ICYMI: SENATOR TIM SHEEHY: Soft-on-crime judges need consequences. The JAIL Act delivers

Senator Tim Sheehy penned an opinion piece for FOX News highlighting the JAIL Act, a bill that would eliminate judicial immunity for federal and state judges whose leniency towards repeat offenders leads to new violent crimes.

In case you missed it…

SENATOR TIM SHEEHY: Soft-on-crime judges need consequences. The JAIL Act delivers

Senator Tim Sheehy

June 8, 2026

FOX News

Over and over again, radical judges and government officials in liberal cities put law-abiding Americans at risk by allowing dangerous criminals to roam freely on our streets. Instead of holding criminals behind bars to protect our communities, these soft-on-crime judges release violent repeat offenders on bail, giving them the opportunity to commit more crimes.

You see it in the news nearly every week: A deranged criminal commits a violent crime against an innocent member of society, and before you know it, stories are coming out about how the offender had been arrested a dozen times previously and should never have been out on our streets in the first place.

Many remember the tragic death of Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed on the Charlotte, North Carolina, Blue Line train in August 2025. Decarlos Brown Jr. has been charged with her murder and also faces federal charges, but his competency to stand trial is in question. He is a man with a history of mental illness and who’d been arrested and released at least 14 times before allegedly killing Iryna, including on charges for armed robbery, felony larceny, breaking and entering and assault.

In May 2025, 22-year-old Logan Federico, a young woman studying education at South Piedmont Community College who hoped to become a teacher, was murdered during a home invasion while visiting friends in Columbia, S.C. The man who allegedly took her life, Alexander Dickey, had been previously arrested 39 times with 25 felonies.

Last September, a 19-year-old repeat offender allegedly killed a man while out on three separate bonds and on probation. Johnnie Lillie was charged with shooting and killing Jermarkus Johnson in Houston, Texas. Lillie had allegedly violated his bond at least half a dozen times after his release from jail – if on any occasion his probation or bond had been revoked, Lillie would not have been on the streets and Johnson would likely be alive today.

Earlier this year, in February, Abdul Jalloh – an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone – was charged with murder after allegedly brutally stabbing to death a Virginia woman, Stephanie Minter, at a bus stop. He had been arrested more than 30 times, including on charges of “rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pick pocketing,” according to Homeland Security.

And just in May, a man was arrested for allegedly fatally stabbing 23-year-old Alyssa Paige along the Atlanta BeltLine and beating postal worker Monique Thomas with a rock. The suspect, Jahmare Brown, had been arrested previously, including in January for battery of another female victim. He was sentenced to undergo a mental health evaluation, anger management classes, and 120 days of confinement – but records show he was released after just around 60 days in jail.

When is enough, enough? At what point do these judges learn from their past life-endangering mistakes and stop releasing dangerous violent criminals back into our communities? For the sake of justice and public safety, we cannot continue allowing radical judges to prioritize criminals over innocent Americans and our communities without consequence.

To break this devastating cycle of violent crime, we must shut the revolving door of the criminal justice system that allows repeat offenders to walk free and disregards the suffering of victims and their families. Victims, their families, and all Americans deserve true justice – not a system that minimizes violent crimes through early release, lenient bail, or lax probation.

That’s why I’ve introduced legislation to hold radical judges accountable for the often deadly consequences of their leniency towards dangerous criminals. The “Judicial Accountability for Irresponsible Leniency Act,” or JAIL Act, gets rid of judicial immunity for federal and state judges, allowing victims and their family members to sue judges and other government entities for releasing violent repeat offenders on bail should they go on to commit another violent crime.

A government’s foremost responsibility is to safeguard its people. It’s long past time for Congress and our public officials to take a stand for Americans’ safety and make the stories of violent offenders being released to commit more crimes unthinkable. Let’s pass the JAIL Act and finally implement the accountability Americans are demanding.


Slotkin, Peters Statement on Nomination of Michael Martin to the Eastern District of Michigan

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters released the following statements after returning their blue slips for Michael Martin, a nominee for the Eastern District of Michigan. The nominee was chosen as part of Michigan’s longstanding judicial nominations process, with the bipartisan Judicial Nominations Advisory Committee carefully vetting, interviewing, and providing feedback on applicants for this vacancy.

“I take this responsibility very seriously,” said Senator Slotkin. “I met with Mr. Martin, a 20-year career prosecutor who has worked through both Democratic and Republican Administrations and asked him direct questions that speak directly to whether he will uphold our democratic process, regardless of external pressure. From making clear Joe Biden won the 2020 election, to the attack on the Capitol on January 6th, to being clear that President Trump can’t run for a third term, these answers were important factors for me, and fundamentally different from President Trump’s judicial nominees to date. I look forward to Mr. Martin conveying the same during his confirmation hearing, and to his service on the federal bench if confirmed.”

“After years working as both a federal prosecutor and criminal attorney helping to defend our national security, Michael Martin has the experience and integrity necessary to serve on the federal bench,” said Senator Peters. “During the entire nomination process and throughout our in-depth conversations, Mr. Martin has made it clear that he will exercise independent, forward thinking judgment. I believe he has the temperament and character necessary to impartially serve Michiganders and the American people.”

Background on Martin:

Mr. Martin has served as a career federal prosecutor for over two decades, including in roles as Criminal Chief, Chief of the National Security Unit, Deputy Criminal Chief, and Executive Assistant US Attorney. He has led the prosecution of a wide range of complex cases, including terrorism, espionage, export control violations, and violent crime. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Martin served as a trial attorney in the Counterespionage Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. Earlier in his career, he clerked for the Honorable Hugh H. Bownes of the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the Honorable Edward F. Harrington of the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and was an analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency.

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Thune: Republicans Thwart Democrats’ Pursuit of “Defund the Police 2.0”

Clickhereto watch the video.

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

Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):

“Mr. President, sometimes I have to wonder if Democrats remember the last election – and how four years of record-breaking illegal immigration on President Biden’s watch helped hand the House, the Senate, and the White House to Republicans.

“Because to watch the Democrat Party right now, you’d think that 2024 never happened.

“Democrats not only haven’t rejected the open-borders philosophy of the Biden administration, they’ve doubled down.

“At least we had the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement under President Biden.

“Now every Senate Democrat is on record as wanting to shut down those agencies.

“That’s right.

“Democrats voted to defund – to defund – the agents who stand guard on our nation’s borders and help prevent dangerous individuals from entering our country.

“They voted to defund the agents who remove criminal illegal immigrants who do make their way into the United States.

“And when I say defund, Mr. President, I mean defund.

“Democrats opposed giving these agencies a single dollar.

“And I hope – I really hope – that my Democrat colleagues are not going to attempt to defend themselves by claiming that they simply wanted reforms of these agencies, and that Republicans wouldn’t give them.

“Because as the record amply – amply – reflects, Democrats were offered reforms again and again.

“The White House not only made reforms on its own, it repeatedly offered Democrats a robust legislative package.

“But Democrats weren’t interested.

“Presumably because they somehow thought that ‘defund law enforcement’ and ‘abolish border security’ would play well for them in November.

“Of course, I’m pretty sure most Americans don’t think we should eliminate security at our nation’s borders, or open the floodgates for unchecked illegal immigration.

“But that hasn’t stopped Democrats from embracing Defund the Police 2.0.

“Mr. President, I am happy to report that as of Friday, Democrats’ crusade to defund border security and law enforcement is well on its way to failure – for now, at any rate.

“Senate Republicans passed legislation to fund Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the next three years, to ensure that Democrats can’t try defunding these agencies again this fall.

“But, Mr. President, it is deeply disturbing that we are in this position – that we are having to use the reconciliation process just to get normal appropriations passed for border security and immigration enforcement.

“The damage that Democrats caused in the 2026 fiscal year has been immense.

“Two record-breaking government shutdowns.

“Critical workers at DHS left for months without pay.

“Government workers lined up at food banks.

“TSA agents quitting in droves.

“And that’s not to even mention what [could] be irreparable harm to the appropriations process here in the Senate.

“And then there’s our subject today, Defund the Police 2.0 – Democrats’ resolute refusal to spend a single dollar protecting our nation’s borders or deporting criminals here in our country illegally.

“It is absurd, Mr. President, that Republicans are having to act unilaterally to fund basic national security responsibilities.

