Lee Applauds Trump’s Actions Reining in Monument Overreach

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, applauded President Donald J. Trump’s proclamation modifying the boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monuments.

“Today’s proclamation shows that President Trump listens to Utahns and respects the limits Congress placed on the Antiquities Act,” said Chairman Mike Lee. “For too long, presidents have weaponized monument designations to lock up millions of acres, close roads, restrict grazing, and cut rural communities off from lands their families have lived on and worked for generations. I thank the President for correcting this abuse and keeping his promise to the people of Utah.”

The proclamation reduces Bears Ears National Monument to approximately 121,000 acres and Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument to approximately 182,000 acres. The revised boundaries will allow federal agencies to concentrate limited personnel and funding on the cultural, historic, and scientific objects identified within the proclamation.

Lands outside the modified boundaries remain in federal ownership and continue to be protected under existing federal and state laws. The proclamation will provide greater access for recreation, preserve historic roads and trails, and give ranching families and rural communities greater certainty about the lands on which they depend.

Congress enacted the Antiquities Act in 1906 to allow presidents to protect historic landmarks and other objects of historic or scientific interest. The law requires monument reservations to be confined to “the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.”

Previous designations placed approximately 3.2 million acres within the two monuments—more land than all seven of Utah’s other national monuments and all five of its national parks combined and about the combined size of the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Those sweeping boundaries strained federal staffing and law-enforcement resources while increasing the burdens placed on rural counties responsible for search-and-rescue operations and other public services.

President Trump’s action returns the monuments to a focused and manageable scale, improves the ability of land managers to protect significant resources, and restores a meaningful voice for the Utah communities closest to these lands.

“These modified boundaries don’t diminish protection, they focus it,” said Governor Spencer Cox. “The new proclamations focus management efforts to better preserve the cultural and archaeological resources that make this part of Utah so special. Management matters, and we are optimistic about the future preservation of Utah’s historic, cultural, and scientific resources in these areas.”

“President Trump’s executive action restores a more balanced approach to managing Utah’s public lands and shows a willingness by this Administration to listen to the state of Utah,” said Senator John Curtis. “While today’s announcement is an important step in the right direction and a more appropriate interpretation of the Antiquities Act, the responsibility remains with Congress to do what executive orders cannot: bring stakeholders together, work through disagreements, and enact lasting solutions. This approach worked in Emery County, which serves as a strong example to build on.”

"Utahns have long supported protecting our state's extraordinary cultural and natural resources," said Representative Celeste Maloy. "This action honors that goal while following the law Congress passed and giving greater consideration to the people who know these lands best.”

"The Antiquities Act is crystal clear: presidential designations meant to protect objects should be 'confined to the smallest area compatible' with the proper care and management of those objects. That mandate was ignored,” said Representative Burgess Owens. “The mess started with Bill Clinton, who acted from a seat in Arizona with his back turned to Utah. It was compounded by Barack Obama in the waning hours of his presidency. Together, they created monuments larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined which is an unmistakable violation of the 'smallest area compatible' standard. I am grateful for President Trump's actions today, and for his willingness to listen to the Utah communities who cherish and honor these landscapes. Utah deserves leaders who respect the rule of law. Today, accountability prevailed."

“The people of Utah understand these lands better than any distant bureaucracy ever could,” said Representative Mike Kennedy. “Decisions about how they are managed and protected should rest with the communities who live closest to them. The Antiquities 1``111Act was written to protect specific and important areas, and honoring its intent is the rational way to safeguard these treasures while giving Utahns a real voice in their future.”

“This has, unfortunately, become a back-and-forth issue between administrations,” said Representative Blake Moore. “Today’s announcement takes into consideration years of local concern over restricted access and misuse of the Antiquities Act while still protecting our state’s natural and cultural resources for future generations. If the Antiquities Act is going to be used, it needs to be on the smallest area possible—that’s what we’re doing here.”

“The Antiquities Act was never meant to be a tool for locking up millions of acres with the stroke of a pen. Today’s action takes a major step in the right direction of appropriately sized monuments allowing responsible stewardship that works with our communities, not against them. Utah has fought hard to enforce Antiquities Act limits on monument size, and we will continue fighting to ensure the law is applied faithfully — and that Utahns have lasting certainty about the lands they call home,” said Attorney General Derek Brown. “But our work isn’t finished. The long-term answer isn’t found in which president happens to occupy the White House. The answer lies in honoring the textual limits the Antiquities Act already places on monument sizes. Utah will keep pressing until that’s the reality, not just the ideal.”

“Today is an exciting day for the state of Utah and we applaud President Trump’s thoughtful action to modify the boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments,” said Utah Speaker Mike Schultz. “These changes will improve management, public access, and recreation opportunities while respecting the traditions, livelihoods, and voices of local communities. By focusing resources where they are needed most, we will ensure these lands are preserved for current and future generations. We continue to push for a long-term solution so these lands are not subject to political back-and-forth. These remarkable places deserve stability, protection, and thoughtful stewardship for decades to come.”

“We don’t have to choose between protecting our heritage and supporting our communities,” said Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams. “We appreciate the Trump Administration’s recognition that local communities deserve a meaningful voice in the stewardship of the public lands that shape their way of life. Today’s action provides a more focused approach to preserving some of Utah’s most treasured landscapes while ensuring these lands remain accessible to the people who rely on them. Historic roads and trails will remain open, ranching families will have certainty, and Utahns and visitors will continue to enjoy these areas through hiking, hunting, camping, biking and other longstanding recreational opportunities. These changes also give land managers greater flexibility to reduce wildfire risk and combat invasive species. By focusing protections where they matter most, we can preserve these cultural and natural treasures while honoring the traditions and livelihoods that have long been part of this region.”

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Luján, Blumenthal, Wyden Demand FTC Action on Hidden Delivery Fees That Drive Up Prices for Consumers

“At a time when the cost of living is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, these delivery app fees are nothing more than a greedy assault on consumers’ pocketbooks.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take swift action to stop food and grocery delivery apps from using deceptive fees, surveillance pricing, and anti-consumer marketing tactics. The FTC is currently considering a rule to address these deceptive fees. In a letter sent to FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, Luján, Blumenthal, and Wyden called on the Commission to proceed with the rulemaking and pursue enforcement to protect consumers from these predatory practices.

“For millions of Americans, including busy parents and people with mobility issues, food delivery is a lifeline, not a luxury. However, delivery apps are taking advantage of consumers by slapping on unexplained and misleading fees that lead to exorbitantly higher prices. Delivery apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash justify these additional charges under the pretext of long-distance deliveries, small orders, priority or express deliveries, and ‘regulatory compliance.’ To further obscure these fees, delivery apps often lump costs together and hide fees during the checkout process,” the Senators wrote.

The Senators continued, “Price gouging through hidden fees and markups clearly falls within the Commission’s purview of combating unfair and deceptive acts and practices…The Commission’s recent advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on delivery app fees presents the perfect opportunity to close this gap.”

“At a time when the cost of living is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, these delivery app fees are nothing more than a greedy assault on consumers’ pocketbooks. As such, we encourage the Commission to proceed with this rulemaking and pursue enforcement against deceptive hidden fees, surveillance pricing, and markups related to food and grocery deliveries,” the Senators concluded.

The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here and below.

Dear Chair Ferguson,

As consumers face rising costs and price gouging when buying groceries and meals, we write to urge the Federal Trade Commission (the Commission) to proceed with rulemaking and bring enforcement actions to put an end to deceptive fees, surveillance pricing, and anti-consumer marketing tactics by food and grocery delivery apps.

For millions of Americans, including busy parents and people with mobility issues, food delivery is a lifeline, not a luxury. However, delivery apps are taking advantage of consumers by slapping on unexplained and misleading fees that lead to exorbitantly higher prices. Delivery apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash justify these additional charges under the pretext of long distance deliveries, small orders, priority or express deliveries, and ‘regulatory compliance.’ To further obscure these fees, delivery apps often lump costs together and hide fees during the checkout process. They also withhold whether they charge more for the same items that cost less in person at the same time they tack on these additional fees. Lastly, mandated pricing disclosures reveal that delivery apps rely on consumers’ personal data, such as their order history, to set prices. For these reasons, we encourage the Commission to stop delivery apps from engaging in surveillance pricing, which exploits consumers by charging drastically unequal prices.

Independent price comparisons confirm that consumers are being price gouged by delivery apps. A study by LendingTree found that nearly 4 in 10 Americans use delivery services at least once a week and pay on average almost 80% more than they would have picking up those meals themselves. The New York Times found that Uber Eats charged consumers 91% more through price markups and fees for the same order at a nearby Subway. The fees imposed by delivery apps also hurt restaurants and businesses, who can incur their own fees through commission costs and are often incorrectly blamed for increased prices that they do not control.

