture into everyday grocery products.

Reining in Biden-era regulations aimed at dictating how poultry and livestock producers raise and market their animals.

Increasing resources for the Food Safety and Inspection Service to fund frontline meat and poultry inspectors and bolster support for state inspection programs.

Improving the tracking of foreign-owned U.S. agricultural land by countries such as China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.

Funding agricultural research and rural development programs.

Streamlining the pet food labeling regulatory environment by eliminating a burdensome patchwork of requirements, thereby increasing economic productivity and employment opportunities for AR-3 pet food producers.

Supporting the FDA's work related to contaminated poppy seeds and directing the agency to carry out enforcement measures to ensure only safe poppy seeds are available for consumption.

A summary of the bill is available HERE.

The bill text is available HERE.

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

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NEW REPORT: Donald Trump’s Disastrous Agenda for Wisconsin’s Dairyland

WISCONSIN – As Dairy Month begins, and ahead of President Trump’s visit to Wisconsin, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today released a report highlighting how the Trump Administration’s policies are devastating Wisconsin farmers – jacking up input costs and cutting off access to customers who buy Made in Wisconsin agricultural products.

“Wisconsin farmers do backbreaking work to produce world-class products that feed the world and drive our rural economies. President Trump came into office promising to support our farmers, but instead has taken every opportunity to jack up their costs, limit their customers, and cut into their margins,” said Senator Baldwin. “Between Donald Trump’s trade war, unnecessary war in Iran, and attacks on our health care system, Wisconsin farmers are paying more for everything, and Donald Trump has no solutions to the problems he’s caused. As President Trump visits Wisconsin, he owes our farmers more than lip service – they need real relief from the high costs they are paying.”

The report outlines how President Trump’s policies – including starting a trade war and a war of choice in Iran – has sent Wisconsin farmers’ input costs through the roof:

Higher Costs: President Trump’s war in Iran has jacked up prices for Wisconsin farmers – with diesel hitting historic highs in May, up 80% from the year before. Likewise, global fertilizer prices jumped 50% in recent months.

Fewer Customers: Between the President’s trade wars and cuts to nutrition programs, Wisconsin farmers are losing access to key markets they rely on. According to the American Farm Bureau, crop farmers lost $34.6 billion in 2025 in large part due to Donald Trump’s trade war. President Trump's trade war also caused the top buyer of U.S. soybeans, China, to effectively boycott U.S. soybeans, cutting off a major export market for Wisconsin farmers. Soybean farmers lost almost $75 per harvested acre of soybeans in the 2025 crop. The report also highlights Republicans’ historic cut to the SNAP program, hurting farmers who sell nutritious food to American families on the food assistance program.

Health Care Cuts: Republicans’ historic $1 trillion cut to Medicaid will devastate rural hospitals, which disproportionately rely on the program to keep their doors open. In light of these cuts, one estimate found that three Wisconsin hospitals are at risk of closing. With Republicans taking away the enhanced premium tax credits that help Americans afford health insurance, 1 in 4 farmers who get their insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace will pay on average $780 more this year.

Senator Baldwin has traveled Wisconsin talking to farmers, growers, and ranchers about how higher costs and uncertainty under President Trump are adding to already challenging headwinds for their businesses. In recent weeks, Senator Baldwin has visited farms in Janesville, Sharon, Warrens, Stoddard, and Seymour to hear firsthand about the headwinds facing farmers.

A full version of the report is available here.

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Bennet, Pettersen, Colorado Democratic Delegation Demand Answers from President Trump as Iran War Spikes Gas Prices Ahead of Summer Travel Season

Colorado Ranks in Top 10 Most Expensive U.S. Gas Markets

Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen and the Colorado Democratic delegation in a letter to President Trump demanding answers about his administration’s plan to lower gasoline prices, which the President spiked by launching his reckless war with Iran.

On Memorial Day, Colorado ranked as one of the 10 most expensive gasoline markets in the nation, with prices surpassing $4.76 per gallon — an increase of over 60 percent from before President Trump launched his war. Gasoline prices could continue to rise throughout the summer travel season, further straining family budgets already stretched thin by the burden of the rising cost of housing, electricity, groceries, and other essentials.

“We are deeply concerned that, by your own account, you ‘don’t think about Americans’ financial situation[s]’ when negotiating with Iran, at a time when Americans continue to struggle to pay for groceries, housing, and everyday essentials. Coloradans need a plan for how you intend to deliver relief as families are being crushed by rising costs,” wrote the lawmakers.

“Summer travel is an important tradition for families across our country, whether it be taking well-earned time off to visit family or driving through small towns and gateway communities to visit National Parks and other treasured American destinations. Rising fuel prices will make it harder for families to experience the beauty of our nation, support local businesses, attend community events, and celebrate America’s heritage. Millions of Americans will travel this summer to visit Washington, D.C., and historic sites across the country as preparations continue for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, making affordable fuel even more important for families planning these trips,” continued the lawmakers.

The lawmakers requested detailed information on the administration’s efforts to lower gasoline prices by June 18, 2026. Specifically, they requested information regarding:

Actions the administration is taking to reduce gas prices in the near term;

Whether a coordinated interagency strategy exists to address rising fuel costs;

Analysis of the factors driving recent gasoline price increases;

The administration’s assessment of the impact on working families, rural communities, and small businesses; and

The benchmarks being used to determine whether administration actions are successfully lowering prices.

In May 2026, Bennet joined Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to introduce legislation to increase the excise tax on stock buybacks of large oil and gas companies from one percent to 25 percent to ensure that windfall oil profits from the Iran War aren’t used to reward corporate shareholders.

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear President Trump:

We write regarding rising gasoline prices ahead of the summer travel season and growing concerns from Coloradans about fuel affordability. After you unilaterally dragged the United States into another endless war in the Middle East, Americans are being forced to foot the bill at the gas pump. Recent reporting and market analysis indicate that gasoline prices have surged nationally in recent weeks, with Colorado being one of the top 10 most expensive gasoline markets, with prices reaching over $4.76 per gallon,1 which is over 60% more than Coloradans paid before the war. Furthermore, prices have the potential to climb even further this summer.2 We are deeply concerned that, by your own account, you “don’t think about Americans’ financial situation” when negotiating with Iran, at a time when Americans continue to struggle to pay for groceries, housing, and everyday essentials.3 Coloradans need a plan for how you intend to deliver relief as families are being crushed by rising costs.

Summer travel is an important tradition for families across our country, whether it be taking well-earned time off to visit family or driving through small towns and gateway communities to visit National Parks and other treasured American destinations. Rising fuel prices will make it harder for families to experience the beauty of our nation, support local businesses, attend community events, and celebrate America’s heritage. Millions of Americans will travel this summer to visit Washington, D.C., and historic sites across the country as preparations continue for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, making affordable fuel even more important for families planning these trips.

Given these factors, we request information regarding the Administration’s strategy to lower gasoline prices and mitigate effects on consumers during the 2026 summer travel season.

Specifically, please respond to the following questions no later than June 18, 2026:

What specific actions is the Administration currently undertaking to reduce gas prices in the near term?

Have you developed a coordinated interagency plan to address projected fuel price increases during the summer travel season? If so, please provide that plan.

What analysis have you conducted regarding the primary drivers of recent gasoline price increases? Please provide this analysis.

What assessment have you made regarding the economic impact of elevated gasoline prices on low- and moderate- income households, rural communities, and small businesses? Please provide this assessment.