“What is the Democrat Party going to propose defunding next?

“The DEA? The FBI? Our nation’s military?

“Where exactly does this insanity end?

“The Democrat leader has repeatedly attempted to cloud the issue – going so far as to make the insane suggestion that Congress somehow has to choose between our national security responsibilities and addressing the challenges facing hardworking Americans.

“To which I say, not only can we walk and chew gum at the same time, but we have an obligation to do so.

“It is our responsibility as members of Congress to work to alleviate not only the economic challenges facing Americans but to protect our nation’s security – and that includes securing our borders and attempting to ensure that criminals, drug traffickers, terrorists, and other dangerous individuals do not make their way into our country.

“And that if they do make their way in, they are identified and deported.

“Mr. President, as long as Republicans are in charge, we will be focused on both the economic challenges facing our country and on securing peace and safety for hardworking Americans.

“On our watch, there will be agents at our borders to prevent terrorists, traffickers, and other dangerous individuals from making their way into our country, and there will be agents to take criminal illegal immigrants off of America’s streets.

“I wish I could say the same of our Democrat colleagues.”


PHOTO RELEASE: Tuberville Attends Ribbon-Cutting for New U.S. Coast Guard Facility in Birmingham

“We’re here to welcome a new winner to our state.”

BIRMINGHAM – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) attended the ribbon-cutting for the new U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Enlisted Training Center of Excellence at Birmingham-Southern College (BSC).

Excerpts from Sen. Tuberville’s remarks can be found below, and his full remarks can be viewed here. Photos from the event can be viewed here.

“We’re here to welcome a new winner to our state. We love winning. The State of Alabama loves winning. Folks, we just got a winner that joined the great State of Alabama—that’s the United States Coast Guard Academy. Birmingham Southern has been here a long time. And I want to thank Daniel—the first time I talked to him, I could hear it in his voice about how serious he was here about the future of Birmingham Southern. You can tell how much he cares about it. But this is not the end of Birmingham Southern. All we’re doing today—we’re changing the curriculum. […]

I want to thank one person that people need to take their hat off to—his name is President Donald Trump. He is the reason this is here today—that we’re here. He believes in this country. He believes in law enforcement. He believes in military. He believes in national security. I’ve talked to him several times about this, and I want to say President Trump is a dealmaker. And by getting this property for the United States Coast Guard Academy, he basically stole it as a negotiator. It came at a very good price for our country. We saved hundreds of millions of dollars by having this facility already here, which if we’d had to built this facility…ten years from now, we might have been able to move into it. […]

President Trump has done a lot of things since he’s been President for a year and a half—Space Command, building submarines in Muscle Shoals, Fannie Mae coming to Birmingham—just look at what’s going on. Now, we have this. […]”

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

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Tuberville, Lee Advocate for Homeopathic Medicine, Champion MAHA Agenda

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Homeopathic Drug Product Safety, Quality, and Transparency Act which would build a framework for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for homeopathic medicine to protect Americans’ access to natural health solutions. Their bill would provide a pathway for homeopathic medicinal products to gain approval from the FDA without needlessly banning safe products that do not fit into the same legal categories as traditional pharmaceuticals.

The Daily Caller first reported about this bill.

“I’ve long been an advocate for homeopathic medicine,” said Sen. Tuberville. “The reality is that too many Americans today are hooked on pharmaceuticals when they could be using homeopathic remedies, which are often cheaper and can yield miraculous results. There’s no reason why the FDA shouldn’t be reviewing and approving some of these remedies to help Americans live healthier lives.”

“Americans have a right to manage their own health and choose treatments that are right for them, including homeopathic methods,” said Sen. Lee. “The current federal regulatory framework is designed around traditional pharmaceuticals, but it is ill-equipped to review the safety and effectiveness of homeopathic products. So, we are building a new one. Our legislation answers the concerns of thousands of families across the country who have been calling on Washington to find a better way.”

Americans for Homeopathy Choice Action, MAHA Action, the CPAC Foundation, the National Health Federation, the Health Freedom Defense Fund, and the National Products Association endorsed the bill.

Read full text of the bill here.

BACKGROUND:

The FDA first recognized homeopathic medicines in the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938 and regulated the manufacture and sale of homeopathic drugs for the following eighty years. However, in 2019 the FDA withdrew this regulatory framework for homeopathic products. This created legal and regulatory chaos for the industry as the viability of homeopathic medicine was brought into question.

Specifically, the Homeopathic Drug Product Safety, Quality, and Transparency Act would:

Federally acknowledge that homeopathic drug products are distinct from other pharmaceutical products and, as such, require independent regulatory framework.

Create a standard definition for homeopathic drug products and clarifies that they are not a new drug.

Exempt homeopathic drugs from the traditional approval process established under Section 505 of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Outline a method for the Secretary to regulate homeopathy safety and quality standards separate from traditional drugs.

Exempt finished homeopathic drug products from the required laboratory test to evaluate strength of each active ingredient.

Clarify that homeopathic drug products must generally comply with traditional labeling requirements, but that homeopathic drugs may use descriptions/dosage units appropriate to homeopathy and that claims made in compliance with this Act shall not be considered a false advertisement.

Establish a Homeopathic Drug Product Advisory committee, which shall trigger consultation with the Secretary and provide recommendations on safety, quality, labeling, and regulatory approaches for homeopathy drug products.

Require the FDA to issue final Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations within three years after enactment.

Deem any drug or supplement that is not homeopathic but uses the word homeopathy in its labeling as misbranded.

Apply federal standards for reporting serious adverse effects of nonprescription drugs to homeopathic drug products.

Clarify that homeopathic drug products shall not be classified as biosimilars.

Withdraw the FDA’s 2022 guidance that significantly restricted the sale of homeopathic drug product.

MORE:

Tuberville Speaks to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. About MAHA Agenda

Tuberville, MAHA Caucus Celebrates FDA’s Decision to Ban Dangerous Red Food Dye No. 3 From Foods

Tuberville Joins Sens. Marshall in Launching Make America Healthy Again Caucus

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

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Van Hollen, Clyburn, Carson, DeLauro, Johnson, Khanna, Nadler Lead 119 Democrats in Condemning the Anti-Muslim “Sharia-Free America Caucus” and Harmful Legislation

Today, U.S. Senator Chirs Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Representatives James E. Clyburn (S.C.-06), Chair of the Democratic Faith Working Group, Andre Carson (Ind.-07), Rosa DeLauro (Conn.-03), Jerry Nadler (N.Y.-12), Hank Johnson (Ga.-07), and Ro Khanna (Calif.-17) led 119 Democratic Members in a letter condemning the establishment of the bicameral, anti-Muslim, self-styled “Sharia-Free America Caucus,” which would promote legislation that discriminates against the faith tradition of American Muslims. Ugly voices are growing louder and threatening to strip away our First Amendment rights to freely practice our faith and to violate the Constitutional prohibition of government picking one religion over another. We must oppose efforts to spread racist and xenophobic misrepresentations that sow more ignorance and hate.

The premise underlying this caucus and the measures associated with it reflects longstanding Islamophobic narratives and anti-Muslim sentiment rather than any demonstrated policy need.

In their letter, the lawmakers denounced the hateful caucus and urged leadership to speak clearly against initiatives that discriminate and stigmatize against any religious community.

The lawmakers wrote, “To be clear, American Muslims serve this nation in every capacity and are entitled to the same constitutional protections as all other Americans. They are guided by both faith and civic responsibility to respect the U.S. Constitution, follow the law, and contribute positively to their communities and to the nation they call home. Congress must not legitimize anti-Muslim proposals that undermine those protections or foster division among the people we represent."

The lawmakers condemned the following legislation associated with the “Sharia-Free America Caucus”:

Preserving a Sharia-Free America Act (H.R. 5722 / S. 3009)

No Shari’a Act (H.R. 5512 / S. 3008)

Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act (H.R. 7611)

The lawmakers continued, “These proposals address no identifiable gap in U.S. law and raise serious constitutional concerns. The U.S. Constitution already makes clear that federal and state law govern civil and criminal matters, and courts have repeatedly invalidated measures that single out a particular religion for disfavored treatment.