Price gouging through hidden fees and markups clearly falls within the Commission’s purview of combating unfair and deceptive acts and practices. Over the years, the Commission has brought numerous enforcement actions against platforms for misrepresenting costs stemming from food and grocery deliveries, including Grubhub, Instacart, Amazon, and Walmart. More notably, the Commission implemented its Junk Fee Rules in May 2025 to require total price disclosures and prohibit misleading fees for certain goods and services. While the Commission recognized that consumers were dissatisfied with these fees on food and grocery delivery apps, the final rule limited its scope to live ticketing sales and short-term lodging. The Commission’s recent advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on delivery app fees presents the perfect opportunity to close this gap.

At a time when the cost of living is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, these delivery app fees are nothing more than a greedy assault on consumers’ pocketbooks. As such, we encourage the Commission to proceed with this rulemaking and pursue enforcement against deceptive hidden fees, surveillance pricing, and markups related to food and grocery deliveries.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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Senator Markey Releases Discussion Draft of Legislation to Create a National Framework to Address Data Center Harm

Discussion Draft Text (PDF)

Washington (July 13, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and co-chair of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, today released a discussion draft of legislation that would create a national framework to prevent increased energy costs, pollution, and adverse health harms related to the rapid buildout of data centers and associated fossil fuel infrastructure.

“Communities are organizing and demanding action to protect their air, water, energy bills, and quality of life from the tsunami of data centers around the country,” said Senator Markey. “For an issue as fast-moving and important to American families - the surging proliferation of data centers - we need a national framework that can proactively tackle all of these issues together. I will be working with communities, workers, and other stakeholders to learn from state and local level measures, and collaborate on this comprehensive platform that prioritizes protection, builds community capacity and resilience, and takes action against rising pollution and rising energy bills due to data centers.”

The Protecting Communities from Data Center Impacts Act would:

Require data centers to receive a certificate from the federal government prior to permitting and construction that affirms the data center will not harm the public interest and will meet minimum standards for energy, environmental, and economic impacts

Provide grants to build community capacity and support technical assistance to monitor and mitigate air, water, noise, and other environmental and public health impacts from data centers

Require data centers pay for necessary grid infrastructure and enter into agreements to reduce their energy demand during times of grid stress

Require data centers fund renewable energy and storage to meet their capacity needs, rather than use on-site diesel

Require high labor standards for construction

Senator Markey is an outspoken critic of the Trump administration’s “race to the bottom” regulatory approach for AI data centers and a leader in advocating for stronger monitoring and mitigation of environmental and health impacts associated with data center buildout.

Last week, Senator Markey released his AI Accountability Agenda: Taking Power Back from Big Tech, a comprehensive agenda for responding to the risks posed by AI that lays out specific policy proposals to protect communities from the immediate harms of AI.

In June, Senator Markey wrote to EPA Administrator Zeldin to demand the withdrawal of a proposed rule that undermines Clean Air Act permitting standards to facilitate the buildout of data centers and associated fossil fuel infrastructure.

Senator Markey previously reintroduced his Artificial Intelligence (AI) Environmental Impacts Act, legislation that would require data center operators to report the full range of their facilities’ environmental impacts.

In November 2025, Senator Markey wrote to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging the agency to ensure that increased and projected energy demand from data centers does not result in unjust or unreasonable rate hikes for American households.

In September 2025, Senator Markey wrote to the EPA in opposition to the agency’s initial announcement of plans to roll back the NSR program for data center buildout.

In July 2025, Senator Markey hosted a roundtable discussion titled The Data Center Next Door: Hidden Costs and Harms of Artificial Intelligence and Cryptomining to highlight the adverse environmental, health, climate, and energy cost impacts of data center proliferation in communities across the United States, and to condemn the deregulatory actions set forth in President Trump’s AI Action Plan. On the day of the roundtable, Senator Markey also released a storybook to spotlight the experiences of American families living with data centers in their backyard.

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Senator Marshall Calls for Special Counsel Investigation into Dr. Fauci

Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche calling for the appointment of a Special Counsel to investigate Dr. Anthony Fauci following the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) recent declassification of documents regarding the handling of COVID-19. As one of Congress’s leading voices on COVID-19 origins and gain-of-function oversight since the start of the pandemic, Senator Marshall believes the newly declassified documents warrant an independent Special Counsel investigation into Dr. Fauci’s role, as well as a review of former President Biden’s pardon.

In his letter, Senator Marshall wrote:

“If the pardon is valid, we must understand what conduct it covers. If the pardon was not validly authorized, it should not allow Dr. Fauci to skirt accountability. The pandemic imposed enormous costs on Kansas families, businesses, and communities, as well as on the entire country. The restoration of the public’s trust demands an independent investigation of federal officials’ conduct before, during, and even after the pandemic.”

In the letter, Dr. Marshall requested that the Special Counsel examine:

Dr. Fauci’s role in the origins of COVID-19, gain-of-function research funding, and obstruction of congressional oversight;

Whether former President Biden personally authorized the autopen-signed pardon and whether it was lawfully executed; and

The full scope of the pardon and what conduct it covers.

Read the full letter HERE.

For exclusive coverage of the letter, click HERE.

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Senator Marshall: Lindsey Graham Was a True Patriot & Bipartisan Leader

Senator Marshall Joins Newsmax & KCMO Radio

Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Sharla McBride and Marc Lotter on Newsmax’s Wake Up America and Pete Mundo on KCMO Radio to discuss the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham, his personal character and genuine love for America, his ongoing legacy in the Senate, and how the work to pass the SAVE America Act and reconciliation must continue in his honor.

Click HERE to download the full video.

Click HERE to download the full video.

On the passing and personal character of Senator Lindsey Graham:

“You know, it’s a tough day up here. So many of us are still in denial, we’re still just trying to ask, ‘Did this really happen to one of my besties?’ Lindsey Graham was one of my very best friends up here, and I won’t be surprised if 98 Senators also say that he was one of their best friends. He had the gift of hospitality. You know, I think of Will Rogers saying that he never met a man he didn’t like — well, I never met a person that didn’t like Lindsey Graham. They didn’t always agree with him, but he was so likable, so genuine, and just such a good person. He made me laugh all the time. We’re going to really miss him — I’ll especially miss him in the cloakroom.”

“Here’s something that nobody knows — and I haven’t shared this with anybody yet — but Lindsey had an encyclopedic knowledge of the Bible. We had several times what’s called a vote-a-rama — we’re up all night, we’re in the cloakroom, think of your guy’s locker room or your girl’s locker room, where you kind of get a little loose. And all of a sudden — we’ve got three guys up here, Senators, with divinity degrees — Lindsey goes into a Bible contest of knowledge, where he was not using notes, and quizzing these guys on Bible history. I don’t know where he got that, he was raised in a bar. His parents owned a bar; he was raised in the back room of it. His parents die when he’s 23, he has a little sister who’s 13 at the time and he legally adopts his little sister. We’ve got to meet her many times, and you just can’t go a conversation where Lindsey doesn’t talk about his little sister. So just a loving guy, and just humorous, witty, genuine, authentic — all those things. So, we’re just going to miss him horribly.”

“But Lindsey’s passing is going to really… it’ll be interesting to see. Maybe it’ll lead to a little bipartisanship. Maybe people will take a deep breath and say, ‘Wow.’ Lindsey Graham, he spoke so clearly, so authentically, with humor and an emotional intensity that everyone can appreciate as well. We’re just going to really miss Lindsey, and my heartfelt condolences go to his little sister, who he helped raise, and really all of his family members.”

On the cause of Senator Graham’s death:

“Well, you know, number one, I think just the spiritual side of this — that no one’s promised tomorrow, and to make every day count, and those things we’ve all been taught. I think of the chest pain stuff of this — I didn’t know. I mean, if Lindsey would have told me what he was feeling, I think I would have literally driven him to the hospital myself. But it went from nothing to something — very catastrophic in a matter of seconds when you think about an aortic dissection, which is what’s being reported. And I don’t want to speak out of school, but I think the pathology report’s been released now that it was probably an aortic dissection, which is a sudden catastrophic event. But he may have had some symptoms. So yeah, I mean don’t ignore those chest pain symptoms, especially you know if you’ve got pain that starts in your chest and it’s going down your arm or up your jaws, those types of things. And maybe it’s just indigestion, but you’re not going to know till we get an EKG or maybe some other studies.”

On Senator Graham’s legacy of leadership:

“So certainly, he’s been around a long time — in the House for four years, and over here I think close to 24 years. So, there was a time up here when bipartisanship was respected and was just a common deal. So, I think he’s chairman of the Judiciary Committee and has been on that. So, as you go through all these confirmations on judges, especially Supreme Court justices, Lindsey would have had the attitude that even if a Democrat nominated a Supreme Court justice — unless there was a huge character flaw or something — he started off at yes. And he was one of those people that would be criticized today for quote ‘helping the Democrats out too much.’ But there are times when you do need some people to fund the government or to get Supreme judges elected. There has to be some bipartisan support…. So, he walked across the aisle enough with his votes to earn that respect.”

