Murray Leads Colleagues in Calling on RFK Jr. to Reinstate 50+ Recently Cancelled Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grants

On Friday, Trump admin cancelled vast majority of grants awarded to communities nationwide to prevent teen pregnancy

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, led a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. blasting his recent decision to terminate nearly all Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program grants—and calling on him to immediately reinstate the funding for over 50 grantees nationwide.

“We write to express our outrage over your recent decision to terminate the vast majority of Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants, which will deprive teens across the U.S. of vital resources and threaten to unwind decades of progress made in reducing teen pregnancy,” write the senators. “These grants, which were canceled in the middle of their five-year project period, supported evidence-based programs that worked to prevent teen pregnancy and behavioral risk factors underlying teen pregnancy, as is required by law.”

In their letter, the lawmakers note that teen pregnancy in the U.S. has been on a steady decline for decades, thanks in part to successful programs like TPP: “For the last 35 years, the teen birth rate has been declining. According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the teenage birth rate fell by 7% in 2025, reaching another historic low.”

The senators explain that Congress has appropriated $101 million in fiscal year 2026 for the explicit purpose of making grants to support “medically accurate and age appropriate programs that reduce teen pregnancy,” and state that these cancellations ignore congressional intent for the program, perhaps because the administration simply disagrees with the program’s goals. “[A]llies of the president have increasingly suggested that declining teen birth rates are a ‘problem,’” the senators write. “It appears this administration may agree with that assessment as you cancel funding for these proven programs.”

“We demand that you immediately reverse course and reinstate funding for established grantees of the TPP Program, who are midway through their grants and doing essential work to prevent teen pregnancy,” the lawmakers conclude.

Joining Senator Murray in sending the letter were U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

The full letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

We write to express our outrage over your recent decision to terminate the vast majority of Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program grants, which will deprive teens across the U.S. of vital resources and threaten to unwind decades of progress made in reducing teen pregnancy. These grants, which were canceled in the middle of their five-year project period, supported evidence-based programs that worked to prevent teen pregnancy and behavioral risk factors underlying teen pregnancy, as is required by law. This decision to cancel 53 of 66 existing grants follows a pattern of actions the Trump Administration has taken to undermine access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare and put the health and wellbeing of our young people at risk. We call on you to immediately reinstate funding for these grantees who have a proven track record of working to uphold the goals of the program in accordance with the law.

For the last 35 years, the teen birth rate has been declining. According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the teenage birth rate fell by 7% in 2025, reaching another historic low. In 1991, the number of babies born to mothers ages 15 to 19 was more than five times higher than it is today. Evidence suggests that these declines are driven by several factors, including the use of more effective forms of contraception, greater access to information about pregnancy prevention, and a decline in teen sexual activity, which the TPP Program has supported.

The very goal of the TPP Program when it was established in 2010 was to support evidence-driven practices that would reduce teen pregnancy, with the majority of funds directed to programs with models whose effectiveness at preventing teen pregnancy had been demonstrated through rigorous evaluation, known as “Tier 1”, and a smaller portion of funds for the development and testing of new prevention programs, or “Tier 2,” which helps to grow the list of approved Tier 1 curricula.

The bipartisan law that most recently appropriated funding for the program in fiscal year 2026 reiterated the program’s goals—providing $101 million for “making competitive contracts and grants to public and private entities to fund medically accurate and age appropriate programs that reduce teen pregnancy” with 75 percent of funds directed toward “replicating programs that have been proven effective through rigorous evaluation to reduce teenage pregnancy, behavioral risk factors underlying teenage pregnancy, or other associated risk factors.”

These grants were awarded to state and local health departments, universities, and community organizations across America, like the Boys & Girls Club. These are organizations that know exactly how to reach young people to provide them with the information they need to make smart decisions about their health and futures.

We know that both Trump Administrations have long sought to destroy the TPP Program. President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposed to eliminate it, as did his prior budgets, and in 2017, the Trump Administration attempted to cancel every TPP Program grant, a decision that was ultimately struck down by the courts. Now, however, allies of the president have increasingly suggested that declining teen birth rates are a “problem.” It appears this administration may agree with that assessment as you cancel funding for these proven programs. Your decision to terminate this funding squarely aligns with your department’s established pattern of rejecting evidence and science, ignoring Congressional intent, and undermining the ability of people to make their own healthcare decisions.

We demand that you immediately reverse course and reinstate funding for established grantees of the TPP Program, who are midway through their grants and doing essential work to prevent teen pregnancy.

Sincerely,

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Murray, Peters, Schumer, & Merkley Lead All Senate Democrats in Demanding OMB Rescind Rule Giving President Sweeping Power to Politicize Federal Grants

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Democratic Leader; and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in demanding Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought immediately rescind OMB’s proposed regulation on federal financial assistance. The senators warned the proposal exceeds OMB’s statutory authority, undermines Congress’s constitutional power of the purse, and would allow the President to weaponize federal grants for political purposes.

“Your proposal exceeds OMB’s authority, will make it impossible for grant recipients to faithfully carry out the funding priorities that Congress establishes in statute, and would turn federal grants into a new cudgel for the President to unilaterally advance his partisan agenda and punish political rivals,” the senators wrote. “Ultimately, these changes will make it harder for grant recipients to apply for and manage federal funds – undermining public safety, public health, economic competitiveness, and the government’s ability to address rising costs.”

The proposed rule would dramatically expand agencies’ authority to terminate or suspend federal grants at any time and without notice. It would also require political appointees to make funding decisions without deferring to expert peer review. The senators warn this would inject partisan politics into grantmaking, threaten America’s leadership in scientific and medical innovation, and create chaos for communities and organizations that rely on federal funding to deliver critical services.

“Rather than focusing on fulfilling the statutory purposes of a grant program, applicants and recipients will be forced to play an endless guessing game, trying to determine which of their activities may or may not run afoul of OMB’s ambiguous regulations or the president’s whims,” the senators wrote.

The senators also argue that OMB’s proposal would force grant recipients to comply with vague, undefined, and political grant conditions that conflict with existing statutes. At the same time, it would weaken transparency and accountability requirements intended to safeguard taxpayer dollars. These changes could discourage qualified organizations from applying for federal grants and increase the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse.

The senators concluded: “Article I of the Constitution vests the power of the purse in Congress, which Congress has historically exercised by appropriating taxpayer dollars through federal grants to fund critical programs, including to protect public safety, advance scientific research, and support health and nutrition initiatives. OMB’s proposal unlawfully seeks to substitute Congress’s role in directing federal spending with the President’s preferred priorities, and in doing so, makes it harder for every community and organization in the United States to fairly access federal funding. We call on you to rescind this proposal.”

Every member of the Senate Democratic caucus signed the letter. Joining Senators Murray, Peters, Schumer, and Merkley in sending the letter were U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Full text of the letter is available HERE.

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Sens. Ossoff, Rev. Warnock Again Urge DHA to Abandon Reduction of Services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center

Fort Gordon, Ga. — U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock are again pushing back on plans to reduce services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center.

Sen. Ossoff and Reverend Warnock are again urging the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to abandon its plan to close all inpatient services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center (DDEAMC).

The plan includes permanently closing inpatient care and transitioning the emergency room to an urgent care center, which could disrupt care for patients and add strain on the local health care system.

However, despite announcing the closure of all inpatient services at DDEAMC, the DHA has not yet finalized a list of which inpatient services would be closed upon implementation and questions remain unanswered about the transition to an ambulatory care center.

“We write following up on the Defense Health Agency (DHA)’s decision to close all inpatient services at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center (DDEAMC) and transition the facility to an ambulatory care center,” Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock wrote to Assistant Secretary Keith Bass. “We have become increasingly concerned by the information shared thus far regarding DHA’s decision to move forward with these closures absent any clear and adequate plan for servicemembers, their families, veterans, and staff.”

“Any plans to reduce services would come at a great disservice to those who have made the greatest sacrifice to our Nation. We urge DHA to keep these men and women, and their families, at the forefront of any decision that would reduce services at Eisenhower Army Medical Center,” Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock also wrote to Assistant Secretary Bass. “As presented, this plan will only create further chaos and could hinder access to care for servicemembers, their families, and veterans at Fort Gordon and the Augusta region. We therefore urge you to immediately halt all plans for reductions of service at DDEAMC and rescind Congressional notification, while DHA continues to clarify and provide additional information to Congress and the impacted community about this decision.”

Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry last November with the Acting Director of the DHA requesting more information about reported plans to reduce services at the Eisenhower Army Medical Center, which serves between 30,000 to 40,000 active-duty servicemembers, retired servicemembers, their families, and DoD civilians in and around the CSRA.

Click here to read Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock’s inquiry.

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Padilla, Schiff Announce $107 Million to Modernize California Airports

The largest awards include $28.1 million for Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, $27 million for Long Beach Airport, $14.4 million for Fresno Yosemite International Airport, and $11.5 million for San José Mineta International Airport.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) announced that 16 California airports will receive $107 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants to modernize airport infrastructure, improve safety, and strengthen the state’s aviation system. Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding will be used to invest in infrastructure projects such as runway and taxiway rehabilitation, lighting and signage upgrades, noise mitigation, and other critical infrastructure improvements.

“Millions of travelers across the country and globe rely on California airports for safe and efficient travel, commerce, and tourism,” said Senator Padilla. “These investments are critical to support and modernize critical airport infrastructure, enhance safety for passengers, and support our state’s economy.”

“From safety improvements to modernizing aging infrastructure, this federal funding will make critical upgrades at California’s airports. These major investments will create more jobs in communities across the Golden State, strengthen our transportation system, and boost our local economies,” said Senator Schiff.

California airports selected to receive funding include:

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport — $28.1 million: This project rehabilitates 10,520 feet of existing paved Taxiway W to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris to extend its useful life.

Long Beach Airport — $27 million: This project reconstructs 4,200 feet of existing paved Taxiway F pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport — $14.4 million: This project reconstructs 9,539 feet of existing paved Runway 11L/29R that has reached the end of its useful life.

San Jose Mineta International Airport — $11.5 million: This project constructs a new 6,735 foot paved Taxiway V to allow access to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.

Hollywood-Burbank/Bob Hope Airport — $10 million: This project removes an existing terminal and parking structure identified as hazards by the FAA to enhance safety.

Ontario International Airport — $7.3 million: This project reconstructs 2,218 feet of existing paved Runway 8L/26R that has reached the end of its useful life.

Gillespie Field Airport — $2.9 million: This project rehabilitates 3,160 feet of existing paved Runway 17/35 to maintain the structural integrity to extend its useful life.

Big Bear Airport — $1.3 million: This project acquires two plows snow removal equipment to enhance the airport’s ability to clear the priority areas of the airfield during adverse weather conditions.

March Air Reserve Base — $1.3 million: This project reconstructs 7,100 square yards of the existing Cargo Apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.

Blythe Airport — $905,667.00: This project installs new lighting on the Primary Apron to bring the airport into conformity with current standards. This project constructs 90 feet of perimeter fencing and two gates not required by 49 CFR 1542 to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.

Columbia Airport — $570,000.00: This project updates the existing airport master plan study.

Reedley Municipal Airport — $509,733.00: This project constructs a new fuel farm at a nonprimary airport by adding three fuel tanks to assist the airport to be as self-sustaining as possible by generating revenue. The sponsor has adequately financed the airside needs of the airport.

Brawley Municipal Airport-BWC — $275,000.00: This project reseals 215,000 feet of existing Taxiway A pavement and joints at a nonprimary airport to extend its useful life. An additional project reseals 66,889 square yards of existing SE Apron pavement and joints at a nonprimary airport to extend its useful life.

University Airport — $156,750.00: This project reconstructs 10,300 square yards of the existing West Apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.

California City Airport — $150,321.00: This project resurfaces 6,025 feet of existing Runway 6/24 pavement at a nonprimary airport to extend its useful life.

Eastern Sierra Regional Airport — $138,940.00: This project conducts an airport wildlife hazard assessment.

A complete list of AIP awards for California airports included in this round of funding is available here.

Padilla and Schiff have consistently secured federal investments to modernize California’s aviation infrastructure. Last year, Padilla and Schiff announced that 46 California airports were awarded a combined $168.85 million in grant funding from AIG program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In August, they announced that an additional 72 California airports were awarded a combined $158.4 million in grant funding. In July, they announced that 18 California airports were awarded a combined $81.3 million from the AIP to bolster aviation infrastructure. Padilla also announced $219.5 million in grant funding from the FAA through the AIP last year to upgrade aviation infrastructure.

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Padilla, Senate Democrats Demand OMB Rescind Rule Granting Trump Sweeping Power to Politicize Federal Grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and the entire Senate Democratic caucus in demanding Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought immediately rescind OMB’s proposed regulation on federal financial assistance. The Senators warned the proposal exceeds OMB’s statutory authority, undermines Congress’ constitutional power of the purse, and would give the President sweeping new authority to weaponize federal grants for political purposes.

“Your proposal exceeds OMB’s authority, will make it impossible for grant recipients to faithfully carry out the funding priorities that Congress establishes in statute, and would turn federal grants into a new cudgel for the President to unilaterally advance his partisan agenda and punish political rivals,” wrote the Senators. “Ultimately, these changes will make it harder for grant recipients to apply for and manage federal funds – undermining public safety, public health, economic competitiveness, and the government’s ability to address rising costs.”

The proposed rule would dramatically expand agencies’ authority to terminate or suspend federal grants at any time and without notice. It would also require political appointees to make funding decisions without deferring to expert peer review.

“Rather than focusing on fulfilling the statutory purposes of a grant program, applicants and recipients will be forced to play an endless guessing game, trying to determine which of their activities may or may not run afoul of OMB’s ambiguous regulations or the president’s whims,” wrote the Senators.

The Senators also argued that OMB’s proposal would force grant recipients to comply with vague, undefined terms that conflict with existing statutes. It would simultaneously weaken transparency and accountability requirements intended to safeguard taxpayer dollars. These changes could discourage qualified organizations from applying for federal grants and increase the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse.

“Article I of the Constitution vests the power of the purse in Congress, which Congress has historically exercised by appropriating taxpayer dollars through federal grants to fund critical programs, including to protect public safety, advance scientific research, and support health and nutrition initiatives,” concluded the Senators. “OMB’s proposal unlawfully seeks to substitute Congress’s role in directing federal spending with the President’s preferred priorities, and in doing so, makes it harder for every community and organization in the United States to fairly access federal funding. We call on you to rescind this proposal.”

In addition to Padilla, Schumer, Peters, Murray, and Merkley, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Padilla pressed OMB Deputy Director nominee Hal Duncan on this proposed rule during his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Budget Committee on June 16, 2026. He raised concerns about the far-reaching impacts of this overhaul to the federal grants process echoed in this letter and about the motivations behind the rulemaking, suggesting it was intended to provide cover for the Trump Administration’s illegal withholding and cancellation of thousands of federal grants. He asked Duncan for a commitment that OMB would not use this or any future change to the Uniform Guidance to circumvent congressional spending decisions, which the nominee refused to provide. Padilla also submitted several questions for the record asking about the legal authority OMB is relying on to override congressional authorization, the impact on multi-year funding projects, OMB’s process for meaningfully considering public comments, the bypassing of statutorily required expert review, and more.

The full letter is available here.

Video of Padilla’s remarks is available here.

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Reed Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary

PROVIDENCE, RI – Today, in honor of America’s semiquincentennial on July 4, U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement:

“Happy 4th of July and happy 250th anniversary, America!

“In the summer of 1776, over 50 individuals – including two Rhode Islanders – risked everything to sign the Declaration of Independence.

“From 13 original colonies a united collection of spirited states came together, defeated the British, and achieved independence.

“Through national triumphs, challenges, and tragedies -- our great democratic experiment has proven that a system of government where power flows from the people to the state, not the other way around, can succeed.

“Today, we as Americans are bound to one another and called upon individually and collectively to help author America’s next chapter.

“Unlike the signers of the Declaration of Independence, we needn’t risk being charged with treason in order to do our part.