“Sharia, like Catholic canon law and Jewish Halakha, is a system of personal religious guidance developed through centuries of religious scholarship. For American Muslims, it primarily governs matters of faith and ethics, such as prayer, charity, honesty, family responsibilities, and service to others, and does not supersede U.S. law. Islamic teachings emphasize that Muslims should honor the laws of the country in which one resides.”

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, Leader Thune, and Leader Schumer:

We write as Members of Congress to express serious concern regarding the establishment of the bicameral, anti-Muslim, self-styled “Sharia-Free America Caucus” and its connection to anti-

Muslim legislation that singles out the faith tradition of American Muslims, one of many faith traditions that have shaped the United States since its founding. The premise underlying this caucus and the measures associated with it reflects longstanding Islamophobic narratives and anti-Muslim sentiment rather than any demonstrated policy need.

Legislation being advanced from members associated with this hateful caucus includes the:

Preserving a Sharia-Free America Act (H.R. 5722 / S. 3009)

No Shari’a Act (H.R. 5512 / S. 3008)

Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act (H.R. 7611)

These proposals address no identifiable gap in U.S. law and raise serious constitutional concerns. The U.S. Constitution already makes clear that federal and state law govern civil and criminal

matters, and courts have repeatedly invalidated measures that single out a particular religion for disfavored treatment. In Awad v. Ziriax (2013), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

permanently enjoined Oklahoma’s “Sharia ban” as a violation of the First Amendment. Congress faces urgent national priorities. Devoting floor time to legislation rooted in religious targeting would be a misuse of limited institutional resources. Leadership plays a decisive role in determining what legislation advances, and we respectfully urge that these measures not be scheduled for floor consideration.

We further urge leadership to speak clearly against initiatives that stigmatize a religious community. Legislation explicitly targeting Catholic Canon law or Jewish Halakha would rightly be rejected as discriminatory; proposals aimed at Islamic practices should be treated no differently. Allowing such efforts to proceed risks normalizing religious discrimination within Congress itself.

For these reasons, we respectfully request that House and Senate leadership:

Publicly reaffirm Congress’s commitment to religious liberty and neutrality;

Reject efforts rooted in anti-Muslim bias; and

Refrain from scheduling the above-referenced legislation for floor consideration.

Sharia, like Catholic canon law and Jewish Halakha, is a system of personal religious guidance developed through centuries of religious scholarship. For American Muslims, it primarily governs matters of faith and ethics, such as prayer, charity, honesty, family responsibilities, and service to others, and does not supersede U.S. law. Islamic teachings emphasize that Muslims should honor the laws of the country in which one resides.

To be clear, American Muslims serve this nation in every capacity and are entitled to the same constitutional protections as all other Americans. They are guided by both faith and civic responsibility to respect the U.S. Constitution, follow the law, and contribute positively to their communities and to the nation they call home. Congress must not legitimize anti-Muslim proposals that undermine those protections or foster division among the people we represent.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your leadership in upholding the constitutional principles that unite our nation.

Sincerely,


Van Hollen Joins Padilla, Durbin, Whitehouse, Colleagues in Sounding Alarm on Trump Administration Use of Election Crimes Prosecutions to Interfere in Midterm Elections

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action and Federal Rights, led 21 Senate colleagues in demanding answers over the Trump Administration’s decision to remove the most recent version of the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses manual from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) website without explanation.

In their letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Senators highlighted the alarming actions taken by the Administration regarding election interference, emphasizing that the removal of the manual from the DOJ website further prompts questions of President Trump’s election interference efforts. Of particular concern, the previous edition of the manual dating from 2017 stated that DOJ prosecutors should not seize voting materials until after an election had been certified.

“The manual published by the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division has been easily publicly accessible on the Department’s Election Crimes Branch website in both Democratic and Republican Administrations,” wrote the Senators. “During President Trump’s first term, the manual was accompanied by a memorandum describing the Department’s longstanding election non-interference policy. While the manual underscores the importance of deterrence as the objective served by federal prosecutions of individuals who commit federal crimes in connection with an election, it also makes clear that ‘this deterrence is achieved by public awareness of the Department’s prosecutive interest in, and prosecution of, election fraud—not through interference with the process itself.’”

The Senators questioned Acting Attorney General Blanche on the Administration’s motivations for removing the manual from the DOJ website and any efforts to restore it. They further requested clarification from the Administration to understand any outside influences or partisan political motives. The oversight letter asked whether revisions will be included and if Trump’s allies will contribute to those revisions.

The removal of this DOJ guidance comes as the Administration has threatened election takeover efforts which will result in voter suppression across the country, especially in this year’s midterm elections. The Senators further warned that the removal of the manual paves the way for politically motivated legal actions by the Trump Administration in advance of the midterm elections.

“While the Department’s ongoing voter roll lawsuits are failing across the country, we are concerned that those efforts, which were calculated to compel states into inaccurately purging voters, may be the pretext for more meritless pre- and post-election challenges, including interfering with election certification,” continued the Senators. “Similarly, unsubstantiated claims by DOJ leadership of ‘tens of thousands noncitizens on voter rolls’ are reckless, as time and again, those claims have been refuted by findings that many individuals are falsely identified as noncitizens, and the extremely rare appearance of noncitizen registrants on the voter rolls or the even more extremely rare cases of noncitizen voters are often due to bureaucratic errors or misunderstandings about eligibility, as opposed to intentional fraud.”

In addition to Van Hollen, Padilla, Durbin, and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The full letter is available here and below.

Dear Acting Attorney General Blanche:

We write regarding the Department of Justice’s (DOJ or Department) decision to remove the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses manual, now in its eighth edition, from the Department’s website without explanation.

In the context of other alarming actions taken by the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice, including pursuing politically-motivated investigations at the direction of the White House; implementing drastic changes to the longstanding mission of the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section; suing 30 states for unrestricted access to their voter rolls; and making unprecedented demands for ballots, election equipment, and names of election workers, the removal of this manual continues to raise the alarm about DOJ’s involvement in the upcoming midterm elections for partisan political purposes. We urge you to confirm the Department’s adherence to the principles outlined in the manual and be transparent about what, if any, changes the Department is making to this longstanding policy to protect elections from political interference.

The manual published by the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division has been easily publicly accessible on the Department’s Election Crimes Branch website in both Democratic and Republican Administrations. During President Trump’s first term, the manual was accompanied by a memorandum describing the Department’s longstanding election non-interference policy. While the manual underscores the importance of deterrence as the objective served by federal prosecutions of individuals who commit federal crimes in connection with an election, it also makes clear that “this deterrence is achieved by public awareness of the Department’s prosecutive interest in, and prosecution of, election fraud—not through interference with the process itself.” The Amundson Memo similarly provides clear directives reaffirming guidance provided under former Attorney General William Barr that prosecutors and investigators “may never select the timing of public statements (attributed or not), investigative steps, criminal charges, or any other action in any matter or case for the purpose of affecting any election, or for the purpose of giving an advantage or disadvantage to any candidate or political party.”

The manual is also still cited in the Justice Manual, a critical reference guide for U.S. Attorneys and other DOJ prosecutors, which states:

Where a criminal or national security investigation during an election cycle is at issue, the Department must also be careful to adhere to longstanding policies regarding the timing of charges or taking overt investigative steps. See, e.g., U.S. Dept. of Justice, Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses 8-9, 84–85 (8th ed. 2017).

Recent reports have indicated that the number of attorneys in DOJ’s Public Integrity Section has been reduced from 36 to two. In addition, in early April, former Republican congressman Dan Bishop was appointed as the Department’s chief election fraud prosecutor with nationwide authority to pursue the President’s debunked claims of widespread voting fraud. Around that same time, you hired 2020 election conspiracist Joe DiGenova as Counsel to pursue politically motivated prosecutions, who has in turn apparently hired Kurt Olsen, a former White House election czar previously sanctioned for misleading courts in election cases.

Following these developments, we need to better understand the extent to which the Department’s investigations are being influenced by partisan political motives. Given Department leadership’s public enthusiasm for working with Republicans in Congress on issues related to elections, including agreeing to demands that DOJ bring legal action to force states to redraw congressional lines, even after citizens in their states have already voted, we expect complete answers to the following straightforward questions:

Why was the most recent edition of the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses manual taken down? Will you commit to restoring it to the DOJ website?

If withdrawn for revisions, what revisions are being contemplated? Who at the Department is leading that process? What is the estimated date of completion?