“I think number one is just his ability to communicate. Certainly, he was authentic, he was genuine, he brought in humor, and then just an emotional intensity that you could feel. Lindsey was a true patriot — a former colonel in the United States Air Force, you know very few people remember that. So, on the Budget Committee, you know, he’s the chairman, and he would gladly tell you that he hated numbers; he hated math; he was a big-picture person. So, on the Budget Committee, when we did our Working Family Tax Cuts bill, which ends up being the largest tax cut, the largest spending cut by the government in American history, that starts on the Budget Committee. And then Lindsey would just tell people let Marshall and Ron Johnson and Rick Scott do the numbers, but he was the big picture guy that really was the catalyst to say we can do this. We can put this all in one big bill and get it done all together — and he just has this can-do attitude. He was one of the few people up here that made the complicated simple, which is what leaders do. Commonly, government makes the simple complicated, but Lindsey made the complicated simple. Whenever anyone wanted to dive into some rabbit hole, and they would say, ‘Lindsey, what about this? What about that?’ he would look at them and say, ‘Great, you’re in charge of figuring that out for us.’ And that’s total military leadership is to let other people who care about one particular thing say, ‘Yeah, you go take that mountain right now.’ So that’s what I remember Lindsey for is working on this Working Family Tax Cuts bill — again the largest tax cut, the largest spending cut, in American history. We were back and forth to the White House several times together, talking with the President, and he was very instrumental in just keeping the President on board the whole way, and using his full weight at the White House to get that across the finish line.”

On passing the SAVE America Act and another reconciliation bill:

“Well, there’s no easy mountain to climb here. And by the way, I really do believe that Mitch McConnell is going to be back; he’s been a tough fighter his whole life — you know, he had polio at a young age. For that important vote, Mitch will make it back as well. Look, I think we need to, just all by itself, let’s just vote on voter ID. 90% of Americans support that; let’s get it passed. Surely 10 Democrats will vote for voter ID, but I’d like to get them on record one way or the other. Then, let’s vote on some type of proof of citizenship and get that passed. Then let’s go to what type of guardrails do we want on mail-in ballots as well? But it’s tough. And the real question we should be asking is why won’t 10 Democrats support something that 90% of Americans support as well?”

“I think upfront for us is who’s going to be the next Budget Committee chairman. I don’t want to deal with that, but we need to if we want to get Reconciliation 3.0 done, it’s going to start in the Budget Committee again, so we’re going to have to rally the troops and figure out what we’re going to do. And by the way, you know Chuck Schumer is going to shut the government down on September 30th again. So, we need to keep our eye on that ball — how do we fund the government when no Democrats are going to vote for it? Because they would gladly have our country in a recession, then let Donald Trump keep the majorities in the House and the Senate. So, I think we need to stay locked in on what we can control — and that would be how do we fund the government, how do we keep government open.

On replacing Lindsey Graham in the Senate:

“We’re supposed to celebrate someone’s life. But we’re really a pretty tight team up here, and there’s going to be some mourning, and there’s going to be some denial and anger. I don’t think we should jump to reconciliation. Hopefully it’s a short-term deal; they’ll have a real election process in November anyway. So, I don’t have any idea; I don’t know who the players are. I certainly hope it’s someone who is a fiscal conservative, supports a Make America Great Again agenda, America First agenda. So, I guess, and there’s several people that could fulfill that role, especially short term as well. But you know, just today, I’m just going to honor Lindsey’s life and celebrate it and try to work through my own grieving here. He felt like a brother to me, and you know, we met his little sister several times and just know the grief that she’s going through as well.”

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VIDEO: Senator Moody Kicks Off Inaugural Fentanyl Free America Summit in Florida with DEA Administrator Cole and Acting AG Blanche, Attracting Thousands from Across the Nation

ORLANDO, Fla.—Senator Ashley Moody today helped the Drug Enforcement Administration kick off the first-ever DEA Fentanyl Free America Summit in Orlando. Senator Moody joined DEA Administrator Terrence Cole, Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Sara Carter, and Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma to launch the national event. The leaders in the fight to end the opioid crisis held an in-depth panel discussion to discuss local, state and federal strategies to combat the illicit drug trade and reduce fentanyl overdose deaths.

“As Florida’s Attorney General, I united local, state, and federal partners to confront the opioid crisis—and we delivered results. Florida led the nation in fentanyl interdiction efforts, while our overdose death rate declined faster than the national average. Now, as Florida’s newest United States Senator, I am working to bring that proven model to the country. Today’s inaugural summit reflects our shared commitment to strengthening coordination, sharing critical knowledge and resources, ending the fentanyl crisis nationwide, and saving lives,” said Senator Ashley Moody.

Moody led efforts to stop the flow of illicit fentanyl into the state during her tenure as Attorney General and during that time, Florida led the nation in fentanyl seizures. By coordinating local, state, and federal partners, Florida reduced fentanyl-related deaths by 42% from the first half of 2024 to the first half of 2025—greater than the estimated nationwide decrease of 22% from 2024 to 2025. Now in the U.S. Senate, Moody continues this fight through the Senate Judiciary Committee and legislation to expand Florida’s successful model nationwide.

BACKGROUND:

To view Senator Moody’s remarks, click here.

As Florida’s newest United States Senator, Senator Moody continues to combat the nation’s fentanyl crisis by cosponsoring the HALT Fentanyl Act, Tyler’s Law, and most recently the PRESS Act.

HALT Fentanyl Act would permanently classify fentanyl-related substances under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

Tyler’s Law would require HHS to issue guidance on whether hospital emergency departments should implement fentanyl testing as a routine procedure for patients experiencing an overdose.

PRESS Act would criminalize the intentional importation of pill press machines and unlisted precursor chemicals with the intent to manufacture illicit drugs.

As Florida Attorney General, Senator Moody chaired the Statewide Task Force on Opioid Drug Abuse and secured a massive multibillion-dollar settlement from opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies.

While serving as Attorney General, Senator Moody also demanded Biden classify illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction and declare Mexican drug cartels smuggling fentanyl into the country as terrorist organizations. President Trump declared drug cartels terrorist organizations on Day One.

As Attorney General, Senator Moody created Dose of Reality Florida and Fast Facts on Fentanyl to help Floridians learn about the dangers of illicit fentanyl and opioid use.

The Helping Heroes program was also created to provide free naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal-medication, to law enforcement and first responds across the state.

Under Senator Moody’s leadership during her time as Attorney General, Florida’s fentanyl deaths began decreasing in 2022 and have continued to decrease each year since. When nationwide fentanyl deaths dropped by 2% in 2023, Florida fentanyl deaths decreased by 11% during that same time period. And according to the newest data available from the FDLE Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons by Florida Medical Examiners report, Florida fentanyl deaths in the first six months of 2025 are down 42% compared to the first six months of 2024—outpacing the 2025 nationwide decrease of 22%.

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Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock Secure $26 Million for Savannah, Brunswick Ports and Cobb County Transportation Project

Funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, legislation championed by Senators Ossoff and Warnock

The Savannah and Brunswick ports will receive over $20 million to install fiber connections to increase efficiency and connectivity between freight vehicles

Cobb County will receive $5 million for the Cobb Parkway at McCollum Parkway/Kennesaw Due West Road/Old 41 realignment project

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock today announced more than $26 million in federal funding for Georgia to support the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, as well as a transportation project in Cobb County.

“Georgians deserve world-class infrastructure. Bringing Republicans and Democrats together, we’re delivering these resources to upgrade infrastructure across metro Atlanta and coastal Georgia to keep families safe, support business and commerce, and keep our state moving,” said Sen. Ossoff.

“I’m focused on securing federal funding for Georgia to keep our supply chains [love a supply chain reference on this one] running smoothly and our communities better connected,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “This is the kind of progress I had in mind when I worked with my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I will continue to work to deliver more investments in our transportation economy for Georgians across the state.”

For the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, the Senators secured $20,972,248 to install fiber connections for connected vehicles across the freight areas of both ports. The project includes the installation of 58 miles of conduit and fiber-optic communication, and the equipping of approximately 500 freight vehicles with on-board units to improve the efficiency of freight operations.

In Cobb County, the senators secured $5 million to help realign Cobb Parkway at McCollum Parkway. The funding will be used to support study and design activities for the roadway realignments to correct multiple turning movements on McCollum Parkway, Old 41 Highway, South Main Street, and Summers Street by aligning with Cobb Parkway/US 41 at its intersection with Kennesaw Due West Road.

The project also includes two bridge replacements over railroad corridors, multi-modal access, and operational improvements to increase community connectivity.

In 2024, Senators Warnock and Ossoff secured more than $122 million in federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade Georgia’s Public Transportation Infrastructure. The senators also secured over $48 million in federal funding for clean energy upgrades at the ports of Savannah and Brunswick.