“But keeping America strong requires an engaged citizenry and active participation in civic life. As Americans, we have different views and ideas and vigorously debate and peacefully contest them. But we must never lose sight of the fact that we are a nation of laws and we have a shared responsibility to uphold the law and our constitutional principles.

“Our allegiance is to the Constitution, not a king. We stand for freedom of speech and religion, and the freedom to petition our government for a redress of our grievances. We carry forth the torch our founders lit and continue working to uphold the promise of equality and liberty for all.

“Our nation’s 250th birthday is also a time to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of our Armed Forces. From Continental Army volunteers to our professional, all-volunteer forces today, we honor those who have stood a post for freedom, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“Inspired by their example -- and the example of first responders who rush to help others and serve the community -- it is our duty as citizens to help build a more perfect union and defend and advance the rights and core values for which our forbearers fought. We must ensure America lives up to its promise as a place where all men and women are equal and everyone has the right to live with freedom and dignity.

“We must defend America -- not just against foreign foes but from apathy, cynicism, and corruption from within and from those who would seek to divide us.

“Despite the fact that we are a big, diverse nation with a healthy spirit of individualism, we share a commitment to our founding truths: that we are all created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“While fiercely independent, we must remain connected and tightly woven together like the broad stripes and bright stars stitched upon our flag (and with a healthy dose of HOPE emblazoned across the Rhode Island state flag too).

“Just as the American flag has evolved over time, so too has our country. It has gotten bigger, stronger and more inclusive. The American experience has changed, the challenges we face evolve, but our ability as Americans to come together remains a constant. From revolutions to world wars to pandemics to national tragedies: Americans have always united and sacrificed for the common good.

“That is the patriotic spirit and heritage we celebrate today and pass along to future generations. That is how the American experiment will continue flourishing. Together, our work continues. Far and wide, let freedom ring!”


Trump’s Polices Are Making America Unaffordable & Sticking Workers with Higher Bills and Smaller Paychecks

WASHINGTON, DC -- Two-hundred and fifty years ago, the unfair imposition of tariffs and levies by King George III -- who was seeking to pay off his empire’s massive war debts -- ignited the American revolution.

Today, President Trump is imposing costly, unauthorized tariffs on the American people, cutting away the social safety net, and forcing them to pay higher prices. He also started a disastrous war with Iran that has fed inflation, made America less secure, and is demanding that taxpayers provide him with billions of dollars to fund a military campaign they did not support that has empowered Iran’s hardline regime.

“As we get ready to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, President Trump would do well to remember that Americans don’t take kindly to those who abuse their power, undermine the rule of law and common good, and try to ignore the judicial system and enrich themselves at the expense of hardworking people,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Trump Administration’s blanket tariffs unlawful and a lower court ordered refunds. As the high court ends its term this week, the President continues to flout the law: Only around $21 billion of the $166 billion owed has been paid and virtually none of it has gone back into the pockets of working families, small businesses, and family farmers who were hit hardest by Trump’s unconstitutional tariffs.

With recent reports showing weak job numbers (including downward revisions from previous months) and persistent inflation, Senator Reed warns that President Trump’s policies and actions are betraying American workers and causing financial hardships for families and businesses.

“By imposing tariffs, dismantling health care, defunding public education, cutting away the social safety net, spiking electricity costs, and weakening unions, President Trump has launched a thinly disguised assault on American workers and working families. People are feeling the effects of Trump’s policies. While most Americans are working longer hours and falling deeper into debt, Trump’s personal income has soared by over $1.4 billion while in office. Trump only seems to care about Wall Street metrics, but Main Street is clearly hurting. People across the country in cities, towns and rural areas are all having a harder time paying for necessities as they struggle with Trumpflation and higher costs from tariffs and the Iran war,” said Reed.

Recent Federal Reserve data shows that under the Trump Administration, American workers’ share of the economic pie has fallen to its lowest level ever recorded. According to research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as of early 2026, American workers received just 54.1 percent of national income. That is down from 57.7 percent in 2020 and well below the level of 65 percent in 1947, when the federal government first began tracking the data.

And today, another weak jobs report showed the U.S. economy added just 57,000 jobs last month with labor force participation dropping to a five-year low, and wage growth tracked below inflation for a third consecutive month.

At the same time, Trump’s policies are contributing to higher mortgage rates that are keeping home ownership beyond the reach of many Americans. Earlier this month Congress passed the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to help build more housing, lower costs, streamline construction regulations, and curb private equity’s ability to buy up single-family homes and drive up housing prices. Instead of signing the law, which passed with veto-proof majorities, President Trump is sitting on it.


Ricketts, Senate Republicans Launch Anti-Fraud Task Force

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) joined U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) in announcing the launch of a new Senate Anti-Fraud Task Force. The Anti-Fraud Task Force will examine fraud, waste, and abuse across federal programs. It will also identify vulnerabilities in existing systems and strengthen government accountability to ensure the proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report estimating that the government lost between $233 billion to $521 billion annually to fraud from 2018-2022.

“We are days away from celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Preserving this great nation for another 250 years will require us to recommit to protecting Americans, our tax dollars, and our values. This includes combatting fraudsters that are stealing from Americans and driving up the cost of living. I am proud to join the Anti-Fraud Task Force and continue my efforts to fight waste, fraud, and abuse across our country,” said Senator Ricketts.

“The fraud epidemic burdening our country is one of the most pressing issues facing Americans today. It’s organized theft on a national scale, and the Americans paying the price are the ones swinging the hammer and driving the trucks, working their tails off to make ends meet. The fraudsters taking advantage of America’s generosity to the tune of billions and billions of dollars should be exposed and held accountable. Our Task Force will go after the fraud rings and bad actors exploiting our systems and robbing Americans. Following President Trump’s lead, we’re declaring war on fraud,” said Senator Schmitt.

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


Sen. Rick Scott Fights for Florida Farmers Facing Foreign Crop Dumping

WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, U.S Senator Rick Scott called on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to investigate suspected illegal dumping of Mexican strawberries into U.S. markets during peak winter harvest and sale season.

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 – cheating American farmers and their families out of their livelihood.

SCOOP: Smuggled Strawberries: Sen. Rick Scott Demands Probe Into Mexican Imports Squeezing Florida Farms

Senator Rick Scott wrote, “The facts of this case are clear. During the most recent winter season, more than 200 million kilograms of fresh strawberries from Mexico, valued at nearly $1 billion, flooded the U.S. market, much of it priced at a fraction of the cost of production.[1] These dumped imports arrive precisely during the November-through-March window when Florida’s growers harvest their crop, undercutting our farmers at the only time of year they can sell.”

BACKGROUND:

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 scope of the investigation covers fresh and chilled strawberries imported between November 1 and March 31, the same window in which Florida growers harvest and sell their crops. During the November 2024 to March 2025 season, imports of Mexican strawberries exceeded 200 million kilograms, valued at $933 million.

Read the full letter HERE or below:

Dear Secretary Lutnick:

I write in strong support of Florida’s strawberry growers in the ongoing antidumping investigation regarding Fresh Winter Strawberries from Mexico (A-201-869).[2] For decades, Mexico has used heavy subsidies and unfairly priced exports in a deliberate scheme to displace American growers of seasonal and perishable produce from our own domestic market.[3] Florida’s strawberry growers are the latest target of this scheme, and they deserve the full protection of U.S. trade law.

The facts of this case are clear. During the most recent winter season, more than 200 million kilograms of fresh strawberries from Mexico, valued at nearly $1 billion, flooded the U.S. market, much of it priced at a fraction of the cost of production.[4] These dumped imports arrive precisely during the November-through-March window when Florida’s growers harvest their crop, undercutting our farmers at the only time of year they can sell. This is not competition - it is a targeted effort to drive American family farms out of business, and it follows the same playbook Mexico has used against Florida’s tomato, blueberry, bell pepper, and many other specialty crop growers for nearly 30 years.

I have seen the toll of these unfair trade practices firsthand. I have visited Plant City, the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, many times as both Governor and Senator, and I have sat down with the family farmers who grow nearly all of America’s domestic winter strawberries. Many of these are multigenerational operations - 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[5] and this most recent winter freeze[6], these families now face a flood of dumped Mexican strawberries that threatens to take everything they have rebuilt. 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 disappear with it.