What benchmarks or metrics are you using to evaluate whether the actions you are taking are successfully lowering gasoline prices? Please publish these benchmarks.

Americans deserve transparency and accountability regarding the Administration’s plan to address rising fuel prices. Families across the country are making difficult decisions right now based on the expectation that gasoline prices may continue to rise throughout the summer. Yet, your Administration continues to find endless money for a war in Iran and White House renovations. Congress and the public should understand what concrete actions are being taken to provide relief to American households.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your prompt response.

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Blumenthal Probes Tether On Its Role in Iranian Shadow Banking

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), today wrote to Tether Chief Executive Officer Paolo Ardoino demanding records and information related to Tether’s apparent failure to prevent illicit use by sanctioned entities, terrorist organizations, and other money laundering schemes associated with Iran and Russia.

As Ranking Member of PSI, Blumenthal has led an inquiry into the illicit use of cryptocurrencies by sanctioned entities, previously writing to the cryptocurrency exchange Binance to seek documents and information about money laundering and terrorist financing by its partners and customers. Blumenthal is now raising concerns about the recurring role of Tether’s stablecoin in Iranian and Russian money laundering schemes, including recently sanctioned Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges.

“Through its U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin, USDT, Tether has provided unparalleled access to a high-liquidity and widely accepted international payment system that is otherwise denied to Iran due to international sanctions and counterterrorism financing measures. For example, according to The Wall Street Journal and Fortune, hundreds of millions of dollars of USDT were used in two Chinese money laundering schemes that enabled illicit oil sales and financed terrorist organizations such as the Yemeni Houthis,” Blumenthal wrote.

Blumenthal continued, “The Subcommittee’s review of blockchain records, sanctions designations, asset seizure notices, and industry reporting raises significant concerns about USDT’s repeated use by the Islamic Republic and its proxies, such as Hizballah, Hamas, and the Houthis (Ansarallah).”

Blumenthal continued, “The Subcommittee’s review raises questions about whether and how Tether complies with American sanctions law and other counterterrorism finance measures, as well as the steps it takes when its customers and wallets transacting Tether cryptocurrencies can be credibly linked with illicit finance. Tether was originally founded in the United States and maintains a deep reliance on American financial infrastructure, including its operational and business relationship to Cantor Fitzgerald and the family of the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick.”

“The use of Tether’s stablecoin in Iranian shadow banking, and uncertain compliance with American sanctions and banking law, has a significant impact on the United States’ ability to apply economic pressure on the Islamic Republic to negotiate an end to the current war and resolve matters such as its nuclear program and regional destabilization,” Blumenthal concluded.

The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to Ardo is available here and below.

Dear Mr. Ardo:

The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“PSI” or “the Subcommittee”) is conducting an ongoing inquiry into cryptocurrency’s role in the Iranian shadow banking network and other illicit financial operations. Through this inquiry, I have become deeply concerned about the recurring role of Tether’s stablecoin in Iranian and Russian money laundering schemes, including recently sanctioned Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges. I therefore demand that you provide the Subcommittee with all records and information related to Tether’s apparent failure to prevent illicit use by sanctioned entities, terrorist organizations, and other money laundering schemes associated with Iran and Russia.

On June 2, 2026, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) sanctioned the Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin, and Ramzinex based on their role in financially supporting the regime, sanctions evasion, and money laundering by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”). These designations follow a recent warning from the Department of Treasury that cryptocurrencies have become “one leg of Iran’s shadow banking network,” naming stablecoins and “large volume stablecoin issuers,” of which Tether is the largest, as being of particular concern. Additionally, on May 26, 2026 the United Kingdom sanctioned Huobi Global—listed as a partner on Tether’s website—for its ties to the Russian government during the country’s war on Ukraine, including supporting the Russian cryptocurrency services A7 and Garantex (both also sanctioned by OFAC for cybercrime and sanctions evasion).

Through its U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin, USDT, Tether has provided unparalleled access to a high-liquidity and widely accepted international payment system that is otherwise denied to Iran due to international sanctions and counterterrorism financing measures. For example, according to The Wall Street Journal and Fortune, hundreds of millions of dollars of USDT were used in two Chinese money laundering schemes that enabled illicit oil sales and financed terrorist organizations such as the Yemeni Houthis. This USDT was also then, in part, transferred to Nobitex, which OFAC alleges “facilitated a significant number of digital asset transactions linked to the IRGC, including transactions for wallets associated with IRGC-affiliated ransomware actors.”

The Subcommittee’s review of blockchain records, sanctions designations, asset seizure notices, and industry reporting raises significant concerns about USDT’s repeated use by the Islamic Republic and its proxies, such as Hizballah, Hamas, and the Houthis (Ansarallah). Over the course of six years, OFAC and Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (“NBCTF”) have designated hundreds of cryptocurrency wallets for financing and facilitating transfer of funds to Iran, the IRGC, and its proxies. A review by the Subcommittee of these sanctions and seizures has found the wallets designated are predominantly Tron and Ethereum blockchain addresses that have transacted in USDT. Furthermore, according to their websites, Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin, and Ramzinex still deal substantially in Tether’s stablecoin, including exchanging USDT for Iranian Rial, even in the middle of the ongoing war and after OFAC designations. Further, Nobitex advises their customers how to evade sanctions with USDT.

The Subcommittee’s review raises questions about whether and how Tether complies with American sanctions law and other counterterrorism finance measures, as well as the steps it takes when its customers and wallets transacting Tether cryptocurrencies can be credibly linked with illicit finance. Tether was originally founded in the United States and maintains a deep reliance on American financial infrastructure, including its operational and business relationship to Cantor Fitzgerald and the family of the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick. However, despite these ties, Tether has stated its compliance with OFAC sanctions is “voluntary” and that it follows “OFAC guidelines” (emphasis added). The use of Tether’s stablecoin in Iranian shadow banking, and uncertain compliance with American sanctions and banking law, has a significant impact on the United States’ ability to apply economic pressure on the Islamic Republic to negotiate an end to the current war and resolve matters such as its nuclear program and regional destabilization.

Accordingly, and pursuant to Rule XXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate, Senate Resolution 94 (119th Cong.), Section 12, and PSI Rule 1, please provide information and records responsive to the following requests by June 12, 2026.

What legal jurisdictions does Tether believe it is subject to for USDT, in particular for anti-money laundering rules, reporting obligations, asset seizures, and sanctions compliance? Does Tether believe it is legally required to comply with Department of Treasury sanctions for USDT and issue suspicious activity reports (SARs) to the U.S. government for suspected illicit finance?

As the issuer of USDT, Tether has the technical means to freeze and block wallets from withdrawing funds through a ‘blacklist’ function built into the stablecoin. Has Tether frozen all USDT or other assets held in wallets associated with, or custodied by, the sanctioned entities Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin, and Ramzinex in compliance with OFAC designations? If not, why not?

Will Tether terminate its partnership with Huobi Global and freeze any USDT or other assets associated with Huobi Global? What steps will Tether take with respect to Huobi’s cryptocurrency exchange HTX?

Has Tether ever failed or declined to blacklist a wallet address or terminate a client where it had reason to believe that the wallet or client was engaged in illicit finance?

What operational presence does Tether have in the Middle East (including the U.A.E. and Turkey) and Russia, including but not limited to bank accounts, client support services, sales representatives, or other mechanisms to convert between issued USDT and fiat currencies?