Has any DOJ employee, political appointee, or contractor involved in revising the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses manual met with, including in a “personal capacity,” White House political staff, former White House political staff, Republican party officials, or outside organizations that work on election policy? If so, which ones, for which purposes?

The Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses manual reaffirmed that “the federal prosecutor has no authority to send FBI Special Agents or Deputy U.S. Marshals to polling places,” and that “Department and FBI policy requires that any investigative action that involves intrusion by federal investigators into the area immediately surrounding an open polling place be approved by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.” Will the Public Integrity Section still have a role in reviewing any potential deployment of the FBI or U.S. Marshals to areas immediately surrounding polling locations in the upcoming midterm elections? If not, who at the Department will have a role in reviewing such deployments and under what standards?

While the Department’s ongoing voter roll lawsuits are failing across the country, we are concerned that those efforts, which were calculated to compel states into inaccurately purging voters, may be the pretext for more meritless pre- and post-election challenges, including interfering with election certification. Similarly, unsubstantiated claims by DOJ leadership of “tens of thousands” noncitizens on voter rolls” are reckless, as time and again, those claims have been refuted by findings that many individuals are falsely identified as noncitizens, and the extremely rare appearance of noncitizen registrants on the voter rolls or the even more extremely rare cases of noncitizen voters are often due to bureaucratic errors or misunderstandings about eligibility, as opposed to intentional fraud.

To be clear, any attempts by DOJ to file lawsuits to stop eligible voters from voting, their votes from being counted, or elections from being certified, will fail, but any attempts are still corrosive to public trust and confidence in our election administration and invite threats against nonpartisan election workers.

Against this backdrop, the absence of guidance from the Public Integrity Section on election noninterference appears to clear the way for politically-motivated legal actions by DOJ itself in the lead-up to and aftermath of the midterm elections. Accordingly, we request that you immediately confirm the Department’s adherence to longstanding, bipartisan policy of noninterference and comply with this request no later than June 22, 2026.

Sincerely,


Van Hollen Joins Schiff, Kaine, Schumer, Over 30 Senate Democrats in Pressing Trump on Legal Basis for Justifying Claim that Hostilities in Iran Have Terminated

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and over 30 Senate Democrats are refuting the Trump administration’s claim in a May 1 letter to Congress that the hostilities that began on February 28, 2026 in Iran have “terminated” and requesting President Donald Trump release the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) opinion supporting this claim.

The Senators emphasize that the already unconstitutional war in Iran has violated its statutory deadline set by the War Powers Act and argue that the ongoing naval operations, bombings, blockades, and strike campaigns that have been ongoing since February 28 continue to constitute hostilities.

“Furthermore, the United States and Iran, and their associated partners and proxies, have continued to use lethal force in contravention of the ceasefire, which also constitute hostilities. Finally, U.S. forces remain postured for, and you have regularly threatened, the swift return of major combat operations,” the Senators wrote.

The Senators point out that the continued deployment of troops, ongoing strikes, and an active naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz rebut the claim that hostilities have terminated after the April 7 ceasefire. Senators Schiff and Kaine, joined by several of their colleagues, have forced numerous votes in the Senate on the War Powers Resolution, including asserting the 60-day statutory clock, triggered by a notification to Congress, had run out on the president’s ongoing use of military force, in addition to being unconstitutional from the start.

“Your administration has not explained to the Congress or the American people why you believe the Constitution permits launching a war of this magnitude – including the loss of U.S. service members’ lives, scores of civilians killed in Iran and the broader region, and staggering economic and geopolitical costs – without authorization from Congress as Article I requires...It is imperative that you publish the OLC legal theory underlying your interpretation to the contrary in a timely manner,” the Senators concluded.

In addition to Van Hollen, Schiff, Kaine, and Schumer the letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai'i), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai’i), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Mr. President,

We write to express our strong disagreement with the legal justification presented in your May 1, 2026, notification to Congress pursuant to the War Powers Resolution of 1973, regarding the authority to conduct war against Iran. The notification stands in sharp contrast with the text of the War Powers Resolution, the relevant legislative history, domestic and international law, and past interpretations made by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) and the State Department under Administrations of both parties. We also request that you make public the OLC opinion justifying the administration’s claim that U.S.-Iran hostilities were determined to be “terminated” for the purposes of the War Powers Resolution, and any OLC opinion justifying the use of military force against Iran without congressional authorization.

Your May 1 notification falsely stated that “the hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.” This statement was repeated by Secretary Hegseth in his April 30 testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee when he asserted that after the April 7 ceasefire announcement, the administration’s “understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire.” This argument fails to account for the facts and actions of the parties to the conflict. The ongoing naval operations and related efforts to conduct a blockade against Iran constitute hostilities. Furthermore, the United States and Iran, and their associated partners and proxies, have continued to use lethal force in contravention of the ceasefire, which also constitute hostilities. Finally, U.S. forces remain postured for, and you have regularly threatened, the swift return of major combat operations.

At that time, the President is compelled to promptly remove forces from the situation without Congressional intervention or a physical, domestic attack.

Furthermore, legislative history demonstrates Congress’ clear intent for these terms (“hostilities” and “imminent involvement in hostilities”), which are to be understood broadly, to establish a low threshold for both the reporting and withdrawal provisions of the War Powers Resolution. The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s report on the Resolution explains that “the word hostilities was substituted for the phrase armed conflict during the subcommittee drafting process because it was considered to be somewhat broader in scope...hostilities encompasses a state of confrontation in which no shots have been fired but where there is clear and present danger of armed conflict.” That describes the Iran War starting on February 28, 2026, and continuing to today regardless of a declaration of ceasefire.

Given the discrepancy between the requirements of the War Powers Resolution and the continued use of American forces in the Strait of Hormuz and throughout the CENTCOM area of responsibility, it is critical for Congress to understand the Executive Branch’s legal basis for its exceedingly narrow interpretation of “hostilities,” and “any use of armed forces.” Since February 28, 2026, your administration has maintained a force presence of thousands of U.S. servicemembers in the region, blockaded Iranian ports (including using military force to seize vessels), and continued to interrupt global supply chains and increase the cost of living on all Americans. On May 8, 2026, Central Command publicly confirmed that over 15,000 troops are forward deployed, and over 200 aircraft and 20 warships are enforcing an active naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Even after your notification to Congress indicating that hostilities had “terminated” on May 1, 2026, you accurately referred on May 4, 2026, to the war with Iran in the present tense, saying “we have a war right now.”

We have established that the United States and Iran’s continued posture of a state of military confrontation is itself sufficient to constitute ongoing hostilities under the text and legislative history of the War Powers Resolution. The Department of Defense’s Law of War Manual affirms that a declared ceasefire alone does not mean an end to war and hostilities, the current ceasefire “is not a partial or temporary peace; it is only the suspension of military operations to the extent agreed upon by the parties to the conflict. War as a legal state of hostilities between parties may continue, despite the conclusion of an armistice agreement.”

Moreover, despite the stated ceasefire, both sides have continued to exchange fire on several occasions since April 7. And even if they had not exchanged fire, the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz in itself further constitutes hostilities. The Supreme Court, the Department of Defense, and OLC all have published opinions confirming that they unequivocally consider a blockade to be a belligerent act and an act of war. As the Supreme Court held in the Prize Cases in 1862, the “proclamation of blockade is itself official and conclusive evidence to the Court that a state of war exist[s].” The Commander of U.S. Central Command himself recently acknowledged in his May 14 testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee that an international armed conflict continued to exist due to the ongoing blockade.

Congress has a recent and directly applicable legal opinion from your administration on how to interpret what it means for hostilities to cease. On April 21, 2026, the State Department’s Office of the Legal Adviser published a statement that notes that, “any assessment of whether an armed conflict has ended must be fact-based, taking into account both the intentions and the actions of the parties to the conflict.” The Legal Adviser argued that the fact of ongoing ceasefire or peace negotiations did not in itself constitute the termination of hostilities. Instead, he stated that a credible intention to end hostilities, and an absence of parties planning or threatening further military engagements should diplomacy fail, is required to indicate an end to hostilities. Given that Secretary Hegseth has consistently argued that U.S. forces are “locked and loaded” and are “ready to go at the command of our President and at the push of a button,” it cannot be credibly argued that the current ceasefire meets the test set forward by the State Department’s Legal Adviser for constituting an end to hostilities.