Mexico’s dumping of seasonal and perishable agricultural products directly injures U.S. growers, and I encourage Commerce to calculate the maximum dumping rate consistent with U.S. law as it completes its investigation. I also urge Commerce to issue its preliminary determination without delay. It is my understanding that certain companies opposed to relief for U.S. growers have made repeated requests for extensions of time in this proceeding. These extensions prejudice the domestic industry and - as the time remaining for Commerce to conduct its investigation shrinks - impede Commerce’s ability to properly analyze the data in a timely manner. I support Commerce in rejecting future requests for extensions from those entities seeking to deny relief to American growers and their workers. Florida’s farmers cannot afford another lost season while foreign producers and importers run out the clock.

Food security is national security, and we cannot allow our nation’s ability to feed itself to depend on the trade practices of a foreign government. I encourage you to give full and fair consideration to the facts presented by the Strawberry Growers for Fair Trade and to provide the fullest relief against unfairly priced imports consistent with U.S. law. I will never stop fighting for Florida’s farmers, and I stand ready to work with you to ensure they get the level playing field they deserve.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

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In Celebration of America’s 250 Years of Independence, Rosen Visits Hoover Dam

Senator Rosen Also Visited the Boulder City Airport, Met with Small Business Leaders at the Chamber of Commerce, and Watched the USA World Cup Game at a Local Brewery

Watch her video at the Hoover Dam HERE

BOULDER CITY, NV – Yesterday, as part of the America 250 celebrations, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen visited the Hoover Dam and toured various spots around Boulder City, highlighting local small businesses and the importance of tourism to the region. Senator Rosen met with various leaders and small business owners across the city to discuss her efforts to address economic instability and the decline in international tourism. The visit included stops at the iconic Hoover Dam, the Boulder City Airport, the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce, and a local brewery.

Senator Rosen started the day off by visiting the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce with President and CEO Jill Rowland-Lagan, where they discussed Senator Rosen’s efforts to support tourism and small businesses in Boulder City. Senator Rosen has helped introduce legislation to increase tax deductions for new businesses, to allow nonprofit child care providers to access SBA loan programs, and to establish exemptions for small businesses from tariffs.

Senator Rosen, along with Mayor Joe Hardy, later toured the Boulder City Airport, the third-most used airport in Nevada. Senator Rosen has helped secure critical funding for the Boulder City Airport. In May, she helped secure $10 million in federal funding for the Boulder City Airport to support the construction and operation of a new air traffic control tower.

Senator Rosen then visited the Hoover Dam, which generates power to support 1.3 million people and is a testament to American ingenuity. With recent drops in water levels, the Hoover Dam will face significant reductions in hydropower capacity – potentially impacting millions who rely on this power and may increase electricity prices. Senator Rosen helped secure $52 million for critical operations, maintenance, and improvement projects at the Hoover Dam through the Help Hoover Dam Act, which was included in the government funding bill signed into law this year.

Senator Rosen also went to dinner at Boulder Dam Brewing Co., where she met the owner and cheered on the US Men’s National Team in their first knockout game of the World Cup.

“A symbol of American ingenuity, unity, and success, the Hoover Dam serves as both a reminder of everything the U.S. can accomplish, and it’s an inspiration for American generations to come,” said Senator Rosen. “I was so excited to celebrate America’s 250th birthday at the Hoover Dam and in Boulder City. I will continue working across the aisle to secure federal funding for local industries, such as tourism and hospitality, and will continue to support small businesses across Nevada.”

Senator Rosen has helped secure critical projects in Boulder City through federal funding. This includes $32 million in disaster funding for Lake Mead National Recreation Area to address the effects of drought and ensure that Lake Mead’s boat ramps remain operational.

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NEWS: Schiff, Padilla Join Peters, Schumer, Murray, Merkley & Senate Democrats in Demanding OMB Rescind Rule Giving President Sweeping Power to Politicize Federal Grants

Washington, DC — U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) joined Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Democratic Leader; Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and the entire Senate Democratic caucus in demanding Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought immediately rescind OMB’s proposed regulation on federal financial assistance. The Senators warned the proposal exceeds OMB’s statutory authority, undermines Congress’s constitutional power of the purse, and would allow the President to weaponize federal grants for political purposes.

“Your proposal exceeds OMB’s authority, will make it impossible for grant recipients to faithfully carry out the funding priorities that Congress establishes in statute, and would turn federal grants into a new cudgel for the President to unilaterally advance his partisan agenda and punish political rivals,” the Senators wrote. “Ultimately, these changes will make it harder for grant recipients to apply for and manage federal funds – undermining public safety, public health, economic competitiveness, and the government’s ability to address rising costs.”

The proposed rule would dramatically expand agencies’ authority to terminate or suspend federal grants at any time and without notice. It would also require political appointees to make funding decisions without deferring to expert peer review. The Senators warn this would inject partisan politics into grantmaking, threaten America’s leadership in scientific and medical innovation, and create chaos for communities and organizations that rely on federal funding to deliver critical services.

“Rather than focusing on fulfilling the statutory purposes of a grant program, applicants and recipients will be forced to play an endless guessing game, trying to determine which of their activities may or may not run afoul of OMB’s ambiguous regulations or the president’s whims,” the Senators wrote.

The Senators also argue that OMB’s proposal would force grant recipients to comply with vague, undefined, and political grant conditions that conflict with existing statutes. At the same time, it would weaken transparency and accountability requirements intended to safeguard taxpayer dollars. These changes could discourage qualified organizations from applying for federal grants and increase the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse.

The Senators concluded: “Article I of the Constitution vests the power of the purse in Congress, which Congress has historically exercised by appropriating taxpayer dollars through federal grants to fund critical programs, including to protect public safety, advance scientific research, and support health and nutrition initiatives. OMB’s proposal unlawfully seeks to substitute Congress’s role in directing federal spending with the President’s preferred priorities, and in doing so, makes it harder for every community and organization in the United States to fairly access federal funding. We call on you to rescind this proposal.”

Joining Senators Schiff, Padilla, Peters, Schumer, Murray, and Merkley in sending the letter were U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai’i), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai’i), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The full text of the letter is available here.

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NEWS: Schiff, Padilla Announce $107 Million to Modernize California Airports

The largest awards include $28.1 million for Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, $15 million for Long Beach Airport, $14.4 million for Fresno Yosemite International Airport, and $11.5 million for San José Mineta International Airport.

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) announced that 16 California airports will receive $107 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants to modernize airport infrastructure, improve safety, and strengthen the state’s aviation system. Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding will be used to invest in infrastructure projects such as runway and taxiway rehabilitation, lighting and signage upgrades, noise mitigation, and other critical infrastructure improvements.

“From safety improvements to modernizing aging infrastructure, this federal funding will make critical upgrades at California’s airports. These major investments will create more jobs in communities across the Golden State, strengthen our transportation system, and boost our local economies,” said Senator Schiff.

“Millions of travelers across the country and globe rely on California airports for safe and efficient travel, commerce, and tourism,” said Senator Padilla. “These investments are critical to support and modernize critical airport infrastructure, enhance safety for passengers, and support our state’s economy.”

California airports selected to receive funding include:

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport — $28.1 million: This project rehabilitates 10,520 feet of existing paved Taxiway W to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris to extend its useful life.

Long Beach Airport — $27 million: This project reconstructs 4,200 feet of existing paved Taxiway F pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport — $14.4 million: This project reconstructs 9,539 feet of existing paved Runway 11L/29R that has reached the end of its useful life.

San Jose Mineta International Airport — $11.5 million: This project constructs a new 6,735 foot paved Taxiway V to allow access to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.

Ontario International Airport — $7.3 million: This project reconstructs 2,218 feet of existing paved Runway 8L/26R that has reached the end of its useful life.

Gillespie Field Airport — $2.9 million: This project rehabilitates 3,160 feet of existing paved Runway 17/35 to maintain the structural integrity to extend its useful life.

Hollywood-Burbank/Bob Hope Airport — $10 million: This project removes an existing terminal and parking structure identified as hazards by the FAA to enhance safety.