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Reed, Colleagues Demand Pentagon Release Investigation of Deadly Iran School Strike Without Further Delay

WASHINGTON, DC – On February 28, 2026, within hours of the Trump Administration initiating ‘Operation Epic Fury,’ a U.S. missile is reported to have struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran, killing over 175 people. Most of the victims, approximately 120 individuals, were innocent children. If those reports are accurate, this incident is one of the U.S. military’s deadliest civilian casualty incidents in decades.

While news reports of the February 28 incident indicate the U.S. knew it made a tragic mistake in carrying out the deadly strike almost immediately, the Department of Defense has yet to disclose its findings, accept blame, or hold anyone accountable for the grave error.

On March 11, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined several colleagues demanding that the Department of Defense provide the American people with transparency about the incident. Reed says 135 days after the strike, the Trump Administration has an obligation to provide the full investigation to Congress and share its finding with the public.

Today, Senator Reed joined U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and 23 of their colleagues in demanding answers from DOD about the deadly strike.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Admiral Brad Cooper, the 25 Senators urged the swift release of the Pentagon’s investigation into the school strike, which was reportedly submitted in April, but remains under review by senior officials. They also requested that the Pentagon provide Congress with a comprehensive plan to ensure that this type of incident does not happen again.

“More than four months after the strike, and after the reported submission of the investigation in April, Congress and the American people still have not received the Department’s investigation and findings,” the senators wrote. “There is no justification for withholding an unclassified accounting of what happened, what went wrong, and what the Department is doing to prevent recurrence.”

On March 5, Reuters first reported that U.S. military investigators believed U.S. forces were likely responsible for the Minab strike. Days later, Pentagon officials reportedly concluded through their preliminary investigation that a U.S. Tomahawk missile had struck the school. Investigators have also reportedly found that multiple failures led the school to be targeted in error, including missed 2019 remarks by an intelligence analyst indicating that the site had changed from a naval facility to a school. The remarks were reportedly entered into a digital system that was not connected to the authoritative targeting database, and officials planning the strike used imagery that had not been updated in several years and did not show a school at the site.

“These reported issues, if accurate, raise deeply troubling questions about the integrity of U.S. target development, the adequacy of target validation and vetting procedures, the interoperability of intelligence and targeting databases, the timeliness and reliability of intelligence used for lethal targeting, and the Department’s implementation of civilian harm mitigation policies,” the senators wrote. “They also raise urgent questions about whether the Department has sufficient targeting personnel, training, accountability mechanisms, and technical safeguards to support large-scale conventional operations.

Despite this reporting, Trump administration officials have not publicly taken responsibility for the strike or the resultant civilian deaths. President Trump himself has suggested multiple times that the strike was not the U.S.’ fault and has even blamed Iran. Additionally, Secretary Hegseth has spent his tenure deriding the rules of engagement and cutting DoD programs that aim to prevent harm to civilians during war, including slashing civilian harm mitigation and response staff at the U.S. combatant commands by over 90 percent.

The senators concluded, “The United States military has a legal and moral obligation to take all feasible precautions to prevent civilian harm. When a U.S. strike kills civilians, the Department owes Congress, the American people, and the victims’ families a clear accounting of what happened and a credible plan to prevent future failures.”

In addition to Gillibrand and Reed, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Secretary Hegseth and Admiral Cooper:

We write regarding the Department of Defense’s investigation into the February 28, 2026 strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School for girls in Minab, Iran, which reportedly killed approximately 120 children and at least 175 people in total. If true, this incident would constitute the U.S. military’s largest civilian casualty incident since 1991. The Department must promptly provide Congress with the complete and unredacted investigation, and submit a concrete plan to ensure such a tragedy does not happen again.

Recent press reporting indicates that the investigation ordered by Admiral Cooper was submitted in April but remains under review by senior DoD leadership. That reporting further indicates that investigators have identified multiple potential failures, including that an analyst noted as early as 2019 that the site appeared to have changed from a naval facility into a school, but that remark was entered into a digital intelligence tool that was not connected to the authoritative targeting database used to develop strike targets. The reporting also indicates that the site was reviewed multiple additional times in subsequent years without the targeting database being updated. Additional reporting from this week alleges that warnings were made in the system indicating the intelligence for the targets was dated, but those warnings were ignored for “expediency” even though the Administration spent weeks planning for President Trump’s war of choice.

These reported issues, if accurate, raise deeply troubling questions about the integrity of U.S. target development, the adequacy of target validation and vetting procedures, the interoperability of intelligence and targeting databases, the timeliness and reliability of intelligence used for lethal targeting, and the Department’s implementation of civilian harm mitigation policies. They also raise urgent questions about whether the Department has sufficient targeting personnel, training, accountability mechanisms, and technical safeguards to support large-scale conventional operations.

More than four months after the strike, and after the reported submission of the investigation in April, Congress and the American people still have not received the Department’s investigation and findings. There is no justification for withholding an unclassified accounting of what happened, what went wrong, and what the Department is doing to prevent recurrence.

Accordingly, we request that the Department of Defense and U.S. Central Command take the following actions no later than July 20, 2026:

1. Promptly finalize the investigation into the February 28 strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School and provide Congress with the complete and unredacted investigation.

2. Provide an unclassified version of the report to Congress, suitable for public release.

3. Submit to Congress a prevention and remediation plan that identifies the specific corrective actions the Department will take to ensure this does not happen again.

4. Provide a briefing to Congress on the investigation and all steps being taken to ensure errors of this kind do not happen again.

The United States military has a legal and moral obligation to take all feasible precautions to prevent civilian harm. When a U.S. strike kills civilians, the Department owes Congress, the American people, and the victims’ families a clear accounting of what happened and a credible plan to prevent future failures.

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

Sincerely,


In Case You Missed It… Sen. Rick Scott Reflects on Sen. Lindsey Graham’s Legacy on Brian Kilmeade Show

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rick Scott joined “the Brian Kilmeade Show” on Fox News Radio to remember Senator Lindsey Graham’s life and work following his unexpected death.

Watch the full interview HERE.

ON SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM’S LEGACY:

“Everybody loved being around Lindsey. He was a patriot, he cared about this country, he cared about every American and our safety. He cared about our allies. He knew there was good in the world. He knew that Putin, Xi, the Ayatollah, and Kim Jong Un are evil and we’re the good guys. He’s a big loss and whoever takes his place, it’s going to be really hard to fill his shoes.

…

“In 2018, when I was not supposed to win my Senate race, he came down and campaigned for me. It was right after the Kavanaugh hearing. He was a superstar and everybody loved him… when I ran against [Mitch] McConnell to be the Leader in 2022, he stood with me and supported me… He was not part of the establishment crowd saying, ‘Oh I’m just going to do whatever leadership tells me to do.’ He had his views and he was passionate about them.”

ON THE SENATE COMING BACK TO WORK TO PASS SAVE AMERICA ACT:

“I hope as Republican and Democrat Senators come back from this two-week recess and they did what I did—go around my state, heard from everybody saying, ‘you’ve got to secure our elections.’

…

“You have to pass the SAVE America Act… I know I’m going to work on it. I know Mike Lee is going to work on it. Ron Johson’s going to work on it. Whatever we have to do— if we have to do the talking filibuster for two-three months, whether we have to get rid of the filibuster, we’ve got to secure the elections… It’s the most important thing for our country, so let’s take as many days as it takes.”

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Sen. Rick Scott in Fox News: ‘Americans Work Five Days a Week, Why Can’t the Senate?’

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, U.S. Senator Rick Scott published an op-ed in Fox News urging his Senate colleagues to work and vote every day on codifying President Trump’s agenda and delivering on the promises made to the American people.

Today, the Senate returns from a two-week recess for a four-week work period in Washington, D.C. ahead of a scheduled five-week recess in August.

Senator Rick Scott wrote, “Did you know the U.S. Senate has only been in session 79 days (about 40% of the time) so far this year? And so far, we haven’t passed anything to secure our elections, reduce inflation, cut spending or prevent another Democrat shutdown.

…

“Right now, we take fewer than 10 votes a week. We arrive late Monday to vote and leave as soon as possible on Thursday afternoon. The Senate is rarely in session on Fridays and almost never works over the weekend — even when pressing deadlines approach on issues critical to the safety, security and stability of the American people.

…

“Time is short. Getting all of this done before November would mean staying in Washington until we figure out how to deliver it. It would mean sitting down and working together to find solutions, instead of throwing up our hands and going home. We can’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and we can’t stop just because it’s hard.”

Read the full op-ed HERE.

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Washington Needs to Protect Florida’s Farmers from Foreign Cheaters

Plant City Observer

Sen. Rick Scott

July 13, 2026

Florida produces some of the best food in the world grown by the best farmers, growers, and ranchers in the world. We have a vibrant agricultural industry that forms the backbone of our state’s economy and helps keep food on American tables. It also provides good jobs and a meaningful way of life to so many Floridians.