In addition, please provide the following records:

All records related to any investigation, requests for information for clients, SARs, reports provided to Tether, or information related to Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin, Ramzinex, or any other Iranian cryptocurrency exchange.

All records related to any investigation, requests for information for clients, SARs, reports provided to Tether, or information related to A7, Garantex, and Huobi Global’s involvement with Russian entities.

All records related to any investigation, requests for information for clients, SARs, reports provided to Tether, or information related to the use of USDT by the Central Bank of Iran, and steps that Tether has taken to further prevent the Central Bank of Iran's use of USDT for money laundering.

All records related to any investigation, requests for information, SARs, or provision of information where Tether subsequently decline to blacklist wallets, request information from any partner (such as exchanges), or terminate a client involved in Iranian shadow banking system.

Please contact the Subcommittee should you have any questions about responding to these requests. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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Blumenthal Statement on House Passage of Russia Sanctions & Ukraine Aid

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the statement below after the House of Representatives approved legislation to provide military aid to Ukraine and sanction officials and businesses that support Russia’s war machine:

“Really significant, robust support for Ukraine could come at a critical moment as it turns the tide against Russia. As I saw during my visit last week, Putin’s escalating cruelty— unspeakably bloodier bombing of civilians— reflects his increasing desperation. He’s losing troops, territory and resources at an unsustainable pace. This bill’s sledgehammer combination of military support and economic sanctions would help give Ukraine the means to finish the job. It strongly serves our own national interest by stopping Putin before he spreads his murderous aggression, and pressures him to seek peace. Congratulations and thanks to leaders of this bill on their steadfast support for Ukraine. I’ve been proud to help lead support for Ukraine on the Senate side and will continue to work hard on passing legislation to make it clear America stands with Ukraine.”

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Blumenthal, Warren & Johnson Call on Bank of America to Restore Consumers' Legal Rights & Protections

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA) wrote to Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, calling on the bank to immediately remove its recently added forced arbitration agreement, hamstringing consumers’ legal rights and denying them the ability to hold corporations accountable.

“The new forced arbitration provision will force Bank of America’s customers into a private and secretive system, rigged against their interests. During the arbitration process, corporations can write the rules and have no obligation to make proceedings public. Without access to the public court system, discovery is typically limited, making it hard for consumers to obtain the evidence needed to prove their case,” wrote the lawmakers.

“We expect companies that pride themselves on consumer protection, like Bank of America, to stand up for its customers and not rely on forced arbitration clauses that quietly strip customers of their rights,” continued the lawmakers. “At a time when costs are rising, Americans are struggling to get by, and the Trump administration has abandoned enforcement of even the most basic consumer protection policies, we are deeply disappointed that Bank of America is imposing yet another obstacle for customers seeking accountability and protection.”

The full letter to Moynihan can be found here and below.

Dear Mr. Moynihan,

We write to urge Bank of America to immediately remove the forced arbitration provision recently added to its Online Banking Service agreement. This inherently unjust provision denies consumers the right to hold corporations accountable and enforce their rights.[1]

In 2009, Bank of America ended its use of forced arbitration clauses in credit card disputes.[2] The change, welcomed by advocates and consumers alike, followed a lawsuit alleging that Bank of America colluded with other banks to implement arbitration provisions – effectively severing a customer’s ability to enforce their rights in court.[3] Bank of America’s decision not to include forced arbitration provisions in its terms thereafter persisted for almost 17 years.[4] In fact, in response to a letter sent by Senator Elizabeth Warren in 2017, Bank of America even called its decision to remove the arbitration clauses the “right business practice to maintain relationships with its clients and customers.”[5]

However, in a significant departure from its historical commitments, Bank of America recently added a forced arbitration provision to its Online Banking Service Terms. As of May 18, 2026, customers will be forced to resolve almost every dispute with Bank of America through forced private arbitration, denying them their right to a jury trial or to participation in class-action lawsuits.[6] Similarly troubling, the Online Banking Service agreement only gives customers 60 days to opt out of the clause – leaving most customers likely unaware that their rights are being stripped away.[7]

The new forced arbitration provision will force Bank of America’s customers into a private and secretive system, rigged against their interests. During the arbitration process, corporations can write the rules and have no obligation to make proceedings public. Without access to the public court system, discovery is typically limited, making it hard for consumers to obtain the evidence needed to prove their case.[8] Additionally, there is no meaningful judicial review, frequently leaving consumers without the ability to appeal a decision even if the arbitrator gets it wrong. The process is binding, forcing consumers into an inherently biased system that they did not choose for themselves.[9]

We expect companies that pride themselves on consumer protection, like Bank of America, to stand up for its customers and not rely on forced arbitration clauses that quietly strip customers of their rights.[10] At a time when costs are rising, Americans are struggling to get by, and the Trump administration has abandoned enforcement of even the most basic consumer protection policies, we are deeply disappointed that Bank of America is imposing yet another obstacle for customers seeking accountability and protection.

We urge Bank of America to immediately remove the forced arbitration clause and restore basic consumer protection principles. In addition, in order to gain a deeper understanding of Bank of America’s decision to add a forced arbitration clause to its Online Banking Service Terms, please provide detailed responses to the following questions by June 26, 2026:

Why is Bank of America reversing its 2009 decision to eliminate forced arbitration clauses from its contracts?

In 2017, in response to a letter sent by Senator Elizabeth Warren, Bank of America stated that it “implemented revisions to our arbitration policies and procedures almost ten years ago because we believe it is the right business practice for us to maintain relationships with our clients and customers.”[11]

Is Bank of America no longer concerned with “maintain[ing] relationships with its clients and customers?”

Has Bank of America conducted any analysis of the effects this policy will have on its customers?

Did Bank of America conduct internal reviews or analyses before deciding to add forced arbitration clauses to its Online Banking Service Terms?

If so, please provide any related insight or documentation explaining the factors that contributed to its decision to add forced arbitration clauses.

Has Bank of America projected any cost savings or any other return as a result of adding the forced arbitration clause?

Will Bank of America commit to reassessing its decision to include forced arbitration provisions?

Sincerely,

-30-

[1] Bank of America, “Online Banking Service Agreement,” May 18, 2026, https://www.bankofamerica.com/content/documents/agreement/OnlineBankingServiceAgreementUpdateEN.pdf.

[2] Kathy Chu, “Bank of America ends arbitration of credit card disputes,” ABC News, August 13, 2009, https://abcnews.com/Business/story?id=8324675&page=1.

[3] Associated Press, “BofA Drops Credit Card Arbitration Requirement,” CNBC, August 14, 2025, https://www.citizen.org/article/coalition-letter-opposing-bank-of-americas-adoption-of-forced-arbitration-provisions-in-its-online-banking-service-agreement/#_ftn2.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Letter to The Honorable Elizabeth Warren from John Collingwood, Director of Federal Government Affairs for Bank of America, Sep. 1, 2017, https://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/2017_09_12_Responses_to_Arb_Letter.pdf.

[6] Bank of America, “Online Banking Service Agreement,” May 18, 2026, https://www.bankofamerica.com/content/documents/agreement/OnlineBankingServiceAgreementUpdateEN.pdf.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Economic Policy Institute, “The Arbitration Epidemic,” December 7, 2015, https://www.epi.org/publication/the-arbitration-epidemic/.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Bank of America, “Our Mission & Vision,” accessed May 19, 2026, https://careers.bankofamerica.com/en-us/company/values.