Big Bear Airport — $1.3 million: This project acquires two plows snow removal equipment to enhance the airport’s ability to clear the priority areas of the airfield during adverse weather conditions.

March Air Reserve Base — $1.3 million: This project reconstructs 7,100 square yards of the existing Cargo Apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.

Blythe Airport — $905,667.00: This project installs new lighting on the Primary Apron to bring the airport into conformity with current standards. This project constructs 90 feet of perimeter fencing and two gates not required by 49 CFR 1542 to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.

Columbia Airport — $570,000.00: This project updates the existing airport master plan study.

Reedley Municipal Airport — $509,733.00: This project constructs a new fuel farm at a nonprimary airport by adding three fuel tanks to assist the airport to be as self-sustaining as possible by generating revenue. The sponsor has adequately financed the airside needs of the airport.

Brawley Municipal Airport-BWC — $275,000.00: This project reseals 215,000 feet of existing Taxiway A pavement and joints at a nonprimary airport to extend its useful life. An additional project reseals 66,889 square yards of existing SE Apron pavement and joints at a nonprimary airport to extend its useful life.

University Airport — $156,750.00: This project reconstructs 10,300 square yards of the existing West Apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.

California City Airport — $150,321.00: This project resurfaces 6,025 feet of existing Runway 6/24 pavement at a nonprimary airport to extend its useful life.

Eastern Sierra Regional Airport — $138,940.00: This project conducts an airport wildlife hazard assessment.

A complete list of AIP awards for California airports included in this round of funding is available here.

Schiff and Padilla have consistently secured federal investments to modernize California’s aviation infrastructure. Last year, Schiff and Padilla announced that 46 California airports were awarded a combined $168.85 million in grant funding from AIG program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In August, they announced that an additional 72 California airports were awarded a combined $158.4 million in grant funding. In July, they announced that 18 California airports were awarded a combined $81.3 million from the AIP to bolster aviation infrastructure. Padilla also announced $219.5 million in grant funding from the FAA through the AIP last year to upgrade aviation infrastructure.

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AS DEVASTATING GOP SNAP CUTS ARE SET TO SHIFT COST OF CRITICAL FOOD ASSISTANCE TO STATES AND COUNTIES AND INCREASE HUNGER, SCHUMER LAUNCHES PUSH TO DELAY SNAP COST SHIFTS TO SAVE ROCHESTER-FINGER...

Last Year Trump And Republicans Made The Largest Cut To SNAP In History – NEARLY $200 BILLION; In New York, SNAP Is Administered By Counties – Meaning The Rochester-Finger Lakes Region Will Need To Find A Whopping $5.6+ MILLION To Keep Nutrition Assistance Flowing To Families and Veterans In Need, Including $250,000 For Orleans County And $3 MILLION For Monroe County

House And Senate GOP Have Refused To Reverse Cruel SNAP Cuts; Schumer Calls On Republicans To Work With Democrats To Write A Farm Bill That Restores SNAP & Helps Families Put Food On The Table For 135,000 New Yorkers In The Rochester-Finger Lakes Region

Schumer: No Child Should Go Hungry – Any Farm Bill Must Protect SNAP

As New York counties scramble to find funding to keep SNAP alive after Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill made the largest program cuts in history, and Congressional Republicans refuse to act, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today stood at Community Action of Orleans and Genesee with families and local officials to launch his push for a two-year delay in cost shifts. In New York, counties administer the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and $5.6 million in new annual costs will fall directly on county budgets in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region, forcing counties to choose between raising local taxes or cutting food assistance for New Yorkers in need. As Congress works on the upcoming Farm Bill, Schumer urged Republicans to work with Democrats to meet the needs of families across the country suffering from skyrocketing costs of living and called on New York House Republicans to stand with New York families and local legislators against these cuts.

“135,000 New York families, kids, and seniors across the Rochester-Finger Lakes region depend on SNAP to put food on the table. But last year, Republicans passed the largest cut to SNAP in history, forcing Rochester-Finger Lakes counties and their taxpayers to pick up the tab,” said Senator Schumer. “Now, Republicans want to move forward with a Farm Bill that would do nothing for hungry families or the counties. The Republicans’ plan will immediately blow a $250,000 bill in the Orleans County budget, and counties across the country will be forced to choose between raising local taxes and cutting food assistance for hungry kids, seniors, veterans, and families. It’s just plain cruel.”

Schumer added, “That’s why I’m here today to announce that I will NOT support a Farm Bill that does not at least provide more time for states and counties to prepare to shoulder the cost of SNAP. A Republican Farm Bill that abandons hungry families is not a serious proposal. I urge Republicans, especially New York House Republicans, to come back to the table and write a Farm Bill that actually meets the moment: supporting farmers, strengthening rural America, protecting families, and ensuring Americans have enough to eat by reversing SNAP cuts.”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States and a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY children, seniors, veterans, and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Last year, Trump and Congressional Republicans rushed to pass a nearly $200 billion cut to SNAP, ripping away food from thousands of hungry kids and families across America.

Since SNAP is administered by counties in New York State, counties will be forced to shoulder the burden of increased SNAP costs, using more local dollars to administer the program because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient funding. As Congress works on a five-year Farm Bill, which governs federal agricultural, food, and conservation programs, Schumer has said Democrats cannot support a Farm Bill until Republicans agree to include the two-year delay to the SNAP cost shift.

Just last week, Senate Republicans released the text of a five-year Farm Bill that fails to address SNAP cuts. In April, House Republicans passed a five-year Farm Bill that also failed to address SNAP cuts. Democrats stand united against any Farm Bill that does not include a two-year cost shift delay for SNAP, which would provide parity for New York with other states, like Alaska, which do not have to begin shouldering the cost of SNAP for another two years. There have been strong bipartisan calls to reverse course from governors, mayors, and state legislatures to support the cost-shift. Schumer is calling on New York House Republicans to join Democrats and their constituents in the fight against these cruel food assistance cuts.

Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson said, “We appreciate Senator Schumer’s push for our county’s work to effectively deliver the nutrition program supports that our residents rely on. The SNAP cost shifts that are set to hit New York counties this fall are a threat to Orleans County’s budget, forcing reductions in staffing and delaying critical nutrition assistance for vulnerable residents. Under current law, some other states are granted a two-year delay from this cost shift, which is why we join Senator Schumer in calling for the upcoming Farm Bill to grant all states and counties, including New York State and Orleans County, the same two-year extension before any new cost obligations are triggered. We are committed to operating a strong and accurate SNAP program, and urge Congress to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that extends this delay to all states, treating SNAP agencies equally while providing the necessary time to invest in the staffing, training, and technology needed to best serve our residents.”

Renee Hungerford, Executive Director and CEO at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee said, “Every day, we see how critical programs like SNAP are to the families we serve. Here at the Holley Center, each year we provide nearly 6,000 prepared meals for community members and serve as a vital site for food distribution—meeting people where they are. As the cost of basic goods continues to rise, the need for food assistance in our community only grows. Programs like SNAP, shaped through the Farm Bill, don’t just help families put food on the table—they also support our local farmers, grocery stores, and rural economy. And when federal proposals shift more of those program costs onto states, it puts real pressure on counties like Orleans, where local resources are already stretched, increasing the strain on food pantries, community programs, and the families who rely on them every day.”

"For decades, SNAP has served as our nation's first line of defense against food insecurity, and we have already seen the local impact of how federal legislation has removed thousands of people from this critical program," said Julia Tedesco, President and CEO of Foodlink. "Shifting costs to states and counties will further reduce enrollment and put an overwhelming and untenable strain on the emergency food system. We fully support a delay in this cost-sharing policy, and a Farm Bill that helps put food on the table for those that need it most."

According to a report from the New York State Association of Counties, 4,836 New Yorkers in Orleans County receive nearly $11 million in annual benefits through SNAP. The planned cost shift is expected to leave Orleans County with an additional $251,765 in annual budget costs, at the same time as the county is already managing state and federal mandates, workforce shortages, rising service demands, and the property tax cap. The 2026 Orleans County budget said that Republican cuts to SNAP will reduce federal government assistance for the county, impacting individuals served by SNAP.