All that is under attack by foreign cheaters, and we need to dig in and fight back.

Last week I called on the Department of Commerce to beef up its investigations into suspected illegal dumping of Mexican strawberries into U.S. markets during peak winter season. This is a blatant attempt by Mexico to rip off hardworking Florida farmers and cut their profits. Florida produces 15 percent of America’s strawberries, and the industry has a $1.1 billion impact on Hillsborough County alone. Crop dumping distorts the market and pushes prices down, and it cheats American farmers and their families out of their livelihood.

Here’s what we know: On December 31, 2025, the Strawberry Growers for Fair Trade (SGFT), a coalition of domestic growers, filed a petition with the Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) alleging that fresh winter strawberries from Mexico are being sold in the United States at less than fair value. The investigation covered fresh and chilled strawberries from November 1 and March 31, the same window in which Florida growers harvest and sell their crops. Further demonstrating the obvious attempt by Mexico to undermine Florida farmers and destroy their way of life.

Mexico has used the same playbook against Florida’s tomato, blueberry, bell pepper, and many other specialty crop growers for nearly 30 years. The damage this illegal practice causes is immense. I have sat down and met with Florida farmers, many from the Winter Strawberry Capitol of the World in Plant City, and have seen firsthand the damage that this illegal crop dumping brings.

Farmers are the backbone of our state and country and that is why we need to stand up to any and all foreign countries trying to game the system.

Many of the affected Florida farms are multigenerational operations, i.e., parents and grandparents who built their farms from a few acres and hope to pass them on to their children. After fighting through Hurricanes Helene and Milton and this most recent winter freeze, these families now face a flood of dumped Mexican strawberries that threatens to take everything they have rebuilt.

It isn’t fair, and it isn’t good for Florida. When a family farm in Plant City shuts down, it doesn’t come back, and the jobs, the rural communities and the food security that depend on it can disappear with it.

Food security is national security; a nation that cannot feed itself cannot defend itself. We cannot allow our nation’s ability to feed itself to depend on the trade practices of a foreign government. It’s time to put an end to this despicable practice and allow our Florida farmers to sell their crops at fair prices and continue to produce the best strawberries in the world.

I will never stop fighting for Florida’s farmers and will work hard to ensure they get the fair playing field they deserve.


Rosen Helps Introduce Bill to Bar Trump Admin from Sending Federal Troops to Polling Sites

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce a bill to protect American elections from federal interference by armed uniformed military or federal law enforcement. This comes after Donald Trump has threatened to send armed troops to polling sites, potentially intimidating eligible voters from exercising their right to vote, and has pushed for legislation to federalize elections. Current law has restricted the use of the military at polling places since the Civil War era to ensure that voters could cast ballots free from intimidation, coercion, or the appearance of government force.

“Our elections have always been kept safe and reliable by state and local officials, and there is absolutely no need for federal troops to be stationed at polling locations,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to help introduce this important bill to prevent Donald Trump from sending military troops to polling locations to intimidate law-abiding Americans.”

Senator Rosen has fought to protect Nevadans’ fundamental right to vote. In April, she helped introduce a bill to protect vote by mail. Senator Rosen has also been outspoken against the hyper-partisan SAVE America Act, which would impose strict restrictions on voting and voter registration. Last year, Senator Rosen pushed back against Trump’s plan to privatize the USPS, endangering vote-by-mail nationwide.

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NEWS: EPW Committee Announces Markup of the Water Resources Development Act of 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the EPW Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife Subcommittee, joined U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, in announcing plans for the EPW Committee to mark up the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA 2026) on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

The Water Resources Development Act is biennial legislation that authorizes flood risk management, navigation, and ecosystem restoration projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). WRDA 2026 also reauthorizes the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) drinking water and wastewater infrastructure programs, including the State Revolving Funds (SRFs). The legislation was developed in partnership with Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Chairman of the of the EPW Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee; and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the EPW Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee.

“Our bipartisan legislation will provide critical resources to address water supply, conservation and development, advance resilient water infrastructure, and deliver clean drinking water to millions of Americans. In California, these investments will lower rising water bills, provide necessary flood protection, and modernize aging infrastructure to ensure reliable access to safe drinking water,” said Senator Schiff.

“The Army Corps of Engineers conducts essential work to modernize water resources infrastructure, manage risk from floods and coastal storms, and improve navigation along our waterways and at Ports. This work protects lives and property, and bolsters our economy. As Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, I am proud to have led this bipartisan effort in crafting WRDA 2026, which will provide the Army Corps with the resources it needs to continue its critical work nationwide. WRDA 2026 will also help provide West Virginia with vital funds to address our water infrastructure needs. This bill includes key wins for West Virginia and all fifty states. I hope to see it move forward with strong bipartisan support during Wednesday’s business meeting,” said Chairman Capito.

“Our markup to advance this significant package of legislation demonstrates a bipartisan commitment to maintaining and upgrading the nation’s water infrastructure. The Ocean State stands to benefit much from this bill, which supports investments in safe drinking water and wastewater systems as well as flood risk management, ecosystem restoration, and navigation,” said Ranking Member Whitehouse.

“Under both Republican and Democrat leadership, members of the Environment and Public Works Committee have worked together to pass a bipartisan Water Resources Development Act every two years through regular order. This year’s WRDA is a testament to the continued cooperation of the committee, especially the leadership of Chairman Capito and Ranking Member Whitehouse. The bill delivers wins for communities across North Dakota and the nation by authorizing critical water infrastructure programs, advancing efforts to streamline project delivery, and pursuing key regulatory reforms. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this done,” said Senator Cramer.

“As Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, I am so proud of this bipartisan effort and the commitment we’ve had to advancing this critical legislation. I’m especially proud to have fought for provisions that deliver real results for Maryland — from increasing the federal cost share for the Cumberland flood risk management project to extending federal participation in the Assateague Island Shoreline Restoration and authorizing a funding increase for the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery Program. We’re working together to modernize our infrastructure, protect our habitats, accomplish our environmental goals, and support communities across the country and Maryland. That is worth celebrating,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

The bill text is available here.

A section-by-section overview of the bill is available here.

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NEWS: Sen. Schiff Files New War Powers Resolution After Collapse of U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

Schiff: “Any assertion by the Trump administration that he gets 60 more days to act without Congress has no foundation in law.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) filed a new War Powers Resolution after the United States resumed large-scale military strikes against Iran and President Donald Trump announced his intention to blockade Iran and institute a fee on all cargo moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

“The events of the last week prove why Congress must reassert its war powers authority. We were promised the war would be over for months. And now in a matter of days we’ve gone from a bad U.S.-Iran deal to more strikes, another blockade, and added turmoil that will only drive prices higher. Any assertion by the Trump administration that he gets 60 more days to act without Congress has no foundation in law. By forcing a new vote to end this war, we make it clear that Congress insists on the removal of troops from the region barring an authorization of force accompanied by a truly viable strategy — both of which have been lacking,” said Senator Schiff.

The new resolution explicitly rejects the President’s assertion that the 60-day clock under the War Powers Act ever stopped, as the U.S. Armed Forces continued to exert military force throughout the ceasefire.

The resolution is privileged under Senate Rules, allowing Schiff to motion for consideration of the measure on the Senate Floor as soon as next week. The resolution would direct the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran.

The resolution was co-sponsored by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

Background: Senator Schiff has worked with Senator Kaine, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and other colleagues to force numerous votes in the Senate on the War Powers Resolution, including asserting the 60-day statutory clock, triggered by the President’s March 2, 2026, notification to Congress, had run out on the President’s ongoing use of military force, in addition to being unconstitutional from the start.

Both houses of Congress previously voted to object to the continued conflict, passing a House Concurrent Resolution last month.

Schiff led 37 Senate Democrats in 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 requested President Trump release the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) opinion supporting this claim.

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NEWS: Sen. Schiff Reveals New Uncovered Documents Exposing Continued Taxpayer Waste on Trump Banners Across Nation’s Capital

Washington, D.C. – New government documents uncovered by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) expose additional contracts being doled out by the Trump administration to print giant banners in Washington D.C., some featuring 50 foot+ prints of Donald Trump’s face – a clear violation of federal law prohibiting taxpayer spending on propaganda.

“The Trump administration is spending hundreds of thousands of your tax dollars to glorify and pay tribute to a sitting U.S. President and his political agenda. Not only is this a terrible waste of Americans’ hard-earned money, it is clearly against the law. Congress has long outlawed spending tax dollars on propaganda and self-aggrandizement and an eight-story high Donald Trump head certainly qualifies as propaganda,” said Senator Schiff.

Documents show that the Department of Interior’s new banners featuring Donald Trump and an “America First” slogan cost the taxpayer $39,000. That contract can be found here.

Another set of banners at the Federal Aviation Administration cost the taxpayer upwards of $114,000. That contract can be found here.