We would not need to discuss the War Powers Resolution if this were a war authorized by Congress, but it is not. Our view, supported by law and history and consistent with even past Executive Branch practice taking a far broader view of the President’s authority, is that the current war violates our Constitution’s separation of powers. Your administration has not explained to the Congress or the American people why you believe the Constitution permits launching a war of this magnitude – including the loss of U.S. service members’ lives, scores of civilians killed in Iran and the broader region, and staggering economic and geopolitical costs – without authorization from Congress as Article I requires.

The facts, history, and law affirm that the hostilities that began on February 28 are active and ongoing, in violation of international law and the War Powers Resolution of 1973. There is no justification to interpret military actions that would “restart,” “unpause,” or begin a new 60-day clock. Rather, hostilities have continued since February 28 and never terminated; the 60-day clock specified in the War Powers Resolution does not have a pause button. It is imperative that you publish the OLC legal theory underlying your interpretation to the contrary in a timely manner.


Warnock Leads 33 Senators in Effort to Protect Small and Minority Contracting Programs

Senator Reverend Warnock is demanding that the Trump Administration reconsider its destabilizing attacks on the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) programs

The Senator organized a majority of the Senate Democratic caucus to join his effort, highlighting the economic benefits of the DBE and ACDBE programs

In October, the Department of Transportation implemented an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that has sidelined more than 50,000 high-performing small businesses and approximately 500,000 workers as construction costs and labor shortages mount

ICYMI from Capital B News: Warnock Says Trump-Era Rollbacks Are Hurting Black Businesses in Georgia

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), alongside Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and 31 colleagues, is demanding U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy reconsider his destabilizing efforts to dismantle the successful Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) programs that help drive job growth and the nation’s transportation economy.

The DBE program is a historically bipartisan federal initiative administered by DOT that sets an aspirational nationwide goal for federal transportation funding recipients to collectively spend at least 10 percent of those funds on small and disadvantaged businesses. The ACDBE program specifically targets contracting with DBEs for airport concessions, requiring airports that receive federal funding to set aspirational goals for DBE participation in prime and subprime contracts for concession operations.

“If the Department proceeds with its murky implementation of the IFR, it will be solely responsible for the chaos that follows,”said Senator Reverend Warnock, lawmakers.“As long as DBE and ACDBE small businesses remain sidelined, hardworking Americans will be faced with higher costs from reduced competition, increased traffic, longer commutes, and an incomplete transportation system that limits physical, social, and economic mobility.”

In October 2025, DOT declared the programs unconstitutional and issued an interim final rule to rewrite these programs. As part of the IFR, DOT paused the program until each previously participating small business can complete an impractical recertification process, including by describing “social and economic disadvantage” and past instances of discrimination without reference to racial and gender characteristics. The lengthy and subjective process of recertification has effectively sidelined 50,000 high-performing small businesses, at a time when transportation construction costs continue to outpace inflation, and workforce shortages are the leading cause of project delays. This decision by DOT breaks decades of judicial precedent that sustained the DBE and ACDBE programs, as well as the necessity of a race and gender-conscious remedy to address specific, identifiable discrimination and its lingering effects. Reports from the

Department of Justice and Minority Business Development Agency found instances where small and minority businesses have been discriminated against, including minority contractors being called racial slurs, other contractors receiving feedback such as “I will never use a minority firm for the service that I do,” or that they were not selected for a subcontract due to their surname.

The Federal DBE and ACDBE programs are based on former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson’s robust minority contracting participation requirements for city contracts. Today, the programs support more than 4,000 small businesses embedded in the fabric of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the transportation network across Georgia.

“The decision by DOT to declare the DBE and ACDBE programs unconstitutional and the department’s intention to rewrite programs so they fit the administration’s agenda is deeply concerning. These programs have proven to be effective, lowering costs for American commuters, increasing competition, driving new wealth creation, boasting exceptional returns on investments, and helping women- and minority-owned small businesses avoid pervasive discriminatory practices,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I express my utmost support for these two programs and hope Secretary Duffy and the Trump administration reconsider their position and work with Congress to ensure these programs continue to benefit all Americans.”

“I am proud to partner with my friend Senator Warnock in demanding that small businesses owned by minorities, women, or other socially and economically disadvantaged individuals get fair access to federally funded highway, transit, and airport contracts,” said Senator Alsobrooks. “Our Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs fuel the transportation economy – dismantling them doesn’t just hurt those who own, run, and work in those businesses, it hurts all of us. Maryland has more Disadvantaged Business Enterprises than any other state, with over 9,000. So I will always fight to protect them and grow their access to opportunity.”

The Senators efforts were joined by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Corey A. Booker (D-NJ), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibran (D-NY), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D- OR), Patty Murray, (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

A copy of the letter can be found HERE, and the text is below:

Dear Secretary Duffy,

We write with deep concern that the Department of Transportation’s (“the Department”) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise in Airport Concessions Program Implementation Modifications Interim Final Rule (the IFR) risks destabilizing transportation contracting and concessionaire markets nationwide. The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) programs have played a vital role in advancing the physical, social, and economic mobility of all Americans, while growing thousands of small businesses that help drive the nation’s transportation economy.

These programs have increased competition, expanded contractor and concessionaire capacity, and supported the timely and cost-effective delivery of federally-assisted transportation projects. At a time when transportation construction costs continue to outpace inflation and construction workforce shortages are the leading cause of project delays, any action that disrupts the participation of experienced DBE and ACDBE firms threatens to increase costs, delay delivery, and reduce competition across our transportation economy.

Congress created the DBE program in 1983 to help women- and minority-owned small businesses, which face severe and pervasive discrimination, fairly compete for federally assisted transportation and infrastructure projects. Despite progress in the years since, these small businesses have faced well-documented, persistent, and at times intentionally discriminatory barriers from public and private actors in their attempts to establish, grow, and operate construction and concessionaire businesses.

These persistent discriminatory barriers are why Congress has repeatedly affirmed its support for these programs, most recently in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (P.L. 117-58) and the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (P.L. 118-63).

The DBE and ACDBE programs not only help remedy pervasive and, at times, intentional discrimination, but they also play a unique role in creating a diverse transportation contractor and supplier base that increases competition, lowers costs for America’s commuters, and drives new wealth creation. As of October 1, 2025, there were nearly 50,000 certified DBE businesses nationwide supporting an estimated more than 500,000 jobs, many of which would not exist without the DBE program. Since 2023, DBE certifications have increased nearly 20 percent, reflecting both growing entrepreneurial participation and continued demand for these firms’ services.

The DBE and ACDBE programs also represent a strong return on federal investment. According to the Department, the ACDBE program alone generated $2.7 billion in concessionaire revenues in 2022. More broadly, small businesses have accounted for roughly two-thirds of net job creation over the past 25 years. Nationally, minority-owned businesses, nearly all of which are small businesses, have contributed hundreds of billions of dollars in annual economic output, supported millions of jobs nationwide, and have grown at rates substantially exceeding the national average in recent years.

In 2024, leveraging less than $10 million in federal funding, Florida’s Small Business Development Center helped small businesses create or retain nearly 20,000 jobs, generate $475 million in tax revenues, and produce $3.8 billion in sales for local economies. These outcomes underscore a basic principle: policies that expand fair access to opportunity strengthen economic performance and fiscal outcomes alike.

Therefore, we were deeply concerned when the Department sidelined nearly 50,000 high-performing small businesses (representing approximately 500,000 employees) and froze a $37 billion investment program – and the billions more in economic activity it supports – all at a cost of over $100 million to the American taxpayer. This decision could not have come at a more inopportune time, with labor shortages already driving up costs and documented capacity constraints within many state departments of transportation.

The absence of a demonstrated transition plan, implementation capacity analysis, or disruption mitigation strategy raises serious concerns regarding project delivery, administrative feasibility, and the potential harm for small businesses and the communities they support. If the Department proceeds with its murky implementation of the IFR, it will be solely responsible for the chaos that follows. As long as DBE and ACDBE small businesses remain sidelined, hardworking Americans will be faced with higher costs from reduced competition, increased traffic, longer commutes, and an incomplete transportation system that limits physical, social, and economic mobility.