Across the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region, more than 135,000 New Yorkers receive $345 million in annual SNAP benefits. The planned cost shift is expected to shift more than $5.6 million in costs to counties in New York. The 2026 Monroe County budget said Trump’s Medicaid and SNAP cuts will lead to a loss of federal funding and programmatic cuts that will severely impact the county’s future. A breakdown of annual benefits paid, individuals served, and county cost increases for counties in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region can be found below:

County

Annual Benefits Paid

Individuals Served

County Cost Increase

Genesee

$9,852,766

4,382

$380,348

Livingston

$11,595,947

4,824

$362,665

Monroe

$262,789,720

99,149

$3,013,240

Ontario

$20,510,074

9,140

$460,965

Orleans

$10,980,049

4,836

$251,765

Seneca

$7,449,664

3,327

$570,125

Wayne

$17,855,915

7,507

$503,004

Yates

$4,206,443

1,928

$140,983

TOTAL

$345,240,578

135,093

$5,683,095

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AS DEVASTATING GOP SNAP CUTS ARE SET TO SHIFT COST OF CRITICAL FOOD ASSISTANCE TO STATES AND COUNTIES AND INCREASE HUNGER, SCHUMER LAUNCHES PUSH TO DELAY SNAP COST SHIFTS TO SAVE WESTERN NEW YORK...

Last Year Trump And Republicans Made The Largest Cut To SNAP In History – NEARLY $200 BILLION; In New York, SNAP Is Administered By Counties – Meaning Western New York Will Need To Find A Whopping $9.8+ MILLION To Keep Nutrition Assistance Flowing To Families and Veterans In Need, Including $211,000 For Wyoming County And $6.3 MILLION For Erie County

House And Senate GOP Have Refused To Reverse Cruel SNAP Cuts; Schumer Calls On Republicans To Work With Democrats To Write A Farm Bill That Restores SNAP & Helps Families Put Food On The Table For 193,000 New Yorkers In Western New York

Schumer: No Child Should Go Hungry – Any Farm Bill Must Protect SNAP

As New York counties scramble to find funding to keep SNAP alive after Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill made the largest program cuts in history, and Congressional Republicans refuse to act, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today stood at Warsaw Food Pantry at the United Church of Warsaw with families and local officials to launch his push for a two-year delay in cost shifts. In New York, counties administer the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and $9.8 million in new annual costs will fall directly on county budgets in Western New York, forcing counties to choose between raising local taxes or cutting food assistance for New Yorkers in need. As Congress works on the upcoming Farm Bill, Schumer urged Republicans to work with Democrats to meet the needs of families across the country suffering from skyrocketing costs of living and called on New York House Republicans to stand with New York families and local legislators against these cuts.

“198,000 New York families, kids, and seniors across Western New York depend on SNAP to put food on the table. But last year, Republicans passed the largest cut to SNAP in history, forcing Western New York counties and their taxpayers to pick up the tab,” said Senator Schumer. “Now, Republicans want to move forward with a Farm Bill that would do nothing for hungry families or the counties. The Republicans’ plan will immediately blow a $211,000 bill in the Wyoming County budget, and counties across the country will be forced to choose between raising local taxes and cutting food assistance for hungry kids, seniors, veterans, and families. It’s just plain cruel.”

Schumer added, “That’s why I’m here today to announce that I will NOT support a Farm Bill that does not at least provide more time for states and counties to prepare to shoulder the cost of SNAP. A Republican Farm Bill that abandons hungry families is not a serious proposal. I urge Republicans, especially New York House Republicans, to come back to the table and write a Farm Bill that actually meets the moment: supporting farmers, strengthening rural America, protecting families, and ensuring Americans have enough to eat by reversing SNAP cuts.”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States and a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY children, seniors, veterans, and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Last year, Trump and Congressional Republicans rushed to pass a nearly $200 billion cut to SNAP, ripping away food from thousands of hungry kids and families across America.

Since SNAP is administered by counties in New York State, counties will be forced to shoulder the burden of increased SNAP costs, using more local dollars to administer the program because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient funding. As Congress works on a five-year Farm Bill, which governs federal agricultural, food, and conservation programs, Schumer has said Democrats cannot support a Farm Bill until Republicans agree to include the two-year delay to the SNAP cost shift.

Just last week, Senate Republicans released the text of a five-year Farm Bill that fails to address SNAP cuts. In April, House Republicans passed a five-year Farm Bill that also failed to address SNAP cuts. Democrats stand united against any Farm Bill that does not include a two-year cost shift delay for SNAP, which would provide parity for New York with other states, like Alaska, which do not have to begin shouldering the cost of SNAP for another two years. There have been strong bipartisan calls to reverse course from governors, mayors, and state legislatures to support the cost-shift. Schumer is calling on New York House Republicans to join Democrats and their constituents in the fight against these cruel food assistance cuts.

Wyoming County Board of Supervisors Chairman James Brick said, “Effective October 1, 2026, the federal share for SNAP administrative costs will be reduced from 50% to 25%, which will increase the State/Local share from 50% to 75% which will mean Wyoming County will lose over $211,000 in federal funding every year at the same time that county staffs will have to shoulder new costs to administer new expanded requirements in order to efficiently deliver critical nutrition assistance to vulnerable residents. The current law grants some other states a two-year delay from this cost shift which is why we appreciate Senator Schumer’s push to extend this delay to all states and counties, including New York State and Wyoming County. This will create an equal footing for all states and counties and provide the necessary time that counties need to best serve our residents.”

Victoria Tiebor, CEO Wyoming County Community Action, Inc. said, “As the Director of Wyoming County Community Action, we try to meet people’s needs for services, giving them a needed lift on their way back to independence. With new qualification parameters for SNAP nutritional benefits or changes in Medicaid regulations, we have been inundated with community members coming into our agency desperately needing help to feed their families or be able to provide medical coverage for themselves or their dependents. For many, the new guidelines make it much more difficult for those in need of obtaining the items and services of the very basics of humanity, food and care. We appreciate and thank Senator Schumer for caring about our rural area.

"For decades, SNAP has served as our nation's first line of defense against food insecurity, and we have already seen the local impact of how federal legislation has removed thousands of people from this critical program," said Julia Tedesco, President and CEO of Foodlink. "Shifting costs to states and counties will further reduce enrollment and put an overwhelming and untenable strain on the emergency food system. We fully support a delay in this cost-sharing policy, and a Farm Bill that helps put food on the table for those that need it most."

According to a report from the New York State Association of Counties, 2,548 New Yorkers in Wyoming County receive nearly $5 million in annual benefits through SNAP. The planned cost shift is expected to leave Wyoming County with an additional $211,764 in annual budget costs, at the same time as the county is already managing state and federal mandates, workforce shortages, rising service demands, and the property tax cap. The 2026 Wyoming County budget said that losing $211,000 in federal funding is a threat to the county budget.

Across Western New York, more than 193,000 New Yorkers receive $472 million in annual SNAP benefits. The planned cost shift is expected to shift more than $5.6 million in costs to counties in New York. A breakdown of annual benefits paid, individuals served, and county cost increases for counties in Western New York can be found below:

County

Annual Benefits Paid

Individuals Served

County Cost Increase

Cattaraugus

$21,982,900

9,915

$720,143

Chautauqua

$52,904,202

22,653

$983,868

Erie

$331,965,951

132,985

$6,384,494

Niagara

$61,135,075

25,656

$1,555,489

Wyoming

$4,922,455

2,548

$211,764

TOTAL

$472,910,583

193,757

$9,855,758

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SCHUMER, AFTER DELIVERING $1 MILLION IN FED FUNDING, CUTS RIBBON ON BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY’S NEW CLEANROOM FOR MICROELECTRONIC PACKAGING RESEARCH – AND ANNOUNCES NEW LEGISLATION TO REBUILD AMERICAN...