[11] Letter to The Honorable Elizabeth Warren from John Collingwood, Director of Federal Government Affairs for Bank of America, Sep. 1, 2017, https://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/2017_09_12_Responses_to_Arb_Letter.pdf.


Connecticut Delegation Opposes Shortsighted Plan to Close Hamden Invasive Species Research Facility

[Hartford, CT] — U.S Senator Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, U.S. Representative John Larson, U.S. Representative Joe Courtney, U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro, U.S. Representative Jim Himes, and U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes today sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opposing plans to close the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) research and development center in Hamden, Connecticut.

“This site has been on the forefront of fighting invasive insects and diseases that threaten our forests for decades, and we urge you to abandon this short-sighted reorganization plan and leave the Connecticut lab intact,” the lawmakers wrote.

USFS announced recently that it aims to close 57 of 77 similar facilities across the nation and consolidate them into a handful of regional facilities. The work of the Connecticut facility is expected to move to Warren, Pennsylvania under the current restructuring plan. Nine staff members would be relocated as a result of this change.

Moving the research and development center out of Connecticut and New England could delay critical research of invasive insects and diseases affecting our state. The lab in Connecticut has been instrumental in studying and responding to emerging threats to tree life such as spotted lantern flies, Asian longhorned beetles and the spongy moth.

“It is hard to overstate the threat these species pose to forests in our region – one recent study found that invasive insects are now responsible for a quarter of tree deaths across the Northeast,” the delegation continued. “…It is especially baffling considering your own stated goals for USDA research and development. In a Secretary’s memo dated December 30, 2025, you list ‘protecting the integrity of American agriculture from invasive species’ as one of your research and development priorities.Now just a few months later, you are threatening to close a facility that does exactly that.”

The delegation urges USFS to immediately abandon its plans to close the Hamden facility and allow the talented scientists and researchers to continue their important work.

The delegation’s full letter is available here and below:

June 4, 2026

The Honorable Brooke Rollins

Secretary

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue SW

Washington, D.C. 20250

Dear Secretary Rollins,

We write in strong opposition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) plan to close the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) research and development center in Hamden, Connecticut. This site has been on the forefront of fighting invasive insects and diseases that threaten our forests for decades, and we urge you to abandon this short-sighted reorganization plan and leave the Connecticut lab intact.

The Hamden R&D lab does critically important work studying and combatting invasive insects in the Northeast. Over the years, researchers there have tackled a number of critical problem species, including the Spongy moth, Asian longhorned beetle, and Spotted Lanternflies.[1] It is hard to overstate the threat these species pose to forests in our region – one recent study found that invasive insects are now responsible for a quarter of tree deaths across the Northeast.[2] At a time when our New England trees are under such grave threat, it defies logic that this administration would seek to close a research facility that has a proven track record of successfully responding to invasive species. It is especially baffling considering your own stated goals for USDA research and development. In a Secretary’s memo dated December 30, 2025, you list “protecting the integrity of American agriculture from invasive species” as one of your research and development priorities.[3] Now just a few months later, you are threatening to close a facility that does exactly that.

The closure of the Hamden lab comes as part of a broader restructuring plan, where USDA aims to close 57 of 77 similar facilities across the country and consolidate them into a handful of regional facilities, with the work of the Connecticut facility expected to move to Warren, Pennsylvania.[4] The agency has claimed that this move will not impact the quality of the invasive species work performed by USFS, but as experts have pointed out, location matters when performing this type of research.[5] The ability to respond quickly to emerging threats would be severely diminished by moving further away. And that is to say nothing of the personal impacts on the dedicated workers at the lab. While the agency has claimed that no scientific positions will be eliminated, that leaves the possibility that these employees will be asked to relocate to the new regional facility in Warren, Pennsylvania.[6] Further, the agency’s insistence that nothing is finalized yet with this proposal has left these employees in limbo for months now, wondering if they will still have a job or will have to upend their lives and move hundreds of miles and several states away.

The USFS research and development center in Hamden, Connecticut has done vital work to protect our nation from invasive species for decades. We urge you to let this critical work continue and immediately abandon your consolidation plan to close this facility.

Sincerely,

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NEWS: As Trump & Republicans Wage Assault On Free And Fair Elections, Senator Blunt Rochester, Leader Schumer, Senate Democrats, & Top Elections Experts Gear Up To Combat Key Election Threats

Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Democrats’ Election Protection Task Force, joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats’ Election Protection Task Force as they convened with key election experts including former Attorney General Eric Holder, Marc Elias of the Elias Law Group, Ian Bassin of Protect Democracy, Skye Perryman of Democracy Forward, and election law expert Norm Eisen. During the Task Force meeting, the Senators and experts stress-tested responses to several key threats to the 2026 midterms, including foreign interference and misinformation, the deployment of federal agents to polling places, and law enforcement agents seizing ballots from local election officials. This was the second meeting of the Senate Democrats’ new Election Protection Task Force, which was launched in April.

As the Republican agenda grows more unpopular due to a worsening affordability crisis and rampant Trump corruption, the Trump administration has worked to disrupt free and fair elections and tip the scales toward Republicans ahead of the midterms. Trump has said he’ll deploy an “election integrity army” to polling places across the country and is making it harder to vote-by-mail. His Justice Department sought to seize state voter rolls. FBI agents and the Director of National Intelligence raided election offices in Georgia. Republicans pressed election officials in Arizona to turn over documents. Poll workers are being threatened nationwide.

Over the coming weeks and months, the Task Force will continue to announce additional steps in the fight to safeguard the right to vote and ensure that every American has fair access to the ballot box this November.

“From the introduction of the SAVE Act to the gutting of the landmark Voting Rights Act, Washington Republicans are leading an unprecedented attack on the integrity of our elections,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “Today’s exercise was a critical opportunity to consider each of the challenges we may face ahead of the Midterm elections and ensure we are prepared to address them head-on.”

“Trump and Republicans are hellbent on rigging our elections and undermining our democracy. Democrats won’t let that happen,” said Leader Schumer. “Our Election Protection Task Force, the most expansive effort to date to protect the 2026 midterms, is readying for the threats we know are coming – and today we gamed out how we can thwart them before Republicans can undermine our free and fair elections. Democrats will be ready with lawyers and response teams to respond the moment Trump or his allies try to interfere with our elections. Democracy is on the line. Democrats are going to fight like hell to make sure our elections belong to the voters – not Donald Trump.”

“With the midterm elections well underway, we need to be ready on every front to deal with MAGA election deniers’ slimy playbook, from misleading artificial intelligence ads to the Trump Administration’s illegal intimidation of voters and election officials. Democrats are taking an all-options approach to ensure our elections are fair and free,” said U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“President Trump’s approval rating is in the tank and he’s bringing Republicans down with him. The President has tried to overturn an election before, so the country needs to be prepared to defend the election process to keep the midterms free and fair,” said Senator Whitehouse.