We urge the Department to work collaboratively with Congress to address any identified concerns rather than proceeding unilaterally to dismantle programs that have served as pillars of the nation’s transportation economy and created opportunities for countless Americans. All of our nation’s citizens deserve the equal opportunity—free from pervasive and ongoing discrimination—to contribute to building the country’s infrastructure and build wealth for their families and their communities.

Sincerely.

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Warren, Kelly Press Trump Admin to Support American Workers by Reinstating Port Fees on Chinese Ships

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) urged United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to protect American workers and promote domestic ship manufacturing by reinstating the Trade Act of 1974’s Section 301 port fees on Chinese ships.

“Section 301 port fees [] are critical to revitalizing U.S. shipbuilding. Presidents of both parties have long recognized the serious threat that Chinese shipbuilding dominance poses to the United States, and…[these] fees and restrictions on Chinese vessels [] would have protected American shipbuilding businesses and workers,” wrote the senators.

In 2000, China produced less than 5 percent of commercial ships. Last year, Chinese ships accounted for more than half of commercial ships produced worldwide. At the same time, U.S. shipyard production has almost entirely collapsed, accounting for only 0.1% of global production, leaving America’s economy reliant on Chinese ships.

In the past, Presidents of both parties have recognized the threat of Chinese shipbuilding dominance and acted to counter it, including by investigating China’s targeting of maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding. As a result of a Biden-era investigation, the Trump administration initially proposed fees of up to $1 million on Chinese-owned and operated ships as well as restrictions on the use of non-U.S. built, flagged, or operated ships to transport U.S. goods.

The prospect of these fees led to a 23.5 percent decrease in orders at Chinese shipyards in just nine months.

But President Trump’s reckless trade war reversed this progress. China imposed its own fees on U.S. ships and massive tariffs on critical minerals used in military technology and semiconductors. As a result, the Trump administration made several concessions — including suspending the shipping fees and restrictions for one year — so China would drop its restrictions on critical minerals. Within days, the backlog of orders on hand at Chinese ports rose 25 percent.

Even since suspending the fees, the Trump administration has reiterated the need to “reclaim America’s maritime strength” and generate “demand for U.S.-built ships, shipyards, and mariners,” in its “Maritime Action Plan.”

“Without meaningful fees on Chinese vessels, this ‘plan’ is meaningless,” wrote the senators.

“We urge the Administration to stand up for American shipbuilders and reinstate the fees and restrictions imposed pursuant to USTR’s section 301 investigation into Chinese shipbuilding,” concluded the senators.

The senators urged Ambassador Greer to reinstate the fees and restrictions on Chinese ships entering U.S. ports, commit to keeping them in place, explain how the pause on fees is affecting American workers, and reveal whether the Trump administration secured any meaningful concessions from China for pausing the fees and restrictions.

Senator Kelly is the lead sponsor of the bipartisan Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act; Senator Warren is a co-sponsor of the bill.

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Warren, Merkley, Pressley, Carson Lead 60+ Lawmakers in Urging Trump Administration to Immediately Address Largest Student Loan Default Crisis on Record

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), along with Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and André Carson (D-Ind.), led 62 members of Congress in pressing the Department of Education (ED) to immediately address the largest student loan default and delinquency crisis on record, which has been made worse by the Trump administration’s policies.

“(I)nstead of pursuing solutions that protect borrowers, the Trump administration has deflected blame, punted responsibility for the default crisis to another agency, and raised costs for borrowers at every turn. We urge you to provide meaningful support to borrowers,” said the lawmakers.

A February 2026 analysis by The Century Foundation and Protect Borrowers revealed that close to 9 million student loan borrowers are now in default, up from 5 million last summer. 3.6 million borrowers defaulted during the first year of the Trump administration alone. 75 percent of borrowers who moved from delinquency to default on a student loan under the Trump administration had never previously defaulted.

“The Trump administration’s actions have fueled this default and delinquency crisis,” wrote the lawmakers, highlighting the administration’s decision to block borrowers from accessing lower student loan payments and reduced access to debt relief.

Making matters worse, millions of borrowers will soon face an increased risk of delinquency and default due to the Trump administration’s decision to end the affordable SAVE income-drive repayment (IDR) plan. Instead of helping those vulnerable borrowers, the Trump administration will automatically enroll them in more expensive loan repayment plans if they do not apply for an IDR plan within 90 days.

The rise in delinquencies and defaults will have devastating economic effects and raise costs for American families. The Trump administration has threatened to restart forcibly collecting wages, Social Security, and tax refunds for defaulted borrowers, meaning that more than $30 billion could be seized from Americans’ incomes by the end of next year. Around 2 million borrowers saw their credit score drop by an average of 100 points over the course of 2025, which can restrict access to credit or loans that help them afford everything from housing to medical bills. According to Moody’s Analytics, a 1% increase in the student loan delinquency rate is associated with a statistically significant decline in home ownership.

The lawmakers urged ED to immediately take the following steps to address the default cliff:

Cancel student debt for qualified borrowers under existing debt cancellation programs, including IDR debt cancellation, Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge, closed school discharge, borrower defense to repayment, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF);

Adequately staff ED to conduct outreach to borrowers and oversight of servicers;

Clear the more than 550,000 application backlog of income-driven repayment applications;

Enroll all 7.5 million borrowers currently enrolled in SAVE in the lowest cost repayment plan available; and

Continue the pause on forced collections, end the interagency agreement tasking the Treasury Department with default collections, and create an interest-free temporary default prevention forbearance.

The coalition requested that ED commit to clearing the backlog of applications for loan debt relief and create a new form of forbearance to support borrowers by June 22, 2026.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, along with Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined in signing.

Representatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Lou Correa (D-Calif.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Cleo Fields (D-La.), Shomari Figures (D-Ala.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Henry Johnson (D-Ga.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) joined in signing the letter.

Senator Warren has led the fight to make our higher education system more affordable, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable for incompetence and malfeasance. She launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:

On May 28, 2026, in response to a request from U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent government watchdog, confirmed the expansion of its investigation into the Department of Education’s (ED) transfer of critical programs to other agencies through interagency agreements (IAAs), including the transfer of student loan default collections to the Department of the Treasury. GAO previously confirmed it had initiated an investigation into ED’s transfer of grant programs for career and technical education and adult education to the Department of Labor.

On May 21, 2026, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to open a new investigation into whether the Trump administration's dismantling of the Department of Education (ED) is harming ED’s ability to root out waste, fraud, and abuse of Title IV financial aid funds.

On May 4, 2026, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) released new responses from the Department of Education (ED) and the Treasury Department (Treasury) demonstrating that the agencies cannot articulate a clear purpose or plan for implementing their illegal interagency agreement (IAA) transferring the administration of federal student loans to Treasury.

On April 28, 2026, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Sanders (I-Vt.) pressed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Student Loan Ombudsman, Geoffrey Gradler, on his plan to protect student loan borrowers, especially given his past censorship of a key student loan report at the CFPB and his background as a lobbyist for lenders.

On April 17, 2026, Senator Warren led 31 senators in a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, urging them to provide “the highest possible amount of funding” to the Office of Federal Student Aid in fiscal year 2027.

On April 2, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Ron Wyden, Patty Murray, and Tammy Baldwin — all top Democrats on influential education committees — pressed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to rescind their plans to move the administration of federal student loans to the Treasury Department.

On March 11, 2026, following a request from Senator Warren (D-Mass.), the Government Accountability Office, an independent government watchdog, opened an investigation into the Department of Education’s transfer of grant programs to the Department of Labor.

On February 23, 2026, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Sanders (I-Vt.), along with Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), released a response from the Department of Education (ED) to their November letter regarding a potential sale of the federal student debt portfolio. In the response, ED confirms for the first time publicly that they are weighing a sale of the federal student loan portfolio.

On February 19, 2026, Senator Warren led members of Congress urging the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office to open an investigation into the Department of Education’s (ED) transfer of grant programs to agencies with no expertise in education policy, such as the Department of Labor.

On February 19, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) pushed Education Secretary Linda McMahon on concerns that the U.S. Department of Education is apparently obstructing Congressional efforts to hold federal student loan servicers accountable for underperformance.