These documents come after a Schiff report last fall exposing contract documents for propaganda banners that the Trump administration was paying at least $50,000 in taxpayer funds to print and hang on government buildings around D.C.

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Scott leads Senate colleagues in introducing resolution honoring the life and legacy of Lindsey Graham

Washington — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced a bipartisan resolution to honor the life and legacy of the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. The resolution is co-sponsored by every member of the U.S. Senate and passed the Senate unanimously.

“Lindsey Graham was one of a kind. He devoted his life to serving South Carolina and defending the nation he loved, and he did so with unmatched determination, unmistakable humor, and a heart for people.”

Senator Tim Scott

“Lindsey Graham was one of a kind. He devoted his life to serving South Carolina and defending the nation he loved, and he did so with unmatched determination, unmistakable humor, and a heart for people. Whether speaking with a world leader or a South Carolinian back home, Lindsey made people feel like they mattered,” said Sen. Scott. “His leadership shaped our state and strengthened our nation. I am grateful to have called him my friend, and I know South Carolina and our country will feel the weight of his loss for years to come. The greatest tribute we can pay Lindsey is to answer the call to serve with the same courage, conviction, and love of country that defined his life.”

Lindsey Olin Graham’s life was defined by resilience, duty, and an unwavering commitment to serving others. Raised in a working-class family, he endured unimaginable loss at a young age when his mother died from cancer and, just 15 months later, his father passed away from a heart attack. Faced with extraordinary hardship, Graham assumed responsibility for his 13-year-old sister, Darline, whom he later adopted. That profound sense of responsibility became the foundation of a lifetime devoted to public service.

For more than three decades, Graham served his country in the Air Force, South Carolina Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve while bringing that same sense of duty to the United States Senate for more than two decades. He was known for his quick wit, generous spirit, and ability to build lasting friendships across the political spectrum without compromising his convictions. A steadfast champion of a strong national defense, American leadership abroad, and the cause of freedom around the world, Graham believed America’s security and moral leadership were inseparable. Above all, he never lost sight of the people and values that shaped him, carrying an enduring love for South Carolina into every decision he made. His legacy is one of courage, statesmanship, and service to his state and nation.

Beyond his legislative accomplishments, Graham leaves behind a devoted team of public servants who carry forward the values he instilled in them. Team Graham embodies the patriotism and commitment to service that defined his life, ensuring his legacy will endure for generations to come.

He is survived by his sister, Darline Graham Nordone.

See the resolution text honoring Senator Graham here.

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Sen. Tim Scott releases statement on appointment of Darline Graham Nordone to the U.S. Senate

COLUMBIA, S.C. — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Governor Henry McMaster in Columbia, South Carolina for the appointment of Darline Graham Nordone to serve the remainder of the late Lindsey Graham’s U.S. Senate term.

“The appointment of Darline Graham Nordone to the U.S. Senate is an incredible way to honor the legacy of Lindsey Graham,” said Sen. Scott. “Nobody understands Lindsey Graham’s heart for faith, family, and South Carolina the way she does. I look forward to working alongside her to continue Senator Graham’s commitment to keeping Americans safe and secure.”

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Shaheen Celebrates University of New Hampshire and NOAA Center of Excellence, Delivers Remarks at Beam Signing Ceremony

(Durham, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, celebrated the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) decades-long partnership with a beam signing ceremony at the future site of the UNH and NOAA Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping. Since 1999, UNH and NOAA have collaborated on the operation of the Joint Hydrographic Center and Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping. Located on the UNH campus, the facility has mapped over one million square kilometers of ocean floor, contributed to advances in autonomous vehicle ocean mapping and supported the federal government in disaster response efforts.

Photos from today’s event can be found HERE.

Since Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 23), Senator Shaheen has secured $30 million to support UNH and NOAA’s ocean mapping partnership, with a portion of the funding Shaheen secured directly contributing to the construction of the new Center. The state-of-the-art facility will create new employment opportunities in the Granite State, expand educational opportunities for students and promote new research—ensuring UNH remains a global leader in ocean floor and coastal mapping, which is critical to safe navigation, disaster preparedness and national security.

“For decades, the University of New Hampshire and NOAA have maintained a partnership that has advanced critical research and expanded educational opportunities for students in the Granite State. I’m proud of the work I have done to support this key relationship, including securing funding that will support construction of this new, cutting-edge facility,” said Senator Shaheen. “From fostering new opportunities for students to promoting critical research, the Center of Excellence will be a hub of scientific innovation while powering our coastal economy with new jobs.”

Shaheen is the former chair and current senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, which funds NOAA. Along with securing $30 million in federal funding to support the partnership between UNH and NOAA, Shaheen has delivered millions in funding for NOAA. In bipartisan FY 26 Appropriations legislation, Shaheen helped ensure NOAA had the resources it required for key programs to support New Hampshire’s fisheries, ocean research and conservation efforts.

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Thune Joins Fox News, CNN, and Newsmax to Reflect on Decades-Long Friendship With Senator Graham

Click here to watch Fox News, here to watch CNN, and here to watch Newsmax.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined America’s Newsroom on Fox News, Inside Politics on CNN, and The Record with Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax.

On Senator Graham’s legacy:

“On a personal level, he was a very good friend to me … He came out to my first campaign, my first House campaign in 1996. And then the last couple of years, he’s been out in South Dakota with me, and we’ve been just a lot of places together through the years. But more important than all of that is just the impact he’s had on this country and the voice that he has been on so many issues that are critical to America’s national security interests and to protecting the American people.”

[…]

“I’ve never seen anybody, honestly, who … had more energy, more passion … Sometimes we kind of find ourselves going through the motions here; Lindsey was never that way. He believed every day in what he was doing and why he was doing it. He had a great sense of mission and purpose, and that is absolutely going to be missed here.”

[…]

“Lindsey was a bigger-than-life impact player in terms of the international scene, domestic politics, legislation, policy, things he was passionate about. But like you said, there are a lot of us who knew him as a close friend. He was that to me. He was a trusted advisor, somebody I could go to to give me straight advice and counsel, and just spent a lot of time through the years.

“And I’m really, really, incredibly sad and still in shock, I think like a lot of people are, but we’re doing our best to process it. And you know, we just have to make the best of the situation and do everything we can to honor and give tribute to Lindsey and his life and his impact and just the difference he made here as a public servant through all these years.”

[…]

“I can’t imagine this place without Lindsey. I can’t imagine the world writ large without Lindsey, for the incredible impact that he had on so many levels. Just so passionate about national security, obviously huge influence and voice on matters affecting judges and the judiciary. He was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, got us through two reconciliation bills this last year. And of course, one of the strongest voices for the pro-life movement in this country.”

[…]

“It is going to be very, very hard to envision the United States Senate, our country, certainly South Carolina, or for that matter the world, without Lindsey.”

[…]

“He was somebody who was fearless in the way he approached the legislative process. He was willing to take on tough issues and speak out about them. And of course, he had just one of the sharpest wits I’ve ever been around, and he was able to use that when he communicated. He was a very gifted and talented communicator.”


Thune Pays Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Senator Lindsey Graham

Click here to 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, I come to the floor today with a heavy heart.

“I look to my right and I see a desk which we in the Senate refer to and know as the John Calhoun desk.

“It’s covered with a black shroud.

“And on … top of that shroud is a bowl of white roses.

“That, Mr. President, is Lindsey Graham’s desk.

“It’s difficult to believe that Lindsey Graham is no longer here with us – that we won’t run into him at a meeting today, or share a joke with him at this afternoon’s vote.

“The halls of the Senate already feel empty without him.

“And I know I’m not alone in that feeling.

“He was a friend to so many of us, on both sides of the aisle.

“And I know that I’m not the only one who finds it difficult to imagine the Senate without Lindsey Graham.

“Mr. President, the events of Lindsey’s life have been well-documented over the past couple of days.

“His humble beginnings in South Carolina, sharing a single room with the rest of his family behind his family’s bar.

“His guardianship of his younger sister Darline, after the untimely death of their parents.

“His long service in the Air Force, the South Carolina Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve.

“His career in politics, first as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives; then as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, where I served with him for six years; and then in the Senate, where he was just completing his fourth term.

“In the Senate, Lindsey distinguished himself as a staunch conservative – and a fierce advocate for South Carolina – but also as someone who was willing to work across the aisle to find common ground and to reach solutions.

“A lawyer by trade, he served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021, where he helped confirm a Supreme Court justice and numerous federal judges – the kind of judges who believe in following the law and the Constitution, instead of legislating policy from the bench.

“Most of all, of course, Mr. President, Lindsey was known for his national security and foreign policy work.

“There was no bigger believer in America’s role in the world.

“He was confident that the United States could be a force for good, and he gave everything he had to ensuring that we would be.

“He was a friend and defender of freedom-loving peoples all over the world.

“He stood with the Ukrainian people in their fight against Russian aggression, and he died with his boots on, having just returned from a trip to Ukraine – his tenth.