“We have to take Trump at his word when he threatens to ‘take over’ our elections and compromise the integrity of our democracy. Today’s tabletop exercise offered a sobering look at the lengths President Trump and his allies and cronies could go to disrupt free and fair elections, and it underscored the coordinated effort that will be necessary to stop him and protect our democracy. The exercise reinforced a simple but critical truth: no institution can defend our democracy alone. Preventing Trump from carrying out illegal efforts to subvert our elections will require public servants, civil society, elected officials from both parties, and ordinary citizens to stand together and refuse to let him succeed,” said Sen. Mark R. Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

“The Trump Administration is leading a coordinated campaign to undermine our nation’s elections. This tabletop exercise demonstrates the importance of anticipating potential threats at the polls so we are prepared to respond to threats ahead of this year’s upcoming elections. The right to vote is a bedrock of our democracy, and I am committed now more than ever to protecting fair and free elections for all Americans,” said Senator Blumenthal.

“As millions of Americans exercised their right to vote yesterday, Donald Trump and his MAGA allies were working overtime — not to make life better for families who are struggling to make ends meet, but scheming to silence the voices of countless voters across the country. They have already moved to seize ballots, purge eligible voters from the rolls, dismantle the core protections of the Voting Rights Act, and now handed control of America’s most sensitive national security apparatus to a Trump loyalist whose only qualification is his willingness to do Trump’s bidding, including election interference. Between now and the November midterms, we expect these attacks will only intensify. That is exactly why this task force exists. We will fight back in the Senate, in the courts, and in the states, and we will ensure that Donald Trump can’t ‘takeover’ our elections. Our democracy is not his to take,” said Senator Padilla.


Booker Leads Bipartisan Amicus Brief Challenging Trump’s $1.7 Billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as an Unconstitutional End-Run Around Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) submitted a bipartisan amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia opposing the Trump Administration’s creation of the so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund, a $1.7 billion pool of taxpayer money. The brief argues that the fund is an unconstitutional end-run around Congress—an unlawful attempt to direct federal dollars, potentially to individuals involved in the January 6 attack, without any congressional authorization.

On January 29, 2026, President Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the unlawful leak of his tax returns in 2019 by a government contractor who was later convicted and sentenced. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a “settlement” that establishes a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” using taxpayer dollars. If permitted to proceed, this Fund will be used to compensate people who claim they were unfairly targeted by the federal government. People who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, such as Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader, and Jake Lang, who used a bat to attack Capitol Police officers, are already seeking payments from the Fund.

In response to overwhelming bipartisan outrage, the DOJ has made ambiguous, out-of-court statements that do nothing to stop the DOJ from moving forward with establishing the Fund after the court order expires. In a recent statement, the President has been unequivocal that he has not “dropped” the Fund. Without a court order or legislation, the Trump Administration can still move forward with this historic act of corruption.

The senators’ brief urges the court to stop the DOJ from implementing the unconstitutional Anti-Weaponization Fund. The senators asserted their strong interest in protecting taxpayer funds from abuse and protecting Congress’ exclusive authority over federal spending, appropriations, and appointments. The senators stated that the Executive Branch cannot bypass Congressional authority to create a discretionary fund on its own, especially when the very lawsuit that sparked the settlement was a one-sided suit filed by the President against an agency in his control. While the Department of Justice has publicly stated it will not move forward with the fund, it has not withdrawn the settlement agreement and, absent a court ruling finding the agreement unlawful, it could reverse course at any time. “What is at stake in this litigation,” the senators wrote, “is not an ordinary dispute about executive spending authority or the boundaries of the clemency power. It is a question of whether the machinery of democratic government may be turned, by design and with explicit intent, against the democratic foundations it exists to serve.

In the filing, the senators argue that “The establishment of the Anti-Weaponization Fund violates the Spending, Appropriations, and Appointments Clauses of the Constitution. The Fund is also the result of a collusive settlement and therefore ineligible for Judgment Fund monies appropriated by Congress.”

They continued: “The Anti-Weaponization Fund presents an immediate and dire threat to our constitutional order and the authority of Congress. Indeed, among other purposes, the Fund is designed to compensate the insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. The existence of the Fund strikes at the core of Congressional authority and our Constitutional order.”

Key Arguments from the Brief:

Violations of the Spending and Appropriations Clauses

The Executive Branch cannot draw money from the Treasury or create new spending streams without a law passed by Congress. The Fund bypasses both constitutional provisions by spending and distributing federal dollars outside the appropriations process.

Violation of the Appointments Clause

The Fund delegates broad authority to distribute taxpayer money to individuals who were not appointed in a manner consistent with the Constitution. The Appointments Clause exists to prevent exactly this kind of unchecked executive power.

The “Settlement” is the Result of a Collusive Lawsuit

The President’s lawsuit against the IRS was not a real adversarial proceeding because as head of the Executive Branch, he controls the IRS and DOJ. Because the lawsuit was collusive and did not belong in a federal court, there was no “actual or imminent litigation” that would allow the DOJ to draw $1.7 billion from the taxpayer-funded Judgment Fund.

Use of Public Money to Benefit January 6 Defendants

Within days of the Fund’s announcement, people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, including those who attacked law enforcement, began seeking payments. Directing federal dollars to individuals who attacked the Capitol and criminally assaulted 140 police officers would convert public funds into a reward for those who attacked the very institution responsible for federal appropriations.

Dangerous Precedent for Future Administrations

Using public money to end-run Congress and create an executive discretionary fund invites future administrations to deploy similar tactics, undermining accountability and the separation of powers.

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) also joined Booker in submitting the amicus brief.

Senators Booker and Cassidy were represented by the Washington Litigation Group, Platkin LLP, and Democracy Defenders Fund in this matter.


Booker, Rosen, Ernst, Lankford, Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Develop Middle East Air and Missile Defense Acquisition Strategy to Deter and Defend Against Iranian Attacks

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and James Lankford (R-OK) – co-chairs of the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus – introduced a bill to require the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop an air and missile defense acquisition strategy with partners and allies in the Middle East, including Israel and Abraham Accords partners. The bipartisan Optimizing Acquisition Strategies for Integrated Security (OASIS) in the Middle East Act would ensure that the U.S. and our allies and partners in the region have the resources needed to defend against Iranian missile, drone, and rocket attacks.

“Security and diplomacy go hand in hand, and as threats evolve, our defense cooperation must evolve as well,” said Senator Booker. “The OASIS in the Middle East Act strengthens coordination between the United States and our regional allies and partners to defend against missile, drone, and rocket attacks, bolstering collective defense, deterring aggression, and protecting innocent lives across the region. Building on the spirit of cooperation established by the Abraham Accords, this bipartisan legislation advances a safer, more secure future for all.”

“For years, and particularly since Hamas’ horrific terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Iran and its proxies have used their missile, drone, and rocket arsenals to attack U.S. servicemembers, our partners and allies in the region, and civilian infrastructure. Iran’s reckless and destabilizing behavior underscores why we must work together to ensure we have sufficient air and missile defense resources to respond to Iranian aggression and keep our allies, like Israel, safe,” said Senator Rosen. “Our bipartisan bill will provide a clear framework to support DOD’s efforts to develop an integrated air and missile defense acquisition strategy for the region. I will continue working across the aisle as we create a path towards security and prosperity in the Middle East.”

“Since the horrific October 7th attacks, Iran and its terrorist proxies have continued to target and threaten our servicemembers, partners, and allies across the Middle East. The OASIS in the Middle East Act will help ensure the United States and our partners can replenish interceptor stockpiles and better defend against Iran-backed attacks,” said Senator Ernst. “Building on the success of the Abraham Accords, and the bipartisan legislation we have already ushered into law to strengthen regional air and missile defense, this bill represents the next step in ensuring our allies have the tools they need to deter Iranian aggression, defend themselves, and move towards a more secure and peaceful Middle East.”