New Schumer Legislation Will Rebuild American Manufacturing Capacity In Industries Critical To Our Economy, Including Microelectronics, While Reducing Dependence On Foreign Manufacturers

Schumer Additionally Delivered $1 Million For Binghamton University’s Nanofabrication Laboratory, Which Provides Hands-On Training For Students To Secure Jobs In Fast-Growing Chip Industry Across Upstate NY And In Other High-Demand Industries That New Schumer Legislation Will Boost

Schumer: New Legislation Would Bring Critical Manufacturing And Good-Paying Jobs Back Home To Areas Like The Southern Tier

After delivering $1 million in federal funding for Binghamton University to purchase equipment for advanced microelectronics packaging, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today joined Binghamton University President Anne D'Alleva and Watson School of Engineering Dean Atul Kelkar to cut the ribbon for the state-of-the-art facility. This new facility will help students learn the fundamentals of the semiconductor manufacturing process and prepare a workforce to fill critical microelectronics manufacturing jobs Schumer seeks to bring back to the Southern Tier from overseas.

Schumer said this is a major step forward to cement Binghamton University’s status as a leader in emerging advanced electronics innovation. Today, he also announced his new legislation, the Make More In America Act, which will expand American manufacturing capacity in industries like microelectronics and battery manufacturing, critical to protecting national supply chains, driving down the cost of everyday products, and supporting the Southern Tier economy.

“With well over $100 billion in new major chip projects starting across Upstate New York, it’s more important than ever for students to receive hands-on training for jobs in the semiconductor industry. I was thrilled to deliver $1 million in federal funding for Binghamton University to purchase new equipment for a state-of-the-art cleanroom facility. Investments like this will help grow Upstate New York’s semiconductor ecosystem, but more is needed to strengthen our domestic supply chains,” said Senator Schumer. “That’s why I’m proud to announce my new legislation—the Make More in America Act—to expand American manufacturing capacity in critical industries that China is trying to control. This legislation will provide vital new investment to bring manufacturing in critical industries like microelectronics and batteries back from overseas to communities like the Southern Tier, creating new jobs and helping prevent cost spikes that Americans are often struggling with when global supply chains are disrupted.”

Schumer delivered $1 million in federal funding in the FY2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education budget bill, enabling Binghamton University to purchase new equipment for its microelectronics packaging cleanroom. The technology is essential for critical semiconductor and electronics packaging research because it provides measures such as extreme air filtration to ensure no dust or other microscopic particulates can contaminate or damage components during the microchip manufacturing process. The new cleanroom, made possible by the federal investment Schumer secured, will also help Binghamton University provide job training for more than 100 students every year, providing a pipeline of talent for Upstate New York’s growing chip manufacturing industry, including the over $100 billion Micron memory chip project and TTM’s expansion in Central NY, GlobalFoundries’ multibillion expansion in the Capital Region, Corning Incorporated’s Expansion in Rochester and the North Country, and Menlo Micro’s investment in the Southern Tier.

“Binghamton University is deeply grateful for Senator Schumer’s leadership in securing significant funding for the Watson College Cleanroom and the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator,” said President Anne D’Alleva. “These facilities provide students with hands-on research experience that prepares them for careers in semiconductor and battery storage industries and many more, while also supporting start-ups and strengthening entrepreneurship across the region. Binghamton University is committed to driving economic growth in the Southern Tier and throughout the state through research, workforce development, and business innovation. Senator Schumer’s Make More in America Act would further strengthen domestic manufacturing and deliver meaningful benefits for American workers and consumers. We are proud to advance research and entrepreneurship initiatives that align with the Senator’s vision for expanding production and innovation here in the United States

Schumer also announced his new Make More In America Act, which will expand on investments in microelectronics and battery research in the Southern Tier by rebuilding American manufacturing capacity in these critical industries. The legislation will allow the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) to provide financing and other support to build or expand a manufacturing facility in the U.S., so more manufacturing of critical technologies happens in America. This new investment will reduce the country's dangerous dependence on foreign supply chains, especially in China, and create good-paying jobs across the country. Projects supported under this new program will directly benefit American workers and communities. To qualify, projects must demonstrate support for American jobs, pay prevailing wages for construction, protect existing collective bargaining agreements, remain neutral in union organizing, and include commitments to workforce training and education. The legislation provides support targeted at building American manufacturing in strategic industries in which there is evidence of subsidies or production support by other countries that creates an overreliance, foreign chokepoints, or other risks for U.S. supply chains, including batteries and microelectronics. This new bill will provide critical investment capital to enable technologies that come out of research institutions, like Binghamton University, to scale up to production domestically, building American jobs and bringing costs of products for Americans down.

Schumer has long recognized that Binghamton University’s pivotal role in the region’s economy and its potential to advance broader efforts to onshore critical industries like chip manufacturing, and batteries, and as a result has a strong record of delivering federal investments to boost Binghamton and Upstate NY’s profile in both manufacturing and R&D. In 2022, Schumer delivered $63.7 million in federal funding for Binghamton University’s New Energy New York (NENY) proposal to make the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes a national hub for battery research and manufacturing. In 2023, Schumer secured for NENY the prestigious Tech Hubs designation, a program he authored as part of his CHIPS & Science Law, accelerating the Southern Tier’s emergence as America’s next battery tech hub. In 2024, Schumer delivered a $500,000 Consortium Accelerator Award through the federal Tech Hubs program to boost their ongoing work.

In 2024, Schumer additionally announced another major milestone for the Binghamton University-led consortium: NENY was one of the winners of the esteemed U.S. National Science Foundation’s Regional “Innovation Engines” Competition (NSF Engines), also created by his CHIPS & Science Law, bringing an initial $15 million in federal funding. Earlier this year, Schumer announced an additional $45 million award for the Engine, with potential for up to another $100 million total over the entirety of the program.

Schumer delivered $1 million in federal funding in the FY2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development budget bill earlier this year toward a new effort to expand capacity at Binghamton University’s Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, to support the Southern Tier’s growing innovation ecosystem, continue to attract cutting-edge technology companies and startups, and create even more good-paying local jobs. The Koffman Incubator, which opened in 2017, began with $2 million in federal funding Schumer secured from the Economic Development Administration (EDA). Since then, it has supported more than 130 companies in creating 667 full-time jobs in the Southern Tier, creating a more than $400 million economic impact. Schumer said his legislation could also boost the work of the incubator and companies that rely on it by supporting their projects.

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SCHUMER, STANDING WITH UNION WORKERS AT DFAS ROME, SLAMS TRUMP ADMIN DECISION TO STRIP UNION RIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE UNION WORKERS ACROSS NY – INCLUDING 1,100 AT DFAS & AFRL IN...

Trump Administration Terminated Collective Bargaining Agreements For Nearly All Federal Employees, Including 1,100 DoD Civilian Employees At DFAS & AFRL In Rome And Thousands More Across NY

Schumer Advances Effort To Protect DoD Federal Employees’ Collective Bargaining Rights By Prohibiting Use Of Fed $$ In Annual National Defense Bill To Implement Trump Executive Order Terminating Rights For Federal Labor Unions

Schumer: Hands Off DFAS & Rome Labs Workers’ Union Rights!

After the Trump administration stripped union protections and collective bargaining rights from more than 1,100 U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees at DFAS and AFRL in Rome, and thousands more across New York State, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer stood with a bipartisan group of public officials, community leaders, and union members to fight this decision and launch his renewed push to pass legislation in the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) rescinding President Trump's executive order and restoring the union protections that DoD’s civilian workers depend on.

“Attacking union rights is a slap in the face to hardworking civilian employees here in the Mohawk Valley DFAS and AFRL and across New York. For decades, workers at DFAS Rome have worked tirelessly to support our national security interests by managing financial operations essential to the Department of Defense. Now, the Trump administration is attacking one of the freedoms core to our country’s values – Americans’ right to organize and to form unions to bargain for fair wages and benefits,” said Senator Schumer. “After more than a year of decimating the federal workforce, ripping up contracts for DoD workers makes it harder to retain our top-notch civilian workforce. Stripping these devoted civil servants of their collective bargaining rights undermines not only their workplace protections, but also the stability and morale of the civilian workforce that underpins our national defense. The Trump administration must stop its attack on our hardworking federal employees immediately. I will be fighting nonstop for my legislation in this year’s NDAA to roll back President Trump’s executive order and to restore and protect our federal workforce’s right to collectively bargain.”