On February 2, 2026, Senator Warren released a new report revealing the findings of their investigation into how private student loan lenders will reap the benefits from cuts to federal student loan access enacted in Republicans’ Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBBA). The report is the first Congressional analysis of the impacts of the OBBBA’s student loan restrictions on the private lending market.

On January 22, 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) led their Senate colleagues in demanding answers from Trump Education Secretary Linda McMahon about the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate affordable student loan repayment options for millions of Americans.

On December 8, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in writing to the federal student loan servicers to ensure they are providing borrowers with the customer service they deserve in the wake of the Trump administration’s student loan policy whiplash. The senators sent letters to MOHELA, Nelnet, EdFinancial, Maximus, and CRI.

On December 1, 2025, Senator Warren published an op-ed in USA Today calling for Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to resign following the recent news that President Trump and Secretary McMahon plan to further dismantle the Department of Education (ED).

On November 24, 2025, Senator Warren pushed for an expanded investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle ED and whether its recent decision to transfer many of ED’s responsibilities to four other agencies violates federal law.

On November 17, 2025, Senator Warren led over 40 of her colleagues in a letter urging Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to immediately end any plans to sell or transfer the federal student loan portfolio to the private market.

On November 10, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in a letter urging the Trump administration to use the IRS’s existing legal authorities to stop the looming “tax bomb” facing borrowers who obtain income-driven repayment (IDR) discharges of their student loan debt.

On October 15, 2025, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) led 70 members of Congress in a letter calling on the Trump administration to address the ongoing and unprecedented wave of student loan delinquencies and defaults, which threatens the financial stability of millions of people and could have disastrous effects on the American economy.

On September 19, 2025, following a push by Senator Warren and nine other senators, the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education agreed to open an investigation into DOGE’s infiltration of internal systems, including the scope of its access to sensitive student loan borrower information and its impact on borrowers’ rights and privacy.

On August 26, 2025, Senator Warren led colleagues in sending a follow-up letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon condemning the Department of Education for deliberately hiding the “Submit a Complaint” button on the Office of Federal Student Aid’s website, firing employees responsible for providing customer service to borrowers and families and misleading Congress about the scope of these firings.

On August 7, 2025, Senator Warren publicly released Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s response to the senator’s 60+ questions and pressed for additional information. Senator Warren announced that she would refer certain matters where the Department has proved uncooperative to the Government Accountability Office and the Education Department’s Inspector General.

On August 4, 2025, Senator Warren led eight Senators in pressing major private student loan lenders on their plans to serve the incoming surge of borrowers who will be pushed to the industry because of Republicans’ recently passed “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

On July 17, 2025, Senator Warren released a new 23-page report, “Education At Risk: Frontline Impacts of Trump’s War on Students,” highlighting warnings from 11 major national education and civil rights organizations on the impact of the Trump Administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education (ED), slashing support to millions of American students, primary and secondary school teachers, administrators, parents, and student loan borrowers.

On July 15, 2025, Senators Warren and Sanders, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, urging her to reverse the interest hike on student loan borrowers in the SAVE forbearance.

On July 14, 2025, Senator Warren joined a letter to the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, and Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, demanding that the Department of Education stop blocking nearly $7 billion in funds for K-12 schools, including for afterschool programs.

On July 3, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in submitting an amicus brief for NAACP v. US, arguing to the United States District Court District of Maryland that President Trump’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education violate separation of powers and lack constitutional authority.

On June 10, 2025, Senator Warren met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and delivered over 1,000 letters to McMahon that the senator had received from people in all 50 states who were worried about the Secretary’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.

On June 9, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Education to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office, revealing that DOGE may have gained access to two FSA internal systems, in addition to sensitive borrower data.

On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.

On May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled “Stealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,” highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education and President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.

On May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration’s attacks on education are hurting American families.

On May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.

On April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.

On April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

On April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.

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As Summer Travel Ramps Up, Welch Leads Senators in Raising Alarm on How Trump’s War in Iran Has Impacted Air Travel

Senators: “We are concerned about consumer access to safe and affordable air travel as we head into a busy summer travel season.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today partnered with Senator Tammy Duckworth, Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in expressing serious concern to Airlines for America (A4A) about the impact skyrocketing jet fuel prices will have on American consumers and the airline industry in the coming weeks and months. In their letter to Chris Sununu, President and CEO of A4A, the Senators requested information about the impact the war with Iran is having on their members, the measures airlines plan to take in response to higher jet fuel costs, and how rising prices will hurt the broader air travel industry.

A4A’s member airlines include: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Atlas Air Worldwide, Delta Airlines, FedEx, JetBlue, Southwest, United, and the United Parcel Service (UPS).

The Senators underscore that American families are facing higher costs across all areas: “As you know, rising jet fuel prices are dramatically increasing travel costs for American consumers and input costs for your member airlines…The war with Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, leading to the largest energy supply disruption in history. Approximately 20% of global jet fuel passes through the Strait. In addition, nearly a third of global crude supply passes through the Strait—up to 10% of which is also refined into jet fuel in other regions. Gasoline prices have increased by 50% in the last two months, and jet fuel prices have more than doubled since February 28. Forecasts estimate that airlines will face up to $24.1 billion in additional fuel expenses in 2026.

“Airlines are already taking steps in response to increased input costs. All major U.S. carriers raised checked baggage fees in April. United CEO Scott Kirby recently stated that the airline could increase ticket prices by as much as 20% in response to the current oil market dynamics,” the Senators continued. “Delta announced route reductions beginning in June. Last week, JetBlue announced route reductions and the termination of service at select airports amid the current “capacity crisis.’”

The Senators request a briefing from President and CEO Sununu and representatives from A4A member airlines, in addition to answers to the following questions by June 17, 2026:

How do jet fuel prices affect route economics and air service decisions, particularly as it concerns small- and medium-sized airports?

What steps have A4A members taken to prevent future airline ticket increases, route reductions, and flight cancellations at small- and medium-sized airports?

Even if the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is imminent, are elevated jet fuel prices expected to persist and continue to impact consumer prices? How long are the impacts projected to last?

Are any A4A member airlines considering measures such as delaying investments, pausing hiring, increasing baggage fees, or increasing ticket prices to address the jet fuel price increases? If so, please identify which measures are under consideration.

The Iran war energy crisis has already ended operations for Spirit Airlines. Are any A4A members also at risk of bankruptcy or closure should the war in Iran continue through the summer and into the fall?

Read and download the Senators’ full letter to Airlines for America President and CEO Sununu.

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Welch Joins Schiff, Kaine, Schumer, 34 Senate Dems in Pressing Trump for Legal Justification for False Claim that Hostilities have “Terminated” in Iran

Senators: “The 60-day clock specified in the War Powers Resolution does not have a pause button.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and 34 Senate Democrats in demanding that President Trump provide legal justification for the use of military force against Iran without congressional authorization. After the Vietnam War, Congress passed legislation requiring presidents to cease military action within 60 days, if those actions are not authorized by Congress. In their letter, the Senators demanded that President Trump adhere to U.S. law.

The Senators emphasized that the already unconstitutional war in Iran has violated the 60-day limit set by the War Powers Act and argue that it is common sense to conclude that ongoing naval operations, bombings, blockades, and strike campaigns constitute warlike hostilities—which must end if President Trump does not have Congressional authorization.

“Furthermore, the United States and Iran, and their associated partners and proxies, have continued to use lethal force in contravention of the ceasefire, which also constitute hostilities. Finally, U.S. forces remain postured for, and you have regularly threatened, the swift return of major combat operations,” the Senators wrote.

The Senators point out that the continued deployment of troops, ongoing strikes, and an active naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz rebut the claim that hostilities have terminated after the April 7 ceasefire. Senator Welch has supported Senators Schiff and Kaine in efforts to force numerous votes in the Senate on the War Powers Resolution, including asserting the 60-day statutory clock, triggered by a notification to Congress, had run out on the president’s ongoing use of military force, in addition to being unconstitutional from the start.

“Your administration has not explained to the Congress or the American people why you believe the Constitution permits launching a war of this magnitude – including the loss of U.S. service members’ lives, scores of civilians killed in Iran and the broader region, and staggering economic and geopolitical costs – without authorization from Congress as Article I requires…It is imperative that you publish the OLC legal theory underlying your interpretation to the contrary in a timely manner,” the Senators concluded.