“Iran has destabilized the Middle East through missiles, drones, and proxy forces, threatening Americans and our allies and undermining every effort toward peace in the region,” said Senator Lankford. “That aggression cannot go unanswered. The OASIS in the Middle East Act makes sure the Department of War has a coordinated strategy so Israel and our partners have what they need before the next attack comes, not after. Standing with our allies is not optional; it is a core American commitment, and this bill ensures we back that commitment up with real resources and real strategy.”

As the founding members and co-chairs of the bipartisan Senate Abraham Accords Caucus, Senators Booker, Rosen, Ernst, and Lankford have led efforts to deepen security cooperation between the U.S. and our partners and allies in the Middle East to defend against Iran’s aggression. Their bipartisan MARITIME Act to require the Department of Defense to work with partners in the Middle East to counter maritime threats posed by Iran and other violent organizations was signed into law. Their bipartisan DEFEND Act was signed into law to establish an air and missile defense architecture with Israel and other Middle East allies.


U.S. Senator Katie Britt Questions Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Iran, Cuba During Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, participated in a State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee hearing reviewing the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget request for the Department of State, where she questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Senator focused her questions on how the Trump Administration is handling the ongoing conflict in Iran and placing maximum pressure on Cuba.

Senator Britt began by recognizing the United States military personnel overseas, including the Alabamians who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation: “I want to begin by thanking the brave service members of the U.S. military who participated in the recent operations in Iran. I want to honor the memory of the 13 service members who lost their lives, including three Alabamians, Major Alex Klinner, Major Ariana Savino, and Technical Sergeant Ashley Pruitt. I know that all of Alabama and our country stands with me to honor their bravery and their ultimate sacrifice.”

The Senator then noted the successes of the United States disarming Iran’s military capabilities, asking Secretary Rubio, “Can you talk to me about how this administration’s maximum pressure strategy and approach towards Iran has actually weakened Iran and its terrorist proxies, and ultimately made the United States more safe and secure?”

Secretary Rubio responded saying, “I would start with the what the purpose of Epic Fury was, and that is to deny them the conventional shield of missiles and drones and naval vessels and air defenses that would have allowed them to act with impunity, including on a nuclear weapon… And today, Iran has no navy, it has no air force, its air defenses are severely degraded, which gives us freedom of operation in the future, if that contingency arises. They’ve lost a substantial percentage of their missile launchers and not just of their missiles, but other missile launchers. And most importantly, they’ve lost a substantial percentage of their defense industrial base …

“They also don’t have the money to rebuild that industrial base rapidly, because they don’t have the funds … we are enforcing sanctions. We had a bunch of sanctions on the books, some of which were not being enforced. In fact, for the first time that I can recall, the US has actually seized Iranian oil vessels in the Indo-Pacific, 5 or 6 of them, and denied them the revenue from those vessels, although they have many more that are still out there now.”

Secretary Rubio continued by discussing the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, noting, “Where we stand today, unfortunately, is they have decided to mine the Straits of Hormuz and shoot drones at ships that move without their permission or paying a toll. The only ships they will allow to move through freely are their ships. There is no way that they’re going to illegally, unlawfully close the Strait… and not pay a price for it …

“Now where we’d like to get to is where they agree they’re going to open the Strait like they were supposed to when the ceasefire was agreed to. We would lift the blockade and they would agree, as part of all of this… to sit down and negotiate an agreement that disposes of the highly enriched uranium, that limits and or prohibits their enrichment program, and in return, they would be able to have some, not all, but some of the sanctions that they are facing for their nuclear program potentially waived or reduced, but that would be only depending on what they give…”

Senator Britt also questioned Secretary Rubio about negotiations with Iran and a potential interim agreement, asking whether the U.S. is considering relieving financial pressure on Iran and confirming that a central focus of negotiations with Iran is giving up its stockpile of highly-enriched uranium.

In her last line of questioning, Senator Britt shifted to asking about the Trump Administration’s posture towards Cuba: “Speaking of the maximum pressure strategy, you recently announced new sanctions, as you discussed earlier on Cuba’s military industrial enterprise and its leaders and its state-owned natural resource companies. Cuba’s communist regime has been a long-time threat to our entire hemisphere, a destabilizing force, as you put it in your remarks. Public reporting states that Cuba has purchased attack drones from Russia and from China, and also hosts intelligence officers from Iran, China and Russia. I appreciate President Trump’s decisive actions with regards to protecting U.S. national security and these sanctions, and your continued efforts to address the threats that are posed by [Cuba] …

“Can you speak briefly as to why this maximum pressure campaign is so important and how it can ultimately provide for a new Cuba, one that provides freedom and prosperity both to the people of Cuba and a safer hemisphere?”

Secretary of Rubio responded, “Well, what’s unique about these sanctions is that they’re against a conglomerate that generates revenue in Cuba and none of, it not a single penny of it, goes to benefit the Cuban people, none of it because it’s not part of the treasury …

“For example, the government of Cuba cannot go and audit where guys are spending its money or how much money they’ve made. It is almost a government within a government, a state within a state. And that’s what we are targeting. Because, instead of that going to this conglomerate, that’s what the Cuban people should be allowed to do. They should be allowed to own their small independent businesses … This is a country that literally, you know, doesn’t, doesn’t invest in their own energy plants and never has. Meanwhile, they’re sitting on $18 billion in this conglomerate of assets that they should be using to benefit the Cuban people and they are not, so those sanctions are targeted at this conglomerate.”

You can view the full line of questioning here.

###


Budd, Warnock Lead Bipartisan Bill to Reduce Regulatory Risks for Companies to Sell Public Shares & Strengthen U.S. Financial Markets

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led several of their colleagues in introducing the Encouraging Public Offerings Act today to limit regulatory risk that holds companies back from engaging with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the Initial Public Offering (IPO) process. The bipartisan legislation would codify existing SEC rules and make the initial IPO registration process more confidential and less burdensome, thereby reducing the regulatory risk of going public and encouraging companies to do so sooner.

“Limiting regulatory risks for companies interested in going public is essential to keeping U.S. financial markets the best in the world. Far too many companies are unwilling to go public because regulatory barriers are too costly, complex, and time-consuming, making the IPO process less attractive. My bipartisan legislation with Senator Warnock will help restore the U.S. IPO market by codifying confidential registration rules and allowing companies to ‘test the waters.’ The aim here is to encourage more businesses to enter public markets and expand investment opportunities for Americans,” said Senator Budd.

“This bipartisan legislation helps more businesses—especially small and growing businesses—access the public markets and capital they need to expand. That means more investment in Georgia, more Georgia jobs, and a stronger economy for our country. I’m proud to work with Senator Budd on this commonsense bill,” said Senator Warnock.

“IPOs give companies crucial access to capital markets and drive economic growth. When private companies consider going public, we should be doing everything possible to make this process easy and to encourage it without jeopardizing investor protections. This bipartisan legislation will reduce unnecessary red-tape and encourage these companies to continue to grow,” said Senator Tillis.