“He believed fiercely in the importance of a strong national defense – in ensuring that our country, and our military men and women, were always prepared to deter and defeat any threat.

“But while there was always a lot made of his support for American hard power, he was also a big believer in the use of soft power – economic, diplomatic, and political solutions to the world’s problems.

“I was fortunate to travel with him all over the world – including to Israel after Hamas’ October 7th attack – and I saw firsthand the work that he did to promote American security and the security of freedom-loving peoples around the globe.

“And of course, I don’t need to tell anyone in this body that Lindsey was fearless in his commitment to the causes that he espoused.

“It didn’t matter to him whether he would catch flack on an issue – he was undaunted by the politics if he believed he was right on the principle.

“Senator. Warrior. Patriot. Statesman.

“Words that will be written about Lindsey.

“But for me, most of all, Mr. President, he was my friend.

“‘Without friends,’ Aristotle said, ‘no one would choose to live’ … ‘though he had all other goods.’

“And it’s difficult to count the ways in which Lindsey’s friendship made this job richer – and its burdens lighter.

“Lindsey was as loyal as they come – and a trusted adviser.

“I could always rely on him for straight-talking advice.

“He never minced words or pulled punches.

“I could also rely on him for a steady flow of humor and encouragement.

“He always could make me laugh.

“Always.

“In the last couple of years, he came to South Dakota twice, and twice we sat on the deck and watched the sun go down on Lake Oahe – a familiar scene to me but new to him.

“And as the stars came out, you could see the Milky Way overhead and you could hear coyotes howling and rooster pheasants cackling down below.

“Lindsey’s wit punctuated all of it.

“And I will cherish those memories for a long time to come.

“Mr. President, if there is any light to be found in this grief, it is this:

“That as a Christian, like Lindsey, I know that death is not the end.

“The Apostle Paul writes, and I quote, ‘Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.’

“Or as another Graham once put it, and I quote, ‘Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.’

“I will miss Lindsey’s friendship, Mr. President, more than I can say.

“We pray for his staff and for his family, whom he loved dearly, and who loved him dearly in return.

“But I am comforted by the knowledge that in the end, he has just changed his address.

“And that one day, Mr. President, we will laugh together again.”


Tuberville Joins Anti-Fraud Task Force to Root Out Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Federal Programs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) in launching an Anti-Fraud Task Force alongside seven of their Republican colleagues. The Anti-Fraud Task Force will examine fraud, waste, and abuse across federal programs; identify vulnerabilities in existing systems; and strengthen government accountability to ensure the proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

“For years, blue states like Minnesota have been robbing the American taxpayers blind. Americans deserve better. Thank God for President Trump and Vice President Vance who are cracking down on fraud. It’s past time that Congress does our part to protect taxpayers,” said Sen. Tuberville.

Sens. Tuberville and Schmitt were joined by Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Ashley Moody (R-FL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT).

Sen. Tuberville also joined five of his Anti-Task Force colleagues in sending a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald commending the Trump Administration’s early anti-fraud efforts and requesting information to help Congress support and strengthen those initiatives moving forward.

“We commend President Trump for the decisive action taken to establish the National Fraud Enforcement Division (NFED) and the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. Fraud is theft from hardworking American families, and Vice President Vance’s leadership as ‘Fraud Czar’ sends the right signal: this administration will no longer tolerate billions in organized theft from taxpayers through welfare programs, election schemes, contractor abuse, federally funded nonprofits, or elite institutions. The Senate Anti-Fraud Task Force is especially concerned with fraud schemes that undermine the constitutional foundations of self-government: honest elections, lawful citizenship, equal enforcement of federal law, federal-state cooperation, and Congress’s ability to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent consistent with law,” wrote the Senators.

Sen. Tuberville was joined by Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Ashley Moody (R-FL), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) in signing the letter.

Read full text of the letter here.

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, Alsobrooks, McClain Delaney Announce Over $800,000 for Infrastructure, Workforce Development in Washington, Allegany Counties

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Congresswoman April McClain Delaney (all D-Md.) announced $802,731 in federal funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for infrastructure and workforce development in Washington and Allegany Counties. These investments will support water infrastructure upgrades, improve the Evergreen Heritage Center, and expand job training opportunities for local students.

“From upgrading water infrastructure and expanding access to our natural resources to creating more workforce training opportunities for good-paying jobs, these investments will directly support Western Maryland communities and contribute to Mountain Maryland’s economy and growth,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“Western Maryland has so much to offer our state and our entire nation, that’s why it is so critical that we improve our infrastructure, make sure young people have access to apprenticeship and trade programs, and maintain all the recreation opportunities Mountain Maryland has to offer – fueling our tourism economy,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

“When we invest in our communities, we invest in our people. I'm committed to bringing federal resources home to Western Maryland to help lower costs and expand opportunity. These investments will modernize critical infrastructure, strengthen workforce development, and support local organizations that make our communities stronger. I'm proud to work alongside Senators Van Hollen and Alsobrooks to ensure Western Maryland receives the federal support it deserves,” said Congresswoman McClain Delaney.

The federal grants have been awarded as follows:

$577,000 to the Town of Keedysville to replace approximately 2,600 linear feet of aging ductile iron water lines in the Bedrock and Coffman Farms neighborhoods with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) lines. The water infrastructure upgrades will provide improved service to 129 businesses and 1,826 households connected to the system.

$197,331 to Hagerstown Community College (HCC) to expand apprenticeship and trade programs to accommodate 274 students. HCC will provide students with hands-on training and connect participants to local employers, establishing a pipeline to help meet the growing demand for HVAC technicians, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and more in Appalachian Maryland.

$28,400 to the Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation to install 5 experiential enhancements on its Forest Evolution Trail in partnership with Allegany County Public Schools and Frostburg State University, and will create Activity User Guides for residents and tourists who visit the trail. These upgrades will benefit an estimated 200 visitors in the first year alone, while supporting the education of 500 public school students and 15 Frostburg State University students.

These investments are provided through the Appalachian Regional Commission, an economic development partnership entity of the federal government and 13 state governments, focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. Senator Van Hollen secured $200 million in federal funding for the ARC through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, and the lawmakers have since worked to prevent cuts to the program from the Trump Administration.


Van Hollen Joins Gillibrand, Colleagues in Demanding Pentagon Release Long-Awaited Report on U.S. Bombing of Iranian Elementary School

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and 23 of their Senate colleagues in continuing to demand answers from the Department of Defense (DoD) over the U.S.’ bombing of an Iranian elementary school in February. The strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, which reportedly killed approximately 120 children and at least 175 people in total, represented the worst civilian casualty incident caused by the U.S. military in decades.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Admiral Brad Cooper, the senators called for the swift completion and release of the Pentagon’s investigation into the school strike, which was reportedly submitted in April, but remains under review by senior military officials. They also requested that the Pentagon provide Congress with a comprehensive plan to ensure that this type of incident does not happen again.

“More than four months after the strike, and after the reported submission of the investigation in April, Congress and the American people still have not received the Department’s investigation and findings,” the senators wrote. “There is no justification for withholding an unclassified accounting of what happened, what went wrong, and what the Department is doing to prevent recurrence.”

In early March, Reuters first reported that U.S. military investigators believed U.S. forces were likely responsible for the Minab strike. Days later, Pentagon officials reportedly concluded through their preliminary investigation that a U.S. Tomahawk missile had struck the school. Investigators have also reportedly found that multiple failures led the school to be targeted in error, including missed 2019 remarks by an intelligence analyst indicating that the site had changed from a naval facility to a school. The analyst had entered the remarks into a digital system that was not connected to the authoritative targeting database, and officials planning the attack used imagery that had not been updated in several years and did not show a school at the site. In fact, according to recent reporting, senior U.S. military commanders ignored warnings that intelligence about potential targets was severely out of date for the sake of “expediency,” which directly contributed to the strike on the school.

“These reported issues, if accurate, raise deeply troubling questions about the integrity of U.S. target development, the adequacy of target validation and vetting procedures, the interoperability of intelligence and targeting databases, the timeliness and reliability of intelligence used for lethal targeting, and the Department’s implementation of civilian harm mitigation policies,” the senators wrote. “They also raise urgent questions about whether the Department has sufficient targeting personnel, training, accountability mechanisms, and technical safeguards to support large-scale conventional operations.

Despite this reporting, Trump administration officials have not publicly taken responsibility for the strike or the resultant civilian deaths. President Trump himself has suggested multiple times that the strike was not the U.S.’ fault and has even blamed Iran. Additionally, Sec. Hegseth has spent his tenure deriding the rules of engagement and cutting DoD programs that aim to prevent harm to civilians during war, including slashing civilian harm mitigation and response staff at the U.S. combatant commands by over 90 percent.

The senators concluded, “The United States military has a legal and moral obligation to take all feasible precautions to prevent civilian harm. When a U.S. strike kills civilians, the Department owes Congress, the American people, and the victims’ families a clear accounting of what happened and a credible plan to prevent future failures.”