In addition to Senators Welch, Schiff, Kaine, and Leader Schumer, the letter was co-signed by U.S. Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Read and download the Senators’ full letter to Airlines for America President and CEO Sununu.

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Welch Statement on Trump’s Attorney General Nominee: “Todd Blanche has made it clear who he answers to.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following response to President Trump’s formal nomination of Todd Blanche to be Attorney General of the United States (AG):

“The United States Attorney General is the lawyer of the American people, not the personal lawyer for the President. But already, Todd Blanche has made it clear who he answers to,” said Senator Welch. “I have no faith that Acting AG Blanche will fight for justice, the rule of law, and the civil rights of all Americans—he will only fight for President Trump. I cannot support his nomination.”

Senator Welch called on Acting AG Blanche to resign in May.

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Wyden, Merkley, Murray Demand Trump Administration Restore Key BLM Roles

Oregon and Washington senators sound alarm on reassignment of Public Information Officers ahead of wildfire season

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., today demanded the Trump administration immediately reinstate 13 federal employees in Oregon and Washington state who received “reassignment letters” terminating their roles at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in May, with no apparent plan at the start of fire season to replace them.

The employees worked in BLM district offices as Public Affairs Officers or Public Information Officers often tasked with communicating life-saving information to communities about fire conditions and evacuations. Some of the employees were also designated ‘red card’ holders, qualifying them to support wildland firefighting operations.

“It is extremely concerning that there are now zero on-the-ground, district level personnel to communicate critical public safety information to our constituents, the media, and local officials,” the senators wrote to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “Removing these employees…at the very start of fire season with no apparent plan to replace them leaves communities across our states without the information and resources they need to stay safe during fires; this may have life-threatening consequences.”

With record low snowpack and worsening drought, Oregon and Washington are facing a potentially historic wildfire season. Budget and staffing cuts by the Trump administration have left much of the West without the necessary resources and firefighting personnel it needs to prepare for and battle fires. These most recent cuts will make it even harder for local communities across Oregon and Washington to get up-to-date information about fires and evacuation notices.

In the words of one whistleblower, "As a long serving, fire-qualified member of the wildland fire community, I am deeply concerned by the loss of experienced, on-the-ground communicators from BLM district offices at the start of fire season. Public Affairs Specialists and Public Information Officers are not simply media contacts, they are trained members of the incident response system who help ensure communities receive timely evacuation notices, safety information, and updates during rapidly evolving emergencies.

Removing experienced fire-qualified personnel from these roles means losing decades of institutional knowledge, local relationships, and wildfire response experience when those skills are needed most. As Oregon and Washington face the potential for another severe fire season, reducing the capacity to communicate critical public safety information risks leaving communities less informed and less prepared during emergencies. Public information is a core component of wildfire response and weakening that capability has real consequences for public safety."

Text of the letter is here.

Related Files


Young Attends Indiana Spray Drone Association Education Day in Jennings County

INDIANAPOLIS – Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) attended the Indiana Spray Drone Association Education Day at the Southeast Purdue Ag Center in Jennings County.

The Indiana Spray Drone Association was created to help ensure aerial application by drone grows safely, professionally, and responsibly across the state.

“Drones continue to be critical for the Hoosier ag industry, and Indiana’s new UAS test site will help ensure our drone ecosystem meets the industry’s growing needs,” said Senator Young.

Earlier this year, Indiana was named the recipient of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Test Site. Young led a letter in support of Indiana’s application signed by the entire Indiana congressional delegation. The full delegation support letter is available here.


Young Discusses Bill to Promote, Expand Apprenticeship Programs with 535 News

Click here or on the image above to watch the interview.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and U.S. Representative Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) joined 535 News to discuss their bill, the Workforce Apprenticeship Growth and Education Support (WAGES) Act. The legislation would create a refundable payroll tax credit for employers who maintain or participate in a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP). The tax credit would offset the cost of wages paid to apprentices and mentors, as well as the cost of other program expenses.

Full video of the interview is available here.

“Apprenticeships equip individuals with sustainable skills to advance their careers and offer employers job-ready workers, but too many businesses still face barriers to launching or scaling these programs. At a time when high-demand industries are struggling to fill open positions, our bill will make it easier for businesses to invest in high-quality apprenticeship programs, strengthening our workforce and expanding pathways to good-paying careers. This is an important step in ensuring Americans are prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow,”said Senator Young.

Under the WAGES Act, eligible employers would be required to:

Maintain a RAP or participate in one through written agreements, like collective bargaining agreements (CBAs);

Employ at least one qualified apprentice during the calendar quarter; and

Not have received federal payments for the same qualifying wages/expenses.

Covered program expenses would include:

Related technical instruction (classroom, distance learning, or otherapproved format);

On-the-job learning costs and supervision reimbursement;

Mentor wages — the amount paid above a journeyworker’s base rate while mentoring an apprentice (capped at $10,000/quarter per mentor);

Program development, registration, and maintenance costs; and

CBA contributions to registered apprenticeship sponsors.

Additional statements of support can be found here.


Rep. Yakym Introduces Bipartisan Resolution in Support of “National Trailer Safety Week”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Rudy Yakym (R-IN) introduced a bipartisan resolution with Congressman Tim Burchett (R-TN), John Garamendi (D-CA), and Chris Pappas (D-NH) expressing support for the designation of the week of June 7-13, 2026, as “National Trailer Safety Week” in the United States.

“I came to Congress to fight every day for manufacturing jobs, the backbone of Indiana’s Second District. And to protect those jobs, we must first protect the hardworking Hoosiers doing them.” Rep. Yakym said. “That starts with making sure every American who hitches up a trailer, whether it’s a towable RV, a cargo trailer, or a flatbed hauling equipment, knows how to do it safely.”

“Trailer accidents claim hundreds of lives and leave 21,000 Americans injured every year – an unacceptable toll on American families and communities,” Rep. Garamendi said. “I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in introducing this resolution to elevate public awareness of trailer safety standards and strengthen the safety of our nation’s roadways. Trailer Safety Week serves as a vital platform to equip both manufacturers and motorists with the critical information necessary to prevent these tragedies and protect all who travel America’s highways.”

“This National Trailer Safety Week I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing this resolution highlighting the importance of trailer safety,” Rep. Pappas said. “Trailer safety and education, from recreational use to everyday on the job, is critical to keeping everyone on our roads safe.”

“Trailer Safety Week is dedicated to improving roadway safety for all Americans, and we are incredibly grateful for the continued support and recognition at the federal level,” Alex Stowe, National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) Executive Director said. “With nearly a million new trailers joining our roads each year, providing accessible education on trailer safety is essential. Whether you’re towing a boat for a weekend trip or a utility trailer for work, having the right knowledge for safe towing is crucial. Trailer safety directly impacts traffic safety, affecting us all. We sincerely thank Representatives Yakym, Burchett, Garamendi, and Pappas for acknowledging the importance of our Trailer Safety Week initiative and its contribution to enhancing roadway safety. This type of support is vital in turning awareness into action, equipping the public with practical knowledge on safe towing, proper maintenance, and compliance. An unsafe trailer on the road poses a risk to everyone. Through education, outreach, and collaboration, we all can actively contribute to creating safer roadways for everyone.”


Rep. Young Kim’s PROFIT Act Passes the U.S. House of Representatives

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Young Kim’s (CA-40) PROFIT Act to comprehensively restore and reinforce the State Department’s leadership on commercial diplomacy, energy security, and international economic policy for the first time in over two decades.

This legislation comes as China and other adversaries continue to exploit gaps in America’s economic statecraft, using trade, investment, and energy dependence as tools of coercion. The State Department has lacked the structure and mandate to aggressively counter these threats and champion American businesses on the world stage. The PROFIT Act directly addresses that challenge by ensuring U.S. diplomats are equipped not just to engage, but to compete and win.

“I have long said that economic security is national security. Now, for the first time in decades, our diplomatic compass is finally pointing in a more strategic direction,” said Rep. Young Kim. “Today’s vote proves that America is serious about securing and maintaining its role on the world stage. I am proud to have worked alongside the administration to restore U.S. economic leadership, equip our diplomats to stand up for American workers and businesses, and ensure the United States can outcompete our adversaries.”

Rep. Young Kim spoke on the House Floor in support of H.R. 5248.