Last year, the Trump administration moved to terminate most collective bargaining agreements for federal employees, stripping union protections from more than one million civilian employees across the federal government. His executive order nullified existing federal employee unions from dozens of federal agencies and agency subdivisions, effectively revoking their collective bargaining rights.

Earlier this year, the DoD became the latest agency to terminate collective bargaining rights when Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a notice to terminate most of the department’s collective bargaining agreements, impacting approximately 300 workers at AFRL Rome, 800 workers at DFAS Rome, thousands of other DoD civilian employees across New York, and hundreds of thousands of across the country who directly serve and contribute to our national defense and serve our military servicemembers and families. The 300,000 civilian employees at the Department of Defense include the largest population of veterans of any federal agency and make up a significant share of the department’s workforce.

Schumer said, “Because so many DoD civilian employees are veterans themselves, ending collective bargaining at the department effectively leaves a workforce that previously served in uniform with fewer tools to advocate for fair treatment in their civilian roles. That is not how we should treat our vets.”

Now, 1,100 civilian employees at DFAS and AFRL in Rome are being affected, and thousands across the state, including 600 workers at Fort Drum. With these protections stripped away, employees will no longer have a voice to file grievances, negotiate workplace conditions or assignments, or advocate for fair treatment on issues like work hours, promotions, parental leave, and meal allowances.

“This administration’s decision to terminate our collective bargaining agreement flies in the face of established law, and has unfairly stripped union rights and protections from more than 800 employees at DFAS and 300 employees at AFRL here in Rome. As a result, 1,100 devoted federal civil servants and AFGE members are being denied access to their contractually agreed upon rights and protections for everything from addressing workplace expectations and goal setting to the use and approval of PTO and sick leave, requests for medical accommodations, and more,” said Mary Sharp, President, AFGE Local 2612. “The elimination of our collective bargaining rights, combined with the loss of over 200 employees from the administration’s buyouts, reductions in-force and hiring freezes, have caused dramatic changes the workforce and mission readiness at both DFAS and AFRL. We need our elected and community leaders to stand and fight alongside us now more than ever. So, on behalf of all 1,100 members of AFGE Local 2612, I would like to thank Senator Schumer for leading the charge in Congress to restore our collective bargaining rights, and for always fighting to protect our workforce here at DFAS and AFRL in Rome.”

“Whenever this many employees across any industry lose their right to collective bargaining it creates uncertainty in the workforce. 1,100 local individuals who are part of our Utica and Rome community are caught in the cross-fire. As a former employee at Rome Lab who understands the value of these rights, I would like to see that this drastic change be reconsidered,” said Michael P. Galime, Mayor, City of Utica. “I would like to thank Senator Schumer for coming to our community to fight for the right to collectively bargain, and I am proud to stand with the Senator in support of bipartisan cooperation to protect that right for DFAS and Rome Lab workers living in Utica and throughout the Mohawk Valley.”

“The employees at AFRL and DFAS have supported those that serve in our military as union members for many years. Some of these employees are veterans themselves who have already answered the call to serve before and have returned to serve our nation in a different capacity. I want to thank Senator Schumer for putting forward legislation to protect our neighbors that are working at these local facilities. Their hard work and dedication to all those that keep our great nation safe is commendable, said Marianne Buttenschon, Member of the New York State Assembly, 119th District.

Schumer pledged to lead the fight against this attack on union rights and announced that he will file the Protect America's Workforce Act as an amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would protect workers' collective bargaining rights. Schumer explained that his amendment would prohibit the use of federal funding authorized in the NDAA for DoD to be used for implementing Trump’s executive order.

Schumer has been the leading champion in Congress to protect union jobs at DFAS Rome. Most recently, after securing key language in both the FY 2023 and FY 2024 NDAA, Schumer successfully safeguarded 600 jobs at DFAS Rome imperiled by automation. Thanks to the Senator’s years-long effort, the AFGE union representing DFAS Rome received a commitment from DFAS management that no Rome employees would lose their jobs due to automation, and DFAS would adopt 19 workforce training recommendations made by AFGE to retrain and upskill employees for new roles.

In 2020, Schumer secured language in the FY 2021 NDAA increasing Congressional oversight over DFAS personnel changes and adding additional protection for DFAS employees by requiring DoD to justify that proposed changes would yield significant cost savings before transitioning any functions that would result in the reduction or transfer of DFAS employees. In 2018, Schumer went to bat for DFAS in the Senate and saved 200 jobs by successfully ensuring that a House NDAA provision containing a 25% cut to agencies that employ civilian workers was rejected in the Senate NDAA. In 2017, after years of direct advocacy to former Army Secretary John McHugh, Schumer announced that a US Army pilot program jeopardizing over 1000 DFAS Rome jobs had concluded and there would be no changes or layoffs. In 2014, Schumer visited DFAS Rome to announce that DFAS would stay in Rome.

The Defense Finance and Accounting Service was created in 1991 to standardize and improve accounting and financial operations for DoD. They provide payroll services for DoD military and civilian personnel, retirees, and other major contractors and vendors. DFAS operates as a separate and unique entity in DoD to ensure transparency and accountability on behalf of DoD financing and accounting. Schumer and Gillibrand are praising the effort to advance DFAS’s current workforce so they can either stay in their current jobs or be trained in new skills to move to different roles.

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Sen. Tim Scott to introduce legislation ending the “birth tourism” industry

“American citizenship is to be cherished, not cheapened”

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Following Tuesday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding the 14th Amendment and birthright citizenship (Trump v. Barbara), U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) announced he will be introducing new legislation to end the “birth tourism” industry once and for all.

“The cheapening of American citizenship must end,” said Sen. Scott. “It is a privilege and an honor to be a citizen of this nation, so the insanity of the birth tourism industry must end.”

Sen. Scott continued, “For too long, wealthy adversaries and those who have no interest in seeing the United States flourish have perverted our system. A whole industry exists in China that has assisted more than 1 million Chinese nationals in obtaining American citizenship and passports. The fact that this is allowed to continue is insane.”

Sen. Scott concluded, “This is not a partisan issue, and I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle rally to this urgent matter, especially as we honor the sacrifice, significance, and opportunity on our 250th birthday. American citizenship is to be cherished, not cheapened.”

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Maryland Delegation Members Press Trump Administration to Cancel ICE Detention Warehouse in Washington County

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, joined by U.S. Representatives April McClain Delaney, Steny Hoyer, Jamie Raskin, Kweisi Mfume, Glenn Ivey, Johnny Olszewski, and Sarah Elfreth (all D-Md.) pressed the Trump Administration to cancel plans for the ICE Detention Warehouse in Washington County due, in part, to the potential environmental impacts and infrastructure deficiencies of the proposed facility. With these concerns in mind and the lack of community input, the members urged the Department of Homeland Security to cancel its plans.

"As we shared in our March 5 comment letter, the process that the Administration has used to purchase, plan, and develop this site has wrongfully excluded the voices of our constituents and the communities that would be impacted by its operation," the lawmakers wrote.

The letter highlights significant concerns about the proposed facility's infrastructure, noting that the warehouse DHS purchased for $102.4 million was originally equipped with only four commercial toilets and would require extensive upgrades to support a detention center housing up to 1,500 people.

"DHS cannot credibly claim that such sweeping infrastructure deficiencies can be addressed through a superficial assessment while ignoring the significant public safety, infrastructure, environmental, and community impacts that would accompany a detention facility of this scale," the lawmakers wrote. "We call on DHS to conduct a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement, informed by meaningful public participation, before any further development proceeds."

The Maryland Delegation also criticized DHS for continuing to pursue the project despite reports that ICE plans to dispose of seven of the eleven detention warehouses it previously purchased after spending nearly $1 billion on the properties.

"DHS continues to fail to justify this project, meaningfully engage the public, and answer Congress's oversight inquiries," the lawmakers concluded. "We urge you to terminate this proposal and stand ready to pursue every available avenue to ensure accountability if you do not."

The Members’ letter was also submitted as part of DHS’ public scoping request seeking public feedback on potential environmental issues or concerns.