“Taking a company public can be complex and costly – especially for our small businesses. This bipartisan legislation provides companies the flexibility they need to grow and thrive. We must support new pathways for businesses – and the workers they employ – to grow, and this bill does exactly that,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“It is in our country’s best interest to make it easier for newer, smaller companies to access public markets – this spurs economic opportunity and unlocks the capital needed for companies to grow and thrive, providing more wealth-building opportunities for every day investors. Our Encouraging Public Offerings Act makes it simpler and safer for companies to register to go public by decreasing the regulatory risk burden. I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Budd to get this across the finish line,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

“Main Street investors and their families need us to be focused on making life easier and more affordable for them. This is critical legislation that advances that goal by eliminating onerous requirements on growing businesses and supporting expanded growth in our local economies around the nation. The bipartisan Encouraging Public Offerings Act will help give the public more investment opportunities so they can buy into entrepreneurial businesses and better save for their family’s future. I appreciated working with my friend Senator Budd on this vital issue and look forward to getting it signed into law,” said Representative Wagner.

Senators Budd and Warnock were joined by U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) in introducing the legislation.

U.S. Representative Ann Wagner (R-Mo.-02) introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The increased regulatory burden on companies looking to IPO has caused a severe decline in the U.S. IPO market since the early 2000s. Despite this downward trend, the public policy upsides of companies selling shares to the public are significant: the investing public gains access to savings and a wealth-creation opportunity, and the company gains access to capital to continue growing.

The Encouraging Public Offerings Act codifies the SEC administrative changes around confidential registrations into law. It further allows all issuers to “test the waters” prior to an IPO. “Testing the waters” refers to communications between a would-be issuer, accredited institutional buyers, and investors prior to an IPO to gauge interest in a potential security offering.

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Committee Hears Powerful Testimony Bolstering the Need to Fix College Sports Crisis, Stop Cuts to Women’s & Olympic Sports & Protect Athletes

Protect College Sports Act reflects Cantwell key pillars: ensuring federal rights and protections for athletes and securing the future of women’s and Olympic sports

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a landmark hearing on the Protect College Sports Act, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee heard powerful testimony on the worsening crisis facing college athletics, including the future of women's and Olympic sports, athletes’ rights, and the financial sustainability of the entire collegiate sports system. Former University of Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban, Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould, University of Notre Dame Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua, West Virginia University President Emeritus Gordon Gee and Lance Holtzclaw, a student athlete with the University of Utah, underscored the urgency to act on the bill’s key measures to preserve athletic opportunities for all athletes and stabilize the future of college athletics.

“We agree today that college athletics are in crisis, and we agree that the system is broken and unsustainable,” said U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the committee. “Universities, athletes, and fans are pleading with us to do something about this issue. Schools are cutting women's and Olympic programs, and they are dropping scholarships…erasing roster slots to try to keep pace with out-of-control spending in football and basketball.”

College sports today are at a crossroads. The Grant House vs. NCAA settlement opened the door for universities to share revenue directly with athletes to compensate them for their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). This settlement is vindication for athletes who have fought for compensation. However, the result of the settlement can widen the gaps between the richest schools and everyone else. Without federal guardrails in place, schools will pull resources from non-revenue sports to stay competitive in football and basketball.

Sen. Cantwell highlighted the risk of keeping the status quo on our Olympic athlete pipeline: “I believe the failure of us to act here will make us responsible for the outcome of future Olympic teams if we don't come up with a solution.”

The Protect College Sports Act provides, for the first time, a federal framework for athletes’ rights, including the right to earn NIL compensation. This legislation would also amend the Sports Broadcasting Act to allow institutions to pool their media rights to maximize value and capture more revenue.

“And it brings in real revenue,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Experts believe that this could bring in an additional $4 to 8 billion in media rights revenue, money that we would like to dedicate to women and Olympic sports. The solution here is to grow the pie, not shrink it, and give schools more resources.”

Sen Cantwell asked student athlete Lance Holtzclaw about the impact constant coaching changes has on student athletes.

“[P]eople don't realize that in this arms race of money and coaches transferring, that the students -- I mean, how can you learn any system, or coach or synchronicity if you have three different coaches in three years?” asked Sen. Cantwell.

“It's extremely important to how the careers of these young men and women go out and how they're developed in their time in college athletics,” said Mr. Holtzclaw. “There's so much that goes on with life development, that goes on with your education, that goes on with your life experiences, and I feel like that leadership portion being strong in a system and in a program, is extremely important. So, when pieces move around a lot, it can alter that sometimes.”

Sen. Cantwell zeroed in on the critical question of whether the leaders entrusted with protecting college athletics had instead steered it toward its current crisis.

Sen. Cantwell: “Mr. Gee. Has the current system failed?”

Gordon Gee: “Absolutely, that's the reason we're here today. I mean, we would not be having this hearing if we had a system that was working.”

Sen. Cantwell: “And so what do we -- what do you think that -- on this notion of why university presidents didn't understand that ADs and conferences were taking us down a different direction, that was going to be so painful.”

Gordon Gee: “I know most of those presidents, they're really smart people, they're wonderful people, half of them have worked for me, but we need to have an opportunity to really have those presidential discussions, because this is so simple. We have a revenue problem, either we grow the pie or we destroy everything that we're about. It's pretty damn simple.”

During the more than two-hour hearing, witnesses addressed a number of key issues addressed in the legislation:

Where College Sports Stands Today

Saban: “When the system becomes whoever raises the most money gets the best players, then we are no longer talking about college athletics as millions of fans and I have known it.”

Bevacqua: “Ours is an educational initiative in crisis with schools decreasing opportunities for student-athletes, bad-faith actors with predatory practices harming both student-athletes and institutions and the inability for common sense rules to be set and followed without risk of endless litigation. It is imperative that Congress takes action imminently.”

Gee: “The end result is that we now have an unsustainable system which will destroy American college athletics, unless we take bold steps. The NCAA and the conferences lost in the courts because we failed to allow student athletes to function as true students with great talents, who earned the right to monetize their talents.”

Gould: “Because many of the most significant challenges facing college sports cannot realistically be resolved in a single point in time, the Act’s Commission on the Future of College Athletics is a thoughtful and critical framework which we must use to evaluate the deeper, structural reforms that will require sustained analysis, stakeholder engagement, and broad consensus.”

Holtzclaw: “I have experienced the impact of NIL, the transfer portal, conference realignment, evolving eligibility rules, and the many changes shaping modern college athletics. These issues are often discussed through the lens of policy, economics, and governance, but behind every decision are real students balancing academics, athletics, personal development, and preparation for life.”

Women’s and Olympic Sports

Gould: “[W]hile women's sports and Olympic sports are not explicitly called out in every provision of this bill, what this bill provides is more certainty than we have today. So if you're a university president trying to make decisions about funding for an athletic department, if you're an athletic director, if you're a conference commissioner who's constantly getting reduced distributions because of litigation, this creates more certainty. And to me, more certainty allows the leaders in our industry to make the appropriate decisions to fund broad-based programs.”

Saban: “Another important part of this bill is that it does not only focus on football. Football and men’s basketball generate most of a department’s revenue, but college athletics is bigger than those two sports. Women’s sports, Olympic sports, and other non-revenue sports create opportunities for thousands of young men and women. Those opportunities matter. They are part of what makes college athletics different from professional sports.”

Bevacqua: “Protecting the incredible value of the student-athlete experience beyond revenue-generating sports, with a particular emphasis on the continued growth and sustained health of our women’s and Olympic sports, is central to our mission at Notre Dame. These programs are the bedrock of the collegiate model, providing thousands of young men and women with opportunities to compete at the highest levels while earning a world-class education. If we continue to go down the path of no legislative action, Olympic and women’s sports around the United States will be at risk both this year and for years to come.”