In addition to Senators Van Hollen and Gillibrand, the letter was signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).

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

Dear Secretary Hegseth and Admiral Cooper:

We write regarding the Department of Defense’s investigation into the February 28, 2026 strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School for girls in Minab, Iran, which reportedly killed approximately 120 children and at least 175 people in total. If true, this incident would constitute the U.S. military’s largest civilian casualty incident since 1991. The Department must promptly provide Congress with the complete and unredacted investigation, and submit a concrete plan to ensure such a tragedy does not happen again.

Recent press reporting indicates that the investigation ordered by Admiral Cooper was submitted in April but remains under review by senior DoD leadership. That reporting further indicates that investigators have identified multiple potential failures, including that an analyst noted as early as 2019 that the site appeared to have changed from a naval facility into a school, but that remark was entered into a digital intelligence tool that was not connected to the authoritative targeting database used to develop strike targets. The reporting also indicates that the site was reviewed multiple additional times in subsequent years without the targeting database being updated. Additional reporting from this week alleges that warnings were made in the system indicating the intelligence for the targets was dated, but those warnings were ignored for “expediency” even though the Administration spent weeks planning for President Trump’s war of choice.

These reported issues, if accurate, raise deeply troubling questions about the integrity of U.S. target development, the adequacy of target validation and vetting procedures, the interoperability of intelligence and targeting databases, the timeliness and reliability of intelligence used for lethal targeting, and the Department’s implementation of civilian harm mitigation policies. They also raise urgent questions about whether the Department has sufficient targeting personnel, training, accountability mechanisms, and technical safeguards to support large-scale conventional operations.

More than four months after the strike, and after the reported submission of the investigation in April, Congress and the American people still have not received the Department’s investigation and findings. There is no justification for withholding an unclassified accounting of what happened, what went wrong, and what the Department is doing to prevent recurrence.

Accordingly, we request that the Department of Defense and U.S. Central Command take the following actions no later than July 20, 2026:

1. Promptly finalize the investigation into the February 28 strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School and provide Congress with the complete and unredacted investigation.

2. Provide an unclassified version of the report to Congress, suitable for public release.

3. Submit to Congress a prevention and remediation plan that identifies the specific corrective actions the Department will take to ensure this does not happen again.

4. Provide a briefing to Congress on the investigation and all steps being taken to ensure errors of this kind do not happen again.

The United States military has a legal and moral obligation to take all feasible precautions to prevent civilian harm. When a U.S. strike kills civilians, the Department owes Congress, the American people, and the victims’ families a clear accounting of what happened and a credible plan to prevent future failures.

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

Sincerely,


Warnock, Atlanta Mayor Dickens, Councilmember Boone Celebrate Warnock-Led Provision That Will Keep Homes in the Hands of Georgia Families

On Monday, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock held a press conference with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta City District 10 Councilmember Andrea Boone to celebrate the enactment of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

Senator Warnock’s provision to ban large corporations from mass purchasing single-family homes became federal law on Saturday morning

Private equity has rapidly spread through Georgia’s housing market, with more than one in four single-family rental homes in metro Atlanta owned by large corporations

The housing package includes provisions championed by Senator Warnock that will boost housing supply by cutting red tape, investing in local innovation, and reforming legacy housing programs

Senator Reverend Warnock: “Housing is dignity, housing is stability, housing is hope”

Photo Credit: Joshua Spruiel/City of Atlanta

Above: Senator Warnock in Atlanta (also pictured from left to right: Jacob Parcel and his son, Atlanta City District 10 Councilmember Andrea Boone, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens)

Atlanta, GA – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) held a press conference in the Adamsville neighborhood of Atlanta with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Atlanta City District 10 Councilmember Andrea Boone, and prospective first-time homebuyer Jacob Parcel to celebrate the enactment of Senator Warnock’s landmark provision prohibiting private equity firms from mass-purchasing single-family homes. The provision was included in the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the largest housing reform and affordability legislation in a generation. The bill became federal law early Saturday morning.

“Housing is dignity, housing is stability, housing is hope,” said Senator Warnock. “When you set politics aside and center the people, you have a chance at getting the public policy right. I promised the people of Georgia that I would walk with them, even as I work for them, and so it’s good to be walking through this neighborhood today and to think that over the weekend we were actually able to bring some good news.”

“Senator Warnock understands the urgent need to address a challenge that Atlanta and other major cities have been facing for far too long,” said Mayor Dickens. “When large institutional investors and private equity firms buy up neighborhoods and homes in bulk, it becomes much harder for working families to achieve their dream of homeownership, and it becomes harder for longtime residents to remain rooted in the communities they helped build.”

“Imagine saving long and hard for a down payment on a home, your piece of the American dream. You have every requirement in order, only to be disappointed time and time again because the dream is out of your reach,” said Councilmember Boone. “Today, I’m happy to tell you we’ve turned that corner. Thanks to the relentless leadership of Senator Warnock, this private equity ban legislation makes it clear our communities are not investment portfolios. No one should have to outbid Wall Street to build a life.”

“Me and my wife resonate with this closely because we ourselves have been trying to buy a home for the last two years, and homes in our area have been few and far between. And the ones that are for sale are just simply too expensive,” said Jacob Parcel, a prospective first-time homebuyer and third generation Smyrna, GA, resident. “I believe if you work hard and if you save for years, you should be able to buy a home in the neighborhood that you want to be in…That’s why I’m grateful to Senator Warnock for fighting for us in Washington, and I appreciate all the efforts that he’s made.”

On Saturday, despite passing the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became federal law without President Donald Trump’s signature. Lauded as the most consequential housing package in a generation, the legislation delivers relief to a housing market crippled by the ongoing affordability crisis.

In addition to the ban on private equity, the 21st Century Road to Housing Act also includes provisions from Senator Warnock’s Appraisal Modernization Act, the only fair housing provision in the legislation, and several bills Senator Warnock has championed for years to reform rural housing programs, penalize local governments for failing to meet housing goals, incentivize local governments and banks to invest more in the construction of housing, and provide grants and forgivable loans to help homeowners repair and weatherize their properties.

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Warnock, Ossoff Secure $26 Million for Savannah, Brunswick Ports and Cobb County Transportation Project

Funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, legislation championed by Senators Warnock and Ossoff

The Savannah and Brunswick ports will receive over $20 million to install fiber connections to increase efficiency and connectivity between freight vehicles

Cobb County will receive $5 million for the Cobb Parkway at McCollum Parkway/Kennesaw Due West Road/Old 41 realignment project

Senator Reverend Warnock: “This is the kind of funding and progress I had in mind when I worked with my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”

Senator Ossoff: “We’re delivering these resources to upgrade infrastructure across metro Atlanta and coastal Georgia to keep families safe, support business and commerce, and keep our state moving.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) announced more than $26 million in federal funding for Georgia to support the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, as well as a transportation project in Cobb County.

“I’m focused on securing federal funding for Georgia to keep our supply chains [love a supply chain reference on this one] running smoothly and our communities better connected,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “This is the kind of progress I had in mind when I worked with my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I will continue to work to deliver more investments in our transportation economy for Georgians across the state.”

“Georgians deserve world-class infrastructure. Bringing Republicans and Democrats together, we’re delivering these resources to upgrade infrastructure across metro Atlanta and coastal Georgia to keep families safe, support business and commerce, and keep our state moving,” said Senator Ossoff.

For the ports of Savannah and Brunswick, the Senators secured $20,972,248 to install fiber connections for connected vehicles across the freight areas of both ports. The project includes the installation of 58 miles of conduit and fiber-optic communication, and the equipping of approximately 500 freight vehicles with on-board units to improve the efficiency of freight operations.

In Cobb County, the senators secured $5 million to help realign Cobb Parkway at McCollum Parkway. The funding will be used to support study and design activities for the roadway realignments to correct multiple turning movements on McCollum Parkway, Old 41 Highway, South Main Street, and Summers Street by aligning with Cobb Parkway/US 41 at its intersection with Kennesaw Due West Road.

The project also includes two bridge replacements over railroad corridors, multi-modal access, and operational improvements to increase community connectivity.

Senators Warnock and Ossoff have long been champions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, beginning with Senator Warnock’s work on the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee to secure infrastructure investments that will support jobs in Georgia and modernize the state’s infrastructure.

In 2024, Senators Warnock and Ossoff secured more than $122 million in federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade Georgia’s Public Transportation Infrastructure. The senators also secured over $48 million in federal funding for clean energy upgrades at the ports of Savannah and Brunswick.


Warnock Statement on Senator Lindsey Graham

Today, Senator Reverend Warnock released the following statement:

“Lindsey Graham spent his entire life in public service—first in the military, then in public office. I am shocked by his sudden loss, and I pray God’s grace upon his family and loved ones.”