Protecting Athletes’ Rights

Saban: “The scholarship and medical protections in this bill are also important. If a young person gives his or her body to a university program, then that young person should not be discarded because of an injury, a roster decision, or athletic performance. Scholarships should mean something. Medical coverage should mean something. Health and safety standards should mean something. Independent medical judgment should not be overridden by competitive pressure. That is not just an athlete issue. That is a values issue.”

Gee: “With this legislation, we will be able to bring a level of common sense and discipline to the college athletic enterprise. We can restore basic rules to govern the system while continuing to allow student athletes to earn their fair share of the revenue they help create.”

The Future

Saban: “Congress does not need to micromanage college athletics. But Congress does need to fix the mess in the courts and create a national framework so the people inside college sports can enforce fair rules. This is a serious bipartisan effort to bring order to a system that badly needs fixing. I don’t think this is bipartisan, I think this is something that should be nonpartisan. It’s that important in terms of college athletics. In terms of the future for young people.”

Bevacqua: “The efforts you have made to restore sanity to the transfer portal and eligibility rules, protect the scholarships of student-athletes, ensure medical insurance is commonplace for these students, remove “bad actors” from college athletics and reform SPARTA represent just a few of the many concepts outlined in this bill that are necessary for the future of college athletics. We applaud your efforts in regard to these important matters as they relate to all student-athletes, regardless of their sport or the revenue their sport might earn, and their fans throughout our nation and, quite frankly, the world.”

Gee: “Athletics plays an incredibly important part in the culture and spirit of the American university. It is a critical way to tell our story. There is immense pride in winning from rivalries to championships, and I have even seen states go into mourning when their hometown heroes lose. It is preserving this spirit of competition and pride that I believe is what is one the key attributes that differentiates American universities from those in other countries. And that is the reason I am so grateful to this committee and our government for stepping up.”

Gould: “The window for meaningful reform is short and the cost of inaction is real. Congress has an opportunity to modernize college athletics in ways that protect its traditions, strengthen its institutions and recognize the rights and protections that student-athletes have always deserved. The Pac-12 is committed to being part of that work.”

Holtzclaw: “College athletics has provided me with incredible opportunities, relationships, and experiences that have helped elevate my life in tremendous ways. I believe strongly in preserving those opportunities for future generations while continuing to improve a system that serves the student-athletes at its center.”

Sen. Cantwell is leading the effort to reform college sports and ensure tomorrow’s athletes have the same opportunities as today’s competitors do. She and Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, joined by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO), introduced the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 to protect athletes, preserve true competition in college sports and maximize collegiate athletic opportunities while bringing desperately needed stability to the college sports system. The Act creates new rules and new tools to stabilize college sports, including codifying athletes’ rights and protections in law, supporting women’s and Olympic sports, and amending the Sports Broadcasting Act (SBA) to expand revenue for all schools. The text of the Protect College Sports Act is HERE. A section by section is HERE.

In March, Sen. Cantwell released a bipartisan discussion draft of the College Sports Competitive Act with Sen. Schmitt that would amend the SBA to allow colleges to pool their media rights in negotiations.

In December of last year, she introduced the Helping Undergraduate Students Thrive with Long-Term Earnings (HUSTLE Act) with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) so that college athletes earning NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money can protect more of it for their post-playing lives. In October, Sen. Cantwell joined former college and professional athletes and U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in warning that the SCORE Act would roll-back hard fought NIL rights and health protections, leave athletes vulnerable to unscrupulous agents, short-change women’s and Olympic sports, and shut the door on collective bargaining rights.

Last September, Sen. Cantwell, joined by co-sponsors Sens. Booker and Blumenthal, introduced the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act to codify athletes’ rights and protections in law, expand revenue for all schools, support women’s and Olympic sports, and bring much-needed stability to the college sports system. Sen. Cantwell also released a report showing how skyrocketing media rights payments have exacerbated a massive financial gap between traditional power conferences, especially the new Power 2—the SEC and Big Ten—and everyone else.


Capito, Justice Applaud White House Coal Announcement, Investment into West Virginia

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) applauded President Trump’s announcement of significant investments into America’s ability to export and generate reliable power through coal, including a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant to establish a new coal-fired power plant in West Virginia. Both senators were unable to attend the event at the White House due to the U.S. Senate voting on legislation to fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through the entirety of the Trump administration.

“I’m thrilled that President Trump is continuing his commitment to generating reliable, baseload energy through West Virginia coal. My fellow West Virginians and I are thankful to have an administration in the White House that recognizes the importance of coal, and how it creates expanded manufacturing opportunities, affordable power, and good-paying jobs for our coal miners and their families. While we continue to vote in the U.S. Senate to provide long-term funding for the hardworking men and women of ICE and CBP, it’s great to see the Trump administration make this investment to further strengthen our national security through American energy dominance,” Senator Capito said.

“I’m really proud to say that today is a stake in the sand for our miners that get up every day, men and women alike who get their dinner bucket, and go out to work, every single day, and oftentimes, they are simply taken for granted. But today, we have President Trump standing up for all our miners and for all of us. Coal is in our DNA in West Virginia, and we are ready to continue steering America towards energy dominance,” Senator Justice said.

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Capito Participates in Commerce Hearing to Review Landmark NIL Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, participated in a hearing entitled, “Protecting College Sports: Supporting Student Athletes, Restoring Fair Competition, and Saving the Game Fans Love.”

The purpose of the hearing was to examine the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, introduced by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and supported by Senator Capito. This legislation would establish national standards for college athletics, creating necessary guardrails for a rapidly evolving landscape. This bill ensures fair competition, protects student athletes’ rights, and provides a competitive balance among teams.

“I am proud to support The Protect College Sports Act to bring structure and stability back to college athletics. With Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rapidly evolving, we are in uncharted territory, and the livelihood of our athletic programs are at stake.” Senator Capito said. “This legislation serves as an updated playbook to repair a fractured system—preventing the exploitation of student athletes, holding agents and coaches accountable, and putting education first.”

Senator Capito began the hearing by introducing Dr. E Gordon Gee, President Emeritus of West Virginia University, as a witness—highlighting his decades of leadership in college education and athletics. Click here to view her remarks.

BACKGROUND:

The Protect College Sports Act will restore order and bring stability to school transfers, eligibility, recruiting practices, tampering, and real NIL rights for athletes. This bill preserves the integrity of college sports and ensures that athletic programs prioritize student athletes’ education.

Specifically, the Protect College Sports Act:

Mandates national rules for transfers (one free undergrad) and eligibility (5-in-5).

Creates enforceable standards on recruiting, tampering, and NIL disclosures.

Protects student athletes’ rights to earn from their own name, image, and likeness.

Enables enforcement of House settlement on revenue sharing and fake NIL deals.

Sanctions agents that take advantage of student athletes, facilitate player poaching, and recruit tampering.

Protects women’s sports, Olympic sports, and scholarship opportunities.

Preserves historic rivalries and prevents Super League Consolidation.

Prioritizes education to set student athletes up for success.

Prohibits football coaches from leaving mid-season to be hired by another program.

Ensures safety standards, health care, and ombudsmen for student athletes.

Allows option for school to pool media rights, making TV money work for college athletics.

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

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